I think you all could probably type this post for me!

We are such creatures of habit here, aren’t we??

We enjoy taking a weekend trip many times a year to visit family in Illinois and Indianapolis.

We do the SAME things every time!

We stay at the same hotels, leave home at the same time, and even have some traditions with my brother that are the same!

No complaints from me – I love the same things when the reason they are the same is because they are so good!!

We took a trip to Illinois and Indy at the beginning of June.

In prep for that trip, Tate was my special helper as we went to check on my in-laws new home.

I wanted to get photos to show them when we saw them the next day.

We also stopped for some grocery, and then spent the rest of Thursday packing and prepping food for the trip.

Lane worked that afternoon, but once he and Blake got home from work, we left that evening and drove to Peoria to spend the night.

We always get two rooms when there are five of us and have a girl’s room and a boy’s room.

It works out very well, especially having two bathrooms.

Eliza and I enjoy being roommates on these trips!

Our first stop Friday morning was to visit my father-in-law, Ross.

I love watching these kiddos play the piano there.

We went back to the house for some lunch on the patio on a beautiful day.

As you can imagine, we have LOTS to talk about right now for the upcoming move.

Next we headed to our favorite little coffee shop in Morton to have a late afternoon snack and see Blake’s Mom.

These visits are way too short – yes.

But we are driving 1,100 round trip miles each time we do these weekend trips!

Friday evening we continued the 3 1/2 hours on to Indy.

The hour time change is not in our favor on the way there.

It is always SO late when we finally arrive!

But we had Saturday on our minds!!

When we get to see my brother and my Mom.

My brother planned an outing for us Saturday morning to a local nursery.

It was LOVELY and we were there a long time!

Remember my comment above about tradition?

Well, a summer water fight with my brother is one of those traditions!

I can hear the squeals and laughter just looking at these photos!

My brother is one in million – really making some solid memories with these kiddos!!

Please notice that I am sitting on the deck IN A JACKET while those crazy people dump garden hose water all over each other!

We started a new tradition for dinner on this trip.

Frogmore!!

Have you all every had it??

It is really fun!!

And delicious!!

We had a blast!!

We had some kiddos pretty excited about the pool back at our hotel, so we headed back in the late evening to give them enough time to swim.

I have an awesome video of the biggest kid in this family – my husband – swimming with the kids that evening.

He is hilarious and wild and crazy and super fun when in a pool, just saying!

Sunday morning we headed back to my mom’s for just a bit to spend some more time before our very hard “See you again next time” goodbyes.

My Mom is doing great, by the way, and remembered us all on this trip!!

We hit the road before lunch for the almost nine hour drive home.

The kiddos might have got a little stir crazy on the way home, but they were just emulating someone who was sitting next to her hubby in the front seat.

I am not good at sitting still!!

Well, I am so far behind in this little scrapbook of ours that we have been to Illinois and Indy again already!!

And have plans to go and see my brother again after we get my in-laws moved here.

See, we love the same things!!

CANNOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT TIME!!