Going home...for all intents and purposes

I have delayed this trip home like I wish I could have the actual trip. I am now on my final installment of California road trip. I have shown you so much already but there is still so much more to see. This trip taught me just how small I actually am. All the time I spent wrapped up in my own world, all these things were happening all over the country. People were horseback riding through the canyons of Utah, gambling on the Vegas Strip, kayaking the rivers of Colorado, and farming on the flat lands of Kansas. There are people, right now as I am typing and you are now reading that are doing these things. Sometimes we need to remember there is more to life then our life. You gain a certain appreciation of things after seeing the country this way.

As the last day in California arrived, I got sad knowing that in a few short days I would be back in Delaware leading my mediocre life...or that's how I saw it anyway.

                                 Here is the sun setting on my last night in beautiful California.

Here, I must tell you that sometimes I wonder if I would truly be happy in California or if I just think I will be. After this trip, those doubts were put to rest. Anyway, let's carry on towards Delaware.

We had to stop at Bob's Big Boy on the way out of Cali. Yes, I had a Big Boy! Don't judge me!

We made it to Las Vegas. This part of Vegas is so nice! This is the strip. We had managed to squeeze between 2 storms on the way...we had done this a few times during our long drive. Something about out west is that you can see storms that are miles away. The lightning storms on the tops of mountains are amazing!

                                                    It really is nice on the strip but....

                                       "Fabulous" Downtown Las Vegas is not so "fabulous".

Yes that sign says "Speed Limit 80" You gotta love Utah!! Let me just say, we made up some time this day!

This was the best part of the trip home. This is in beautiful Circleville, Utah. It is the boyhood home of Butch Cassidy...you know, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Ever heard of them? The funny thing about this house is that it is completely unmarked. There is no sign on the side of the road marking a historical site. It is just there about 100 yards of the road. It is almost like Butch Cassidy might have shamed Circleville. Either way, it was pretty cool!

More beautiful Utah scenery. This is the Sevier River. The surrounding rocks were absolutely beautiful. This picture, like many others taken on this trip, do it NO justice.

                                     Yep, Utah again. It was too pretty to not take pictures!

The 2 pictures above are from Avon, Colorado. It, too, was beautiful but not Utah. After Denver it was surprisingly flat. We also dodged a couple of storms in Colorado. it worked out well that the road we were traveling took a turn South or we would have been clobbered!

                     I debated posting this one, it is Kansas. This is about it. Still very nice though.

Here is another shot of the Gateway Arch in St Louis. We got a lot closer to it going east. Jocelyn calls it the "silver rainbow".

This pretty much concludes the trip. Everything from here on out we already saw going West. I, however, didn't feel vacation was over until we got into Pennsylvania. The reason is, I can get to Pennsylvania in about 10 minutes from my house. As soon as I saw the Delaware sign my mood changed, I was back. No more palm trees, back to reality.

So now the countdown is on again...10 more months until I see again what I had waited for 9 years to see...

                                                          Welcome home, Judy.

FB&R...Fun, Beauty and Relaxation

Well, in this installment of the California Road Trip, I will show you the fun and the beautiful side of the sunny state. More reasons to visit, or in my case, hopefully move back to, California.

After relaxing and going to Santa Monica to spend time with my childhood BFF and enjoying dinner at Ye Olde King's Head Restaurant with 7 family members (practically a complete family reunion for us). We were to hit up Disneyland next. This would be the first time I had been to Disney with the kids. Lexie had been a few times with my parents, both Disneyland and Disney World. This would be a very special day for me. My family and I, while I was growing up, lived about 30 minutes from the Magic Kingdom and would go once or twice a year. It was MUCH cheaper to do so in the 80's. Anyway, I am rambling. Jocelyn was sure to love her first visit.

As we entered the through the gates Jocelyn had yet to wrap her head around the organized chaos of the Disney experience. She overly enjoyed seeing the Princess Castle and walking through it instantly changed her into a princess, in my eyes anyway!

We got to see Mickey as we walked in but missed the end of the line by 2 people...ahh well, at least we got to see him!

                                                       The girls on Main St Disneyland.

One of my favorite pictures. Lex and Jo with Walt and Mickey with a princess castle as a backdrop!!

                                                        My lovely princess at the castle.

On the It's A Small World ride. Tradition has us do this ride first every time we go. Can't break tradition.

                       Meeting Goofy. I thought Jocelyn would freak out, but she gave him a high 5!

This part was by far Jocelyn's favorite part!! I can't even begin to describe how happy she was here in Pixie Hollow. THIS 10 minutes was well worth the entire admission price. She met Fawn (above and of course her ultimate favorite....

                                                              TINKERBELL!!!

Jocelyn ran straight to her!! And then look at my other princess...standing eye to eye with Tinkerbell. Where does the time go??

            And of course they did the Dumbo ride! One of Jocelyn's favorite...besides the carousel!!

And this is how EVERY kid should leave Disneyland! I am so grateful to have been able to do this with my girls!

While Disney was amazing and nostalgic, our trip wasn't over here. We still had A LOT of vacation left. Now I will share...

Sequoia National Park! Home of the Giant Sequoia Trees. I have been here many times and I always remember that the trees are big but you forget HOW big and are amazed every time. This picture with the girls and the sign is another tradition...every member of the family has their picture taken here, with the exception of the newest member, my sister in law.

I am going to post pictures of the trees but I can tell you, it will do them no justice. Only one will make you understand the sheer size of the giants.

                                                     Beautiful scenery in Sequoia.

                                                        Entering the Giant Forest

                                           People would drives their cars on this fallen tree.

                    Looking down on my mom and Jocelyn from the roots of the fallen "Auto Log"

Does this picture put in perspective for you? The roots of the tree that fell almost a hundred years ago. You could stack 3 Lexie's from top to bottom.

                                                         Another example of size.

Some more scenery. I could post pictures all day from Sequoia. In fact I think I took more pictures here than anywhere else. Everything is just amazing up there. but I think you get the point and I will move on to the next part.

Back at my aunt and uncle's house. This was my view EVERY morning. Something I really miss. I would go straight outside and sit on the swing with Jocelyn while Lexie slept in and enjoy the peace and quiet and watch the hummingbirds sip at the nectar and the dragonflies skim the top of the pool. Paradise.

Just happy...but it's almost over now and we will be packing to head home shortly. So I will leave you with the image that I go back to when I need a small mental break and then on the next post I will take you with me on our trip home! Still so much to see. Vegas, Utah, Colorado and more!

                                                           Sit on the swing with me.

A Sense of Belonging.

Part 2 of our California road trip will start in Arizona...Flagstaff to be exact. We always seemed to stay in Flagstaff in our trips to Arizona when I was growing up. We stayed at a Comfort Inn I believe...I enjoyed it there. I had a woodsy themed lobby with thick wooden tables and chairs and a deer head mounted over the stone fireplace...very nice. I had intended on using the fitness center but I took in a Kidney Walk via conference phone meeting at 5am local time. Gotta fit in the important stuff. I was anxious about getting on the road and seeing the Welcome to California sign. Here are some pics from this day.

                                                Some western Arizona scenery for you.

                                             A reason I have no plans on moving Arizona...

The sign I had been waiting for...The area you enter into California from Arizona is pretty desolate and if this is the first view of Cali you get you might just turn around and go home...the beautiful scenery and palm trees come later...

Our final destination...my aunt and uncle's backyard. When I first got there and went out back, I had to stand there for a minute and just soak it in. "I am here" I said to myself. It felt unreal.

Only a few people will understand the complete peace that comes over you when you feel that you are exactly where you should be. I felt a sense of belonging that I have not felt in a LONG time. My kids looked happy...and wasted no time getting in the pool I must say...and I felt complete, well, minus the fact that my hubby wasn't with us. If I could I would move there today...like right now...as I am typing this.

It has been very hard to be comfortable when Delaware has always felt temporary. Don't get me wrong, I would miss the friends that I have made and some have even become like family to me, my parents are here and my brother is in New Jersey...I would miss them like crazy, but I only have one life and I want to be where I want to be plain and simple. Now, back to the trip.

We got there on a Friday afternoon, we lazed around and went shopping and swimming on Saturday and we went down to Santa Monica on Sunday. I was meeting up with my friends from the old block. I was so excited to see my childhood friends and see my BFF's kids!! Here are some pics from the next few days of my trip.

                                             The girls wasting NO time getting in the pool!

                    Me wasting no time sitting poolside and soaking up some California sun.

                                            Pyramid Lake-between Bakersfield and LA.

                                             Self explanatory, I think! The pier.

The Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Beach as seen from the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel on the Pier.

My old house, where I grew up. This house, the whole street in fact, looks MUCH smaller that I remember, but I guess I was much smaller then. The house looks so different now and I wouldn't want to move back, but I wish I could just walk through it and check things out.

                        Another beautiful morning in California. My aunt and uncle's backyard.

The girls at CALM...California Living Museum. It's a zoo essentially, but it only houses animals that are native to California. Foxes, mule deer, black bears, snakes, mountain lions, bald eagles, roadrunners and others...you get the idea.

This is the last picture of this post. This is another reason I want to live in California, the weather channel is so boring here! LOL. Should I mention now that we didn't see a drop of rain on our trip? While we were in California, Delaware had tornadoes, a hurricane and an earthquake!! That's right the east coast earthquake of 2011 happened while I was in California! Irony.

I hope you enjoyed this section of our trip...the next post will include Disneyland, Sequoia and the Giant Redwoods, and Las Vegas. I guess I am doing this trip in 4 posts.

From Here to Flagstaff.

It seems I have failed to keep this blog up to date. I am very sorry and I hope I can do better for you and for me. I am such a slacker.

Anyhoo...2 weeks ago I returned from an amazing adventure. My parents, myself and my girls drove across country from Delaware to California in a Ford Fusion. 5 people. Fusion. Cross Country. 5 people. Fusion. Cross Country. Just want to make sure you have the mental picture. It was pretty amazing though. I am sure you have already figured out that I was over the moon on going back home to California. I was too excited for words!

 I wanted to share with you our trip and I may have to do it in 2 or 3 blog posts. The first part of our trip was great...the feeling of the open road and being on vacation, there is nothing like it. Our 1st night we stayed in Richmond, IN (just across the border of OH). The girls were able to go swimming in the heated pool and I was able to get in a small workout in their not so well equipped gym. The 2nd night we drove from Richmond, IN to a place called Sapulpa, OK (just outside of Tulsa). This is the day that I saw the Lucas Oil Stadium where the Colts play and I drove over the Mississippi, I saw the St Louis Arch and met a Facebook friend I had never met before! Here are some pics from the first couple of days.

Here is a picture of an Indian Trading Post in Illinois...obviously modern. They had some amazing stuff in there though...mostly hand made. Jocelyn got herself a little drum and Lexie got a ring for her friend and one for her.

                                  My girls, Lexie and Jocelyn, in Illinois at the Trading Post.

Something they had set up at the trading post...all made from wood, I believe. All of them for sale...should have brought back those horses huh?

                                      The girls in the hotel room in Tulsa after a LONG drive!

Jocelyn and her new friend! She is the same age as Jocelyn, which is how I met her mother on Facebook! So neat how we ended up around the corner from her house!!

Jocelyn was doing better than I expected and only had 2 "moments" that lasted about 2 minutes each where she was either overly hyper or crying. Not bad for a kid who just turned 3. Lexie was all plugged in, whether it was her iPod, iPad or the DVD player she was having a good time. My dad and I took turns driving although, even though I am in my 30's, I don't think he was completely comfortable in the passenger seat, but enjoyed the break and being able to enjoy the scenery and really take it in.

The following day was our longest. 970 miles to be exact. The plan was to drive from Sapulpa, OK to Gallup, NM...however we drove to Flagstaff, AZ. THAT is A LOT of driving!! But this too was a good day. We saw Oklahoma, City, we ate at an awesome "little" place in Amarillo, TX and drove clear through New Mexico, one of the prettiest states in the country. This day also meant we would be in California the next day!!

                                                Jocelyn being happy to be on the road again.

                         Lexie and Jocelyn in Oklahoma...did you know that the state animal is a...

                                                                        A Buffalo!!

                                               Lexie and Jocelyn in Texas...it was HOT!!

                                  The reason I have NO plans to move to Texas...in a rest area.

The "little" place in Amarillo, TX I was talking about. As seen on Travel Channel and Food Network...if you eat a 72oz steak with sides you get it free!! I had a buffalo burger...and I couldn't finish that.

                              Some New Mexico scenery...the pictures do it NO justice at all!!

This wraps up our first 3 days of our trip. I hope you enjoyed it. I wish I could have taken you all with me but we were pretty full already. 5 people. Fusion. Cross Country.