Hey kids, what time is it?

It's time for the Park's Annual Road Trip! Don't worry, you didn't miss anything if this is your first one. We do something different every year, it's just that we don't ever fly so it's always a road trip for us!

The house is buzzing with activity. Well, I'm buzzing with activity. The girls are at grandma's because they can't bear the thought of being away from her for more than a day so they're getting all they can of her before we leave. Elliott is at the studio, because that's where he always is. And John, seeing how busy I was with packing and last minute things, decided to help me by taking apart a keyboard he got for Christmas and seeing how the thing works. Thanks, John. Your such a big helper!


I did an unusual amount of food preparation for this trip. I guess since most of our food budget has been moved over to the gas budget, I've had to be a little more creative. Which means I had to clean out the fridge and the pantry so we could eat on this trip!

I made pasta salad,


peach oatmeal bars,

lots of chocolate chip pecan cookies,

and gathered every snack type food that my kids hadn't yet devoured from my last trip to the grocery store.


There are stacks of clothes in various places in the house awaiting suitcases and duffel bags.



And my kitchen sink looks like this.


We'll be heading to Balmorhea State Park, Carlsbad Caverns and Taos. All in the span of 5 days. And I'll be nowhere near a computer so I'll see you when I get back!