On The Road Again...Ruidoso, NM

As I have learned the hard way many times before, death presents the opportunity to begin anew.  Now that our family has worked to celebrate the life of my stepdad, by crying together, laughing together, and sharing love, one with another, it's time to resume our countrywide tour.  I believe he would want us to see through what we started. Additionally, as the days have been piling up with us being back home, so have the messes and the craziness.  The "Stache-Crafts" have mutated into the "Crash-Crafts".

Tate and Shiloh

Tate and Choice

We are switching up our travel arrangements a tad.  We've added a puppy to the mix...RUSTY is the new addition to our family that the kids opted to name after their Papa.  Poor thing may have a little gender confusion as she has a boy name and a blue collar.  Oh well.

Tate and Rusty 

Rusty and Tate

Rusty and Shiloh

Morghen, Rusty, and Juliann

Rusty and Tate

Oh, and one more small change...OUR BUS IS READY!!!!!

Be Better Bus

Choice, Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh 

Juliann and Morghen

After pulling an all-nighter loading up our new "Home Away From Home", we took to the open road.  This time, no hotels, no rental cars, just a whole lot of unfamiliar machinery. EEEEKK.  The kids took 24 hours to discontinue their shrieking from thrills of excitement while I used that time becoming educated on emptying water tanks, checking engine fluid levels, and finalizing the plans for our upcoming visits.   The kids enjoyed helping place a colored sticker over the top of each state that we've already visited, discovering that we are approximately half way done.

Juliann and Shiloh

Tate, Ryder, Shiloh, and Choice

Choice

Before we get to any "new" states, we have a little overlapping to do.  This ends up being a really good thing as there are several visits we otherwise may not have been able to make.  From our house in Arizona we made our way to Ruidoso, New Mexico, home of the Lincoln National Forest.  We were notified a couple of days prior to our scheduled visit that both of the hotshot crews in their area had been assigned to fires in Northern California.  Understanding, yet stubborn and undeterred, we traveled to their area anyway to deliver a small token of appreciation.  When these courageous firefighters return they will have some Be Better bands and a note waiting for them.  It is not much but hopefully they know that we're thinking of them and wishing them safety in their travels.

To Lincoln National Forest hotshots

Ryder

We just left New Mexico in route to Texas.   Seeing as everything's bigger in Texas, our 40 foot greyhound should be an appropriate mode of transportation.

Tate, Juliann, Ryder, and Shiloh

Morghen and Juliann

Morghen and Juliann

Shiloh, Rusty, Ryder, Tate, Juliann and Choice

Shiloh, Ryder, Tate, Juliann, and Choice

Shiloh, Rusty, Ryder, Tate, Morghen, and Choice

Juliann and Choice

I am so thankful for great help along this journey.  Without Morghen helping with the kiddos, and Jason helping with the bus, I'm not sure this would all be possible.  THANK YOU!!!!

Shiloh Jason, Choice, and Ryder

Morghen