travel log in pictures

I was so so excited to go home to Oregon for Christmas ...
Now: 26 days later, 8 states,5 different airplanes with 2 little monkies, 100 sugar cookies, 10 different beds and 12.5 lbs heavier(lovely)

I AM so glad to NOW be home in St. LOUIS.

Quick run down of trip:
1. Bro. Ben comes to St. Louis, cuuuz, he's a BIDNESS man, and had some Bidness to take care of. Naomi loved her uncle Ben.

2. The children and I hopped on Ben's flight home to AZ. Leaving Devin behind for Finals week.

She gave him lots of open mouth kisses. Ben missed his two li'l girls, so he let Nay slobber all over his face when she wanted a kiss.

3. Arizona was warm and beautiful. So was Ben and Cindy's new home. Favorite memories:
**Every meal: Nay would finish her food, then go stand next to the highchair on tiptoes while Savannah happily fed Naomi her food.

(**Claire and Cache racing and both so stinkin competitive(and fast) that Claire collapsed in hysterics from not winning and Cache determined not to be beat, ran full force into the wall. Bloody nose and mouth. First of many on this trip.

Cache finally met his superior in passion and will power, and attitude. Love that Sassy Claire.

Took some family pics that I haven't gotten around to editing yet, but they still look pretty.

My Big Bro Ben and his 3 beauties.

4. Off to Oregon. Naomi almost jumped across the isle to grab a ladies sandwich. Her mouth was already full of granola bar... I don't starve her like she ACTS.

** fav memory: Having so many bags that Cache had to push Naomi's stroller through the Portland airport, I didn't even have a spare pinky to help him. Cache got her through the revolving doors like a champ. I'll never forget that!

5. Devin and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. We had an overnight date in Portland. I was SO excited to see him after a week apart. He took a shuttle to our Hotel, I tried to have everything set up in the room, But when devin showed up, there was confetti all over the curtains and my hair( I didn't know it was going to EXPLODE) I was sweating ,and sucking on my bloody finger that was a result from the sparkling cider shattering when I slipped on the snow in the parking lot. I was almost in tears, I tried, I REALLY tried. Devin happened to be thinking just like me and pulled a bottle out of his suit case. We laughed so hard at the disaster I had created and Devin's terrible hair cut he attempted to give HIMSELF to impress me, and had a wonderful evening. So fun and so needed to be just us two for a day.

6. The next day we drove home and simultaneosly sighed. Beautiful. It felt so good to be back home in Oregon.

7. Then the Quality time began:
Talkin on the couch with my sis... somebody is listening..

it's exhausting being wierd. :)



Cache got really good at Mario cart. My mom thought she was driving a real car...



One day everyone came out for a shoot and to eat my mom's Chile.

JOE and SAM (above).My "little" brothers.

I use to rock Joey to sleep. Now he's 6' 2" and likes girls.

Cache preferred helping Uncle Nick load the clay pigeons to shooting.


I stayed in, and snuggled my new li'l nephew, and cleaned out all our old prom dresses with my mom and sisters. We decided to keep them all. Dress ups! My mom wasn't super thrilled.

8. Meet my nephew Danny.

We are sisters. Love sisters. All the men in Danny's blessing circle. So fun to be related to the Leonards now. All because Sarah and Nick fell in Love...

9. Santa Came. Bringing Cache a pirate costume just like he asked for. Naomi got some nice gifts, but all she wanted were candy canes.

Cache's was so thankful for all his gifts, which surprised and overjoyed me. Every time he opened a gift he would exlaim: "look LOOK! New cowboy boots!, a super man cape! a bat man cave!" He really is a good boy. Just has some very passionate moments. His reactions MADE my Christmas.

10. Drove to Utah and Idaho to see more loved ones.

but I took pics of my own. Sorry. I'm conceded.

Naomi and Grandma Orton.

I get the biggest kick out of watching my children interact together.
I'm not sure exactly what it is about this picture that I love. But Oh I love it.

Sweet, sweet nieces and our pink marshmallow

puff, just rolled down hills and wandered around.
Cousins are so fun. These 4 were trying to all "Share" the piano. Krista is a complete crack up.

10. PLEASE LET US GO HOME TO ST. LOUIS!

When I say flying with Naomi is a wrestling match, I mean LITERALLY. She was trying to eat something off the floor, and would not take no for an answer.

Below: Waiting for our car in the airport, we finally got

smart and walled her in a play pen of suitcases.

The End.

I am sad there were so many friends, that I just couldn't get into town to see. But We feel so blessed to have so many people to love and to be loved by. Counting the months now we have left with our "St. Louis family."

Where will we be next Christmas?!