Signs...signs everywhere there's signs...

Wow- it has been way too long since I posted here.
We are settling in nicely here in California. Joel is back to work and seems to like it. Very busy with a full schedule. Gisele is swimming with the swim team on base in Petaluma so we are there everyday for practice. She even has Momma doin laps! (She can whoop me in the 500 though!). Looks like school is going to be a combination of homeschooling and with some luck a few days at a charter school (keep your fingers crossed. I was really upset about it at first but I believe that it will be the best option for us as a family right now. Our house that we are renting, well... let's just say it will not be a long term situation, the rugs are just gross and the landlord doesn't seem to be bothered by it.(course if he was living here I think it would be a different story!)
We still think about NC everyday (at least Gisele and I do!) I was thinking of how North Carolina has stuck with us. A great example is a funeral procession past by yesterday and I pulled over, only in NC I guess. When Gisele and I hear a "southern" accent we just sigh, it brings comfort to hear it. There are so many signs of things that remind us of NC. There are some things that we see here that have us all saying only in CA!
Like the homeless person's sign that reads, "need money for weed!"(at least they are honest right?) or "precription" store opening soon (anyone see a pattern here?) Overall people are definitely not as friendly as in NC but not rude, just keep to themselves KWIM? Holly is doing better as well we ran into a trainer in a pet store and he gave us some great words of wisdom and asked us to try what he recommended and we did and it has been easier working with her. She really likes the fact that we are treat training! Caught her in the pantry and I think I may have found her just in time as she had the treat bag on the floor! Hope everyone is enjoying the last of summer and staying cool. Many hugs from us to you~Joel, Sheri, Gisele and Holly too! P.S. The pic of us is at our first cattle drive, really cool and so glad we did it! Happy trails....

okay so this was the road trip that never stopped!

We went to Leggitt, CA and drove the van through one of the trees and then drove back home by way of the coast.(took as long as going to China, just sayin...) I thought some of the shots came out pretty good. Point Arena is where we stopped for dinner and it was beautiful there. Gisele is trying out for a swim team today, everyone keep your fingers crossed! Stay tuned to see if she makes it...until then enjoy the pics (o:

I need to back up for a minute forgot to show you the truck!

Okay so we did our own move AKA a DITY move in the military. Joel drove the truck with a hitch on it and towed his truck and I drove the van with the kid and dog and thank goodness our niece, like I said she my human GPS! I wanted to share some pics with ya packed and unpacked! Phew glad that part is over. Enjoy!

okay so I have been such a slacker with this!

But I have a good excuse....UNPACKING! Wow what a crazy busy couple of days it has been. We finally made it to California and it is like nothing I have ever experienced. Take Boston traffic, mix it with some HOT days, COLD nites, a Jimmy Buffet parking lot party and a lil of Peatown in the summer and there you got where we are!
Gisele seems to be settling in fine (a lot of that has to do with her cousin being here, she has been having a ball making a hotel out of all our boxes, playing with some special toys that a friend in NC gave her for new home and exploring in general) She has found a tree right outside the kitchen window that she loves to climb but Holly has a fit when she is up the tree ( so does Momma!)
Today we decided to take a break from unpacking and took the girls to Dillon Beach we had a blast it was VERY cold there but still got "some" color. I put my feet in the Pacific Ocean for the first time (probably the last too! It was colder than when we took the Polar PLunge in MA!)Gisele had such a great time running on the dunes, totally against everything I was ever taught about dunes but I am trying to go with it... that seems to be the theme lately all the planning has gone out the window lately. Joel returns to work on the 5th we visited the base and after seeing the view he will have from his office I really see why he has fallen in love with this place. I can honestly say I have never seen him so peaceful...

well we made it to Nevada!

We are about 4 hours away from our new home and ready to get unpacked! Yesterday was more than we anticipated as we did not make an advance reservation and had a hard time finding a hotel that accepted pets )o: Summer travelers seemed to be filling up the hotels on our route and they are all like us, they have a pet. So..... we had to travel about 3 hours further than we had planned but happened upon a great town, Park City, Utah. Still snow on top of the mountain but was 86 degrees when we left this am (my kind of weather.) Now anyone who knows me knows that the bugs that are on the front of my car are sending me over the edge! Gross is all I can say about it you all know that the first thing that gets unpacked will be the van so I can go get it washed!
Colorado was gorgeous the landscape is like nothing I have ever witnessed but I would be lying if I did not say that I miss seeing the ocean... Gisele is holding up well she still has her runny nose (might be allergies) but she is great about being in the car. We have heard every Hannah Montana, High School Musical and Taylor Swift song there is... I am ready to get the house unpacked and start to get settled in but still feeling lucky that we have been given the opportunity to see this much of the United States places I would never had visited on my own but am glad that I got to see them. Overall the trip has gone well, but I long to see a familiar face, I think I felt the same way when we moved to NC from Cape Cod. Sorry for the day that I skipped I just was exhausted and on that note until next time...

Started in Nebraska and ending the day in Wyoming...

All I can say is the scenery today was breathtaking! I have never seen so many cows in all my life! Everyone is holding up pretty well, Gisele has a runny nose but we think it is a combination of some seasonal allergies and just going as hard as we are. We checked out the Great Platt River Road Archway in Kearney,

Nebraska and it was well worth the trip. The day started out rainy and foggy but the sunset tonite was so worth seeing! Enjoy the pics and look for another update soon hope everyone is well and enjoying summer

Spending the night in Grand Island Nebraska

We are about 4 hours behind schedule but the reason makes it all good!
We spent the night and most of today in Salina and Gisele had a BLAST! The hotel had a 45 foot slide into a pool and I am pretty sure that she went down it at least 1,000 times!
We had an extra special visit with some extra special people... and then the road beckoned us )o:
We were able to see the largest ball of twine. It is located in Cawker City, Kansas and really needs to be seen to be appreciated we met Miss Kathy in the post office when we asked of directions she gave us a personal tour! (she has a shop across the street and gave us some twine to add to the ball and shared a lil about the town and how this all started really neat little town.) Then we were off to Lebanon, Kansas and there is the geographical middle of the United States. Pretty cool spot!
Now about Nebraska....let's just say it puts a whole new spin on the words "there is nothing out here but bugs on the windshield"
So we are aiming for Wyoming tomorrow but we will see how everyone travels. Until then... have a great night everyone!

We are in Salina Kansas

Finally made it to Kansas. It was a very long day of driving. I had a lot of time to think, go figure! I was thinking of all our friends and family as we drove and I think it was because everywhere we went today there were reminders of them. Deep Creek, the towns of Alma and Hines. I guess the biggest reason for thinking of them all was Gisele in the back seat saying boy would Miss Robyn love that farm or take a picture of that Auntie Lynda would thi

nk that was cool. Nana would move to this town if she ever saw it! We saw cars that reminded us as well. So as we venture on our journey know that we are thinking of each and everyone of you along the way!
Gisele got to spend some time with her birthmom while we are here which is very special to us all. Until next time...Love the Allans!

we made it to Illinois, saw Santa along the way!

Well we are in Mount Vernon Illinois about to head out to Salina Kansas.
Interesting day of driving, Tennessee is beautiful! I dont know what else to write here I am so tired... Everyone is traveling well Holly is doing good, the ,medication is def helping. Gisele is keeping us laughing. I am so lucky to have Kristina (our niece) with us, she is my co-pilot, snack getter, help Gisele with EVERYTHING!, takes Holly

when I need her to she is really my right hand on this trip. I know she must be thinking at times what have I signed up for! But she is being such a good sport about it all. Joel and truck are plugging away cant get about 50 with it but that is okay. until next time...We stopped in Santa Claus Indiana def a must stop for the christmas lover!~

we made it to TN!

Well we saw some hail, rain, lightning and made it to TN about 1030 last nite. Mountains were really pretty (from what we could see) The weather we could have done without, hail and tractor trailer trucks were not a nice mix. We are headed to Santa Claus Indiana today and then onto Kansas tomorrow. Hoping to get to Salina by late Friday.
Our packing was done by some incredible friends, we did not fit everything in the truck but between friends and family the house was empty and ready for the renters. It is clear to me now that our family has been blessed by some incredible people. The weather was not perfect for moving hot and humid but as Joel said it could have been worse! We cannot thank all those that helped enough, we are forever grateful! Hope you are enjoying the blog and let me know if you watching us and if I should keep this up! Hugs from the Allans!

Said goodbye to our FAVORITE place here )o:

We were hoping to see some wild horses one more time. We were not that lucky but what a perfect day at the beach! We had some dear friends with us and even thought they are just starting their tour here and we are ending ours it was a great day! The smell and the sand and those great waves will all be missed but I am surely going to see you again!So until then....

4 days how did that happen?

In four days we leave NC and head west! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone and all that there is still to do! I will try my best to update this blog as we go. I am laready sick of looking at boxes, the heat is back and so is the smoke from a fire in Dare county, this could make for an interesting moving day. Wish us smooth moving vibes, cooler weather and say a prayer that we see no cRaZy weather!

ch ch ch changes.......

this past month has brought more changes than I care to have. Watching our sweet girl handle her goodbyes I knew would be tough, just not this tough. She has taught us that there is hope in everything she sees. Watching her grieve in her own way has given us a sense of peace that even with changes we will be okay

Sunsets

Okay So I am a sucker for a sunset! I have seen some beauties but the NC sky never has failed me so that I one thing that I will miss from here )o:

Well here goes nothing!

This is my first attempt at this and I am hoping that I can keep up and give our family and friends an opportunity to "tag along" with us on this journey.  It is exciting, nerve wracking, sad and happy all at the same time.  I know that God has a plan for us and I pray that I will be patient with his plan. So here it goes the official countdown, this is the twilight tour in the military your twilight tour is the last one before you retire out.  So hitch a ride and let's see where this journey leads us!