7.06 - We had a big vacation planned this year. We went to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Topeka and then drove to Houston, TX to visit Aunt April and Uncle Brandon and then drove home. In all we drove about 3200 miles. Here we are on the first day of our trip, leaving Utah and entering Colorado.

7.06 - We had a picnic lunch at a rest stop in Colorado on our first day of vacation. 

7.06 - We finally entered Kansas after a long trip, but we still had a long way to go. 

7.06 - Jordan and Spencer found locust shells on the trees outside and had fun scaring Melanie with them. Jordan has a locust shell on his nose and Spencer has one hanging on his shirt. 

7.06 - Jacob and Jared in the pool. After being a littler unsure about the pool, Jacob really embraced it the last couple of days. 

7.06 - Jacob was a little leary of the pool the first few days. However, the last couple of days we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house, he really warmed up to the water and started jumping into the water, putting his face in the water and blowing bubbles. 

7.06 - Jacob ready for more swimming. 

7.06 - Jordan found a friend (Tommy) at church and really enjoyed spending time with him. Of course we swam a lot while we were in Topeka. 

7.06 - Spencer showing the helicopter and the partially finished ball factory he built with the K'nex Mom bought at a garage sale. 

7.06 - On our last day in Topeka we finished building the ball factory out of K'nex. We had to have help from Grandpa in order to finish it before we left. The factory has four different tracks it roll balls down. When the balls reach the bottom of the track, they are taken to the top again for another ride. This was really pretty neat, but you have to see it in action to really appreciate it. 

7.06 - We passed through Oklahoma on our way to Houston. 

7.06 - Finally, we entered Texas on a long drive from Topeka to Houston. 

7.06 - While we were in Houston, we thought it would be fun to go visit NASA at the Johnson Space Center. While we were at the Center, we took a tour. Lucy, Jared and Jacob on the tour. 

7.06 - Jordan, Lucy, Jared, Lauren, Faith, Lane and Spencer by the Saturn IV rocket. This rocket is amazingly huge. It is hard to beleive that something so big was able to fly and take men to the moon. 

7.06 - Melanie, Lucy, Faith and Spencer by the top of the Saturn IV rocket. The brown capsule is the space capsule where the astronauts rode. 

7.06 - Spencer lifting a truck at the Johnson Space Center. 

7.06 - Lucy lifting a truck at the Johnson Space Center. 

7.06 - Spencer climbed this wall using some powerful magnets attached to his hands and legs. 

7.06 - Spencer operating a machine that is supposed to simulate what it is like to work and move in weightless conditions at the Johnson Space Center. 

7.06 - Lucy and her cousin Faith sitting in the audience before the show. 

7.06 - Jordan was chosen to go up on stage and help demonstrate how astronauts live in space during a show at the Johnson Space Center. 

7.06 - Jordan demonstrating how astronauts sleep while there are in space. 

7.06 - Jacob wasn't crazy about the life jacket. 

7.06 - Lucy, Jared and Spencer on the tube after being pulled behind the boat. I think everyone had a lot of fun. 

7.06 - Lucy reall enjoyed boating. Every time the boat stopped she wanted to jump in the lake and swim.