Our Journey has begun

So we're finally getting settled here in Fort Collins. We've had a crazy couple of weeks so it's nice to decompress a little.

Here's a small timeline of our move (this is for my blurbing purposes):

-June 19- Doug finishes last test (hurray!) We try to get all the last minute packing done.
-June 20- Pick up moving truck, load truck (thanks to everyone who helped). Drive to NJ (across George Washington bridge, ugg). Unload truck in storage unit. Drive back to NY to return truck by 5. We were late but they were so kind not to charge us. Thank you so much to the Brenchley's and the Webbs- you guys seriously helped more than you'll ever know, we wouldn't have ever made it. Get home and clean house. Pack 7 months of our life into van. We didn't get it done but finally went to sleep by 2 am.
-June 21- Get up at 6:30. Clean and continue packing. Finally drive away and turn in our keys at 12:30. We were hoping to leave around 6 am, but were slightly behind shedule. Our car was PACKED! I wish I took a picture. Wow, we're exhausted but oh, we have to make it to Chicago that night. Drive through NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL. Get to Chicago around 3 am.
-June 22- Girls are so sweet and wake us up around 6:30. Shower, get breakfast. Drive through IL, IA, NE, WY, CO. We went through a CRAZY thunderstorm with hail, lightning too close for comfort etc. We get to CO at 3:30 am. Get to sleep around 4.
-June 23- Girls wake us up around 7 am. We hang out at Marc and Cosi's for a while. Unload some stuff. Get on the road around 3. Drive through WY and arrive at my parents house around 11 pm. I think we were pretty lucky we even made it safely, but we were so happy to arrive and very exhausted. The girls traveled so well and we made some great memories and are looking forward to many more to come.

-The rest of the week we relaxed a little, tried to exercise (including a long run in Provo canyon- thanks Deb), dinner at Dodee & Papas, visits to Provo, and hanging out with my family. For all those we didn't get to see we look forward to seeing you when we return in August.

Just a glimps of what we've come back to. Sigh.

Doug thought it was appropriate to wear tourist attire on our way out of the city. It was amazing how the stress shed with each mile.

Our first dinner stop in Pennsylvania, Arby's (we don't have them close to us, gotta love the roast beef n' cheddar)! It was a little longer than we planned with this monstrosity of a playground.

The girls LOVE Grannie Rae and especially swimming with her.

Last Thursday, July 2nd, we headed to Navajo lake for the Gibson/Doxey (GibDox) reunion. It was incredibly refreshing to be in the mountains again and reacquaint ourselves with mother nature.

I had a wonderful birthday complete with birthday pancakes, a crowning by Dorothy (she gave me the camel back I'm wearing too), and an EPIC four-hour mtn. bike ride. Thanks to everyone who made it a great day and especially for taking our girls so Doug and I could ride together.

This was a great crew to ride with. What a blast!

Pictures never do anything justice. We rode along to rim of Zions National Park. There's a huge drop off right behind us, it was breathtaking.

This one's a little better. Who wouldn't want to do a two-hour climb to get there?

Most of the 'GibDox' crew at the bat caves.
What a way to start our journey, we had such a great time with everyone and can't wait to get together again.