Brake Lights & Bug Bites

Over 20,000 miles

27 states

59 campgrounds/hotels

33 National Park Sites

Countless Memories

As we look back on the past year, it’s hard to believe just how much ground we’ve covered both in miles and in moments. We met new friends, walked through unexpected challenges, and learned again and again that the most beautiful views usually come after the hardest climbs. Our hearts are full as we look ahead to what 2026 may hold.

The final two months of 2025 found us slowly making our way down the California coast. We moved from the quiet stillness of the towering redwoods to the lively energy of San Francisco. We walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, wandered city streets, rode trolley cars, ate warm bread bowls, watched seals bask in the sun, and explored Alcatraz Island. For me, the sweetest moment was retracing the steps of the day we got engaged, returning to each place that once held so much meaning, now with four boys trailing behind us. God’s faithfulness over the years felt especially tangible in those moments.

From San Francisco, we paused for a quick overnight in Ventura to visit Channel Islands National Park. The Channel Islands had long been on Charlie’s list, but until this year, the timing never worked out. The park is made up of five islands shaped by centuries of isolation, creating plants, animals, and archaeological treasures found nowhere else on Earth. We explored Santa Cruz Island, hiking through rugged mountains, quiet valleys, dramatic coastal cliffs, and passing remnants of old sheep ranches along the way. We even spotted the elusive island fox. But the real surprise came on the ferry ride itself, which turned into an unforgettable whale-watching adventure. We saw more than twenty-five humpback whales and were surrounded by thousands of dolphins racing alongside the boat and leaping through the waves. It was nothing short of breathtaking.

We spent the next two weeks in Los Angeles, where life finally slowed to a gentler pace. After a busier fall than we expected, we leaned into simple rhythms and ordinary days. Our campground offered small joys with a pool, miniature golf, shuffleboard, and a game room. We wandered Downtown Disney in the evenings, watching it slowly transform from fall to Christmas. I slipped away for a quick weekend in Ohio to visit my parents while the boys soaked up “boy time” at the beach, ate donuts, and watched Star Wars. And of course, no stay in Los Angeles would be complete without more than a few stops at Joe’s Italian Ice.

Eventually, we made our way south to San Diego and discovered a true hidden gem at the San Diego KOA. The boys thrived there, diving into kids’ club activities like gaga ball, bingo, basketball, crafts, family kickball, and even a Christmas tree lighting. We kept postponing sightseeing plans because the campground itself offered so many activities. We celebrated Thanksgiving, admired the dazzling Christmas lights at Hotel del Coronado, decorated our camper, explored Cabrillo National Monument, watched the sun set into the ocean, and attended the Phil Wickham Christmas concert (twice!!).

At the beginning of December, we planned to head east, storing the camper in Florida before traveling to Ohio for Christmas. We expected to spend the winter exploring Florida, but our hearts weren’t ready to leave California. San Diego had captured us, and with Ken’s work bringing him back to California this winter, we pivoted. We stored the camper, drove to Ohio to celebrate Christmas with family, and returned to San Diego after the holidays. Though sickness followed us through Ohio, it didn’t overshadow the gift of time with family. We cherished time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, grateful for every shared meal, conversation, and laugh. We even managed a quick trip to Disney World with the Andersons just before Christmas. We treasure every mile of this journey, but the goodbyes are always the hardest. We left Ohio with full hearts.

On our final lunch together, my dad leaned back and laughed as our family debated which route would take us back west, through Texas or Colorado? On the way to Ohio, we passed through Arizona, stopping at Petrified Forest National Park, and now we wanted to try a different path home. In the end, Colorado won by a narrow margin, and the drive was nothing short of spectacular, filled with sweeping landscapes that reminded me why I love the travel days so much. 

Now, we are settled back into our camper, thankful for a season of rest before the road unfolds again. We don’t know all that lies ahead in 2026, but we can’t wait to see where the road leads us and to share all that God has in store for our family in 2026.