Thelma and Louise on their way to KS!

So, I have decided to share a little about my adventures this summer on the way to Kansas. So, as most of you may know, my wonderful amazing and super fun mom drove to Kansas with me to help me move into my apartment. My dad lovingly called us "Thelma and Louise" as we set off on this adventure. (I still don't really know what he meant by this... lol) So, on Sunday, July 29th, Mom and I drove from the Our Lady Star of the Sea parking lot on our way to my new adventure. We had decided that receiving our Lord as a family was the best way to begin this new part of my life. It was a very hard and emotional mass, but at the same time it was just so beautiful. Star will always hold a very special place in my heart. 

So, to start our trip Mom and I went to... you guessed it.. Starbucks! for the essential breakfast with COFFEE! :) So, we drove through the beautiful states of WA and Idaho to arrive in Montana. I was the navigator extraordinaire (well with the help of the Iphone and Trip Tiks lol.

 I am pretty sure this was in WA lol :) I probably should have labeled these.

 Definitely still Washington! It has such a beautiful landscape and such elegant evergreens (not the "scrubby trees of KC"- as Mom called them...

So, we stopped in Montana for our first night and we were so excited because we were able to watch the OLYMPICS! :) (Cuz us Grays are so old-fashioned without cable...) So, Mom went out and bought us beer and pizza, the perfect girls night dinner! (Just so you know the pizza had a delicious sour dough crust so it was legit...) 

 This was me being a bit artsy... :)

 Cliffs and the neatest rock formations, I truly began to appreciate the beauty or rocks and cliffs in Ireland.

 Here is the Trip Tik: So much fun to use and learn about the various places!

Our second night was spent in Rapid City, SD so that we could travel to Mount Rushmore the following day. Mount Rushmore is actually a place I have always wanted to visit, but we have never stopped there. It was so memorable to share this visit with my Mom as she reminisced on when she saw it when she was younger. :) 

 Wide open spaces!!! Journey to my new life! :)

 Good ole' Kansas, my new home :)

 And Mama by Washington of course!

 My FIRST time at Mount Rushmore, so cool!!

 There we are! :)

 The cheezy must have tourist shot :)

 I was trying to be artsy and have Mount Rushmore in the mirror, didn't quite work sadly.

 Me with guess who?? :) It was so fun to see the life size statues of the presidents.

 And mom with... Washington of course!

 "In 30 miles WALL DRUG- Free Ice Water and Coffee for 10 cents (or something like that)"

 Yep, we are definitely tourists! 

Mom the tourist... :) 

So, after 3 wonderful and full days of travel, we made it too Kansas! :) 

I hope you enjoyed my small description of my travels. And I just need to give a shout out to my parents. I would NEVER have been able to start out this new adventure without them. My dad did an amazing job packing the car, but mostly he is such a fountain of love and inspired advice. My mom was just the best travel partner and driver (yeah... she drove the whole time, she LOVES driving tho... :) She also helped set me up in my apartment, buying the essentials and stocking my kitchen with spices and other necessities (like coffee!) God has just blessed me with AMAZING parents! I have no idea how to thank God enough for them. :)