Thanksgiving....Check

• 4 hour drive to Kansas City....Check
• 4 hour flight to Portland Oregon.......Check
• Pick up a fabulous Toyota Sienna and then wish it was yours for more than 2 weeks....Check
• 4 hour drive to Redmond, Oregon.....Check
• See Mom, Dad, Brother Nathan, Sister Betsy, Brother Neil and Family.....Check
• Meet Betsy's boyfriend....Check
• Eat massive amounts of food everyday.......Check
• See Grandma Jean, Auntie Lissa, Uncle Bill and Cousin Will....Check
• Play so much wally ball and racquetball that my wrist feels like it is broken.....Check
• Go to the lava cast forest and worry about being eaten by a cougar....Check
• See Brother-in-law Henry, wife Amy and kiddos.....Check
• Stay up late every night playing loud and obnoxious games with my fun family....Check
• Fight a little bit with family....just enough to bring back old memories....Check
• Go hiking at Smith Rock....Check
• Climb on the man-made rock wall....Check
• Take a family picture....Check
• Watch the kiddos play with each other....Check
• 4 hour drive back to Portland, Oregon.....Check
• Stay in cramped hotel.....Check
• Visit Zoo with Henry and Amy's family.....Check
• Get upgraded to a two bedrooms suite....Check
• Give BIG thank you to front desk clerk.....Check
• Visit OMSI and love every minute of it.....stay till closing...Check
• Say goodbye to Henry and Amy.....sad Check
• Pack a gazillion bags and double check the hotel room for lost articles....Check
• Take the Toyota Sienna back and cry a little...Check
• 4 hour flight home to Kansas City, MO.....Check
• 4 hour drive home.....Check
• Unload car....Check
• Dread first day back at homeschooling....Check
• Be pleasantly surprised at how smoothly day goes...Check
• Wash, fold and put away ALL LAUNDRY from trip....Check
• Stay up till 1:00am watching missed episodes of Survivor....Check
• Think about how messy my car still is.....Check
• Feel the ache in my wrist as I type all this and wish I was still playing wally ball with my fun, crazy and wonderful family....Check