tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44381201408834655482024-03-14T06:19:47.774-04:00Jennifer and EvanRead about us, our life, and how we handle each others insanity-Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-82845610271046721072017-07-03T00:43:00.002-04:002017-07-03T09:29:59.555-04:00What's in my car?Driving 2 vehicles across country can pose it's challenges, but they are generally mild. You must juggle refueling and maintain speeds so you can stay together, mostly. But throw in 2 small children in one car and a dog in the other, and you've got a show fit for a circus.
The front has essentials for us: food, medicine, cameras, and water. The middle has plenty of entertainment for both the -Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-16951279902383273162017-06-29T12:20:00.000-04:002017-06-29T21:00:38.245-04:00How did it get so hot?
Last we had left off we had moved out of our house on the 23rd
When you don't have furniture but Netflix is life
Today is the 27th.
We only left CA at 1PM (PST) on the 26th...
So what have we been doing with ourselves?
Well the first day we made the long haul all the way to Fresno. All two and a half hours of it.
Apparently 30 minutes into the trip Gabe asked Jennifer if we in Virginia. Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-34947303317567036012017-06-24T08:30:00.000-04:002017-06-24T10:46:40.872-04:00Eastbound and down!So the exodus has begun. Please please PLEASE go read Jennifer's post on this first (especially if you like to laugh).
First off, let me start with a tale of what Monterey was like the last 2 years...
1- It was 60*F
2- Alistair was born
3- I graduated
I think that sums up all the important stuff rather nicely
You want more than that? Well I guess I'll briefly expand on graduation (Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-52807446214882999522017-06-23T21:18:00.002-04:002017-07-03T09:31:56.412-04:00Rawhide: Packing, Loading, Cleaning, MovingHorror stories. Stress. Carelessness.
Not only do those words describe this past week, but it also describes every move we have ever had. If you have ever watched movers come into your house and put their hands on ever thing you own, then you might have been like us and taken the harder route by doing it all yourself.
Packing began in May with items we did not use frequently or were not -Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-52709277589790448702017-06-19T14:46:00.000-04:002017-06-19T14:57:28.997-04:00Volcanoes, Volcanoes, Volcanoes: Final Chapter of our Journey TO Monterey! This is Update #11 on our 2015 GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
So yesterday I left off with us in Oregon having come though the vast nothingness of Idaho. But remember in Idaho we had stop one of our Volcano Grand Tour! Craters of the Moon national park, aka Pumice Stones R Us.
Tommy Lee has nothing on us.
Well entering Northern CA we continuedGothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-40942472640287874812017-06-19T03:47:00.002-04:002017-06-19T14:46:09.204-04:00Moving again... I guess I should finish up the last journey first...
This is Update #10 on our 2015 GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
Well, the time is upon the Valdyke clan once more to pack up and head out on another grand adventure. Finally, Eastward bound!
To California, I say "Good Riddance"
I will surely wax poetic on our time here in the "Golden State" (by which they mean dead grass because it never Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-51263843360633841422015-11-15T00:06:00.000-05:002017-07-03T09:33:06.651-04:00Alistair Augustus is bornAlistair is a male given name of Scottish and Gaelic origin of the name Alexander. The name Augustus is a Latin name meaning venerable or majestic. Basically, Alexander the Great.
On November 7th, our second child was born. Alistair Augustus arrived at 1 AM weighing 8 lbs 2 oz and measuring 19 1/2 inches long. It happened all so quickly and I was not always aware of what was going on. Here is my-Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-23462666869907709912015-06-04T22:30:00.003-04:002015-06-05T00:14:17.227-04:00If it is called Yellowstone, why are none of the rocks painted?
WE MADE IT TO THE PROMISE LAND! We are safe and sound in Monterey, CA. BUT I guess I need to fill you in on our journey here first!
This is Update #9 on our GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
Last I left off we had reached Yellowstone!
We had AWESOME TRAFFIC when we got there, and after an hour and a half to go 21 miles and get checked in at camp,Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-9366648347987208682015-05-29T01:25:00.001-04:002015-05-29T01:37:50.898-04:00My Little Bighorn
Native American's love Star Wars. I got no less than 5 compliments on my shirt. You can NEVER go wrong with Star Wars.
This is Update #8 on our GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
So I am going to keep this post short because it has been a really long couple days and I am super tired.
So this was a couple days ago now (the 26th) on our drive fromGothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-53736436746715839142015-05-26T01:28:00.000-04:002015-05-26T02:03:46.895-04:00Momentous Memorial Day Monuments
Such patrician nobility.
This is Update #7 on our GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
Last I left off we had crossed through the Badlands.
What a lovely day indeed...
WARNING: MASS QUANTITIES OF PHOTOS AHEAD
We then set off this morning into the Black Hills of South Dakota. Our first stop was BEAR COUNTRY USA!
Traffic jam with a Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-16096850698092592622015-05-25T01:11:00.000-04:002015-05-25T01:22:52.039-04:00South Dakota = Rain
Badlands? More like BADA$$LANDS now!
This is Update #6 on our GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
Last we left off, we had visited a million little sites across the midwest.
We finally did get those silos.
The most unfortunate name for a gas station. Makes you re-think "Turn on the pump"
Today we started out in Sioux Falls. After eating Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-66559448325020856222015-05-24T01:16:00.000-04:002015-05-24T01:26:10.269-04:00In the Land of Lincoln, Tractors and James Tiberius Kirk.
This is Update #5 on our GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
So this is going to be a LONG POST because it covers from Tennessee to South Dakota.
So last I left off we were in Chattanooga at the Aquarium.
When we left Chattanooga we had a long drive to get from there to Spring Field IL, the Land of Lincoln (Logs).
Along the way we stopped at a Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-29688501746034006592015-05-19T23:44:00.000-04:002015-05-20T00:19:35.489-04:00Milledgeville, Kennesaw and Chattanooga... OH MY!
This is Update #4 on our GRAND CROSS COUNTRY ADVENTURE.
For previous installments CLICK HERE!!!
So last I reported we were in Legoland!
And I got to see MAD MAX FURY ROAD!
Gabe approved.
But onwards we went up to Milledgeville, GA to visit "Ducky's" house and see The Duchess herself as well as Kenleigh, Aislynn, Josh, Adam, and Cody... and I guess Jaime too.
While there we went and Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-73752006689790742552015-05-16T23:41:00.000-04:002015-05-16T23:41:39.274-04:00Well that was painful... but at least I went to LegolandUpdate #3 of our grand cross country adventure.
Update #2 here, and #1 here.
Well, we did it and got out of Jacksonville. And what an experience that was.
Two days of pain... I mean packing. Let me see if I can sum it up for you without using explicit language.
So we had two days of moving. The first day we had a team of "26 year professionals" show up to pack our stuff into boxes.
Don't Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-43420121168551109942015-05-15T21:08:00.001-04:002015-05-15T21:26:17.712-04:00Legoland!Everything was awesome!
I researched, planned what I could, bought the tickets ahead of time for a steep discount for military. Moving out was a lot more involved than we were expecting, so it was a late night on Wednesday for both of us. I planned to leave after the car was packed and the house was tidied Wednesday morning, estimated at 9 am. The movers showed up, were very helpful and had a Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-20684052637582142832015-05-12T01:02:00.001-04:002015-05-12T08:54:17.287-04:00Packing SucksWhy on God's green earth would you want to pack things.
Packing sucks. Probably why you only have 2 super bowl championships.
Why?
Well today is the big day the packers come. Tomorrow we load up our house and hit the road.
I guess this is update #1 of our Great Adventure.
(or actually kinda read about it here)
We are going to Orlando first. We have a few objectives while there.
1- Pick Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-15639617985160969002015-04-28T19:31:00.000-04:002015-04-28T20:07:25.326-04:00ADVENTURE TIME!Well, we are about to move across country to Monterey. More on that later, but right now I am going to talk the great Adventure that awaits!
RHOMBUS!
So in our planning, we have decided to take a Northern route, because why go 3,000 miles when you can go almost 5,000!!!!
Now our route generally looks something a little like this:
Rockies vs Misty Mountains, Mt. Saint Helens vs Mt. Doom. Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-67980218539071119702014-06-15T12:08:00.001-04:002014-06-15T12:44:24.528-04:00We might go to the (Dark) Magic KingdomSo there is a potential trip in the future of the Valdyke family to Disney, all depending on Gettysburg's Schedule
Being from Central Florida, I have some insights into the the Magic Kingdom this time of year. And as the title line suggests, what they forget to tell you is that it is the Dark Magic Kingdom.
Don't get me wrong, the parks can be a cool place. It is all about timing. If you go Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-78743106020917664022014-03-14T13:45:00.000-04:002014-03-14T13:47:09.464-04:00He's Perfect. Or...is he?No one knows my child better than I do. I don't try to push my son to be someone I think he should be. I give him a choice if I can. Usually if it's a snack, anything I have at the house will be something he'll eat. When we go out to eat, I usually am so limited that he doesn't have a choice. He doesn't get to pick what we do everyday, what he wears (mostly), or where we go. He also doesn't get -Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-28408512391199665072013-12-05T13:38:00.001-05:002013-12-05T17:10:00.782-05:00It's been 3 yearsYesterday was mine and Evan's 3rd anniversary. When Evan and I first got married I told him that our anniversary would change depending on the deployment schedule. It is a dynamic date that can only be celebrated when we are together, so that we would never have to "celebrate" it being apart.
We were fortunate enough to have to means and opportunity to visit each other in Dubai during his -Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-8163035583436347432013-11-23T18:14:00.001-05:002013-12-05T17:11:13.453-05:00A Word from JenniferI haven't written in a very long time. And that had a lot to do with being in a car wreck, trying to find a job, being pregnant, and then taking care of Gabriel. A lot has happened since I last wrote. The reason I'm here now writing again is because I feel like I don't have anyone I can talk to about this. It takes up my whole life and I'm constantly thinking about it. The only time I don't think-Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11376033013564367302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-77508932801523104962013-11-18T15:08:00.001-05:002014-06-15T10:48:38.425-04:00Duba-Duba-Duba-DubaiSo I am STILL on deployment for those of you who don't know or haven't been following mine and Jennifer's life with the due diligence that you should be. HOWEVER, for the past week I have had leave in Dubai, UAE. It has been awesome and fun.
Here is a recap of some of the stuff we have done:
So Dubai is home to the worlds largest mall. This mall is so large it has an ice skating rink and an Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-54005671681699145542013-06-26T22:27:00.000-04:002013-06-26T22:27:54.507-04:00First day back in FL... And I spend it at the DMVSo Jennifer, Gabe, Baron and myself got to Florida on Tuesday evening, looking a little something like this
Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Jennifer, Baron, that lady we picked up hitchhiking outside the GA State Penitentiary, Evan, Gabe
Anyways, it was late so we got checked into our hotel
They had 12 cabins, 12 vacancies.
And looked forward to a new day finding homes and taking car of Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-12669040876648266932013-06-19T01:00:00.000-04:002013-06-19T01:00:21.789-04:00Florida or BustSo this week I finally wrap up my school and head down to Florida. Some 2 months after leaving Japan we will finally reach the end of our journey (so long as eagles don't carry me away too).
Now I am not the biggest fan of Florida.
Though I am sure that Jacksonville/Mayport is alot nicer than Central Florida, which I think had Dante Alighieri know about in the 1200's, one of the levels of Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4438120140883465548.post-72505146387386937972013-04-21T08:05:00.000-04:002013-04-21T10:10:35.652-04:00The movers are coming, the movers are coming!One if by land... they aren't coming by sea, so it will just be one by land. As well, for some reason, Paul Revere's ride seems more heroic than if I did it.
Probably because the movers aren't Redcoats.
Anyway today was spent (and is ongoing) getting ready for the movers to come TOMORROW. A lot of last minute packing and cleaning. Fortunately we have Japanese movers who I imagine are extremely&Gothmoghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06922420175418798099noreply@blogger.com1