Monthly Archives: December 2015

We stayed only a few hours from our final destination, not because that wS the plan but because there were no motels. Those things are few and far between around here.  This area is just way less population dense than I ever thought.  There are a lot of small towns but very few large enough for a hotel.  We didn’t know what weather we would run into so we stopped and bought some of the bare necessities for cold weather.  I was in need of s few long sleeve shirts.  I got a pack of three sets of gloves for the kids and a few $.97 hats and a yard of fleece that we could cut for scarves for a pretty good price at Walmart. As well as a few light weight pullovers for Chad and an extra pack of underwear for Eve.  A few poinsettias for hostess gifts as well as lunch.  We arived in Chelsea Maine around 2:00pm it was rainy, no snow and mud was everywhere.  The kids soon came home from school.  The kids had their holiday school program so they got dressed and ready for that and we all piled in and headed to the school.  I left my phone at the house so we have no pictures put the kids did well and it was fun to watch them sing their songs.  After the program we all went out to Denny’s for a late dinner. 

Virgina has been surprisingly warm.  60-70 degrees during the day is crazy warm.  A big change from the freezing rain of the week before.  I was just getting home from my last of three night shifts.  I submitted my time card, and packed my bag.  Chad packed the car and made sure the rest of our must do list was covered.  We forgot a few things like taking the trash out that we hope will not haunt us later when we get back.  We most have made only an hour total of stops all day as that is all our ETS changed of the course of our long day of driving and we made it all the way to Dover Maine. 

Four shifts on with a flight leaving to San Diego then flying back into DC to work the next three shifts I am so ready to hold them and just be with them instead if ships passing in the night.  

   

Caleb and Hannah were in our church Christmas program on Sunday Hannah had a speaking part which was the closing prayer. Caleb stood toward the back and sang, and Eve who was supposed to be part of the program decided that she did not want to go on stage and sing so instead she sat on her teacher’s lap and ate a candy cane.  

    
    

 I am routinely amazed at how the kids jump in on any church play or program.  Last year it was playing the bells.  I don’t know how it has happened but they don’t even have a lick of shyness even when they are speaking I front of a large crowd of grownup strangers.  Gotta love them.

Leaving San Diego this morning, this has come way quicker than it was supposed to. It means back to real life, it means going on with out Grandma, it means grieving by ourselves on the other side of the country. I could hear some of the hustle and bustle as Grandpa and mom quickly got ready to head to Samantha’s college graduation.  She had only a few tickets and so mom was going as a stand in for grandma who had fully planned on being there only two weeks before.  It was early early so I stayed tucked into bed.  I had already said my good bye to Grandpa the night before and that it would be easier for both of us if we didn’t have to say our goodbyes again.  After they left I must have drifted back to sleep.  Each night here in California has included a near midnight or after bedtime and an 0700 singing wake up call from grandpa so I was feeling a little tired.  I’d like to say that sharing a twin bed with my mother had something to do with the tiredness I was feeling but, some how we managed to sleep comfortably with out bumping into eachother much.  

All of the sudden I was startled awake by the doorbell, knowing grandpa and mom were already gone and unsure if Irma was in the shower or what I jumped up out of bed to go answer it.  Irma however was already up and in the kitchen and had answered the door.  It was my Aunt Susan who was quite pleased with my disheveled-not quite with it look.  They made fun of me a bit and I decided it wasn’t going to be worth it to try to sneak a few more zzzzz.  I headed to back to the room and before I had grabbed my clothes to head to the shower they were stripping my bed and getting the sheets in the washer.  I showered then jumped in on the to do list to get the house ready for grandpa with out him having to spend a day cleaning up after the house full of guests that had been staying there all week. We ran a few errands then headed to the airport.  The first leg wasn’t bad, I was just feeling a bit nauseated.  I was a little nervous about the flight change in Denver because the lay over was short and the airport can be hairy if the terminals were not close together….few they were only a few gates apart which gave me time to go to the bathroom before jumping inline to board the next plane.  I snapped a picture of the plane and snow and answered a facetime call from Cyrus who talked to me all the way onto the plane.  I wanted to sleep my way to DC, but it just didn’t happen…I didn’t think my stomache was in knots but seriously I was feeling nauseated.  I closed my eyes and tried, keeping the emesis bag close by.  Needless to say I was feeling pretty miserable by the time in caught up with Chad and the kids.  Poor guy had been planning to take the kids to Arlington and because they put wreaths in all of the graves and the public parking was all reserved for families of those buried there.  They had been in DC all day until 10:45pm with a limited amount of  money in the budget and not many truy free options (parking alone is expensive) the had ended up at Rock Creek Park.  It hadn’t taken as long as they had hoped.  We made it back to our apartment around 0100…what a long day.  

   Deicing the plane in Denver.

Yesterday after Sarah got home from work we loaded up in the car and took off to the airport. We need to get out to Dulles airport for her to catch a flight to San Diego so she could attend her grandmother’s funeral. After making the trip to D.C. I did not want to waste the day so we headed over to the air and Space museum. The kids were unsure of it but agreed to go with me.

They got to play in a hands on center focused on learning about flight (what makes it possible). Also they then went to a paper airplane contest.

Then we headed off for our tour. We learned about Charles Lindbergh and his flight across the Atlantic.

Then moved on learn about the Wright brothers and their historic first flight.

They had a great day and learned a lot. I am proud of them listening and asking some really good questions.

They are eager to go see some more of the Smithsonian museums.

~Chad

This post is for Aunt Jan.  I love you Aunt Jan.  We don’t want to go too many days with out posting as we know you and Great Grandma Brown worry about us when there is no news.   The last three days have been mostly that of work and sleep.  I have one more shift after tonight before we head to DC Tuesday morning for the flight west to San Diego for me to attend my grandmother’s funeral.  Chad and the kids have purchased a sushi mat and have been practicing making their own sushi.  I told Caleb that if he has that skill mastered by college his room will be the hang out room.  I have to lay off the girls like a guy who can cook comments.  I can get away with a few, but they totally embarrass him so I can’t over do it.  Here is a few of the pictures.  I have been happy to taste test them.  My favorite ones are the spicy crab rolls.  

    
    
   Caleb had a blast making his own sushi.
    
    
    
    
 Today while I was sleeping chad and the kids put up a tree.  

   Aren’t they so cute!  It isn’t necessarily feeling overly Christmassy yet, this little tree and our felt ornaments will go a long ways to make it feel more so. 

We fit in two extra hours of visiting with Brooke this morning.  The mall near her is surprisingly devoid of great coffee places.  It’s a good thing the hotel coffee was good and I had filled my thermos before checking out.  We said our goodbyes and headed south just before lunch time.  We drove down through Lancaster County deciding to enjoy some of the back roads to enjoy the beautiful farms and land as the sun started to set.  There is still a dairy girl in my heart.  

    
    
    
    
    
    
 When the darkness settled in and we could no longer see the farms and landscapes we turned south again.  It was time to go home…I guess our awesome air mattresses  are calling us.  

Some where on the top ten best things travel nursing has given us list is the gift of catching up with old friends who have over time spread out.  You know how life is after high school and college too.  You start a career have your family and then look around when you emerge from surviving the toddler years to discover a decade has gone by and what ever happened to those besties from your youth?  Well years and miles have happened, but today we got to hang out and have dinner with one of my best friends from about 4th grade through high school, Brooke.  Her son Garrett was about two the last time we visited and a lot of life has happened.  Thank goodness for FaceBook or we would have never known we were neighbors.  Us Idaho small town girls meeting up in New York, I didn’t see that coming, but I will take it!  We met at the mall and visited for a while then caravaned over to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.  It was like no time had passed.  I don’t think we stopped talking for the entire 3.5-4hours of our visit!  Yay!!!! It was so good to see you again Brooke and Garrett  and to meet you Dawn. 

     Don’t let Eve’s pouty face fool you.  She was eating up all the attention. That and the peant shells…crazy girl.
 

Ok most of this post will be pictures, but I have to warn you that we could not go to the Canadian side since we do not have passports for the girls.  Most of the falls face the Canadian side which makes it difficult to see from the New York side.   

    
    
    
 I had to kiss my man since this is known historically as a honeymoon destination.

  
    
  We drove out to goat island where the view was maybe a little better and we could at least see the main horseshoe shaped falls.   
   
 

   
    

 Caleb dropped a leaf off of the bridge and we watched it go down the river and over the edge.  So fun.  Most of the trails and all of the elevator going down into the gorge were closed as well as the shops as it was off season.  I would have loved to have gone down the elevators to see the falls from below.