The Journey - Day 3

Today was the final leg of the road trip. We drove 266 miles, so it was a short day.

Initially we were planning on hanging out in Reno for a little bit and stopping for a burger in Truckee, but we changed our plans on the fly and left in the morning so we could get to our new home by early afternoon. Besides it was raining in Reno, so there wasn't much for us to do outdoors. In fact, it rained the entire drive to San Jose. OK, nice joke, but we really would like our sun we were promised. Other than that the drive through the Sierras was gorgeous. I think Angie took some pictures so I'll get those together and post them in a future blog post.

We were treated to a nice surprise on the drive in. We got a call from the moving truck driver and he told us he would be able to get our stuff delivered on Sunday (the day after we arrive). It looks like we won't be living in an empty house for too long.

We got to the house around 1PM and looked around. I was pleasantly surprised as it is bigger than I remember it being when we looked at it. Sidney loved her room and was happy overall with our choice. I'm glad it meets her approval.

After we unloaded the minivan and got the animals settled, we decided to go out and get some lunch and get familiar with the area. We had our first CA meal at In N Out burger, per Sidney's request. We then did a little shopping and headed back home (it feels weird saying that considering we literally had nothing in the house at this point).

The Journey - Day 2

Today we drove 598 miles, stopping for the night in Reno, NV. Let me tell you (in case you don't already know) I-80 through Utah and Nevada are very boring. There are some pretty sites, but mostly it's just boring.

Today's highlights included Great Salt Lake and the Salt Flats. Angie claims she saw a huge hairy hippo in Utah, but we're not really sure what it was. Our plan was to stop in Salt Lake City for some Barbecue at a place that has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, but we got to Salt Lake City a bit too early for lunch so we decided to pass.

We got to Reno around 4PM, settled into our room and are now getting ready to head to dinner at the Gold 'N Silver Inn (also featured on Triple D).

Tomorrow we'll see about hanging out in Reno for a little bit, get some breakfast at another Triple D joint and then head out on our way, probably stopping in Truckee for yet another Triple D stop and then finish our trip at our new home in San Jose.

The Journey - Day 1

Today was the first day of our journey to our new home in San Jose, CA.

We started the day by finishing up the house to get it ready for its new residents tomorrow. After which we said a final farewell to our good friends Danielle and DJ, had lunch, and were on our way. Of course, not everything could go perfectly smoothly so Kitty gave us a scare by hiding behind the washing machine. We were almost certain he got out the front door. Of course we couldn't leave without him, so we were glad when we found him.

Today we traveled 467 miles and made it to Evanston, WY for our first night, as planned. On our journey we traveled through some beautiful country in Wyoming and northern Colorado. We were all quite comfortable in the rented minivan, even Howie and Kitty. On day 1, we saw a beautiful eagle flying through the mountains, a large semi full of pigs that Sid thought were cute, and numerous other roadside sites.

You'll have to remind me to post a couple pictures and to catch up on a couple thing from the days leading up to the move. Signing off for the first night. Next stop, Reno!

AF Academy Prep School Graduation

Alex has spent the past year at the Air Force Academy Prep School with the ultimate goal of becoming part of the class of 2015 as an Air Force Falcon. We are very proud of all the hard work she has done and this weekend she received her reward, an appointment to the Academy.

There were several Prep School graduation events we were able to attend, including the graduation parade, an awards ceremony, and the actual graduation. Monday was the parade and awards ceremony. Following the evening event, we all went out to dinner at Biaggi's Italian Restaurant, the graduate's choice. It was nice to be able to have a nice dinner with everyone from both sides of the family.

Alex now has a few weeks off that she gets to enjoy before heading back at the end of June for basic training and the move up the hill to the Academy. She is very excited and we are obviously extremely proud.

End of the Season Volleyball Tournament

Sidney's volleyball team, the Panthers, finished the season up with the end of the year tournament. They played great, but ultimately were eliminated in their second match.

It was amazing to watch how much these girls have improved over the course of the season. Early season games it was a challenge for them to get it over the net and if they did, they usually scored because the other team struggled just as much. By the time this tournament rolled around, we were watching exciting rallies go back and forth. It was kind of funny to watch all the parents get stressed out watching the games, us included. 

Sidney really enjoyed playing volleyball this year and I hope it is something she continues with once we move to California. It's great for her to be involved and will be an amazing opportunity for her to meet new friends.

Mother's Day 2011

Mother's Day this year was an absolutely gorgeous Colorado day! It truly felt like summer with temps in the mid 80's.

We invited my parents and sister over for a Mother's Day brunch. Angie and I made a couple brunch dishes and of course had Marie Callender's pie's (Lemon Meringue is my Mom's favorite).

We were able to sit around a talk for a bit while the dishes were finishing cooking. It's been a long time since we've had the opportunity to do so.

We gave Mom a family picture with all the girl's included in a nice frame. Today we were also able to get a nice picture of my Mom, Dad, Nancy, and I all together. It might be the last time we get the chance to do so for a while. It turned out to be a great day.

Last Volleyball Game of the Season

Today was Sid's last volleyball game of the season and I got some pretty good pics so I figured I'd put them up.

The girls played AWESOME today, winning all 3 games for the first time this year. They have all improved so much over the course of a couple months. The first few games there weren't many rallies, but the last few have been nail biters. 

The regular season is over, but the girls do get to play in a tournament next week which should be fun!