Oregon

Well, we made it!



Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything, we've been really busy.



Our drive out here went really well, all in all. I drove our Trooper, my dad drove the Expedition (with the kids... thank goodness for car DVD players!), and Art rode his motorcycle. We spent the night in Reno, and everyone was pretty happy to stop. Art was really really happy, 'cause by that point he could not feel his bum (but let me tell you, the next morning he sure could!).



We stayed at Circus Circus, because we thought the kids would have a great time playing a few games. Ironically, I think we now have just as many stuffed animals as we did in Utah (after giving almost all that they had away in the garage sale.). We had both cars really loaded with clothes and stuff, and didn't have much room, but we thought "Eh, what's a bag full of stuffed animals... they'll fit OK". No problem.



Well, the morning that we were leaving, we saw a guy walking down the hall with the BIGGEST stuffed animal that I have ever seen. I was a giant clown fish, and looked just like Nemo. Serayah was needless to say incredibly impressed. She said something to the guy, and he looked at her and said "Hey... you want it?". We thought he was joking. He was not. Apparently, he and his friends are the best carnival game-players on the planet, because they had already won another giant animal, and could not fit this in their car. I laughed and said that we'd love to have it (thinking, where on earth does one put a 6' tall Nemo fish in a house..), but that we had the same no-room problem. Neither car could see out of the rear-view mirrors as it was. But... my dad was with us. He said "Seriously? We'd love it!". Huh? Anyway Nemo made the trek out to the car with us. I held Nemo while the men assessed the situation. Nemo was not going to fit. Nemo does not squish... he's really stuffed. I was contemplating somehow strapping him to the backseat of Art's motorcycle (that would have ROCKED going down the freeway!), but my Dad pushed, and pulled and shoved, and Nemo made it into the car with the kids. So now, Nemo is hanging with us at my dad's. He takes up the entire entry to the front door, but whatever.



Still not sure what to do about Nemo when we get a house. My friend Chris caught a giant marlin once and had him stuffed and displayed on the wall... I was thinking I could go that way, but I don't want to traumatize the kids with the thought of Nemo being "dead" hanging on the wall. Right now he makes one heck of a trampoline and they ride him, so he'll probably just hang out on someones floor.



Part of the reason I haven't posted a blog in so long is because we've been so busy. Art has been working M-F up in Tualatin (and for you Utahans, that's about 2.5 hours North of Roseburg where the kids and I are staying), and I've driven up once a week for one reason or another looking for houses. Sigh. I used to love looking at houses... now, not so much. I'll let you guys know when we find something.



During the week, the kids and my dad and I have been running around. We've been able to go to friends houses and play, and I've been loving being with all of my Roseburg friends again (although I haven't managed to see all of them (sorry Herm and Sherry!)). On the weekends, Art comes down and we're always really happy to see him. We usually head up the river and go swimming, because it's been really hot. I was going to post some pictures of the kids swimming (and actual trees and rivers, for you Utah people), but my dad's computer doesn't like posting pictures apparently. I'll try again later.



Art and I will be going back to Utah in the early part of August to finish packing, and load up a U-haul and drive back. Sniffle. I'm going to be so sad when we drive out of Utah with our stuff. Right now, it still seems a bit surreal because all of our things and house are still in Eagle Mountain, but leaving with everything will make it official.



Anyway, sorry about the lack of pictures... I'll try and get them posted soon.



I love everyone who takes the time to read this, and I would just like to thank EVERYONE who I met during our time in Utah. I've never lived in a nicer, more welcoming community. You all made us feel like part of a great place, and we made so many amazing friends. I love you all.



~Summer