You Are My Sunshine: Easter in Kansas

We spent Easter this year in Wichita, KS at Luke's brother and his wife's house. Luke's parents and sister also came from CO, it worked out well that we could all meet up there. So on Monday of Holy Week we loaded up the car with our TWO suitcases for our week long trip to drive through snow to the airport for our flight to Kansas. Now, 2 suitcases was no small feat. We left Maryland in snow, arrived in Kansas where there was snow, but the 7 day forecast showed that it would be high of 70, a week later on Easter Sunday. I was so stressed about how to pack for 4 of us when there would be a 40 degree climb over the course of our trip. So I simply did all the laundry and didn't pack till the morning of. It was stressing me out too much to even do it. And see, we were going to be getting a little rental car, so I really had to minimize luggage.

Two suitcases was amazing. Not bringing a stroller was stupid.

Like I said we drove to the airport in snow, but Southwest is the best and our flight wasn't delayed in the slightest. Hailey practically danced her way onto the plane, she was so excited. She had been talking about how "We're gonna FWY!" for days.

This is how she spent the 2 hr, 40 min flight. She required nothing from me, loved having her own seat, although the seat belt with heavy buckle on her lap took some getting used to, was thrilled that they brought her a cup of juice, and nibbled away on all her "special" snacks she packed in her backpack for the flight. She didn't even play with her doll.

This is how Casey spent the flight.

At baggage claim in Kansas we discovered they lost Hailey's carseat. They told us we could leave with nothing and have them deliver it to us when it came in. That wasn't going to work, um, my daughter is 2 and half and we have to drive 40 min to Atchison right now, thanks. What else ya got? So we were given one to use until they got it back and would hold it for us when we came back for our return flight. Much better. Until I saw it. It didn't have a 5 point harness, you just used a regular seat belt across it. Still wasn't great but what choice did we have?

Oh and THEN, Enterprise didn't have a car for us. Or even our reservation in their computer. And they were closed. But the manager was still around and helped us out and got us......a 15 passanger van.

Remember how I was so worried about luggage space? ha.

We had a wonderful time in Atchison with our friends the Huelsings (who had just visited us a few weeks earlier), but sadly I have no pictures of our time with them! Benedictine College is Luke's Alma Mater and I hadn't been there since focus summer training 2007. It was the summer Luke and I met and he was placed on my team. It was so much fun to walk around campus with him, hear his stories, have him point stuff out and just "see" the campus through his eyes. We even went back alone at night and explored some of the new buildings which was fun.

Wednesday morning we drove three hours down to Wichita, but stopped by the airport to get Hailey's carseat, which had come in, Praise GOD!, and Enterprise to switch out our lovely ride.

Here are some highlights from the rest of our trip:

Casey getting his finger bitten by this horrid goose. No joke.

"Hi quack quack, you eat?"

Good Friday Stations of the Cross at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. I don't think St Elizabeth liked being climbed on and I believe is telling Hailey, "my child, sit here and be still."

(Late in the afternoon on Good Friday I took Casey to Urgent Care for an ear infection. Poor dear)