our trip

Reed's first airplane ride went smoothly

PRAISE GOD!

He didn't act like his ears bothered him;

he just hung out in his car seat

and grinned at the little girl sitting beside us.

We arrived in Kansas a few minutes early

and Rachel, Malachi and Eliza

came to meet us there.

Our luggage decided to come on a different airplane-

so we made the best of our extra time- shopping!

Eliza liked riding around in her wrap-

she even fell asleep in it!

Malachi loved throwing pennies in the fountian

and would do a little dance after each one...

It was fun to share splashes at bathtime!

There is a big swing, hanging from a big tree,

and Malachi wanted me to take a ride.

Since Stephen was the one

pulling the rope to make me go,

it was more of a heart attack than a  

ride.

Malachi loves his rides on the swing...

you guessed it,

he rides much lower.

We took another ride-

this time on a golf-cart-looking thing

called a ranger...

to go see the baby cows in the nearby fields,

and to take a trip down a 

'Kansas low maintenance road'.

That's a ride worth taking, in fact,

you might call it the ride of your life!

Another night, we went and had a picnic in the field

-one that Stephen was planting.

Reed isn't in the pictures because he slept through

the whole thing!

Malachi loved to hold Reed...

and blow on his tummy-

Reed loved it too!

One evening Rachel and I took the babies outside

for a little photo shoot. 

It was so fun to capture their little personalities!

Reed was cracking up at Aunt Rachel

but Eliza would be distracted by no one-

 she was determined to get that grass in her hands!

Reed likes to hear his his new-found tractor noise

and makes it often! If you look close, you can see 

him doing it in this picture below...

*snuggle time*

Notice the drool running down Eliza's belly?

Reed is helping Uncle Stephen 

talk on the phone!

Malachi and Reed formed a special bond-

almost like brothers!

-----------

We left Thursday afternoon,

to drive back to Indiana-

spending Friday at Aaron and Crystal's house.

Friday night, Rod drove over to Indy to pick us up-

then we went up to Lafayette area

to spend the rest of the weekend at my parents house.

Before we went up there, though, we went to

a festival within walking distance from Aaron and Crystal's.

Aaron taught Malachi to hold up his arm

on the roller coasters!

Crystal rides the 'Avalanche' every year

and said I must ride with her---

yippee!

the cool dudes in their cool shades...

We had to go out and enjoy the sunset...

(Crystal grabbed my camera, 

so the next few are a display of her photography.)

I must bring attention to Reed's grin in this first photo-

he's a little ham!

Open mouth kisses from Reed- they're great!

Okay, the camera's back in my hands.

While we were in Indiana,

Rod, Reed, and I visited the gazebo

where Rod proposed to me...

that snowy February night, 4years ago.

Oh, the romance!

Finished up the weekend swinging with Grandma...

What a Enormously Fun trip!!!

It was a blast to spend a week with you, Rinehart 4!

thank you! THANK YOU! thank you!

Thank you Aaron n Crystal; you guys throw

one wollop of a party! The turkey legs

and lemon shake-ups were awesome- 

and it was great to spend another day with you!

We LOVE you all!!!