July 10th-Friday
We started the morning by getting everyone ready to go and then started to pack the van, get the topper on and what was that in the distance? Oh, thunder... umm.. thunder... and that's about all I thought of until there was a terrential downpour. We thought we'd wait until it slowed and then pack the remainder of our things in the van but when an hour passed and our time to leave was fast in coming we decided to just get wet and get it done.
So we did and we drive over to my parents and had a quick lunch and then we were set to hit the road. My mom and brother are inside their garage(in cover from the rain) and are waving to us as we are all getting buckled in and then there's this.. click click click click click! As Josh (tries) to start the van. I look over at him and we are both thinking.. you gotta be kidding me!! He tries again and the same thing. So my brother pulls his car up and we let it charge for awhile.
No go.
Little bit longer...
Success! And we drove straight to the autoshop that it had just been at the day before, got it hooked up and checked and they could tell something wasn't right but werent' sure what it was. So they changed the battery and yup, that was it. The testing for it was back to normal on everything so we were NOW ready to go.
EVeryone basically did great on the short trip to Chicago, lil bit of crying or whining, which is to be expected.
We hung out at the beach that afternoon/evening and was great to just relax with my brother and let the kids enjoy themselves. .which they really did. Here they are at Lake Michigan.
and here I am with Jaden..
July 11th, Saturday we get up and head out to Ohio to see our friends who moved there about 2 years ago and we really had a great time seeing them and hanging out. They took us to Lake Eerie, the girls just loved being at the beach, and we just enjoyed their company.
July 13th-Monday we started out for Virginia and wow was that a long day. The kids were great for the 9hr stretch and it was fun going through Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. So much history I'd love to go back when the girls are all a bit older and will be learning about that they can see first hand. We hadn't seen our friends in 4 years so it was SO great to see them and meet two of their daughters that they've had since. Our 3 girls and their 3 were all around the same ages.. months apart basically and they got along great. Did some swimming in the Potomac River and they loved that beach too! Our poor Iowa girls have never seen beaches so it was a huge thing for them!
On our way out we stopped in D.C. and went across this giant bridge that freaked me out. I took pictures as best I could since I couldn't stand to look anywhere but forward and just did a point and shoot from the side window and front window.. I'll pass on going over that bridge again.. any day.
Josh and I were pretty excited and talked the hour and a half to D.C. about what we would see etc. and then as we got there, parked, and started walking the crying began. Whining followed and it became so miserable, we only stayed long enough to explore the buildings on "The Hill" and forlornly looked at the Washington Monument in the distance as we dragged our children back to the van to resume our trek home. What a bummer it was, but we are deteremined to make it back there one day, alone, or when the kids are old enough for us to say.. suck it up and drive on soldier!! (haha)
The trek back through Pennsylvania was wet. I got a picture of the tunnel on the way back since the camera died on the way out. Jaden squealed the whole way through it.. I think it was the lights that were entertaining for him.
All in all it was a great trip, great time spent with family and friends and it was great to just get away from the ordinary day to day stuff. 
