I've not been very positive, so I've chosen to not post any words for fear they might dwell on the negative. I don't feel much more positive, but not afraid of the negative, either.

9+ days until the big trip. We haven't traveled much since Christmas and we've never done a trip like this before. On Wednesday August 8 we'll be leaving the hot desert for the mountains of Colorado. We'll enjoy part of 3-4 days there, then head forward to Iowa. While in Iowa we will sweat, eat and sweat some more. Maybe that is just what I will do. We'll visit the Iowa State Fair and farmland too. (We haven't been to any farms for many years -- for me it's been in the double digits -- my great grandma left the farm in the early nineties and I have not been back since)

Both boys are looking forward to the trip. Due to misbehaviour, we had to threaten to leave them at home for the trip. We pulled the Nanny McPhee card and that seemed to work for Sawyer. But, like everything else, Cam was pretty well onto us. Sawyer is most looking forward to staying in the hotel -- and Cam, well, I'm not sure.

A few things left to do before now and then...hoping getting a new air conditioner is not one of them. (Because the days are never below 95* here. I love the heat, but your skin literally feels baked...)