The LONG drive home!!

I thought I would start by telling you about the end of our vacation.  After a very fun 10 days spent with family, we got in the car and headed home.  We had been watching the news and travel conditions but the weather people -- who are way over paid in my opinion  (I want the job that you can be wrong 50% of the time and still get paid $200,000+) -- insisted that the storm would be done by Sunday morning so we woke up early Sunday and headed on our way. We flew through Utah and hit Vail in 7 hours including a lunch and gas stop.  No weather issues.  Sunny. Great roads.  Then, we hit Vail.  There was only a couple of inches on the ground and the roads were clear but idiot people drive to slow or to quickly and cause problems.  10-15 cars in front of us there is a wreck so both lanes are shut down while they clear it up.  We sat in PARK for about 45 minutes.  When we FINALLY got through, we followed the other cars --who were driving way too slow -- down to Silverthorne where they had everyone exit.  I-70 had been shut down.  There was maybe six inches of snow on the ground,  the roads were plowed, not too slick and they were shut down.  Growing up in Idaho, if they shut down the road for these conditions we would never go anywhere!  It was almost dinnertime so we tried to find a place to eat.  The first place, the wait was 2 1/2 hours.  LOVELY!!  Then, we found Chipolte and went in there.  It was only about 1/2 full so we were able to get some dinner and a table.  We would have been fine staying there except some GRUMPY guy at the table next to us kept blaming Jason and anyone else who lives in Colorado for the freeway being shut and him missing his flight. (Like the rest of us are happy about this.  Buck up mister and just deal!)  We found out that they had opened a shelter and headed there.  We were sent to a school gym.  Jason had brought in the kids pillows, blankets, gameboys, ipods etc.  Anything to pass the time.  

Kaci actually was really good and sat and read books!
Chase was getting bored but loved playing the game boys.

Here is everyone along the wall waiting for any news.  (Thank goodness for internet access phones.)
Here is Kaci playing around on the gameboy!
Jackson was trying to go to sleep.  It was pretty loud so I don't think he had any luck!

We watched some lady attempt to do yoga.  She had her mat and was doing all of her moves.  I really wanted to take her picture so you could see how funny she looked but her friend was sitting next to me and I didn't want to have to explain why I was taking a picture of her friend. After we left, Jason said I should have had one of the kids stand in front of her.  Too late!  After about an our hour, they opened the road back up and it was a mass exodus to the freeway.  At that point it was 8:30 and we had been in the car for 12 hours!!  We chugged along at 5 MPH to the Eisenhour tunnel where we were able to speed up to about 20MPH.  As we exited the tunnel, there was a TON of snow.  45 inches in 48 hours.  The roads were still pretty good but we did have to go slow for about 5 miles.  Then there was only about 6 inches of snow and then about 10 minutes later NONE!!  The roads were clear and we could go 50-60 the rest of the way home.  It was crazy how 2 miles could have so much snow and then hardly any!  Anyways, our 8 1/2 hour trip turned into 15 hours!  The kids did great and being the AWESOME mom I am I even let them sleep in and be late for school on Monday.  I rock, don't I!