Got a minute? Read quick!

So, the boys just left for a few mins. The MIL is napping and Carli....is well, she is laying on the couch because she wanted to leave the horse races because she was tired and we decided if she was tired she should nap...YEAH RIGHT!!!! Boredom LIE!!! Anyway, Since I have some minutes, I will start to dictate to my lovely assistant, my notes as written. And, I keep getting an error, so this is probably stupid. So I decided after searching in Blogspot for an hour and finding nothing, then sending a "How was your experience? IT SUCKED!, response"....to put this in an email to copy and paste later. So I will write anyway, for a minute!?!?!
June 25, The morning the trip began.
Plan: Leave at 4 AM.
What actually happened: I woke up, looked down the hall and thought "huh, it's sure light outside....OH SHIT IT'S LIGHT OUT!"
Leave at 630.
930 - Far enough out of town, I ask "is it my turn to drive?" Reponse: "No, I'm driving!".
1000 - First time we hear "Daddy, are are almost there?" - How can you not laugh to that? really, how?
1530ish - Stop at Cabela's in Sidney, NE. It is supposed to be the biggest Cabela's or the first. After being there, my vote is the first. And they probably haven't updated it since it was the first...or seventh for that matter. Totally unimpressed, except for the African Elephant .

1630 - Just about 50 miles outside of Ogallala NE, Cobby has seen the first cornfield - he's been waiting hours (just about since Carli asked if we were almost there). Carli is crying....she feels homesick...and misses the dogs (me thinking.. this will be sooooo fun). I'm not thinking that 18 hours (our first night driving goal) will be on schedule. Give specific instructions for Cobby not to change the clock an hour ahead when we cross the time change line- we don't want to make it seem like we had been driving an extra hour after all. We'll change it in the morning.

Get a text message from the zoo sitter (Hey Tash...feel the love). The cat is being a tough guy...hissing and shit. Man he is scary. Even though he doesn't have front claws (did we tell you that Tash), he still has a strong bite....but I am certain that if she doesn't jump back from him, he'll practically start purring after she puts the needle in.

We stop at a gas station...they deny my PCR VISA. Assholes. Called...gave them a list of states we would be visiting so it wouldn't happen again (turns out...if your balance is 0.00 for awhile, and then there are charges crossing the US, they think it is fishy....really, I would probably appreciate this if we weren't at a truck stop with a bunch of fat guys behind us that had their bellies sticking out from too many hot dogs and whitecastle microwaved hot dogs - together now....NASTY!). Then of course we had that short tour of Kansas city/state courtesy of MOI! Apparently when the signs in MO say detour to this road or whatever...ITS A JOKE!!!! Finally find the campground - which wouldn't have happened without me..by the way.
Move on to:

June 26 Cobby said to set the alamr for 700 so we could be gone by 730 or 800. Wake up in the AM, shower, walk down to the office to pay for the site and have a short conversation about how we got in around 230 (MDT...I guess I forgot about that part :) ). Make another call to PCR Visa, as we got denied again...this time in IA. HelloooOWWW!!! This time, I was playing hard ball...you know the one...."I called yesterday, they said it would be fine...BY GOD if I Get denied again...I'll cancel this card as soon as I return home(under the breath...in like 14 days)".. Get on the road at 930...just in time for me to freak out on Cobby because he is the one who picked 730 and if he was going to stay in bed late, the the least he could do is let me stay in bed late too....but NOOOOOOOO! So, off we go.

Here are a few notes that I have recorded about each state, take note...you know, just in case you ever need them, not in particular order.

Kentucky - We passed a Holiday Inn Express (weird that I would notice). Carli asked if it was a train. A train? Yep, if it is Express, it must be a train.
Missouri - (Commonly pronounced misery) They have a lot of money. The state does anyway..how can We tell? The road signs. You know, the ones in UT that say mile 168 or 169. In MO - it says 168.0, then 168.2, then 168.4 NO SHIT. I'm not kiddin. You know when this is bad? When it is the middle of the night and you already counting miles down...you don't need that kind of pressure. It SUCKS!!!!
Illinois- They are the state of Trucker and RV Haters. MPH is 55 for truckers and RV's, everyone else is 65. COME ON!!!! Give me a break...don't you know that the truckers and RV's are the ones who have longer to go and want to get the hell out? At least let us keep up with those little Toyota's!
Iowa - I truly have no idea how they don't give state assistance for everyone in to get West Nile Virus shots...I'm not kidding either. We stopped there (2nd PCR Visa denial), in the middle of the night. You know the lights above the gas thingy's? The black cloud above it was HIDEOUS!!! I'm not kidding, but the good news is the bugs like regular or unleaded. We didn't have that problem as bad at the diesel pump.
West Virginia - It's almost heaven. No, really. The kind of place where people wait up until 3 in the morning waiting for you to show up to park next to their house. The kind of place that see's deer everyday, and even so, when they see one, it is like the first time. The kind of place where family....really is family. And the kind of place where once you get there, leaving really is an option...not a requirement. Even though, there is a life elsewhere to be lived, I HATE leaving there. The aunts are always the first ones to cry...but it never fails, I will follow suit soon after.

Skip ahead.....

July 2
Start heading West. We had a lot of fun at Hershey Park yesterday. Cobby was disappointed by the tour of Hershey World. He thought it would be just like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Alright, maybe not totally...but he had Carli convinced. It even came up that she might see Willy Wonka...or the OOmpa Loompas. I told her it wasn't true, but I'm just the dumb old mom. You can't believe me. Proof? When we came out of the amusement park, she wanted a chocolate bar - to see if she got the golden ticket. After arguing that she wasn't going to get a golden ticket, I finally walked away (there was a store across the street that I was sure was selling shot glasses - I mean toothpick holders...and the t-shirts were on sale --WOOOHOOO!!). Turns out...she didn't get a golden ticket. We were amazed at how much the actual factory looked like the WW Movie (#1). They had a ride in the amusement park that went way up and then rotated around so you could see the whole city. The windows were Hershey Kisses shaped - It was called the kissing tower.