We are so close to being home I can taste it.

This road trip has been a blast! The navi says 38 minutes left-the sights are getting familiar...can't wait to curl up next to Erik in our own bed and put on the new episode of Dexter! :)

Favorite memories on the road:
Mount Shasta
Dad's toast at dinner last night (not even going to repeat it here!)
the Amorath at Hyatt Sacramento
Korean pop music randomly coming up on the iPod
Just "being" with mom, dad, and Erik.

Stop. and Go.

Currently blogging from mom's iPad as we drive through California's Central Valley.

I almost puked in Barstow at "Brownie's Gas and Liquor" today. If I have to use one more moldy bathroom with grafitti carved into the toilet seat...it's not going to be pretty. I'm serious. My dad chooses the nastiest looking places to stop for gas. I think he thinks it's funny. If you know my dad, you know what I mean.

What should have been an 8 hour drive today is turning out to be more like 12. Traffic was absolutely horrible!! And that's coming from someone who lived in Southern CA for 7 years.

Mom lived there for years-fighting the freeway traffic several mornings on her way to work. She told us the funniest story today about the day she decided she'd had enough:

After sitting in stop and go traffic for what seemed like an eternity, pulled her 1966 Baby Blue VW bug into the shoulder and stepped on the gas. The other six lanes of traffic crept along at nearly a standstill while mom soared past them at 60 mph. What a brilliant idea! Now she would definitely make it to work on time! (It's safe to say that the Beach Boys were probably blasting out of the radio too.) She was riding high, so proud of her brilliant plan, when suddenly, she spotted something up ahead in the distance. As she got closer she realized it was a police officer parked in the shoulder just WAITING for her! She had no choice but to pull her little baby blue bug up behind the patrol car, put it into park and wait for him to write her a ticket. Even her expert flirting skills and like, Valley Girl looks couldn't get her off the hook this time. Lol

Back home soon! We had a wonderful time in Vegas-can't wait to share the pictures of the great time we had with our family.

Ciao bellas! Hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend!

*

A woman I used to work for (and also a very talented photographer) was once telling me about an assignment she was doing in which she took pictures for ten minutes straight in the same setting. The other day I did this out by my car and it was tons of fun! I ended up with photos a lot of photos I liked (and a lot that were really lame haha.)



This post is fitting because we are in the car (and will be in the car) all day today/tomorrow
But not this car. A much bigger, much more glamourous car.
Diddy...I mean, MOM style

Going to Vegas baby!
Big Money...Big Money...

Since Kelsea has a big, bad, commercialistic (is that a word?) job, she can't join us for Thanksgiving this year. I'm pretty bummed about it. Totally angry at her. Fuming. But she needs this job to support her QVC Porcelein doll collection so I understand. Hahahaha
Last week we had a pre-Thanksgiving dinner in her honor! Love her soooo much.



Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Wish us luck in the snow and ice! And to some of you-see you in Vegas! :)

*Update*

E made it home! After getting stuck in a few ditches, running stop signs and sliding down a hill, the man of the house is home!!! When I showed him the traffic map I posted earlier he said, "Oh no. That's not even close to accurate. That should be all black, the entire bridge was a parking lot, that part wasn't even moving..." etc. Glad he's finally back!

Stop and Slide Traffic

Poor Erik has been trying to get home from campus for 2 & 1/2 hours now. He let me drive his Tahoe to work which means he's stuck out there in my manual 06 Accord! (I do have seat heaters though, so you don't have to feel too sorry for him).

Last time we talked he was halfway here! Keep on truckin' Erik!!!

Meanwhile, I'm cozy and warm back at the house with a fresh pot of chili on the stove and a mug of hot chocolate. I stepped outside to document the snowfall. Just in case you haven't seen snow fall before.

Cootie Catchers

Erik's napping.

I just got home from the car wash. a.k.a I'm an idiot.
It's 40 degrees in Seattle today. Supposed to snow tomorrow. And I went to the "do-it-yourself" carwash in yoga pants with WET HAIR. My mother really did teach me better.

Erik had a lesson at the house today. He saw me leave, but he didn't tell me not to go. He's learned that warnings are wasted on me, so he pretty much just lets me do my own thing nowdays. Then afterwards I cry and complain and carry-on about how my hands are numb from holding the g-force pressure washer and my pants are wet up to my knees.
He just smiles at me and kisses my nose. He doesn't even say a word.

Ahhhhhh. I love him.

Make your own cootie-catcher!

City or country? I can't decide.

But the thing I love best about our lives right now is that there's no rush to make a decision. :)

whoosh

She's Still Got It!!

hahahahaha this is what you get for not ever checking my blog, mom. love you! (you really do still "have it", by the way...)

the three amigos

erik didn't know what the heck i meant by the v8 comment below

this video should clear things up...blast from the past

wade in the water

Could have had a V8

Because sometimes I need a reminder

slower minds keep right -->

I should be at the ballet right now.

Instead, I am home sick, snuggled up on the couch in Erik's childhood blanket and watching "A River Runs Through It". Is anyone more adorable than Joseph Gordon-Levitt??? nope. Sorry Brad, not even you.

this afternoon kels and i caught a cab to city hall- to attend our new friend Laura's public art dedication. see her work on James between 3rd and 4th. of course, i'm kicking myself now because i forgot to snap a pic of her, but i did get some of her eye-catching work and definitely one of us all walking to happy hour :)

If Oprah was into Steampunk, her book club would be reading this.

Okinawa

Some people just say they love nerds, but I really do love nerds.

Jacob Fred