Midwestern Road Trip

I landed in Kansas City late Friday night with a cranky F+F in tow. I'm no dummy, and on a whim I planned to drive 5.5 hours with tired kids, so we made a critical stop at SkyZone, the local trampoline park. This has become our travel MO, and has at elast partially spared me from a lot of rough travel bedtimes. 

What I didn't know, though, was that it was "glow time," so we had to procure wildly expensive glowing accoutrements and jump in the dark. The kids were in heaven. I was a little nervous. It was, as most things with F+F are, a hysterical shitshow.

Our impromptu romp through the midwest was full of wild surprises. Including a nearly-unannounced brunch at April's Yukon spread, for Gunnar time and car theft.

And an on-a-whim appearance at the Army-OU game, which delighted all the kids with HMMWVs, killer tailgates,

Rabs!,

stadium shenanigans,

and a best friends reunion.

The adults were not sad about a close game and this view.

The next day, Natalie and I staged a kid-heavy minivan road trip back to Kansas, featuring ring pops

a sketchy dive bar outside Wichita that got inexplicable rave yelp reviews,

and a field trip to the Brown v. Board if Education historic site, fully appreciated by exactly zero kids.

Oh. And a chicken-soup-for-the-soul Leavenworth night featuring the Dunhams.

Next up was Missouri, with a stop in Rolla for music lessons

and early morning tractor rides,

not to mention motorcycle fun.

Followed by a triumphant return to Versailles, bocce lessons with Gran,

weenie roasts with Ana & Ata,

and- naturally- cupcakes.

While I drove back and forth to Leonard Wood for work, the kids hung out with Fancy Legs and Nanny,

 had sweet moments like this one,

threw rocks and generally terrorized the lake,

hung out with the Walters clan,

and (most likely) picked up lots of terrible. irreversible croquet habits.

Plus threw a fit or two, apropos for family croquet games.

It was a fabulous, exhausting, hilarious, special week in a place I visit less than I should with people I never fail to appreciate and enjoy seeing with F+F. The kids loved every second, even if we'll be recovering from the weeklong roadtrip for quite some time.

Some of my favorite photos include this "protest photo" of Mom, Nanny, and Gran, who did not want their pictures taken ,

 and this lovely shot with Gran, Ford, and Finley (who always does.)

We're sorry for all the people we missed and vowing to make it back when we can. Lots of love-