Road Warriors!

The kids and I took a road trip to Oregon with Kayla to look at a few potential colleges for her.  I have been giving Kayla private hitting lessons since she was about 12.  And sometime during one of those lessons I offered to take her on a college road trip.  So we loaded up the car and off we went.  

The kids were armed with iPads and iPods, snacks, and they each had a backpack filed with things to do.  Our first stop was a Taco Bell off the I5, which I think at its maximum capacity.  After lunch, we got back in the car and made a Target stop in Lathrop to defuse our first major meltdown.   We barged in on the Coldani's for dinner and a little playtime before we headed out on the road to get as many miles in while the kids slept.  

We made it to Yreka and called it quits for the night.

 

Our first stop was hotel breakfast and we got our money's worth by making PB & Js to go.  Addy made hers and ate it as soon as we got to the hotel room.  

We spent the day in Ashland with a tour of Southern Oregon, a meeting with the Coach, a discovery musuem, and lunch by the creek.  Ashland was a great little town with tons of charm.  It is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

We head north and it was the longest 4 hours ever.  This part of the drive was a complete meltdown until they finally knocked out.

Day 3 we went to Linfield College, which a beautiful campus in the middle of a small hicktown, and Western Oregon.  B and Addy ran off some energy at the park before Kayla's meeting with the Western Oregon coaches.

On our way out of Oregon, we stopped at a Safari Park.  This was the highlight of the trip for the kids.  We drove our car through the safari park and were able to see the animals up close.  

Kayla had fun tempting the Emu to get as close as possible to the car.  

After the drive around, there was a small zoo and play area for the kids.  

B wasn't feeling so hot after the Zoo so we made a beeline for California and ended up in yet another Best Western. 

We hit Chico State and Notre Dame de Namur on our way back home.  All and all it was fun trip.  

Some highlights that were not captured on camera....the missing wings from Giada's gift...the fire truck song on repeat...the vast of amount of sugar consumed...Addy learning to open her own starburst...2 coaches thinking I was Kayla's mom...getting our gas pumped for us in Oregon...getting cut off in the Bay Bridge toll plaza but then the car paid our toll...trying to keep the munchkins quiet so Kayla could sleep til 7...B puking all the way down the mountain...an Ikea stop for meatballs for when he was finally ready to eat again...so very interesting characters and the many gas stations...and finally California has In n Out.