Week #13- Travel!!

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So this is the week I've been waiting to post about all summer. It finally came, our big road trip to Chicago for Aunt Janna's wedding! It got off to a rough start with our van tweeking out the night before we left. I was at work and Nick started to do some cleaning and went to crank the engine and everything blinked and went out. He asked my dad to help watch the kids, went and got a new battery and wires, installed it, everything seemed fine until he noticed the door was stuck open (sliding door on a minivan). He spent the next two and a half hours researching and testing any theory he could find to get the door shut. I came home to a lit up house and a man pretty upset to say the least. Our first idea to leave at 5 am got pushed back. We had my dad come back over in the morning to hang with the kids while we took the van to the dealership and begged them to bump us up in line. Surprisingly, we were seen right away, they had the part and fixed it within an hour, with not too crazy of a cost! PRAISE GOD!! We hit the road by 9 am. and arrived in St. Louis by about 9:30 pm. Not too bad time and Nick's sweet brother still came to see us at our hotel to visit for a little bit. We didn't get to swim or relax that much that evening but oh well. The next morning we took our time, got ready, and left the hotel to a beautiful 60 degree sunny morning! We visited the zoo there which was awesome and quite a hike but in that weather we could endure a lot more! By early afternoon the kids were wearing down and we decided to jump back in the car and head to Nick's uncle Scott and aunt Lori's place about 3 hours out. We arrived to their lovely place and took it easy, jumping on the trampoline, relaxing, and eating dinner. Their daughter's were sweet enough to play with our kids so we actually got to enjoy adult conversation! The next day we lounged again more trampoline time, paddle boats, and leisurely breakfast before we went to pick up Nick's 93 year old grandmother. We finally got to see her little place and headed into Chicago another 3.5 hours or so. We arrived in time to help chop a little bit for the guacamole and help set up the outdoor projector for a fun night showing of "Back to the Future" one of Janna's hubby-to-be's favorite movies. Friday was a blur with girls going for pedicures and manicures and guys going to see our nephews karate performance but the rehearsal went well and I think the crazy finally caught up to the kids. (Check out the pic of Isaac asleep under the table at rehearsal dinner.) Saturday morning was relaxed enough but we started getting ready and again it was a bit of shuffling but mostly brought on by my lack of practice time with Vivian's hair and no curling iron. Fortunately, my sister-in-law Kammie came to the rescue and we borrowed her's. Vivian's hair turned out really sweet. (Check out those cute shots of mommy working her magic!) The wedding was beautiful and Janna made a lovely bride, but I do have to say the kids stole the show once the dancing broke out. You couldn't get Isaac and his cousin Noah off the floor! They were doing the robot and their version of a break dancing move where they spun on the floor. It was quite entertaining. I guess Isaac had made up for the sleep as he danced until about 11 pm shutting down the dance floor! Sunday we got up and headed out around 9 am again making it to Little Rock where I begged Nick to get us a room for rest and he agreed. We headed on home arriving a little after lunch and back into the crazy with a meet the teacher that very night! WOW, it was a whirlwind but lots of fun. Enjoy the slideshow!