Jack, Merry & The Trumanator: Twenty-Eighth Post From Türkiye: Travels in Amurica

As always, I put off sorting and editing my photos & posting on the blog until I have a trip coming up and I need to clear my camera's memory card. We went home to the States this summer and saw as much of the country and as many friends and family as we possibly could and we loved all of it!

First up: Hanging with the Willis Family.

We spent the first part of our trip in Maryland. catching up with friends, going to the dentist and scout camp and visiting some of our favorite spots. The Willis' were kind enough to let us stay with them. We had a ton of fun!

Picking Strawberries at Butler's.

Video Games with the boys. Notice how pale our boy is in comparison to the Willis Boys.

Sparklers!! Just for the fun of it!

Shootin' some hoops. You know Andrew is good, because he can dunk on the kids in a lowered hoop. :)

We saw lots of other friends but apparently I didn't want to lug my camera around with me, so I don't have a lot of photos. Some things we loved were hanging with the Bearmans eating pupusas! Getting serenaded at a Mexican restaurant. Scaring Becca during a movie. Shopping at TARGET!! And of course the most fabulous girl's night out!

Next Up: Merry & Holli's Most Excellent Road Trip Across America!!

My friend Holli and I thought it would be a fabulous idea for us to drive out to Idaho together with our boys. And you know what? It totally was! We had soo much fun we are already planning our next road trip. We sang many songs (loudly), drank diet coke constantly (followed by many pit stops), and took way too many selfies.

If there was a pool available those boys were swimming in it.

First Historical site: Springfield, IL. Home of Abraham Lincoln.

Carthage Jail

Nauvoo

My brother's house in Des Moines. Where the kids had so much fun and the adults did as well!

Winter Quarters

Wyoming

We saw some families in Nauvoo with matching shirts for their family reunions, and we decided that we need matching shirts as well, in order to commemorate our awesome road trip!

Thanks, for driving Holli!

Next up: Good Ole Rupert, Idaho!!

Home, home, home! It was so great to see my family and so many people that I knew growing up.

I especially love celebrating the Fourth of July there.

All set up, waiting for the parade.

My sweet aunt came from Nevada to see me!

Dad and Evie

My beautiful sisters!

A parade in Rupert is not a parade unless it includes...

Tractors

Stuff that causes you to scratch your head and ask "What?" Or "Why?".

Rodeo Princesses

Mariachi Bands

Vaqueros

And of course, marching bands, old cars, fire engines, and tons of kids on bikes!

Later that night we let the boys give us a fireworks show. They did a good job, at least we didn't start a fire in the weeds across the road.

And the audience was THRILLED by the display!

Trum had fun building a contraption with some of my dad's junk. Later my dad came out from the shop to give his advice.

My dad arranged for us to take the kids fishing at his friend's fishing hole.

First they fed the baby fish.

Trum catching one of his fish.

Dad with his fish.

A beautiful night in a beautiful spot, having fun together. Loved it!

While we were having fun, Jack was off having his own adventures. He was back in Turkey working then he was in Wisconsin defending his dissertation, and then he met up with friends in Utah for a jam session before we were finally reunited!

The UW Madison campus is so gorgeous! I love Wisconsin so much and I am jealous that Jack got to hang out there for a few days.

The old band is back together for one night only!

Next: Surprising the Folks in McCammon, Idaho!

We worked so hard to surprise Jack's parents with our visit home. There were a few close calls but it was so fun to see their faces when we showed up with out any warning.

Both of Jack's sisters came to hang out with us as well. Good times!

Trina and Jack.When they're not bugging each other they enjoy each other's company.

Hanging out at Uncle Max's old west town.

Everybody needs a hat for the wagon ride.

Looking for petroglyphs.

Rodeo Time!

Our nieces sang the National Anthem one night. If you look real close you can almost see them in the booth!

We took some family pictures while we were there. Here is Jack with his sisters. And as Jack and Trum are not capable of being normal in front of a camera, this is the best shot of the three of us. I am not getting a print made.

A quick trip to Rupert so Jack could see my parents.

We took an over night trip to Yellowstone with Jack's mom and our nephew Perry.

The Tee-pee the boys stayed in. At least, Trum slept there. Perry got scared.

And our awesome tent at Yellowstone Under Canvas.

On the way home we stopped off at the Idaho State University campus, to give Trum an unsolicited tour of where his parents went to school and fell in love. Just like the tours my parents used to force on me and my siblings of the same campus. Go Bengals!

The next day we had to start our journey home. We stopped in Utah and stayed with our friends Jed and Shawna. It was so fantastic spending time with them! And I am sooo bummed we didn't get a picture! Next time, for sure!