Corn and Cows and corn, and corn, and corn

Passing through Kansas City, Missouri - HOT!

Made it to Okoboji, IA by way of St. Joseph, Missouri.  So strange how fast you can cross from one state to another once you get out of Texas (or Alaska!).  We  only overnighted in St. Joseph. They are having a heat wave there - severe

Missouri River Drive-By

weather alerts and all.  The heat is awful and the heat index is even awfuler!  In the low 100s and so humid.  I would have liked to visit some of the museums there.  I believe it’s where the Pony Express got its start and the house where Jesse James lived is there.  Lots of history; maybe we will stop by on the way back home when they weather isn’t as blistering. As we left I checked the weather and they were under a flood alert so it's a good thing we didn't linger.

We were going to blast up I-29 to get here but Jeff reminded me “it’s about the journey, not the destination” and so we (he) chose to drive I-71N.  I said fine, but he was driving. I remember that road from when the girls and I drove it 5 years ago.  Miles and miles of cornfields and the road does NOT cut through any farms.  Turn left, drive 10 miles, turn right, drive 15 miles, turn left.  I remember being slightly crazy by the time I got to Okoboji last time. (That may have had to do with traveling solo with a 6 and 8 year old but nevertheless . . . )  I’m glad Jeff was driving this time. 

Just like in the movie "RV".  We weren't on the road 5 minutes
when we saw this in front of us.  Gave us a good laugh.

It’s beautiful farmland.  Row upon row of cornfields interspersed with a few stinky cow pastures and lots of cows.  That got the girls' attention as we drove through – lol!  I told them not to complain, that’s where the steak comes from they like to see on their dinner plates.  Mya just grimaced.

NOT a "chipmunk bambi"
(Thank you Google images)

The temperature dropped about 15 degrees when we crossed into Iowa.  It got cloudy and was 75 degrees.  Jade opened the door of the RV at one of our stops and just said "aaaahhhhh".  We are staying in the same RV place we stayed 5 years ago.  There are some little critters here that we thought were a different version of chipmunk but Jeff did some sleuthing and discovered it's called a 13 Lined Ground Squirrel.  So cute.  I thought it was a baby chipmunk that had dots like a baby deer - a chipmunk bambi.  (Glad we got that cleared up - lol!)

Iowa Farmland

We’ve come to see our friend “Grandpa” George.   He is 90.  Such a sweet man.  We are going to go to lunch with him and then drive with him to Estherville where Jeff was born.  It’s probably been 40 years since Jeff was back there. He used Google Earth to locate his grandparents house so maybe we'll stop by.  

Stinky cows - yummy steak:-)

A weird coincidence happened when we were in China adopting Jade.  The baby who was Jade's cribmate was adopted by a couple and the dad was from Estherville.  Who would guess you'd run into someone in China from the same small Iowa town. (Hi Scott!) The guy didn't believe Jeff at first but when Jeff said "Go Midgets!" (the HS team mascot - go figure!) Scott knew he was telling the truth.  So maybe we'll go see if there is a Scott Sunde Blvd in Estherville now ;-)  

Beautiful place, Iowa. Love the fireflies.  It was here that I first saw a firefly.  Will be looking for them tonight.