California to Manitoba - day two

Here we are in Bozeman, Montana at the lovely Ramada Limited.

It has a nice, big huge room and super, duper high speed internet!!!  Yahoo!

Actually, the neighboring Fairfield Inn has great internet too as I already "borrowed" it to upload some of these photos!

Like our windshield? Many bugs’ lives have been sacrificed on account of our little adventure.  I refuse to think of all the mommy bugs waiting hopelessly for their spawn to return home to the tree.

I’ve been a little bored again, so I’ve taken more pictures.  Last night I actually went to a Walmart after the kids went to bed to get some knitting.  I couldn’t decide what to make from the yarn options, so I bought some yarn to make a pom pom rug.  They didn’t have any pom pom makers so I’ll have to do it the old fashioned way.  I also bought a little bitty bit of fabric (three kinds), a sewing kit and scissors to make fabric flowers for a new pair of shoes I got (will post those at a later date).  

After three little yellow flowers, I lost a needle at one of our stops (I’m sure I’ll find it in my foot sometime soon).  Then I made two more flowers and broke the second (and only other) needle in it.  So now I’m done with the flowers by force, but I still don’t feel like making pom poms.

I really lead a rough life.

North American food/beverage hankerings satisfied today: chocolate milk (me and all the kids) and vanilla coke (Maddy and all the other kids).  This was at the gas station.  It was also the second time Lucy mentioned the cleanliness of the place.  “Mommy, the bathrooms are all so clean here in California!” (she hasn’t clued into the departure from one state to another)  

We lunched at Albertson’s grocery store today, purchasing an assortment of yogurts, deli meats, cheeses and grain products.

  

We entered the lovely state of Idaho.  If you can ignore the mountains in the background (not suggesting you would want to, however), it reminds me of home, Manitoba.  

(I love the reflection of the license plate game on my lap)

First farm land and open sky with beautiful clouds (I have a thing for clouds.... I could keep taking pictures of them over and over).  And then there are the crop dusters to watch.  

I also have a thing for crop dusters.

The Snake River - its beautiful.

I missed another photo opportunity.  This one would have been for Rachel:

“Shoup Ave.” in Twin Falls, Idaho.  Next time, Rach.

These next two are my "playing around" pictures.

Look at those amazing clouds.

Lucy actually fell asleep in the car for a while.   It was another banner day.

I have a tendency to have a lot of stuff where I sit.  

 I like to have everything within reach.  Eric thinks I'm a little ridiculous, but it really doesn't bother me..... most of the time.

Here's a little ouch for you....

(and that's only two of them....  gas is just a little pricey now-a-days!)

The prairies give way to the forested hills of Montana.  

(source)

Love it.

More of me playing with the camera.  Goofy picture, but I like it.

And finally we are at the hotel.

With a water slide!!!!  Yahoo!

Oops, Lucy came out the wrong way.  Mia did that once too - but it was when she was born.... sunny side up.  Yes, I am sure you wanted to know that.

Needed a close up of those ribs....

They had a grand time.

The kids love the room, too - it is really big and even has a murphy bed.  Cade and Mia claimed that right away.  There was a lot of bed hopping for the first few minutes.

Dinner was Papa John's pizza and then off to bed.

And just for interest sake (probably only our interest), the license plates we saw today.

(You don't get quite as much variety when you are on a lot of one lane roads... maybe tomorrow.)

my mangled and disheveled son

Can’t remember if I have mentioned the terrible state of Cade’s skin.  He is still covered with bug bites since our trip to the jungle in February.  He must scratch them at night.

Well, then I mentioned the stitches he got the first day back in North America.

He also has mysteriously acquired two sets of scratches on his right cheek.

And yesterday, he got his face full of red juice: the regular cute juice mustache that makes him look very manly and; the irregular cute juice splotch smack dab in the middle of his nose from the lid of his cup (flip up lid.... so every time her flips it up after being closed, it has a fresh dose of color infused  liquid to stain and mar his button nose).

He would be a great candidate for a Compassion International photo....  Dirty, scrawny little malnourished (look at those ribs again) looking kid full of bug bites and gashes. I guess the redness of the dirt might give away the luxury of sugar, artificial flavor and color ladened beverages though.  
Shucks.

California to Manitoba - day one

It’s the end of June and we saw snowboarders and skiers enjoying all the snow at Boreal as we drove through mountains.  Crazy!

It sure is beautiful there though - and feeling the warmth while seeing the snow?  That is incredible.

We lunched at In’N’Out, much to Maddy’s delight.  She has been craving it for about 21 months now.

We hit Nevada and the scenery changed ever-so-slightly.  

Just slightly.  
I’m pretty sure Nevada isn’t highly recognized for its scenic beauty.  No “scenic routes” posted.

Oh look, a cow.

Because I was rather bored - not bringing my knitting and all - I experimented with my only-half-functioning camera.  Here are some experiments.

Nothing like taking the battery in and out before every shot.  Sigh.  This problem caused me to miss the photo op of In’N’Out Burger and the Nevada sign.  I know you are disappointed.

And everyone's exciting activities:

Cade - He actually slept!!!

Maddy - reading, of course.

Mia - also reading, of course.

Lucy - singing made up songs and all around being a goof-ball, of course.

Eric - driving, naturally.

Me - on the computer writing "how to do a road trip".

The amazing thing was that they only watched one movie and asked for two snacks.

It is a banner day!

First night, we hit Elko, Nevada.  She’s a beauty.

Our first choice of hotel - one that we have stayed at a few times was full.  Rats.  Lucy was really disappointed because it was her favorite hotel ever.  Amazing how she can’t remember her own Uncles who love and adore her but she thinks she can remember a hotel she stayed at when she was three.  Hmmmm.  Don’t think so.

Thankfully, we did get to stay at her second favorite hotel, the Comfort Inn.  Not quite as lovely, but at least they still have a pool and a lovely breakfast.

They also had what they deemed “high speed internet”.  Perhaps that would be true if only one person were accessing it.  The speed, however, outdid Ecuador by a long shot and I was unable to load any pictures on the blog.  I know you are all so very disappointed, so you should really call the place and complain.  It’s not right that I had to keep you waiting.

After a little rowdy exercise at the pool - good thing no one else was there - we settled down to a detectable dinner in bed of Subway, imported to our hotel room by that wonderful man I married. 

 He also brought root beer.  

The kids were doubly thrilled: soda for dinner and soda that they haven’t been able to have for two years.  Oh ya, and Cheetos.  Now that’s a good evening.

Okay, time to go hit the slots!

kidding.  always kidding.

Oh, and here are all the license plates we saw today.

Was a pretty good day!