When we started on our trip for Boise & SLC, the road conditions were very scary. We passed 7 or so accidents with 6-7 car pile-ups in some of them, & several cars off the side of the road besides.
One car we witnessed fish-tailing in the middle of the road & eventually sliding off the road into the embankment on the side. No one was hurt, however, & if we are correct, the van soon passed us on the road!
With the road conditions, it added a couple hours to our drive & a hotel stay. Us kids wanted to keep driving to the Rusts even though it was a very late hour when we pulled into LaGrande. We had just passed another wreck & Mom knew that the roads would be getting icier as the temperature dropped. So, we pulled into a gas station to ask for directions to the hotel.
Since we were in Oregan, a worker there, came out to pump the gas for us. Mom asked him for directions, which he gave us, then he continued on to say that the highway had just closed both directions & if we had continued, we would have gone 4 more miles & been stopped to wait for the opening of the highway, which could be 1 hour - 3 days!! God was sure looking out for us!
After a good sleep, we continued on to the Rusts. We were able to travel at the speed limit & got to the Rusts between lunch & dinner. That night, we watched "The Agenda", a movie that I would recommend to everyone. It shows clearly the direction that our country is heading.
The next two days we had a great time playing in the snow, playing Fuseball & ping pong, card games, talking & taking a 5 mile walk! Thank you for opening your home to us!

Our family got on the road on Thanksgiving Day, for Aunt Marty & Uncle Tom’s, who live near Seattle.  The roads were better then we expected, so we arrived in time for the big dinner.  26 relatives, including our family, were there. 

Here is Uncle Tom, Mom holding Jenna, Grandpa, myself, Aunt Stephanie – Corbin & I stayed with her & her family in Zambia, JoJo, Uncle Steve – Aunt Stephanie’s husband, Grandma, & Craig.

Molly, Kamryn, Kayla, Julia, Annabelle, Calvin, & Brayden.

The “Cave man” sure enjoyed his drumstick! :)

JoJo, Uncle David, Jenna, & Aunt Shawna.

The next day, we took a 2 hour drive south to visit our 96 year old Great Grandma, Great Grandpa & Uncle Larry.  We had another wonderful Thanksgiving dinner & went bowling while there.  After visiting for 2 days, we took a 2 hour drive back up to Aunt Marty & Uncle Toms, ate lunch, & drove another 2 hours to Whidbey Island.  Here we spent 3 days of relaxing & enjoying Uncle Steven & his family, Uncle Matthew & Aunt Nicole, & Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Marty, & Uncle Tom came up for one day.  I am sorry if this is getting confusing. :)

We took a lovely ferry ride to Whidbey Island.  (I am in the blue jacket, Corbin is beside me, Uncle Matthew is also in the back.  In the front is Kayla, Aunt Nicole, & Calvin.  Jenna is in the very front.)

The Seagulls were very pretty.  I especially enjoyed seeing them float on the breeze.

Isn’t the sun & clouds beautiful?

This is what our ferry looked like……

Here is Kayla, Rhoda, Corbin, Kamryn, Calvin, Julia, & Brayden.

 

Here are some of the cousins & Kayla, Calvin, & Corbin.  They had a lot of fun playing on the beach…..we weren’t directly on the ocean, but on an inlet, so the water was still salty.

I enjoyed doing puzzles with Brayden….something that I did often with her in Zambia.

Kamryn & Corbin caught a live big crab….. thankfully, they didn’t get pinched… :)

Enjoying the cousins!

Kayla with Rhoda & Jenna.

Only a few days away from their 1-year anniversary.  Corbin & I got back in the USA 2 days before their wedding, which we were able to participate in.

This picture was taken from the Dining room looking at the front door.  On either side of the entry way were 2 bedrooms,  both of which the walls were made of glass, & the bathrooms didn’t have a good locking system, if they had any at all…..

On leaving Whidbey, we walked this pathway to the lake….

Before heading to Uncle Tom’s, we visited Granny.

We had a great visit!

Saying “goodbye” to Uncle Tom & Aunt Marty.

We had a great trip……we were very thankful that God kept us safe & that the roads were clear, which made for easier traveling.  Thank you also Harneds for watching the animals!  This wouldn’t have been possible without you!