HOME!!!

Second to longest day of driving with very high expectations (which makes it feel like forever!).  Poor Jansen now has what Penn did the other day, so it was a pretty long day of driving with him dealing with feeling so uncomfortable.  But no complains from us because he has been such a great rider the past 7 weeks.  

I got in the middle row with Jansen a few hours before getting home to help him through it and so Tav got relegated to the back row.  It was so cute because he and Penn haven’t shared a row this whole trip and they are such pals.  They were so excited to chit chat and play their video games together.

And here’s Jansen…absolutely miserable, but still such a trooper.

We left Pittsburgh at 8:45am and arrived home at 7:05pm.  Kudos to Douglas for driving every single mile of this trip!!  Speaking of miles, maybe it’s time for a roundup about what we accomplished on this trip…
7 weeks (technically 51 days)
11,000 miles
31 states
22 different places stayed
14 national parks visited

Infinite memories

So grateful to the Lord for the provision of this dream come true.  Something Doug and I have hoped for since before even having kids.  We are so blessed to have it come to fruition and do this as a family.  And now we are so happy to be home.

Pittsburgh

Big sigh of relief when we pulled in to Pittsburgh at the Troxell’s.  These friends are home here now.  In a place that was our home for fifteen years, but now many have moved, relocated, our home sold long ago and our kids are six years older now so their interests in the city are different now too.  But Nate and Megan are here and walking in their door was just what we needed after what was probably our hardest drive because of how uncomfortable and miserable Penn was.  I walked Penn straight up to bed and he obviously could finally relax too in this comforting environment because he fell asleep and napped for an hour and a half before joining us all for dinner with the Troxells and the McKinneys.  Our best Pittsburgh friends all together.  It was a real blessing and a great kick off to our quick weekend in the Burgh.  (And of course I had to take advantage of the photo opportunity and forced some group photos, here’s the cream of the crop…)

On Saturday, Penn woke up much better and the kids all played together so well.  It was a chill start which was good since there was some on and off rain.  Rain has barely happened on our trip.  I’ve forgotten about checking the weather!

Koen had spent the night at the McKinney’s to get some extra time with Miles, their oldest.  These two grew up together and hadn’t seen each other in three years!  

We eventually got out the door for a step hike on the Fineview Fitness Trail and met the available McKinneys and Koen at the base.  The Troxell’s have been working on the Pittsburgh Step Hikes since during Covid.  There are 700!  I think they are about 200 in.  On this day they took us to one they knew had a good hike, a great view and a fun playground at the top for a reward (where we picnicked).  Here we are getting our instructions from Megan on proper step-hiking etiquette.

Here we go!

And here comes the view…

We’ve missed this city.  Really special to be back, but really what makes it is the people.

I neglected to take pictures of the playground and the picnic, but it happened and the kids were totally happy with it especially since it had a pickle ball court (which the Troxells had really been talking up the night before).

And then it was back down.  Pittsburgh hills are no joke!

The morning rain had brought no relief from the heat and humidity, so the afternoon plan was the pool and that was the perfect place to be.  Note that Hazel stayed with all these loud, rowdy boys for the afternoon and she’s awesome that she can hang with confidence and poise.  It was really fun to see she and Penn back together, they used to have so much fun together with similar temperaments and a zeal for adventure.

 

After soaking and swimming until we were fully cooled, we headed back to the Troxell’s for dinner.  Deborah and Ellie came back to join us too.  At first the kids were playing intense games of Nerf gun battles upstairs, but eventually we shooed them out to the backyard where they got a wiffle ball game going that was way more fun to watch and listen to!  

At the end of the evening Koen headed out with the McKinneys again to spend another night with Miles (Miles was at a band commitment all day) and we got the rest of the kids ready for bed and chilling out earlier than the night before.  After the kids were set, we got to play our favorite game together, Rook.  This is a favorite Troxell/Melder activity and usually means lots of strategy, a little trash talk and definitely laughter.  It was a fun end to a brief, but great weekend with dear friends.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

So, yet another relatively unplanned national park stop.  I had originally looked into doing this park, but had put it out of my mind and the technical logistics.  I decided to revisit it when reviewing the map for our Friday drive.  That’s when I saw we would be pretty close to passing through it anyways, so of course I could not pass it up!  Unfortunately when I talked Doug into this plan (which isn’t hard because he has an appreciation for getting as many national parks as possible too) I didn’t realize how badly Penn was starting to feel.  Last night after that full, long day in the lake he woke up in the night several times with terrible congestion and a raw sore throat.  During the morning’s drive away from Indiana it got only worse and he also had a fever at this point.  We ended up doing the planned park stop though thinking maybe he would like stretching his legs and it would at least be a restroom pit stop.  Turns out Penn had no interest in getting out of the van, so instead the other three boys and I bolted into the Canal Exhibition Center for a little education on why is this a national park??

Turns out that remains a mystery.  I mean, there is a lot of interesting history in this area.  But there is also a lot of infrastructure, neighborhoods and businesses.  You do not feel like you are in a national park.  There is a cool, scenic railroad along the Ohio-Erie Canal (see boys at one of the locks below) 

 

which is what the park is designed around.  It houses many hikes and also a 20+ mile bike trail.  We even read the description and information in our national park book and still can’t really understand what the impetus was for making this a national park (so we are thinking maybe political reasons?!).  But oh well, we got another sticker (at a different visitor center because the one we went to of course didn’t have any good ones).

Now on to Pittsburgh!  And please make note, unless you are in it to just check the boys, this national park is lackluster at best (especially when you are tired of driving, have a sick kid and it’s sticky and hot outside)…DON’T STOP.

Speakmans in Syracuse, IN

After being getting caught in the thunderstorm at Indiana Dunes National Park we eventually ran out from underneath it, arrived at our next destination on Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, IN just before it billowed back over us.  Doug masterfully unloaded the van just in the nick of time.  

After that whirlwind entry we then got to take a deep breath and realize that we were indeed together with these dear friends that live half a world away from us in Kenya.  They return every summer to see family in the states and we literally set the schedule of our trip based on when they would be here sot hat we could make sure to include them on our tour.  It’s been almost three years since our last visit and it was so good to be in each other’s company.

Sky grew up on the lake and his parents graciously hosted us in addition to Sky, Megan and their three kids, Marshall, Ryan and Isla.  Brave souls!  The kids were greatly anticipating all the lake fun, but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate that first night.  But Sky’s dad, a grandpa extraordinaire, busted out the 3-D glasses and his animated 3-D options and the kids all watched Lion King together in a new way.  So cute.  Even Koen was wowed by it!

Thankfully despite an iffy forecast the next morning we woke up to relatively hopeful skies.  

And Grandpa Speakman was raring to go out on the ski boat to take anyone who wanted skiing.  Yes, please!  Koen and Tav went first on two skis and popped up with no problem and had fun for sure.  Here’s Koen…

And then Tav was so cute showing off his skills out of the wake, touching the water, right off the bat.  Love it!

Then it was my turn to slalom.  And I had a lot of fun too!!  Oh how we love to be on the water!  So great to be outdoors playing instead of in the minivan!

After a brief time of changeover, we went back out with lots more kids for some tubing fun.  My kids were just bursting with joy, they love this stuff!

I’m so glad I got a picture of the saint, Grandpa Speakman.  How he served us all day long!!  

Then they were introduced to the wave runner.  Douglas got to pilot it, which he was not sad about!

I even got to enjoy a ride with him.  

The kids spent hours playing around, under and on the raft and slide.  Another one of those amazing opportunities on this trip to watch the next generation of friends.  All the kids did a great job getting along and I was especially proud of our bigger boys taking such good care of the littler friends.

 

After lunch Grandpa Speakman offered for another round of skiing, this time the younger kids that wanted to do the ski sled or the trainer skis.  I couldn’t believe, but Jansen and Penn were eager to try!  Ryan did the ski sled first showing Jansen how it’s done and then Jansen did it and popped right up!

Then it was time for the trainer skiers.  Marshall was the example this time.  Then Penn went.  It took a few tries, but he kept with it and figured it out.  So proud of his perseverance and I was so glad he got up and was able to feel that success!

After Jansen’s success on the ski sled, he wanted to try the trainers.  He gave it a few great tries and ended up throwing in the towel.  But he was so close!  And I was so proud of him for making progress and trying something new! Also super thankful for Mr. Sky being in the water with all these new skiers patiently holding them as the boat attempted to pull them up.  The Speakman men are pretty amazing with kids!

Obviously we had quite a water sports day!  And it didn’t stop there.  There was more wave runner play, more swimming and just being on the lawn enjoying the view.

After dinner there was a quick rain storm that got some of the kids indoors briefly and we got most through the shower and ready for bed.  But Sky invited us on a sunset pontoon boat ride to finish off the evening.  And a great opportunity for some forced family photos!!  So glad we got these.  

Lovely end to a full, fantastic day at the lake.  

I should make sure to mention that after wrangling all of our children to bed both evenings Megan, Sky, Doug and myself would stay up (despite our weariness) and catch up on all things in our lives: parenting, work, the trip, world events.  Lots to talk about with not having seen each other face to face in over three years!  And it’s always amazing when it’s like no time has passed, it’s a safe place to share, to connect, to laugh and be real.  We are so blessed by amazing friends all over this earth!!  Left Indiana with hearts full.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Surprise!  We fit in another national park!  I had looked at this park months ago when we were mapping out our routes.  I knew it was in the vicinity of our drive, but I never really made the decision to include it or not.  Well, we saw the sign on the edge of the highway and that’s when I decided…it’s just a few miles away, I mean, shouldn’t we??  The lack of planning definitely caused a bit of frustration.  GoogleMaps seemed as confused as we were about the best way to enter the park and get to see the dunes and beach.  But we eventually figured it out and just in the nick of time too because as you can see in the pictures, a ginormous thunderstorm that had been on our heels all day was catching up and cracking thunder in the distance.  

We jumped back in the minivan just before the winds started to roar and the downpour descended.  Of course we had to run over to the Visitor’s Center to grab a sticker for the car top carrier, which Doug dutifully ran out in the torrent of rain to retrieve just before the Visitor’s Center lost power.  Phew!  Mission accomplished, another national park seen.

Monday through Wednesday in Madison, Wisconsin

Charging Eastward again.  This time for a stop at the Buchmann’s.  These friends were in one of early small groups in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  After years of Thursday evenings doing life together and diving into God’s Word you really bond and that is why thirteen years after last seeing each other you can quickly catch up and feel comfortable.  What a blessing the church of God is!

We passed from South Dakota quickly into Minnesota, then on to Wisconsin.  The driving is definitely getting more mundane for poor Douglas.  We miss the mountain roads and long-range views with little traffic.  I-90 leaves a lot to be desired as you weave around semi’s and bump over concrete slabs.  

On our traverse through the states, we also made our second crossing of the Mississippi River.  We are officially back in the East of the country.

It took about 7 hours to get to the Buchmann’s home near Madison.  We were warmly welcomed, the kids immediately helped themselves to the trampoline in the backyard and we adults caught up in the kitchen over cheese curds, blue cheese and brats, Wisconsin’s finest.  After dinner we took a long walk along the Ice Age Trail that runs along the Buchmann’s neighborhood.  This is a technical National Historic Trail.  So close to being a National Park, but it’s not, so no sticker for the car top carrier.  But still cool that we did it (and unplanned!).  Even better was that we were craving exercise and fresh air and it was just what we needed.  

Ezra, their youngest, latched onto Tavin.  So cute!  Tavin was so good about it making him feel noticed and happily held his hand.  Precious.

On the way back we stopped at the playground.  Here’s Penn and Owen.  They are about a year apart in age, but did a great job jumping into chatting and getting to know each other.

A great first evening together.  Our boys were all sharing a room and there was some definite misbehavior that made it frustrating for the younger ones to get to bed.  But eventually we adults got a few minutes to catch up just us before heading to bed as well.  

On Tuesday (August 2nd) the boys started the day off on the trampoline (in their pajamas!).

Eventually we got them into outfits and we all headed out to check out the city of Madison, a cool, thriving college town with a beautiful capitol building.  Here are just a couple of pictures.  So much detail and such ornate and opulent details in the materials.  Very impressive!  

We got to go up to the observation deck at the base of the dome.  Beautiful views of the city and the lakes on either side of the building which stands on an isthmus.

And beautiful view of the Buchmann and Melder kids together.

We walked over for lunch at Ian’s, an iconic Madison pizza place.  It was delicious!

Then we headed home for a quick change-up into swimsuits and grabbed the beach gear to head to the local Verona Beach.  A small lake at a quarry with a sand beach, splash pad and a playground.  We made the most of this great spot for the afternoon.  Perfect place to be on a hot day!

The Buchmann’s provided a lovely family dinner again and the kids literally bounced between eating, playing on the trampoline and riding scooters on the driveway.  Then after dinner Kyle and Doug took the kids to the neighborhood’s National Night Out celebration.  Our boys had a blast meeting a police dog and watching a demonstration of him at work, eating fresh corn, and dunking a police officer!

Penn and Jansen got to try on some cool police gear.

Not to mention, Tav won a bike!!!  Challenge accepted on getting this thing back to NH.  Look at that smile!

Super full day.  Our boys were exhausted and happy after just a normal day of kid-play (no driving and no national park overlook stops, ha!).  Bedtime went somewhat smoother and they slept harder!

Wednesday morning we let them play and gave ourselves some grace and packed up slow.  We left around 10:30am.  A short visit, but so wonderful to reconnect with Kyle and Leah and to watch our kids get to know one another.  Very special memories.