Jones Kids on the Loose - 2019 Edition Day 2

We had a good breakfast at the hotel, very nice lady working the kitchen - we will be giving staff high marks when the e-mail survey comes through! Had an entertaining time trying to explain cable TV to the kids, and how the channel they watched at "Grandpa Bob's house" (i.e. The Hampton Inn where they stayed in Alamogordo) will not show the same things in Abilene, Texas.

Of course I forgot a few things (earrings - I wasn't even wearing any! - socks for me, etc.), but there was a Big Lots right across the street. I picked up what I needed and also managed to find a Christmas present, which I then had to figure out how to hide in the car. The cashier there was also super nice - everyone I encountered in Abilene was very nice, there was a variety of shopping from what I could see, pretty brick buildings, everything very clean and green. If I ever had to live in a big city, I would be inclined to choose Abilene based on what little I saw.

But I don't ever want to live in a big city!

We started the morning off at the Frontier West museum, which I highly recommend for any age. Shane was smitten by the time we reached the lobby:

You begin the tour in a room with a short, engaging video about the area and what the museum covers.

Which Sheridan video taped. 

Then you go through several rooms with exhibits run by...

...holographic people! My pictures aren't going to do them justice, but you could really make yourself believe they were actually standing in front of you. Pat Garrett was especially good - although, living in the Lincoln County area, we have our doubts as to his claim that he shot Billy the Kid.

The kids loved it!

I forgot this lady's name, but she led quite an interesting life. She even invited us in for dinner.

After seeing this, though, we weren't so sure about sharing a community meal.

When you come in, you get a laminated card with the name and basic stats of a real person who lived on the early frontier. At the end you slide it into a machine to find out what your fate was! Turned out to be another lady with an interesting life.

Of course, this was Mike's (and Christopher's) favorite spot.

The last room is a surround theater where you go through a prairie storm, Comanche attack, buffalo stampede, and gunfight.

Shane AND Sheridan may or may not have ended up in my lap a couple times.

Here you guess how much each item would cost you in the general store.

We heard everything was bigger in Texas, but I have a suspicion this was exaggerating.

After the museum we headed just a few blocks into town to start the children's literature statue tour. 

Perfect quote for Logan!

Another slight exaggeration, I think.

David is one of our favorite characters, but where are the kids?

Of course. Looking at a bug.

I sent this book to one of my favorite new babies!

Santa!

Don't forget to look up!

Not a children's lit statue, but way cool.

Back out of town, pausing to point out the closest thing we have seen to a skyscraper - one of the travel items they were supposed to spot, hard to find in southern NM.

We switched drivers, which put Christopher behind Mike. The two people with the longest legs. That didn't work out too well, so we stopped to switch kids around!

Quick stop for fruit and cheese - and lots of running - at a rest area. 

Travelling went well until we hit a traffic snag outside of Dallas, and everything looked like this for about an hour.

Finally, Canton! We checked into our little cabin for the weekend. We shared it with Mykela and Bradley, who got the main bedroom:

Sheridan and Logan immediately claimed the bunk beds,

And the rest of us shared the pull-out bed and an air mattress in the living room. There was a little kitchenette, perfect for vacation cooking.

Once we were settled in we went o the "Big House" to see the rest of the family - cousins and their kids gathered from all corners of the country, including a new cousin-in-law and a baby we hadn't met yet. 

The kids were shy around each other at first, but I herded some of them outside to play on the porch, and pretty soon they were chasing each other up and down the hill. 

Big family dinner, then an early bedtime!