Drive up to Chicago

We left Wichita Kansas at about 1pm on Wednesday. We headed up to Omaha Nebraska where one of my sister and brother's live. We had a nice drive, not to eventful, we took the non-toll route. We got in to Amy's about 7pm. When we got out of the car, you could barely breathe, it was so humid! The kids immediately noticed the "playground" that was in Amy's front yard! Until the storm started, they played outside. It was nice and being as they were cooped up for 6 hours-it was good for them. Amy cooked dinner! I totally expected like pizza rolls or something, no...she cooked hot dogs and brauwurst, different kinds, corn on the cob, and had pasta and potato salad with all the fixins. MMMMM, MMMMM! We ended up eating in Amy's basement due to the strong storms. Amy's new boyfriend was over. He was a weather guy in the military, so weather channel was on, my sister says that he watches the weather channel like it's porn! LMAO. The boyfriend is nice enough. He's retired military, 52 years old, very personable and talkative-unlike her ex-husband!!! But at the same time, maybe too talkative? Dude, I was talking with my sister and he's telling me HER stories and interrupting her, telling me things about my brother, yada yada. SHUT UP! LOL. I wanted to talk to my sister! She's gonna be mad when she reads this...check out her comments-that should be interesting! LOL.
Anyway, we left Thursday at 9am. We had to get gas and stop for breakfast. We stopped about 30 miles west of Amy's and they took forever! We were there 2 hours! That is ridiculous!!! So we didn't even get on the road then til after 11AM. There was a potty stop about 1230pm, and they had wireless interent, so David and I got out our laptops, well that took another hour. The kids ran around in the grass, picked flowers, pet dogs, etc. We ended up driving into storms in DesMoine and Davenport...can't see 2 feet in front of you, hail pinging on my sunroof, thunder and lightening, driving 30 MPH, UGH! The kids were so restless, cranky, annoyed, they just wanted out, but when they got out of the car, they only wanted to be held, not run around!!! I was at my wits end. I was happy to be coming to Chicago to finally be with my mom at this difficult time, and see my family, but it was taking forever and I was worried that there would be negativity, etc. 10 minutes away from mom's house and there is an incident with my kids and David misses the exit and we end up lost and way on the north side of Chicago!!!!!!!!!!!!
We had just past the "Midwest Rd." exit and ""Kingery Rd." should have been next. I mentioned this to David and then Shanndon started crying. Apparently, Shanndon hugged or touched Ben's leg, so Ben decided to put his 140 pound body and foot on his brother genitals!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, I'm screaming at Ben, "you need to use your words, not your body, there's no reason to hurt your brother because he hugs your leg", smacked him and I turned around to find we're on the 294 N tollway! There is NOOOOOOOOO getting off this thing til you hit the airport!!! I called my mom's house, I'm on the phone with my brother who is on the interent trying to help give me directions, I'm flustered and pissed off, screaming at the top of my lungs. Finally we make it to the right area!
Five minutes before we pull up to mom''s house, both little one finally fall asleep (too late now!!!!) and Ben now realizes that grandpa won't be there when we get there and gets sad and upset! We finally made in to mom's at 10PM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ben and Shanndon and Christianna hugged grandma. She was so happy to see them. Once I got my turn, I just grabbed her, sat on her lap and cried for about 10 minutes. About 1130pm/midnight, David and the kids went to the hotel and I stayed with mom at her house. We did some work; rearranged a couple pictures, cleaned and organized a bookshelf, rearranged furniture, vacuumed, mopped floors, then headed to bed about 4am. Friday, mom and I went to the airport to pick up dad's two sisters.
That's the beginning of our trip...sounds fun so far, eh?????? Will blog more later, gotta go get some work done right now.