Road Trip: Part 2, Hot Springs, Arkansas and Texarkana

We originally thought we might stop in Little Rock, but when my roadtrippers.com showed us that the Hot Springs were only about an hour away, we changed our plans.  Now a national park, it was cool to see how the natural hot springs that come up from the ground were used in the early part of the century for the affluent to relax, much like people go to spas these days. 

The NPS building is in what was once the Fordyce Bath house.  The main street had about 8 you could choose from, although only one is operating now as a bathhouse.  One other one we went to is now a brewery!

the temperature outside was at least 90 and super humid. the kids did not want to walk around at all, so any requests for a picture were met with grumps.  They did agree to take a picture of me with this water fountain.  Hot 140 degree water pumps out.  People bring jugs of to take water with them.  It's the only park in the NPS where you are encouraged to take something with you.

A water fall that comes from one of the hot springs.

And the pool at the bottom that it leads to.

Then you can take a drive to the top of the mountain for a beautiful view. We opted NOT to spend $8 per person for the elevator ride in this tower

and got this view from the 1920's era lookout instead.  Beautiful

The next day, our only stop was this Post Office.  The state line between Texas and Arkansas goes right through it.  I thought the kids would find being in two states at the same time more novel.  Oh well, I guess living in CT and going to NY all the time diminished that for them. 

Road Trip: Part 1, Paducah, KY

That's right, I ordered a t-shirt to commemorate the experience!

In the car ready to go!

 After several hours, we stopped to see Superman, in Metropolis, IL.

You can see how big it is, compared to the kids.
 In true marketing form, there is a museum right there where you can find out more, and outside these posters to take your pictures.

The kids asked what this is! I guess you never even see pay phones, much less a phone booth anymore!

and then they wanted to switch.

 When we arrived at our final destination for the evening, I barely took any pictures, but we  did capture these few with the kids.  Monica and I went to college together, she married Adam and this is their daughter Ellie!

When we were lying in bed that night, the kids were disappointed to find that we weren't staying another night. I think they had fun, but we must continue onward - more fun things to see!

Silver Family Summer Road Trip 2017

Here are all the details you've been asking about!

7/1-7/2 Moving company packs our house.  I'd love to farm my kids out to you for play dates, let me know! The contents of our house will be in storage for the summer.
7/3 Truck is packed and we stay in a hotel in White Plains, NY for the evening
7/4 we will drive down to NYC to stay for a few nights of being tourists.  We are hoping to catch a show (School of Rock), see the Alice in Wonderland sculpture, check out Ellen's Stardust Diner, and maybe a tourist hop on hop off bus.  We will stay here 2 nights.

7/6 begin the wedding festivities in Port Jervis New York.  Jared's mom's side of the family, everyone will be there, and we just couldn't say no after being here for three years! The wedding is the night of the 8th.
7/9 we will drive up to Cooperstown, for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jared's #NYCBucketlist
continue on that night to Niagara Falls, the Canadian side.
7/10 do Niagara falls, Maid of the Mist and Skylon tower.
drive to Chicago beginning the morning of 7/11.  We will drive through Canada and Detroit, Michigan. Arrive late to our temporary, furnished apartment on Superior St in Chicago.

Breathe.

We will take in many of the museums, festivals and parks in Chicago, and enjoy being city people for a while.

7/17 begins the road trip with the kids.  Jared will be back to work
first stop is Paducah, Ky to visit some college friends, and their daughter, whom we've never met!  I think she's already 4 or 5.
7/18 we will stay in Little rock Arkansas, and visit the Hot Springs!
7/19, we will arrive in McKinney, TX outside of Dallas.  Jared's parents live there, and we will get a visit with the grandparents, while I attend my Mary Kay Seminar.
7/24 we will drive up and visit Oklahoma City.
7/25 we will continue on to Kansas City, to visit some of our friends from the rotational program.  They left a month earlier, so it will be good to see them.  Might we be their first over night guests?
7/26 continue on to Iowa City, where we also have friends.  a former co-worker and her son also just moved, and we might be their first guests too!
7/27 arrive back in Chicago
7/28 the closing on our house is scheduled! I'll be praying throughout the summer that this sticks. If you want to see pictures of the house, check out MLS 09632654.  We got a great deal on this house, which will allow us to paint the whole house, the trim, and stain the floors, to freshen it up, and make it feel like ours.
7/29 get new drivers licenses and license plates and regain our Illinois residency officially!
7/31 - register the kids for school.  Once this is done, I will breathe a huge sigh of relief.

We will continue exploring Chicago while making sure the house will be ready for move in

8/8 - my birthday - don't forget to call me!
8/10 - we expect our house contents and long term storage to arrive.  We'll get settled in, and school starts 8/23, with a meet the teacher day on 8/22
8/19 and 8/20 - Chicago Air and water show!  our apartment is close enough to Oak Street Beach, we hope to view this (I've never been) from our rooftop pool!

Of course, as I'm always planning for what's next, then I'll be thinking of going out of town for Labor Day, and a weekend away for our 14th wedding anniversary 9/21.  Oh, and interviewing contractors to finish the basement.  We'd like to create another bedroom and bathroom, game/play room for the kids, and maybe a bar area?

Why do we always move in the summer?!  Hopefully, this is the last move for the next 20 or 30 years!

Number of countries visited: 2
Number of states we will be in: CT, NY, MI, IN, IL, KY, MO(we will drive through twice), AR, TX, OK, KS, IA = 12! in one month
Number of new states on my #50statesby50 goal: 5
Total miles driven: 3100

Am I crazy or is this gonna be awesome! Either way, it will be memorable!

Any great ideas for food or things to see?  I have quite a few stops picked out, but if you have a favorite or awesome idea, I'll consider it!

I hate goodbyes. I always prefer to look forward, but we are leaving a BIG part of our hearts in Connecticut and NY with so many amazing friends.  We will have extra room for you to visit, and just like when we lived in CT, we love to come in to the city to visit you on your adventures in Chicago.  #SilverRoadTrip2017

Connecticut House Decorated

I thought I should document how this house looks decorated with our furniture

Living Room

from Bay Window, view of Living and Dining Room

Dining Room

Kitchen from hallway

Other view of Kitchen

Office

Playroom

1st floor bedroom, i.e. Master

1st floor bath

Caitlyn's room, from door

Caitlyn's room, other view

Josh's room, i.e. true master

for reference, here is a link of what it looked like before we moved in.

http://silverfamilyil.blogspot.com/2014/05/moving-and-new-house-pics.html

Bronx Zoo take 2

We didn't get to see everything from earlier this month when we went to the Bronx Zoo, so on the HOTEST DAY OF THE SUMMER SO FAR, we went to the zoo.  

Father's Day

miniature golfing

The End of Kindergarten

 The boys and girls each put on a play, though I only captured the boys

 A year in review