We arrived home from New Jersey around 2am after DRIVING from Newark airport in a rental van! Our intention was to fly home but there weren't any flights we could get on so we rented the van, loaded everyone up and headed out! It took us 12 hours and really wasn't too bad. It means that we have literally driven from one coast to the other this summer and the kids have been in 12 states! ( WA, OR, ID, UT, WY, NB, IO, IN, OH, Penn, NY, NJ)
We had a wonderful time in Jersey! It was so great to get re-aquainted with Tom and Diana and to meet Emily. Ella has grown and changed since we last saw her in China too! It was fun to get to know her goofy, happy self rather than the somber one we met before. Paige's personality was quite evident as we watched her with another little one her own size. Watch out! She has no problem taking what she wants and then "spitting" raspberries at the poor soul who tries to get it back! She also does not enjoy sharing a stroller with anyone and pinched and scratched poor Ella to show her displeasure! But they were also awfully cute following each other around, giving hugs/kisses, and just being together. We all enjoyed a day at the Jersey Shore with beautiful weather. Trace had one of the best days of his life learning to Boogie-board! He spent hours in the water and got aquainted with the lifeguard when he drifted too close to the jetty and couldn't get away. Paige eventually got used to the water and completely enjoyed the sand too. Each day was pretty packed with swimming, family gatherings, arcades, carnivals/boardwalks, you-name-it! I was worried that Trace would be bored but I don't think he asked me once when we were going home. Caden kept begging us to stay "just one more day"! On Tuesday, Rick and I took the boys into New York City to see Ground Zero. They are well aware of what happened there and we all wanted to see it before it was all built over. Unfortunately it is really just a HUGE construction site right now and the safety fencing is really hard to see through. It also felt like it was 110 degrees and 110% humidity! I'm not sure what it really was but it was REALLY hot. We rode the train in to Penn Station then got on the subway right to Ground Zero. After walking around the site we walked down by the water to see the Statue of Liberty (waaay off in the hazy distance) then headed back to the subway and home. It was a pretty long day and we are all really glad we did it. Someday I'd maybe like to return to New York with out kids but I won't be dissapointed if I never see it again either! Paige was very happy to wake up in her own house this morning. She ran around like a banshee just like when we got home from Vancouver! It is pretty funny. Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Now it's time for school to start!!!!
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