We decided to make our move West as fun as possible - my parents never having done this particular road trip and our family making this journey for the sixth time.

We started off very early Friday morning (the 17th of July), and arrived at Mackinac Island, Michigan around 10am. We boarded a ferry and found a carriage tour and had an absolute blast exploring the Island. The island is the one tourist destination we haddn't seen in our 4 years living in Michigan. No cars are allowed on the island (with the exception of about 3 emergency vehicles), so the only way to get around is by walking, biking or horses. After lunch and coffee we boarded a ferry back to the UP (upper peninsula of Michigan) and headed west toward Escanaba to see our friend Lonnie for one last good-bye before leaving the State of Michigan.

(Grandpa and Jadon having fun on the carriage ride) We found this amazing hotel in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that had a water slide in the hotel. The kids had a blast that night and we got some good rest in before heading to Rapid City, SD, where Mt. Rushmore is located. We decided on attending the night ceremony where they light up the faces while telling the story of each president and how Mt Rushmore came to be. It was spectacular to see - and none of us had ever been there at night. The next day we played around in Rapid City, stopping in at our family's favorite "pit stop" Bear Country USA - a park that has bears, and other large animals roaming free in different areas and you drive through them. You can also get out and walk through an area that houses smaller and baby animals. Before heading West again we had to eat at our favorite steak joint - a place my neighbor and I discovered on the 3rd time through this trek when she helped me drive our car across the country.

(sleeping cub at Bear Country USA)

(Steaks for supper!)

We made it to Cody, Wyoming for a brief night sleep before heading to Yellowstone. We spent two days exploring both loops in Yellowstone, and for all of the seasons we've been through this national park, July was not our favorite... There were longer lines and fewer animals. But, we had fun and saw things we hadn't seen before. My dad and Bryce jumped out of the cars to see a deer, only to discover they'd been extremely close to a mama bear and her two cubs! (pictures on facebook) We also saw a few buffalow babies (not sure what those are called?? calves?), an eagle in her nest, female elk and a few other odd creatures.

(All six of us waiting for Old Faithful)

After Yellowstone we made it to Spokane, Washington where we spent the night in luxury before making the last leg to our new home, just North of Portland, Oregon (Vancouver, Washington). All in all the trip was about 8 days, and went extremely well. My parents got to see things they hadn't seen before, as did the four of us! We wouldn't have had nearly as much fun without them. And it was good to make our last trip a fun one:o).