from california to virginia with a one year old

Home is where the Marine Corps puts my pillow.

In July 2011, we (Travis) got orders to Virginia Beach. He had to report by March 2, 2012. He returned from deployment in September 2011 and the stress and annoyance of planning the move and finding a house in Virginia Beach began. 

The moving company packed up our house on Tuesday, January 24 and we lived in the Grand Pacific Palisades hotel until Saturday. 

This is the short version of our road trip via iPhone photos

CALIFORNIA

Brady's last day in our house 

hanging out in my little corner with my nook and coffee while the movers pack

Carlsbad & The Pacific Ocean

Goose and Maverick getting cleared from the vet to travel
they were transported via ground transportation by Precious Pets - I highly recommend them

have to enjoy the last few drops of local craft brew

obviously one of our last meals

i could get used to waking up to this

saying goodbye to Auntie Meggy 

last dinner with my Rubio's peeps :( 

packing the Durgango to the top and hitting the road

I think this was still in California. Pee Wee Herman's Dinosaurs

Arizona

eating goldfish and watching Baby Einstein

Brady's Great Grandpa, Travis and Brady. 3 generations picking oranges

Brady and his Great Grandparents

fresh squeezed orange juice

New Mexico 

staying sane

nothing very exciting in New Mexico

Texas

the Worden's have two very small 130 pound German Shepards

We got to see Mikey! This photo is when we realized Brady needed a hair cut 

Texas BBQ

Brady, Travis, Chris, Adam & Jacob

Mississippi

I don't think we took any photos here, we might've been passing through for just a few minutes 

Alabama

we stayed in Gulf Shores for a night with Brady's other Great Grandparents!

Louisiana

Cafe Du Monde 

we watched alligators

and then we ate them 

Tennessee

We had a lot of fun the one night we were in Tennessee, but I'm afraid we didn't take any photos

Kentucky

Just passing through, didn't take any photos 

Indiana

Just passing through, didn't take any photos 

Michigan

We spent a little over a week in Michigan and Brady got to meet almost everyone in our extended families. We celebrated his Baptism and First Birthday, too. 

first hair cut  

1year photo shoot

and then it snowed...

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party 

Baptism

Ohio

Pennsylvania

We spent the night in Pittsburgh and went to visit the Flight 93 Memorial, but it was closed when we got there. We hung out in the hotel- no fun pictures to show. 

Maryland

We took a detour to go to the bathroom and ended up in Washington DC. We took a quick tour via the Durango of the Washington Mall and stopped at Georgetown Cupcakes. It was Brady's real first birthday. 

Georgetown Cupcakes (DC Cupcakes show) for Brady's First Birthday!

Virginia

Happy Birthday, Brady. Starting the second year of his life in Virginia Beach 

Brady did very well during the road trip. From 1/23 to 2/15 he slept in strange places in a pack and play. We didn't drive as long as we would've sans child, but he took his two naps a day in the car, we stopped for meals and were done driving before dinner time. The road trip went smoothly and was kind of fun.