Our Southern Summer Part II

Here is part 2 of our trip. These are pictures from the road, with family, at parks, on the farm, and whatever else…completely out of order!
I took a ton of pictures because our kids are at an age where it’s likely that only Addison will have clear memories of our trip, so hopefully this helps preserve some memories for the other two.

Brad thought I was crazy for making him find a good cheese shop in WI, but he did and we took a little detour and I got some great Wisconsin cheese:)
This sign sort of snuck up on me but I managed to pull off in the midst of rush hour traffic and drug my whole (thrilled) family through the chigger infested TN grass and got a quick picture. We didn't get any bites, so I didn't feel like an awful mom.
Sweet baby cousins!
On a downtown stroll for dinner at our favorite pizza place
Fun at the zoo! (I have a picture somewhere almost identical to this one, only it was Lily on Brad's back:)
The girls and their great Gran:)
This is actually a gorgeous, scenic rest stop just coming into NC in the Smoky Mountains. We stopped for a picnic on our way to Charlotte. Such a sweet time with our NC family!
I love a good stormy day in the south...
Addison turned five and got to share a birthday party with her grandma!
Soaking up Aunt Kathy time:)
My favorite picture of the summer. I didn't stage this. We were just walking and I looked up and there they were, holding hands walking down the road together. So sweet!
We learned that Izzie likes chasing chickens. Good thing they are so fast!

Sneaking up on a deer, not so quietly...
Tic-tac-toe with their great granddad (Daddy K)
Each morning, the girls would wake up and run straight outside to find him in the garden. They helped him pick the days veggies and then go sit on the porch shucking corn, shelling peas, or whatever was needed. I think he liked having them around just a little bit:)
Brad dug around in the barn and found croquet balls and an old baseball bat and taught Addison to play ball. Finding fun on the farm.
The week spent at Daddy K's was a hot one, with just a little window air conditioner, so we took a few trips to the local pool, which was such a relief!
More cousins!
Checking out Daddy K's cows
Ladies night! Not everyone made it, but this is a lot of us!
The view from Daddy K's
Just hanging out at Gran and Granks
And another cousin!
So dad decided to ride his motorcycle down and surprise Gran on her birthday. He pulled up and he and I were outside planning the best way for him to make his surprise entrance, but little did we know, Addison had seen him pull up and snuck in the house and told Gran! Still, you can tell by the look on her face, she was thrilled to tears:) Getting everything loaded up for the long journey home
A neat bridge in St. Louis
Getting close to home! This was taken in the Wind River Canyon in WY
A birthday party for Daddy K's 88th. Included in the picture are his 8 great grandkids!
Not the greatest shot, but Izzie and her cousin on Brad's side, just a few weeks apart in age We got to stop for a night and stay with Jim and Joyce Howard, who recently moved away. We were so happy to spend some time with them...obviously the girls were happy too.
Windmills of MN Well I should have made greater effort to put these pictures in order, but I don't have all day! So there is a snapshot of our trip! Such a wonderful time and such good little travelers we have...we'll definitely do it again! But for now...I'm not driving anywhere that's further than across town!