Our first stop of this trip was Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio, back on May 17.  Today we drove from DC back to the campground we stayed at back in May, this time with Nole and Asa. 

Nole drove the 5.5 hour drive today.  We crossed the Appalachian Mountains in Pennsylvania.  There was some light fog which made for a very pretty backdrop. 

On the drive I contacted work to confirm my return date.  Real life responsibilities are such a drag! 

I also spent some time reflecting on the trip.

I’ve enjoyed spending this time with the family, especially cherishing the time with the girls.  They started homeschooling again in December so this trip was part fun and part schooling for them. We learned a lot about the places we visited together.  Esme was especially into doing all the workbooks and earning all of the badges.  When we travel like this we naturally get more exercise, more fresh air, more time together, more conversations, more nutritious meals, and less time on devices.  Both girls tried things out of their comfort-zones, both foods and experiences. 

It was nice having Cal with us for the week in New York.  He is such a grown-up now (and yet still a kid in some ways).  Nole and I like spending time with him as a fellow adult. 

Asa is at an age where he has big dreams, big opinions, and an even bigger appetite.  He’s on the cusp of getting his driver’s license which opens his world up from our community to anywhere a car can take him.  He dreams of going away to college somewhere far from home so we are appreciative of any time we get with him until then. 

It was great to spend time with the Yatzecks on this trip.  Since they moved to Ohio, we usually only get to see them for a few days every few months. 

Here are some then and now photos for you.

Spending time with my mom and later, my mom and Ray on this trip was really great.  My mom especially always knows what needs to be done and is a big help.  It was cool to see Washington DC with Ray, who is a veteran of the Army Reserves.

Nole can’t take off as much time as I can. His contribution to family finances means we can take trips like this and I can take the time off of work.  When he arrived he took over a lot of the set up and take down and the driving.  Life on the road was getting a bit tiresome but he brought new excitement for the trip that got the girls and me excited for our last few stops.  We also got to celebrate our 20 year anniversary on this trip!

Tomorrow will be my last post of this trip.  Blogging is something I enjoy doing.  Some nights it can be really hard to do, though.  I’m tired or my creative juices aren’t flowing or I’m cranky because things didn’t go as planned or we don’t have good internet and it takes forever to get the pictures uploaded.  I do it so our family and friends can keep tabs on us when we’re traveling and for Nole, me and the kids to look back on.  I often go back and read old posts.  Due to the amount of photos, I have to pay for a business account but I think it’s worth it.