On the road again...

Everyone slept late (7:30am) and was refreshed for another day in the car. After breakfast we got on the road and made it to Texarkana pretty quickly. There is a huge rest area with brochures for every region, city, park, attraction, etc, and the kids picked out "maps" to hold in the car and tell us where to go. We spent a half an hour running with the dogs and kids around the trees and picnic area- man is it HOT.

We ate a little picnic lunch here, and then got back in the car for a nap. After naps, we got some ice cream for the home stretch- almost there!!! The kids rarely get ice cream at McD's so this was a huge treat that they loved- look at Maya!

I don't think you could fit much more into this car! Finally around 5pm we made it to our apartment. While the kids ran from bedroom to bedroom, this is what they said (actually shrieked):

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Vivi: Mommy!!!! It is the PERFECT POTTY!! It is the PERFECT sink! It is the PERFECT this! (pointing to a towel bar)

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Tonito: It has a bed for me! Tonito's bed!!! (well, a rented bed, but yes it is for you:).

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Vivi: Mommy look- a KITCHEN!!!! (squealing with excitement)

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Tonito: It has a refrigerator!!! For our food!!!!!

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Vivi: The perfect refrigerator! And to cook! (pointing at the stove)

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It was as if our little apartment was a luxury home on tour, and I think it stood up a little prouder hearing the gushing words of these mini- real estate experts. Either the kids were overly zealous to get out of the car after 2 long days, or they could see beyond what our adult eyes saw: finally we were together as a family, and that really was perfect.