Off We Gooooooooooo......!!!! By AkArtsyMamaJulie

--IKEA Mecca for Julie
--after IKEA--more new Russian babies
Hanna taking her turn at the wheel of the MH
--on the way from Austin to Houston..
--more Austin to Houston..
Hanna enjoying the new MH...
--Reading the manual after I popped a breaker--don't run the micro and air conditioner...oops...
Here is our first look at the new rig..
ditto...
--initial scoping out...sweaty but exciting...
Zachary says: "wow, my luggage made it!"
97 degrees outside first day--Friday
Jake likes these....
---here's where we are, honey....
cute happy dog after a Harrowing ride..her first airplane trip..
cows under tree...
big cool highway...





Jake says, "Uh Oh, someone is kidnapping our dog!" We were dropping her off in Anchorage.....Hanna digging on her new Russian dolls at Anc Airport...


HOUSTON-- Well, we are finally off on our big adventure! Getting off to the airport was an adventure in itself...WOW.. 16 pieces of luggage including 9 carry-ons, a dog to air freight and six checked pieces.. and the amazing thing is it all arrived on the same plane we did!!! Yahoo Continental!!
When we got here we were relieved but very tired. Maggie was fine although exhausted and hot.
David went to get the car, a Ford Excursion thank goodness. It all fit! What a surprise!
We drove to Austin to pick up the Motorhome,(mh) and 5 hours later, it's finally ours!
We didn't melt in the 97 degree heat..but we did slow down and started to really appreciate the air conditioner.. :*)
We have been working on it since Saturday and are getting to feel more comfortable and make it ours.
We have been shopping and trying to find stuff we need..Kroger-which owns Fred Meyer- nice but smaller than ours, Home Depot, Costco, IKEA -heaven in a box.. 8^). Next the Motorhome goes in to get some work done that David isn't going to have time for..
The kids were very excited to go to IKEA, not for the reasons you think.. They have been sleeping on beach towels, covered with beach towels and not loving it! They were so excited to get real pillows and lightweight comforters with comforter covers and real sheets...I think it's great to be appreciative of the basics we all take for granted... Learning all the time..happy, happy..
Whew.....
This weekend we are going to try to go up to San Antonio to go to Sea World...and maybe get some Sleep-ha..
David has been going to his meetings Mon-Tue Wed- this week and we have been working on cleaning and putting away stuff and measuring all the storage areas for bins..also laundry , just like home but only in two rooms..fun fun
We are thinking of you guys and the 49 degree weather in Palmer, AK...
Hanna is enjoying the warm weather and went swimming in the pool in Austin Saturday...
Jake is melting, but likes the fact that it isn't raining..He is helping Dad and learning the ropes of hooking up the motorhome- he hates the sewer line because the valve is leaking- one of the reasons it is going to the shop tomorrow! Otherwise, he's having fun and is looking forward to picking up Christine and Sheridan- friends coming from Indiana to spend about a month with us.
Well, time to wrap this up...Jake says to use a lot of tape..ha ha..
'Till next time, Julie---here's what happens when you forget a can opener...