On the road again.....

I love a good road trip and this family has taken a few recent ones and has a major one coming up.

A few weeks ago we went to Des Moines for the AAU State Championships. Arrived to weigh in on Friday and wrestling began on Saturday. Bought our brackets on Friday night and as we figured there were 4 very good kids on Carter's side of the bracket. After sitting for 20 hours at Wells Fargo between Saturday and Sunday wrestling - we came out with 2 state champs. It was amazing and I was a very proud mama! Cael won his first AAU State title in his first year there and Carter won his 4th. This one Carter really earned as he beat some very good boys along the way.

Yesterday, my girlfriend Ruby (Skeeter) and I took off for Jesup Gym. I wanted another kettlebell and she is just getting started. So away we went, made a pit stop at Wal Mart and then got to the gym. Bought our bells (side note - this is the cheapest place to buy bells at $1 a pound). We headed towards home. Or at least we thought we were headed towards home. But despite me saying in my mind a few things such as; we do not turn here, why I have I never seen that tractor place, I did not know we were so close to Manchester, wow I have never noticed the red/white/blue Independence water tower, we still made a wrong turn. Which two grown women did not notice until we got almost to Dyersville. I find this amusing and in reality it was quite a lovely drive home and the company was fantastic!!

Mackenzie took a little road trip up to the Dubuque area to see Brandon on Saturday after I made it home. They went fishing and had a great time. She and I got her graduation invitations done today, hard to believe that day is coming as quickly as it is.

Dean, Carter, Cael, and Quincy took off for Freemont NE on Friday and Cael wrestled there this weekend as part of IA Blue in the USA Heartland Elementary National Duals. He and Carter wrestled in these duals last year. Cael won 2 matches and lost 6. This year - he went 7-1!! I am so proud of his hard work!!

Big road trip coming up this week. We are leaving on Wednesday morning and will be gone for 12 days. We will head to Erlanger KY on day 1 and stay there en route to Kingsport TN. We will arrive in Kingsport on Thursday and Cael and Quincy will wrestle on IA Black in the AAU National Duals on Friday-Sunday. Quincy is the 40lber and Cael is the 50lber. I am looking forward to seeing them wrestle on the same team. We will leave there on Sunday and head to Charleston SC and be there for two days, head to Atlanta, GA for a day and night. We will then head to Huntsville, AL for a day and night. From there we will head to Nashville for a night and then to Louisville for 2 days and 1 night. Head back towards home staying in IL and then make the trip home on Sunday. I cannot wait. We will be seeing and doing many things and I am so eager to get away with my family.

Tomorrow Reegan will be 11! Her GOLDEN BIRTHDAY!!!

My plans are to update this as we travel and keep everyone up to date on what we are doing as we make our travels.