Trip, Part 1: The Baum's!

OK, these pictures are backwards, but it will have to do! The first part of our fun roadtrip adventure included a 2 day drive to Rapid City, SD to visit our favorite friends, the Baums, who just moved there for internship. They were looking for a way to get to UT to buy their parent's mini van, and we were really excited for the excuse to go see where they live now and see some neat parts of this country that we've never seen! So, after getting to South Dakota, we drove a whole day to Provo with a full load of 12 people in our van, plus Peanut, their very well behaved yellow lab. Lots of fun memories were made and we loved every bit of it.
Me, Amberly and the back of my buddy Decker

At Independence Rock in Wyoming with Del and the best friends, Alyssa and McKinley.

Decker and Alyssa in Lindon enjoying a beautiful Utah summer day.

Alyssa and McKinley, friends forever!

Decker, thinking about something really profound, I think.

The Baum's- We love you guys!!!

Me and my sweet kids and a lot of green grass at Independence Rock.

Water to play in at the rest stop at Independence Rock.

Run free while you can!

The real thing. It looks just like the postcards and pictures you see in books.

My kids thought they were prophets up there!

The Baum's really awesome house in South Dakota. They live on the top floor with that fabulous deck.

Betty Ford, the Silver Rocket. Our transportation for 5000 fun miles.

Home, Sweet Home

So, 12 states, 5000 miles, lots of wonderful friends and family, about 400 pictures, and too many incredible memories to count later, we are home in our own beds tonight. Our summer vacation was so fun.

I am humbled that we were able to make such a long, fun trip without any accidents or problems on the road. I really felt like I was helped in my hours and hours of driving. Not once did I get sleepy. The kids were champions. Abby and Samantha Penwell were very good sports, even when they were sick of being in the van with 5 little kids.

And this is me. This is what I looked like as I drove and drove and drove and drove! I love having a van big enough to load a whole bunch of people in and just go. This picture was taken while driving back to Provo from Temple Square in SLC. We were with our dear friends the Jones'. On the way home, 3 of their 4 kids wanted to ride with us. That meant 11 in our van, and they had a nice peaceful drive with only their little Roo.

I loved going on vacation, and I loved arriving home tonight to see my sweet husband. He happens to be a great GPS as I'm travelling through confusing interchanges, or trying to find the cheapest motel to crash in at 11 o'clock at night.

For now I am grateful and exhausted and can't wait to get a chance to update this with so many fun pictures and vacation memories! Now for some sleep, and getting a structured summer schedule going for my kids....