Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Home SWEET Home!!!

   86 days, something like 9,500 miles, 20 states, a thousand laughs and a hundred tears! Saying the last three months were a whirlwind would be a gross understatement. We have seen some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes and the most desolate terrains and we've had a blast! I'm going to try to go back and catch up...get these memories down before they begin to blur together or fade. Once we left Peoria, I didn't get a good chance to use a desktop and blogging from a phone is just not fun. So to catch up.....after Illinois we headed across Iowa toward my parent's in Nebraska. Des Moines is the halfway point on that route so we stopped to see Grandma Maryann and Rachel for lunch.




World's Largest Truck Stop was actually quite impressive and felt like a classic road trip stop.


Picturesque farms and red barns dot the landscape across Iowa.

Who loves books?.....This boy! Thanks Grandma Maryann.


Ahhh....no matter how many times they move mom's table always feels like home! The kids all rave over grandma's cooking and how cool their aunt and uncles are.....not to mention how much they love Papa's teasing.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Just like home.

 I have been surprised that with a little creativity, even a kitchen this tiny can work.
Had to run to the doctor, for what I could have sworn was strep....turned out to be a week long virus whose sole symptom was sore throat!

The kids got to see wind power in action as we drove across the wide open space between Peoria and Bloomington.

Working puzzles...

Fighting germs....


Playing games....
Doing schoolwork and crochet....


Visiting the library.....

Keeping it 'normal' for everyone.

T h e library has an extensive selection of 'digger' books. Love it!

We're even got in a very short nature walk....very short, and very cold!

Drove the Grand View Drive 2.5 Mike linear park with stunning views of the Illinois River valley.

The ice on the river was really something to see


Tuesday, February 9, 2016

New Surroundings


All unpacked in the hotel. We turned a couple end tables into a bookshelf. Why is it hotel rooms never have bookshelves, doesn't everyone travel with books?

One of the bedrooms has a great work spot for Aaron.

So a king bed fits three little Alldredges and mama.

Cartoons at the breakfast table? Breakfast buffet every morning? We're going to be spoiled!

Keeping up our creativity.

We've yet to see anyone else using the pool.....which is not a complaint.


Levi can touch bottom in the shallow side!

Isaiah hangs out on the steps or in my arms


Nashville fear!

We're wearing him out.

Play dough, all around awesome toy.


The beginnings of a crochet sampler afghan.

Play time for 1-5yo at the recreation center.

The boys burnt energy while Rebecca and I did school on the bleachers.


So cold I had to wear a coat for the first time in years!

Isaiah is smiling here, but most of the day he was on the verge on tears "I'm so cold" "I'm too cold" "my hands got snowy"

How cool is this?

Beautiful, but $$$!

Peoria was a booming river and mill town once upon a time. Some of the old buildings are renovated. This one was an interesting modern art gallery. I personally was more interested in the old architect than the 'paintings'.

Metal art that the kids thought was cool.

Riverfront museum and planetarium 


HUGE clock with exposed gears.

That's Rebecca's face and hands

Building blocks and
Water tables are a hit everywhere, every season