Plot Twist

Sometimes on journey's one takes detours.

We've learned on life's journeys there are often surprise detours - which we've come to call plot twists.  We are not in Japan, we ARE making the most of travel and family time.

This week we had a plot twist....Mom G's doc wanted to meet with family. We rearranged our Oregon/Texas travel plans and Michael and I made a quick detour to Crescent City. The kids stayed in Eugene and had a great time with their sisters.

We had a wonderful visit - and Mom G encouraged us to take a walk. We walked down to Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwood Park.

Can you make out the cable in the right/top of photo? 

Old Cable car across the river

 As we talked with each other and then with the doctor, we hit upon the idea  it would be beneficial to Mom G if we take a detour from our traveling plans and spend time here with her. We will help to take care of her home, help her complete multitudes of unfinished "projects,"  and hope to set in place in-home help for her for when it is time for us to travel again. We were able to secure a spot in the nearest RV park (3 miles) through the rest of this year to be used as needed.

Somehow, walking amongst these giant Redwoods helps to put life into perspective.  

Yes, we're a bit sad to curtail our exploration of new areas....but there are  a lot of great things about being in the area with Mom G.

• We get the time to record Mom G's stories
• We will have a summer and fall on the Smith River
• The Pacific Ocean is 10 miles away
• We love to volunteer
• Stacia has been saying for months she wanted to spend her birthday with Grandma G as she hasn't done that before. We had summer employment plans which have made this impossible. She will get to spend her birthday with Grandma Mary.
• We'll get to visit with Dave and Hope
• We'll have the opportunity to meet people in the community
• Walks in the Redwoods are always good
• There are a zillion of hikes we've wanted to take in the area - but we're always passing through

Yes, still playing the boo/yay game. ::snort:: 

Million Dollar Smile

Look at that girl smile! Bella is 2 weeks and 6 days old!  How quickly she's become a vital and charming part of the family.  She made her debut and BreZaak's church yesterday.

Aren't these darling morning smiles? Maybe Granna finally has an early rising partner.......

Sunday Transitions

Today is a moving day! We aren't moving far - from our RV park on the outskirts of Eugene to Krista's driveway.   We attended at 0830 church service and were able to make it home, pack up, and check out by 1100.

Arielle and Cory picked up some pizzas and we enjoyed a visit before Arielle headed to work and Cory to more finals prep. Cory  was selected to go on a mission trip with our denomination to Papua, New Guinea. A trip which falls during finals week.

Krista came home about the time Arielle had to leave.

Michael has sharpened his editorial skills this month....he's edited 4 graduate and 3 under-graduate papers while we've been here. It's amazing to watch both the girls juggle so much - and then we remember there was a day when we did the same. ::snort:: Glad that day is not now. In any event, Krista had some corrections to make to her  paper and then was able to chat a bit.

Michael and Krista left for Krista's soccer game. The kids and I played a game of Dominion, and finished laundry, while we waited for Mom, Dad and Lorri. Sunday night - it's  a tradition - almost our own personal Sabbath - we welcome the new week with something sweet...worship and ice cream. Michael began this tradition years and years ago - when Bre was little.

Eventually, we all gathered around the table.  Here is something we worked on...Krista made this for Christmas. She anticipated Isabella's birth. NOW it's time to add Larissa....we worked and worked to find a way to do that which wouldn't break Scrabble rules. Larissa, helpfully shared her nickname Riss with us....we may go with that off the "S" in Josiah.

Bocce, Basketball, and Bella

We headed across to Springfield so Stacia and Harmony could have some cousin time. Stacia loves any time she can steal way to spend with Harmony.  We had Yuuki with us and Yuuki seems to think it's wise  to antagonize their big dogs (Lab and Pit Bull)....so we opted to take our lunch to a local park. This park was directly down the street from the home we lived in from the time I was in 4th grade - 9th grade.

What? It's Bocce. See the green ball - it's mine. It's closest to the white ball. Score. LOL 

Mom and Dad joined us. Dad took my spot and I enjoyed a visit in the sun with Mom. 

School in the background is the one I went to for 5th/6th grade

Go, Dad!

 I spent countless hours in this tree, reading. This is also the park where Michael and I sat and talked on 31 Dec 1983 and he suggested we take a semester off from college and get married on 14 Feb 1984. Six week later, we did. LOL 

We didn't take any photos, but we snatched a bit more time with Cory. Basketball, visiting....he's on his way to Papua, New Guinea.

The busy day ended with a wonderful meal and visit with BreZaak and Bella. 

#WYFF - Duck Spring Game

We do all sorts of fun things all week long - and come #WYFF  we're inevitably doing laundry. Well.....I decided we did so much on Saturday that I'll just label this #WYFFS (Where's Your Feet Saturday). 

We met Krista at Valley River Center and took the shuttle over to Autzen stadium. We're big Duck fans and this was a special treat. We watched the spring game....a chance to see all the new players.

Alex, Nolan, Krista, Stacia, Michael 

Happy, happy, happy fans! 

There were quite a few tributes to the military...the only thing missing was a fly over by the Thunderbirds. ::snort:: In the photo below members of the UofO ROTC had marched out and unfurled a giant flag...while patriotic music played.

Since Oregon was playing Oregon - we left with 2 min left so we could be some of the first on the shuttles back to the malls. 

The weather was gorgeous - it was a perfect was to spend a Saturday morning. 

#WYFF (Where's Your Feet Friday) is sponsored by Fulltime Families. View more of our Friday exploits by clicking the #WYFF tab above. 

Will Work for Ice Cream

The boys have taken on mowing Dad's lawn while we are here. On Saturday they fixed the dryer and a pipe under the house. And so....today...Mom and Dad treated us all to Dickie Yo's to say thank you.....

Krista and Arielle invited us over for dinner - their school week is coming to an end. They treated us to a yummy potato bar (and I did take a photo of the kids in front of the oven but it was blurry. ::snort::).

This is how we found Arielle studying....no wonder it takes her so long to write papers. She said her professor suggested they read their papers aloud to themselves...her's put her to sleep. ::snort::

Unique study techniques - she DID get a 4.0 for the year

As the night ended, Krista brought out ice cream cones to thank us for mowing and weeding their yard. ::snort:: We've hit on a new plan....we have our home on wheels, our budget is working....we'll supplement by working for ice cream. LOL

Marathon Conversion Plant Tour

We like to google things to do, places to see and hikes to complete, when in a new area. I tried to get a tour in at the Euphoria Chocolate Company in town, but they responded they don't do tours and "no one in town" does tours. Hmm.....I take blanket statements as challenges. We found a few tours and then.....

This very cool Factory Tour's Site was shared in one of my forums or boards.....It lists tours for each state in America.  We found several Class A Motorhome plant tours in this area. ALWAYS CALL AHEAD when you hear of a tour or such online.....we found three of the four tours were no longer giving tours....but the Marathon Plant DOES.

Alex, Michael, Nolan, Stacia

I didn't have a clue who made or what a Marathon RV was....I was in for a treat. As we pulled up, I realized these were sure to be more money than the previous models we'd looked at. I told the kids to put on their "rich persona" and they did very well.....so well...in fact....that I was asked at the end of the tour if we were planning on buying one as I had taken so many pictures and the others had asked such good questions. ::wink::

Marathon buys the Prevost chassis from Quebec. They are driven down to Oregon and arrive looking like this. Marathon then customizes them. Not as in "customizes to factory specs" - though they will - but customizes for each customer.  Can you imagine? Each coach is decorated, and configured to the customer's desires. Be still my heart. They do it ALL here in plant....make fiberglass end caps, paint, furniture....all of it.

It was really fun to see the bare bones of building a coach....and the types of materials they use, the differences between a Marathon Conversion (bus) and a typical Class A Motorhome.

Birch cabinets

Upholstery Department

 Checking out the driver's seats

Jerry Jone's Custom Built Marathon 

As a side note, it was fun to hear stories of the various folks who fly in to town, meet with the design department and engineers and then fly out....all into this little town.  They remove the slides for easier access as they outfit the inside.

Storage bays galore....I could have a library bay. A funny story involved the Andrettis. Evidently, they ordered a bus with a trap door from above and put beds in a bay for a child or two.

4 1/2 miles of wires in each coach

We went inside two coaches....and were told they sell for 2.4 MILLION dollars.....At about this point a dream was birthed.....what if we just bought the chassis from Quebec and outfitted it ourselves - the ultimate DIY project.....how much would that cost? $700,000.00. Um still significantly more money than we plan to spend on a Motorhome. 

I see a kids bunk ROOM, and an office spot...seating for all five us in the living area....of course at 45 feet it would be hard to fit into most state parks. 

There were 11 of us in this coach and it WASN'T CROWDED.

See that ipad on the wall? All the systems are controlled by it - lights, shades, water, temp....

  1.5 bathrooms - though I don't think that fancy seat cover is to my liking. The 1/2 bath had a big TV on the wall - go figure. 

We're on a mission to find something I can drive - yes, I think I could do this easier than the trailer. 

All the plumbing - one of those buttons is amazing. You push it and the stinky slinky shoots out, push it again and it retracts. The man said "No one has to mess with the slinky." I let him know I don't have to mess with it in our cheapo trailer either. The difference between our aluminum frame and this stainless steel frame was phenomenal. 

This was a fun way to spend a morning. I would like to visit some a motorhome factory too - but the Fleetwood, Monaco and Winnebago weren't giving tours.