We decided that we would split the drive home up more evenly between the two days and rather than sitting in a hotel in Arkansas in the evening we decided to visit
Cahokia Mounds the morning we left Illinois. Cahokia Mounds is near our house in Illinois and some of the members of our family have been there. When Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen visited they went there with the kids. I also went there with the kids, but for some reason Lori had never made any of the trips and Ryan was just a baby, which is probably why Lori had never been there. It is interesting how when we believe that we are going to live somewhere for a long time (our hope was our move to Illinois was long term, at least 10 years if not permanent) we do not make as much effort to go see all the local attractions because we feel like we will have plenty of time to do those things. Since we came to Houston on "temporary" assignment we have been working hard to make the most of our time here and have gone to see as many of the local attractions as we could squeeze in. Now our move to Houston is permanent, at least I hope it is and I want to retire in the house we bought here. So, we made a last ditch effort for everyone in our family to go see what was in our backyard in Illinois before we hit the road for the long drive home.
Brett and Jared in front of on of the displays in the museum area. The Indian is gutting a deer in the background. That's always cool.
Ryan, Jared and Brett in front of some artifacts. The new digital camera that we bought because we forgot our good camera is not great in low light, as we learned from these pictures.
Brett, Jared and Ryan on top of the main
Cahokia mound, known as
Monks Mound. The stairs with the handrail are not part of the original design by the Mississippian Culture but were added later.
Jared, Lori, Brett and Ryan on top of the
Monks Mound.
The St. Louis Skyline from Monks Mound.
Brett and Jared on the trail on top of Monks Mound.
Everyone heading back down the stairs to get into the mini-van and start the long drive for Texas. Since we spend most of our available vacation time and money to visit family in Utah, the reality is we will probably never get back to that part of the country again. I am glad we took the opportunity to visit Cahokia Mounds one last time. It was much better than watching TV in a hotel in Arkansas.
Brett and Jared in front of on of the displays in the museum area. The Indian is gutting a deer in the background. That's always cool. 
Ryan, Jared and Brett in front of some artifacts. The new digital camera that we bought because we forgot our good camera is not great in low light, as we learned from these pictures.
Brett, Jared and Ryan on top of the main Cahokia mound, known as Monks Mound. The stairs with the handrail are not part of the original design by the Mississippian Culture but were added later. 
Jared, Lori, Brett and Ryan on top of the Monks Mound.
The St. Louis Skyline from Monks Mound.
Brett and Jared on the trail on top of Monks Mound.
Everyone heading back down the stairs to get into the mini-van and start the long drive for Texas. Since we spend most of our available vacation time and money to visit family in Utah, the reality is we will probably never get back to that part of the country again. I am glad we took the opportunity to visit Cahokia Mounds one last time. It was much better than watching TV in a hotel in Arkansas.
