Tag: Abby

First Day of Dance!

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Today was the first day at dance! But for one little girl it wasn’t just the first day back, it was her first day ever! Yup, Ellie took her first dance class today and she loved it.  She did dance a bit but spent time just watching her teachers and the other dancers but that is very much Ellie. She watches and takes everything in when she can. Before we knew it she was off and dancing, trying to do everything she saw. Only time will tell if this is something she continues with.

Abby was very excited and took to it fast, but she already had some experience behind her. Its amazing the difference a year makes and what being in preschool can do. Abby was even more focused, more confident and eager to get right into class and dance. She even knows how to skip already! I was so proud of my little ballerinas today. So glad to be back at dance this year!

Pumpkin Patch 2012

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Today was our big trip to the pumpkin patch! Abby and Ellie were so excited that it really was hard to contain their energy. It took us a while to even get out of the door and on our way because they were so excited and easily distracted. 
The day was beautiful, just warm enough with the perfect cool breeze. The girls rode around in one of the red wagons which, with mommy and daddy pulling, was a ride of its own. Their one special treat while we were there was to ride the ponies. Both girls were thrilled to be doing it, but it was Ellie who loved it so much that she didn’t want to get off. Luckily we were able to do so without causing a scene.
Before heading to pick out pumpkins, we fed lots and lots of animals. Goats, sheep, mules, horses, ducks, pigs, alpacas and more. We even got to feed turkeys! Although morbid me couldn’t help but wonder which turkey was going to end up as Thanksgiving dinner. (Sorry I cant help it, Thanksgiving isn’t that far away!).

After our visit with the farm animals and a little shopping at the country store, it was time to pick the perfect pumpkin. Both Abby and Ellie chose their pumpkins pretty quickly but I think we still spent about 45 minutes out in the field watching the girls play among the massive amounts of pumpkins. Abby even stopped to build a birds nest in the hay. Ellie was singing songs and from what I could hear, I think she was pretending to be a princess and each pumpkin was a castle. While I couldn’t tell exactly what was happening it was still cute to watch.
As the sun started to get low in the sky and the day cooled a bit we decided it was time to go home. Abby and Ellie had a wonderful time at the pumpkin patch and before we could even get them buckled in to their seats they were asking if we could come back tomorrow. That’s definitely a good sign that fun was had by all. While I miss the infant years with each of them I am really loving watching them grow and understand more. The excitement that comes with going to the pumpkin patch and how Abby really is starting to understand the fun and joy of this time of year and pass that excitement along to her sister, is such a joy to see. I miss having babies but I am loving what lies ahead. Yup, it was another wonderful memory that I will cherish.

A Big Brave Birthday Party!

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Now that Abby has turned four, its time to celebrate! This year Abby chose Brave as a party theme, although I will note that it was between Star Wars and Brave. Brave beat out Star Wars but only by a slim margin. Abby started to waiver on the theme but at that point the invitations were out and the decorations had been purchased. As you can see below, she was pretty happy with her choice.
Her day was pretty simple but so much fun. Her best friends Harrison and Emily were there to celebrate and play, while the adults remained content talking with one another and watching the kids. Everyone ate yummy food, listened to music and just enjoyed the time we had with one another. It was so nice to catch up with everyone.

When it came time to cut the cake, we were able to connect with Grandpa Jerry, Grandma Denise and Auntie Jillian through Skype. One of the wonderful things about technology is being able to connect and be part of special moments even if you are hundreds of miles away. They were able to watch Abby blow the candles, cut the cake and then watch her open presents. The day had been great and having my parents and sister there, even if through Skype, topped it all off. Abby opened and loved all of her presents too. We even had to stop and take a break because she was so distracted by each thing she opened. What a very blessed little girl Abby is. What a wonderful day and a great birthday party!

Happy 4th Birthday Abby!

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Happy 4th Birthday Abby!
Wow, where have 4 years gone? Time moves too quickly. Only four years ago we were sitting in the hospital, holding you for the very first time, in complete amazement that we were now parents. Now, we sit in amazement as we see just how much you have grown up in four years, just how much you have grown in one year.
Three was yet another wonderful age. You started learning and talking even more then before. We watched as your confidence grew and you made some new friends at dance class. By June we were watching you perform on stage for the very first time in your first dance recital. Mommy and Daddy couldn’t have been more proud of you. You seemed shy but confident all at once and did your dances so well. Over the year you learned your ABC’s not just reciting them but identifying each letter. You became more interested in books, games and art and you always have a question to ask us.
By September you were starting preschool. Starting preschool was a big step, one that you were ready for and one that I am not sure we were ready for. What a big step and a great way to kick off being four years old!
Abby we love you so much. Happy 4th Birthday little monkey! We cannot wait to see what being four is all about!

Abby’s First Day of Preschool…

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Today was Abby’s first day of Preschool. Yup that’s right, our little girls is going to be in preschool! Pre-K for that matter. This time next year she will be starting Kindergarten! OK, I am getting ahead of myself there. Seriously though, today was her first day of Pre-K and I have to admit I was a bit nervous and emotional. Abby, on the other hand, was beyond excited. She hopped right out of bed, ran in to go potty and brush her teeth, then got dressed and was ready to go. Once we were all ready to go we took Ellie over to Nana’s house and then headed off to school.

When we arrived Abby could barely contain herself. Once she was out of the car she was headed up the sidewalk, saying to hello to all of the kids who passed by going to their classrooms. We even had a hard time getting a picture of her on her first day because she was too distracted by all of the children arriving for school. She was so excited that and of course that made both Shaun and I smile. We were so happy to see her excited to learn and make new friends.

When we arrived at her classroom, Room 2 to be exact, we quickly found her name tag and took one last picture in front of the welcome board. We walked Abby inside and before we could give her a kiss and a hug goodbye and tell her we would be back in a few hours and to have a great day, she was off to the rug where circle time was beginning. She sat down, talking to the children next to her and saying hello to one of her two teachers, Miss Betsie. And like that she was off to learn.

There were no tears or sad goodbyes, no “mommy and daddy please don’t go”, and no reassurance needed from the two people who have been her teachers to this point. I would be lying if I said that didn’t bother me just a bit. While most parents like to avoid the separation anxiety meltdown with their children, a part of you hopes there might be a few tears and a need for you to be there. But I should have known better. Abby is independent and pretty fearless. She loves to jump right in, especially when there are other children around. We had also discussed school with her and all of the fun things she might do and learn and her tour of the preschool before we enrolled showed her just how fun of a place this can be. She was ready to go and excited for the unknown ahead of her.

Really my reaction was selfish and I realized it the minute I started to think it. Instead I shed a few tears of joy and maybe just a few over the fact that our little girl was growing up. I was so proud to see her excited and ready to try new things. As a parent I can only hope that this excitement and curiosity continues throughout her life.

After we left, I counted down the time until I needed to go and pick her up. I busied myself with a few errands and chores around the house. Then finally it was time to head back to school and pick her up. I was there at the gate waiting. When we were let in and allowed to go to the room I found our girl sitting quietly in circle time listening intently to her teachers. When she saw me, her face lit up and once she was excused to leave she ran right to me, gave me a hug and then began to show me all of the items in her cubbie that we needed to take home. She had some newsletters and papers for me to read and then a picture of a “roller coaster” made with markers, crayons and colored tape. It was beautiful.

Abby then started telling me about her day, about the book they read with the raccoon family who were also starting their first day of school, they got to draw and color and to top it all off they got to paint (something she had wanted to do). She also played out in the yard with a few new friends, pretending to be pirates searching for treasure. She did find treasure, a coin and a dinosaur egg, hidden in the sand. From what I could tell it was the best first day ever.

As a treat I took Abby out to lunch, a place of her choosing, so we headed to Subway. Over sandwiches we continued to talk about her first day and what she hoped to do the next time she went to school. I watched her talk with such excitement and personality and it really began to sink on then how much she was growing. Wow… time flies. At that moment I did what I could to savor the moment and make it last for as long as possible. After all, this only happens once.

Birthday Party Weekend!

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Abby has two good friends in this world, both of whom she loves and adores. There is Emily, who Abby calls “her Emily” and then there is “her boyfriend” Harrison. We dont always get the chance to see them but when we do its a blast. Emily and Harrison were born within 2 weeks of one another, which means Abby has two birthdays to look forward to in the month of August. This year they fell on the same weekend! We were busy but we certainly had a blast.

On Saturday, Emily had a Lalaloopsy Party.. She was adorable and her party was a lot of fun. The girls enjoyed cookie decorating, temporary tattoos, and just running around and playing. Ellie loved the little bottles of bubbles that were given out to play with and Abby was thrilled to sit and play with Emily’s dollhouse a bit. I think the girls had a great time. Happy 4th Birthday Emily!

Ellie was having a blast with her bubbles and was actually blowing them on her own!

Abby and her beautifully decorated cookie.

About to sing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl. What a bunch of hams!

Happy Birthday Emily! You are adorable!

On Sunday we headed over to De Anza Park in Calabasas for Harrison’s 4th Birthday party. This year he had a superhero themed party and it was pretty awesome. The girls came home with their own capes and masks to play with and they love them. There was a bouncy castle to jump in and the park also has a water feature that the kids can play in. Super Abby and Ellie Girl (aka The Jaybird) had a blast running around and playing at the park. Abby practiced her superhero moves and had the chance to meet a new friend or two (although I will add that they were all boys). It was definitely a “super” kind of day! Happy 4th Birthday Harrison!

Super Ellie with Clark Kent curl to boot!

Super Abby!
Happy Birthday Harrison! Love your cake, made my hand by your amazing  mommy! 

Super Abby and Ellie Girl (AKA The Jaybird)

Super Hero friends… Love this picture.

A Quick Trip to Washington… Seattle to Home

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We woke up the next morning a little sad that it was time to hit the road and head home. But before we did that, we went to a few more of our favorite places. We drove out to Woodinville to see the cleanest and my most favorite Target ever, drove through Kenmore and Kirkland and then headed to Denny Park. When we lived here we took Jack to Denny Park often to enjoy open spaces and Lake Washington. This was another spot we wanted to share with Abby as well as give her a chance to play outside before spending time in the car again. She had a wonderful time throwing rocks into the water and watching the people and the animals nearby. The same family that lived on the lake was out playing with their adorable lab, a woman was out swimming, a man out paddle boarding and ducks were landing right in front of us. It was pretty special.

Our last hurrah for our time in Seattle was another ferry ride, this time from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island. Once again Abby was super excited to ride the ferry and she loved seeing the Space Needle in the distance. To top it all off, on this ride we allowed Abby to pick a treat from the ferry cafe. She chose some pretty yummy gummy bears. Pretty soon the ferry ride came to an end and we were on our way to Tacoma. We said goodbye to Seattle and began the trip home.

The remainder of the trip came and went without a hitch. We drove from Seattle to Redding and while the day was long we had a pretty easy trip. We almost found ourselves in another freeway parking lot situation but managed to get off of the freeway and take surface streets around the problem. Dodged a big bullet there. We woke up the next morning to a very smoky sky due to the fires in the mountains east of Redding. Lucky for us, we were out of the area soon and on our way home. I hated to end our trip but once we were on this leg of the trip I was ready to get home. We were home by 7pm with plenty of time to pick up Ellie. Boy was it wonderful to see her, pick her up and give her lots of hugs and kisses. We had a great time but its good to be home again as a family!

A Quick Trip to Washington… Spokane to Seattle

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The time spent with my parents came and went in the blink of an eye.Then again we only had a day and a half with them. We had breakfast at the hotel together and then after packing up the car we said our goodbyes. I hated to leave but I know we will be seeing them soon. 
Our trip from Spokane to Seattle was fairly uneventful. We ran into construction and weekend traffic over Snoqualmie Pass which set us back about an hour but after the stop on the way up to Spokane, this was nothing. When we reached Seattle, we quickly checked in to the hotel, unloaded the car and went out to see the things we wanted to see.
First, we headed to Bothell and up Norway Hill, stopping to see our old house. I miss that house a lot but I am glad to see that people who bought it from us are taking care of it. The main road up Norway Hill passes by the backyard of the old house. When we lived there it was not fenced in and some of it was visible from the roadway. When we moved we left Jack’s big dog house in the backyard, not wanting to lug that thing around and try to store it. As we drove up Norway Hill and past the house, we saw that the dog house was still there. Made me smile but it also made my heart ache a bit.  
Our old house in Bothell. Its nice to see that the new owners have taken great care of it.

After visiting our old neighborhood, we drove through Bothell’s downtown area and drove through a few of our usual spots. A lot has changed in the four years since we left but a lot has also stayed the same. From there we headed to Edmunds for what would be Abby’s very first ferry ride!

Abby’s first ferry ride was a huge success. She couldn’t believe that you can drive a car onto a boat. Once we were loaded on and parked, we took her upstairs to the main passenger deck. She was able to see Edmunds as we left and enjoy the view of the Puget Sound and the Olympics. We also hit it at the right time, just as the sun was starting to set over the sound. It was breathtaking. For Abby, there was nothing like being on a ferry. In fact, she was a tad upset with us when it was time to go back to the car and disembark.
Once we landed at Kingston, we realized that we would not be taking the ferry back to the other side. The line of weekend traffic waiting to get on the ferry was extremely long. So we decided to enjoy the drive and get back to Seattle via Tacoma and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Once we were back on the East side of the Puget Sound, we headed to Kent (our first residence before we bought the home in Bothell), grabbed a bite to eat and then drove around Downtown Seattle for a bit. By this point it was pretty late and there wasn’t much open, but it was great to see some of Seattle’s notable spots. I have to say, as we drove back to the hotel that night I couldn’t help but think about how much I miss this place.

A Quick Trip to Washington… A Day with Grandma and Grandpa

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Our one full day with my parents was pretty tame and very relaxing. We had breakfast at the hotel and then took off for a little more exploring. Most of the day was spent at Manito Park. The day before Abby had seen the entrance to Duncan Gardens which looked like a scene from Alice in Wonderland. So Grandma and Grandpa took her over to the “Alice Garden” to explore. After hours of exploring and lunch at the park, Abby headed to the play ground for a bit more play time. There she made another friend, this time a little boy. The two of them played until it was time to leave. From here we all took a bit of a drive together while Abby napped in the car. 

As the day started to wind down we headed back to the hotel. Abby played hard and desperately needed a bath, so we cleaned her up and then headed to dinner. For our last night together we headed to the Spaghetti Factory, a Taylor family favorite since I was a very young kid. We haven’t been there in quite some time, so it was a yummy treat!

Unwilling to throw in the towel, we went back to the hotel for just a bit and then hopped back into the car, ready for another adventure. We made our way out of Spokane and away from the city lights to watch the Perseid meteor shower. Driving out to complete darkness would have been too much and too far with Abby in the car but the spot we found was perfect. We saw hundreds of “shooting stars”, more then I think I have ever seen. Both my dad and Shaun tried to capture pictures of the meteors but to no avail. Still, we saw a lot with our own eyes and enjoyed some special time together. Abby even pointed out a few to us!

But soon, Abby was bored, the temperature was dropping and it was getting late. We finally threw in the towel, headed back to our rooms and settled in for the night. Our day wasn’t overly busy but the time spent together was so nice. Abby really enjoyed some one on one time with Grandpa and Grandma and she had the chance to see a lot. Its a quick trip but one we were enjoying a lot.

A Quick Trio to Washington… Finally in Spokane and Ready to Enjoy the Day!

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After some much deserved rest, we emerged from our hotel room around 11:30am refreshed and ready to start the day. We needed to eat so we headed to Frank’s Diner where breakfast is served all day and you get to eat in an old rail car right by the train tracks. Abby loved it and didn’t stop asking about the trains the entire time we sat there. Breakfast was also amazing too.

After grabbing a bite to eat, we decided to hop into the car and do some exploring before my parents arrived. We drove all over Spokane and some of the surrounding cities. We showed Abby the houses that Grandma Zoe lived in before she moved back to California. We drove through Manito Park and stopped to watch the ducks and the geese. It was a hot day, well over 90 so most of the birds stayed out of the water and sat in the shade, but a few of the geese were wandering around showing everyone who was boss.

Once the sun started to set and it cooled down a bit, we took Abby back to Manito Park so that she could stretch her legs and run off all of the time spent in the car. Abby certainly ran and she also made a friend at the park. She was a bit older then Abby but they still had a blast running, jumping and climbing together. Before we knew it, Grandma and Grandpa were calling to tell us that they had arrived and were at the hotel so we finished up our time at the park and headed back.

The rest of the evening was pretty quiet. We had dinner at Red Robin that night, which I know Abby approved of. Once our bellies were full, it was time to head back to the hotel and get some rest. It may have felt like a short, whirlwind of a day but we had a wonderful time. Now we had a full day with my parents ahead of us.

A Quick Trip to Washington… The First 31 Hours!

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The first 31 hours of our trip… yes, that number is very specific and important so keep on reading!

The day we left, Shaun still went into work to get some things done before our trip. I made any changes that I needed to make now that I knew some of our plans and I also dropped Ellie off at Grandpa and Nana’s. When Shaun came home, we finished up any of the last minute details and hit the road. It was a bit later then we had expected but still, we were on the road.

After stopping for gas and something to drink we were traveling on I-5 at 70 mph and glad to be on our way. Our destination for the night was Redding, California which is about eight hours away from our home. We hit the road at about 6:30pm which meant we would arrive in Redding around 2am. Not bad for us and that still gave us plenty of time to sleep and then drive to Spokane the next day.

We made good time, stopping for a bite to eat in Castaic and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over Grapevine. In the middle of nowhere (Harris Ranch area of California’s Central Valley) we stopped for gas and Shaun and I switched for a bit. The plan was to have me drive until we reached Sacramento and then we would switch again.

Sunset Over Grapevine

I was driving along, listening to my iPod while Shaun slept and Abby watched a movie on our portable DVD player when traffic suddenly came to a halt. We were between Patterson and Modesto, so I thought that maybe we were hitting a slow down as we came into civilization again but alas that was not the case. Traffic came to a dead stop and from that point did not move. Five minutes went by, nothing. Ten minutes, still no movement. The moment the fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars came flying past us on the left shoulder was the point at which I knew this wasn’t good. People began to get out of their cars. I-5 Northbound was now a parking lot. Whatever was going on wasn’t that far from us. Cell service was spotty. We were stuck with a hill to our left, steep enough that you could only walk up it and to our right was the California Aqueduct. We were stuck with no hope of CHP even making an effort to turn us around. When I finally had decent cell service I was able to look up the CHP road incident website and found out that a big rig had overturned and was now blocking all lanes.

We knew we were in for a wait. An hour passed, then two, then three. This whole time Abby sat quietly in the car watching movies, eating snacks and singing songs with us. We were lucky to have just stopped for gas before running into this mess, which allowed us to keep the car running, the AC going (at 1am it was still 85 degrees out) and the DVD player on so that Abby could occupy her time. Abby was an amazing little trooper. I think she thought it was fun and more of a game. Shaun and I tried to look at it that way but it was hard. As the clocked ticked over to about 3am, I couldnt help but think that we should have been asleep in our beds in Redding. I also couldnt stop thinking about a bathroom. Finally I became desperate. Let’s just say I was glad that Shaun bought a large drink, but I will never look at a Taco Bell cup the same way again.

At about 3:45am, we started moving again. Shaun and I couldn’t help but giggle as we moved slowly and could see all of the “puddles” from the other cars in front of us. The big rig that over turned had been carrying tomatoes.  CHP and the other crews had done a good job cleaning up but you could see the tomato carnage  off to the side. From there we attempted to march on but eventually had to stop in Woodland, California just North of Sacramento. There was no way we would make it to Redding by a decent time and wouldn’t even attempt the drive to Spokane without any sleep. So we stopped and tried to get as much sleep as we could.

After about 4 or 5 hours of sleep we were back up and on the road. I actually didn’t feel as bad as I thought I would but then again, we were just starting a 12 hour trip to Spokane. Ask me how I am feeling halfway through the trip and the outlook might change. Coffee, soda and a few naps along the way can fix anything.

The trip from Woodland, California to Bend, Oregon was pretty uneventful. The day was hot but pretty. There were several fires burning in California so the skies were a bit hazy through Redding but it wasn’t horrible. Abby enjoyed seeing Mt. Shasta and all of the lakes and trees along the way. She also crossed over into Oregon for the very first time. Because of the highway we were on, Shaun and I had the chance to stop and take a picture of this very occasion in front of the Oregon sign. It was a great photo op as well as chance to stretch our legs a bit.

Refreshed and ready to hit the road again. Abby is a real road warrior!!

“Please, no pictures.” I have a picture like this of Shaun on just about every trip we have been on together. It’s fun to harass him while he is driving.

Mt. Shasta on a beautiful, cloudless and blue sky kind of day!

Abby is about to cross into Oregon for the very first time!

All of this traveling can really tucker a girl out!

Once we hit the cutoff to Crater Lake, the road to Bend and the Columbia River was new territory for all of us. The road was tree lined and very pretty. It was my kind of place and even though the trees were not Lodge pole pines, they were still pine trees. We stopped in Bend for a bathroom break and some food and then continued on our way.

About half an hour in we received a phone call from our friend who was taking care of Jack. There were problems so for about thirty minutes we were occupied trying to resolve them. Once things were taken care of, we settled in and enjoyed the view. Mt. Hood was getting closer to us and the forest around us was becoming more dense. The sun was setting and our scenery was beautiful. So beautiful that I couldn’t remember if this road took us close to Mt. Hood or not.

Pretty soon I became suspicious of our location and then I noticed the signs stopped telling us the mileage to The Dalles and only mentioned Portland. I hopped on to my GPS and sure enough, WE WERE HEADING TO PORTLAND! Having to drive to Portland, which meant heading West instead of East, would have added over 75 miles to our trip and we would have lost another hour or so. I just wanted to get to Spokane and get to bed! I was starting to feel like this trip was cursed! But my GPS saved the day and we got lucky, very lucky. We were only a mile from the one and only cutoff that would lead us back in the right direction and only a few miles off course. It would drop us in the town of Hood River and less then 20 miles off our original destination of the Dalles.

From that point on, things ran smoothly. We checked in about Jack oce we had cell service again, gassed up and just drove. Abby, during all of this, was amazing. She watched movies, read books, napped, listened to the radio with us, colored and stayed pretty happy. We arrived in Spokane at about 2:30am ready to pass out. Abby was excited to have her own bed (a rather cozy roll away) and loved that we were staying in a hotel with a lion (the Red Lion). After a full day of travel on only 4 or 5 hours of sleep, Shaun and I slept well. My parents wouldn’t be in to Spokane until about 6pm the next day so we slept in. We slept in and enjoyed every wonderful moment of it in our very comfortable beds.

A Quick Trip to Washington… The Big Surprise!

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When I say a quick trip to Washington, I mean quick! There and back again in 5 days but it was a blast. The destinations were a surprise to me. All Shaun would tell me is that we were hitting the road to get away for a bit. I didn’t find out until the day we left as to where we were going and the only reason he told me was because I needed to plan accordingly. Our itinerary was as follows:

  • Wednesday August 8th: Home to Redding, California
  • Thursday August 9th: Redding, California to Spokane, Washington
  • Friday August 10th and Saturday August 11th: Spokane, Washington
  • Sunday August 12th: Spokane, Washington to Seattle, Washington
  • Monday August 13th: Seattle, Washington to Redding, California
  • Tuesday August 14th: Redding California to Home
OK, I know that sounds nuts but the Wharton Family loves their road trips! I also know some of you might be asking why Spokane and not just Seattle for the whole trip because of our previous time spent living there. Well, Shaun also surprised me with MY PARENTS! They can easily make the drive from Bozeman to Spokane and spend a short weekend with us. Adding the 4 hours to Seattle would have made it a bit too difficult to do in three days. So, we met in Spokane and enjoyed the time we had with one another.
As a last minute decision, Shaun also decided to leave Ellie here at home and Abby came with us. Ellie is still little enough that the long hours in the car are difficult. Abby is our little road warrior and can handle the trip with grace now that she is a bit older. Dont worry we didn’t leave Ellie alone! She actually spent the time with Grandpa, Nana and Aunt Brittany. This was their first chance to watch one of the girls for more then just the weekend and I have a feeling they enjoyed it. We certainly missed Ellie and it didn’t quite feel like a vacation without her there but after all the experiences we had, it was good that she wasn’t. 
What experiences you ask? Well stay tuned for pictures and stories from our crazy trip!