TravelStream™ news feed for member amyhodder on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/amyhodder en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:37:43 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217014560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217014560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217014560/tpod.html Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:37:43 -0400 Road Trippin'

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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

Here are all the photos we took while we were visiting Grandma Nana.
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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

After Nana's we got Grilled Cheesed. Wisconsin is known for its cheese (for any if you who don't know that) and on the way to the mall we were behind and in front of Wisconsin people. At the mall we painted and then had dinner, but the entire dinner I couldn't help but find myself always staring at this HUGE mole. no joke- it was the size of a marble. And I noticed it sort of jiggled every time the woman it owned chewed. Well now we are back at our home for the night and us girls (me and Cait) are pigging out on candy while we watch Over The Hedge. So bye because I like this part.-Cookie
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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

Well, Sami pretty much summed up the trip to Nana's house. After Nana's though, we went to the mall. It was pretty boring at first, but then we found a painting shop. It was totally awesome. I picked a wolf laying down. Lindsey picked a little dinosaur thingy. Sami picked a lion. Mom picked a sun and moon thingy. It was fun to paint them. At one point, when lindsey finished painting her dinosaur, she walked around the store trying to find what she wanted to paint next if we could afford it. A couple of the other customers came over to lindsey (who was still in her apron) and asked the prices of the painting. They kept asking her till she finally just walked away from them. It was hilarious. Well, that was pretty much all that happened. Well, night, we have to get up early. (Meaning three am). NIGHTY-NIGHT!!!
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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

We got done seeing Nana, she is fine, but she is feeling kinda lonely. She really wanted us to stay a little longer. Even though we had to repeat: our names, ages, able to drive, if we helped mom drive, how long the trip was going to be, if we been to the house, talked to Glen, how long she was at the assisted living, and course that we didn't need any refreshments. She's a really nice woman! She was also kinda put out that she didn't have any thing to offer us. I think that she was a little mad and sad that she couldn't remember much any more. She did remember that we brought her flowers and that we lived in Denver. I was glad for that. I was also glad that she was still walking on her own (she walks fast for a 90 year old woman), she was glad for that too. We took Nana for a walk and then sat by the beautiful pond that had ducks and swans. The ducks had , i think, 11 ducklings with them, and the swans had two fluffy little cygnets (baby swans. i learned that today by one of the senior residents that lived there). She in joyed that. I took a picture ( o my god, i spelled that right for the first time ever... YAY me). Well I would love to type more but my hands feel like they are going to feel off, so night all.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217108880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217108880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217108880/tpod.html Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:01:56 -0400 Road Trippin'

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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

So, we left on Thursday. We drove from home to Fort Cody in North Platte, Nebraska. The home of Buffalo Bill. They claim to be Nebraska's largest souvenir and western gift store. Fort Cod is a landmark on the prairie, open since 1967. It is one of the West's largest and most unique Roadside attractions. There were some books, leather goods, jewelry, T-shirts, toys, wester gifts and a two headed cow. I think the girls posted all of their photos in their blogs. Some of them are pretty funny!!!The next stop was Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari, A Drive-through Wildlife Adventure. It was very COOL! You drive your own car through four miles of scenic prairies and wetlands filled with North American animals. We saw bison, elk, pronghorn, deer and cranes roaming right outside our car window! We also went to Wolf Canyon Overlook, with some awesome views of the resident pack of wolves and bears in the wooded hills. The girls posted their great photos in their blogs.Then, we got to Chicago. What a great place to avoid!! I don't think that I have ever seen! We are 'cruzing' through a 45 mph zone being honked at and flipped off for doing the speed limit! Then when we did the speed that everyone else was doing, it was just terrifying! No more crazy traffic!! So, we were able to drop the stress at Covenant Village with Grandma Nana.She is doing as well as she can for her age. We answered the question "So where are you from?" at least 5,000 times. But, it was still fun to visit with her. The girls polished Grandma Nana's fingernails. She is all beautiful again!!! Check out the girls' blogs for all of the photos.At OH MY GOD IT'S EARLY, we are taking off for Malvern, PA. That should be a good, long drive.Send me none sleep energy!!Amy
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217073240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217073240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/amyhodder/1/1217073240/tpod.html Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:03:02 -0400 Road Trippin'

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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

We entered Chicago around noon. The closer we got to the center of the city, the more we were coming that much closer to an accident. People were cutting off truckers and horns blared. All around it was a total bust trying to get to the pier to take the tour of Chicago from the water. That SUCKED. But, on the happier side we got to see Nana. The poor thing, though, has not remembered to clean her house since the last time someone visted her. Oh well, She was still nice to see. Well, other then that not much happened. I am sure though that Lindsey gave you a really descriptive blog on the incident with the Starbucks. That also sucked, but was fun. hehehe.Anyway, we are gonna go see Nana. Tell more later.
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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

So last night I set off the smoke alarm!! It was fun, but I felt horrible. Thank GOD there were none of these little waterer thingys in the ceiling. We started day two off with a tick, but thank goodness it was just in the car- not on any of us. Driving was NOOO FUN and the TRAFFIC! ho.ly. COW. bumper to bumper or a hour and a half, just to go 8 miles, when you are ALL about to pee your pants- is NOO FUN! but it does makes everyone a little crankyer. I learned that if you just dont say anything then you wont get snapped at, if it's important- it can wait. But once we found a Starbucks and Sam and Cait got out of the men's room (girls line was too long) we were all happy once again, and once we were back in the traffic we saw someone peeing on the side of the road which made us all laugh.CHICAGO SUCKS! It has gone underground. just POOF!- there goes the GPS signal! So since we all had to pee at the time and we tried to find the place for a realllly long time, boating didn't happen. In stead we went pee, found our hotel, had Domino's, and Then we went to go see Grandma' Nana. & SHE IS ADORABLE. She is so nice and fun. Today we are going back to see her so I have to go get ready, Hasta Luego!
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Northbrook, Illinois, United States

Chicago SUCKSLaffy Taffy,Ok, i have officially concluded that Chicago sucks dog butt. We just spent what felt like a year and a half in Chicago's Eden Expressway. The road was, seriously, bumper to bumper. I think the people that were behind us could tell what we had four breakfast. Which was very good. O that sounded very A.D.D. Hehehe.
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Walnut, Iowa, United States

DAY 1!and what a day it turned out to be! We actually got off on time. Our first stop was the Fort Cody Trading Post. THAT WAS FUN! They had these huge whips. (ment for bulls or something (hopefully)). that we (I) got in trouble for craking. But other than that there was not alot to do there but shop and spend our fod money.Our second stop was supposed to be the archway over I-80, but it turned out to be MEGA LAME! it was ten bucks a person to ride up a escalator and come back down one five feet away. WOW! ummmm yeah. no THANKS. and the actualy walking over the interstate part was blocked off, and basically just for show. It was also VERY HARD to find, and would have been impossible had it not been for our GPS. However, if you really need to pee, or find yourself lost and end up there, There was like 7 toilets in the girls room (all occupied (of course)). In my opinion, the coolest part about that whole experience ,besides the fact that I now get to point up at it and say I have been there, were the silver pegasus's (pegasi? hm..) on top of the structure. Those you can see from the road, as you drive by.Third Stop. Omaha Drive through Safari. THAT WAS A BLAST! I got some really amazing pictures. and we saw a black bear and a she wolf in person (we had to get out of the car to get to their cages (AW! they are caged!)). They were less that five feet away and there wasn't even a fence between us. They were beautiful. We all had our camera's out and were clicking away. We also saw white tailed deer, um 3 different kinds of owls, fluffaloos (buffalo's),Turtles, Geese, Swans, Elk, and TRACTORS. Catlyn had fun making her first video of the trip about halfway through so that the rest of the family can watch it and feel like they were there. Unfortunatly for everyone, Sam and I were so bored and ADD from being in the car all day that every time we went over a bridge were went AAAAAA! and our voices jumped because of the planks. Fun times....So when we finally got here to the hotel we all RAN(!) to our bathroom. Oncethat was out of the way, us teenage girls changed into our swimsuits and went swimming till annoying people came and took up all the space and we (I) got cold, while mom stayed in the room and had fun with her computer. When we got back, once again, we all raced to our little bathroom (1 at a time) and changed into dry pjs and walked over to McDonalds for diner.Now we are back here at the room its 9:42 (8:42 back home) and we are taking showers, bloging, eating, watching Burn Notice, and SLEEPING.We have a busy day ahead of us. We are getting up at 5 (4 there) so NIGHT!...well shower time....THEN NIGHT!
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Walnut, Iowa, United States

Yippee! We have started the trip--at 5:30 this morning. Hehehe. We were to excited to sleep well. We went to bed at midnight, and then we (Lindsey, Me, and Sami) woke up at the same time, 5:30. Mom woke up at 5. We left Lindsey's house at 7 and were on the open road. First stop-- Fort Cody- SHOPPING! I first thought that it was going to be just a huge museum. Just a boring place to look at stuffed cows. The moment I got out of the car, I spotted a dummy with an arrow in his butt. It was hilarious. There was more funnies. Look at the pictures. They are FUNNY.Second stop-- Archway Monument- Expensive. There was a Pegasi (I think that is the correct plural form of Pegasus) on either end of the arch. They were pretty cool looking. They were made out of really shiny metal. Inside though... that is another story. Creepy people dressed in creepy pioneer outfits with yellow wooden teeth practically leapt at us to just open the freaking door. To see the INSIDE of the arch (meaning the second floor) was $10 per person. Jimmny Christmas.Third stop-- Omaha Safari Zoo-- Just watch movie and the pictures . You will get the picture.
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