[2013-western-us]

Day 10: June 26th, 2013: Keystone Lake, Sand Springs, OK to Guymon, OK

Scott and I actually stayed up until almost midnight last night chatting about where we want to go, enjoying the stars, the moonrise, a bottle of wine, and a small fire.  Little drops of rain started to fall on us around 4:30 in the morning.  I listened to the rain for a while and questioned whether to put on the fly.  Honestly I was also questioning whether I wanted to move since it seemed between the two cuties rolling and the freight trains with blaring horns that sleep was never going to grace itself upon me.

[2013-western-us]

Day 9: June 25th, 2013: Buffalo National River, AR to Keystone Lake, Sand Springs, OK

Cody enjoyed the water bin again this morning.  There was a magnificent breeze gently bringing in the morning. Brooke was bamboo hunting.  We found bamboo sticks for both of them.  Let the rock and stick collections begin!  Showers this morning!  Our first camp showers weren’t too shabby.  The water was a little warm and the shower head dangled, but the facilities were clean and there was no button pushing or coin dropping involved!

[2013-western-us]

Day 6: June 22nd, 2013 : Last Day in Springfield, MO :-(

Our last full day in Springfield, MO.  Sigh.  It should be an incredible day though.

[2013-western-us]

Day 7: June 23, 2013 : Springfield, MO to Buffalo National River, AR

Scott had been up since 4:30.  I won’t name names, but someone took his usual pajamas in a quest to clean every last piece of laundry.  Thus, Scott woke up cold, and then neither of us had much more sleep.  I still managed to get out of bed around 6 in order to get in one last run with Kayla.  We ran four miles and were only a little lost for a little bit of the run. Other than wild animals, getting lost is my next biggest worry about venturing off and exercising by myself on the road.  I wasn’t concerned with Kayla, but my worrying might deter me from getting in as much exercise as I should on this trip.

[2013-western-us]

Day 8: June 24th, 2013: Buffalo National River, AR

The kids started their morning eager to work on their Junior Ranger Books.  I packed our lunch for the river while Scott worked on the van’s misfiring concern.  I am getting used to the camping mode.  We are all covered in a light layer of sticky sweat and suntan lotion with a sprinkling of Earth and bug grit.  It took me a day to get used to the feeling, but I am starting to embrace it.

[2013-western-us]

Day 4: June 20th, 2013 : Springfield, MO

The kids didn’t waste anytime getting to the toys.  They hopped up out of bed, dressed, and ran for the toys.  After we painted, created a giant disaster, and attempted to clean the Little Miss we are sharing toys with asked,

[2013-western-us]

Day 5: June 21st, 2013 - Springfield, MO

Happy Summer Solstice!

I had a hard time getting up and exercising this morning. I just wanted to snuggle.  None of us may get as much sleep as we are used to sleeping side by side, but we are getting in some tender quiet moments before we are jolted into our day.  I managed to get up and bike ride this morning.  The goal: thirty minute ride, without getting lost, and find a church.  Our host said I would have no trouble finding a church in this area.  In fact I came across five churches in the span of a five minutes.  I even came across an Immanuel Lutheran, the same name of the church where I was married almost twelve years ago in Crystal Lake.  The Immanuel Lutheran Church here is across the street from a favorite park we have been to before. I may have been called a “Jesus Junkie” a few times for mentioning that I want to go to church while on our trip, but as long as I don’t make anyone else go everyone is okay with me going.  I’m looking forward to a new experience.  The only drawback, I forgot to pack some dressy clothes, so jeans will have to be my dressy wear.  The good news is if I offend anyone I won’t have to see them again!

[2013-western-us]

Day 3: June 19th, 2013 : Bellville, IL to Springfield, MO

June 18th 10pm thoughts:

We have been so blessed so far to be able to stay in homes of friends.  We have had warm meals, even warmer company and conversations, showers, and air conditioning! During my shower this evening I was apparently reminding the Little Miss about being thankful for a nice clean and private shower too much.  She remembers some of our Alaska trip, but thankfully her memory has forgotten all of the not so fun shower memories: only cold water, showers that you had to run out of in public to hit a button to keep the water going after thirty seconds, showers where you became more dirty than you had been by using the facilities, showers where the water pressure was so high you could feel it peeling off multiple layers of your skin, showers where you couldn’t find enough change to rinse all the soap off in time…  Anyway I am thankful now because I know what may come.

[2013-western-us]

Day 2: June 18, 2013: Gillespie, IL to Bellville, IL

Matt and Wendy’s house

We had a nice and relaxing day to chat and watch the kids play.  The kids enjoyed a short walk and bike ride to the old railroad bed where they like to ride the quads. The tracks used to connect the local coal mines.  Brooke was being quite the daredevil driving as a blur along the flat stretch.  The area reminded me of the Polar Express with the houses lined along the railroad route.

[2013-western-us]

Day 1 : June 17, 2013 : Home to Gillespie, IL

Starting Time: 9:12 am

We actually left the house at 9:00 on the dot, but we needed to get our first family photo and hug our neighbor one last time.