The Burns Family: Chicago Trip, Round 1

Here's Round One of many from our trip to see our friends the Bradshaws in Aurora! When we pulled into their driveway, we fell out of the car and I said "Kate, we're in Aurora! Do you think Sleeping Beauty lives here?" Kate immediately said, "No, Mom. She lives in Disney World." Oh, silly me. I forgot.

We had several milestones happen while we were gone: our car (named Cleo by Kate) rolled over to 100,000 miles on the odometer. Kate lost her first tooth on the Sunday we went to church with the Bradshaws. I ran 3 full miles without stopping and had my first elliptical experience at the gym with Tyson. She and I also had hour-long massages at the spa at their gym, so it was my first real massage - by a man named Arturis. "Vud chew like a peelow?" And I also finally experienced what most of my friends are addicted to: the Gilmore Girls. Now I feel like a real woman.

Nancy, ready for the trip. This was on our first leg, somewhere between Knoxville and Lexington, KY.

Tyson, holding Nancy. I'm holding Reid, who is 10 months old, and Mary Claire, who turned 3 August 5, is beside Kate.

Nancy didn't fall asleep in the car until after 11. We stopped at 11:30 in Richmond, KY.

Kate falls asleep instantaneously, anywhere.

Watching tv in the morning in the "helltell" (my bro used to call it that; we still do). One of Kate's favorite things was eating the continental breakfasts at the hotels we stayed at. I can't blame her!

Halfway between Indianapolis and Lafayette, IN, traffic was at a standstill. There were people walking their dogs and skateboarding on the highway. Luckily, we were right beside a rest area with plenty of grassy space to play. We got out, ate some peaches and climbed trees til the traffic cleared. I think we avoided a major catastrophe being stuck in the car in traffic!

There are 3 kittens living under the porch of Tyson & Sean's neighbor's house (the neighbors no longer live there) Tyson's heart is full of mercy for anything that has a heartbeat, so she feeds the cats twice a day and sits and waits for them to come out. She's trying to get them used to people so they won't be so skittish and could possibly be adoptable. Most of the time, I was just focused on the gorgeous, humongous hydrangeas.

Big Kahuna, Cat No.1.

Sean, showing Kate how to use the motorized Lightning McQueen.

Kate LOVED driving the car. I love the squeals of joy.

Kate's first tooth! After she lost it, she said "Mom, I know you and Dad are really the tooth fairy. Are you going to put some money under my pillow tonight?" PS: do NOT call her "Snaggletooth". She doesn't like it.