Marcos & Jaime go to White Castle {Part 4}

State number 4 has a play named after it...

Because we went through the top half of the state, it was one of the longest periods of our car ride. I can tell you that OK is pretty. And pretty flat.

I am not normally so ditzy, but during this leg of the race trip, I learned why a panhandle is called a panhandle.

Because it looks like the handle of a PAN! Can you believe that?! Genius.

Moving on...Towards Oklahoma City!

But those blue skies go on for ever and ever and ever.

Love this. It was sitting out in front of a restaurant called Pig Out Palace.
For the record, we gassed up near there. We did not eat at the Pig Out Palace.
There was no pigging out on our road trip.
Unless you count White Castle. Then there was some.

Decisions, decisions. 

I love me some Garth Brooks. First concert I ever went to. Early 90s. Kentucky State Fair.
I love me some Garth Brooks.
Oh, I already said that.

These things I've never shown you before are WATER TOWERS.
{duh!}

And this here is a certain 16 year old, text, text, texting her way across the great {flat} state of Oklahoma.

The one thing I LURVE about Oklahoma?! They give you SPECIFIC instructions on what they expect for you to do on their freeways. Don't go over 70 mph... and doggonit - DO NOT go UNDER 40.

Marcos & Jaime go to White Castle {Part 3}

After a night of stuffing our faces, we rolled into the great state of Arkansas.
As I mentioned, it's actually where Abby is from. We did a quick drive-by near Little Rock.

I have never, ever been in Arkansas - it is very pretty! Very, very green!

 

Here's Abby and I doing jazz-hands with our shadow peeps.

And Marcos trying to figure out what the heck we were doing. {gosh dang, he's hot!}

Some more green...

We found a Daddy Long Legs... I wanted to kill it. Abby picked it up and loved on it a little.
Gross.
Remind me to warn Abby about scorpions.

Oh - here's a shot of the "war wagon." It's Jess' Outback that he had us use to drive his one and only back to AZ with us.

Marcos and I chuckled a little. We couldn't believe that my bad a** Army-tough brother actually picked out this little wagon thing. To drive. Voluntarily.
As in not forced to. 

Oh well. You know what they say... If you can't be with the one you love, then love the one you're with.

I was definitly with the ones I loved in this leg of the trip!
Next up... Oklahoma!!

Marcos & Jaime go to White Castle {Part 2}

After driving several hundred miles and traveling through some of the cutest, simply rustic towns, night fell and we finally arrived in state number 2: Tennessee. 

Since we arrived at night [and my camera isn't the best for night time shots], I wasn't able to get a lot of great scenery pictures. A lot of the next few shots are dark, but I think that just adds to the drama! =)

In my last post, I talked about our bucket lists. When I was younger and my family lived in Kentucky, we'd visit White Castle every once in a while. As a kid, I hated the onions; always ordered my cheeseburgers without. As a adult, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a few of those babies with everything!

Marcos had never been to White Castle, which is why it ended up on our list of things to do before we are bed bound enjoying our lunch out of a tube or IV.  We are obssesed with Harold and Kumar... Who isn't?! :) Don't answer that?!

Alex even has an email address that starts with "whitecastle" - obsessed, I tell ya! I am sorry the kids weren't with us, but we will be sure to get them there someday!

That's pretty much all we did in Tennessee. Well, we did stop near Memphis and gassed up. I did pick up a few Elvis post cards. We stopped at a rest stop for a quick nap, and then made our way into Arkansas home of Miss Abby herself.

But... more on that tomorrow.

Marcos & Jaime go to White Castle {Part 1}

I've been gone.
Have you noticed?
I didn't want to advertise it - in case burglars stalk my blog.
Not likely, but just in case.

On Monday of last week, we got a call from my brother asking us to go get my niece from North Carolina. I had to be there in person to withdraw her from school now that I am her guardian.

Marcos and I flew to NC on Wednesday, arriving at 2pm.
By 4:30, we were introducing Abby to her first Chipotle burrito.

After we were done with the bid-ness of getting her w/d and all ours, we said our goodbye's and jumped into my brother's car. We were in for a LONG drive.

Since I took a gazillion pictures, I figured I would split these posts up, giving each state the space it deserves.  The first part of our trip was North Carolina... {duh!}

Notice a theme?! Marcos INSISTED we take pictures of every.single.water.tower. we saw. Don't worry, I won't post them all. Once you've seen one water tower, then.... Well, you know.

This one below in particular is cool because it says "Marshville." Trust me, it does. 
Did you know that Marshville, NC is the home to Randy Travis?
I think it was Randy. I forgot to write it down. 

 

It only FEELS like I am posting them all. This really is just a sampling of the water towers! =)

And finally, one of the last pictures we took of North Carolina. It was sooo green.
And orange and red. Fall had arrived.

The day we arrived, there were crazy storm clouds, which we promptly asked about. Abby stated they were normal. About 45 minutes later we heard on the news that there was a funnel cloud/tornado thingy that hit just up the road. Normal!? lol...

I can tell you, by taking this trip, Marcos and I were able to knock a few things off of our bucket lists.
More about that tomorrow!

We are expanding our house by 2 feet

Don't worry, I am sure those two feet are close to a size 7 or 8.
The stork is not visiting us.
Rather, my beautiful niece is.

Meet Abby:

Abby is my brother's 16 year old daughter. As you may know, Jess is currently serving his 4th, 5th or 100th tour in Iraq - I can never keep up with that jet-setter. 

Abby is just over two months older than Alex. She has lived in Arkansas for 99% of her life (although she does admit to a short stint in Texas.)

Effective this past weekend, I am now the guardian of this lovely lady... which means I am the boss, right?!
WRONG. Two 16 year olds!? A 12 year old!? And an almost 5 year old?! If you don't hear from me for a long period of time, send reinforcements!

I am so excited about having Abby here and in our lives. She hasn't had a chance to meet our side of the family yet (unless you count Facebook). New adventures lie ahead of her. Think 115* heat in the summer!
Okay, I am sure there will be positive adventures, too! Like, Miss Abby would love to go to a culinary institute after high school. Why, we happen to have one over in Scottsdale that is mighty nice!  

Abby arrives via plane this coming Saturday. Isabel and I have been preparing her room, adding little odds and ends, here and there. Of course, she is SIXTEEN with a mind of her own (who allowed that!?!), so I am sure she will have some of her own decorating ideas. May the force be with her.

Lots of changes ahead for us; send positive vibes that Abbz will have the patience to put up with the looney Ayalas. We are working on dusting off our best behavior, so as not to scare her off. :)

Now, if I can just find our best behavior so that we can get to dusting!
I know it's got to be around here somewhere.
Attic perhaps?
Off to check.

Remember, long time no Jaime? Send reinforcements!

TTYL