Yosemite

I am going to keep the commentary to a minimum and just let the pictures speak for themselves. There are no words to adequately describe the grandeur and beauty of Yosemite. It is awe inspiring and points to a mighty God who has more creativity than any of us could ever imagine. We had a wonderful day exploring the Valley, the Falls and the Giant Sequoias.

Catching up on July so far

Yeah...it's July and we can almost say we've been on the road 2 weeks. Tomorrow will mark the 2 week point of our journey. We still look at each other some days and think what in the world are we doing. This is certainly one of the most interesting things we've ever done as a family. It is hard to describe. Although it is a vacation, because it's a detour from our normal way of life, it doesn't feel like a vacation. That's good in a lot of ways. For me, vacations often bring just as much stress as they do pleasure. There is so much involved in going on an extended vacation, the packing, planning, hotels, eating out. I guess because we have the RV with all of our necessary belongings, food, a place to always sleep, some luxuries of home...it's not as stressful as being away from home as I thought it would be. Like I said, it's hard to explain, but it really just feels like we are living on the road and home is with us. What has also been a blessing is getting to see so many friends and family along the way of this journey, and we aren't done yet. I truly think that is what is making this whole trip so enjoyable. The places are beautiful and breathtaking, but the people are heart filling.

On Sunday, Jim and Elizabeth came and picked us up for church so we wouldn't lose our prime spot on Ventura Beach. It was so nice to be in a real car and get away from the RV for the day. We went to lunch on the Wharf in Santa Barabara with them after church and then off to their condo so the girls could swim. We had a lovely dinner on the patio...kabobs, corn on the cob, potato salad and peach cobbler for dessert. It was a wonderful day, which ended with the susnset on Ventura Beach and a game of Techopoly.

On Monday, we left Ventura Beach early and headed to LAX to pick up Keegan's favorite people, my parents. We had to make a stop along the way to do a little work on the RV because the toilet was clogged. Okay people, that toilet is my least favorite part of the RV. It's just not an enjoyable toilet to use and the odor is unpleasant. It's the odor of the cleaning solution that I don't like because it reminds me of porta potties. Just being real here, I'm hoping we can figure something out to make it a more pleasant experience. Anyways, we made it to the airport with enough time to pick up some In-N-Out burgers for everyone.

Keegan was beyond thrilled to find her MawMaw and Bobble standing at the door when I opened it at the airport. She hasn't left their side since and I've been demoted to just another person in the RV. She rides with them, sleeps with them and of course, walks with them.  First stop was Hollywood Blvd. for some Ghiradelli ice cream and looking at the stars on the walk of fame. We had a fun time before getting on the road. Our first day together was a long day of travelling from LA to Oakhurst, CA. We had to break them into RV living and riding. We arrived at Joe's cousin Cari's house around 6:30. We had a great dinner with them, catching up. Cari and John have 4 children and our kids all get along great. It's so nice to be with family and we are so thankful for the time we are getting to spend with them. I'll recap July 3rd in my next post in a few minutes!

Hoover Dam and Las Vegas

On Friday we decided to take a break from God's created wonders of the world and see some man made wonders of the world. We took a tour of the Hoover Dam. The girls found it interesting and our little engineer Megan had quite a few good questions. It is quite amazing what people can accomplish when they work together.

When we left the Hoover Dam, we drove to Joe's Grammy's grave. She lived in Las Vegas and loved playing Bingo and eating at buffets!  She passed away 5 years ago. It was nice to be able to take the girls to visit her grave. She and Grandpa Maggiore used to travel around in an RV, so we know she was quite pleased to have us come visit her while driving an RV. 

Then, to please her and my gambling Grandma, we took the girls to Vegas. This was not my idea, but nonetheless, it was fun. It was extremely hot. We took an Uber from our RV park to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co....do you see a theme? Had some delicious shrimp and fish. Then we walked down to Ghiradelli to indulge in the best chocolate ice cream and hot fudge in the world.  OH my, there is nothing like Ghiradelli. We made our way down to the Bellagio to watch the first fountain show of the evening. The girls were quite mesmerized. Then it was a long trek back to the RV. The girls did great with not complaining about the walk. We saw some interesting things which led to some questions, but good conversations. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I did pray for a lot of protection from those kinds of things. It was a fun night. 

Yesterday was a day with no agenda. We drove over to the California Coast and by the grace of God found a spot on Ventura Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was the last RV spot available as these are all first come, first served. Our good friend, Jim Mannoia and his wife Elizabeth came and visited us as we had meatball subs overlooking the ocean. We will spend the day with them today, away from the RV. 

I'm looking forward to a little break from the RV. It's nice to have your home with you everywhere you go, but I think we all need a break from being in it. Sorting through some feelings this morning. Doing some praying and Bible study, chatting with Joe. I'm not homesick, I'm not longing to be back home and in my own bed. I may be longing for a little stability, knowing where we are going to be parking each night. Knowing this trip is just getting started, yet feeling like we've been on the road a long time. There are going to be days where there is just a longing for the comforts and stability of home. Luckily, tomorrow my parents arrive at LAX and will spend a week with us. So home is coming to us! We will visit Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and slow down a little. For that I am thankful and hopeful that this journey will continue to be amazing and that the Lord will continue to reveal Himself to us through His beautiful creation.