The Sandwich Life on Route 66: Day Three

We woke up in St. Louis on Sunday to find that the Easter Bunny does indeed know how to find kids in hotel rooms.  Here is Leo so busy hunting for eggs that he didn't even cover his face.....

I had thought perhaps we'd hang out in St. Louis a bit on Sunday but Owen was torn between crying that we couldn't stay in St. Louis and crying because he wasn't home so I finally said, "EVERYBODY DRESSED....WE'RE LEAVING."  We got on the road, waved goodbye to the Arch and headed back to Illinois.  We stopped a little bit down the road for breakfast and had a really nice time.  Leo even ATE some food-----woo-hooooo!  We stopped to take pictures periodically.....

I've really got to get a new map.....

Our first real stop was Mt. Olive, Illinois.....found the remnants of a nice Mail Pouch sign....

and then stopped at one of most beautiful little gas stations you can imagine....the 1926 Soulsby Shell Gas Station.....

From there we headed to Litchfield, home of the famed Ariston Cafe.  Man this building is beautiful.  We stopped in the parking lot to call my mother to wish her a happy Easter.  Owen of course made the phone call and said, "Hi Grandma, we're on route 66 and it's great except that Mom is being really annoying taking pictures."  Then there was a long pause while he thought about what he'd said and he quickly added, "well, annoying in a nice way" and in the background Leo yelled, "no, REALLY annoying."

From there we wandered along Route 66 up to Atlanta, Illinois before cutting east and heading home....

and really....when you can take a picture of a giant Paul Bunyan figure holding a hot dog....and then turn around and see your sweet peas sleeping in the back seat.....well, life is just pretty damn good, isn't it?