Roadtrip USA.

Since Tanner accepted a job as a Team Leader for the company he worked for last summer, right after I graduated, we packed everything we could in our car and left the rest in a storage unit in Idaho, and trekked across the country to Virginia in a suburb of DC. Since our apartment in DC is graciously furnished by Tanner's company, we didn't need to bring a U-Haul or anything.

Once we literally couldn't fit ANYTHING else in our car.... really though, I married a master packer, we started our drive across the entire country! I had planned out our route ahead of time and we planned out enough time to be able to stop and see places we had never been before.

Pancake ready to help drive

I dare you to try to fit anything else in that car. I dare you. But really, you can't. 

Side note: Tanner & I love road-trips, especially with each other. I have never had so much fun on a road-trip than with him. We always talk about the weirdest stuff, encounter the weirdest people and have the weirdest things happen to us. But that's what makes them great. This road trip was no exception. The first day we wanted to make it to Denver, Colorado to visit my brother, sis-in-law and niece Naomi. Unfortunately somewhere in the middle of nowhere, Wyoming there was a HUGE storm and it was so bad that they literally closed the only highway we could take to get to Denver. Of course. So now we were stuck in the most hick town I have ever seen in my life, for the night. Since everyone else headed the same way as us were stuck in that town too, it was a race to find a hotel room that didn't charge by the hour. Luckily we found a classy "La Quinta Inn" and settled down for the night.

Then the next day when the highway opened, we were back on the road to Denver. It was so fun to spend a couple nights there with family. Naomi and Pancake become instant BFF's. It was great to see them play. I am so grateful to have a puppy that is so good with kids. Good thing she's patient, loves to be chased, and doesn't mind little kid's fingers and faces in her face. She just likes to lick. A lot. Thank you Ryan and Makayla for letting us come and stay with you guys!! It was a blast :)

Then after a couple well spent days in Denver, we were headed to our third stop, Chicago! I had gotten us a hotel in downtown Chicago for two nights. This is where we would spend my birthday and we wanted to be able to explore the city a little. We loved it! Pancake could've done without all the noisy cars rushing by her on our walk, but she secretly loved the city as well ;) Tanner was nice enough to take me out to breakfast, & take me shopping in the city. We also tried true Chicago pizza. It was a fantastic birthday with two of my favorite people... (things?).

Since Pancake was too scared to walk next to the noisy cars, we resorted to walking around like this. 

Chicago Pizza! 

From Chicago, it was the homestretch to Virginia! By this point, we were ready to be out of the car and finally sleep in our own bed. Everyone asked me how Pancake did on the road-trip. I can honestly say that she was a DREAM. Seriously. Granted she was only 2.5 months old, but she did SO WELL. She pretty much just slept on our laps the entire time, and occasionally woke up to chew on a bone every once in a while. One thing though, she refused to pee in a parking lot. I know right? Only my puppy would be too big of a princess to pee in a parking lot. This resulted in having to pull out a puppy pad and lay it down on the parking lot ground to get her to go pee. The funniest thing I saw during the trip was Tanner holding Pancake's puppy pad in the middle of a truck stop. A truck stop full of huge, burley men that would pass by and laugh at them. It was so freaking funny. But what a stud to do that for her :)

Tanner holding down Pancake's pee pad in a truck stop parking lot ;) 

Asleep in the car. She would get irritated by too much sun so we had to put the blanket above the window so she could sleep in the shade. Freaking Princess. 

"Really? The car, again? It's too early.. Come back to bed!"

I didn't mind at all sharing my portion of the drive, with this view :)

But eventually we made it safely to Virginia! I am grateful for the chance we had to do this road-trip! And that I am blessed with such an awesome driving partner. It will be a memory that we will never forget :)  (add that to the list).