Day one:Surprise Adventure

Thursday night after the kids went to bed,we packed up our tent,sleeping bags,clothes,and food.  We then went to bed.  On Friday morning we woke up,finished the packing,got breakfast for the kids,and got them up.  As they were getting dressed,we told them that Daddy wasn’t going to work today and that we were going on an adventure.  We didn’t tell them what kind of adventure,didn’t tell them where we were going or how long we’d be gone.  They got in the van without question.  Crazy kids. 

After driving a while,Megan asked how long we’d be gone.  We told her 2 days.  She asked where we were sleeping.  Since we honestly had no idea (the weather forecast was for rain and horrible muggy conditions),we told her we weren’t sure.  Not in the van,though.  We drove some more.  We got to Des Moines and got off the interstate.  She asked where we were.  We told her.  Nothing about it sounded familiar to her.  We pulled up to a building and parked.  It had been 3 years since she had been to this building and had no idea what it was.  We rang the doorbell.  I reminded her that she had to be nice (she tends to get shy and ornery around new faces) just to throw her off a bit and then the person we were visiting came to the door.  Even though we had seen Aunt Kelly just a couple weeks before,Megan showed no recognition.  I think she was so certain she wouldn’t know these people who lived here that the idea of Kelly being the person we would visit wasn’t even possible.  She finally broke out of it and was thrilled to see her aunt.  We played at Kelly’s house for a little while and then told the kids we were going on another adventure and Kelly was coming with on this one.  We piled back in the van.

15 minutes later and we pull into the parking lot of the Blank Park Zoo. Several hours,one meal,and one rainstorm later,we were leaving,happy,slightly traumatized by the birds we fed (remember this? This time was not really any different! When the bird landed on Megan’s hand,I didn’t think she would ever stop screaming!),and wondering what to do next. It was 1:30 and we had all afternoon,all evening,and all the next morning before the next adventure and there was a rain forecast for 1-2 inches. The decision was fairly easy. Flood in our tent again or go home where there’s air conditioning and a roof over our heads. We got in the car to go home. Since we weren’t in a huge hurry (and Nick didn’t fall asleep),we decided to stop at Trainland,USA –one of those places we’ve driven by tons of times and have always said we should stop sometime and never had the time to. We took the time and were so glad we did. Megan,Adam and I had a great time looking at everything and playing the “where’s waldo”type game that we’re finding most model railroads have while Nick stared in silence at each train. He probably said 10 words the entire two hours we were there but it was obvious that all 4 of us had a great time.

As you are reading this,we’re headed back west again –but this time we won’t be messing with the model railroads –we’re doing the real thing!  No doubt,pictures will follow tomorrow of our last day of Surprise Adventure.