day 29 = home

we figured the grand finale should include sisters.  and cousins.  we got to stay the night in portland, which the kids had been looking forward to for days.  "augie-manny's house!!!" allie would scream (she still hasn't figured out that they're two different people...or maybe she just thinks that both of their names are augie-manny).

my kids also LOVE auntie missa/untle paw cuddles.

it was so nice to be in the pacific northwest again.  the damp air, the ginormous trees and the mountains...oh, the mountains.  we have experienced a lot of natural beauty on this trip, but nothing beats home.

we got to see my crazy cute and prego sister leslie and her husband josh for an hour too.

one of the things i've learned from our time on the road is that i am NOT a landscape photographer.  or at least not a very good one.  i have so much to learn.  every time i saw something incredibly beautiful and tried to capture it, i failed.  all i could think about was how much fun it would be to photograph a person in front of it.  any models want to come along on our next road trip?

i have also been reminded how much i LOVE my family.  my kids were amazing.  so much fun.  and my husband is the best.  ever.

and as much fun as it is to be gone, it's so nice to be warmly welcomed back again.

a few stats from our trip:

5 walmart parking lots

12 states

5 provinces

3 pacifiers lost

10 boxes mac and cheese

1 bloody lip

10 medications/natural remedies tried

2 murderous thoughts toward a snowplower (well, it was one murderous thought from each cliff and i toward the same man)

11,000 kilometres traveled

4 great lakes seen (sorry erie...can we count the great salt lake?)

2 flipped semis and 1 semi-load of potato salad spilled all over the interstate

6 hot dogs consumed by a single person in one sitting (that was not me.  or the children)

3 ontarios driven through (the province and the towns in new york and idaho)

2 ridiculous church signs ("worry is like a rocking chair.  it keeps you busy, but gets you nowhere" and my personal favorite "the only ghost in here is holy".  seriously people, who thinks these things up?  and then who has the time to sit on their computer and look them up on-line?  and then actually have the audacity to use them?  bored senior pastors, that's who.)

INNUMERABLE incredible sights and friends visited.  thank you to everyone who hosted us, filled our bellies, played with our kids, made us coffee, prayed for us and opened your doors to these weary travellers.  it was so rich.  

now back to work - i have so much catching up to do!!