Vacation - Days 4 and 5

I realized the other day that I had yet to post about the last two days of our vacation. It was really difficult to say good-bye to our new friends. In just the short time we got to spend with them, we have come to love and appreciate them very much. We're hoping that someday soon they'll be able to travel here and visit us so that we can offer them the same kind of generous hospitality that they showed us.


Ariana, Natasha and Rachel

Rachel, Avi Joy and Natasha

The kiddos in their jammies

Of course, most of Thursday was spent traveling again. We traveled as far as St. Louis and stopped at the zoo to break up the trip and then on to Springfield to see the Lincoln exhibits (on Friday). Levi really enjoyed seeing all of the animals, as did the girls. They had some animals that I don't think I have seen before, but don't ask me to remember what their names are because I have already forgotten them.

Levi really liked the monkeys

with the big turtles

not a real snake!

in a tunnel

They had a nice little butterfly exhibit where the butterflies are flying free around you as you walk through. This is a Blue Morpho butterfly.

On Friday we went to see Lincoln's home/neighborhood, his tomb, and the State capitol. We were going to go to the Lincoln museum and Presidential library as well but were pretty tired out and decided not to spend the money when we weren't as up to it. We'll have to go back. I'm glad we left when we did as we got home before a big thunderstorm hit. Wouldn't have wanted to be driving in that!


Rachel and Ariana in front of the outhouse behind Lincoln's home

in front of Lincoln's home. They did a lot of remodeling to this house from the time they bought it until they moved to the White House

Lincoln's campaign wagon

the bust of Lincoln in front of the tomb

A-Maize-ing Illinois

the Governor's office with the bullet proof glass added in the 1950's

inside the Capitol building

by the Lincoln statue in front of the Capitol