Like Dorothy Said…There’s NO Place Like HOME…

We love spending time in Indy, but after a few days of hugs and catching up with our family there we were ready for the last leg of our snowbird journey. After spending five months away from Iowa it was time to leave for home.

Before we packed up for that final leg of our trip I gave our Indy grandgirls the opportunity to choose an evening menu for me to cook. I knew what their answer would be before they opened their mouths. They wanted Meemaw’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Gravy…and Fried Chicken too. And I was more than happy to oblige. (Who doesn’t love a good old “comfort food” meal?)

Early the next morning doled out hugs and kisses and we headed West. 

We pulled into an Illinois rest stop at the border on that rainy day, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to snap some photos of the Mighty Mississippi River.

That’s LeClaire, Iowa across the river. (For you TV buffs, LeClaire the home of the American Pickers TV show.)

Even the rain and a last minute detour to a different river bridge couldn’t dampen our spirits that day since we were heading…HOME!

And there is was…that sign…

How grateful we felt when we finally pulled into our driveway after all of our road trip adventures! Another SAFE snowbird winter trip was in the books.

Then our REAL work began…UNPACKING that car! But we’ve got that chore down to a science since we travel so often.

When the car was unpacked and all of our “stuff” was stored away we did what we usually do to celebrate our return to Iowa after a road trip.

We let an Uber driver take us to our “Welcome Home” meal at The Vine  in downtown Iowa City.

First…an ice cold beer…and a toast to our safe return. (Thank God.)

Followed by a basket of crispy fries…

And the BEST wings on the planet! 

Yes. The Vine was the perfect place to relax…

And to reminisce about our snowbird winter.

Yes…our Florida home is special.

We love the ocean…

And the gorgeous sunsets at our condo…

But summer is coming…and our Heartland sunsets are pretty darn spectacular too!

When we cross that Mississippi River Bridge and see that Welcome sign at the border I am always reminded of that quote from Field Of Dreams…my favorite movie of all time.

“Is this Heaven?”

“No…It’s IOWA.”

And our FAMILY makes the Heartland the best home of all.