Only about three weeks out of date...

All in all, the drive from Kansas to Washington went very smoothly for us.  All our hotels were booked ahead of time, so we were able/forced to plan ahead quite a bit.

Our first day was the shortest, at about seven and a half hours.  We had planned to spend Saturday morning packing up the car, and hit the road after lunch.  We knew it would be a very long afternoon/evening on the road, but we knew we'd need the whole morning, and figured that if the first day is the toughest, then each day afterward would be that much easier.

  Packing up the absolute essentials here.

We are such good Cajuns.

Jam-packed and jelly-tight

Unfortunately, between computer issues and two mad dashes out to ship boxes that wouldn't fit in the van, we didn't leave until 5:00.  PM.  With seven and a half hours between us and our first pre-booked hotel.

With all the excitement of packing, Hollie hadn't napped yet that day, so as soon as we got going she passed out which allowed us to go several hours without stops.  Eventually she woke up, and we got out our surprise brand-new toy for the road...

This is one of those magnetic doodling boards that has a little pen to draw with, and a eraser knob that slides up and down the side the clear it off.  She was hooked.

We had dinner in the car, and at about 10:00 Hollie fell asleep again, so we arrived at the hotel at about midnight.  That's only seven hours...including at least one stop that I can remember...yeah, we went fast.

Hollie woke up as we got into the room, but after a chance to stretch her legs and check things out, she was out again.  I fell asleep in the bed with her...until about 4:30am when I woke up with the feeling that someone was needing a little more space...

Yes, she is right in the middle of a queen-size bed there.  Rather than try to move her, I found my way over to Daniel's bed, only to find him sleeping diagonally across it.  Out. of. luck.  Hollie may look just like me, but some things are undeniably Daddy.  Lucky for both of them, I can sleep in very small non-human shaped spaces, even at 35-weeks pregnant.  :)  I love you two.

The next day was Sunday, so after some online guess-timating, we found a church about three hours away, with a mass time in about three hours.  We only arrived about five minutes late, which makes no sense when much-too-often we show up later than that when we live fifteen minutes away!  

Wyoming.

Blaaaah.

Even with that hour-long stop, it was still an easy day and we arrived at our next hotel early in the evening.

Monday was interesting.  We planned to stop in Deer Lodge, Montana, to see my mom's aunt, and then visit a college friend of ours who lives in Missoula, which was our next overnight stop.

Not very far into Monday morning, we hit a road closure.  Interstate's flooded.  A few minutes of fooling with the GPS, and we have an alternative route.  About two minutes later...signs saying that route is closed.  For snow.  Before we get too far off-track, we stop at a gas station for a real paper map and directions.  Guy at the gas station gives us a third route, which is going to put us two or three hours behind.  Not that we have a choice.

So, we get going.  Next...construction.  The road is gravel, and there is a 35 mph speed-limit.  For like 35 miles.  Maddening, but we get through it.

Fortunately after that, the day was smooth sailing.  Hadn't seen my mom's aunt since our wedding, and our college friend in...probably longer than that.

And these views...

        

...certainly didn't hurt, either.

The next day, Tuesday the 24th, was our last.  It was a fun, relaxed day, with beautiful weather and stop in the good-humored town of George, Washington.

And here we are!  Whew.  There you have it.  You're welcome.