Fall Travel Wrap Up

Days Traveling: 8/10

States Visited: 4

Miles Traveled: >1,223

Beds Slept In: 6

Birthdays Celebrated: 4

Family Members Visited: 20

Wow! The numbers make me feel tired all over again. Our fall worked out that we visited my family and E's family consecutive weekends. Mix in work travel for E, and we haven't spent much time at home recently. I don't do a lot of weekend updates, but the past two weekends have been busy and full of family, so I wanted to record some of our adventures. 

Our first weekend was spent visiting my family in Wisconsin. We left for Wisconsin Saturday morning and got up early Monday morning to leave. My brother, SIL and little niece were there when we got to my mom's house. All 4 cousins together for the first time! 

Baby JR is only 2.5 months older than Baby C, but 2.5 months makes such a big difference in the first year. Playing with Baby JR just made me want time to slow down even more, because I know it's going to feel like 2 days before Baby C is that big.

Next fall these two will probably be causing trouble with the older two. It's going to be so fun to watch them grow up together!

Baby C also got to meet Papa (my stepdad), and great grandparents while we were at my mom's house.

On Sunday we visited with a high school friend of mine and her kids. It was so much fun to catch up. I hadn't seen her in over 2 years and we had SO much to catch up on. Around lunch we headed to my dad's house. Baby C got to take a little nap on Daddy. So sweet!

My stepmom fosters kittens for the Humane Society, and being my little animal lover, Little J was super excited to get to play with the eight kittens currently living there. She LOVED the kitties!

On Monday morning we woke up and took E to a work meeting in Rochester, Minnesota. The girls and I played at the library while he worked. We got home late Monday, got three nights in our own beds, then headed back on the road Thursday afternoon.

I picked up Miss A from preschool, E from work and we started our trip to Watertown, South Dakota, for work meetings for E. The girls and I played in the hotel pool while E worked. After he wrapped up on Friday, we went to Larchwood, Iowa. We had a free night hotel stay at the casino hotel, so we took advantage. The casino is just across the border from where E's family lives, so his dad, brother, SIL and kids came to hang out with us and take advantage of the hotel pool. 

On Saturday morning E, the girls and I spent a little more time in the pool, then packed up to visit E's grandma. She was happy to see the girls, and get to meet Baby C.

Later on Saturday we met up with E's oldest brother, Uncle M. E grew up on a farm, and Uncle M still farms. He took the girls for a couple of rounds in the combine. I think E really enjoyed showing the girls things he used to do when he was growing up.

Baby C didn't get to ride in the combine just yet, but she was happy to hang out in the car with

Miss A and Little J both thought the combine and semi were pretty cool. Especially when Daddy put them up in the semi full of soybeans.

Miss A thought the soybeans were tasty, even eating some out of her shoe when we got back in the car (weird). Little J and I were not so sure.

The air horn was also a big hit with Miss A. Little J was cold and tired by this point.

We spent Saturday and Sunday nights with E's other brother, Uncle JD. On Sunday morning we went to church with Uncle JD and family, then headed back to Sioux Falls to play at Falls Park. I remember visiting the park with my grandma when I was younger, and I've been a few times with E, but I think this was the first visit for Miss A and Little J.

Climbing on the rocks was their favorite part of the park. The girls and I ended up back at the part Monday morning while E was in court, and that's all they wanted to do. They followed each other around singing the Buttercups song from Sofia the First, jumping from rock to rock. Such cuties!

So much fun, so much family, so much driving. We really enjoyed our visits, but I'm also really excited to be home!