The week in review: 7/7

Show-off Shiloh learned a new trick while at her Great Gramma's house.

I had Lyssa snap a picture to prove the corn had surpassed the "knee high by the 4th of July" rule.  This was only on the 1st!

And a close up.

I had to include this picture even though Karina had her eyes shut so I could tell a story to go with it.  Somehow my birthday came up and Jim asked how old I was going to be.  When I told him 22, he said I was getting to be old.  Karina asked, "If 22 is old, does that mean you think I'm ancient?"  "Nah," he says, "you're just a hot chick."  "No!" says my 7 year old cousin, Ryan, "She's not a hot chicken!"

One night we came home to Gramma reading to a little granddaughter from down the road, and quickly decided that my kids need to grow up down the road from my mom--how fun!

A poor butterfly that was sabotaged by my antenna.

Of course we had to get in a Taco John's stop before we'd consider it a true South Dakota trip.  Two things I had to include in the picture: 1, a cute baby so people will actually look at the picture, and 2, my receipt with the name Jane on it.  People have always had trouble pronouncing my name.  I was so amazed one time when I went to lunch with another cousin that has a unique name, Rhesa.  When they asked her for a name, she used her mother's much more common name, Kathy.  So smart!  The next time I went somewhere and they asked for my name I told them, "Nadine."  "What was that?"  Fail.  So this time I got brave and went to the plainest of plains and told them, "Jane."  There's one that no one can mess up!  I had to admit that it was weird getting "Jane's" food--I don't feel like a Jane!  I figure if I get ever braver I'll start switching it up.. Betsy, Jill, Emma.. anything common.

One of Rachel's friends put some "graffiti" on the back of my car.  I saw her do it but never went and read it until a gas stop.  Certainly much better than the average "WASH ME!"

Miles City looking east.

And Miles City looking west.  Pretty cool.

My friend that I met in the park in the dark.  He is called Clark.  I'd tried on previous trips to count how many times you cross the Clark Fork, but was unsuccessful.  This time I was driving both ways and counted 15 times both ways!  I wasn't sure if I was imagining things the first time so I made sure to double check.

After being in the humidity that gave me headaches every day, I was very glad to reach my home state and had to sing (in my head), "Washington my home; Where ever I may roam; 
This is my land, my native land, Washington, my home."

Total miles of the trip?  3,333.3.  I reset it so we could calculate mileage but we lost a receipt so wasn't able to do that anyways.

Brittany joined me for a nap back home.  Haha, she was there for about 15 minutes I think and I napped for 4 hours.  Woke up after supper time but still fell asleep easily at bedtime--driving straight through will do that to you!

4th of July--Landyn watching a game of basketball.

Brittany was working hard to straighten the flag and was concerned why it wouldn't hang flat.

Soggy awaiting his turn in Alley Oop.

The boys thought it was great fun to throw grass and leaves into the pond.

Landyn showing off his new basketball holder.

Some cute munchkins getting to pose for my "National Pride" photo.

This is the one I used.

Really loved this one, too!

I went with Debbie & Co. one day to meet Emily and her kids and Jennifer at a park about halfway between us.  Mason and Chance practiced some tetherball.

We had to stop and watch a train crossing--Landyn and Isaac thought that was pretty cool.

The "river access" was more of a windsurfing launch, so we went to find the creek instead.

It was lots of fun to throw rocks into!

Izy being a downhill crawler.

He's kinda cute--even with a snot nose :)