AV here we come!

Here's our cross country itinerary:

DAY 1 (12/27)

From: Los Angeles, CA approx. noon

drive: 265 mi - about 4 hours to Las Vegas

NIGHT 1
Las Vegas arrive about 6:00
Excalibur Hotel

DAY 2 (12/28)

leave Las Vegas about 2:00

From: Las Vegas, NV to Grand Canyon Village, AZ

277 mi - about 4 hours 31 mins, arrive about 7:00

NIGHT 2
Grand Canyon Yavapai lodge on the canyon rim

DAY 3 (12/29)

Grand Cyn all day, leave 5:00 pm

NIGHT 3
drive back down to Flagstaff

92.7 mi - about 1 hour 41 mins, arrive 7:00 pm
couchsurf

DAY 4 (12/30) Leave Flagstaff 9 am ,

520 mi - about 7 hours 44 mins to Roswell, NM

pitstop: Petrified Forest National Park, 1 hour detour - scenic drive

NIGHT 4
Roswell, NM, arrive approx. 9:00 pm

Motel 6?

DAY 5 (12/31) leave Roswell, NM 9 am

drive 103 mi - about 2 hours 9 mins to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM

arrive by 1:30 pm (last tour 2:00)

leave Carlsbad 4:00

155 mi - about 2 hours 51 mins, arrive Fort Stockton, TX
NIGHT 5 New Year's Eve
Hotel ?

DAY 6 (1/1)

leave Fort Stockton, TX leave 8 am

drive 506 mi - about 7 hours 5 minsto Houston, TX

NIGHT 6 1/1 Houston arrive about 5:00

hotel?

DAY 7 (1/2) leave Houston, TX, 9 am

348 mi - about 5 hours 22 mins

To:New Orleans, LA arrive about 3:00

NIGHT 7 NOLA
stay with old friend John Fitzgerald

DAY 8 (1/3) NOLA

leave about 2:00

Drive:468 mi - about 7 hours 2 mins

To:Atlanta, GA, arrive about 10 pm

NIGHT 8
Atlanta, GA

stay with homeschool friends the Carsons?

DAY 9 (1/4) explore Atlanta until after lunch,

leave for Asheville 2:00

Drive:208 mi - about 3 hours 35 mins

arrive Asheville, NC about 6:00

!!!!

Merry Christmas part 8: conclusion for now

Well, you all knew I was being a bit overambitious with this blog - trying to document and make commentary while my life was turning into catapillar soup, as Lyena would say. There is so much to say but it will have to wait, I just wanted to post some pics. Read what I just put on the Truffula Tuft blog for a little summary of the feelings.

I have a million pictures of the big party and other stuff but I have to go back to work, packing and setting up for Christmas so it will all have to wait.

love love love you all,
Jen

Merry Christmas part 7: Billie Tea Party

Billie's 6th birthday tea party was an elegant affair despite the drizzle. Maggie pours tea, Shea sips, Billie whacks the pinata, beautiful cake made by Maggie, Heather and Mara watch the whacking, Jill and Lucia enjoy the yummies.

Merry Christmas part 6: piano lesson, Michael P. Birthday

Connor's last piano lesson with John :-( What a great teacher he is.

Followed by a bunch of pics from Michael's 40th birthday party. Didi looking glam, Sherry and Radh, the birthday boy, Terry and Radh, Tracie who came down from SF with Don for the occasion, and Avery looking a bit sleepy.

Merry Christmas part 5: Slumber Party 2, AAC dinner

Slumber party number 2 with Cody, Jackson and Nereida. Followed by the AAC holiday dinner at the Lebanese Kitchen. Yum. We played telephone around the big table.

Merry Christmas part 4: fam pics

Family pictures for the holiday card. Ava was with us that morning so she got to be in them too. And Ruby kitty.

Merry Christmas part 3: Lyena, 3 witches, Phoebe

Here I am with Lyena at her birthday party. Followed by the three little witches, as Bob calls them - Ava, Billie and Zoe, climbing our kitchen doorway. Last is Phoebe and Connor who got to play one afternoon, while her mom Polly helped me pack.

Merry Christmas part 2: Face/LA

The FACE/LA homeschool kids have an annual craft sale in December. Here some of the Friday Homeschool kids sell their homemade soap and scupley pens.

Below that one you can see Connor and some of the teens putting together holiday stockings for the homeless. We put things like shampoo, cough drops and nutrition bars in each one, along with the other new sock in the toe. It's tied it with a ribbon and a recycled card and each family that contributed stuff gets to take a few home. You leave them in your car and hand them out to people in need as you travel the city. It's a great way to get kids involved and has provoked some good conversations about politics and values in our family.

Merry Christmas part 1: Nutcracker, Slumber Party, Parade

Connor's friend Jackson was in the Nutcracker Suite, dancing the part of one of the Russian dancers. They performed at the fancy-schmancy Alex Theater in Glendale.

Slumber party number one 12/1 - a lively game of monopoly with Connor, Finneas, Malcolm, Elliot and Teodore.

Highland Park Holiday parade 12/2. The Arroyo Arts Collective had an entry and we marched with theFranklin high School kids and the big puppets. It was a gorgeous sunny witer day in LA.