more moments to cherish

A little over a week ago, my family got back from the last roadtrip of the summer, where we crammed Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Grand Canyon, Disneyland, Yosemite, and visits with friends all in 8 days. lots of adventures. lots of fast-paced moments. but ones I'll treasure.

"One [highlight] was just seeing mom laugh. I haven't seen her laugh so hard in months. We played some mad libs, which had her crying!"

- 9.16.10 [Day 1]

"God painted a beautiful sunset for us tonight, as we drove through Utah. the mountains, the pink clouds. I was sad to be stuck in the car."

- 9.16.10

"One of today's highlights was when Layne grabbed my hand and wanted to skip through the parking lot. And when Taylor and I ran up a steep hill to a lookout at Bryce Canyon and took pictures together.

I love my family."

- 9.17.10

"Highlights:

- driving through the Arizona desert, with just a few random shacks here and there. Got to hop out and take some pictures of horses.

- Meeting and naming 3 stray dogs - Nova, Toby, and Hogan. We saw a total of 9 stray dogs roaming around.

- skipping to Taco Bell for dinner and playing Montana Golf in the hotel room.

- backed up sewage in the hotel. okay, maybe this wasn't a highlight. but it sure was memorable.

- laughing like crazy in the back of the car with mom, leslie, and the girls, while out in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Mom telling jokes and laughing at herself. Leslie making random comments.

- a sweet time of prayer in the car."

- 9.18.10

"This morning we got up early as the sun was rising, ate some breakfast, and headed straight to the Grand Canyon. The first time we saw it, no one said anything. It was almost sacred."

- 9.19.10

"Some of my favorite memories today was eating at In-n-Out, getting to drive through the desert, doing two U-turns just to go half-a-mile into Nevada, and watching Layne throw her first tooth into the Grand Canyon."

- 9.19.10

"First day of Disneyland! ...Layne wasn't feeling so great today though. in fact, she threw up on the street! so we got to stand guard while we waited for them to clean it up."

- 9.20.10

"laughing Layne. soarin' over CA. chilly day. tired legs. crackers and fruit leathers and cliff bars. Matterhorn and Thunder Mountain Railroad. massive buffet. relaxing in the hotel. backrub from mom. World of color. lots of water, lights, and Disney songs. amazing. swimming. Will with an Australian accent. the office. Bible. goodnight."

- 9.21.10

"Didn't do much else today except drive..."

- 9.22.10

"We spend the day in Yosemite, quoting Brian Regan, looking intently for a bear so we could win a frosty, listening to Trace Bundy. Glacier point was an amazing first stop. I can't even describe the view--layers of cliffs and waterfalls, trees and valleys. We took a hike up to Vernal falls, a mile straight up hill. It was pretty up there, with a rainbow at the base of the falls--not sure it was that worth it though. Layne and I had a really fun walk back down the mountain though, playing the rhyming game."

- 9.23.10

"We ended the evening and the trip with some family time in the hot tub. We all sat around talking about our favorite parts of the trip--Tower of Terror, Mad Libs, Tuba City, Brian Regan, visiting friends, the Grand Canyon... It was a sweet wrap up to a good trip together."

- 9.23.10