We made it to Medford, Oregon!

We made terrific progress today! John helped me pack everything up in the van last night and stayed to pack the few remaining items this morning before we left. We got to Grandma's house right on schedule at 9:30am and made it out by 10am. We stopped twice for bathroom breaks, ate lunch in the van and kept on trucking.

The kids were so patient and quiet for the whole trip! They watched a movie, played bingo, and read books.

We got to Medford at about 6:00pm tonight, ate dinner, and went on a hunt for our hotel. There was heavy construction all around the hotel and we had to circle it four times before we finally found a way to get there. The kids are fed, sleepy, and laying in bed now. Tomorrow we're going to travel to Sacramento...

Off to San Diego...

I'm preparing for my family's next adventure now and won't be able to post as much for the next couple of weeks. The kids, my MIL and I leave on Friday morning for San Diego. We will be staying in Medford, Oregon on Friday night, Sacremento on Saturday night, and LA on Sunday night. We have a condo booked in San Diego until next Friday night, then we move on to LA for the following week. John flies into San Diego next Thursday, and my MIL flies back to Seattle the following Saturday. We're going to have tons of fun and I can't wait. I just wish the van would pack itself:)

Day 8: Edmonds, Kingston, Port Townsend and Back Again!

We hopped on another ferry today to go meet Liz and Euvah's friend in Port Townsend. The day was absolutely gorgeous, but you won't be able to see it here because I was too tired to take many pictures! I never thought I'd see the day that I was too tired to get my trusty little companion out to document the days of my childrens' lives, but today was the day. Of course, I did get one very good picture of Liz:

I really enjoyed meeting Euvah's friend and would do it again in a heartbeat though. We had a great visit and used every moment we were given to explore our great state and catch up on old times. I'm going to miss my sisters as we all go off in different directions (Euvah to Singapore, Liz to school, and me to San Diego for the next two weeks) and I hope we can get together again soon.

Just one more picture to torment my oldest sister! This is the perfect picture for blackmail! I love you Sis!

Day 7: Seattle and Beyond...

Today we took the Kingston to Edmonds ferry and enjoyed the view. Then we drove to Bremerton and explored the new waterfront area around the ferry. We took the ferry to Seattle and took lots more pictures. We exited the ferry and drove through downtown Seattle on our way to the Seattle Center. We strolled through the grounds around the Space Needle and watched the International Fountain as it pumped water out to the sound of music. We visited the top of the Space Needle (the first time the kids can remember going there!) and explored the displays on the top floor there. We got home just in time to eat a delicious dinner prepared by John and everyone went to bed happy and tired. We'll have to see what tomorrow (my sisters' last day in Seattle) will bring.

Day 6: The North Cascades Pass...

We took our time crossing the North Cascade's Pass today. The emerald waters of Ross Lake were amazing!

We got to see the Diablo Dam, many river passages, and several waterfalls. Another great day with my sisters!

Day 5: Grand Coulee Dam...

We traveled across the arid desert to see the Wild Horses sculpture overlooking the Columbia River at Vantage today. The kids loved looking at the horse sculpture and checking out the Columbia River.

Later, we went to the Grand Coulee Dam, where we toured the Visitor's Center, took the Grand Coulee Dam tour, and watched the laser show.

We didn't get back to Grandpa's house until after midnight, but we enjoyed every moment of it. We really appreciate dad's hospitality. He had to put up with SIX extra guests this week and was always the gracious host. Thanks, Dad!

Day 4: A Leisurely Stroll Through Leavenworth...

We left the kids in Dad's capable hands today as we shopped until we dropped in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth. We found lots of neat stuff for our loved ones, enjoyed a peaceful lunch together, and just caught up with each other's lives today. We didn't take many pictures because we were too busy enjoying our time together. We had another wonderful day together.