A LONG Post About The LONG Drive Home

I finally got my camera (thanks Amber and Erin!) so I can finally post about our trip home! It was an exciting one!

We actually left Saint John a day earlier than we planned. We finished packing up our car the morning of Saturday, September 25th and we were on our way. We once again amazed ourselves with our packing skills as we were able to fit everything and everyone in our SUV. Our first stop was Boston to visit my sister Amber and her family. It was about an 8 hour drive with all our breaks along the way.

Our first break was in St. Stephens, New Brunswick, "Canada's Chocolate Town." It's where Ganong Chocolates are made. To be honest I had never heard of these chocolates before but we did stop in the chocolate museum for a quick free sample and they are delish! That was the extent of our stay in St. Stephens other than the long line to get through the Canada/US border into Calais, Maine. We drove through Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts. More states that I get to cross of my list! The kids were great for the long day (thanks to movies on the ipad) and it was so great to see the Edwards family.

We got to spend all of Sunday with Amber and her fam. We went to church with them, had a delicious meal, and even had a little birthday party for Jensen and Marik. Marik's birthday was the 24th of August and Jensen's was the 28th. Amber made them a Captain America cake (also delish) and Jensen, Aubrey, and Carter got to open some presents from the Edwards clan. They are so thoughtful!

Nailed it!

Blowing out candles

YUM!

After the presents we took advantage of the beautiful weather and went out to feed the ducks, walk around, and chat while the kiddos played. As it was approaching bed time the adults (and Carter) left Porter in charge and headed into Boston to drive around and see some of the sights.

Boston is a beautiful city! David drove us around Harvard and MIT, he showed us the hospital that he works at (Massachusetts General Hospital), we drove around the park where Robin Williams and Matt Damon had a conversation in Good Will Hunting, and simply toured around. It is a city full of history and I love me some history! I would love to go back and spend more time there but we needed to get back to the kiddos.

Faneuil Hall - The Cradle of Liberty

Monday morning we were off! Our next trek was a 12 hour drive to Detroit where Chris' brother Darcy and his family live. We drove through Massachusetts, New York, Ontario to get into Michigan. That's 2 border crossings in one day. I can't say I have ever done that before! Both border crossings were extremely busy (like, an hour-and-a-half waiting in line busy) but staying in the US and going around the bottom of the great lakes would have added an extra 4 hours to our drive. We didn't get to do any church history sites like we had originally planned. We thought they were on the way, but they really aren't. Oh well.

So after a long day, we finally made it to Detroit. It was so nice to see Darcy, Jessica, and London and to finally meet baby Mason. He was born while we were gone so it was our first time seeing him and he was already almost 3 months!

We spent 2 nights with them as well so we got a full day to spend together. Tuesday. Jensen's actual birthday. He lucked out and got to open a present from Uncle Darcy and Aunt Jessica and one from us.We spent a good portion of the day at the outlet mall where there is an indoor playground and the kiddos played their hearts out! It really wore them out!

Carter and London

Worn out.

I forgot my camera at Amber's place and even though I realized it after only a half hour after leaving her house, Chris wouldn't turn around to get it. So I don't have any pictures after that point. I stole the above ones from my sis-in-law, Jessica. Aubrey and Jensen were there and they had a fabulous time too. We even played at a playground after we left the mall and had a pizza picnic. What was even better was that after the kids were all in bed, Jessica and I got to go out and get Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory candied apples (DELICIOUS) and chat. I have really missed hanging out with Jessica. I'm so glad she married Darcy.

We were off the next morning to embark on the longest leg of our journey (3 175km) and this time we had nothing to look forward to for a few days. Just a lot of driving. We drove through Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana where we stopped and stayed at my Parent's cabin for the September long weekend. Along the way we stayed at a Motel 6 somewhere in Minnesota, I can't remember where, that was a little sketchy, but it was nice to be out of the car for a bit and to actually get a decent sleep. The next night we were going to try to drive all the way to the cabin without stopping and get there at about 3 in the morning but we just couldn't make it. We stayed at a Sleep Inn in Billings and it was so much nicer than the Motel 6. An extra $20 a night goes a long way. There was even a continental breakfast included. I think the highlight of that long drive for the kids was driving through the North Dakota bad lands. They still talk about it! I was so impressed with how well Aubrey, Jensen and Carter did as that drive is hard for even an adult to handle! I'm so thankful all 3 kids are such good travelers.

The September long weekend was the best we've had yet, I think! It was so wonderful to be reunited with my family again! My parents were there, my brother Jess and his family was there, my brother Darren and his family was there, and my cousin Kayla was there. It was a full house but I think that makes our time there even more fun. We filled the days with boating, tubing, wake boarding, paddle boarding, quading, eating, and visiting. My brothers, our dad, and I even got out on the lake by 7 one morning to do some wake boarding. It was freezing! But the lake was glass so it was worth it. The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins too. We really missed everyone so much.

On Tuesday morning we headed for home, stopped in Kalispell to grab some school supplies for Aubrey, and drove through the beautiful Logan Pass. It was such a great feeling to get back into southern Alberta and drive the home stretch. Chris had a very short time before he was off to sell again. He left Wednesday morning for Grand Prairie to sell post season for the month of September. We got to have a short visit with Chris' family and Jensen was spoiled again with more birthday presents. I think this was the best birthday he has ever had! He even got a card and money from Gma & Gpa Cahoon at the cabin!

So it was a crazy week-and-a-half to say the least. The kids and I are living with my parents for the next month while we wait for our house to be ready (a story for another time) and we are so glad to be back in Raymond. It will be even better when Chris is here with us.