The Land of Lincoln & Beyond

FINALLY - we're on vacation - a real vacation - as in pack up the car and drive many, many hours & arrive in a different state! We'll only be gone 5 days and 4 nights - but it's such a blessing to be on a trip with just my little family.

First we visited Abraham Lincoln. My husband - and my son - are history buffs so we went a little out of our way to stop in Springfield, Illinois to see Lincoln's museum, library, and tomb. It was a gorgeous day!

Dan at Lincoln's memorial and tomb. Notice how Lincoln's nose is all shiny - he needs a powder! :) It's because people tend to rub his nose, which keeps it polished. Anna in "Mary Todd Lincoln's Attic" at the Lincoln Museum:
At 8:00 p.m., we arrived at our final destination - Port of Dubuque, Iowa. After sitting in the car for the 3 1/2 hour drive from Springfield, Illinois to Iowa, Andrew, Anna, and I were ready to take a little walk along the Mississippi River by our hotel. Our hotel has a waterpark attached to it, which we'll explore tomorrow - and this is the view of the "Big Muddy" from our window:

And thus ended day 1 of our mini-getaway.