A little vaca done the Wright way

I have been missing from the whole blogging world for a bit because we took a family vacation to the Midwest last week.  I know, crazy, why waste a few of the last beautiful summer days in the Pacific Northwest to go on vacation in Nebraska and Kansas?  Well, we went to celebrate Steve's cousin's, Angie's, wedding to her partner Mindy.  They had their legal ceremony in Iowa the Friday before Labor Day weekend and then had their marriage celebration and reception on a beautiful garden farm property Saturday.  We were so thankful to be there and it was awesome to see Steve's family. 

Ben was a hoot at the wedding, getting his dance on in the side gazebo.  I caught a little video of it but am so sad to say that it somehow and I really have no clue how, got erased from our camera.  The rest of the pictures were taken by my sister-in-law so I have nothing else to show for the night

While in Lincoln, Nebraska we took some time to visit a couple local parks and drive the neighborhoods.  It is an adorable little town/city and there are some gorgeous old homes.  Steve's grandparents lived in Lincoln and raised Steve's dad there.
 
Steve has many fond memories from visits with his grandparents there.  We also stayed in Omaha for a night as that is where we flew in (way cheaper).  We visited the Omaha zoo which is pretty awesome, Hay street market area which has awesome old buildings and brick streets and is on the water.  Our hotel also had a water parks of sorts (more like a water features and two little slides) which was like Disneyland for Ben.

After Lincoln, Steve flew home (to bring home the bacon, you know), and I met up with my friend, Kelly in Wichita.  She moved there a couple years ago as her husband is doing his medical residency there.  They have a precious four month old little laddie named Bram. 
While hanging outs looks slightly different from grad school days (girls nights, bars and more to burping and walks), Ben & I had an awesome little visit and it was so so good to see Kelly and her fam.  Ben's first flight last year was at just 3.5 weeks old-we flew to Vegas for their wedding.  We did get in a little day trip to the Wichita Zoo.

playing at Bram's place and breaking in his toys

this pix cracks me up-Ben has developed a new fear of large animals and I couldn't keep myself from laughing

Kelly with Ben & Bram

and on one of our walks through College Park in Wichita, we were just walking, walking, walking and I was checking out all the awesome gorgeous old homes.  more like drooling over them and their prices (compared to Portland and Los Angeles where I grew up), and I am looking at this one and thinking that it reminds me of a Frank Lloyd Wright.  and then Kelly is like, oh yea, that's a Frank Lloyd Wright and I was like "stop in your tracks" drool. stop. (break out my iphone, asking Kelly a million questions)  drool more.  "Kelly, does someone live here?"  Kelly: "I don't know.  They never have cars parked in their driveway.  That driveway is blocked.  Sometimes they have cars parked on their grass.  The blinds are always pulled closed."  drool again.  Wipe drool with a million burp cloths packed.  A million thoughts run through my mind.  Tell Kelly that probably block driveway to maintain original concrete and probably pull blinds because Wright often built furniture to go with house and may be protecting it.

side view

side front

historical marker plaque

driveway to left of front house

view to left of driveway, visitors park on the grass

Another house in the neighborhood:

Anywho, of course I google "Frank Lloyd Wright Wichita" that night and I found out that it is the 1915 Allen-Lambe Frank Lloyd Wright and now it's a museum.  But (bring out the violin) you have to make a private tour reservation 10 days in advance.  Next time I visit Wichita I am so going on a tour. 

here are some pix from the link above:

And us on our way home after a long vacation....Ben was a dream on the first flight and during our layover, the second flight (where we were in the last row by the window with the lady in front of us reclining her seat) was a different story-let's just say I ordered a beer half way through.  :)  but we made it and it was a great vacation but we're so glad to be home!