Spring Reading Thing - Conclusion....

Yep, I'm going to call it quits. I didn't sign up in time to be eligible for a prize, but I wanted to go ahead and share my thoughts.

Thank you to Katrina for hosting the challenge.

I set a goal to read a few 1/2 finished book and to make progress through the stacks I've been collecting from PBS. Having the challenge kept me reaching for a variety of books instead of magazines. I guess that's good? ::snort:: I have a few biographies that I'll move to the Summer list. I'll also move a few fiction that didn't get completed because I added all the Yada Yada and Nursery Crime books. LOL

Here's the list of books I completed:

The 7 pillars of Health - Don Colbert, MD

Baby Catcher - Chronicles of a Modern Midwife - Peggy Vincent

The Age of Opportunity - Paul David Tripp

Teaching the Trivium - Harvey and Laurie Bluedorn

Fragments of Isabella - Isabella Leitner

Saving the Fragments - Isabella Leitner

Nicholas & Alexandra - Robert Massie

Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Michael Van Dyke

Midwives - Chris Bohjalian

The King of Reid - Jamin G

Yada, Yada Prayer Group Get's Down - Neta Jackson

Nursery Crimes - Ayelet Waldman

A Playdate with Death - Ayelet Waldman

The Big Nap - Ayelet Waldman

Tears of the Giraffe - Alexander McCall Smith

Morality for Beautiful Girls - AM Smith

Yada Yada Prayer Group - Neta Jackson

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real - Neta Jackson

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough - Neta Jackson

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught - Neta Jackson

I wanted to add a visual before and after photo of my stack...but the photo didn't get taken before we left on our vacation.

Day 4 - Angel Lake, NV - Klamath Falls, OR

Moto Lotto winner - Zander! We all over guessed based on our interstate driving yesterday. He guessed 10.
Quotes of the Day: While driving in the middle of absolutely NOTHING - see photos below - "Are we camping HERE?"
Zander - "Hey - mom! Look!!! Mountain cows!" (We'd pointed out mountain goats and so when he saw cows grazing on the side of a mountain as we came into OR....)

Yes...we got a late start. We went here.....

Because of this (x 4). We called the dealership where we bought the trailer and they didn't want us to buy tires until we got to an RV dealer. We were in Elko,NV and didn't want to drive over the passes on these tires. We called the MAIN dealer...."Oh - we've recalled those tires!" Argh. They HAD our trailer for TWO MONTHS fixing a slide out/carpet issue and we could have had it done then. BUT it worked out better.....we got radial tires instead of whatever it was they would replace them with. They'll give us $80 per tire...we paid the difference.

While the trailer was in the shop we went here.....

(Umm....Mcdonalds has salads and fruit but they have gotten our order REALLY wrong the last three times). This McDonalds had a GIANT play structure, air hockey, play stations, and basketball. The youngers were in heaven.

This is the highest price we've seen on the trip. Elko, NV. Wow - casinos everywhere. We didn't buy it here - we went here.... $3.23

And I went and bought REAL FOOD (or as near real as I could find). I'm really CRAVING a GREAT HARVEST bakery so I can buy REAL bread. I may have to make bread in the trailer before this is over.

We finally got on the road and headed out. Lunch found us at McD again - Cy this photo is for YOU - maybe you should print it and show it to TimO. ::snort::This was another "scenic" day - we didn't do the interstate so we didn't travel as fast as we could have. We saw a lot of this. (Yes, my family has explained to me what will happen if the airbag engages.....)

The road out of Denio, NV to Lakeside, OR is wild...steep, and nothing out there....nothing as far as you can see. It's like being on the alcan though the road was nicer. ::snort:: I told Mike that at least in TX when the scenery was this stark there would be cows, windmills, and oil derricks. We used to think it was the ugliest spot in America; we've since left the Pacific NW and know this is not true...but it is bleak! ::snort::

I kept seeing signs with donkeys on them. This led to speculation as to the purpose of the signs...then we began to see WILD DONKEYS.....here's a photo - the digital zoom sort of wonks out the photo....I may need to get out the Nikon - we are noticing the photos are washed out - but it is so easy to use. LOL We also saw antelope and deer.
After hours of this nothingness we began our descent.....whew....that was a new experience with a trailer chasing you. ::snort::
We arrived in the Land of My Birth - OR. There is simply something magical about the pacific NW. It's gorgeous. The little ones couldn't stop talking about the "jungle". We've lived in pretty wide open spots since they've been old enough to really remember. Prices below are from Winemucca, NV.
We are seeing too much of this. ::snort:: Lakeview, OR
Arrived at KOA at 9:00 pm - THIS IS NOT CAMPING....wow! The pool is closed because folks were throwing their cigarette butts into the pool. People packed in like sardines....packs of youth running everywhere...but tomorrow we'll be at Jedidiah State Park and THAT is camping. LOL We're kinda long....

Day 4 - Angel Lake, NV to Klamath Falls, OR?????

Things I've learned on this vacation.....I like dragging my bed and couch along with me on vacations. ::snort::

When you can't sleep (unfamiliar noises of semi's driving through my bedroom), and you check the computer clock.....it may well say 5:30 a.m. but you DO have more than an hour before wake up call.....because you are not in TX any longer.....I think I've been up since 3:30 a.m.

Expect the unexpected. We hope to make it to OR today. We noted that the sidewalls on our NEW tires was starting to separate. Mike thought he'd wait until Eugene to fix the tires.....but the breaks are growing......so this a.m. we will head to Elko and prayerfully find someone to fix three tires for us....so we can prayerfully make it to Klamath Falls and the KOA pool I've promised the youngers. ::snort::

Day 3 Continued

The Not So Great Salt Lake - not to far from the GREAT Salt Lake

Morton factory and salt hills in the salt flats - the white in the background is a mountain of salt.... Playing in the Salt Flats - While we had no takers this trip to SWIM in the Great Salt Lake, Mike couldn't resist stopping on the side of the interstate and letting everyone taste and play. It was a grand idea and we saw other RV's up the road doing the same thing. Mike's a trendsetter!

Message left by Jared - God Rocks

Jamin left a message about a salt free diet. ::snort:: Hey McDonalds has great salads and fruit....Zander can't eat it...but I'm eating it. Um....oh the fruit has "bht" added for freshness. ARGH.

Day 3 - Green River, UT to Angel Lake, NV

Happy Father's Day Mike!
Not sure why this keeps flipping - $3.34 in Green River

Ah - 420 miles on the interstate (except for about 50 miles) translated to a 9 hour travel day. Much better. Zander was NOT thrilled that there is no pool at this campground. We got a chuckle out of him. We've been traveling the Old Route 66 and every time we stopped the past two days he'd say, "are we camping HERE?" and then "this is good". He said this in the most barren spots....but then last night we did the KOA with a pool. Tonight when he said, "Are we camping HERE" and I said, "yes", he replied, "let's find one with swimming!" ::snort::

It was nice to get in early. We had a laugh about the campground. It's "new". I'll see if I can get photos of it to post. It has some great laundry machines and so I'm doing laundry, the boys are running, Mike is watching the youngers and trying to call the girls and Josiah, and his father.

I discovered this a.m. that the little camera had deleted all our photos. I lost the photos from the first two days of the trip. I have no clue what it was doing. It froze. I left it to go ask Mike what to do and when we came back it said "no images". I was sick about losing the photos at 4 corners. The boys had taken a lap around the 4 states and I had a picture. Strangers had taken a family photo (unusual for us to all be in one)....there were some AWESOME rock formations yesterday and those are gone too. The gas photos are gone - but really - we started at $2.80 a gal and are progressing. LOL

*I* won the mortorcylce lotto today. That means I've won two days and Arielle one....but there are still many days to go. The pot for the overall winner is growing as everyone pitches things in to the bag...it now has a Barnes/Noble card, Coldstone card, Blockbuster card...and some pennies.

Quote for the day - either the one from Zander above...or this isn't really a quote but was notable. Jamin doing sprints at a truck stop to get a workout in.

We are finding that this is NOT camping but this is SUCH an ENJOYABLE way to travel. No bed bugs, we know each night what our accomodations will look like, we're all in ONE spot instead of divided between rooms....we like this. I really had my doubts about buying this thing...but this trip is proving it's worth. AND we are saving that $200 a night room thing..... ::snort:: Remember, we don't FIT in one room...we aren't extravagant...just legal. ::snort::

The first campground Moriarty, NM was amazing. It had NO water and that was a pain...but it had a gorgeous sunset....and llamas, goats, chickens, ducks....and farm fresh eggs for sale. The second ground was a KOA - not a really fancy one...but fun....and it had water!

Trailer hair - playing @ Green River - lots of BUGS!

The view we most often catch of Jamin.....doing windows....lots of bugs!
Typical sight today - gorgeous. Jared is our rock collector and this was a GOOD day for him...

Podunk, UT - wait - PAYSON - that's it - I think

A highlight of their day!Great Salt Lake - last time we were through here we swam - but the olders voted to wait a few years until the youngers would remember - and I guess they'll be gone. It wasn't a highlight adventure. ::snort::

Gas on the North side of the Salt Lake...

I have more fun photos of the day but the connection is wonky or something - it keeps dying on me. I'll publish this before I try more.

Day 2 - EARLY MORNING FUNNIES!

The day began bright and early at 5:15. Stacia woke and needed a bottle. She is sharing the "table" bed with Arielle. Arielle was in a bit of a daze and couldn't find the fridge. ::snort::

That woke Zander. He staggered out to the kitchen area and told me he was looking for a toilet. I directed him. Mike has replaced the trailer door knob with one that LOCKS. Zander locked it so that "no one will see me all the nekkid". ::snort:: The problem was that he panicked and couldn't unlock it. I tried to talk him through it, but this was a job for super daddy.

The plan is for all to wake up at 5:40 a.m. - which I think is now and for us to get another early start. We have about the same mileage to cover today but most of it will be interstate. I hope that means this will be an 8 or 9 hour day rather than another 13 hour travel day.

Happy Father's Day, Dad....will call.

Day 2 - Green River, UT

We made it. Today was a 13 hour day of driving. WOW. Yesterday was 11 hours and when we arrived at our campground they had had a water main break. We were too tired to drive any further.

We are loving all the family time to visit. Let's see....Quote for the day yesterday....Zander said: "Ummm....Jamin's asleeeeepp" in a sing song voice...."should I wake him UP!"

Today, we visited 4 corners - the spot where CO, AZ, UT and NM meet. We weren't on the interstate until the last 30 minutes of the day - which explains the much LONGER day of travel than expected. Not a lot to see but dirt and rocks today. LOL Really, we drove through some truly ugly land today. I tried to convince everyone that it was "majestic in it's stark details" but between you and I - it was plain ole ugly! ::snort:: I will say that once we got into Utah we did see some AMAZING rock structures. We had fun "seeing" things in them.

We are at a KOA tonight. Swimming pool and all.......Stacia had a huge meltdown that lasted well over and hour. She was overtired and DID spend 13 hours in her car seat today. Mike and the other kids went swimming and I settled her down.

Poor Mike is looking exhausted. This is a LONG trip. We still have 3 days of driving before we reach his parent's home in CA. I sure hope I can share photos by then. They live RIGHT in the Redwoods and it is gorgeous...soon.

We forgot the software from our cameras for uploading photos - so no photos yet. Mike says we'll figure it out - not sure how - but maybe. LOL I'm taking lots of photos.

WOW it is HOT in this part of the country.

We have a family contest to see who guesses the correct number of motorcyclists the most days on our trip. Arielle won yesterday. I won today. Everyone is contributing to a pot of winnings. We saw hundreds and hundreds last year but we took the northern route and it was Sturgis time frame.

Josiah - we miss you.