South Dakota, Mother's Day, 14-weeks old and beyond...

Emma is 14-weeks old today!!

We survived! Emma was so good during her first road trip, to South Dakota (14 hours in mom's minivan!). Some of you may ask "why?" South Dakota. Well...both of my parents grew in South Dakota, where the word "rural" hardly describes it. So, Joel, me, Emma and my mom took a road trip to see my Grandma as well as some aunts, uncles and cousins. Our trips to South Dakota have become Joel's favorite. We spend our days visiting, having coffee and taking in the "workings" of real farms (oh, and we spent some time cruising around on the 4-wheeler)...it was a TRUE, RELAXING vacation! The area my relatives live in is the land of "thousand acre" farms where the roads are all dirt and perfectly perpendicular to one another, mile-by-mile. It is so serene and absolutely beautiful with the most open, blue sky you could ever imagine. The weather was amazing, nearly 75 degrees and sunny every day. My uncle, on the other hand, was not quite as delighted with the weather since they are in desperate need of some rain for the crops.

On another note, I had my first Mother's Day while in South Dakota! It was simply nice to be on vacation and in a relaxed setting with Joel and Emma. "Emma" remembered me on this day with an adorable card :)