Hotel Pool Tour Day 1

Today begins our family road trip to the Grand Canyon. I called it the "Hotel Pool Tour" because if you'd asked any of our kids about our trip before we left, they would have told you (and did to several people) that we are staying at 8 hotels but only 7 have swimming pools...and failed to mentioned that we were actually going to the Grand Canyon! Kids!

Anyway, the Bigs got off the bus just before 1:30 from their last day of school (an early release day). While we waited for Jim to get home (he had an 8am meeting in Milwaukee!), we finished packing and loading the van. And we were on the road before 4pm!

We drove to just before the Minnesota/Iowa border and then stopped at a wayside rest for dinner. We made sandwiches, played aerobie, walked a path with wild flowers and got back on the road. 

And then we were in Iowa!

We drove to Sioux City, IA and stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. We didn't arrive until around 9pm and the kids were chomping at the bit to go swimming. Mac is a beast. He pretty much dove into the pool in every way conceivable. The second photo is of him doing a "side dive" into the pool!

Here's a video of several jumps into the pool: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hjNaITpNBzig9myJ3

Bedtime? Who cares?!?! We closed the pool down at 10:30 and then went to bed. Finn chose to sleep on the floor instead of having to sleep with one of his siblings! Hey, whatever works.

Today was "the best day ever" per Mac, so we'll take that! It's nice to have low expectations! On to tomorrow and Nebraska!