A Sentimental Journey

After the wedding in Logan, the kids and I drove up to Pocatello, Idaho and Jeff flew home.  We spent a few peaceful days at my parents' home playing with dolls, looking at photographs, and eating cake.  Lots and lots of cake. 

Mom bought a giant cake at Costco so we could start Chloe's birthday week off right.  I have a feeling they're still eating it.

Dad did his match trick for the party guests.  Amy's mind was blown.  A few years ago my sister, Katy, told me she still didn't know how the trick is done.  Ha!  (Magic, duh.)

Aaron and Lori and Amy and Jeff joined us for dinner two nights in a row.  Big fans of the kids or big moochers?  Who can tell?

The next day, I took the kids to visit my Grandma Shirley.  I love going to visit this house.  When we were kids, the front porch was filled with big wheels and folding chairs.  The kids would ride up and down the sidewalk while the grown ups talked on the porch.  It was awesome.

 

Grandma had been planning our visit for a month.  She went over it with me on the phone a few days before we came.  "First, I'll sit on the chair and the kids will sit on the couch and then they'll sing 'I Am a Child of God' for me and then I'll let them take turns playing with my pen that's also a flashlight"--and that's where she lost me.  A pen?  What's fun about that?

Apparently a lot.

 

The kids couldn't wait to play with the pen.  In fact, Miles loved it so much that she gave it to him.  That's all that kept him busy during the plane ride home.  Guess whose kids are getting a box of pen flashlights for Christmas?

This is my Grandma's kitchen.  It's beyond cluttered, but it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy when I step inside.  I spy: a newspaper article about a play I was in 15 years ago, a useless oven rack grabber that I made her when I was nine, a picture of me in a Peace College recruitment brochure, letters I've sent her over the past few months, the table where I sat and ate Special K and Spagetti-O's as a kid, and Grandma's handwriting labeling everything thoroughly.  My parents have moved a lot over the years, so I don't really have a childhood home to return to that's filled with happy memories.  That's what Grandma and Grandpa's house has been for me.  Nothing ever changes and there's something comforting about that.

Grandma was kind enough to give the kids a tour.  As you can see, the house is slowly closing in on her.  Don't worry.  I'm almost positive that is how she would prefer to go. 

I took a better picture of the three of them before we went into the house, but as we were leaving, Grandma said we had to take another one with the pen.  When we got in the car, I thanked the kids for being so well-behaved.  Harrison said, "We weren't even trying to be good, Mom.  That house was so cool!  There was so much stuff!"

Grandma Shirley (84 and 5/12) and Melissa (34 and 3/12)

After Grandma's, we met Mom and Dad at Buddy's for lunch.  My parents used to go on dates here back when they were a'courtin'.  The salad dressing sent my mom into labor a couple of times.

It had a similar effect on Chloe.  That night she threw up all over Miles, who lay fast asleep next to her in bed.  It was the grossest thing I've ever seen in my ten years of motherhood.  I've never wanted my mommy more.  Good thing she was there! 

The only highlight of the next day (which included two delayed planes and spending the day in the airport with children) was visiting My Awesome Friend Wendy in her new digs.  She reminded me that there is a light at the end of the medical training tunnel and took a moment to teach me how to pose for pictures.  Yep.  We should have been models.

I'd like to take a moment to thank my adorable parents for being so helpful during our visit.  Thank you for driving my kids to Idaho, cleaning them up, tucking them in, feeding them, teaching them, letting them bang on your piano, cleaning them up again, entertaining them, doing their laundry, and cleaning them up again.  You are all kinds of awesome and I love you.