RoadTrip Homeward - Houston to Portland

We've only shared this with a few and have kept our news offline for the past month. Mainly because it was a lot to process and a lot going on too. The second week of July Mike came home to tell me that he had been laid off. What news considering we moving to Houston in large part due to this job! So, we had to think fast, we weren't really settled in Houston. In fact, with the job gone and the disappointments with family we decided quickly that it was time to move on. We actually consider moving to several places but in the end decided that in the meantime we would move back to Portland for family support. We had an revelation - stuff doesn't matter and so we sold 2/3rds of it. Exciting!

We embarked on road trip #2 with the kids, this time moving back to Portland from Houston. We decided not to pull a trailer so we could enjoy a stress free drive. Driving 40 hours with 2 toddler already has enough work tied to it. And we had a blast - seriously made some great memories.

Both kids did pretty well in the car. We stopped only to fill up for gas and pick up food. Jack peed in the potty chair and we built a play areas/sleep spot in the back of the Armada.
Day 1: Houston to Oklahoma City.

Our first stop was Oklahoma City where we stayed a week with Gran. The kids went to the zoo, played outside a lot more than usual and got some of their energy out (which was just replenished in full by the next day of course). Great memories and good relaxing fun with Gran.

 Jack got new spiderman shoes, raincoat and umbrella which he calls his spiderman costume. I guess he is getting ready for the Portland winter of rain. But honestly he is obsessed with Spiderman now.
Day 2: Oklahoma City to Gainsville, NM


We drove through 12 hours of desert between Oklahoma City and Grants, Arizona. Deserted beauty.

We passed the largest cross in the US (19 stories tall) somewhere in Texas.

We stopped for lunch in Albuquerque NM for lunch as the Standard Diner where Guy Fieri filmed an episode of Diners, Drive In's and Dives - one of our favorite shows. And the food was good.

Day 3: Gainsville to Grand Canyon

Then it was off to the Grand Canyon where we got to experience one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. We felt the vertigo and also the panic of watching 2 toddlers walk the trails around the southern rim. What a view though. Absolutely breathtaking divine wonder.

 The sunset was unreal.

Jack with daddy asking" Daddy, what is this place?" Daddy would say "this is God's place"

Trails around the canyon was full of wild flowers and wild elk.

 

The campsite at the Grand Canyon was full of wild yet friendly elk. The kids could stand just 10 feet away and watch them quietly without them bolting away. What a sight after Jack had been talking about animals all the way into the park.

Although the kids didn't sleep in the tent, they sure had fun playing in it. They slept in the back of the Armada with a bed of feather blankets and pillows. Pretty sweet.

 We roasted marshmallows and tried making smores too. By the end of the night the kids were filthy dirty but had enjoyed the dirt, sticky gooey goodness of our treats and smelled like campfire.

Day 4: Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

After our first great outdoor adventures we heading west along I-40 stopping at Hoover Dam. This was an amazing man made side and although our stop was brief we saw it. 

What a change between the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas where we stopped overnight. We stayed at New York, New York and saw briefly some of the strip.

The only pictures I took were at the Bellagio where we went to the buffet (2nd best in Vegas). Ameile loved the entrance ceiling where glass flowers hung to welcome you in.

Not sure what to say about Vegas except that trunking around with 2 toddlers made us feel like the major minority. We actually got comments from people saying, I can't believe you brought your kids. To which we commented to each other that we COULD believe it. They are our lives - oh and by the way we are on a family road trip and are here for less than 24 hours! Ha. The city was a good quick stop. Don't see myself going back. Sorry if you like Vegas. 

Day 5: Las Vagas to McAurther- Burney Memorial Park, Northern California
We drove 7 hours through Death Valley - which was exactly that, dry, desserted 2 lane road. Blaa.
After driving through Volcanic National Park, Northern Californal, we stayed between there and Mt Shasta East side at McArthur Burney Falls in a small cabin. We had a campfire and enjoyed the stars.

In the morning (it was 42 degrees) and we hiked up a short trail to the Falls. They were the most spectacular falls I have seen. 1 large falls with dozens of small falls along a long stretch of cliff.

After almost 10 days on the road (including our stay in OK) we decided to call it quits and high tail it to Sandy Oregon to relax with my parents. Just in time to catch the tail end of summer we reached what I call a little slice of heaven on earth - KnollCrest Gardens.

Gratefully Days

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving! Our healthy, happy family for one. All the simple peasures of life, great food, warm house, cozy bed and hot (double showerhead) shower. Then there is the biggest one, God's unconditional love and the big blessings he gives us in our lives, wonderful husband, amazing kids, loving family and fun friends.

We spent our thanksgiving, quietly. Eating the traditional feastlike foods and then taking a nice walk through the warm and wooded Kingwood forrests.

By evening it was cold enough for a fire and roasting some marshmellows for the kids.

 We've spend the last week nursing a lot of sickness in our house. First Jack got the croup and we ran one late night to the ER because he was having trouble breathing. Then and ear infection (first one) and fevers, coughs and runny noses. Being sick is no fun but I guess it happens to everyone, it just seems to be happening to us more often lately.

I love this picture of Jack. I found he sleeping with his animals all around him, litterally he was sleeping on them (ouch). He is at the age where he loves to be naked. I guess that will continue to awhile I've heard. But I literally can turn around and he has striped his clothes off. Or like in this picture, he takes his pants off before going to sleep. What a kid!

 

These are some fun pictures taken after church in the park. We are getting ready for Christmas this weekend. It is colder in Houston now, still sunny most days (love it) but chilly at night and in the morning which has put me in the mood for the Holidays!

Alabama

Our first trip to the Irish family lake house was a blast. Amazing hospitality, warm lake water, big storms, comfort food, loud/fun kids and many new memories.

 Most days at the lake started by 10am down in the water, swimming with the kids. Jack didn't like the water much a first but over time really got use to it as long as he was close to someone.

 Amelie spent lots of time in the kiddie pool, just playing with the water and the toys. She was always squinting because it was so bright out. But it was her perfect spot on the dock to get lots of playtime in.

 The boat was a blast. Jack loves anything that goes vroom vroom. He was a trooper when we went fast and wanted to drive or tinker with buttons when we were docked.

 Favorite time of the day, playtime on the dock. Yahh, Amelie had a built in floaty bathing suit on.

I think Jack's favorite thing about the lake was the jet ski. Mike called it a water motorcycle and Jack just thought that was cool. Mike took Jack out on the lake several times on it and it was a blast.

A family picture out the water…where he spent lots of time.

In addition to all the fun things at the lake was the island. Jack got a kick out of going around and around on it and falling off into the lake a couple of times.

Of course going to the lake is all about family and we had lots of great hang out time with the crew. Mike's twin brother Matt and his wife Christi and their girls Meagan and Mattie. Mike's sister Vera and her boys Jonah and Preston. Mike's uncle Bud and aunt Marie who owned the lake house and their daughter Elizabeth and kids Caleb and Olivia. And last but certainly not least, his mom Jennifer and grandmother Vera.

Jack's time roasting marshmallows and eating smoores.

Jack loves to say " I want to play with the kids". That means he wants to watch or play with whoever he sees. Remembering names at this point is hard for him but by the end of the week he knew Caleb, Mattie and Meagan who were the cousins closest in age who he played with. 

Wonderful Gran spending some last moments with baby Amelie.

Walks are a staple thing for Jack, he loves them. He picks up sticks, looks for bugs and gets to run. All boy here. But honestly I think it is a small sign that he knows himself and that sometimes he just had to get away from people and explore and escape. 

Dad and Amelie out for the morning walk.

The dock at sunset.

 The group photo!

The family photo.