Trips with the Clark family are always adventures.

We recently went to Colorado. The trip there seemed to go pretty fast however the trip home (as all trips seem to do) dragged on and seemed longer than the 14 hours that it really was. I thought that a great thing to do to help time pass more quickly would be to count different types of trucks because on the way to Colorado we had counted the number of McDonalds we had spotted and the number of Fed Ex trucks since we kept seeing those. There were only 23 McDonalds that we could see from the freeway, on the way to Colorado Springs from Iowa City, however there were 63 Fed Ex trucks.

 So anyway back to the way home. I started writing down the first 12 major company trucks that passed us on the other side of the freeway and then we all continued to count all the different types of trucks to see which trucking company would have the most trucks between Colorado Springs and Iowa City. Here is our report:
UPS trucks = 2
Fed Ex trucks = 46
Swift trucks = 74
Marten trucks = 25
Werner trucks = 36
England trucks = 86
Wal-Mart trucks = 14
Penske trucks = 35
Heartland Express trucks = 12
United Van Line trucks = 5
Allied trucks = 6

Trucks we kept seeing over and over that should have been counted so we could know the winner of the most trucks:
ABF, Covenant Transport, Budget, Prime, U-haul, and CRST

I personally think the contest would be between Prime and England trucks.

We also saw 9 police cars, which isn't bad for 847 miles. That's only about 1 car per 100 miles. Thank goodness none of those police cars saw us.

Strange city names along the way:

Lliff
Brush
Mingo
Colfax
Ogalala

We saw 29 of the 50 US state license plates.

Now if you EVER wonder why parents go half crazy when driving children across the country, take a look below at some of the phrases I heard while traveling. ( I decided to write them down and I'm glad I did because now I'm laughing hysterically.)

Funny and weird comments made in the car:
I'm hungry
Stop It
He elbowed me
Scott seriously stop it.
Don't lean on me.
His feet stink.
Please stop touching me.
You better stop touching me now or I'm going to hit you.
Who farted?
Get off of me now!
Don't punch me Jared.
I'm thirsty.
What's over there?
How much longer do we have?
Ow
What stinks?
Stop singing.
Be quiet
I told you to be quiet
I can hear your I-pod
Your earphones are too loud.
My blanket doesn't smell like me anymore.
I have to pee NOW!
Make Scott let go of my arm.
E  (this was the name of a truck and everyone said the name outloud, it was funny when the E came out.)
My underpants are sticking to my butt.
Yea, I've always wanted a live stuffed animal (as he is leaning on his sister)
My armpits smell like catfood.
Are we to Iowa City yet?  How about Iowa?
Throw up sounds (thank goodness nothing came out)
Stop singing
Scott must you talk every second you are awake
Who smells like sweat?
Don't do that.
Are we there YET?
There's a mosquito in the car, not sure if you know that.
Make him stop, seriously Mom, he just doesn't stop ever.
He's tickling me again.
Breathe to yourself.
Alyssa don't hit or pinch me.
Can mosquitoes bite through blankets?
Gary is a good name for a snail.
Ewe your hands stink.
Just be quiet already.
Can I play your gameboy?  Can I borrow your I-pod?  Can I read your book?  Can I borrow your phone?
My hands stink because I've been putting them in my armpits because they are cold.
We have been driving forever.
This song is dedicated to you Dad
We aren't past Des Moines YET?
We aren't stopping again so you better hold it.
Scott lean on the window NOT on Alyssa.
Quit touching each other.
I think my teeth are floating.
Alyssa don't hit.
What's over there?
I've never seen that before.
Lean straight back, not on anyone but the back of the seat.
We are in Madison county, Let's go see the bridges.
I asked you NOT to sing that song.
If you're going to pull out in front of me, go faster.
Hands to yourself kids.
You will be grounded for an entire stinking week if you don't stop that.
and my personal favorite: When can I ask you when we are almost there?





Now for some pictures:

A picture of some gorgeous mountains in Colorado.  I miss those already.



Jason with one of his nieces, this one is named Ella.  Isn't she adorable?

I found a gym that teaches Zumba and had to have a picture.  Now I'll know where to go when I visit again.

The night before we left we went to dinner at Chili's restaurant.  Here is a picture of Gillian and Kevin Mohlman, and Lance and Nancy Clark. 

Then the other end of the table had Lindsey Lokodi, but I'm not sure how she got cut out of the picture.  The one time I don't check the picture so I can take another one.  I'm so bummed out how she isn't in this picture, but her arm is there, check out her strawberry lemonaide.  Pictured here is Dave and Tana Clark then Jason and Me!

Jason wasn't sure how to get back to Adrianne's home after the dinner so he actually stopped at a gas station to ask directions.  I was completely in shock that he asked for directions so I took a picture of him doing that. 

On the way home there were times of complete love between the children, here is one time they fell asleep on eachother.



Windmills from my car window driving by in Nebraska.  There were hundreds of them.



Update

I found Daniel's birth certificate, so now I have proved to him that I gave birth to him.  He shouldn't have doubted me.  Now we are off to finally get his driver's permit!

He did it

Jason did his Olympic Distance Triathlon at Lake Geode State park yesterday.  Read all about it here !

In the right place at the right time!

Last night I just happened to be watching the 10p.m. News on Channel 2, which is our CBS channel here in Eastern Iowa.  They said that in just a minute they would announce where in all of Eastern Iowa the $2.00 fuel would be.  I perked up just a bit, but then figured it would be in Cedar Rapids like it had been previously.  They do this EVERY Wednesday night.

Then the news man said, "Here we are at the Casey's gas station on Willow Creek Drive in Iowa City, come get your $2.00 fuel up to 20 gallons!  The first 35 vehicles here will get this and other prizes!"

I couldn't believe my ears, but since I was dressed I quickly grabbed my keys to my fuel empty van and then found my purse and bolted out the door to the gas station.  I left so fast and with such excitement that I was halfway to the gas station when I realized that I didn't have shoes on.  I didn't care.  I was determined to be one of the first 35 vehicles.

I made it there in record time and ended up being the 6th vehicle to arrive.  I was greeted by a police officer that told me which pump I would be at next and then the Casey's manager that handed me the following:

My $2.00 per gallon voucher up to 20 gallons, a Free Large fountain drink that can be used anytime before the end of August, a Free Super size slice of Casey's Pizza (which is amazing by the way), then two tickets to Hawkeye Downs Speedway.   Super awesome.  I was filled with excitement that I made it there in time to achieve this.

So even though I was barefoot,  I filled up my van with the full 20 gallons, thank goodness my tank was near empty when this deal was announced.

I have figured it out, since our fuel here in Iowa is $3.69 a gallon and I got it for just $2.00 this means I received $33.80 in FREE fuel!!!

He claims he's adopted

Today Daniel studied up for his driver's permit and then took a few practice tests online.

Daniel and I left for the bank that has the safe deposit box so I could get his birth certificate and take it to the Department of Motor Vehicles to prove he is not only American but my child with a real birthdate, and so he could then take his driving test and get his permit.

While at the bank I searched my safe deposit box over and over.  I found everyone's birth certificate except for Daniel's.

Then Daniel says to me, "I told you I was adopted."

So we come home and I search his photo album, thinking to myself that it has to be in there because where else would it be?

Never found it.  I really don't know where else to look and I'm stumped.  I'm also bummed out for Daniel because he really wants a permit so he can start learning to drive.

Sorry Dan.

Very first Triathlon

I did my very first Triathlon this weekend, if you want to read about it, please go here.

The start of Brenden's trip East

The day started with getting up at 4:10a.m. to leave for Dixon, Illinois so Brenden and I could run a race. Read about that HERE.   The race was fabulous and afterwards we went to the Chicago, Midway airport so Brenden could hop on a plane to Columbus, Ohio for a few weeks to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Lewis.  While on the way we saw a fabulous looking Lamborghini and managed to get a picture of it as you will see below.  Brenden was super excited to ride a plane for his first time.  I hope he has a fabulous time in Ohio.

Brenden and I just before running the Reagan Run 5K race in Dixon, Illinois Saturday morning.

The awesome looking car that Brenden pointed out to me while I was driving to Chicago.  I quickly grabbed my camera and Brenden snagged a picture.  The guy in the car was looking at us strangely and tried to drive away fast.

If you even thought gas was expensive where you live, like me in little ole Iowa who has fuel at $3.55 a gallon and thought that was high, but was still grateful the price had come down .45 cents in the last 2 months.  Check out these fuel prices in Chicago.

Alyssa and Brenden in the airport.  Alyssa came with us to do two things.  1.  Take pictures of Brenden and I while racing the 5K.  2.  Keep me company on the drive home from Chicago so I wouldn't fall asleep.

The pilots on Brenden's flight.  He rode on Southwest Airlines flight #3513.   These two pilots were so nice that they let Brenden go into the cockpit, take pictures and explained the flight to him.  Then they announced to the other passengers that Brenden needed a window seat since it was his first flight and asked someone to give up their seat for him.  I'm am so impressed with Southwest Airlines.

Brenden and I with our race shirts on just before Brenden left on his flight.  Both Alyssa and I were lucky enough to get Non-Passenger Escort passes so we could be with Brenden at the gate.  It was awesome to be with him till the last second of him taking off.  Thanks again to Southwest Airlines.

If you enlarge the picture a couple times by double clicking on the picture and then clicking on it again, you will see Brenden in the window waiving to me.

Brenden's plane preparing for takeoff.

Brenden's plane taking off.

Brenden's plane up high in the air.   I just have to add that my  Mom called not even an hour later and Brenden's plane had landed on time and she was also given a Non-passenger escort pass so she could meet Brenden at the gate in Columbus.