5/25/11

Around the World in 20 Days...

OK, so maybe we didn't make it all the way around the world...but by the time we got home it sure felt like it! 
Last month, the kids, the yellow lab, and I embarked on a great adventure...of sorts. We drove from (northern) Montana to Raleigh, North Carolina for my little sister's wedding. I can hardly recount for you the many adventures we had...so I will let the pictures tell it for me! 

We left Montana in a blizzard...continued through Wyoming in 80 mph winds and hit Nebraska about the time the first wave of Tornadoes was wrecking havoc on the country. I had wonderful plans of the places we would stop and things we would learn along our trip...but the reality was that we just needed to keep moving. We did stop in Nebraska for a quick lesson on the Pony Express...the kids were amazed! 







We also made time for a few stops at our FAVORITE restaurant...

(I would have taken a picture of the yummy food...but it was always gone before I could get a picture. 
This was the best I could do!)

Once we finally made it to Raleigh (after some help from my dear Dad who met us in St. Louis two days after the tornado ripped the roof off the airport)...we got to spend some quality time with Ashley before the wedding!




And try on our fancy wedding clothes...





We even got some professional pictures taken at Duke Gardens...

And had lots of time to play with Bumpa...



Before we knew it...it was the wedding day! Aunt Ashley and Uncle Taylor were "going to the chapel and they were gonna get married" (as the kids sang ALL day).




And don't forget the limo ride...

But the fun didn't stop there...after the wedding we went to visit Aunt Christy and our favorite North Carolina cousins! Thanks to a snafu in travel arrangements...our one day visit became a 3 day visit and boy did we have fun! Thanks Aunt Christy for putting up with us!




(this was the laughing horse that Anna got to feed in honor of her 4th Birthday)

After our extended visit with Aunt Christy and company...we whisked up to Maryland to pick up Samson (the yellow lab) and see Mimi & Bumpa one more time...then we headed on home. Unfortunately...Abigail got sick about a day into our trip and everyone else followed closely behind her. The trip home was grueling and the only picture we took was at a crazy restaurant in Casper, Wyoming...




We have been busy recovering, regrouping, and recreating a schedule ever since we got home. We have enjoyed a little 4H and prepping our garden too...those pictures can come later! 

Hope you all enjoyed our trip around the world...er, I mean...half way around the country. We are thankful that we traveled safely and that no "Tom Tomatoes" (that's 3 year old for tornadoes) came and knocked over our car! Till next time...

Shalom,
Leah