Day One of The Unplanned-Plan

Last week, we set off on Spring Break.

The plan was to head out towards Eastern Oregon, but that was the extent of our plans.

It was Josh's 'unplanned-plan.'

And I don't know why the planner in me fears his unplanned-plans so much because quite honestly, in the last eight years that we've been together, even his worst unplanned-plans have almost always turned out better than my best planned-plans.

But I'm a planner, so a few days before the trip, I started feeling anxious and decided to email Josh at work in the hope that he had come up with even a semi-planned unplanned-plan.

This was his response:

"Sorry, but I just don't know. God's going to drive and I'm just going to hang-on. I'm going to pick a spot on the map, make sure there's hotels, gas stations and groceries within a day's travel and go."

So with that, I give you Day One of The Unplanned-Plan...

We loaded the kiddos up in the car around 5:30 a.m. and did our best to keep them asleep for the first few hours of the drive.

And when they woke up, they spent some time reading and drawing and eating snacks. (Annie had eaten her daily allotment of snacks by 9:00 a.m.)

That's Coley's, "We-only-have-one-week-off-for-Spring-Break-???" face.

 

And then we stopped for breakfast.

And then we made a quick grocery-stop before getting back on the road.

And then we made a brief stop at an overlook.

That's Annie's, "I-can't-help-being-so-cute" face.

And that's Courtney's, "I'm-going-to-pretend-to-throw-up" face.

Courtney Lee, picking up a bunch of trash, which included 100+ cigarette butts. (Josh put together a Scavenger Hunt list and #14 on the list was "Pick up someone else's trash" which was worth 3 points.)

And then we got back on the road again, but with a movie for this stretch of the drive.

About six or seven miles before getting to our first destination (Josh's only plan was to spend our first night of the trip in Mitchell, Oregon; population 150, which was question #2 on the Scavenger Hunt list, worth 1 point.) Josh pulled over because he saw someone broken-down along the side of the road.

Turns out they (a guy named Glen) had just run out of gas, so we drove into Mitchell to borrow a gas can and to buy some gas.

And then we drove back to where Glen was waiting for us.

And then we said good-bye to Glen and drove back to Mitchell.

Where everyone fell in love with some local goats. (I thought for sure we were going to come home with a goat or two.)

And then we checked in at The Oregon Hotel and met the owner, Skeeter. (#1 on the Scavenger Hunt list was, "Meet a person named Skeeter; worth 1 point.)

And then we took a few minutes to get settled into our room.

And then we took off to explore Mitchell.

Just a few minutes into our exploration, we ran into Glen, who lives in Mitchell and informed us that he had paid for us to all have lunch at the Sidewalk Cafe.

And at the Sidewalk Cafe, we met the owners (Sharon, Sharon's daughter and Sharon's granddaughter.)

And a patron named Tracy.

And then we stood outside and talked to Tracy for awhile before heading back towards our hotel.

And then the kids got started on #16 of the Scavenger Hunt, which was to buy something for a random stranger; worth 5 points.

Cole met a construction worker named Robert and bought him a Hershey bar.

Annie met Skeeter's grandkids and bought them a pack of Starbursts.

And Courtney Lee bought a gift box full of assorted cookies for Skeeter.

And then the girls met a couple who were also staying at The Oregon Hotel.

So they headed back down to the store to buy more Starbursts and cookies to give their new friends. (The couple gave the girls some Chinese meditation balls in return.)

And then we got back to exploring Mitchell.

And found ourselves inside a local church.

And then we spent some time at the park.

#13 on the Scavenger Hunt list was to win a foot-race, which was worth 2 points.

And then we had a competition to see who could swing the furthest. (I lost.)

And then went to Open Gym Night (Tracy told us about it.) to play some basketball.

I just included that one because of Josh's hot calves.

Josh ended up meeting (and guarding) the pastor of the Mitchell Assembly of God.

And once the kids were tired of playing/watching basketball, they decided to play on scooters.

And then we made it back to the hotel in time for a few of us to take showers and to do a bit of reading before calling it a night.

And with that, Day One of The Unplanned-Plan came to an end.

Comments

[Mindy]

how fun!! i love unplanned vacations! we used to do them all the time before we had our son & now that he is getting a bit older i would love to do them again. we'll see! and i just love love love the photo of annie inside the church!

[Carrie]

Can I just say that this post brought a smile to my face. I can only imagine the unexpected joy you brought to those various strangers. In a town that small, they will be talking about you for years to come - "Remember when those people with the 3 kids bought a stranger gas and candy and even played basketball at our open gym?" Love, love it. Carry on with the unplanned plan!

[Debi]

Fabulous! As the wife of an "I-need-to-know-exactly-what-we're-doing-and-when-we're-doing-it" husband, something this fun and spontaneous and exciting and new would never happen! Think I wanna be your kid! :)

[Laura]

I really hope I'm not going to read that you ended up in Baker City, because that's where my in-laws live and I'm not too far from there and if I missed a chance to meet you I'll be upset! You and your family are so cool.

[Robin... you know the one... from ND...]

I grew up in a town that size (no motel though). What a great trip. My Emma has the same shoes as Annie. Bugger to zip at our house. Working on my box to ship to the center. It is soooooo rewarding to just keep tossing things in. In the end, there will likely be two or three boxes. So excited!

[nina.]

I love your family and all that you do. You are just good, good people. It always makes me happy to see that there is still lots of good in this world. Tfs.

[Jennifer Rutz]

Thank you for sharing your pictures! I love the idea of a scavenger hunt. Can't wait to see the pictures from the rest of your trip :)

[Gina]

I agree with Nina. You guys rock. Can't wait to read Chapter 2.

[Cathy]

I want to go on vacation with you!

[SusanC]

Thanks so much for sharing! Love your family and all of the pictures - you guys are such good people!

[janel]

What memories you are making. LOVE all the smiles, love that the kids really got to know the town and people there, love the playground with the real teeter-totter, slide and equipment, love that they play together and share with others....LOVE your parenting and time together...nothing can ever be better than these memories you are making. Keep taking those photos...makes me feel like I am riding along in the back seat. :)

[Christy]

One day, I hope your un-planned plan brings you to Texas. I would love to hang with y'all and have you over for dinner and sit around the firepit with a good ale or wine and let my husband make you a melt-in-your-mouth steak. :) Hope spring break was the best ever. Sounds like it was.
Blessings,
Christy

[Rachelle Sims]

what an awesome day! A perfectly "unplanned" day : )

[Lindsay]

I LOVE Mitchell! Did you go into the Baptist church at the top of the hill? One of my dad's best friends is the pastor there ... and that gym ... I played many a game in that place!

LOVED all the pictures - thanks for taking me back to a place I grew up visiting all the time ~

Lindsay in Eastern Oregon (from your first class ever)

[Candy]

Your pictures are always so wonderful. They tell a beautiful story. YOU have to get into some of them too though! Your kids would love to see you with them in years to come. I'm the photo person in my family too, and after umpteen years of pictures of the three of 'them' I started to hand my camera over to my husband and say "Take MY picture" Now he's better and just doing it, rather than being told to do it.
Kudos to you, for being able to 'go with it'.(the unplanned vacation, that is) I'm not a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl... I would have a sick belly, not knowing what to expect! Enjoy spring break!

[Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita]

This was so fun! You're making some awesome memories for your kids!

[Kelli]

That looks like an awesome "unplanned-plan"! And what a great scavenger hunt!

[Kathy]

I like to have a plan as well however that day looked amazing ands you couldn't't have planned that if you tried... Ps day 2 you have to get in the photos too that 's why the self timer was invented... In the words of Nike "Just Do It" great family pics Regards Kathy A , Brisbane, Australia

[kat-in-texas]

You're a good sport, Nellie, to go along with an unplanned plan. Love the simplicity of day one!!!

p.s. Josh Downs has awesome calves!! Glad our military men look so fit!! :)

[Laura BC]

Please tell me more about the scavenger hunt! Such a great idea.

[Becky]

How GREAT! My husband and I are from Eastern Oregon and often drive from the Willamette Valley back home through Mitchell. I always wanted to stay there, but it seemed 'too silly' since we really wouldn't be all that far from our 'home'. Had Josh Downs been there before?

[Doris D.]

What a wonderful spring break and scavenger hunt. You two are so creative. You teach the kids by doing.

[Yvonne]

This is an AWESOME idea! I love that your children are seeing you model Christ-like behaviors... not just teach them. I haven't posted in a long time on your comments, but I've been following you for years. It's beautiful how you have shared with everyone your journey through life. You are an inspiration on so many levels, more than your photography. Cyber-love you, Sister! (because saying love you seems so weird!) lol

[Nancy Wyatt]

You guys are awesome!!

[Tammy (Sweet blessings!)]

I so LOVE this post! It screams the "Best Vacations our Family ever took" memories to be shared when your kids have children of their own! I also LOVE that you are taking time to teach your kids about sharing, giving, helping, .....and the fun they are having is all creative, homemade, real extraordinary fun!!!! May the memories of this trip always warm your heart too :) Sweet blessings!

[Juststrongenough.blogspot.com]

Just finished reading though the full unplanned plan "series" (in reverse order!) - so many great ideas I plan to borrow, including the scavenger hunt, random volunteer work, and the rolls of quarters. Makes me want to run out and visit all the little towns throughout Utah :) Thanks for the inspiration.