Sorry, I had to shut off the comments function

Hi Folks,

Some robot just SPAMMED the heck out of our family blog (putting dozens of inane links and comments on it) so I had to shut off the "Anyone can post a comment" option. If you would like to comment you can send me an email and I'll hook you up.

I guess some people have nothing better to do than make life harder for others.

Take Good Care,

Bill

Howdy All,

Well, Whitney is hitched and Dan is in California! WooHoo!

Updates From the Fam

Hi All,

I haven't typed a word since the big vacation, but there is a lot going on in our world so I figured it is time for an update. So here you go...

The biggest headlines are that Whitney is getting Married and Daniel is going to serve a church mission during the next two years.



We are going to celebrate Christmas a bit early this year (December 13th) because Dan will be entering the MTC "Missionary Training Center" on the 17th. We're sure going to miss him, but are very proud of his choice to serve the Lord and the people of Northern California in the Santa Rosa Mission. You Rock Dan!!!

We probably won't see Dan for 2 full years. That reality is hard to wrap our heads around right now, but I suppose we'll endure it the best we can.



Whitney will be getting married in the Bountiful Temple located in Bountiful Utah on January 2nd to a very fine young man "David Ricky Archibald." For those of you who aren't aware, in our faith when you marry in the temple you are married for this life and the next...you'd better choose well; forever is a long time ; - ) You can learn more about that and other things at www.mormon.org if you are interested.

We are feeling very blessed and busy these days. We hope and pray you and yours are doing well. Please stay in touch and feel free to comment on the blog, email, call, or stop by anytime.

All the Best,

Bill, Lana & Family

Final Trip Report...

Hi All,

Well, we arrived at our home around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday the 28th of August. It would be a gross understatement to say we are glad to be home; it is wonderful to be home again! Even though we had a “once in a lifetime” kind of trip, and I sure hope we can do it again someday, the many little comforts of being home are hard to beat!

I haven’t written much in awhile, so I’ll fill you in on a few things. After leaving Lana’s sister’s house “LouJean” we made our way down to Florida. Yeah, getting past Hurricane Fay was a bit of a problem, and we sure put the RV to the test. The winds were strong and the rain was relentless. There were times when people were getting pretty insistent that I turn around and get us out of there, but being a little stubborn I just couldn’t give up, and we are all glad we kept going. The winds and rains actually kept Florida pretty cool for us, and we sure appreciated that since we were outside most days. If you’ve ever spent much time in Florida you know what I’m talking about…in August you can often find 90 – 100 degree days with 100% humidity! Thanks to Fay we stayed pretty comfortable most of the time.
Swimming at Jack's House

Florida provided us with some cherished experiences. We only had a few days there so we did what we could with the time available. Using a little bit of a democratic process, we chose to go to Epcot, Universal Studios, and Sea World as far as theme parks were concerned. They all had their own special blend of fun and we enjoyed each of them thoroughly.
Epcot Culture

We were well taken care of by my good friend and partner Jack Harrison, and his daughter Lindsey and son-in-law Doug. They were very kind to fix us some meals and delightful to visit and play with. Their kids were beautiful and fun too. We all got along very well. Thanks so much folks! You are welcome in our home anytime! Maybe a big ski vacation in Utah is in order?

The big theme parks couldn’t compete with the great fun we had playing in the Atlantic Ocean! That was a blast for all of us! We didn’t even get a chance to get in the water until about 10:30 p.m. one night, but we played in the surf until almost 3:00 a.m.! The kids really loved it, and so did we, but I have to admit that I must have done a family head-count about every 20 – 30 seconds the whole time we were in the water. The waves were much bigger than normal and the undertow was powerful because of the hurricane, so I was a bit of a nervous wreck. Once we left the water and the bodies all added up, I felt a huge sense of relief! The kids wanted to go back the next day but Sea World was calling and Lana and I were counting our blessings and not wanting to risk pushing our luck any further in the deep blue.
A Little Night Swim in the Ocean!

One time during or dip Emily (our youngest daughter,) screamed bloody murder. I assumed she was getting pulled out to sea by the undertow or a shark or something, so I ran toward her as fast as I could only to discover that her scream was related to a large fish bumping up against her legs. That really freaked her out, and when we were done panicking, we all had a great laugh. She sure has her daddy’s heart! ; - )

I have to say a big thanks to my life-long friend Bobby Ryan for helping count and protect the kids in the ocean, and the fun times we spent with him at Universal Studios. He also gave Daniel the VIP tour at Kennedy Space Center and Dan really enjoyed his expert knowledge of all things NASA. He has been engaged in a very noble project for many years and with little reward. Someday the world will know of his sacrifice to promote NASA’s vision and learn how he endured flooding and misfortune that seemed insurmountable, yet he kept going toward his goal. Thanks for all mate!
SPAN Secret Ops...
NASA's Parking Lot

Our last day in Florida was spent at Sea World and we knew people had to get home soon for work and such, so we ate at a fancy seafood joint “FishBones” and started the journey home after dinner at about 10:30 p.m. Jared had his first ever cut of Prime Rib and found a new favorite food. It was fun to watch him enjoy that meal so much! We all ate until we couldn’t put in another bite and every meal was excellent. We even enjoyed a few McDonald's "Bistro" meals...and yes, this is a real plate and silverware!
"McDonald's Bistro"

Getting home proved to have a few exciting and interesting moments as well. Since I was the “designated driver” or the only person willing drive you might say…I knew I would be burning the candle at both ends to get us home in time. Well, thanks to a rotation of trusty co-pilots: Dan, Adam, Jared, Matt, Emily, Whitney, and Lana they managed to keep me awake enough to keep driving when all I could think about was a good night’s sleep.

On occasion I just had to sleep, so I would find a quite place and park the RV for an hour or two and recharge my batteries for the next couple tanks of gas. On one such occasion I pulled into a truck stop (you know where all the big rigs park for the night,) and pulled right up along side a semi for a little rest. That may have been a mistake! About half an hour after we settled in for a nap we heard something like a freight train, the whole RV was shaking, and we all woke up in a bit of a panic. A semi had miss-judged a turn and brushed up against the rear driver’s side corner of the RV. He scraped the length of his trailer along that corner of the RV and really gave us a scare! We saw him drive off while we were still very dazed and confused, and Daniel and I ran out to assess the damage. It looks a bit like someone filed-down that corner with a rasp or something. No major damage, but I sure wish the driver would have come back with insurance info. He or She just kept going. Since I was wide awake after that, we got back out on the road before anything else could happen.
Dan...my main Co-pilot!
Although I have now been to all but a few states, I’ve not been to Tennessee or Kentucky until this trip. Both were a beautiful combination of hills/small mountains (when compared to the Rockies,) and tons of trees. I found Tennessee particularly beautiful, and we all enjoyed the great views.

Much of the rest of the trip was made in the dark of night since we were trying to put the miles behind us and get everyone home a.s.a.p. With over 7000 miles traveled I did all the driving except for 91 miles in the flats of Nebraska. The plan was, Lana would drive for awhile on the flat easy driving highway so I could catch a little sleep…it sounded like a great plan. I went to the back bedroom and laid down. Well, the Bounder takes a little getting used to, and the back bedroom tends to bear the brunt of the rough road and fish-tale a bit. Although I was plenty tiered, there were several swerves that caused me to sit up in bed in a panic! I thought we were goner’s there a few times ; - ) Lana did not cherish the captains seat and happily gave it back to me, never to return. That worked best in the long run anyway.


A few closing thoughts are in order…it was great having my mother and our good friend Theresa with us in Chicago and especially in Michigan. They really added a special dimension to the trip and made visiting long-lost relatives even more meaningful. It was great to visit old friends and family members that I haven’t seen in many years, and the kids have never met before. Believe me when I tell you we come from good people. I am proud and feel very blessed about the family and friend associations we have. Thank you all for your kindness and love. We appreciate you too!

Even before we began the trip our dear neighbors played a part in making it a success. Joanne and LaVar gave us some fun travel treats and a game to play on the road, Pat also loaded us with treats and picked-up our mail every day, and all of my good neighbors kept an eye on our home. Thanks to Mark who even broke-in to our house and turned our security camera on when I had forgotten to do so. Once there was a suspicion that someone had broken in (unauthorized that is,) and my neighbors rallied in my yard and checked things out. No one had entered the house, but it was heart-warming to know they were all looking out for us. Thanks!


Many have called this “the trip of a lifetime” but I hope it is only the first in a long series of time spent with my dear family. It was great fun to travel and see so many interesting and inspiring things, but being together was the absolute best part for all of us. I thank God with all of my heart for these good people that we have been entrusted with, and consider it a great privilege and honor to be the Dad or husband, and friend to each of them.

Just a few FYI’s for you:

We traveled over 7000 miles
The RV averaged about 5.5 mpg. Ouch!
We got home on the 25th day of traveling (3 1/2 weeks)
The trip cost…well, we actually haven’t figured it out and don’t want to know ; - )
We’d do it all again in a heartbeat!

I hope you have enjoyed reading of our travels, and that you will find a way to make some memories with your family at home, or on the road, while you still have a chance. Life is so short and so precious. May you live and love every day as if it were your last.

God Bless You and Yours!

Bill & Lana and Whitney, Daniel, Adam, Jared, Matthew, Emily, Spencer, Jason

Seaworld and things

Oh Shamoo!
Seaworld was so much fun, the shows there were amazing, we all had a really fun time, the rain put a little damper on things, but it all worked out.
Does it get any cuter? Jason is definietly ready to be home, look at those sad eyes :)
Universal Studios was a blast! If Matt were a cartoon, this is what he would look like.

More Fun

So cute! This is Spencer and Jason at an aquarium in the Epcot center. Yep Jason is walking all over the place, Just kidding, how could anyone learn to walk in a tippy RV? He is standing and holding on to things to walk now a days. He gets the award for the most bumps on the head.
This is Dad's good friend Bobby and the not so lucky alligator. Bobby spent some time with our family at the ocean and universal studios, it was really fun to have him around. Its kind of funny to see alligator as road kill, we don't get much of that in Utah.
Its hard not to get exhausted on this trip. Dad invented a new headstrap for stroller sleeping babies, works like a charm!
Here is the fam at the Epcot Center, what a cool place!

Since last time

This fountain at Aunt LouJean's house was a full time babysitter, so awesome!
It was amazing all of the little creatures at Jack's house in Florida, Jared and Matt had lots of fun with that
Ripley's is a pretty crazy place, lots of creepy cool things

We survived the storm!

Well we conqured Hurricane Fay! After a sleepless night of driving for our captain, we got to Florida thursday morning. We went to the Ripley's believe it or not museum and spent the rest of the day relaxing at Jack Harrison's (Dad's partner in business and family friend). We have spent the last few days seeing the sights. We went to the Epcot center and ocean on friday, Universal Studios on saturday, sunday was a recouperation day, and Seaworld on monday. Florida has been a blast and thanks to our endless ATM (aka Dad) we have been able to do some many amazing things. The rain turned out to be a blessing and a curse, the lines were shorter and it wasn't so hot, but no one likes to be soggy all day :) Though this vacation has been such an awesome experience, we all are ready to return to our lovely little River Heights.

Thank you so much Jack for all of your hospitality, it was great to meet you and get to know your family. You guys sure made us feel welcome and comfortable, just what we needed on this long trip.

Fay Fay Go Away!

Yep, Tropical Storm/Hurricane Fay is right in our path! We're going anyway! ; - ) Hopefully we won't be on the 6:00 News ; - )

Take Good Care,

Bill

Some Fun Pics...

He Sure Looks Honest To Us!
Riding the Metro into DC
In the Smithsonian
The Washington Monument (We went to the top)it was pretty cool.
The original Wright Flyer! The fabric was replaced in 1985, but the rest of it is just as the Wright Brothers left it...Cool!

The Korean War Memorial

I was really touched by the faces and the hardship portrayed in this memorial. My Dad fought in Korea so long ago, and I could see him in the statues as they trudged along. It is a truly respectful and worthy tribute to those soldiers.

Bill & little "JB" Playing in Lake Erie at Cedar Point

On the Mall...

Hi All,

We spent yesterday "On the Mall" as they say in DC. It was really a great day and stirred-up all kinds of feelings of gratitude for our forefathers, veterans, and inventors as we toured the Smithsonian, various monuments & memorials(Washington, Lincoln, Korean War, Vietnam War, etc.)

What a great country!!!

There is way too much to see in a day, but we are all exhausted from the whole experience of it. I guess it is probably a combination of the heat, information and sensory overload, and miles and miles of walking. It was a challenge for us all, but well-worth the effort!

Many of our really cool photos are still stuck on cameras. I'll get one of my "IT" pros (my kids) to upload some later today. It was truly an awesome day!

FYI, we aren't going to let Hurricane Fay stop us from going to Florida. We'll probably be leaving in the morning and seeing some sights along the way. The whole fam is really stoked about Sea World, Disney, Cocoa Beach, KSC, and etc. It will be hot and humid, but we are geared-up for it. ; - )

One more thing; there was a default setting that made people register to comment on the blog. I have removed that so anyone can comment (even anonymously) if they want. We'd love to hear from you, so please feel free to comment on anything you like.

God Bless You & Yours,

Bill

Quick Catch-up...

Hi Gang,

Sorry about the delay...we've just been very busy and too tired to type at night.

Visiting Kathee & Kevin was fun...I hope we got out of there without ruining anything in your beautiful home ; - )

"The Sacred Grove" was a cool experience...see http://www.mormon.org if you don't know what that is.

Niagara Falls was wet ; - )

Lost the AC belt on the engine...spent a few hours fixing it...it works ; - ) Daniel was very very helpful in the whole process...thanks Bud!

Currently at LouJean & Mike's house (Lana's sister) very nice folks and treating us very well. Good people and we're glad for downtime with them. Thanks a ton!

Sorry we missed you DDD...we tried.

Hey Jack, Hurricane Fay is becoming a problem...we may have to bump out our arrival time a little.

Life is Good and I am grateful for you all.

All the Best,

Bill

No Kidding! It Happened Again! ; - )

This is an unrelated photo of an Italian Beef Sandwich at Novi's in Chicago...YUM!!!

Hi Folks,

We've been having a ball visiting friends, family, and going to cool places like Cedar Point, Mackinac Island, etc. Yes, we are all getting along really well too ; - ) So far we're still happy to be together ; - )

Believe it or not, Tuesday night our driver's side rear hubcap came off (just like the other one,) ripped off both valve stems (just like before,) and left us on an off-ramp near Richfield Ohio with 2 flat tires! That is getting really old! And yes, those hubcaps are GONE FOR GOOD!!!

A tire guy came with his heavy duty jack (it worked on the angle of the off-ramp and mine didn't) and changed us over to our spare at about 3:00 a.m. then, (just like magic) and...$285.00 later we were rolling again and arrived at the Thompson's house at about 5:00 a.m. It was a long night.

The next day we found a couple of new tires (yep, another $498.00) and we are about to set sail again. We also spent a couple of hours troubleshooting the automatic stairs...it turned out to be a fuse that looked good on the outside but had an internal short. Lesson: Always check fuses with a voltmeter!

Although this trip has certainly been a major "pain in the wallet," and a bit trying at times, it has been wonderful to be with these good people and visit people we love around the country. We have a pretty full agenda, but are looking forward to the activities ahead.

Thanks to Tom & Lisa Thompson for their great hospitality and help on the RV! You guys really gave a bunch of road-weary travelers a welcomed reprieve and a warm welcome. You Rock!

Will post again sometime, but it's time for brunch.

Take Good Care,

Bill

Oops!
Santa Claus to the rescue!!
What a blessing to have manly men around :)
Its a hard life without a Ricky

A Few Fun Shots...

Dinner with Aunt Peggy and her family


This was the house Dad grew up in. We saw the famous lake where my dad picked up poo, and this is also the place where we got a flat tire. Hooray!!

Here we are all loaded onto the carriage
There were so many pretty flowers on the island, it was amazing!!
Thank you, thank you very much!
Oh no you didn't girlfriend!