We had a great visit to Thompson Falls for the Labor Day weekend. On the upside it was our first 100% diaper-less trip! The downside was we had to leave Daddy behind because he had too many chores to do :(
There is nothing to describe how miserable the drive can be with overtired/fighting kids. They beg us to buy a "camping truck" aka an RV where they don't have to buckle and can run around. The 2nd request, if no RV, is a new $uburban with TV'$. Unfortunately, for now they have to just suffer :)
But once we got there...the drive was worth it!
Morgan and Devin - front and center on the roller coaster that came off it's tracks last year (with Morgan and Tyson on it).
Tyson, about to be sick on a too-spinny train ride.
Slow cars...just our style!
Morgan, braving the slide.
Devin's favorite slide.
Kaitlyn and Ashton were bored with the little kid rides...so they made their mark on the big kid rides!
The story of Devin's day...Not Tall Enough to Ride. The negotiations with the Carnies were unsuccessful...as it didn't really help that he was clutching his baby blanket and crying.
Kaitlyn and Morgan were nice enough to take him up the slide (yeah me...I didn't have to!)
Down they come.
So they did manage to sneak Devin on the Tilt-a-Whirl.
Can you see him in the corner...he was loving it! There wasn't much holding him in so I was thankful for Morgan and her arm-bar she provided.
Quick break on the carousel.
Kaitlyn, Ashton and Tyson wanted to try the Sizzler. The three of them were split up to even the riders. So here's Kailtyn being squished by Tyson...
...and Ashton doing his best to not touch the girl he didn't know. It didn't work out so well :)
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That night the girls and I went to the rodeo and the boys all headed home with Green Grandma and Papa Gale.
Kinda fuzzy but still cute!
And then Aunt Kerri was so nice and took the girls home after the rodeo. So Mommy got to hang out in the beer garden with Grandpa (well this guy is Bruce).
Here we all are: Bruce, me, Ginny and Grandpa JD.
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The next day we paid a visit to Nana and Pop Pop, followed by an evening ride/BBQ at Grandpas!
Who's happy now?
Lots of kids x 3 available horses = lots of sharing.
Devin didn't mind...he just wanted to play trucks.
Mommy did get him to go for a ride. However...the two of us are too big to share comfortably so I was thankful he didn't want to ride too much :)
All smiles!
What?
Goofballs eating dinner.
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Not knowing this was the last visit where we would see Green Grandma we are saddened that we didn't have a picture to prove it. But, I wanted to add a detailed story from the weekend (after the fact) so we can remember just how special it was.
Green Grandma had bought all of the kids arm bands so they could ride all day Saturday at the fair. She was scheduled to work but wanted them to have fun. She never liked to take days off of work because she was ridiculously dedicated to her job and never liked to make a fuss. For some reason she asked a co-worker if they would switch days with her...and they agreed. I don't even know who it was but whoever it was Thank You!
We had the truck, so myself + Mom + 5 kids needed to get to Plains. We did the unthinkable and double-buckled two of them in the back so we could all ride together (all the while realizing that it was possibly the last year that 4 kids could physically fit in the back seat). I don't remember what we talked about...likely nothing to earth shattering, but it was just fun.
The kids rode rides and we discussed how liberating it was for us to travel now that the kids are getting older. I admitted that I actually enjoy it now because we're out of diapers and no longer packing around baby stuff, the kids are able to go and do without constant supervision, and they're just fun. She agreed and was happy that we were "rounding the bend" into having babies so we can enjoy life a little more.
If you ever hung out with Green Grandma, you realize that she was a celebrity in Sanders County. She knew everyone and even knew 'their story'. She could tell you who their cousin was, the name of their first wife/husband and what year the graduated high school. People adored her because she cared about them (or at least appeared to) and always greeted them with a smile. So all day long the conversations went like this: "Kelly, do you remember so-in-so?" No, maybe, I think...yes, yes I remember them...kinda. They knew me - because well, if anyone asked how her kids were doing...she would tell them. These people probably knew more about me and the kids than I'll ever know :) She loved to re-tell the stories of funny things the kids said or did.
After 5 trips on the Gravatron (and witnessing one kid loose his lunch) we decided it was time to be done with the rides. We grabbed some good 'ol Fair Food and then Green Grandma and Papa Gale took the boys back to TFalls and left the girls and I to go to the Rodeo with Grandpa. I was so grateful, as I've never been free to go to the rodeo in the years' past. That's what I really loved about Mom...she knew when to help. She insisted that I go, even though Devin was screaming in stroller as they walked away and it would be a lot of work for them to get them home, cleaned up and to bed without Mommy or Daddy there. But she didn't hesitate, didn't ask a single question, just handled it.
Sunday she had to work but she always made a fuss over the kids before leaving. I'd sleep in as much as I could and she'd be making poppyseed bread and serving them whatever they asked for. After work she and Gale joined us out at Grandpa JD's for a Labor Day BBQ. She brought way too much food (as always) and enjoyed a nice time with everyone. She was so great about leaving the past in the past and enjoying the day in front of her.
Monday she was working (again) and her and I sorted out some old clothes of Ashton's to give to Tyson before she left. That day we were headed out of town back to Bozeman. She had asked us to stop on the way home so she could say "Goodbye" but I knew it was so she could show the grandkids off to her co-workers. I almost didn't stop...because we were all loaded up - buckled in car seats and stuff and knew she'd understand why we didn't...but we did anyway. Thankfully the store wasn't busy so she carted them around and showed them a few things. Then Devin saw the greeting cards on a stand. They were goofy ones showing pets with goodly eyes and funny people on the covers... The kids got a kick out of them and she was hamming it up and being silly right along with them. After combing through half the rack I said that we needed to get going so we said our goodbyes...unfortunately, it was our final one.
