places we slept in 2012

Pine, Arizona
Portland, Oregon
Idyllwild, California
Hermosillo, Mexico 
Pocatello, Idaho
Visalia, California
Banning, California
Ankeny, Iowa
Omaha, Nebraska
Clinton, Iowa
Quincy, Illinois
San Francisco, California
Newport Beach, California
Salt Lake City, Utah
Provo, Utah
Chicago, Illinois
Los Alamitos, California
San Diego, California 
Flagstaff, Arizona
Logan, Utah
Thatcher, Arizona
Los Alamitos, California

It's fun to remember where we've been all year. Now that we have a bunch of adult-ish people in our family, and they all have their own cars and their own lives and their own schedules, there is a lot more traveling. Most of those trips did not involve me in any way. In fact, I only went to 5 of the above places, and not really for exciting reasons - dropping Mel off at college, girl's camp, family reunion. (ok, they were fun, but not really a 'vacation destination'.)  In fact, we're very rarely in one car all together. We went to a family event in Mesa once and showed up in 4 cars between the 6 of us - all coming from different directions and from different work and school schedules. We did all hop in the car to California last week and it brought back memories of all our road trips when the kids were younger. Our old mini-van is not so user friendly on a road trip for 6 adults and our luggage. 
I think Chicago was a great trip for Rachel and Dave. Our niece, Stephanie, was getting married and they enjoyed that quick trip to celebrate with her. 
Dave and Brady had a great road trip back to some of the areas of Brady's mission. The down side? They DROVE. TO. ILLINOIS ! The older I get, the less I like long road trips. I wouldn't have minded driving around Iowa and Illinois, but driving straight through from Phoenix to the Mississippi River? I would need some nerve calming drugs to get me there. 
Dave and I spent a delightful weekend in Idyllwild, California.  Most people don't even know where that is. It is in the mountains south of Palm Springs. You're in the desert, then start driving up into the mountains and 30 minutes later you are in a wonderful cute cabin-filled small town in the pine trees. It's a five hour drive from Phoenix and a great get-away. We even found a cabin we loved, tried to buy it for a vacation rental home, but in the end, the deal fell through. darn. 
Melanie was involved in an exchange program in high school with students in Mexico. They spent a few days in Hermosillo, and their students came here for a few days. It really helped Melanie's Spanish vocabulary. She loved the trip. Although I've got to say, she loves everything she does, everywhere she goes, everyone she meets. She could be in the county jail and she would say "I LOVE THIS PLACE !" 
Dave took a road trip with his 90 year old father this year. That was an adventure. His dad is a road sign reader. Dave realized that habit might get on his nerves about 30 minutes into a 5 day trip. Dave is a good son. He really enjoyed taking his dad to a tractor show in California and having a few days of one on one bonding time.