Home Sweet Home

I do it every time.  When I become mentally exhausted, physically tired and ready for a little break...I can't wait to take a little 'mommy vacation.'  BUT...whenever I do, I miss the kiddos like crazy.  The past two weekends I have been in four different states and away from Drue and Lane.  It's funny how a mom wishes she could have a little time away and when she does all she can think about are her kids and how she misses them and how she can't wait to be back with them. 

Valentine's weekend Ryan and I were able to go to Galena, IL and Wisconsin with friends...ok...We made an accidental detour on our way, crossed the wrong bridge over the river and visited Wisconsin for about three minutes!  But hey. The girls traveled together and when we got to the house the boys were just getting there too.  How could that be?  We beat them AND went to Wisconsin?!  :)   We and three other couples rented a beautiful house in the Galena Territories.  We arrived on Friday evening and the girls wasted no time jumping into the hot tub while the guys fixed our dinner.  Saturday we headed into Galena for shopping and lunch with the boys...they got bored and when we girls arrived home a few hours later we found the boys had claimed their spots in the hot tub.  We had late reservations at Vinny Vinuchhi's where the girls were surprised by chocolates and roses from our hubbies.  What great food! I crave it still.  It was a great weekend that allowed everyone to relax and enjoy our company.

yeah...this was not taken while we were there but a hot tub seemed more of a treat in the midst of winter!

We thought we needed to make some snow angels after heating our bodies in the hot tub...only 2 of the 8 didn't do it *cough*Ryan&Brent*cough*

with Teresa, Sara & Maggie

The next weekend my newly-engaged sister-in-law, Trudi invited us Luiken girls to her house in Kansas City, MO to do some wedding dress shopping!  Once again, the weather was supposed to be nasty but he made the trek anyway.  The trip took longer than it normally would have but we're all glad we got to go!  Trudi picked out the perfect dress.  She looked beautiful and I can't wait to see her in it again in October!  Styles were much different than 8 years ago...we married girls had fun remembering things we had at our own weddings and laughing about things we thought were so important or so neat...only to look back now and think we were ridiculous! 

We spent all of Saturday in KC, Kansas at dress shops, site seeing places like the Plaza and the Station and making pit stops at several Targets looking for a Wii.  Ryan had hoped to find one before I left giving the kids something special to do at home while I was gone, but there were none to be found.  (I did get on a reserve list and will have ours by Friday)  We had planned to stay another night in KC but the weather was to be bad again and we decided to head home yet that evening but not before meeting up with the groom-to-be at the Cheesecake Factory.  It was a quick trip but Trudi accomplished her goal of finding a dress and we're all getting very excited for her!

I arrived back in Eldora about 11:45 Saturday night to a dark house.  I went to kiss everyone goodnight and found all three of them in our bed piled full of stuffed animals.  I didn't get a picture of them sleeping but here is the picture after everyone woke up.  I even found about a dozen cozy animals at the foot of the bed under the covers!  I'm easily replaced!  :)