California Trip

Tim's unit was scheduled to come home from Iraq on October 1st, so Jill (my favorite daughter-in-law) and I drove from Michigan to California to get them settled into their new apartment and then meet Tim as he came in. (We also had their dog, Mojo, with us. He's an American Bulldog - quite well behaved if I do say so myself.) We decided to do some site-seeing on our way, so the trip took five days. The first two days were pretty boring, as the mid western states are mostly farmland. We spent our first nite in Lincoln, NE - I didn't take any pictures. The second evening we arrived in Estes Park, CO - what a beautiful town. Believe it or not, you can see elk just walking around without a care in the world.

Elk in Estes Park, CO

We got a hotel room and planned on driving around the next morning to see the sites. Well, it rained all that night, but by morning it was clearing up. The sky was still pretty cloudy, but at least the rain stayed away. We spent the morning and early afternoon just driving in the mountains and taking pictures.

Jill and I in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

After were finished seeing the sites in Colorado, we headed south. Our next stop was at "The Four Corners." That's where Arizona, Colorado, Utah & New Mexico all meet. You can actually stand in all four states at the same time. That was pretty cool.

At the "Four Corners"

After we were done at the four corners, we kept driving. We spent the night somewhere in Arizona (I forget where, right off the top of my head). The next morning we drove to the Grand Canyon. We spent the afternoon in the Canyon taking a million pictures (actually probably about 100 pictures). Pictures can't describe how beautiful that place really is.

Barb & Mojo at the Grand Canyon

Jill at the Grand Canyon

Jill & Mojo enjoying the scenery

That was the end of our site-seeing trip. We then drove all the way to Camp Pendleton and arrived there sometime in the afternoon. First thing we did was went and found Kyle. His "boss" let him out of work for about a half hour to come see us.

Kyle coming to meet us when we got to Camp Pendleton

Mojo saying "hi" to Kyle

We then went and got the keys to Tim and Jill's (and Mojo's) new apartment in Oceanside, CA. That was also the end of our "vacation," as we had to move their belongings out of storage and into the apartment. We were very happy that Kyle's unit gave him the whole weekend off so he could help us "move in."

Kyle getting home from "work" our first night in Oceanside

On Monday, we were at the base early to meet Tim's unit as they came in. They had flown from Fallujah, Iraq to Kuwait to Germany to Bangor, ME to March Air Force Base (CA) to Camp Pendleton. They had a nice picnic for all of the families as we waited for the buses to come in.

Barb & Kyle waiting in the lounge (Kyle's green suit is his work coveralls - his tan suit is his flight suit)


Kyle & Jill patiently waiting


Here come the busses!


After seven long months, Tim and Jill are back together!


Tim, Jill & Kyle


Kyle & Tim bring Tim's "luggage" to the truck


After seven months of wearing this camoflauge outfit, Tim is ready to put on civilian clothes again


Taking a walk on a beach that actually has water by it!