Erin Rhew's Blog, page 2

Rhew The Nation -- The Trip Home

Welcome to the final post on the Rhew The Nation trip. We went on our adventure nearly 5 months ago, but it has provided great material for blog posts all this time! I hope you enjoyed traveling with me and Deek across the country and back again! We visited some *amazing* places, and I'm so grateful we got the opportunity to do it!



When we left off, Deek and I were headed to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Now, we'd intended to go to Oklahoma all along, but all the way back in Missouri (at the start of the trip), we changed the town we'd stop in Oklahoma. Why? Well, we have fallen in love with the Stoney Creek Hotel chain, and we discovered they'd opened a brand new one in Broken Arrow!

From the Stoney Creek in Missouri
We discovered Stoney Creek by accident when we were moving across the country. I always book through the Expedia app, and this place popped up as inexpensive and pet-friendly. Now we've stayed in some pretty yucky pet-friendly places, but this one smelled good and was *super* clean. They'd just opened when we stayed there last time, but even after being open for a while, it was still super clean and smelled good. So, we redirected our trip a little to end up at the brand spankin' new one in Broken Arrow. It did not disappoint!
The Stoney Creek in Broken Arrow.Clearly, they have a theme.Deek and I couldn't stop whispering, "Great white buffalo." LOL!
When we went to check-in, we informed the front desk that we'd stayed at the one in Missouri and rerouted our trip just to come to the one in Broken Arrow. And you know what they did? They comped us a suite to say "thank you!" A suite! And the suite was AMAZING!! 
The giant bell at check-in.
Amazing statues!
The jet tub in the suite's bathroom! Wowsa!!The shower is behind that door, and it was massive!
Deek in the giant, super cozy bed.This is one of my most favorite pictures from the trip!
Now, I'm a born and bred Southern girl, but there are a lot of places in the South I haven't been. In fact, despite our numerous cross-country trips, I still haven't been to states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Now that I think about it, other than a few New England states, these are some of the only ones I've not yet been to. But on this trip, we crossed another state off our list--Arkansas.

Um... I'm afraid for what this sign implies about other bathrooms.
The *whole* time we were in the Southwest, it didn't get above 90.Leave it to the South to show how heat is really done. LOL!Oh, and it's humid...
On to Tennessee
As a good little Southern girl, of course I've been to Tennessee--many times, in fact. Deek and I have driven through Nashville on cross-country trips but never actually stopped to look around (Deek and I are planning on taking an official trip there soon though). So when we drove through Nashville this time, we decided to stop at one cool thing and eat a one locally recommended restaurant. 
Now, I *love* Percy Jackson. Truth be told, I loathed the movies, but I love the books. And I am fascinated by all things Greek Mythology related. So...Deek took me to the Nashville Parthenon as our one cool place to go!
I love Percy Jackson so much, I brought one of his books as a read aloud on our trip!
Majestic!
Smooching in front of the Parthenon!
Look at that detail!
After Nashville, we drove through the same other states we always drive through to get back home. And then, we were home! <3 
The trip was amazing! I love traveling with Deek, and I love exploring the many facets of this country. If you haven't had a chance to drive across the country, I encourage you to do it. You'll be amazed by the stuff you see! 
For instance, I had no idea so much of our country is unpopulated. I mean like completely without a soul for miles and miles and miles (particularly on the eastern side of the western states and in the southwest). I never would have known that if we hadn't made these trips. There are just some things you can't see from an airplane or train window. Sometimes you have to get out there and experience it firsthand.
No one and nothing for fifty plus miles!
Thanks so much for accompanying me and Deek on this grand adventure! Now it's time for anniversaries, birthdays, and the holidays! WOOT! 
Daydreaming about more adventures with my best friend! :)

Anniversary Time -- 4 Years

Today, I'm hijacking the Rhew The Nation posts for a very special announcement...It's anniversary time!! Let me just start by saying Happy Anniversary to the most wonderful husband in all the world, Deek Rhew! <3 <3

You may remember we got married twice--once in the Pacific Northwest and once in the South. Well, today, we celebrate 4 years since we got married in the Pacific Northwest (the one that made it legal and all)!

PNW wedding
Southern wedding, six months later.
My Deek and blog friends, let's take a little stroll down memory lane...
Going to the chapel (or Victorian historical home), and we're gonna get married!
We seriously laugh all the time...then and now!
I look at my hunk like this then and now.
Deliriously happy...still am!
Hubba! He's like a fine wine, better with age! (at least that's what they say. I don't know 'cause I don't drink)
Looking toward a bright, happy future!Spoiler: It's brighter and happier than I could have ever dreamed!
Da bride and da groom!Four years in, and Deek still calls me his bride. <happy sigh>
First anniversary
Second anniversary
Third anniversary Yep, that's happy weight, but spoiler...keto cures all. ;)We're back to our regular weights again, thank goodness!
We haven't done fourth anniversary pics yet, but here's one from this weekend.
Let me tell you, these past four years have truly been the most glorious of my life. I loved Deek like crazy when we got married, but I love him even more now. We have fought battles side-by-side, gone on some serious adventures, laughed until our stomachs hurt (which is often), sung at the top of our lungs, danced under the stars, and a million other precious moments that make this bond between us even deeper.





When Deek and I first decided to consider dating, I was a romance cynic. Events in my life had led me to conclude that neither selfless, unconditional love nor soulmates existed. In fact, I told Deek not to bother falling in love with me (isn't that charming?) because I'd been through enough in my life to *know* that good men existed only in books and movies, not in reality. 
Yeah, imagine trying to woo that. But Deek was up for the challenge.
He showed me that good men--wonderful men--exist here in the real world. He melted my frozen heart and turned me into a sappy pile of blubbering romantic goo. I believe, y'all. In love. In soulmates. In forever. In good men. In happy marriages. All of it. He made me a believer!

He's my best friend, my true partner, my rock, my love, and yes...my soulmate. When we started talking about dating, we both sat down and went over our lists of things we could and could not accept in a relationship, and they matched. Perfectly. Like we were made for each other, and I truly believe we were.

I am happier than I had any idea a person could be. Every day, I wake up to Deek's smile, and every night, I go to sleep in his arms. He's my everything; my dream come true. 
It just keeps getting better!

My love, here's to four more, and four more, and four more, and four more... How about forever and always and then some?
Happy Anniversary to my amazing, loving, funny, kind, giving, over-the-top in the best possible way husband! I adore you more than words could ever say, and I'm honored to get to spend my life with you!
#Always

Rhew The Nation -- The Southwest -- Roswell, NM

Obviously, our southwestern portion of the trip had a theme--cowboys and aliens. LOL! So, naturally after we left Tombstone, we headed to Roswell, New Mexico. We spent so much time in Tombstone that we didn't roll into Roswell until pretty late that night, so we saved our exploring for the next day.

Join us as we visit with aliens!!



Yep, Gus was back in the stroller. But he could come into the museum in it, so winning!






Gus doesn't know what to think of his new babysitter! LOL!

Weekend at Bernie's, alien edition.









This is one of my most favorite pics. LOL!





Honestly y'all, I expected a *lot* more out of Roswell. I've heard about Roswell my whole life, and I was so stoked to go. If you're known for aliens, I feel like you should embrace that mess and go all out alien. But Roswell didn't really. There were a few museums and shops, but overall, it looked like most other towns. As we alway do, we made it fun, but we were disappointed in Roswell.

Then we headed to Texas. Wow, Texas freakin' rocks! We drove through lots of scrubby brush nothingness in New Mexico, and then all of a sudden--I'm talking as soon as we crossed the state lines--we saw green, lush farmlands in Texas. The difference was like night and day. We are absolutely planning another trip to Texas because we only grazed the tip this time. We want to see all the awesomeness Texas has to offer. Of course, we jammed out to the obligatory "God Blessed Texas" by Little Texas once we entered the state. 

Lawd have mercy.
They sure did have a purty rest stop!
And soon after that, we were in Oklahoma, our destination for that evening.

Next time, I'll tell you about the awesome surprise that is Broken Arrow, Oklahoma! Until next time, adventure on!

Rhew The Nation -- The Southwest -- Tombstone, AZ

Welcome back to Rhew The Nation! Today, I get to talk about one of my most favorite parts of the trip. I thought I'd like Vegas much more than I did, but I didn't know what to expect with the next part of the trip. Let me just say it was even better than I imagined!

Bye, Nevada! Hello, Arizona!
A little backstory: Tombstone is one of my most favorite movies EVER! My dad and I have seen it at least forty times. Every time it came on TV, we'd watched it. It didn't matter if it was a school night or whatever, my dad would let me stay up until the wee hours so we could enjoy the movie together again. When we see each other now, he always quotes a line from this movie to me. It's just our "thing."
Also, in high school and college, I did a lot of research and history papers specifically on Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp. I'm fascinated by their friendship.

And, my whole life, I've had a huge crush on Val Kilmer. In fact, my friends joke that I am skilled at turning any conversation around to be about Val Kilmer. Though I'm not biased (yeah, right), I think his best role was Doc Holliday. I mean, he knocked it out of the park!! 

So, my wonderful, sweet, thoughtful husband rearranged the whole second half of our trip so he could take me to Tombstone, Arizona!! He knows how much I love the movie and the history, and he knows how much I love the story of Doc Holliday (and Val Kilmer). 
On the way to Tombstone, we stopped in Phoenix at an In and Out Burgers (my first time eating there), but they weren't very in and out. Deek went inside to order, and I stayed outside with the dog. While out there, I saw the cops chase down a guy who was trying to steal something from a local store. Needless to say, I was ready to get out of there. The bunless burgers were pretty good though.
Unamused with how *not* in and out In and Out was.
On the super cool side of things, Tombstone is pretty close to the Mexican border. So, while we were driving that evening, we watched this massive thunderstorm off to the side. And it was *in* Mexico! I thought it was so amazing to get to see a storm in another freakin' country!!
And then we arrived in the place I'd been longing to see...Tombstone, AZ! It was like they knew I was coming because the hotel put us in the Doc Holliday building! <3 <3
YAY! The Doc Holliday building!Plus, our bathroom doors were saloon doors! YAS!
Gus is tuckered out from his long day.
The next morning, we got up bright and early to see everything there was to see in Tombstone, AZ! Let me start by saying for as pet un-friendly as Vegas was, Tombstone was the opposite. They *love* pets in Tombstone. The only thing Gus couldn't come to was the reenactment because they're afraid the gunshots will alarm animals, which is reasonable. But little Gus was treated like a king. He was allowed in the restaurants, and he even got to enjoy a little doggie ice cream!

The hotel offered free home-cooked, made-to-order breakfast! And it was goooood!








Deek took me to an OK Corral reenactment, and we got to meet the actors after the show!

I may have fangirled over this sign!
Lunch at the Crystal Palace
He looked more Neo than Wyatt Earp. LOL!
DOC HOLLIDAY! <3
Gus enjoying his doggie ice cream.
Yes, our dog is in a stroller. LOL! Here's the story on that...When we said we were going to the Southwest, everyone said we needed to get a dog stroller for Gus because the heat in the Southwest would make the streets so hot they'd burn Guster's feet. 
Well, here's the irony: 90 was the highest temp we saw throughout the *whole* Southwest. It's hotter than that where we live in the South. In fact, we didn't encounter real heat until we got to Arkansas. But anyhoo, we did our due diligence and put Gus in a stroller to protect his little paws. ;) 
If you've ever seen the movie Tombstone, you'll recognize this from the opening!This is in the Boothill Graveyard. You can bring your dog, but you have to carry him/her because of scorpions. I kid you not.


My husband is completely and totally the BEST! I had an *amazing, amazing* time in Tombstone. It was definitely a highlight of the trip. I got to walk the same streets that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday once did. I got to stand in the Birdcage Theater and eat at the Crystal Palace. And Deek made all that happen for me.
I am beyond thankful to my sweetheart, and I'm so grateful I got to be a part of living history. If you ever get the change to visit Tombstone, go! It totally exceeded my expectations!

Rhew The Nation -- The Southwest -- Las Vegas

After Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial Highway, we headed toward Las Vegas. I've heard about it all my life but never been there.


I'm going to be totally honest, Vegas is not my bag. Don't get me wrong. I love big cities, crowds, and chaos. New York City is one of my most favorite places in the world, and I'd live there in a heartbeat if I could. But for some reason, Vegas just did not do it for me. Even so, as we do with all things, Deek and I had a blast together!

It was high carb day, so we got our special Starbucks drinks!I think that's the fanciest surroundings I've ever had a SB drink in. ;) 
Backstreet's Back, Alright!
So, as you can probably imagine, Vegas is not very dog-friendly. But we had taken little Gus with us across the country, so he had to come to Vegas too. Most hotels are like $30 a night to reel you in (but there are other hidden fees, so beware), but the pet fees are like $200! Before we went, we called around and found out that the pet fees at Planet Hollywood were the most reasonable--basically the same as most hotels--so we stayed there. **Note--if you stay there, the hotel parking is about a mile from the hotel, so be prepared to hoof it with all your stuff or wait half the day in the pickup/drop off line. We opted to hoof it, so thank goodness we'd done all that minimalist packing for the trip!**
The bathroom was HUGE!
Our hotel was attached to the Miracle Mile Shops, so we explored there first.





I'd seen videos on Facebook about Pinup Pizza, the biggest slice on the strip. So, we saved our high carb day for Vegas specifically to eat a slice of that pizza. It was *huge*!!

Look at the size of the sausages on Deek's slice!!
Then we headed out onto the strip.





I love New York... ;) 
Greek mythology--be still my heart!
Percy's Daddy...

Once we left Vegas, we saw the famous Lake Mead and went on the Hoover Dam!
The water is a gorgeous color!


I was a little bummed that the time in that part of Nevada and Arizona was the same. It would have been fun to have clocks with two different times. Alas...

Stay tuned for my next post because I talk about the special trip Deek planned just for me. It was a DREAM come true! <3 <3 <3 

Rhew The Nation -- The Southwest -- Area 51

Y'all, sorry there's been such a gap between postings. It seems like this time of year just gets away from you. Starting in September, it's a mad rush to get to the New Year, and then you're stuck in the frozen, gray, boringness of January and February. ;)

If you need to catch up:

Keto Trip Planning (we *lost* weight on vacation!)
Organizing The Car for a Cross-Country Trip
Days 1 & 2
Days 3, 4, & 5
The Pacific Northwest Part 1
The Pacific Northwest Part 2
The Pacific Northwest Part 3

We said goodbye to our friends and family in the Pacific Northwest and headed back across the country. This time, for the first time, we took the Southwest route. We were excited because we'd never been that way before and because Deek had planned an extra special stop in Arizona just for me!

If you've never been to the Pacific Northwest, do yourself a favor and go.It's beyond gorgeous!
Riding off into the sunset to Nevada!
Both Deek and I really wanted to travel along the Extraterrestrial Highway and go to Area 51. We did a lot of research beforehand, and there are some specific rules about it. 
First, you definitely want to stop in the town of Tonopah before you turn onto the Extraterrestrial Highway. If you don't, you might just run out of gas in the middle of nowhere between Tonopah and Vegas. 
There is a whole lot of this...


Rachel, Nevada--home of Area 51.Did I mention it's windy there?PS. There are no gas stations in this town, hence Tonopah...
There is a small restaurant with a bathroom though!
Deek is thrilled to be headed down the long road to Area 51.When you get the Rachel, NV, stop and ask the locals about the process for getting to Area 51 and the procedures once you're there. There are rules, and you'll want to follow them.It *is* an active military installation after all.
We made it!
Venturing a little closer. 
We've seen these signs in pictures all of our lives (lifetime of sci-fi geekdom), so it was a little surreal to see them live!
Next, we headed down to the Alien Research Center in Hiko, NV.Sometimes it's open, and sometimes it's not.We got lucky!
We survived!

Don't mind Deek...he's just hanging out with aliens.
Alien photo shoot.
After getting our fill of sci-fi nerdom, we headed on to Las Vegas, NV. And that's a whole other blog post, so stay tuned! ;) 
Thankfully, it was high carb day, so we got fancy Starbucks in Vegas. ;) 

Rhew The Nation -- The Pacific Northwest -- Part 3

I am a Southern girl, and right now, the South is and has been battered by Hurricane Florence. If you can find ways to donate money, time, or supplies to the people of North and South Carolina, Deek and I would greatly appreciate it!


Jensen Ackles and his wife Danneel are planning a trip to the Carolinas to help. You can get more information on Danneel's instagram.

With all this destruction and devastation happening in my part of the country, it's nice to travel back to the Pacific Northwest, Deek's part of the country, and remember the fun we had there. If you'll recall, we travelled by car across the nation, nearly coast to coast. We had great adventures along the way and then stopped in the PNW for a week to spend time with family and friends.

Deek's wonderful parents wanted to take us on a cruise tour around the Columbia Gorge. They originally wanted to do a dinner cruise, but since I'm lactose intolerant and Deek and I are on keto, they switched to a brunch cruise because we could eat more!

The boat -- The Sternwheeler
Someone cut Bigfoot's head out of the picture. LOL!
Ready to ride!
Amazing scenery!



I adore Deek's dad. They are so much alike--funny, thoughtful, and so loving!
That evening, we had dinner with Deek's best friends from childhood. He has known these men most of his life, and I love how their friendship has survived and thrived despite the miles and all life can throw at people.
We caught up with them and their lovely wives, laughed, and reminisced. I am truly amazed that Deek and his friends survived childhood with all the stunts they pulled. LOL!
The three amigos!
The next day, our last full day in the Pacific Northwest, Deek took me on a date to our favorite Chinese restaurant again to get the amazing beef schezwan we cannot find anywhere else.
So yummy!And yes, I'm wearing a huge sweater in July because it's cold in the PNW...
That evening, his parents threw us a big going away party. We had tons of friends and family show up! It was lovely to see everyone and get to hang out with people who have come to mean so much to us. And y'all, let me brag on Deek's parents. They really put out an amazing spread and kindly opened their home to a bunch of people they didn't know. All for us. We are so incredibly grateful! <3
Christine--the officiant at our wedding!
Deek has known these two amazing women for a very long time!
My favorite part of this picture (besides Angie's lovely face) is Deek's mom grinning in the background! I loved how much fun she and Deek's dad had with our friends!! <3
Paula Brotherton, folks. She makes me laugh until my sides hurt.And she's an amazing real estate agent in the Portland area!
We love these folks. We've vacationed with them and always have such a fun time together!
And in the blink of an eye, our time in the Pacific Northwest came to a close. After a tearful goodbye to our friends and family, we headed on back toward the East Coast. But since we'd done the northern route many times, we decided to try our hand at the southern route--Vegas, Tombstone, Area 51, Roswell. Yeah, it ROCKED! Stay tuned for more on the southern portion of our trip across America!

Rhew The Nation -- The Pacific Northwest -- Part 2

So, quick recap, Deek and I traveled clear across the country, nearly from sea to shining sea. We stopped for a week in the gorgeous PNW to visit with family and friends. Deek's thoughtful parents decided to take us to several touristy places we missed while we lived in the PNW.

We made it to Mt. St. Helen when we lived there, but Deek had never gone until he took me!
It's funny. When you live somewhere, you think you have all this time to do and see all your local stuff. But then you move, and you realize there's *so* much you didn't do. It's interesting for me to return back to my home in the South and realize there's tons of things I haven't done here. Deek and I are slowly working down that list so we don't get to the vagabond stage of our lives and realize we missed a bunch of stuff right in this general area. ;)

And we've been to DC, which is a short train ride up the East Coast.We want to take Deek's parents here though because they've never been (and his dad is retired military!)

So, even though Deek's parents were on a quest to take us to visit the new and unseen, we did spend a day in touring our old haunts in Portland. You can't go to the PNW without visiting Portland. <3

First, they took us the Pittock Mansion, which I had never been to.

Um, wow.Although, I do prefer our small townhome...just sayin'. 
Dude! This view!! <3
The ceiling...as regular folk have ceilings... ;) 
The view from the kitchen! Whoa!

Then, we drove down the mountain into the heart of the city.
A must-see in Portland, always.Especially for two authors!
No trip is complete without Voodoo Donuts!
Coffin of donuts, anyone?
And we took in the sights at Pioneer Place.This shirt is everything.
LOL!
I loved it when Deek did it, but I SO loved when his mom did!Such fun! <3
Sellwood BridgeDeek and I went to the grand opening of the new one several years ago.
And, as with most new bridge openings, someone drove into the bike lane...https://bikeportland.org/2016/03/01/new-sellwood-bridge-opens-with-a-dang-176542
Me and Deek watching the Willamette. That's Will-am-it, not Willa-met-tee, for those who "ain't from around here."
The next day, his parents took us to the Japanese Gardens, a place I've never been to and where Deek hasn't been since the remodel. Parking is a nightmare up there, and some jerk weasel tried to park in a non-space behind us. In his haste, he bumped into our car. I leapt out and gave him the what-for because my *family* was in there!! He stupidly said, "Did I hit your car?" DUH! If you can't tell that, you shouldn't be operating a vehicle. Anyhoo, no damage to our car, but he got back in his and stayed there until we'd walked far, far away. Don't mess with Southern girls and their people. We are very family-centric and fiercely protective of our own! ;) 
And, did I mention he parked in a pedestrian crosswalk (a HUGE no-no in pedestrian loving Portland) and got towed off? Yeah and yeah. Boom-shaka-laka. 
After a stressful start, we throughly needed and enjoyed the zen-like nature of the Japanese Gardens.With more gorgeous views!





Up next, join Deek, his parents, and me as we take a ride down the Columbia on a riverboat brunch cruise!

Rhew The Nation -- The Pacific Northwest -- Part 1

So, Deek and I traveled across the country, almost literally from sea to shining sea. But we stopped our travels to hang out for a week in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest and visit with family and friends. We used to live there, and while we love our life in the South, we do miss so very many things about the PNW.

Like family! <3Deek has the most amazing parents, and I'm so blessed to be part of their family!
Like friends!I adore Christine's whole vibe--just a super cool person all around! <3
Like Portland.I *really* love Portland.
We arrived at night and immediately went to eat at Deek's favorite restaurant. We'd saved our keto high carb day especially for that place!
He may be a little excited! LOL!
The next day, we decided to explore our little town to see what had changed since we lived there. In the two years since we lived there, several different places have come and gone--some for the betterment of the town and some not. And while we were out, we *had* to eat at our favorite Chinese joint. We've tried and tried to find Schezuan beef as good as this in the South, but we have not been able to. :(  
After two years of waiting...
Of course we got Dutch Bros! Come to the East Coast, please!!
And we took a little boat ride.The PNW has lots of water! ;) 
The next day was the 4th of July! It's the second year in a row we've spent the 4th with Deek's parents, despite living 3,000 miles apart!! How cool is that?!?
Deek and his dad. Love these two awesome guys!
Waiting for the parade!
Holy crow! Our little town has grown a lot!We could hardly walk through the festival because the streets were *so* crowded!
This is how I always look at this man--with complete adoration!I am the luckiest woman in the world! <3
And...there's a theme.
I so love Dutch Bros!
Fireworks!!
The next day, Deek's parents took us on the OMSI jet boat ride in downtown Portland. They wanted to take us to the touristy places we never got around to going to when we lived in the PNW. OMG, we had such a good time!!
Ready to ride!
Got a little wet.
I'm glad I brought a sweater because even though it was mid-summer, it was cold on the water!I'll be honest, it's something I've never been able to get used to about the PNW. I'm a Southern girl, and it's always hot in the summer. I mean, you might as well walk around on the face of the sun. If you take a boat ride, even the wind it generates is hot. So, this coolness at the beaches and on the water in the PNW throws my mind for a loop. I can't quite wrap my brain around it or get used to it. Who brings a coat to the beach in the summer? Even in a swimsuit, you're likely to burn the blazes up on a Southern beach in the summer. ;) 
Someone's engine caught on fire, so our jet boat became a rescue ship! Our captain paused the tour/adventure to tow the man and his family back to shore. We were glad to be of assistance!
Now we're getting soaked!My favorite part of this picture is Deek's mom's smile. Makes my heart so happy! <3
Why did I bother to fix my hair?? Haha!
Speaking of hair, after the jet boat ride, we headed on over to get my hair dyed. We had a blast chatting it up with "Hair Chick," as we call her, and I walked away with awesome purpliness!
Sporting the purple look again!
Stay tuned! We had plenty more adventures in the PNW before we headed back to the East Coast via the southern route!

Rhew The Nation -- Days 3, 4, and 5

Welcome back to our Rhew The Nation road trip! I'm photo blogging our trip across the country, complete with Shakespeare! Here's what I've discussed so far: how to keto on the road, how to organize your car for a cross-country trip, and Days 1 & 2 of the trip.

Sit back, grab some tea or coffee, and enjoy this next part of the adventure with us!

Day 3 (Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota)

Coolest decor at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in Independence, MO!
Gus is ready for another adventure!
Since Missouri and Iowa did not give ample warning for us to catch the Welcome To Iowa sign, we had to improvise...
This sexy man is walking toward me, to get in my car and adventure with me!Whew, I'm a lucky lady! <3
South Dakota!
Let me just say, South Dakota is awesome! A lot of times, you learn about a place in school or see it on a map, and you wonder what's there. Well, I didn't think much besides Mt. Rushmore resided in South Dakota, but there is SO much to see and do there. TOTALLY cool place! Deek and I have decided to take a trip back and spend a week just in SD! Check it out if you get the chance!

This gorgeous Dignity statue is at a rest stop!
I love when towns own what they are! Yas to this themed gas station!


For about 500 miles, we saw signs for Wall Drug in Wall, SD. The signs were campy and adorable, so we knew we had to stop there. It did *not* disappoint.
Wyatt Earp! I'll see him again later in the trip when we go to Tombstone, AZ!
They have dinosaurs in Wall, SD!

Wall Drug has so many things to see and do (and eat), and it's a totally sweet success story too! Definitely put it on your "must see" list!
We made it to Mt. Rushmore!
Obviously, summer is the busiest time of year for Mt. Rushmore, but Deek and I discovered a little secret. If you go at night, when it's raining, you practically get the place to yourself. Since, we lived in the PNW, a little rain doesn't bother us, but it keeps a lot of other people away. The more Rushmore for us then! We went all over the place, giggling and having a great time. It's a little creepy-cool to be two of only a handful of people in a huge national monument at night!
I SO love adventuring with my best friend! He makes every moment fun!


Y'all, I was excited to be there! I've read about Mt. Rushmore my whole life, but for a long, long time, I never really believed I'd actually get to see it. It was awe-inspiring! <3
Gawd! My husband is dreamy!
Day 4 (South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana)
One of our critique partners, Meradeth Houston, lives in Montana, and we were planning to stay in her town for the evening. But since I knew we'd be in really late and she works a regular job, I didn't think we'd get to see her. BUT when I contacted her, she said she would totally love to see us no matter the hour, and we planned to meet up for a late dinner. We've worked with Meradeth for years, so it was SUPER amazing to finally meet her in person! She's awesome online and in person, in case you're wondering!
The Presidents in the daytime.
Deek tried this coffee and said it *is* good!
We went to the Crazy Horse memorial. It's not finished yet.
What it will look like completed. Wow!

Crazy Woman Creek. Haha!
Can't read it very well, but this is the Montana sign!
Holy crap! Erin might just stay in the car!
Late night dinner and laughs with the lovely Meradeth Houston!!
Day 4 (Montana, Idaho, PNW)
Montana has the most adorable little squirrels. They're much fatter and furrier than the ones here on the East Coast. They'll walk right up to you and eat food from your hand.
But I found out why they need all that fur! In the beginning of July, at noon, it was only 58 degrees! This Southern girl froze her buns off!

Washington was the only state to have the welcome sign on the left side of the road!

Bridges and wind farms...you know you're in the west now!
We made it to our destination, and Deek got to eat dinner at his favorite restaurant!!
Thanks for joining us on the first leg of this cross-country trip! Stay tuned for the next post about our adventures in the Pacific Northwest!