springdellgirl

Trip to Kansas City: Day Three

We woke up in our luxurious Sioux City hotel after a wonderful night sleep. Tyler and the kids were thrilled that the hotel provided a full complementary breakfast and I enjoyed a shower and getting ready in peace and quiet.

We met up with the Grandparents that morning. My mom and Ken had arrived in Sioux Falls several hours behind us and stayed in a different hotel. They were taking a different route to KC than we were but wanted to say hello.

After we parted ways we got the heck out of South Dakota and into one of my VERY FAVORITE states. Iowa. I LOVE IOWA. I would live there in a heart beat. Iowa is not what you would expect. It is green with rolling hills. I have told Tyler for years that Iowa is not what you think it is going to be like. I love those deep green hills with white farmhouses. It is an extremely beautiful state. Pictures don't do it justice...so I didn't really try. Go to Iowa people. It is awesome.

We took a very long scenic route. I wanted Ty and the kids to really SEE Iowa and to truly experience it so we traveled the back roads and drove across the state. We saw Ames and Des Moines...because seriously when will we be back that way? Might as well see it then. Tyler didn't get to see my favorite town of Ottumwa. Bummer. It was a little too far out of our way.

Guess what these pictures are of?

Iowa!!

Not what you expect huh? Of course there are cornfieldy areas but it still isn't flat and nasty. It is still really really pretty...in a quiet and peaceful way.


One of my favorite stops was in some random little town in Iowa to eat shaved ice. Spokane is seriously lacking in the shaved ice department. It was heavenly to eat some in Iowa. Did I mention how much I love Iowa?

One of our favorite areas was Madison County. I had never been there before. It is stunningly beautiful. The books don't lie. It is a magical place. Well worth checking out if you are ever in that area.

One of the Bridges of Madison County

Inside one of the bridges

 

We saw the birthplace of John Wayne that was also in Madison County

Then it was onto Missouri. Yet another place that is stunningly beautiful. The closer and closer we got to Kansas City the more excited I got to show my old hometown to my family. We came in on the other side of the city (the Missouri side) which was fun so the kids could see the downtown at night. KC has a really cool downtown...and the Missouri River is spectacular. We drove around the downtown and to the Kansas side...into Johnson County. The music of the cicadas greeted us. I forgot how much I missed that sound.

By the time we got to Jordin's house it was close to midnight. It was so good to see Jordin, Ramon,  Jaylah, and RJ. We miss them so much and hate living so far away. Once we arrived the party got started. Even sleeping RJ and Jaylah were awakened to join the fun.

Seriously?! How could you not wake up this cute boy? Jaylah moves too fast to try to get a picture of her...but...suffice it to say she was too cute not to wake up too. 

We eventually went to bed and got ready to enjoy our KC adventures!!

Iowa: BIG THUMBS UP from the Johnsons

Missouri: THUMBS UP as well.

KC: They loved it!!

(Ailey even forgot that we were in Tornado Alley and stopped fretting and looking up at the sky and enjoyed herself!! That's how much fun we were having.)