This is the 2nd year that we've done this road trip as a family. Last year Alli was about 6 months old and this year Ben was about 6 months old! It was so much fun to see all Scott's family and for them to see Alli again and meet Ben! We split the drive up into 2 days just so Scott didn't get cranky! :-)
Us all ready to get on the road. Scott asked me move to the back of the van because I was turned around like this picture at least 10 times in the first 30 minutes.
We stopped at some rest areas to stretch our legs and change diapers.
We made it to Grandma and Grandpa's Monday afternoon so we had some lunch and hung out. Then Uncle Brian came over with a present for Alli and Ben. He got them some Illinois outfits and Alli wanted to try hers
on right then!
Alli opening her present!
She couldn't wait to try it on and show everyone!
Uncle Brian won her over! (as I write this she is next to me looking at the pictures and saying "UN" that's how she says Brian, she even clapped and said yeah "UN"!!)
That night Scott and Uncle Brian went and played in a poker tournment in hopes that they would take first and second place. Well, it did not go as planned. I think they got 7th and 4th but they had a good time and missed the craziness of trying to get 2 kids bathed and to bed in a new place!!! Especially since Alli learned how to climb out of the pack-n-play that night! After that happend I put the kids in the car and drove around hoping they would fall asleep. That didn't happen, but when Scott got home we put Ben down to sleep and Alli and I went to sleep in the bed so it all worked out in the end!
On Tuesday we went to the Children's Discovery Museum and it was so much fun!! There was even stuff for Ben to play with!! It was so cool because it had all things related to Bloomington and farming!! Alli loved it!!
Ben and Alli got to play!
Alli got to slide!
Ben got to get into stuff!
Grandpa checked out Alli's reflexes!
Grandman and Grandpa got to hear how their hearts sounded together! ( this is a really cool thing, you put your hands on it and it reads your heartbeat and beats on a drum to that beat!)
Ben hung out!
Alli brushed some teeth!
Daddy made a face print!
Alli made a face print!
Alli and Daddy's face prints!
Alli drove a combine!
Grandpa drove a combine!
Alli milked a cow!
Grandma and Grandpa took a break!
Benny continued to be cute!!
This map showed where all the corn and soy beans go from McLean county!
Ben played with a tractor!
Alli had a good farm fresh breakfast!
Alli loved this! You put a cloth in a vacum thing and it follows a pipe up and then spits it out!
She wanted to do it over and over again!!!
That night we met Aunt Terri and Unlce Steve for dinner! Let's just say that Ben and Alli got a ton of attention!
Alli telling Aunt Teri something interesting, I'm sure!
Ben showing Aunt Terri how he stands up!
Alli showing Aunt Terri how a tape measurer works!
Uncle Steve and Brian showing their happy faces! :-)
Alli's best friend on the trip!
Isn't she sweet?!!
Wednesday we drove out to Cousin Sam's house where he has a horse, a pig, a little horse and some chickens. Alli loved seeing all the animals and petting the horse! Grandpa showed us all how to make a chicken go to sleep! That was pretty cool! Sam picked Alli an ear of corn and she was so proud of her corn! We had so much fun spending time out there with Sam and all the animals!
Alli saying "Hi" to the horse!
Grandpa holding little Ben
Alli with Daddy, the horse and Sam!
Ben saying "Hi" to the miniture horse!
Alli got to help feed the animals!
Three generations of Payne boys!
Ben driving the tractor!
Alli got to drive too!
Who is more scared of the chicken, Scott or Alli?
Grandpa put the chicken to sleep! (Not like to sleep as in dead, like a nap!)
Ben didn't know what to think about the chicken!
Alli and Scott are a little less scared now!
Here is the chicken taking his nap!
Alli was excited about her egg!
I took like 20 pictures of the 4 of them.. Here is the best one of Grandma and Grandpa looking!
and here is the best one of the kids looking!! (maybe I could photoshop them together and we would have an awesome picture!!)
Alli with her corn!
Alli showing her corn to everyone!
Mommy with her little man!
Alli loved that corn!!
That night we went to dinner at Aunt Tracy's house!! Tony and Tracy had a wonderful steak dinner for us and we enjoyed spending time with everyone!!
Ben getting some loving from Aunt Tracy!
My boys in their matching outfits!!
My sweet boy!!!
Scott and Tony! Scott was enjoying some of the homemade salsa!!
Scott with Aunt Tracy!
Ben getting some loveing from cousins Jennifer and Jessica!
Alli and Daddy having fun with bubbles!!
Thursday we went to the park and the zoo!! Alli had so much fun playing at the park and Ben and Alli loved the zoo and all the animals!!
Alli on the rhino!
Grandpa on the Dino!
Alli wanted Daddy to go on the slide with her!
She loved it when Daddy swings her really high!!
I love this picture of Scott and Grandpa!
They loved looking at all the animals!
They loved all the animals!!
That night we went bowling!! Alli got to bowl and she did really good!! I think she had more strikes than me!Oh yeah and she beat me both games! Scott and Uncle Brian pushed. Scott won the first and Brian won the second so no gloating from either one!! It was a fun time night finished off by Monicals Pizza for dinner and a present for Alli from Uncle Brian!
Scott and Alli watching one of her many strikes!!
Ben had a fun time watching the bowling!!
Alli showing Uncle Brian how its done! :-)
After the pointers from Alli he was able to pick up this spare!
The results! Yes that's correct Alli beat me and Brian!
The results of game two! (Yes, I know I go beat by a not even two year old, twice!!)
Daddy with his kiddos!!
Alli opening her present from Uncle Brian!
Ben was excited about Uncle Brians shoes!
Alli was excited about her toy!!
She had to show bubba!
Friday morning we started off with breakfast at McDonalds!! It was so awesome because this McDonalds had the old school highchairs! Complete with a bib, wipe and cookies!! After breakfast we were off to the splash park!! After the splash park and a outfit change we were off to the OTB!
Typical big sister!! If he has it she wants it!!
That's okay because he is such a happy boy!!
Alli warming up to the splash park!
Driving the pirate ship!
She loved running all around!
The spectators!!
My boys!
This little one had so much fun!!
I love this picture of her and Grandpa!
"Cheese"
That night Brian came over and we just hung out and took it easy. We had a big day ahead of us on Saturday for the Payne Family Reunion.
Brian read books to Alli
Grandpa hanging out with Ben
Alli hanging out with the Black Bear that she was so afraid of just a few days before. Now it was her best friend.
Grandma Payne reads books really good...
Then on Saturday morning we went to the Main Event - the Annual Payne Family Reunion/Picnic at Aunt Terri's house. There were over 40 Payne's that showed up and we had such a great time seeing everyone. Everyone got to play (including Daddy who got to play basketball) and we had some wonderful food. Uncle Steve always does a great job cooking the food. We ended the night with a Payne family tradition which includes buying a whole roll of lottery tickets and then sitting around the table as everyone scratches off the tickets. Ben went to sleep for this part and Alli and Macy got a front row seat in their high-chairs. We ended only winning about 75% of what we spent, but it was a lot of fun!
Payne Blocks on Terri's table
Ben in his cute Froggy over-alls
Cousin Bailey holding Ben
Alli looking out the window watching Daddy playing basketball
Grandpa playing with Alli and Cousin Macy
Alli and Cousin Macy sitting by the pretty flowers
Alli driving the fire truck
Alli and Macy looking outside
Alli and Macy playing with the bean bags
Little man Ben hanging out
All of the playing made the kids really tired
Even Alli took a quick nap
Alli and Ben reading a book together
Alli wanted to go explore the Farm
The Payne Family Basketball game
Alli still exploring the farm
Our pretty little girl...
Cousin Bailey hanging out with all of the girls (Alli, Kennedy, and Macy)
Ben really liked the blocks
Alli and Macy both with the same PJ's on (something we didn't plan)
They thought this was really funny
Cute picture. They really had fun together.
Ben couldn't handle the excitement of the lottery tickets and had to go to bed
Alli and Macy's front row seat
Mommy and Alli the next morning at breakfast
The entire family before for a nice breakfast before we left
Alli saying her goodbyes to Uncle Brian
Saying goodbye to Cousin Kelsey
Goodbye to Cousin Bailey
Daddy and Aunt Debbie
Alli saying goodbye to Cousin Mitchell
and Aunt Debbie
One last picture with Uncle Brian (UN, as she calls him)
Alli giving Macy a big hug goodbye
Ben saying goodbye to Grandpa
And we're off. 30 minutes into the ride home Alli, Ben, and Mommy are all out cold. 14 driving hours later we made it back home to Texas. We had so much fun and can't wait to do it again next year!!!
1 comment:
Looks like y'all had such a great time!!! Love looking through all the pics!!! Oh and I LOVE LOVE LOVE all the new pics up top! Alli's hair is soo long and pretty and Ben is absolutely adorable!!!! Can't wait to see ya this weekend!! Get your cowboy boots ready :)
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