Coast Z Coast with John & Lynn

Wednesday, November 2

In our usual fashion, we left Virginia at 5:00 am enabling us to miss the DC morning rush hour.
It took us seven hours to make the trip which was very foggy for the first several hours but cleared in time for us to make one last stop ~ the high road overlooking Canandaigua Lake.

We traveled almost 12,000 miles through 23 states, 2 Provinces, 18 National or State Parks and came home to equally beautiful scenery right in our own back yard.

This was truly the trip of a lifetime and as we have said before, we are extremely thankful for having had the opportunity to take it.

We are also very happy to be home and thankful for the family and friends we were able to visit along the way, and family and friends here to welcome us home.

Everyone asks 'what was your favorite part?' Well, that's difficult to answer because each thing we did was different in some way than any of the others. So we have to answer, the best part about the trip ~ was having the time with each other.

Jean and John

After a short stop at the Legacy to see Jean,

we arrived back home eight weeks and two days after our departure.

Justin and Grandpa

On Thursday we had the unexpected pleasure
of spending the afternoon with Justin. It was a
great opportunity to have some time with
him and see the rest of the family when we took
him home.

Dylan and Grandpa

Glen, Jean, Lynn, John

On Saturday we were back to the usual breakfast with Jean at Fishers

Diane, Glen, Jennifer, Stace, Melanie, Todd, Jerry, Sue, Jean

and invited the family over for a homecoming get together.

and Dylan

Allyssa, Justin, Allayna

You would think we were sick of being in the car for so long ~ but not so ~ we are ready to plan the next adventure.

Thanks for traveling along with us!

THE END ~ phew!

Sunday, October 30

We arrived in Alexandria, Virginia Thursday night in time for the end of soccer practice.

all ready for Halloween

Carl and Sandy were going away for an overnight to celebrate their tenth anniversary on Friday (where has the time gone?) so we were able to have some fun with the kids. . .

and on the playground

Brendan at school

baseball with gramps

skeleton man ~ they sure know their bones

I got to go to Zachary's kindergarten class for 'rotations.' Halloween projects were the activity of the day ~ right up my alley.

spider cookies

pumpkin decorating with Ryan's dad

new Jr. Ranger hat


two skeletons

Zachary wearing his Junior Ranger hat, and with one of his best friends, Cassidy.

Caitlin, the second grader wearing her Junior Ranger hat when we picked her up for the walk home from school.

And then on to the Halloween Fun Night at School. And what fun it was. . .

Caitlin the Good Witch

Zachary the Ninja

Brendan aka Yoda

There were lots of fun games to play and everyone wins a prize at each game ~ we came home with our pockets full but thankfully no one was a winner at the cake walk.

bean bag toss

fishing

Brendan getting his tattoo

Saturday, we got the snow that was predicted and all six of the soccer games (two each) we were hoping to watch were cancelled.

Sandy is a real bargain shopper at garage sales and the annual preschool/church sale and Caitlin couldn't wait to try on her favorite item from the half price day purchases. There was time for fun with Grandpa and lots of games to play and books to read.

watch out for that stinger

oh no

Trouble (i mean the game)

Backbeard~that's a funny one

Z checking stats

A typical Sunday means, Zachary checking the football games, times and standings, Caitlin creating and Carl cooking breakfast. Of course Sandy can never get away from being mom/doctor extraordinaire.

Carl cooking breakfast

Caitlin

Sandy checking Brendan's tooth

It was a beautiful day so after church we had some outside fun tearing down the old fort and playing some b-ball before watching the Bills beat the Red Skins.

Caitlin was at a birthday party but the other spectators did a great job directing the work crew.

Zman and the Bubster

Zach with a fake to the right


go Bubba

Z putting his moves on Grandpa

Brendan putting his moves on Dad

After the birthday party, Cakes had her last lacrosse clinic and got her participation medal.

Thank goodness it was a 4:00 football game because there was a lot to do ~ like carving pumpkins ~

family fun

Bubs and Gramps

Zach and Dad

Miss Caitlin creating her own

And then the actual BIG DAY ~ Halloween

Trick or Treat

Each year a neighbor of Carl and Sandy's has a phenomenal display of pumpkins they have created and carved. They start carving around 40 pumpkins two days before Halloween. They can't be carved too much before that or they will spoil. So the carvers work very long hours for a couple of days to put this display on for all of us to enjoy. The details are amazing!