Rivers and Roads

and then we drove... some more

this post is a compilation of pics from our 2nd road trip to and from NC...we took a different way both times...might as well see as much of the country as you can see while we're driving around, right? 

i missed a couple...Ohio and West Virginia

our ride. 

 this time all together, which was much better :) 

apparently Steak and Shake is the place to eat on a road trip.  Kids Requested. Parents Approved ;)

and they thought we weren't looking!

and then like any normal person would do...after driving around 7 hours or so, we went to IKEA.  In our defense, we're in a new house and needed some new storage/furniture options to fit in all the spaces that our other stuff doesn't fit that wouldn't break our bank (yeah, joys of moving) AND IKEA has a play place that we fully intended to make use of--the kids needed to get some energy out! 

our luck though, childcare providers didn't show up for work that night, so play place was closed...and we were stuck dragging around 4 kids who had been cooped up for hours already around a store while we measured, planned, shopped and crunched numbers.  Fun. I know.  And we closed the place down.  Really.  Last ones in the parking lot. Go Big or Go Home right? 

also...Dinner at Ikea.  They even sell baby food for the parents who packed it up somewhere and couldn't find it. Big Win. 

Hotel stays... in this shot the kids are engrossed in episodes of Full House.  We had really hoped to get in the pool this particular night, but 4 kids and a pool that most shallow point is 3.5 ft doesn't really do us any favors.  So late night TV it is. and they LOVED Full House.  They get their good taste from me :) 

how each morning must be started off...a huge mug of coffee ... who cares about the needing to stop for the bathroom...a potty training toddler will have you stopping 10 minutes after you leave every single time....and then again on the side of the road about a billion more times that day.  so just drink up.  refill.  and drink some more. 

speaking of that potty training toddler...

and what makes a road trip without a good traffic jam? this one even tired the talker out

we pushed hard our last day before getting back to IA.  the kids were doing great but had been cooped up for 2 days.  about and 1.5 from home we really needed to potty and spotted a playground off the highway.  so we stopped.  best decision ever.  kids got to play and it was a beautiful day.  

bridges and rivers everywhere around here....

tree climbing

the best part about this sign is, is that when we see it we are literally home.  like 5 minutes from our door. 

and look how beautiful.  I'm not gonna lie, driving back to IA after a good trip to NC i was feeling a little down, but IA welcomed us back in a beautiful way.  It's hard not to love those fields that reach forever and the sweet simple farm houses spread around. 

and then you get home and have dinner to make, trailers to unload and bags to unpack.  

and this is waiting for you at your door.  destiny.  i'm sure of it.