Nici News!

From Nici:

So I know a few of you are probably wondering what exactly is going on but are afraid to bug me about it constantly. So I decided to put up a blog to keep people updated and so I don't have to talk about it over and over and over again. So I promise I'm going to try and keep it updated! Here it is!

Cassie & Hannah: In The Closet

In this episode Cassie and Hannah set things straight concerning sugar, splinters and... cheese, of course.

Vacation Report Wrap Up

And that's about it, really. We dropped Ashley off in Wagoner, returned the van and made our way back home, weary but satisfied with a vacation well done.

We laughed. We cried. We got lost. We ate lotsa junk food. We saw lotsa stuff. Now you've experienced everything we experienced. Except for the long stretches in the van.

Let us know what you thought of our vacation in the comments section. And post your own vacation reports right here at Much Ado About Duncans!

Vacation Report: Day Six #2

Our summer vacation had a veritable cornucopia of Fast Food Discoveries, from the Arctic Circle and Fry Sauce in Wyoming, Utah and Idaho to Bison burgers in South Dakota. Our last meal on the road would boast one more.

Lunch time landed us in Salina, KS. A list of the quickest stops for a burger or sandwich left us wanting something different. Then we saw it. Let's try it! What was it?

Spangles! The sign said "It Just Tastes Better!" And with not only Elvis but Marilyn Monroe herself beckoning us from the windows, how could we not stop?

The decor was replete with 50's kitsch splattered all over the walls - like a bomb made from all the best stuff from your aunt Vera's attic exploded in the center of the building. The burgers are pretty good and the fries come in cups. If you find yourself in Kansas and a Spangles is nearby, give it a try. And say "Hi" to Elvis and Marilyn for us!

After ice-cream all around, it was the final drive into the great state of Oklahoma and home!

Vacation Report: Day Six #1

After Cassie and Ashley spent a night turning into prunes in the pool, we started off on our last day of vacation traveling. The day began with a look at The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument.

Apparently featured in the Jack Nicholson film About Schmidt (can't say I've seen it, though now it may end up on my Netflix list!), it straddles the highway as a monument to the Platte River Valley and Westward Expansion. What can I say, they don't have a lot to memorialize in Nebraska!

Unfortunately, we arrived too early to see anything inside (not that we had all the time to see it, what with Kansas in our way between us and home). But we took a few pics and moved on.

Vacation Report: Day Five #3

After Mt. Rushmore we made our way south for our last leg of the trip. But we still had Nebraska and Kansas between us and home. Our fifth day would end in Kearney, NE, home of the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument which we'll pay a visit to later. But on the way we had a little unscheduled excitement.

Melissa was our primary driver on the trip and throughout our travels she kept a close eye on our speed, albeit usually about 5 miles faster than the limit. Normally not a problem. But in Nebraska, where there are long stretches of nothing on the highway, and fewer cars traveling down that highway than Obama supporters at an NRA rally, Nebraska's Highway Patrolmen get a little bored. Maybe they just pull people over just for the company.

Whatever the case may be, on Friday June 6 somewhere along Hwy 30 near Odessa, NE, one of Nebraska's Finest pulled over a van with Texas plates full of Okies. He was the friendliest guy, especially after we made sure he knew we were from Oklahoma, despite the tag. There's a certain comraderie between Sooners and Cornhuskers, despite the years of collegiate rivalry. Texas? Not so much.

After the usual rigamarole, license and registration, the good officer handed Melissa a slip of paper.

"I'm just giving you a warning. You can just throw that away if you want."

You don't hear that very often from the boys in blue.

"I'm keeping it as a memento!"

You don't hear that very often from someone given a ticket!