The Long Way Home

Last weekend, the kids and I made the trip home from Iowa on our own. This is actually the first time I've done that for a long time. I wasn't worried about it--the kids are old enough now that they travel pretty well. I remember trying to make that drive alone with Anna as a baby. That never went well! She hated her car seat as a baby and she could scream and cry for a loooong time! Anyway, I decided maybe we should leave in the morning on Sunday so we would get home at a decent time and maybe then I wouldn't be so sleepy driving (yeah right). So we got off about 10am. I was tired (I'm always tired!) but the kids were in good moods. We drove for about 1.5 hours to the border. There's an awesome Missouri welcome center with a great playground, so I decided we might as well stop there so the kids could really get out and play (instead of having to run around next to a gas station parking lot). I still can't believe there aren't ANY food places w/ play-places on our way home! NONE.

Anna was a monkey. And right before I snapped this picture, she was clear up standing on the bar that's at her waist!

For the longest time, he wouldn't get up on the playground. I think he was too busy watching all the trucks drive by on interstate! We stayed for over 30 min. and then made a quick stop in the next town for lunch on the go.

It wasn't long before Jacob lost the battle.

She hung on a bit longer. She was seriously having trouble keeping her eyes open to color! I promise she's seat-belted...sometimes she put the belt behind her back and I don't realize it. Like this time!

And me? I had trouble keeping my eyes open a couple times, but we made it! I was asking in my mind, along with Anna "How much LONGER???" :) We actually made really good time. We stopped several times, but not for very long. We made it in 8 hrs (with no kids it takes 7). It didn't help that one of the "shortcut" roads we take was closed! So we had to take a dirt road. We got home just in time for supper and the kids were very happy to be out of the van! And to see Daddy, of course!