The Journey East: Part 1

Hard to believe it's been a month since we started our crazy road trip to Alabama.  And I'm just now sitting down to try to document the trip.  I'm sure I'll have forgotten many details, which is a total bummer.  But life continues marching, and I haven't had the time.  And even now, I'm going to do this in installments. 

Also, my dad probably doesn't look at my blog much anymore, now that he sees us in real time.  So my readership has probably dwindled to zero anyway.  Blogs don't have the popularity they once had, and yet I still enjoy updating mine.  When I get around to it ;).

So we left Bremerton, WA on Saturday, April 2.  We had spent the previous two nights at Jeremy's parents' house, since we had to vacate the apartment by March 31 or pay for the full month of April.  Jeremy left early early on the 2nd as well.  He was picking up his brother and the moving van full of stuff (which had been parked at his brother's house all week) and they were getting on the road.  I was taking it a little slower, because I had a 9 month old and a 2 1/2 year old.  They don't make moving fast very easy.  So we got packed up, picked up my mom, dropped off my library book (which I had just finished that morning -- it was a great book I wanted to finish before leaving!) and got on the road. 

And we drove.  We took I-90 over the Snoqualmie Pass (which had some snow on the ground in places, but nowhere convenient to stop for the kids to play in it).  It was pretty, though.  I'd never driven over the pass when there was snow on the ground (not on the road, just on the sides).  We stopped after about 3 hours of driving.  Took a couple pictures that didn't turn out that great.  But hey, that's okay.

 This was at the first rest stop, somewhere in Washington.  And that may be the worst selfie ever.  I guess I needed a selfie-stick.  But Corbin's face just cracks me up.

 Our second stop was somewhere in Oregon.  This grass was crazy tall.  The kids were just so happy to be out of the car.  Lynnaea climbed a tree and Corbin tried to conquer the grass.

 We made it to Baker City, OR that first night, which was our goal.  I went and grabbed Subway for dinner and brought it back to the hotel.  No need putting the kids in the car again.  They were soooo happy to be out and free.  Meanwhile, Jeremy had made it to somewhere in Montana by that first day.  And they kept driving.  We, however, felt it needful to stop every night.  and believe me, with two kids...  It was needful.

Day 2 took us all the way to Provo, UT, where we got to see Brad and his family.  That was probably the hardest day of driving for me.  My mom drove in the mornings, and I drove in the afternoons.  For whatever reason (partially the lack of sleep the night before), I was really struggling the last hour of the trip.  Yuck.  But we made it.  I envied the kids ability to sleep in the car ;). 

We stayed with Brad Sunday night and most of Monday.  We took the kids to the park, played a game, watched part of The Hallelujah Trail and slept like rocks.  All of us did. 

 This was on Monday, on the way to the park.  And then Corbin doing what Corbin does best:  putting stuff in his mouth.  Love this picture of him though.

 Lynnaea loved the park and playing with her cousin Vivienne.

 On the way back to Brad's, they held hands a lot.  It was cute.

 The weather was nice in Utah while we were there.  Snow on the mountains and a beautiful view.  But Utah living is not for me.

 Me, Brad, and Corbin.  Brad's been through quite a lot this past year.  If you aren't sure of what all went on, feel free to ask.  I love him lots.  Also, I'm not pregnant in that picture.  I just look like it.  Boo.

 We managed to make it into Colorado on Day 3.  This was a cool view.  But overall, it was dry and grey and blah.

 I'm pretty sure this was in Colorado -- or right before the Colorado border.  Crescent Junction rest area (I think).  It was a pretty cool view.  We spent a while at this rest area to let the kids stretch their legs. 

Then we continued the haul into Colorado and into Glenwood Springs, where we stopped for the night.  That was our latest night driving, but since we'd left Brad's much later than originally planned, I wanted to make up for the time.  The hotel owners were really kind and hospitable.  Though it wasn't the ritziest hotel we stayed in during our journey East, it was clean and the fact that the people were so kind and helpful made all the difference.