HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

SUNSET AT DAYTONA BEACH, FL.

I pray that everyone has a great 2010 and that this will be the year of good health and happiness for everyone.

I wish my kids every dream they can possibly want.. and Tammy and Kelley.. I pray this child is safe and secure in your arms.

Karli my grand daughter.. ahh darlin.. I wish you all your dreams to come.. and lol I hope you are as active as your daddy was when he was little :) Much happiness Kelli and Randy! Stacy and Virginia.. I pray you find the "dairy find" of the century.. what ever it might be! Melody and Alex.. I pray all your wishes are full filled.. And Holly.. much happiness and laughter in your life. Karl I hope to see you more in 2010 and hear that laughter some more..

To all my other family and friends.. I LOVE YOU and only wish the best awesomest (hmm that a word??) year! Cyn.. You can do what you set your mind to.. and Do it with gusto.. Love you kiddo! Athena.. grow strong and stay as happy and as beautiful as you are! But be good to your mommy and daddy :)

Monday or Tue we plan to start heading back to Yuma Arizona. We'll be back by hopefully mid January. I'll let you all know what happens along the way.

you all take care.. and be safe tonight..

Keri

We're in Daytona Beach, Florida

Home of fast (Nascar) cars.. Joey Lagonno (sp) is busy doing practice racing over at Daytona Speedway.. hmm might have to go check that out! And all who know me.. know I will probably go do that.. check it out..
Made it here now trying to find a place to get the old rv lubed and oil changed. We are going to look into air shocks too..
Well for tonight YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT TOMORROW!
Night.. Keri

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Merry Christmas everyone :)

This is grand daughter Karli with Santa.. I don't think she is to sure of the jolly fat guy :)

This is my great niece Athena.. I think she is busy keeping an eye on mom. There is something about Jolly St Nick and kids.. especially little kids!

Mel and I spent Christmas Eve with Stacy and Virginia. We had an awesome dinner.. and looked at a few of my movies from England on our narrow boat trip. It was fun.. THEN.. we opened presents. I think everyone was pleased with what they got. Virginia's sister Mary also came up and had dinner with us. It was a great day.. Stacy also took us over to the Coast Guard base and showed us around and in to see his office.

It was a great day.. had sunshine and lots of laughter...

Yeah.. I cried when I left.. it is a moms progatory.. Besides.. I always miss my kids...

SO :) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.. as we leave Virginia.. for warmer weather. Which it looks like the next front is coming in so I have to stop here and we are packing up to leave. We will be back probably early fall .. there is so much here in this area we would love to see.. that is outside.. PLUS>. see the kids again..

Till next time I write.. you all take care!
Keri

Williamsburg, VA

Land of the free.. flooding and snow..

Last night in Hayes VA. which is across the bridge ($1.00 an axel to cross) at the RV park we went to.. it snowed.. then rained. We woke up to the area around us (all sand and some dirt) was flooded.. Even Jax-e wasn't sure she wanted to jump down off the step.. We had to wear plastic bags over our shoes or water would have poured into them. It was record time to hook up the car hauler and get the car on.. it was flooding and a mess.. and since we had to go on a road names"low ground road" it was a bad omen.. It was quite a trip along the road.. there were a couple places where water was totally over the roadway. If we had waited.. I am sure we would have been stuck there, due to the roads flooding. So.. on the main road.. we got across the bridge and headed for Williamsburg VA. To a different.. RV park.. with showers and cable tv.. and we sit on a cement slab..

They did get more snow towards Williamsburg then we did in Hayes, but it was off the road. And basically in the fields. In Hayes.. it was flooding .. and no snow.

Jax-e is SO READY to go back to the beach.. or even sunshine and sand.. she wants it to be warm again.. that is why she left Spokane.. :( POOR PUPPY (and for the record.. yes.. Mel is whining about the cold too.. they are 2 peas in a pod!) But first before we start our trip back.. we will spend Christmas with Stacy and Virginia. The 26th, we start out. Hopefully early and with decent weather.

Well must go do dishes and then going to watch tv some.
You all have a great weekend and don't forget to get your shopping done :)

Oh yeah... Happy Holidays..

Keri

Four Oaks NC

IF you have a RV and IF you go through this area and IF you need a place to stay and IF you can sleep through a hurricane.. then THIS is the place for you!!!
Complete with train 100 feet from your camping spot..
Tomorrow we head for Williamsburg VA. We will spend a few days there.. then the 26th.. it is on down to FLORIDA..WARMTH!! and on over to Yuma.. going slowly of course. :)
We don't like to hurry.
Well going to stop here.. will write more from Williamsburg..
You all take care..
Keri

Wed. leave for Four Oaks, NC

Tomorrow we leave for Four Oaks, NC. We spend one night there then head up further towards Williamsburg, VA. We plan to visit and see Stacy and Virginia on Sunday. We'll get up and see a few of the sights and then... do nothing :) We enjoy doing nothing.We accomplished quite a bit today.. I cleaned and re-did some cupboards.. Mel did little projects we had on the list :) You all know.. the honey do list..
Well ... I will miss the beach.. I will miss watching Jax-e running on the beach and miss hearing the waves as they pound coming into shore. AND.. I will really miss walking on the beach with Mel.
I will write more tomorrow.. You all have a nice night..
Keri

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina....

Greetings from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina... We finally got our trailer..and made it on over here. It was a little windy and foggy but the smell is wonderful. There is nothing like the smell of the ocean. Even with the cold front going through.. with the exception of the wind.. it is nice. And we are enjoying walking along the beach..making memories.. and gathering shells for memories for Cynthia.

We picked up our trailer, it is powered to tilt so you can just drive on up it. You don't need to pull out the ramps for the car to go up. Which is nice :) It is a nice trailer.. I will admit it. When I got the car off.. it took about 2 minutes.. it was actually quite nice!

<http://sweetrivertrailer.com/>

We are camped right on the beach.. Staying at "Apache Family Campground resort, www.apachefamilycampground.com ." We are staying in spot Ocean 153. There is a few weeds that act as a wind break.. and Jax-e LOVES the beach.. we let her go and she just runs and runs! All you see is little POOFS of dust in her wake. It is funny to watch. The seagulls drive her nuts and she spots them and goes at a charge towards them.. they fly but she fancies herself a huntress.. I only get nervous when she goes out into the water to go after the seagulls flying above her. Anyway she fancies herself a beach bum.. hehehe She hasn't tried the surf board yet.

This is Kelley and Tammy's baby.. It is magical.

to look at, the baby is just laying perfect for a picture :)
I just pray that this baby makes his or her journey to this world safe and sound. Please send prayers towards Tammy and Kelley.. Thank you.. more then you will know.

Wednesday we check out of here (Myrtle Beach) and head on up towards Stacy and Virginia's. Stacy will be back from the West Coast by the time we get up there and Virginia ought to be on break from college. We plan to spend 4 or 5 days up there during Christmas and check out Williamsburg At Christmas time.. I hear it is quite awesome. Then we will head down into the panhandle of Florida and if it is nice.. slowly make our way back to the Great Northwest! We will take Highway 10 down along the southern end of the states and probably come up through California.

YEA... South Carolina.. finally... :)

Well we are somewhere in South Carolina.. up on the border with North Carolina.. About 6 miles from Mt. Croghan in a little town called PAGELAND. For a couple days we might leave the car here (where we pick up our trailer) .. in Mt. Croghan.. and drive down to Camden.. it is a beautiful old town. Boy I tell you some of the homes that we went by.. were breath taking. AND.. the weather said.. it might get up to 74 tomorrow! Well it is one of them..Wait and see.. kinda deals. Anyway we have a few days to do nothing till we can get the trailer. It is done.. we just have to wait for the tire tie downs. So we will probably do a little driving around and checking things out back here. It is a lot like Washington.. there are trees and green.. no huge mountains.. but it is pretty in it's own way. Then we will head to Stacys for a few days at Christmas time. We plan to go over to the coast and take the coast highway up to Yorktown. There are a couple places we would really like to stop at and see. It will be nice.. even if we have to just watch a storm come in over the ocean. Then when we get there.. the kids want to show us places around there. It will be fun.. and interesting.. Looking forward to it.
Well I am tired and I will write more later..
You all take care..
Keri

SERAFINO'S!!!!! YES..Finally :) Atlanta.. hiss..

Well... made it down here to the restaurant. We ate.. it was still really good.. but somethings had changed and now.. Anchorage takes the #1 spot and Serafino's takes 2nd. They have down sized and moved to a smaller place. I guess that you have to do what you have to do to survive in this economy.



http://www.serafinositalianrestaurant.com/

THEN.. we went up the highway about 15 miles to the truck stop.. wow it was small AND they were parked double so we would have gotten stuck in among the semis. Having been there.. done that.. we decided to go to this other one. We got there and there was no truck parking.. only gas pumps. So we went down the street to Walmart.. which really wasn't a Walmart but a Sams Club. They let us stay there..
If I lived in Atlanta.. I swear.. I would drink.. and I don't mean now and then.. I mean drink! The speed limit is 65.. I was almost doing 70 and they were swerving in and out.. and had to be doing 80plus! I hated it.. I feel for anyone that has to drive there! Atlanta = tranquilizers!

Anyway.. long day LOOOONG day.. BUT thank God.. through Atlanta. I thought St. Louis was bad.. hehehehe think again.. But I will STILL avoid going through St. Louis at all cost. Only if I have no other choice will I go through there.

You all have a great week.. talk to you all later..
Keri

WELCOME TO THE LAKE..

Well it is a lake.. not our lake.. but a lake in Cropwell Alabama. We are east and south of Birmingham Alabama. Tomorrow we make it through Atlanta Georgia. Hopefully our Italian place is open. I am just glad that we are ALMOST there. I told Mel it was a long drive.. The hardest part is the 4 hour driving.. wow it seems like forever getting here.. but we need to stop in time to be able to hook up. It just seems like this is taking forever..and I would love to just spend a few days not doing anything... soon I am told.. soon :)

Got this picture from my niece the other day.. I think it is so cute it is like Athena is going.. .....SANTA......

hehehe And Nino is Santa to her.. Anyway cute picture.. so I wanted to share.
Will be interesting to hear what my granddaughter does with Santa. They haven't gone yet.. hopefully this coming week they will make it.


Well the final for Amazing Race is on.. Mels daughter wants to go on it..Holly.. she would pair up with Alex.. her brother in law. hehehe I can only say.. it would be an interesting show!!
So.. will talk to you all later..
Keri

Where are we..Mississippi..

We made it to Clinton Mississippi tonight. We find driving 4 hours is working.. Or should I say Mel does good after 4 hours. then we need to stop. Besides we like to get all hooked up and ready for night before it gets dark. Tomorrow will be a different day.. trying to find a place for the night. Not to mention the roads get all messy. We have to go north to the middle of the state.. to continue going east. Okay then...it will be onto Birmingham Alabama tomorrow night. Then from Birmingham it will be onto Atlanta and the VERY BEST Itallian place to eat we have EVER eaten at... Serafino..OMG makes my mouth water just thinking of it!

Tomorrow we ought to get into Alabama. I swore I'd never go back to Alabama. And with Red Cross and FEMA.. I have been there more then I would admit to :)

We are staying in a RV park I am not to sure of.. the office door is unlocked and they are having a family gathering in the other room. There is a note to leave your credit card info on this envelope and drop into the box.. where ANYONE can reach into it and get the info. I said I would be up in the am. It was super nice to take a really hot shower. Last time I had great hot water.. but Mel had cold. So glad he had hot water!

Oh.. wish that this photo would have come out brighter.. it was really red and the contrast of the tree beside it was just really cool.

Well you all take care..

tomorrow is another day..

Keri

Drive only 3 days.. Kelley has it right

Well we left Abilene Texas this morning and about an hour out of there.. Mel proved once again.. He is good at driving on the shoulder! This accident also happened in front of us.. 3 semi's and 2 cars ahead of us.. I think.. the semi clipped the pick-up.. and didn't leave much and then the semi went onto his side and did a 180.. facing the east bound traffic.. laying on its side. Not sure of the outcome of the people.. but from the looks of what was left of the pick-up.. (s)he didn't make it. So Kelley said we ought to drive 3 days then stay off the road for the next couple of days. I told Mel one more and we are going to stick the car and rv on a train and we will fly to South Carolina and pick it up. This is WAY more action then I would EVER want again in my life. And I think I need to fit Jaxe with a 5 point harnes.. maybe Mel also.. I hate it .. when I see the brake lights go on.. and he heads for the shoulder. I am thankful.. both times.. it was a full lane shoulder and not the little 2 foot shoulder with the hill going into the median. ugh.. Please God.. no more....

Okay.. we woke up to snow this morning.. Jaxe and Mel didn't want to get out of bed.. I have to admit.. I had to think about it also! I didn't want to leave from under the fur... But I got up.. took Jaxe out and well got ready to get things to go.

Tonight on the news out of DFW (Dallas, Fort Worth) they were talking about the BIG news of the snow.. they are hoping they don't have a bad winter last year of 2.5 inches for the year. Mel and I are like.. what..... We had what 97 inches last year in Spokane. Ugh.. anyway they were glad they didn't have to take a "Snow Day" today. I can only say... sad.

Tomorrow it is onto Shreveport LA. Spend tomorrow night there.. Ya know... SURVIVOR is on and we can not miss that. HOPEFULLY we are also getting east enough where the warmth is finally coming back.. we left home to get away from the cold.. hmm

Okay going to say good night to you all.. and will write more tomorrow.

You all take care..

Keri

Jax-e says it is cold in Texas...

She has decided (like someone else I know!) that perhaps it is a good day to stay snuggled under the blankets. I knew it was time for Mel (and Jax-e) to take a break from the road. They drove 5 and a half hours yesterday.. that was pretty good for them!Me.. well I was getting use to the LONG.. nothing road.. but sagebrush and sand.. I will say Texas IS a huge state.. like Alaska.. but Alaska has an indescribable beauty to it.. Texas is ..well indescribable..and the south. But we are enjoying this.. well minus the sand storm in Arizona. There are some fantastic sunsets.. and it has been fun meeting people. Last night we went to a steak house.. the steak was BBQ'ed with Mesquite.. ohh it was good.

Our plan.. such as it is.. is to make our way to South Carolina and get our trailer for the car..then DEPENDING on the weather.. we are planning on going up to Virginia and see Stacy and Virginia for Christmas.. then down to Florida. Not sure where yet.. but I am checking out places. It will be nice to get out the lawn chairs and the BBQ :) I think I might buy a little smoker.. I am really hungry for some really good ribs.. like what a friend Bob K. makes.Oh yeah.. they are good!

We had planned to go to one of the air museums around here today.. but in this rain.. I doubt it would be fun.. since it is out in the open. well the planes are. BUT..all is not lost.. I do have to go shopping! And.. I know that is inside :)

Well that is all for now. I will write more later today if anything exciting happens.

You all take care out there..

Keri

OH and I forgot to tell you..gas here is like$2.34 saw one place for diesel for $2.57 a gallon.