Worth Seventy Thousand Words

And you thought fifty was bad.

We're finally back from our marathon Summer Vacation which was really like seventy vacations - one right after the other.
In 1 month we traveled 6,980 miles (mostly driving), visited 6 different states, stayed overnight in 9 different locations, and accumulated 1 speeding ticket. We have a lot to show for ourselves.

I'm exhausted. But I wouldn't trade these memories for the world. Thanks FAMILY and friends for living in such cool places! And for letting us come visit. We miss you and are already pouring over these pictures. . . remembering. . . daydreaming. . .and wishing we were there again.

Until next time. . .

Here's seventy (I'm shameless now - I'm not even going to make excuses for posting so many.) of my favorite pictures of the second half of our trip. In chronological order.

Meeting Daddy at the Airport
(Salt Lake City, Utah)

Our 8th Anniversary

(Seattle, Washington)

Grandpa Bill and Grandma Kappy's House
(Bellevue Washington)

This is seriously the best backyard - EVER!

Oh, I love all that green. . .

Remember when you couldn't find your glasses, Grandpa Bill?

Isaac discovers his amazing natural talent. . .

Snoqualmie Falls
(Snoqualmie, Washington)

Mount St. Helens
(Silver Lake, Washington)

making an earthquake

Have you ever played Frisbee under a volcano? We have.

The Puget Sound
(Bremerton, Washington)

We Texans definitely came unprepared for the cool Northwestern breeze. Luckily the Smith's had plenty of extra jackets around. . . including, yup, that's right - a Dallas Cowboys coat??

I love baby Kathrine's foot poking out.
We miss you Drew and Em!

Seattle in the background.

The Fountain
(Bremerton, Washington)

Forget about the ferry boat ride, the cool Navy Ship tour, and the museum - my kids thought this fountain was the highlight of Bremerton. They could have played here all day. (oh wait, they did.)

Space Needle
(Seattle, Washington)

Seattle Center
(Seattle, Washington)

Family Totem Pole. I love this picture. . .

Children's Museum
(Seattle, Washington)Oh, Sara. . . Sara - Can I just be you???

Isaac living the dream. . .

Mariner's Game
(Safeco Field, Seattle)

Aw, cute Becca.

Yes. Brigham. Was. In. Heaven.

This is Isaac's face after the hundredth time telling him not to swing upside down on the railing.

I love how serious. . .

Slip-N-Suislide
(Grandpa Bill's Backyard)

This is what you get when you combine a steep grassy slope with five gigantic tarps, a hose, and about a gallon of dish soap. . .

Flight Back To Utah
(Over Seattle)Doesn't this look like we're flying over Africa? Ah, I wish. . .

flying over Mt. Hood - another 500,000-year-old volcano.

Grandpa Jack's House
(Provo, Utah)

Anyone know what these are? If you've seen Chitty Bang Bang then you know these are old bamboo sticks. My kids know the whole song and dance. And now they have the real props to go with it. Thanks Grandpa Jack!

Rocky Mountains
(Silverton, Colorado)

throwing rocks. . . of course. (such a boy thing)

"RaDango"
(Durango, Colorado)

The Middle Of Nowhere
(Somewhere East of El Paso, Texas)

Yup. This is really the most interesting thing between El Paso and San Antonio - which is about a 10-hour drive.

Riverwalk
(San Antonio, Texas)

where we paid 41 bucks for a meal our kids wouldn't eat.

3 hours more of driving (not pictured - but it sounded like this: Whack! AHHHHHHhhh! spit, spit, spit, Whack! Bang! Kick! More screaming. More hitting. More spitting. More tattle-taling.) until finally. . .

Ahh, home sweet home.

And now I'm off to my Defensive Driving Class. Grrrrrr. . .

.