Day 2 - Carrington, ND, USA

Well, we've been on the road 2 days and we are all starting to get into the swing of things! I've now reorganized our suitcases so we are only bringing one suitcase into the hotel each night (instead of 4!). We had oatmeal packages for breakfast (thanks mom for the plastic bowls and spoons!) We had to heat the water in the coffee maker for the oatmeal because there was no microwave but it worked! The kids did really well traveling and we were able to stop a few times to stretch our legs.

We started the day with a stop at the Western Development Museum - Transportation in Moose Jaw. It was a great museum! We explored the history of  automobiles, airplanes, trains, and steamboats on the prairies. We also got to see two Snowbird airplanes and learn about the history of the Snowbirds demonstration team! Favourites included sitting in a cockpit of an old airplane, watching the model train set go around and around and seeing an airplane in the process of being reconstructed.

No problems crossing the border! We only threw out 1 apple, a handful of peapods and a small chunk of cheese - we managed to eat the rest! There were only a few cars ahead of us and a few questions asked (we were glad that when asked, Nathan responded that he was travelling with "Daddy and Mommy")!

We've decided the sleepiest little town we've ever been in is Bowbells, ND. We needed gas after crossing the border and found Bowbells. There was a really nice park with a playground that the kids saw as we drove down the street to the only gas station in town. We stayed for about half an hour and only saw a handful of vehicles and 2 other people out and about! It felt like we were the only ones in the town.

We arrived in Minot at 5:30 pm but then learned it was 6:30 pm (somewhere we passed a time zone!) We had a delicious supper at the Homesteaders restaurant and then hit the road for another 2 hours to arrive in Carrington, a small town of 2200. Our hotel turns out to have a continental breakfast and the room is very spacious. It took the kids a while to fall asleep (even though it was 10 pm!) but they are all sleeping now and we have a more relaxed day planned for tomorrow - only 5 hours of driving!

The hours driving have been spent reading (individually and out loud - I am reading "Stuart Little" to the kids), listening to books on tape ("Frances" yesterday and today we listened to an hour of Robert Munsch -thanks Kathryn and Allison!). listening to music, and looking out the window. The kids also have activity books, a few toys and their imagination. Other than a few moments here and there of complaining and boredom they have traveled really well! Although Jeremy isn't enjoying Stuart Little quite like the others - I usually have to distract him with something else so he doesn't talk the whole time I am trying to read :)

Tomorrow - Jamestown Buffalo Museum and spending the night in St. Cloud.