Summer Road Trip 2011

Well it's been 41 days since the kids started school, and I am finally getting to the point where I have the house organized once again and things are running smoothly. Okay, who am I kidding...I have been waiting for 41 days for a life of "normalcy" to return, and it hasn't. I have just traded one chaos for another. And my house isn't put together - but at least the laundry hasn't spilled over to too many rooms, and my dishes don't stink (for now). Hey, don't judge, I have had to lower my expectations...:)

I think we packed in just about as much as we could in a summer, starting with the move to Mountain Home and ending with the Air Show. The biggest trip we took this summer was our road trip. Three weeks after we moved, and two days after I got the last box of the house unpacked (didn't make it to the garage or get pictures hung, but the inside boxes were done - and that is an accomplishment in and of itself...I hate moving, sigh), we left on a 3 week-long road trip. And the first two weeks were just me and the kids. Yep, you read it right - me, driving, with FOUR KIDS, ages ranging from 11 years old to 17 months...by myself. Insane? Yes. Exhausting? Completely. Worth it? Absolutely - the kids were able to gain some fond memories, get to know their cousins better and learn that it's okay if your little sister's leg is barely touching your leg in the car. Would I do it again? Sure, just give me a year or two to recuperate.

I wish we had a picture of how tightly packed the car was. It only seats 5, so all the seats were filled with bodies. The row of seats in the back is small, and two of those seats were taken up by car seats. Then add the luggage, food, pillows, blankets, road trip toys, dvd player and baby stuff (including a portable crib, stroller, and portable high chair) - we are squished in there like sardines. Because of the close quarters - we experienced all types of smells, temper tantrums, screaming wars, kicking, bawling, sleeping, laughing, singing, yelling, whining and hair-pulling. I liked it when they chose to sleep the best :).

Here's where we went:

1. From Mountain Home to Saratoga Springs, UT - to stay the night at Tanya's (Trace's sister) house = 331 miles, 5 hours and 21 minutes drive time.

2. We stayed just one night, to rest up for the longest leg of the road trip, which was driving to Winslow, AZ = 540 miles, and it took us 10 hours to drive due to stupid construction and slow RV's on a two-lane highway. We did make a pit-stop to Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge - which was beautiful. And hot - that's one thing I don't miss about AZ. We stayed in Winslow and stayed at my parents' house for 10 days.

3. Moab, UT - to see my Grandpa Scharf was our next destination = 350 miles, 6 hours and 26 minutes drive time. On our way, we stopped at the Bluff Fort and walked around - the kids really appreciated getting out of the car - and my ears were grateful too. We made it outside of Moab in the evening and were able to stay two nights with Grandpa - out at his cabin at the base of the La Sal mountains.

4. We needed to head back toward Saratoga Springs, UT - where we would meet up with Trace so we could all go to Aspen Grove, for Trace's family reunion. We stayed at Aspen Grove for a week. 232 miles, 4 hours 15 min drive time.

5. Following a night stay again at Tanya's house in Saratoga Springs, we made our way back up to Mountain Home, ID = 331 miles, 5 hours and 21 min drive time.

Total: 1700 miles and over 35 hours spent in the car. Not bad - meaning we are all still alive to talk about it :)

My head is already spinning on what we want to do on our next road trip. The kids will be older, and I won't be as scared. On this road trip, I only stopped at a few places along the way because a.) I wanted to get where we needed to go and b.) I only have two arms and that's not enough to keep the two little ones corralled as well as keeping Trent from doing something crazy. Next time, we might even have Trace with us the whole time - it just kind of depends on what his work schedule looks like. But I really want to take the kids to Yellowstone, and Glacier National park, maybe visit Uncle Aaron, hit Colorado to see long lost friends and Aunt Christie. And then we have to go to AZ again, that is a must. Maybe see the Canyon. Trace and I have always wanted to hike Havasupai. There are so many options...I can't wait. Well, I can - but when we do go - it will be fun. Please just keep reminding me of that fun when I am driving - white-knuckling the steering wheel as I try to not go all psycho because I have had to tell my kids to stop for the hundred-gazillionth time... :)

There are quite a few posts below this one, detailing our adventures from the road trip and summer fun. Most of them are pictures - they say more than I ever could. Enjoy!