When I was a little girl growing up in the Bronx, NY every summer My Parents and sister and I would get in the car and head West to visit my Grandparents in Topeka, Ks. were I was born.

   Some years ago Chevy Chase made a movie called "VACATION" and it reminded me of our trips each summer.

   It was always such a fun time traveling the Turnpikes and Interstates meeting so many wonderful people along the way.
The trip by car used to take 3 days traveling about 500 miles a day and staying at great motels along the way.  With each state there were different styles of cooking for us to sample as well.  I remember playing so many games we would just make up to pass the time as the trip went long.

As we headed West we crossed the George Washington Bridge on to the NJ Turnpike, Penn. Turnpike usually staying in West Virginia the first night.  The next day we headed yet for yet another turnpike.Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.  The trip got long and the anticipation of the final day of traveling we would be at my Grandparents House.  The 3rd day we went from Illinois, Missouri where we saw the St. Louis Arch...

Yet another Interstate and an entire day of traveling.  Miles and miles,crossing River after River...The Great Mississippi, The Wide Missouri and still one more Turnpike...Finally the journey was nearing an end as we got on to the Kansas Turnpike.
I always remember seeing a Great Big Tower on the Kansas Turnpike in Lawrence, Ks.

(One of the rest stops) and now I was really getting excited knowing our journey was nearing it's end.   We would call our Grandparents to let them know we would soon be there.
Topeka is the Capitol of Kansas and as we neared Topeka I could finally see the State Capitol Building...

As we pulled up in front of their house they would always be on the front porch waiting for us.
After tons and tons of kisses and hugs we would go in to eat where My Grandma always had an incredible meal waiting for us. Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, plus the most fabulous Beef Steak Tomatoes and always many kinds of pies for us.  We loved her Chocolate Pudding , Banana Cream and Apple Pies...The aromas were wonderful coming out of her kitchen.

My Grandpa always took me for a walk in his garden.  The state flower of Kansas is the Sunflower and I remember how tall they used to grow.  Some were 6ft. tall towering over me as I looked up in amazement.  He would teach me about all the different flowers in his garden.  It was so much fun and so interesting.  Each year we would even plant watermelon seeds and the following year when we returned we ate the watermelons we planted from the previous year.  One of the nicest memories were the picnics at Lake Shawnee and getting to see all the Family and Friends.

Today my Grandparents are gone but the wonderful memories will continue forever.  There are something's in life money can not buy...Above all things they taught me Love of Family...A gift to cherish forever.  I like to think that today they are smiling down on all of us.

Esther and Lee

Background Music...."Kansas City"