Friday, August 10, 2012

Here goes. Instafriday #13. An entire month worth.

Welcome to the LONGEST post in the world. Pretty sure I set the record with this one. It just makes it so much easier when I get around to printing my blog if I keep all of the photos in one post. And it's more fun for me to look back and relive our great vacation this way.

If you make it to the end, let me know. I'll be impressed.


 Lydia begged to have a lemonade stand with her friend Maya before we left. You know what is way easier and cheaper than selling lemonade? 
Otter pops!!! Come and get them while the day is hot!!!

Like the sign? I let the girls make it with my stencils and paint. They said it was the best day ever. 


Had to wear her Popsicle jammies.
Such pretty little girls.


Collin found the best shade at the stand.
 I'm pretty sure each of my kids had over a dozen pops.

That's okay, its vacation time!!!

My sisters Molly and Emily and I decided to head over to Spokane to stay with our parents for three weeks. My brother goes to law school there too. The only person who couldn't make it was my sister Abby who was in the process of moving cross country.

(I didn't take my camera with me, so all my photos are from my phone. 
The iPhone really does take some nice photos.)


The kids and I drove the 7 hours to Greenacres, WA. They were champs.
 I love it here. 


Can you blame me?


There is never a reason to leave my parents house. We have a trampoline to play on....
(This is my favorite photo of the trip.)


The most darling baby to cuddle with....
(This is my nephew Grant. They call him Granny Panny. Not even kidding.)



and tons of good food to eat. Not a bad view either.


We did try to take the kids shopping. Once.
This is the Nordstrom Rack dressing room.

They hated us there.


My dad took my sister Molly and I out to ice cream at a little hole in the wall place we like. 
In his 1962 Thunderbird. :) 

We used to do that when I was a little girl when he had a 1960 corvette. 

He taught me how to be "cool" while riding in that car.


The lemon custard ice cream at Mary Lou's is incredible.



My dad said we were being very "uncool" taking photos the whole time.


Tough dad, that's just who we are.


We traveled down to Pendleton Oregen for a family member's funeral.
It was very sad, but wonderful seeing family I hadn't seen in a decade.
I realize I missed a lot while living in the South for so long.  



Yes, you are seeing this right. Carrots in jello. This is funeral food gold! I thought it was just legend. No, I didn't try it. I filled my plate with ham and funeral potatoes.

Thank you so very much to the LDS church in Pendleton who put together such an amazing lunch for our family. Even the jello. :)


I only had my phone to take photos, so my sisters have all the good ones of the family, but I got a couple shots.

My brother Zac and Collin are planning something sneaky, you can tell.


Yum! Funeral potatoes.


My pretty Liddy.


And...Collin.



A little cousin bonding later that night.


To a gathering crowd, Collin read a soliloquy and Thomas danced a jig.


Thats pretty indicative of their personalities.


Before we left town, we, of course, went shopping at the Pendleton Woolen Mills. 

But more on that adventure later.


I wear a lot of turquoise when in Pendleton. It's to pay homage to my cowboy roots.

My large turquoise collection is pretty much the only cowboy thing about me.
Well, I have a hat too.



We were very ready to get back to Spokane. 5 kids in a car is a lot.
You road trip junkies are nuts.




Back to the country of Greenacres Washington, we enjoyed our delivery of fresh eggs from the neighbors.


Looks lots of long walks.
(My sisters and I have been fighting over who will get to buy this neighbor's home for years. As the oldest, I'm pretty sure I should have first dibs.)



And enjoyed the summer wild flowers.



We look the kids to Riverfront park.


The Carousal there is famous.


As is the gynormous radio flyer slide. 
Can you see Lydia waving?


Snow cones of course. 


Spokane really is a fun place.


Back at the homestead we busied ourselves with a weenie roast.


Collin's going to be a scout some day. :)


Movie night when it finally got dark. I told the kids that after the movie we would lay out and watch the real stars on the "big screen" of the night sky.


Meanwhile, the grownups played chat around the fire.


Ah, Summer.


We were totally shocked and thrilled when my sister Abby surprised us by driving over from her brand new home of Whidbey Island.

Um, I'm thinking that's where we will be vacationing next summer!



She brought her sweetie pie, Paige



And beautiful Lexi.



They arrived just in time to join us in celebrating Zac's birthday.
There was a shot of my entire family, but it was pretty much the worst photo ever (of Molly), so it will remain in the trash bin. 


It was incredible to have every single sibling and grandchild home at the same time.
 I think that's what heaven will be like.
(Shane and the rest of the brothers in law can come too.)




Stole this photo from my Brother in Law Greg's instagram.

"Playing tag with a PowerWheels and a golfcart. Is that white trash, or richie rich?"

Greg- I'm thinking more white trash, but it was still fun to watch you guys doing it.


Pow Pow Power Wheels!



Mr. Tree sees all.


My dad built the most amazing swings.


Poor Uncle Greg. He had a lot of "playtime".
i.e. watching the kids when the girls ran out for a bit.


A trip to the playground.



Picnics with Grandma.


I attempted to crochet. 


I'm better at cards. 


Lots of treats.
(I crocheted that headband!)


A competitive game of croquet. 


Collin wasn't a fan.
(Still in his jammies at 7 at night.)


He preferred the huge kiddie pool.

(I just about died when I looked up from my book to see these little cutie patooties and their tiny cracks.) 


Oh dear! Where are the children?


Spent the day up at Greenbluff Orchards picking raspberries.


Lydia and Grandma are best friends.



Ordered some peach pie for lunch at the Harvest House.


Emily made us a raspberry crisp for dinner. 


To go with steaks of course!


Finally Shane was able to fly over from Boise to join us. 

Good thing, cause Greg needed a break.


I love seeing "Uncle Shane".


And "Daddy Shane".


Of course "my Shane" is my favorite. 
We took a mini vacation without the kids. Bliss.


Al fresco dinner by firelight.


Starbucks hot chocolate and doughnuts for breakfast. The words neurosis, ensconced and magniloquent were used. Adult language returns! Mini vacation a success!

(I had no idea what magniloquent meant. I had to look it up.)


Took the car out for some yard sales.
Kids left at home.


Spent a lovely morning at the temple


Cause families are the most important thing.


I'm going to miss my family so much. Love to you all!

Wow! You made it to the end! Congrats!!!
Hope everyone's summer is turning out as wonderful as ours.

10 comments:

Kristin said...

Loved it! How much fun! I want to go to Spokane now too. So many fun and cool things! :)

LindsayBetes said...

Love this post, love the pictures! Your parents house/land is amazing! Sounds like such a wonderful time being all together, I know this hardly happens with my family too but when it does, it's heaven on earth! :)

Kristina said...

Happy InstaFriday! I'm your newest fan. :) Please check out my InstaFriday post if you have the chance.

Kristina
http://www.yomichaelmichael.com

Push Pop Mama said...

Wow. That jello is gross.

Push Pop Mama said...

Wow. That jello is gross.

Mommystired said...

What an amazing vacation!

Unknown said...

Now I'm hungry and I want to go on vacation with my family, haha:) My grandma passed away earlier this year and I am in the process of making all her recipes into a family recipe book...just ran across that jello recipe the other day! She made it for all the time when I was younger, it's not as bad as you would think;)

Candice said...

Such a fun vacation! Loved the picture with you and your sisters!

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing! So sorry for your family's loss but at least it brought family together for some wonderful memories! You guys were all around us! We live in Moscow and we go to Greenbluff's every fall, a family ritual. We had to travel out to Western Oregon for family events, then back home to Moscow.

Take care and enjoy the rest of your summer!

The Jensen Seven said...

I'm sad that you were here for three weeks and I didn't get a chance to visit with you. I'm glad you had a fun time seeing your sisters. Sisters are the best!! Hugs!!!

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