All Good Things…

…must come to an end. :-( We decided to change our return plans a little based on feedback from friends and family, and separation anxiety from cousins. We stayed an extra day in Colorado giving us the opportunity for a horsey ride and to watch Shelby (niece/cousin) perform in her horse show. Another advantage for driving instead of flying. However, this made for a straight drive home with no access to the internet on our return on Sunday.

This was an awesome trip on several dimensions. First, we made it through 3,000 miles of driving! We are still alive and have all agreed that it was a very positive experience with a huge happiness factor! We drove in the middle of the night, through a buffalo jam, beautiful scenery, and hours through vast nothingness. We are still alive and talking to each other! Amen!

Second, we re-acquainted ourselves with our extended family and were blessed to share in their experiences and daily life. Another aspect of success was living life less ordinary along the way. How often do you buy firewood to roast a marshmallow? Or hold on dearly to a lifeline in a raft while journeying through the rapids? Have you seen the Milky Way lately – if not, get out of town on the next clear night. It’s still there and it’s amazing! We planned a surprise birthday party for Jessie, organized a 15-person side-trip to a local water park, served as the “home base” for the Westernaires during a rodeo show, and turned Mormon while driving through Utah (just kidding!). Lastly, and most importantly, we spent quality time with ourselves. The 9-to-5 day was dismissed for two weeks as we lived life less ordinarily with our kiddos.

Most memorable experiences:

• Kira: Horseback riding and whitewater rafting!
• Kelsey: Whitewater rafting!
• Megan: Whitewater rafting and Pirate’s Cove (water park) and swimming at the campground.
• Graham: Whitewater rafting!
• Linda: Whitewater rafting, “Wide open spaces” seeing the family and watching the cousins run around together.
• Jeff: Whitewater rafting, Jackson Hole (I could live there), and spending time with my sister and brother and their families in Littleton, Colorado.

Of course, we did have some challenging moments. We paid visit to three urgent care clinics in two different states, luckily only due to extended cold illnesses. We decided to “keep to plan” on the first day and drive to 1am to remain on track as we left so late in the day. It turned out fine after we agreed to stop at the next Wal-Mart to purchase a portable DVD player for the kids. Later in the trip, we did roast a little as the generator didn’t power the AC as it was s’posed to during times without electricity – like at a rodeo or while waiting for Old Faithful to erupt in 100 degree heat. Again, we survived. We were challenged upon our return with the flu and a very dirty house as we had our wood floors refinished during our departure. Also, as the pets were away, we learned quickly upon return that the fleas missed them. A lot. It was a horror movie as they attacked us and we were forced to retaliate with flea bombs. We finally arrive home and had to sleep one additional night in the RV due to the smell of the new wood floor finish and the flea bombs. But the wood floors sure look nice though!

Forgettable moments that time will hopefully instill humor into:

• Kira: The 11 hours in the RV on the first day (my parents are freaks!)
• Kelsey: The 11 hour first day and coming home to FLEAS!
• Megan: 11 hours in the RV and the FLEAS! (although I did like the movie Bug’s Life!)
• Graham: 11 hours in the RV and the FLEAS!
• Linda: The fleas … definitely the fleas!
• Jeff: The illnesses that half the family was going through really weighed on us towards the end of the trip. Then we arrived home to fleas, fumes, and the flu!

By the way, Seattleites pay an outrageous price for a gallon of gasoline. Once we left western Washington, prices dropped 30 cents. Moreover, once we left the state, it dropped another 30 cents! Did you know that we pay 34 cents a gallon on tax in Washington? We never paid over $3/gallon during the trip – it was a constant $2.74 through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Oregon.

Thanks for all the comments on the blog – they really meant a lot to the kiddos during the trip!