we were here, now we're gone.....

Back for a frenzied week in Blue Bell - wow, a lot happened and we're still trying to catch ourselves up!

Dave took Monday off to tow our fully unpacked camper to Baltimore in order to trade it in for a newer, slightly larger, model: another Outback, this time, a 2010 301BQ. He returned with it just in time for a somewhat late bedtime for the kids. Sam and JD were incredibly patient and understanding the whole time we were back, while we took over the house with 'stuff' and kids!

The new camper is wonderful, it still has the quad bunkhouse for the kids, but the living section is much larger, thanks to a 4ft slide-out all the way along the dinette and sofa. The bathroom is pretty much unchanged, the most exciting addition for us though, is that we have a bedroom - with a door! The bedroom also now houses the washer/dryer, thanks to some serious modifications completed by Dave with Bob's help. It really is incredible how much just a few extra feet of space here and there, have made such a difference.

During the week we were back, the kids had playdates, Jake & Caitlin completed their state standardized tests (required for 3rd & 5th grades), we caught up with the neighbors, enjoyed meals with friends, endured doctors' appointments, watched the Stony Creek Halloween Parade, went Trick or Treating, spent time with our 'renters' and generally managed to enjoy ourselves, despite late nights, schooling, work and a lot of hard labor (on Dave's part rather than mine!).

It was great to see so many friends but also good to finally get back on the road, it was a few days in the anticipation - we were supposed to leave Sunday (we knew that would be unlikely after a party at Kristen & Dennis'!), then Monday (glad that didn't happen, spent a lovely afternoon on a field trip to the zoo with Sam and the girls), finally Tuesday afternoon, we departed.