Can you guess where we are? It starts with "M" and ends with "assachusetts"!!!

Wait!  What?  Massachusetts you say?!  How?  When?  WHY????  Let's start at the beginning.  Scott and I never had an end date for our latest adventure.  As it turns out, we made an exact circle around the entire United States (with a little time in Canada).  Seemed like where we began was a great place to end.  AND as it turns out, our storage unit was up the end of November, we wanted to be home for the holidays, and Texas was a much better place to sell the trailer than MA in winter!  The kids were on board and so the brainstorming began.  Boston became our new destination.  Now to put the plan into action.  As soon as we got back to The Woodlands we cleaned the trailer and I took tons of well staged photos.  A day after we arrived, we had her up online on three different sites.  Two days later the trailer was sold!  Step two...sort and pack the storage unit.  YUCK!  Thankfully we have AMAZING friends down there in Texas who were more than willing to take the kids and spare them the anguish of the storage unit.  (I can never thank them enough for their undying hospitality and love for my family).  Scott and I initially rented a UHAUL trailer to hook onto the truck, BUT after we got it to the unit, and stared at it a while, we realized it was just too small....  UGH!  So, back to UHAUL to return the trailer and get a box-truck.  (Glad the kids were not around for the "calm conversations" during that evolution!)  Once all was packed it was time for a nights rest before the kids and I flew home...and Scott was to start the looooooong drive north.  Dad picked the kids and I up at the airport on Wednesday afternoon after a smooth flight that actually arrived early.  Scott is still en-route, with the potential for arrival this evening!!!!!!  Mom and I met with a realtor yesterday and apartment hunted in Somerville, Cambridge and Arlington.  We are meeting another guy today to look in Newton and Somerville.  Then another meeting set for tomorrow to look in Alston.  I am so excited to give city living a shot.  The goal would be to have one car for Scott, and the kids and I can get around using public transportation.  As soon as I find a place I will get some pictures up.  Wish we could just fast forward a few weeks and be settled in somewhere...but hanging out at Gammy and Gampy's is pretty nice.  Kids would be happy to stay here!

One of our last adventures...New Mexico.

"Rolling Thunder's" powerful shadow.

Yes!  More petroglyphs!

Here is Fiona getting quizzed by the ranger.

Kids are earning their fourth "Junior Ranger" badge!

Our first stop back in Texas!

The quintessential Cadillac sculpture.

Miles and miles of cotton fields.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Here is a loose rendering of the path we took!

Ewww!  YUCK!  I strongly dislike (HATE) having a storage unit!

We are not 20 anymore, and packing makes us feel that in our bones.

Ethan and his good friend Tiger.

Fiona and Zoe...drawing!

                                   

One last duck feeding with the Dutys.

Farewell Dutys.  Just until you come north.

Best buddies.  These girls are sooo cut from the same cloth.

Those Morrison's know how to have fun.

Kids set up their own "camp" in the yard.  Fire and all!

Flagstaff with friends that are family, and a family that is our friend.

We spent seven glorious days in Lil, Paul and Olive's driveway.  I couldn't help but feel like we had been there forever!  What was amazing was how perfectly we fit into the space in their front yard.  Literally within a half an inch of the gutter!  Lil and Paul had to work while we were in town...and Olive remained on her school schedule...but we had plenty of visiting time anyway.  Kota was in heaven with the the kids throwing the ball for him for hours each day, and they were in heaven having a dog...if only for a week.  On the days that Lil worked we enjoyed little outings.  One trip to "Walnut Canyon National Park" for yet another junior ranger badge.  What a gem of a park.  Then on another day we drove about an hour to "The Grand Canyon"!  How...grand.  And there the kids earned another badge. 
Olive turned two, and I was so thrilled to be there in person to sing "Happy Birthday" to her.  Seeing my kids interact with Lil's little one was also a daydream I have been living with since she was born.  Halloween came and went and Fiona and Ethan enjoyed trick or treating in the third state in as many years!  Lil also had plenty of pumpkins, so they were also able to carve (their best ever) jack-o'lanterns.  And to top it off, Lil and I took advantage of the dad coverage and enjoyed a delightful girls night in downtown Flagstaff. 
We are now back in Texas, having just left New Mexico this morning.  So...all the way around the entire country and back again!

There is our bed...just inches from the gutter!

Scott managed to jack-knife the trailer between two trees...and a fence!

Dinette fit just right!

Nice little hike before Olive's nap.

Scott and Ethan loved having a yard to play catch in.

Kota was sooo helpful with the runaway balls!

He and Scott bonded immediately.

Happy Birthday Olive!

Kids working on their ranger badges in Walnut Canyon.

Fascinating!  People lived in this canyon for hundreds of years.

Just hanging out in some ancient cliff dwellings...another day at school for the Jason kids.

The black on the wall behind Jesus is left over from ancient peoples fires.

Saying their pledge before badges are given.

Lillie and Olive before a Halloween party.

Scott's

Ethan's

Fiona's

Geisha girl.

Headed up the path to the thickly developed neighborhood!

Honorable knight.

THE GRAND CANYON!

He loves to make me nervous.

Working on badges.

Saying the pledge in front of an audience...with applause at the end (much to the kids shagrin!)