Some Awards

Best Way to Start a Trip

Owen & Drew with cousin Tristan in Greensboro NC, May 15

Paul & Robyn's house... just relaxed and recovered from all that hard work moving (well the cleaning part was hard). Got to meet new baby Griffin and celebrate Tristan's birthday.

Cutest Bums

Kirtland, OH, May 17

Standing in front of Newel K. Whitney's Mill and Ashery. So pretty there.

Best Temple in Ohio

Kirtland OH Temple, May 17

Really, I just like this picture and couldn't think of what award it should get. Ooh Justin gets the best driver award... he drove the ENTIRE time (at least 4,000 miles).

Funnest to Pass on the Road

Shipshewana, Indiana, May 17

Amish country. We decided to stay there spur of the moment cause we were fascinated by it. We timed it all wrong though because it was a Saturday night after everything was closed. They keep the Sabbath more holy than the Mormons - we couldn't taste their food or shop their handcrafted items. It was fun falling asleep to the sound of horse hoofs on the road. I want to go back and be Amish for a week!

Best Traveler

Nauvoo, May 18

Did not make a peep the whole time in the car unless she was hungry.
11 states in her 2 1/2 months of life: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona.

Best Caged Animal Impression

Carthage Jail, IL, May 20

He had a rough time in the car. "We're almost there" means nothing to him anymore.

Wouldn’t Have Made it Without

Nauvoo, May 19

Troy was so good with the kids and easy to be around. He kept Owen entertained in the back and never complained about anything, not even the caged animal.

Biggest Ripoff Souvenir

Mississippi River in Nauvoo, May 20

Mississippi River in Nauvoo, May 20

Tin whistle: $14.25 at Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store in Nauvoo.
Dollar store quality.
It is the least annoying whistle I've ever heard, though.

Best Covered Wagon

Kanesville Tabernacle in Council Bluffs, Iowa, May 21

Not that covered wagon, this one:

Mississippi River in Nauvoo, May 20

This is where the pioneers left Nauvoo, crossing the river with their covered wagons.
Even with a car, this trip had its rough moments.

Can't imagine doing it in a real covered wagon.
And you can make fun of us for a) taking a picture of our car and b) getting a roof box

Best Ancestor Connection

Nauvoo, May 20

Researching my pioneer ancestors at the Land & Records Building in Nauvoo... locating the land of my 4th great grandpa, Lyman Curtis. His land, where I'm standing, is right on the Trail of Hope where the pioneers left Nauvoo across the Mississippi River. You can see the Nauvoo Temple in the background.

Best Meltdown

Winter Quarters, Nebraska standing in front of the Omaha Temple and cemetary, May 21

This picture makes me laugh because we (and by "we" I mean Owen, Drew, and me) were so done with visitor's centers at this point. We didn't even have it in us to check out the Temple grounds and cemetary. The Mormons can make a mean Visitor's Center but we saw a lot of them and it takes a lot of energy to get 2 boys who have been cooped up in a car and hotel rooms for way too long to be quiet and interested in things they care nothing about. The senior and sister missionaries that were our tour guides were awesome and did their best with us.

Best Surprise Weather

May 22

We drove through all sorts of weather: wind (crazy tumbleweeds going across the road), heavy rain, cold, fog (could only see a couple feet in front of us), and this snow in Wyoming. We'll get the heat here in AZ.

Best Grandparents Serving a Mission in SLC

Standing on the observation deck of the Church Office Building, where Grandpa & MarJean serve in the translation department, May 23

It made me so happy to a) finally get to Salt Lake and b) see familiar faces

Best Distraction

May 23

Finally something Owen & Drew liked! The dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT. We met Justin's sister, Ashley, and her kids there for the afternoon.

Worst Lodging

May 24

This is NOT the Four Seasons hotel I had in mind. Our worst hotel (and most expensive) by FAR. Everything in Kanab, UT was sold out... but one nice woman volunteered the apartment in the back of her Four Seasons Motel that wasn't being rented at the moment. I booked it over the phone cause it would be midnight when we got there and we couldn't go any further. WOW. The place stunk, and not the stink you can get used to. Owen & Drew's room had no door (notice it propped against the back wall). The door to our room had a hole punched in it. There was electrical tape sealing the edges of the shower/bathtub (which we didn't dare use). I had to sing primary songs in my head to fall asleep.

Good-bye

The military hired movers for us...we just directed traffic. Or played video games.

They were fast! They packed half-eaten boxes of cereal and who knows what else before we could set it aside. So we'll be looking forward to some stale food in a month

Have I mentioned I hate saying good-bye lately? Can't even say bye to a house without crying!

Travel Plans

KNITTING

A Hollobaugh family friend, Jen Truscott, taught me how to knit right after Justin & I were married and I totally loved it. For my first knitting project I did a blanket that was supposed to be big enough for a queen bed. It was a mess. Holes everywhere. And sized all weird. It might've fit 2/3 of a queen bed. So I took a knitting class at The Fiber Factory in downtown Mesa and loved that, too. Then I made baby blankets for my nephews Briant and Bob. Brent got a sexy scarf for his mission in Mexico but it wasn't that cool cause he gave it away. Then I just stopped knitting, who knows why. But I took it back up again a couple weeks ago to keep me busy for the 50+ hours we'll be on the road.

READING

John Steinbeck is from the Monterey area and this book takes place there. The book was a gift from my mom for Justin, but I'll probably be the one reading it and I'll tell him about it.

And I'll get to knit and read while traveling with 3 kids thanks to our secret weapon, Justin's brother Troy:

Tomorrow the movers come to pack up the house.

Tuesday they load everything up.

Then we get to clean and clean some more.

Then we'll leave whenever everything is all clean.

We're going through Greensboro first to say good-bye to Paul & Robyn. Then to Kirtland, OH to see church sites. On to Nauvoo, IL for the same thing. From there we'll follow the Mormon Pioneer Trail across the country down through Salt Lake. We'll go to AZ for a couple weeks to see family. THEN in 3ish weeks we'll be in Monterey.

I'm Feeling Lucky

I always click on the "I'm feeling lucky" Picasa tab when I'm editing pictures to see if it makes the pictures better or worse. Usually it makes outdoor pictures better and indoor ones worse. But that's besides the point. What I'm trying to describe, but not very well, is that even before I started editing pictures last night I was feeling lucky. Then when I opened up Picasa it read my mind and made me laugh. Oh man I butchered that but hopefully you got the point.

Above is my favorite picture of the week. Not the best quality picture but what happened is my favorite. Sally was fussy so I asked Owen to make her happy while I was getting ready for bed. He laid by her and held her binky in (she always spits it out) and they both fell asleep that way.

And this is my other favorite picture:
This was on the front of my Mother's Day card from Justin. Rarely does a picture get taken around here without me knowing about it. It made my Raisin Nut Bran (that Justin went to FOUR different stores to find) and smoothie taste even better than normal. This was my breakfast request... cold cereal I know but we have 9am church!

Happy Mother's Day!

We'll Miss: Friends

Friends.
(Sorry I don't have pictures of everyone, especially our hostess Sister Ilaoa)

And Aaron's BBQ.

Selling Things

I was all prepared to say I'd never do another yard sale (this was our first) but it wasn't bad, other than waking up at 5am.

We got rid of a bunch of stuff and found that yard salers are some friendly people.


We've also sold...

Our House - It closed on my birthday, we've been renting back until we move out. It feels weird to be renting our own house.

Justin's '91 Isuzu Rodeo - The gas to drive it across the country would probably cost more than it was worth. We are a 1-car family. Maybe we'll move up to a '92 next time around.

Jacksonville Celebrities

The bees and Julian Wooten.

This is as close to celebrities as we're gonna get... Julian is a beekeeper who was hired to train Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, and Tristan Wilds how to be beekeepers themselves for their upcoming movie The Secret Life of Bees (based on the book which I loved).

He uses bees to pollinate his acres of strawberry plants, blueberry bushes, and other plants. The guy loves bees. It's hot.

We went there for a preschool field trip today. Here's Owen and his church/preschool friend, the one and only Emily Cox. She cracks me up. Owen picked a couple of strawberries, didn't want to eat any (cause they're too hairy), and then was too tired to move. But I had fun!

Blessing Day

Justin gave a short & very sweet blessing.

Paul & Tristan (Justin's brother & nephew)
came down from Greensboro for the occasion.
Robyn is home resting with new baby Griffin.

Elmer's school glue
(how bow is staying in place)

Fishing Day

Friday night I went out to dinner with Nichole & Kelli so Justin took Owen & Drew camping again... they drove an hour plus some to the campsite only to find out it was full with boy scouts. So they came home and camped in the backyard then went fishing the next day.

Fish are ugly.

North Carolina is pretty.

Park Day(s)

Perfect park weather this week... the park in our neighborhood is so pretty but it's tucked away, surrounded by trees. We're usually the only ones there. Doesn't feel too safe.

Will You Go to Church with Me?

It all started 2 Sundays ago when Justin told me I looked like a sister missionary on our way out the door to church.

I was wearing a navy top, white skirt, and these shoes. I don't know what exactly it was about it that made me look missionary-ish but I felt it and knew he was right. But it was too late to change!

He had fun calling me Sister Hollobaugh the drive there and as we were walking in the church-house. He was sure one of the sister missionaries was going to ask me where I got my outfit.

In Relief Society, Sister Alvey (one of the sister missionaries) asked me where I got my shoes.
Target.
Recently?
At least a year ago.

Oh man I could not stop laughing.

Then we had the Elders over for dinner. I was telling Elder Post from Utah how cool I thought it was that Gina, who gave our Relief Society lesson that day, told us she hands out pass-along cards everywhere she goes. She just got baptized 6 months ago and is so excited about the Gospel she wants to share it. She said she gets lots of funny looks but if it even makes 1 person out of every 10 smile it's worth it.

So then Elder Post from Utah challenged ME to hand out some pass along cards. I told him to start me out with a couple. He gave me nine. Nine is not a couple.

This is an example of a pass along card:

Front Back

Did you know the Church has e-pass along cards?

Saturday we had a cute Primary activity where all the kids were shown the video clip from The Rescuers... at the beginning when the little girl throws her message in the bottle out into the ocean. The bottle stayed afloat trough all different waters, whether they were calm or stormy. It was related to our testimonies and how they help us stay afloat during the calm and stormy waters of our lives. The kids were given their own little bottles with clever removeable bottoms (and also plastic). So cute.

Sunday Justin & I gave our "farewell" talks in Sacrament Meeting about personal testimonies. I got to use that analogy.

Sunday Elder Post asked me how the pass along cards are coming along. I hadn't given out one.

I have fears:
Rejection.
That someone might think I'm only their friend cause I want them to come to church with me (I wouldn't do that).
That someone might think I'd stop being their friend if they don't want to come to church with me (I wouldn't do that either).
And funny looks.

Sunday in Relief Society I asked Sister Alvey what size shoe she wears and if she'd like my size 7 1/2 shoes she admired the week before. Apparently she has boats for feet so she couldn't accept them. BUT her companion could! I'm supporting the ward missionary effort in my own way.

Monday we went to the beach for family night. We put a copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World in a bottle, along with A PASS ALONG CARD (#1). We each wrote one statement about our testimony.
Justin: I know that my Redeemer lives.
Shauna: I know that my family will be together forever.
Owen: Heavenly Father hears my prayers (he was halfway asleep on the drive out there so I may have put those words in his mouth).
Drew: Follow the Prophet (he was singing the chorus of that song).

The bottle is a Yoohoo chocolate milk bottle we bought on the way since Owen didn't want to part with his cool one from the Primary activity. We rinsed it out and air dried it. I hope the smell doesn't scare off whoever opens it.

Justin threw it off the end of the Pier and we watched it drift toward the shore for a little bit. But not too long cause it was real windy and cold.

I'm going to laugh if:
A) It is found today (we wrote the date on the paper so whoever finds it knows how long it's been floating).
B) Someone we know finds it.
C) Whoever opens it is scared off by the Yoohoo smell.
D) When it's found nobody opens it because they think it's litter.

We did say a prayer that whoever finds it be interested in finding out more about our church, and if not that it makes them smile.

I can't wait to find out what happens with our bottle some day.

I'll Miss: NC Church Billboards

What does this mean?

Is having your picture on God's fridge
like being on Santa's nice list?

My all-time favorite church billboard:
Today's forecast: Jesus reigns!

Honorable mention:
Need a lifeguard? Ours walks on water.

You Don't Ever Want to Fly with Me

This is what we flew... the V-22 Osprey
The propellors come down so it can also be flown as an airplane.
A helicopter and airplane in one. Pretty cool.

Taken with no flash so you can see the scenery I'm flying over.

Looking out the window, that's the scenery with flash.
Our co-pilot and flight instructor was Captain Peterson, the first (and only that we know of) Mormon Osprey pilot in the WORLD. He's the one that got us into the simulator. It was so cool and felt so real we had motion sickness afterwards.

We did the simulator and dinner Friday night to celebrate our birthdays.

Justin chose Chili's so he could get his favorite chocolate molten lava cake.
One of the guys at the table behind us is giving us some love.

The Buzz

Yesterday was haircut day.

Did we jump the gun on the newborn buzz?

But there was next to nothing on top (just a few stringies) and a lot in the back (see figure A).

Figure A

And now it's all better. Hopefully we don't have to do it again when she rubs away a bald spot back there.