My intention was to blog each morning...but then the ipad battery died and I keep leaving the charger in a bag in the car at night!
Today we are in New Mexico, headed to Arizona. Yesterday we stayed in Amarillo, TX, the day before in Oklahoma after driving through Arkansas. I (Legs), tried catfish for the first time and had some amazing hushpuppies in Oklahoma (I thought of you Dad...they even offered me collard greens but I just couldn't take it that far). I have been waiting to eat enchiladas until we hit Texas but our hotel in Amarillo had a nice dinner so we missed our chance in TX and made up for it in New Mexico. However, they sent us to the best 'New Mexican' restaurant rather than the best 'Mexican' restaurant and it wasn't quite what I was looking for. It was tasty, but it was definitely American-Mexican food. Thumper figured out that we order things from the server and each time she came by our table he'd smile really big and say, "I want more water. I want more milk." We are still working on manners :-)
Thumper is also learning how to get what he wants...quickly. When he feels he has been in the car long enough he will start by saying, "Not going in car too long mama?" and when I tell him that we have a few more hours to go he says, "I need a diaper change mama...I go poop mama" and then starts screaming until we pull over to discover that he just wanted to get out of the car. He has been a trooper though and some days are a little better than others. He has his own semi truck to play with and he really likes watching all the big rigs go by. We stop at Pilot gas stations so he can stretch his legs and watch the trucks in the parking lot. Depending on his mood, he cries when one he really likes gets back on the road, it's very sweet.
It has been amazing driving through the country. The days can be long with a toddler, a dog, and a pregnant lady...but Pancho still manages to rub my back at night and we both enjoy talking all day as we drive through the open spaces we've been dreaming about. So far, we feel like we could live in Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, or Hendersonville, NC---although, the further West we get the more at home we feel.
Tonight we will stay outside of Phoenix with an old college friend of mine who we can't wait to see! We will stop for lunch with Pancho's Marine Corps buddy and his wife and then we are off to visit the Grand Canyon. Don't think the government shutdown will stop us, we have a plan. The Grand Canyon is not all National Park land, in fact, a good portion is on Native American land which is not closed. SO, we are going to the Hualapai reservation to visit the Grand Canyon West and will spend two nights in the area so we can have a full day to take in nature and see our second of many wonders of the world (remember or trip to the Taj Mahal this spring)!
After the Grand Canyon we are off to Southern California to see the ocean (a wonder of the world in my opinion--I've been day dreaming of the ocean for almost two years now) and Pancho's best friend from High School. They have a big family of their own and are still making space for our crew to stay the night. We are so grateful to have such wonderful friends!
Once we hit the westernmost states we will head North...not quite sure where we will be stopping along the way other than my wonderful cousin's house near Sacramento. Just about one more week of road trip before we get to settle back into small town life and get ready for another baby!
As Pancho says, 'happy travels!'
Today we are in New Mexico, headed to Arizona. Yesterday we stayed in Amarillo, TX, the day before in Oklahoma after driving through Arkansas. I (Legs), tried catfish for the first time and had some amazing hushpuppies in Oklahoma (I thought of you Dad...they even offered me collard greens but I just couldn't take it that far). I have been waiting to eat enchiladas until we hit Texas but our hotel in Amarillo had a nice dinner so we missed our chance in TX and made up for it in New Mexico. However, they sent us to the best 'New Mexican' restaurant rather than the best 'Mexican' restaurant and it wasn't quite what I was looking for. It was tasty, but it was definitely American-Mexican food. Thumper figured out that we order things from the server and each time she came by our table he'd smile really big and say, "I want more water. I want more milk." We are still working on manners :-)
Thumper is also learning how to get what he wants...quickly. When he feels he has been in the car long enough he will start by saying, "Not going in car too long mama?" and when I tell him that we have a few more hours to go he says, "I need a diaper change mama...I go poop mama" and then starts screaming until we pull over to discover that he just wanted to get out of the car. He has been a trooper though and some days are a little better than others. He has his own semi truck to play with and he really likes watching all the big rigs go by. We stop at Pilot gas stations so he can stretch his legs and watch the trucks in the parking lot. Depending on his mood, he cries when one he really likes gets back on the road, it's very sweet.
It has been amazing driving through the country. The days can be long with a toddler, a dog, and a pregnant lady...but Pancho still manages to rub my back at night and we both enjoy talking all day as we drive through the open spaces we've been dreaming about. So far, we feel like we could live in Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, or Hendersonville, NC---although, the further West we get the more at home we feel.
Tonight we will stay outside of Phoenix with an old college friend of mine who we can't wait to see! We will stop for lunch with Pancho's Marine Corps buddy and his wife and then we are off to visit the Grand Canyon. Don't think the government shutdown will stop us, we have a plan. The Grand Canyon is not all National Park land, in fact, a good portion is on Native American land which is not closed. SO, we are going to the Hualapai reservation to visit the Grand Canyon West and will spend two nights in the area so we can have a full day to take in nature and see our second of many wonders of the world (remember or trip to the Taj Mahal this spring)!
After the Grand Canyon we are off to Southern California to see the ocean (a wonder of the world in my opinion--I've been day dreaming of the ocean for almost two years now) and Pancho's best friend from High School. They have a big family of their own and are still making space for our crew to stay the night. We are so grateful to have such wonderful friends!
Once we hit the westernmost states we will head North...not quite sure where we will be stopping along the way other than my wonderful cousin's house near Sacramento. Just about one more week of road trip before we get to settle back into small town life and get ready for another baby!
As Pancho says, 'happy travels!'
