Travel Updates

Well, we made it to Oregon, after a really long day of flying on planes and spending time in airports on Monday. Elise was surprisingly, a great flier. She did great to get through security, and slept on the first flight. She did great, although got a bit fussy on the second flight. Then we did lunch at Wendy's in Portland. She loved the designs on the carpet and tile, but especially liked the moving sidewalks. Hours, or at least one hour of entertainment with those. She took a nap before our last flight, and was a good sport til we got in to North Bend. She was hungry and tired, and got pretty cranky. The neat thing was that at least one random person came forward at each step of the trip to help with opening doors, or lifting luggage, or getting us squared away on the planes. And Logan's family were wonderful at getting all our 7 checked bags, boxes, and baby items, and getting us to his parents house all in one piece.

Then Tuesday, we tried out the van, and got some needed supplies for our trips, with assistance from Trevor. We had dinner at the Wilson's and got to see the kitchen Logan's dad had helped with. It looked spectacular, and we'll post pictures soon....We helped celebrate Amelia's second birthday. What a grown up girl!! It was interesting to see the two cousins interact for the first time in over a year. They should have some fun playdates in the next few months!

Wednesday, Trevor was a great help once again in getting us on our way. Elise and I drove down to Redding. This turned out to be quite the challenge. Elise got quickly tired of being in the car seat. She watched some Sesame Street podcasts, and had a nap, but we had to stop frequently after Medford, so she could get a break from the carseat. We were pausing for food around 3pm in Medford, and noticed the check engine light was on. We called Logan and his dad. They talked with some dealership people, as the van was a recent purchase, and had been serviced. They suggested the problem might be as simple as a loose gas cap. We ate lunch at Carl's Jr (good stuff), and Elise spilled a drink all over the floor, wanted to run around on the benches, and tried to see how many fries would fit in my purse. She also had their chicken stars, which we discovered were not as easy for toddler chewing as McDonald's chicken nuggets. This meant she didn't eat as much, but had lots of energy, and wanted to check out everything in the parking lot. She wanted to walk to all the bushes and trees, and look at the mulch in the planters. Fun times...

Then we got gas, and had the attendant (as you aren't allowed to pump your own gas in Oregon) tighten the cap really well. The light stayed on, but we got the green light to continue driving. Elise protested loudly at being put back in the carseat, but we sang some songs and she watched a bit more Sesame Street. The she really got vocal. She basically screamed and cried for the last 3 hours of the trip. It had gotten dark, and the only way to get Elise to calm down was to pull over and take her out, or hold her hand. She was acting tired, and twice I pulled over to try to help her get to sleep, so we could continue driving. She was excited to get out, and wanted to play, so I put her back in and we kept driving. This was a very challenging experience. I don't drive for the most part, so I'm a bit rusty. I was new to driving the van, and there was a LOT of construction on the roads, so the lanes were smaller and there were big trucks. Add a screaming toddler, and you get a frazzled mommy, who is worried the van is having some malfunction that will cause a breakdown any minute. Well, I don't handle the screaming so well. So, I decided it was better to reach back and hold her hand, which helped her be calm for a few minutes at a time, and me be more calm. We made it to Redding at 9 something, and found I had a couple nice bruises on my arm from the car seat/hand holding, and my shoulder (the already injured one), was VERY SORE. BUT we made it, all in one piece.

We took yesterday off, just to relax, and Elise got to know Beth and Grandma Parker a bit better. We were disappointed to have to postpone our trip to Southern California, but figured it is too much for Elise and I to attempt on our own, without another driver.

This morning we took the van to the Honda dealership. They checked the engine and discovered that there was internal transmission failure, and the transmission needs to be replaced. After taking the van to another place for a second opinion, and speaking with Logan, his dad, and the dealership that sold the car in North Bend, they decided we should get the van back there for the procedure. Elise and I will probably stay here in Redding for a visit, and then go back to North Bend after 2 or 3 weeks. We've unfortunately had to cancel the rest of the traveling plans, and will try to visit people, especially family in southern California, around Christmas time, when Logan comes down, and we can re-evaluate how the van is doing.

So....for now, we're enjoying the cool rainy weather, and some fun with Mom, Beth, and Merridee. We'll try to get pictures uploaded soon, and will enjoy having the break from traveling, as it took more out of the both of us than we anticipated was possible! What an adventure! Oh, and the webcam works great. Elise LOVES talking with her Daddy, as we miss him LOADS AND LOADS!!!