DECORATING THE TREE

Hi Everyone - well here it is a week already gone and we are enjoying our time with the boys and Stephanie. It was really neat because Stephanie waited to decorate the tree so that we could help them do it and boy oh boy it sure brought back good memories of decorating with our kids Bryan and Stephanie. We drank hot cocoa, ate sugar cookies and played christmas music in the background like we use to do with our kids. Stephanie and I put the hooks on the ornaments and the boys (including Papa) put them on the tree.

Shoveling snow on Friday. It started snowing around 0630 and hasn't stopped yet!! Really beautiful but what a mess to have to go out in. Stephanie almost didn't make it home from work last night because the streets hadn't been plowed and her car was bottoming out in the snow.

This is what a FROZEN Papa-cicle looks like - cute.

Love to all,

Bonnie and Glen

DAY 6 ON SIXTY-SIX - WE MADE IT!

Hi All - today we started out from Springfield, Illinois the birthplace of President Abraham Lincoln and the Capitol of Illinois. We decided to start the day off with a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. Also just down the road from the museum is the State Capitol - which by the way is going through a bit of turmoil due the to Governor being caught trying to "sell" the vacant Senate seat previously occupied by President Elect Obama. What a surprise - a corrupt politician we're shocked!!


Here's the State Capitol


Statue of Abraham Lincoln


Me and the Lincoln Family - can you find me???



Glen carrying on a conversation with a couple of Generals (looks like he's trying to make a point)


Todd throughly enjoying himself.


1932 Shell gas station in Odell, Illinois - Glen tried to get some gas but it wasn't working - weird huh.

Me drinking a cup of Joe at the Old Log Cabin Diner in Pontiac, Illinois. The State of Illinois realigned Route 66 and the diner was facing the wrong way so the owners jacked it up and turned it around to face the new route 66. They are also famous for their peach pie so of course we had to have some. It was Yummy - especially with vanilla ice cream of top.

In Wilmington, Illinois is the Launching Pad Drive-in with their 28 foot tall Gemini Giant beckoning customers to come in and enjoy their food. We passed on the food because we had just eaten, but you can't miss this guy.

Beautiful Route 66 just outside of Chicago the end of Route 66.

Jackson Blvd. in Chicago leads you all the way to the end of Route 66 which ends at Lake Michigan. Some street scenes along the way.

Tadum! We made it and boy of boy is Glen a happy driver.

Chicago's Navy Pier

A happy go lucky toll booth operator just outside of Chicago. She was so cute with her little Whoville Hat that we had to take a picture!

Well that's it, we are just a day's drive from Stephanie and the boys and tomorrow we will be there. We've had a great time driving our Nations Mother Road as Route 66 is called and we hope you all enjoyed it along with us. We will post some more stuff at Stephanie's, but not as frequently so check back once in a while. Glen, Todd and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Remember the reason for the season as you celebrate with family and friends.

Love to you all and Happy Trails,

Bonnie, Glen and Todd (the dog)

DAY 5 ON THE ROAD

Today Glen and I started out in Springfield, Missouri and ended in Springfield, Illinois after about 7 hours of driving and sightseeing and logging 320 miles to the odometer. The weather actually got a little better as we drove North - it got all the way up to 37 degrees for about 20 minutes. It's cold and we are trying to climatize. So here are the pics for the day, hope you enjoy them.

These pictures are the beginning of a section of Route 66 just past Lebanon, MO and it's called "Devils Elbow". It's a beautiful drive that winds thru a tree lined area of 66 and over the original iron bridge that crosses the Big Piney River.

Ever wonder why the chicken crossed the road?? To get to the ice on the other side of course! This guy crossed right in front of us but by the time I got the camera ready he was on the other side. What a crack up!

Glen wanted to have BBQ so we stopped for lunch at the Missouri Hick Bar B Q joint along the route for lunch. Yummie - we are glad we stopped.

Just over the St Louis city limits we turned off to visit Ted Drewes Frozen Custard Stand. They were great! The called their creamy custard concoctions "concretes" because when they are serviced the spoon is stuck in the middle and they turn them upside down and nothing moves. Frozen custard is delicious and I have only had it in Michigan - I guess it's an eastcoast thing.

Here are a couple of pictures of the St Louis Gateway Arch. It is really impressive and can be seen for miles around. We were going to get out of the car and walk around but it was to cold for us California babies so we opted for car shots. There is also a picture of looking across the ole Mississippi from Missouri to Illinois.

Happy Trails to All, Bonnie & Glen

DAYS 3 & 4 OF OUR TRIP

Day Three Started out in Grant, New Mexico and ended in Shamrock, Texas. Here are a few of the highlights along the way while driving on Route 66.

Have you ever heard of the Cadillac Ranch?? I had and I was excited to see it. We took a few pictures of Cadillac Ranch just outside of Amarillo Texas. Boy was it cold and windy, but fun to see the old painted up Cadillacs that some guy decided to make art out of.

Then a few miles down the road in Groom, Texas we came across the World's Largest Cross - it is HUGH! And the exhibit that goes along with it is very thought provoking. They have bronze statues of Jesus carrying the cross to his eventual death on the cross and resurrection. Also just down the road from there is the leaning water tower. Famous only because it's leaning. Heck ya may as well turn it into a tourist site it's not good for anything else.

Beautiful sunset over Texas on the third night.

On the fourth day we started out from Shamrock, Texas. Their contribution to Route 66 attractions is the U-Drop Inn which used to be a motel and gas station and is now the Chamber of Commerce. It's a nice looking old art deco building, but it was cold with flutters of snow and we didn't get out of the car.

We drove all the way through Oklahoma on the fourth day.

Visited the Route 66 Museum in Clinton Oklahoma and took a few pictures.

Also visited the Blue Whale in Catoosa, Oklahoma which was originally built as an anniversary gift in the 1970's and turned in to a swimming park and closed in the 80's. Just some of the quirky things they have along Route 66.


That's it for now. Glen and I are hunkered down at the Best Western Coach House Inn in Springfield, MO. We stopped early today because the weather and road conditions are miserable! Hopefully things will clear up tomorrow and Glen won't have to fight the wind and snow flurries while driving. Happy trails to you all - Bonnie and Glen