Cadillac Ranch Relived

This is the LAST vacation post!!!!!! Yay!
We drive a lot. When the kids were babies our long road trips were pretty much torture. But now the kids are older. They know the routine and how to behave. And every Summer I look forward to loading up our minivan and hitting the open road. It's a great way to see the country - and get a feel for how big and interesting. . . or boring it is (has anyone ever driven across the state of Texas? snoooooze). But I like road trips - mostly. I hate gas station bathrooms. I hate getting behind slow drivers. I hate jacked up gas prices and paying for speeding tickets. But I like driving. And when I'm not driving, I like reading. I like staying in hotels. I like eating at restaurants and snacking all day. I like happy excited kids. I like interesting scenery - so different from my day-to-day life. And I like visiting my people. I like road trips.

Here are a few snapshots of the drive back home.
If you're wondering how I can drive and take pictures at the same time, it's because I'm awesome.
Only in Texas, right?
We loved counting windmills (and oil rigs and cows and cactus). . .
But mostly trains.
Nate grew up in Bellevue,Washington. This little town by the same name is quite the opposite in Texas. I chuckle every time I pass through.
I caravaned back to Texas with my cousin Jesse and his family (Nate flew back early for work). We were quite a sight at every gas station and rest stop with our eight kids - two girls at either end and six boys sandwiched in between. But it was great to have the company and the kids loved having "friends" to see at every stop. (Jesse and Deb I owe you big time for all your help!)

Of course one of our stops included Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo - always a hit with our car-lovin' boys.
They even got a chance to leave their mark this time (spray paint - while Deborah and I watched and cringed). . .
and climb. . .
and play. . .
(can you say tetanus?)
and stretch. . .
to get ready for the last 11 hours of driving.
And believe it or not,
we can't wait to do it again!

Phew! Now that vacation is over, now I just have the rest of the Summer to blog about. Ha ha! Don't worry. I only have a few updates (like Isaac's birthday - the event of the year) and since my camera was broken for most of the month I barely even have any pictures to post. Ah, Summer. . . I love Summer.

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