Road Trip 2.0

Day two of the big road trip! We woke up in Vandalia, Illinois, and headed NE towards Indianapolis, home of the Colts (BOO!!). All three of us wanted to avoid that Payton-loving city (even if he is funny with a fake mustache in those cell phone commercials - he still knocked the Chiefs out of the playoffs AGAIN....) So we headed North towards Michigan instead. After several potty stops and bottles we finally reached the state border. My mom was excited because Michigan is one of the few states she had never visited. See, Gramps job required mammoths amounts of traveling, so often the family would join him. So my mom has been blessed with traveling to almost every state! But never Michigan.

Around suppertime we pulled up to the lovely home of Abby and Ashley Dupree (pretend I have a little accent over that second E in Dupree). Abby is one of my mom's best friends, and those two girls can sure talk up a storm! They met on Palm Sunday in 1992 and clicked instantly as friends. They grew up in the same small town, but went to different high schools. Needless, they stayed friends even when they went to different colleges. Strangest part yet, they both married boys with the middle name of Ashley! Except Abby's husband goes by his middle name where my dad goes by his first name.

Lansing, Michigan... What a beautiful place to wake up in on our third day of road tripping! Because the Ford Freestyle isn't that big and we had lots of stuff with us, the pack-n-play unfortunately wouldn't fit. But I didn't care because that meant I got to sleep in the big bed! That's something that I haven't done in months! The guest room was all white and with the fresh morning rain, the room felt great with the window open. I woke up long before Mom and Dad did, but I decided to let them sleep in. When Mom finally woke up, she was pleasantly surprised to see me contently playing with my feet. And of course, she couldn't resist the moment as a photo op...

After everyone finally crawled out of bed, (Ashley had already been at work for several hours!) we all got dressed and drove across town to Michigan State University. Abby had never been through the art museaum there and since they were having a special about the circus (http://www.artmuseum.msu.edu/circus/) "The Art of the Strange and Curious", so we headed that way first. Banners were larger than my room! It was pretty interesting to check out!

Then we crossed campus to the famous MSU flower garden. I'm sure the garden covered miles, though I am sure it's only a few acres. I enjoyed the fun fountain at the entry, water gently cascaded over a large rolling ball.... Check me out, I can walk on it! (with dad's help)

But of course, what do you know... As soon as we got to the garden I got hungry. Must have been looking at all that circus paintings that did me in. I doubt I have ever been fed any place so picturesque before!!

Flowers were everywhere and we walked all around to check them out! Mom couldn't help but take a million and a half photos... And I even got in on the action smelling some of the wonderful aroma's of the hanging baskets!