Well it has been..umm way too long since I lasted blogged so let me see if I can get caught up here. You may want to pack a picnic, make sure you have a few free days to read this entry.. me thinks it shall be LONG!!!

So.. January Steve deployed and Kristy came to stay. What a gift she was to our family and what fun we had!!!

IN may Steve returned and and we got busy preparing for our move. Kristy and I had a trip to CA before Steve got home and Kristy stayed with a family in CA.. went home and returned to CA before coming back to Idaho in the nick of time to help me out with a hectic and stressful move!

The packers came and packed all our stuff up and we had less than 24 hours to prepare our home for a white glove inspection. The children got sick and so did Kristy but not before we had made her clean her fingers to the bone!

We passed our inspection and I promptly followed the good example fo family and friends and got really sick too. BUT we were all healthy in time for you trip accross America.

Enroute to VA we saw teh Craters of the Moon.. yes I know a bit of a detour..outer space and all that :0) .. Craters of the moon is a volcanic field the pioneers had to lug their wagons over in search of freedom and land. We hauled our Grand Caravan behind our 15 passenger van but I had a whole new respect for those hardy folk by the time we saw green Montana!

We stopped for a day with Steve's grandm Millie and her son and his family. Kristy and I had our hair done and very nice we truned out if I say so myself and I do! We all had a chance to hold a snake and a pet tirantula.. I have photos to prove it! and we had fun visiting with family.

Next stop was Wyoming and a lovely day meeting a friends new baby and saying hello ..goodbye to Andrea and clint and baby Jessica.

Then a LONG haul to South Dakota where we visited with the Presidents in their stony office. Mount Rushmore up close was more than I could have imagined! and another lesson for me in the vision and magnitude of American Pioneers..this time Rock face carving literally!

A brief stop in Minnesota gave us a chance to check out a pioneer home, a sod home made of dirt and a fort and learn more about the dangers of bygone years.

Finally we reached Wisconsin and a bitter sweet time. We had a wonderful visit with Heidi and family in Wisconsin but had to say good bye to Kristy as she started her next journey in her year of staying with various families. I have to say both Steve and I were totally impressed with this young lady who could cheerfully sit through hours of car travel with four children and a dog in close quaters!

A slight geographical goof on my part sent us whizzing into Illinois thinking I was going to another friends house. When we arrived int eh town I THOUGHT we were meant to be going to I called Cathe. After turnign the van around several times to find a landmark both she and I could idnetify I finally asked.. if there was more than one town of hers in Illinois..at which point she said.. "Illinois?? I live in Wisconsin!" OOOOOPPPPPPSSSS!!!!! right town wrong state. Luckily she is a grascious and forgiving woman and we have promised to try to get it right on our next accross America trip. We headed instead to friends in Illinois and arrived in time for tacos, icecream and circus peanuts.. don't ask!

What a great time we had visiting with Lisa and Lori and their family!!! My face hurt from laughing so much and I came away with some gems of wisdom and as well as some great memories!

Heading East again I had arranged to meet another friend in Indiana. This time I got the town, the State and restaurant right.. I had just spaced the time difference! So thinking I was on time I was actually and hour late so we had a all too brief lunch with Jenn and her boys before she had to leave.. one day I'll get it all right!.. no I will!

We made good time through Ohio and ended up ahead of ourselves a day so we pressed on to Cindy's and managed to catch her the day after she had been commissary shopping.. great timing!!!

We were eager to get out and see our new house and once again missed the boat on timing.. this time it was DC traffic timing that tripped us up. We were able to see the house in dusk and diner was late but we had arrived!

The last few months have flown by! We had airconditioning issues.. like NONE! Which with outdoor temps hitting high 90's.. 100's and indoors getting to 80 slowed the painting.. unpacking process but those seem to have faded into the distant past now. We are in, settled and have had visitors, friends and family over several times already.

We have found a lovely church that we feel like we have been part of forever. My friend Melissa and her family have been fabulous at making sure we are kept in the loop..though she has got to think I am LOOPY! Roy even came over to help Steve build a chicken tractor.. but more of that later...

It is so wonderful to be close to Cindy and Doc and the children again. The cousins are just eating up their time together! Last weekend we took the kiddos apple picking, this weekend Cindy is bring the children here to meet our chickens :0)

We have been swimming and have spent hours watching the children and their amazing imaginations!!!

Marcia and Joe have been out to visit and the weather was great! we went to George Washington's Ferry Farm and to teh pool several times. The grandparents were there when Jacob decided he could dive off the HIGH high board.. and then decided he would do it over.. and over..and over..Yes he is getting older and loves to swim!

So that is our catching up in a nutshell.. so much has happened.. visits with Meoldy and her four children here, bethany came with her three, bonfire get togethers with families from the area and more smores have been eaten that I can count!

Thank-you Kristy for prompting me to get caught up.. next to blog about those tractor driving chickens..