Friday, August 12, 2011

The Epic Road Trip Is Now A Movie!

Actually, it's two movies.

I split them into Places, and Family.

The songs used are songs we listened to alot on the trip and sort of became our anthems.

This was a life-changing vacation.

Every family should do this at least once.

We're going to try for one more in two years.


We'll call it the Epic-er Road Trip...The One To Beat The Epic Road Trip.

Or not.

Enjoy the shows!

Monday, August 8, 2011

It's All About The Numbers

Statistics from the Epic Road Trip

Miles driven:  6,126

Number of times we stopped at a grocery store:  8

Hotels stayed at:  9

Total days on vacation:  27

Number of boxes of Goldfish crackers eaten by Noodle:  4  (He ate one whole box in one day.)

Loads of laundry done:  21

Number of gas fill ups: 14

Families who generously took us in:  6

Temples we visited:  7

States we drove in:  10

Number of times Scott and the kids had frozen custard in Nauvoo: 2 (all in the same day!)

Pictures I took:  451

Number of items left behind or lost along the way:  2 (that we know of.)

Miles I walked or ran to exercise during the vacation:  37

Times we ate at Subway:  4

Days spent in a humid climate:  16

Total amount we spent:  Who cares?  The memories are priceless!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Winding It Down

Day 25 - August 6:  Laramie, Wyoming

This will most likely be the last post I make while we're on the road.  I plan on adding two more posts after this and that will wrap up our trip.  After that, this blog will transform into a travel blog and will document the different adventures that our family has separately and together...so the right hand column that describes our family will be changed soon.  But until then.....

On Friday, we woke up to rain in Kansas City.  LOTS of rain.  But since it was a travel day, it didn't matter.  We have noticed that when we have been planning on being outside, the weather cooperated and we had a chance to get that days activities in.  On days when we were just driving, it rained.  No big deal.  But we definitely feel blessed that the Lord has allowed the weather to be what it has and we've done what we wanted.

We left Kansas City and headed north to visit Far West and Adam-Ondi-Ahman.  Both places are somewhat remote, but the land around them is beautiful.  To see the foundation corner stones in Far West and know that the early Saints risked their lives to place them there was humbling.



At Far West

We then trekked a bit further north to Adam-Ondi-Ahman and words can barely express the Spirit and feeling that resides in that place.  There is nothing extraordinary there, no buildings, nothing but fields and trees.  And yet, the overwhelming peacefulness that I had was nothing short of amazing.  It is like no other place I've been, short of within the walls of the temple.

Looking out into the valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahman

Another view of the valley.

Three of my pieces of heaven in this holy place....


From Adam-Ondi-Ahman, we then took our journey to Omaha, Nebraska, where we visited the Winter Quarters temple.  This temple has a unique history and feel to it, as there is a cemetary right next to it that contains many Saints who passed away here on their way to Salt Lake City.  There is a stone on the grounds that lists the names and ages of those that died.  It was sad to see so many children that died.  I just don't know how my pioneer ancestors did it, but I am forever grateful that they did.

Winter Quarters temple

Love the doors!

Another shot of the temple.

This is part of the monument in the cemetary that portrays the heartache many families felt along the trek west.

The stone that lists the names of those that died.

We were able to spend the night with a really fun family that we didn't know hardly at all.  Mark Ludlow is a college friend of Scott's and they were so gracious to take us in, feed us, and put us up for the night.  The kids played Dance Central on their Kinect...and it was so funny to watch them!  Mundo is all limbs and dances like his dad, while Anner picked up on the dances pretty quick and can really shake her groove thang pretty good.  We had a wonderful but short-lived time with them.

And now here we are.  Laramie, Wyoming.  Making the final push home. 

They're still smiling after all this driving!

At a remote gas station in rural Nebraska...


The past three and a half weeks have been magical....irreplaceable...awesome....FUN!  I will be so glad to get home, to do laundry without needing quarters, to wear more than the seven shirts I packed, to sleep in a room separate from the children, to cook a healthy dinner again, and get back to a normal schedule.  But this summer vacation will forever be our Epic Road Trip Vacation.  I've picked up T-shirts all along the way of our trip and will be making a quilt from them so that we can all remember the times we spent crammed into the Sienna, driving, laughing, driving, eating, DRIVING, watching movies, driving and remembering how great we are together as a family.  Oh, and driving.

Next stop:  Payson, Utah tomorrow....and Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

We're in Missouri! At least for now....

Day 23 - August 4:  Kansas City, Missouri

(Author: Scott)

We left St. Louis and got into Kansas City yesterday.  It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive to get across Missouri. 

Before we went to our hotel, we decided we would go to Liberty Jail and check that out, which we did.  It's very interesting and when you think about the fact that the Prophet spent 5 months in what amounts to a refrigerator in the middle of winter, well it makes you think.  At least it made me think, "could I have done something like that?"  I think the easy answer is no. 


A representation of the Liberty Jail...they used some of the same stones in this as was in the original.


From there we searched out and found the, under construction, Kansas City Temple.  Until 2 days earlier, I didn't even know that construction had begun, let alone the fact that the Moroni was already on the structure and that 2/3 of the windows were already installed.  A sister in the Nauvoo Temple tipped me off on the temple and my interest was immediately peaked!  So, of course we went.

Kansas City, Missouri temple


As we were heading to our hotel, I asked Venessa to look in the newspaper to find out where the Kansas City Royals were playing.  She told me that they were home against the Baltimore Orioles.  Well, those of you who know anything about baseball this year know that those are probably two of the worst teams in all the league!  My response?  WHO CARES!  It's a Major League baseball game and I'm going!  We did a little search on StubHub and found four tickets for $22 (and that was AFTER the service fees!!!)  You would think that these would be seats out in left field, but no!  These were seats about 12 rows up un the third base side!  All I could say was, "Are you kidding???"  It was great!  The kids and I (Venessa stayed back at the hotel) had a great time!  The Royals won 6-2 and Mundo had a fun time begging for baseballs!  He didn't get a ball, but he ultimately rose out of the pile with a hot dog when the mascot was throwing them around! 


Mundo begging for a baseball....


Great seats for $20!


Today we went to Independence, MO.  We initially went to the Visitor's Center where we took a tour and I inadvertently befriended a sister missionary attempting to learn Spanish.  Well, knowing me, and 1 1/2 hours later, I had given her as much of the Reader's Digest version of Spanish 1 as I could.  Venessa was thrilled! 
Not. 

Outside the Visitor's Center

Mundo and Noodle playing in one of the miniature wagons.

Anner posing in the play log cabin.



From there, we went to the RLDS temple. 

An interesting spire.....


It turns out that all it is on the inside is a glorified meeting place.  I asked the tour guide what the difference was between the temple and a meeting house.  He told me that the presiding bishops, seventies, priests, teachers and deacons could meet there.  I looked at him like, "What???" and to not be confrontational, I let it go.  The question that still reverberates in my head is, "What's the difference between the temple and the Auditiorium?"  I still don't know and I would love to know!  Maybe some day I'll figure it out!  Until then, all I know is that the RLDS church has three buildings within a 1 block distance that all serve the same purpose.  I thought it was funny how our tour guide told us that the "Community of Christ" is a church that promotes peace.  I was tempted to ask if there were churches that promoted war, but then again, I didn't want to be confrontational...

After Independence, we had some free time, so Venessa decided to plug a mall into the GPS.  After driving a couple of miles, we arrived at the mall...it turned out being a Wal-Mart!!!  Can I say that about 60% of the people that shop at Wal-Mart stores scare the living be-jeepers out of me.  Seriously, are there really that many trailers in the Continental U.S????


Editor's Note: All comments made are not representative of the entire Peterson family, it's pets, or cars.  They are entirely for entertainment purposes and should not be held against anyone but Scott.  Just making it clear.... (from Venessa)

After our Missouri shopping mall experience, we decided to take a slightly longer drive to go to the Sweet Tomatoes in Overland Park, KS.  We're not sure exactly how much of Kansas we're going to go through tomorrow, so we decided to take the detour and make sure that the kids would have the chance to wiggle their toes on Kansas soil. 

One of the things that I have loved about this trip are all of the little, unexpected things we have been able to do.  From going to the top of the Arch, to the Royals baseball game, the little additional things are what have made this trip special for me.

Next stop:  Omaha, Nebraska (with a detour to Far West, Adam-Ondi-Ahman, and Winter Quarters)

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

A Tired Blogger's Post

Day 21 - August 2:  St. Louis, Missouri

So here's the rundown of today....

We traveled from Nauvoo to Carthage, Illinois to see the place where the Prophet Joseph and his brother, Hyrum died.



It was a somber experience.




The door of the room where Joseph and Hyrum was shot...the bullet hole that killed Hyrum is still in the door.


I'm grateful for his sacrifice.  He knew he wouldn't be seeing his family again, and yet, he followed God's plan for him and had faith that all would be well.

The yard into which Joseph fell.


I'm not sure I have that kind of faith.  I'm hoping that someday, I will.

One of the plaques that are in the Carthage yard.  I really liked this quote by the Prophet.

This captures the window that Joseph fell from as well as Joseph's testimony.


After Carthage, we drove to St. Louis, Missouri.

We saw the temple.



We went to the Gateway Arch.

Looking 630 feet down from the top of the Arch.

It's Flat Red Poncho at the top of the Gateway Arch!

Scott and me.....


We went to our hotel.

Two of my guys....they look very similar as they walk....definitely father and son!


We ate Panda Express for dinner.

We're going to bed early.

Hopefully.

Next stop:  Kansas City, Missouri, with trips to Liberty and Independence.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

And The Hits Just Keep On Coming.....

Day Nineteen - July 31: Milwaukee, Chicago, back to Milwaukee, and now Nauvoo

This is Anner. I'll keep things short and simple.

Chicago was awesome.

From the top of the John Hancock tower.


The food was good.

Garrett's Popcorn...cheddar and carmel corn mixed.  Eat it together...yum!

Diiner at Harry Caray's.....we walked out STUFFED!

The skyline was amazing.



Wisconsin was green.

A deer just beyond the Becker's garage.


The people we stayed with were really sweet and had a beautiful Australian shepherd, Lucy. She was my buddy the entire time we were there. She loved me.

Illinois is so humid, but I love how historic Nauvoo is.



Even our hotel belonged to a Mormon man in the 1840s.




It's so cool to think that the roads I walk were once occupied by others years and years and years ago, and it's fun to think about who they could have been. Was one of them an ancestor? A modern-day apostle? The prophet? Questions like that give me goosebumps. :}

I am tired. I haven't gotten a good night's rest in a while. I really love doing this, but it really strains the energy I don't have. I need about 24 hours to hibernate and be a typical lethargic teenager.

I'm going to do baptisms for the dead in the Nauvoo temple tomorrow morning! I'm so excited!!! I will have so many bragging rights when I get home.
:D




(This is from Mundo)

Today we got into Nauvoo and saw the Nauvoo Temple, and were able to take some pictures there.



Now about Wisconsin we went to the Wisconsin Dells and went to the biggest water park in the U.S. Noah's Ark scratched my back up really bad, but we (my dad, and I) went on alot of water rides. My favorite ride was Time Warp.



After we went to the Wisconsin Dells, we went to Green Bay, Wisconsin and went to Lambeau Field and took the grand tour of the stadium and even went through the tunnel which when you crossed  a sensor it would make noise like your the players that are going through the tunnel which was pretty cool!



After Lambeau field we were heading to Milwakee, Wisconsin, there we stay with my Dad's childhood Bishop . We stayed there for three days. 

Scott with Barb and Don Becker


One day was in Chicago, Illinois and had city passes with one of my dad's tutoring familys give them to us, and we had awesome hotels. 

The Parents Room...


The Kids Room....


We then went back to Millwakee, and saw my dad's old house and neighborhood.




Gotta go! So Mundo out!


(This is from Noodle)


In Chicago,we went to a hotel.

The John Hancock Tower from our room in Chicago


In Milwakee we went to Sister and Brother Becker's house.

Before that we went to Lambeau field.We went through a tunnel which was pretty cool. We were shouting, "Go pack go!"

At a rainy Lambeau Field (at least it wasn't snowing!)


Gotta go Noodle out.

(This is Venessa)

We have had a jam-packed several days.  The kids left out a few things, so I'll just add them here.

While in Chicago, we were treated like royalty and spoiled rotten and ate waaay too much and too well...plus we were able to see lots of great things in less than 24 hours.

We got to go on the Sea Dog speed boat ride and see Chicago from the lake.  The pics aren't that great, but it was a ton of fun.  Noodle loved it most.




We went to Shedd Aquarium.


 A beluga whale...one of my favorite animals.
I took a picture of everyone taking a picture...

Red Poncho at the Aquarium

We also went to the Planetarium (but I was getting tired and didn't get my camera out).  So you just have to trust that we did go there.

After we were done in Chicago, we met up with Scott's brother and his girlfriend to see a Brewers game at Miller Park in Milwaukee.  It was great fun and the best part is that the Brew Crew won!


Geoffrey and Molly

Scott and Geoffrey



While in Milwaukee, we were able to attend a reunion of the ward that Scott and his family came into when they were baptized.  His former bishop had a slide show of the memories of that time.  I snagged a few pics of Scott in his 'glory days' from the slide show.




Man, was he hot back then or what????!!!!

The cute couple we stayed with in Milwaukee was wonderful and loving and our family will be forever blessed by the few short days we were able to spend with them.  The Becker's will always hold a special place in our hearts from now on.

So, from here, we will be in Nauvoo tonight and tomorrow night.  Then, it's a trip to Carthage, Illinois and up to St. Louis on Tuesday.  This vacation is just so full of things to see and do....and I'm really getting tired.  I'm with Anner.  I'm pooped.  I'm so happy we're doing this, but I'm starting to miss home, my bed, my Puppy-Butt dog and living out of a duffel bag is starting to get a bit old.  But I'm going to do my best to enjoy this last week and continue to document the memories we're making.  For now, it's bed time!

Next stop (in two days): St. Louis, Missouri