Leaving on a Jet Plane (But returning on a Train)

I can be quick to complain when I'm faced with long hours stress-inducing parents, but admittedly, there are some perks to working at a school. One of them is the generous amounts of vacation time, and tomorrow evening I'm leaving on my second 12-day vacation of the summer.

My last trip, over Fourth of July week, took me on a 2,000 mile trip where I hit seven cities in eleven nights. Check it out:


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This time, I'm flying to Vancouver, BC (where my brother and sister-in-law live) and then taking the Amtrak Empire Builder back to Chicago. 

Not too shabby, right? Once I'm in Chicago, my mom and I are meeting up with my other brother, his fiance, and my dad, and taking the party down to Southern Illinois for a family reunion. By the time the summer is over, I'll have hit 15 states and 1 Canadian province.

I'd like to say that what I'm most excited about is seeing my family or traveling across the wide open west, but let's be honest. There's only one thing this South Carolina girl really cares about, and it's this:

Sunny and pleasant? Bring. It. On.