Wow

It was fun to see that a couple of you actually had some great ideas for posts :) I'm saving Laurie's for later, 'cause it takes a little more work, but I've been cogitating over it...

Septembermom, about helping you son's reading comprehension... You say he's very visual and has trouble keeping his mind on his reading? Is this only with school related material, or also with "free reading" type things-- ie, fiction? If it's reading of all kinds, I'd recommend that you try out some graphic novels. Obviously he does eventually have to learn to read regular books, but perhaps motivating him with a more graphically exciting genre will lead to more proficiency and interest in reading in general. And you might be surprised just how much great stuff there is out there in graphic novel format. For example, did you know that the classic Boxcar Children Series is now available in graphic novel form? There's even a graphic version of Cinderella!

If he reads fiction fine and only has trouble keeping focused when he's working on non-fiction reading, then my solution would be to try having him read out loud. Not as much fun, but will certainly help him stay in touch mentally with what his eyes are seeing. This is the problem I have. I love to read fiction! As long as the word pictures are flowing through my (also very visually oriented) brain, I'm good, but as soon as things start to get technical... whoo baby. I'm gone! :) Any time I have to follow directions or memorize facts, I HAVE to either say it out loud or graph/outline it with a four-color pen. A Bic Four-Color pen is the only reason I survived freshman history. And economics. And calculus. Blech.

Hosanna asked about our trip pictures... Well, I did post as many of them as I could. Crappy hotel internet and all... I have tons more as well as a super cute little button that Dawn made me (thanks, Dawn!) and I'd planned to post all the pics and link up all the posts to that button in my sidebar, but.... I just got un-motivated (sorry, Dawn...:( ) Perhaps your request will motivate me once again! Who else is interested in seeing more pictures?? Anyone?

In case you were wondering what the kids did in the van the whole time...

Late Night Thoughts

I have to say, despite complaints and groans and moans you may have read from my Facebook status in the last few days, I have really enjoyed this trip. I have enjoyed spending time with the kids (mine and my niece) and my sister. I've enjoyed seeing new places and learning more about how the rest of our country looks and lives. I found out that Montana has more mountains than people, Wyoming has lots of flies (we're bringing some home with us in the van!) and that there are oil wells still pumping away all across the midwest! Seriously, I though that was all in Texas. Who knew? I also got a better picture of just how much corn it takes to run this place-- and it's all in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. And I think perhaps we drove past every stalk...

I've got all kinds of new experiences to add to my repertoire. I can now say that I have ridden a steamboat on The Big Muddy (I can call it that 'cause we're now on a first name basis), been legitimately scared of a bear encounter in the dark on the way to the bathroom and seen a Bald Eagle soar through the air over a mountain stream. Never to be forgotten, that. I have also backed up a trailer hitched to a mini-van (mom award for me too!) and peed in a bucket. A lot.

I am so grateful to the Lord for protecting us and guiding us and giving us good weather and (fairly) good health. I think I can safely say that I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It has been quite an adventure and as we begin our final day of driving tomorrow morning, bright and early, I am glad to be going home to my beloved, but also just a wee bit sad to be done a'wandering. I find the Took and the Baggins warring within me...

But the gentle waves of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the sweet ice tea, the biscuits, the Indian summers, the warm southern accents, and even the soft humidity of the South in September is wrapping a warm blanket of familiarity around me and as I settle into my last hotel bed (for now, although I've earned enough Expedia points to get $10 off my next reservation... J, honey??) my thoughts turn fondly to Shenandoah and my sweet, shabby cottage in Virginia, where my lover waits for me...

Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea:
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar,
Eyes... Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.

Brought to you three days later by crappy hotel internet....

Omaha, Nebraska

Today we went to the Zoo! Oh. My. Word. This zoo puts the one in our Nation's Capitol (the CAPITOL, people) to SHAME (SHAME!). It's super awesome. You should all go. I mean it!

Sioux FALLS, SOUTH Dakota (allrightalready, I get it...I goofed)

Here's our video blog for the day, but there will be a bonus post! At some point... We went to Sioux Falls and got some awesome pics of the kids playing on the rocks and in the water. I just have to get them off Susi's camera, so.... At some point, there will be extra pictures....





Also for your viewing pleasure, our angelic children :)

Photo Dump: Spokane to Missoula

Apparently Montana and Washington got all the mountains, leaving Idaho with...ho-hum:



This is my new favorite spot on earth: Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho





There were better mountains in western Montana, but somehow I didn't get any good pics of them...



Our Kabin (seriously, I feel like a fool spelling it that way...):



Our first sunset in the land of the Endless Sky (or something like that)



Makin' s'mores!

Photo Dump: Seattle to Spokane

I finally have some dependable internet, so I'm catching y'all up in the photo department. Here's a sample of what we saw on our way through Washington State.

Return from the Wilderness: Sheridan, Wyoming

I'm not sure if I have enough bandwidth here at KOA Sheridan, Wyoming to upload my videos and pictures, and moths keep flying into my screen-- which is very distracting-- but I did want to take a moment and update y'all on our trip. Trust me, you haven't missed anything. :P Here are a few highlights of the last three days in bullet form:

• Saw a bald eagle
• Fell in love with Lake Cor d' Alene
• Judah dumped a pot of ketchup on his lovey blanket
• Washed out a blanket that looked like it had wrapped a murdered corpse in the public restroom on I90
• Navigational Device died five times, causing us to miss countless turns and involving lots of creative swearing
• Saw some antelope
• Saw some bison
• Arrived at KOA Yellowstone at 9:00 pm to be informed that "the bears are out, lock up your food"
• Lots of peeing in a bucket to avoid meeting bears in the dark on the way to the bathroom
• Judah dumped my caramel mocha on his sweatshirt
• Took first shower in 72 hours. Never felt so good!
• Did NOT see Old Faithful
• More antelope
• Lots of mountains. Everywhere.
• Finally getting quite tired of beautiful scenery. Would trade it in cheerfully for hot bath and accessible bathrooms.
• Arrived at Sheridan KOA in time to discover that Violet has diarrhea and Sofi has a wicked cough.
• Judah is still kicking the edges of his peapod at 9:00 om.

My dearest love, J,

Next time I think up a hair-brained scheme like this, remind me how much I HATE camping!

your distracted and sleep-deprived wife

Warning: Cliches Ahead!

So. Our first day on the road. It was Amazing. We drove through the Cascade Mountains and I have to say, all the cliches about the grandeur and majesty of that mountain range are completely true. And this is coming from someone who's lived for eight years in Appalachia, so I'm no stranger to major mountain ranges of the US. But still. These mountains are in a class all they're own. I have tons of pictures from the passenger side window, but will have to wait to upload them in the morning, since my stupid laptop is sloooooow and I need to go to bed RIGHT NOW.

In other news, we tried to name the van today. I think any vehicle that drives from Seattle to Virginia needs to be named. It's a well-earned badge of honor. Like, the purple heart of vehicular commendations. But. Although her sensible husband named his truck, Chuck (because, you know, Chuck the Truck, what else could you call it??), Susi insists on calling the van "The Silver Surfer". I was all, "But it's a mini-van", and she was all, "But it's silver and cool and all sleek and stuff...", and I said "But it's a Mini Van!", and she said "But it's MY mini van", and really, what can you say to that?

But I must maintain some journalistic integrity here on this blog, I will refer to the vehicle as (air quotes) The Silver Surfer (air quotes).

So now you're all up to date. See yous guys in the morning!

The Eagle has landed!

Well, we're here. But I'm too jet-lagged to write much of anything, so I'll leave you with this little tidbit from yesterday morning as we were leaving home :)

Two Women, Two Toddlers and a Drama Queen

The countdown has started! In just 14 days, we begin F. Road Trip 09--The Long Journey East. I know you think I'm about to warn you of my absence during that time, but ah...no... au contrair, my dear reader. As the true blogger that I am, I could not pass up this opportunity for (what I am sure will be) a rich source of blogging material. I intend to bring you regular updates from every Starbucks we stop in along the way. Or wherever I can find the neccessary wifi.

And to make it even better, I intend to vlog! Yes, that's right! Herb of Grace, the blog, is going cutting-edge-21st-century on you! I will be live vlogging our journey across this great country.

Mom, I hear you groaning about your dial-up and how you won't be able to watch the vids and all, but take heart. I will do my best to include some written accounts as well, for the less techie among us.

First, to pique your interest, I want to share with you our itinerary!



Each of those little blue flaggies is an overnight stop, and that blank bit is 'cause we don't know where we'll stop along in there, 'cause it's West Virginia, for pete's sake.

Now, to make it even more fun for y'all and for us, won't you chime in? What should we see and do along the way? Have you been to any of these places? Do you have any favorites spots along our route? What do you want us to check out for ya? What do you want to hear about on the Vacation Vlog? Got any good tips for traveling with kids? (besides the Benadryl thing, Laurie...)

And does anyone want to help me design a cool header to display during our road trip vlogging days? Pretty please? I'll put in a good word for you and you can think of it as free advertising! You can email me...

Trying Something New

I've had my eye on these great meme over at Conversion Diary for quite some time. It seems like a great way to squeeze in a quick "catch up" post right before the weekend. And since Jen promises that there's "something up" this week, I decided it would be a good week to go ahead and take the plunge. So here we go! My first Seven Quick Takes Friday!

1) The day I finally start to get caught up on the yardwork, it begins to pour (and I mean really pour, folks) riiiiight as the kids go down for nap. Effectually ending whatever productivity potential I had up to that point.

2) To finalize any doubts about our mystery trip, yes! we are flying out to Fort Lewis to drive S and V home. That's right, ladies and gents, I have finally taken complete and utter leave of my sense and participated in-- nay, even initiated!-- the planning of a cross-country road trip with two toddlers, a six-year-old and NO HUSBANDS!!! But it'll be fun, right? Of course right!

3) I am wiiide open for any advice about surviving said trip with two toddlers, a six-year-old and no husbands. And did I mention we'll be hauling a U-Haul trailer behind us the whole way? And attempting to camp nightly? Possibly at least once or twice in Yellowstone National Park? Where there are BEARS???

4) In leiu of flowers, please direct your expressions of sympathy towards the support of a worthy cause...

5) Thanks to a blogging mom of many boys, I may have solved a parenting problem that has plagued me for nearly a year. I feel fairly confident to say that we have solved the mystery of Judah's morning meltdowns! It's too long a story for this post, so I'll be posting the saga tomorrow morning, bright and early. Stay tuned!

6) Have I mentioned that my brother is getting married to this lovely woman in two and a half weeks? Whoo-eeee! We are busy around here :)

7) It stopped raining! Hooray! Now we can all go out and do stuff :) Although I should probably take a shower first...

That was fun! You want to try? Go sign up and read everyone else's Seven Quick Takes!

The Die is Cast, the Deed is Done

Ok, I can't resist! Ten points to the first person (not related to me, or Laurie) who can figure out what I'm announcing in this post!