A traversing we did go….

Jazz came to visit Mari from California (a friend from Hawaii who I also knew from the good ol' days) While they played most days that I worked, we did take a day trip to Traverse City in northern Michigan. It was really pretty up there, quite cold, but an overall really fun day. Jazz had a bucket list goal of jumping into one of the Great Lakes and she accomplished just that! We waited until just before we left for home so she could warm up in the car. It was such a fun trip and I can't wait to see what else Michigan has to offer!

The road to Michigan--->

My road trip to Michigan was by far the most incredible road trip I have taken to date. Which sounds funny because it doesn't sound like that would be possible, however I made many stops, saw many sites, took tons of pictures, and made it my own. And I loved every mile!!!

I calculated 11 states in 11 days:

Oregon

Washington

Idaho

Montana

Wyoming

South Dakota

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Illinois

Indiana

Michigan 

It was a whirlwind but I cannot wait to do it all over again on the way back!

Last photo of Oregon (1) for awhile:

Missed the Washington boarder (2) but here is good ol' Idaho (3):

 Coeur d'Alene Lake

Sideways driving into Montana (4):

(one night I was so tired and the two hours to Billings seemed horrendous so I slept in my car in a Walmart parking lot. Yes, I was that person:)

More sideways driving into Wyoming (5)

Hello South Dakota (6):

Stopped for lunch with some old friends:

Ran into some ancestors:

Stayed the night in Winner, SD where my cousin and her husband recently moved to open a dental practices as well as bring baby Forrest into the world: 

(meeting me is exhausting)

Stopped in Mitchell, SD to view the Corn Palace:

Being welcomed by Minnesota (7):

I was able to stop and see my old boss from Arizona when I worked for his Chiropractic practice in 2006-2007. He had moved back to his hometown to open a practice there and hadn't seen each other since I left Arizona (the first time) for a nannying job in Washington DC.

Warm welcome from Wisconsin (8):

Home of the Milwaukee Brewers:

Headed into Illinois (9):

A must stop on the trip:

Did some roaming around Chicago and made a few obligatory stops:

The Bean!

Quick trip through Indiana (10)

And HELLO pure Michigan (11):

And my home-sweet-home for the next 4 months! 

Okemom, Michigan