Well we inlisted the help of 4 missionaries and bribed them with pizza to unload more than 6 tons of gravel for the backyard. They were great sports.
Then we were off on our adventure through New Mexico to Texas to Oklahoma to Missouri to Illinois to Indiana and finally Ohio.
Kilee got to drive a lot of the way because she still needed drivers school hours. Well despite almost being crushed by a semi and rear ended by a red truck, while trying to enter a hwy with construction and almost pulling to the right and hitting a car, we made it safely. Then mom ordered a bigger rear view mirror and side mirrors. Thanks Kilee. Ohh and mom didn't have a heart attack or get any sleep.
These crazies were out pretty quick after starting our trip.
And Kowen kept snoring an driving Kilee crazy. We had to keep adjusting his head so he wouldn't snore.
but he was an awesome buddy to Kaisen and tood good care of him.
Kids all loved the part where we stop at gas stations a lot to pee and get gas and spend more than 20 dollars each time on junk food just to keep them quiet.
We found a cici's pizza in Tulsa Oklahoma our first night. It was about to close, but we made it in time and they were starving, except for kaisen who hates pizza at the moment.
We then stopped off at St. Louis Missouri to see my friend Tracey Pulley whom we didn't get a pic but got to swim in our pool with her and girls. The kids enjoyed jumping on the beds too.
We found a Steak and Shake to eat at.
We then got ready to go to the Arch, paid to park on the canal and walked and walked in the hot hot sun to see it. Only to find out they only do the elevators at certain times of the day and that wouldn't be for several hours later.
So we settled on pic of touching the arch and slushies and headed out.
Mom loved Kandon giving Kaisen a ride bc he was so heavy to carry.
And here is a pic of my ants in front of the arch. yeah.
On the road again and more stops at Chick Fil A. WE love it. Kandon is becoming a bottomless pit and wants a full meal plus anything else entrees he can get. I think he got a sandwhich meal, we shared 30 chicken nuggets and a he had a strawberry milkshake that took forever bc I think they forgot about us.
Kaisen when and played on playground with Kowen, although sometimes he didn't like Kowen dragging him to the top.
Once we made it to Ohio we stopped at the neighbors and our old house. The kids loved how nice the house looked decorated and without junk or dirty clothes or dishes. I said I would have nicer things if they weren't so messy.
We went to the pool to do the boy scout swim test and see old friends.
Sister even got in so mom didn't have to.
Spencer and preston hancock, peter henry, and William kirchner,
Kandon has become a fanatic about Takis chips and made a joker smile.
Before we left we stopped at Walmart and kaisen fell asleep and didn't get to see the beaver he always hi fived, but that is ok bc when we came back a month later to get Kilee and Kandon we found the beaver right where we left him.
WE could not find a hotel at all when we came that we had to beg the Ladles to let us crash. It was so nice except for the part where kandon put his weight on the counter despite us telling him when we got there, and he broke the counter. they were able to fix it but still so embarrassing.
Mom of course over packed again with a tub of toys for kaisen to play with. He enjoyed the play dough the most and all the candy from the gas stations.
He also enjoyed making a buddy with Ryker. They constantly called each other a baby, and argued over toys, but they also played well together. They miss each other a lot.
Mom went to her 20 yr High School reunion. She can't believe she is so old.
There she is 20 years earlier.
We had a lot of fun going places with Aunt Jill and family. The splash parks on a hot day were number 1.
maybe not for kowen though.
WE enjoyed the bounce houses twice while there and chills ice cream too.
Aunt jill got us in free to the children's museum and we had a blast.
We also liked blasting grandpa's water bill sky high.
And crawling on mom was always a highlight. It took two weeks of being there before kaisen warmed up to everyone, but then he had fun.
Grandpa even took us to the Spider-man movie, and aiti took us to Despicable Me 3, and cars3. They were awesome.
Aunt Jill let us borrow lots of Rykers toys and we sure were grateful. The best toy Kaisen enjoyed on the trip was the water coloring pad and ryker and kaisen would fight over it until aunt jill bought him one too, in which they fought over too. oh well. Kaisen also enjoyed a search and find book mom got at the Walmart in Missouri, which meant the big box of toys really wasn't necessary, but sure did help.
We also went to the bay minette pool and down the slide with mommy lots of times.
boy is church hard, but fun. Sis. Whatley loved having Kaisen and Ryker in the class, as long as they didn't argue. haaa.
Oh and mom and Kaisen shared a bed almost every nigh. Mom didn't enjoy that so much with his kicking and whining all night.
Kowen went to a football camp that got rained out as soon as it started so we just went and did autographs on his shirt and hat in which he wears and washed regularly. This is Kenny King he graduated with uncle daylyn and went on to pro football and now coaches at Daphne High.
I can't remember which one I think the one with the black shirt kowen called the wrong name and they laughed and laughed. great guys.
Mom doesn't know all the names of these guys anymore, but the one on right is tj yeldon from Alabama and now a lot are in the pros. both were from daphne high.
Kowen with TJ Yeldon
This guy was so nice and threw the football, that was signed, to kowen many times, he caught some and did his faking left and right and enjoyed it the whole time.
Mom showed him her old house and thought the whole neighborhood and subdivision sure looked so old and well not appealing. but oh the memories.
Aiti was in Heaven with two Angels on her lap.
Ryker refused to take a pic, but she still enjoyed every minute of them too and was so glad they would finally go to sleep.
fun at rykers and fun at aitis and gpas.
There are no words, I just came into the room and he was like this. He had a huge smile on his face. The whole streeking through the house and sitting on the couches without diapers or underwear was a highlight for ryker and kaisen. They had no shame. Ryker was potty training, but kaisen would only run to the bathroom with ryker and wanted nothing to do with using the potty.
Big bro tried to play, was bored a lot, and played xbox a lot with Ezra and Addy.
Kaisen got a mosquito bite that mom was worried was a tick bite, that got huge, but some lotion on it and it started to go down, took a couple of days, but it finally was gone. Guess he has bigger reactions to mosquitos.
Oh and mom made everyone dress up for Chick Fil A day to get free food, and as soon as they ordered the outfits came off and mom handed them to some other boy and girl who got food and left them on the whole time they were in the restauraunt. Oh well. I should have take the pic first.
Kaisen was a gpas boy after a while. but poor gpa had prostate surgery and just got home as we arrived. He had a pee bag for about 2 weeks and stayed upstairs and slept a lot, but finally went to work, but we enjoyed seeing him too.
WE got to see TPH and Uncle Bryan and Aunt annie too. Although Kaisen didn't like to skate he found other things to occupy his time, like tearing up a styrophone cup.
He was always ready to go. He enjoyed riding in aiti's car in Ryker's other car seat that mom was so scared was not safe enough bc the top buckle was easily opened but we made it.
Oh and mom finally convinced aunt jill to help her make kaisen a blanket. We went with all blue with the help of jill's mom shopping in Idaho and mailing us more fabric. It looks awesome without the red and we use it all the time on kaisen's bed.
Here is a pic of mom in the very back of those that came to her high school reunion out of 252 or so people who graduated.
What a crazy summer. But we sure appreciate all the help and family who came to see us.
