TravelingSisters

Our trip is coming to a close soon, and we have mixed feelings. We are ready to be home and have all of the comforts that we have missed, but we know that once we pull into mom and dad's driveway, we must give up the mountains, and the rivers, and the giant forests... We are happy to trade all of this for being at home with a loving family, a comfortable bed, and warm meals. Thankfully we have memories and photos that we will be able to reflect on when we long for the natural beauty that the west so graciously provides. We've seen a lot of beauty since our last post, almost too much for words. Please enjoy the photos - hopefully they will convey what we cannot.... read more

We've had a huge dose of natural beauty this week! Here are some photos from our Central California National Park Tour.... read more

Here are a few fun facts about our driving habits: 1. We usually have the windows rolled down, blaring either John Mayer or alt-J. 2. Only once have I chauffeured Kayli around while she was still sleeping in bed. 3. We never drive at night. 4. We stop to explore whenever we desire. 5. We are passed by most, including semis because we rarely drive above 50 M.P.H. (We just smile and wave) With this last fact in mind, you can imagine how overwhelmed we were upon entering San Diego. We were forced to drive at speeds our poor little van could barely handle. Where are all of these people going in such a hurry anyway? After a stressful few hours on the freeway, Kayli and I found comfort in the most unlikely of places, the ... read more

As we were silently walking through the canyons along the dry riverbed, I was visited by our 7 and 8-year-old selves. I kept having remembrances of exploring the cornfields out behind our house. I had the realization that we are still those little girls with the same adventurous spirit, only time has moved forward and that spirit has brought us here, exploring lands much further beyond our backyard. We still take the time to stop and examine things in the mud; we are still pocketing rocks that we deem "cool" and we still have a sense of endless wonder and amazement of the natural world around us. This got me thinking, maybe time isn't what changes us. I am still that 7-year-old girl. I just haven't had the time or patience to listen to her in ... read more

Greetings from Texas! We are sitting in a Starbucks off of the main drag in Amarillo. (The Dunkin' Donuts doesn't have wifi.) It's looking a bit like Indiana here - 20 degrees and gray skies. The perfect weather for relaxing indoors with warm coffee and electronics. Thanks for the Starbucks gift card, Mom! It's amazing what a $5 gift card can get you on the road: a place to sit (outside of the van), recharge your electronics, drink coffee, brush your teeth! But the best part about sitting in these coffee shops along the way is meeting different types of people. I'm sitting here watching a middle aged man who resembles Christopher Walken dance to a Taylor Swift song. Madison was reprimanded by an older gentleman for not wearing her coat. People are good. The buzz ... read more