Dodge City (Part 1)

We traveled south from nine o'clock until noon today, this time with a destination - Dodge City, Kansas.

I remembered today why Kansas is my favourite state to drive through... such beautiful land.

After eating lunch in the parking lot of the visitor centre, we began exploring the history of this famous city in "Boot Hill" (Dodge City's Museum).

If you know me, you know that I love all things history and all things western... so it was kind of like a dream for me! I took so many pictures that I didn't even get half of them on this post, and since there are so many, this day will be two parts.

Yes, we did buy it :)

This sweet "general store clerk" gave everyone samples of the many different kinds of fudge they had on display.

The boys had WAY to much fun with these guns...

Trying to replicate the "shoot out" that was on display...

Grandma Rowley... this china piece reminded me of you, and my heart decided that I miss you. 

I can just see you painting something like this!

The Pauls children quite literally filled up the school!

Can you spot all the pigeons??

Kerri's place! :)

Elijah LOVES trains. He was over the moon about getting to go inside of one!!

And that was part one of our adventure in Dodge City!

#parttwocomingupassoonasmyarmsaredonebeingtiredfromholdingthecomputerupintheairtogetabettersignal!

Further South

Day-the second.
Once again a full day of driving in a southerly direction.
We got an early start in the morning and completed nine hours of travel, stopping in Saline, Kansas at a campground for the night.
By the time we got to our campsite, darkness was approaching. The kids got about a half hour to run around outdoors before being cooped up inside again.

Though being confined in a space to small for thirteen people is challenging at times, we still have much fun.
Travel scavenger hunts, reading books, watching movies, observing the changing landscape, laughing together, and just being a family.

Not many pictures were taken this day, (as you can only take so many pictures during hours and hours of driving!! :) but here are the few...

First Day

I will be writing about each day before it ends, then posting it along with pictures as I have internet access. This post was written two days ago...

Hello blog readers!
I am posting this from the United States of America where we are on the very first day of our two thousand fourteen family vacation!
As I did last year, I will be posting each day’s adventures as it comes (limited of course to the amount of wifi we encounter).

This year we have no advanced plans, only that we are traveling in the direction of the Grand Canyon. There is not a single jot on a schedule for the next three weeks-or-so and we hope to just taking every day in stride, enjoying the time that we are able to share together.

Today we hit the road after spending our last Sunday at our home church for some time. We said “goodbye” to family and friends over a Dairy Queen lunch and hit the road, crossing over the Canadian/USA border mid-afternoon.

We headed straight to Grand Forks where we ran some errands and got stocked up on groceries.
After a brief stop in Fargo for gas, we continued on until we reached a Wal-mart in Brookings, South Dakota , where we are spending the night.

Here are a few pictures of fun and ice-cream! :)

Monday's Quote

The spectacular sparkle of set-apart femininity is found through absolute abandonment to the Author of all true beauty. It's found by exchanging a life consumed with self for a life consumed with Jesus Christ, by trading the desire to be attractive to this world for the longing to be attractive to Him alone. Find a woman who cares about nothing but loving, serving, honouring and glorifying Jesus Christ, and you will see who truly is "the fairest of them all."

Leslie Ludy; Set-Apart Femininity; page 19

#birthdaygirl

Little sister, best friend.

Lover of ice cream and popcorn.

Bowling master and photographer extrordinare.

Adorable wife and mommy.

Stunning smile, charming personality, beautiful woman.

I am so glad that you were born on this day twenty-one years ago.

The lives of so many, including mine, are made better for it.

I love you so much and pray that this year will be amazing for you.

Happy Birthday!