We're Here!

Gosh, it's only been 24 hours without the internet, but in my mind I've written 3 posts - I'll have to just pace them out I suppose. Also, I want to reitterate the concept of this blog - it's going to end up replacing my scrapbooks with a published version of this blog so as I give details about our adventures, much of it is being done simply for our family's history sake; and as always, that means if you don't give a flying fig about it, that's totally okay......

Okay, now that all my excuses for rambling have been set out there- we've made it to Lake Tahoe!!!!! And, we are VERY HAPPY! This is something for us to say, because the first 36 hours of our little adventure were at best, "okay", and at worst, quite cranky-causing. I think I'll save the next post for giving some reasons for this attitude, but let me paint the picture of what caused the great attitude turn-around for the Riley family (at least Mommy and Daddy, I think Brayden and Mikayla have been pretty much loving most of this experience).

About 50 miles east of Sacramento, the scenery does a drastic change and that's when life started getting really good for us. We left the snob attitude and confining claustrophobia of the capitol city of California, and entered into the forest beauty that is so spectacular, part of the amusement park, California Adventure, is designed to look like it. As we climbed the mountain reaching over 7000 ft (currently, we're staying at 7300 ft), we just looked and gazed in awe at the boulders and white rocks, tumbling river along side of us, and quaint little village towns, all so perfect they look like they came from a movie lot. Towns like "Strawberry" - with a gorgeous lodge and little market - and population of 50. And Stateline, a cross between Sisters, Sunriver, Leavenworth - just adorable and so completely up our alley in terms of what makes us smile. We've found our cozy place and after where we stayed yesterday, man, it makes a difference.

I'll post more about everything tomorrow, but a quick prayer request for anyone reading tonite. This morning, at 2:30, John will leave here to drive to Squaw Valley to meet up with Jeff and Laura (Jeff being his twin brother). Jeff will be running his 100 mile "Western States Run" tomorrow; what an amazing thing that our trip coincidentally coincided with his run enabling John to not only cheer him on but help crew for him with Laura. So cool - but, please pray for John's drive, so early in the morning on roads he's never driven, and it's not as those he's topped out right now in the sleep department...... And, pray for Jeff - we just want him to feel like he's done his best......

Alright, enough for now- hope your weekend is sizing up to be just glorious!!!