14 States, 8 Stops, 3900 Miles

Its taken me almost a month- but I'm getting going on my vacation updates.  If only I had a good 3 weeks to spend just on my pictures on my computer I could get my shutterfly books made for the last 2 years and organize all these vacation pics! Somehow I've been super busy with photography right now so everything of mine is on the back burner for now.

I thought I'd give a little rundown of all the states we passed through. I heard this cute idea of getting a pic of the kids at every state line as we passed through, I thought it would be super cute for the blog and for the vacation book that I will eventually make in the next 3-5 years.  Chris was less thrilled with my idea and loved to give me crap about all the time I was adding to our trip with my stopping and dragging 3 kids out of the car. Whatevs, we have fun memories and stories from the experience.

Here we are as we passed into our first state- we actually pulled to the side of the road here.  Later I would find out that that was impossible to do.

 We pulled into the visitor center here- I think the sign was on the bridge if I remember right?

 The kids were sleeping, and I might be crazy- but not crazy enough to wake these fools up just for a picture.  It was my first attempt at a drive by sign. It was super small and I didn't quite catch it.

 Here's where it got a little bit hairy.  After missing the AL pic (which I was fine with) I really wanted a pic of us in FL since that was where we were spending the most time and the biggest part of our vacation.  According to my driver it was EXTREMELY dangerous to stop on the side of the road for the sign.  I was trying to get a drive by at least but he could only slow down to about 84 mph for my attempt.....I *might* have "gently tossed" my phone to the ground after my failed attempt at getting anything.  (Mind you this is at the end of a full day in the car with 3 kids). Chris pulled over to the visitor center and got us a whole family picture.  Then pointed out that this was even better than the state line- and that I was a jerk.

 After our fun filled week in FL we headed North toward MI.  First stop Alabama- Chris decided to always go to the visitor center from here on because of all the perceived danger ;-) on the roads. 

 Some places had pretty unimpressive visitor signs- this was all we could find.  The kids were very cooperative.  We stayed in Nashville for 3 days having fun with just the 5 of us.

 We spent some time on our way through KY going to Abe Lincoln's birthplace and visiting the Patton Museum.

 It got pretty Dicey in OH.  My cousins have a severe hatred for OH and since we pulled in during rush hour in a huge rainstorm we got off to a pretty rocky start.  We were actually able to make a list of 10 things that we dislike about OH on our way through.  My favorite one was being cut of by a lawn mower in the interstate.  They also have signs all over about a number to call for suspected drug use (must be a pretty big problem there).  Excessive graffiti on bridges was another. We also found out that when major cities are on the state line there isn't a visitor center. None that we could see anyway.  Their sign was hanging over the street instead of on the side so I couldn't get that pic either. Thanks Ohio.

 Welcome to my birthplace!  The weather cooled down just for our arrival- they had been in the high 90's low hundreds, which wasn't really going well with our plan to come to MI for cooler weather and to visit family.  We spent 4 nights in the Detroit area visiting my grandparents, aunts, uncles and most of my cousins.  Then we went to Kalamazoo for a night to visit one of my other cousins.

 A quick pass through another one of my home states- it was raining and it was a quick pass thorough so no pic of the family.

 Another state with their major city on the state line.  Its okay though- because when your city is Chicago I will forgive something like that :-) We spent most of the day and one night here.

 The next morning it was a bright and early send off to try to make it all the way home without stopping for the night.  St Louis is on the state line- so this is what I got.

 I don't know what is excellent about OK.  The only place we could find to stop in the entire state was McDonalds. Yuck.

 WoooHOOO! Hit the TX state line around 10- so I pulled this one from the internet- the kids were all passed out and it was too dark for photography.

 Now for a few of my favorite car pics.  How sweet are they?

 Poor Patton had little to entertain him. He did enjoy being faced forward for the first time and was thrilled about the DVD player.

 Some peek a boo

 You would think I would be happier that they were all asleep- this was after the seemingly day long fight about blankets.  After they fell asleep I gave them all back and covered them up.

 Patton finding ways to entertain himself (notics the blanket that he wouldn't let anyone else have tossed to the side of his carseat?)

 Patton was a pretty big fan of smokes on the trip. We thought it was pretty hilarious- when nothing else would work, I'd pass back a smoke to him and he'd be nice and happy for a bit.  We found a candy store in Chicago before we left, I loaded up on smokes for the drive home.

 He cracks me up! I had 3 pics on this - but apparently I did one twice instead of the other one. Oops.