3/15-21/09 Trip to Spokane

So I've been really lazy about blogging lately and haven't posted pictures from our recent trip, but here they finally are. I went up to Spokane with my sister-in-law, Nicole, in March so we could visit our families. She is from Coeur d'Alene and my Mom's side of the family is all in Spokane, so we visit often. Here are Halle & Daddy before we left for the trip. Dusty missed us tons while we were gone...ya right! My Mom was in Spokane for the first night of our trip on business. So I had ONE night of help at bathtime. It was so welcomed! The rest of the nights were pretty rocky due to the time change and later evening visits. The poor kids had a rough week.
Jack & Halle at Grandpa & Grandma Dymond's bar. They've had these barstools since I was little and my brothers & sisters and I used to sit here too as kids.

I know this is mean, but I had to ge a pose of Jack doing this. I have a similar photo of myself, same age, same pose, same spot.

Jack wrestling with Uncle Jeff.

Here's my friend Gretchen with Halle. We met at NorthTowne Mall one day to visit. (I used to babysit for Gretchen's kids as a teenager and we are all still dear friends!)

Here's the house in Spokane I came home to as a baby. Still looking much the same - it's right by East Valley HS. Also the house where I fell out of the swing and broke my leg!

My sweet Aunt Laurie & Uncle Greg took us out to dinner at Black Angus. It was delicious! My cousin Alli joined us for the evening and performed some great crowd control on Jack during dinner. He was extremely busy the whole evening. And Halle wasn't much better behaved herself.

Here's Jack & Great Grandpa Dymond reading "Catch Me, Catch Me".

Jack's favorite Thomas book.

Halle LOVED Mrs. Potato Head

Eating breakfast at the bar

I thought this was funny because when I was about Jack's age I destroyed a whole package of napkins underneath this bar. Trevor (the dog) had dropped my stuffed racoon into his water bowl and I used probably 100-200 napkins to dry him off. I think that was the only spanking my Grandpa ever gave me. Luckily Halle only destroyed about 15 napkins.
Halle, Jack, Braeden & Carmen enjoying some Top Ramen noodles.

I got to go to dinner one night with my cousin Staj and his wife Jessi, and baby Talon. We had sooo much fun! And the people at Red Robin were fabulous with kids I must say. Staj is my cousin on the McLeod side. I think he's starting to look a bit like my brother Brad.

Here's Jack & my cousin Riley crossing the mud over to Riley's house. Jack adores Riley, but I'm not sure the feelings are reciprocated. (My Uncle Jeff & Aunt Tina live just behind my Grandparents' house on the adjoining 10 acres. They have decided to plant wheat this year so the field was all plowed and ready to plant.)

This is the view from behind my Grandparents' house.

We went to Chuck E. Cheese Friday night with my cousins Sarah & Alli, Sarah's kids, and my Aunt Nancy (my Mom's youngest sister). We had a lot of fun, but I didn't get too many good pictures.

Jack loved the popcorn game.

My Aunt Nancy with Hal.

Grandpa Al, Riley & cute Grandma Joyce

My Aunt Tina, Uncle Jeff (my Mom's little brother), and Riley. They loved Jack & Halle!

Dane & Halpal taking a snooze on the trip home.

Jack on the phone with Daddy. This was the last leg of the trip and he was sooo ready to get out.

Here's Halle missing Daddy on the way home. (And Sean missed Nicole & the kids so much he flew up for half the week...so that's his voice in the background videoing.)

Ants In Her Pants

Halle's had lots of hair since day one, so I've been setting her on the bathroom counter to style her hair since she came home from the hospital. Lately she's graduated to playing with toothbrushes, breaking my jewelry (a bad idea from the internet), sticking her feet in the sink while the water is running, and lastly, laying on her tummy with her chin in her hands looking at herself in the mirror whilst I do her hair.

This is now about the only way I can get her to sit still. She has to be somewhere she can't move, and this barstool does the trick. It also helps if she's parked in front of the TV. I don't know about beauty being pain, but it sure is a lot of work!

Home 4 Sale

So we just put our house up for sale today. I've spent all week cleaning obsessivley and getting everything "just so". Jack's been saying in his prayers, "And please help us to keep the house clean." Wow, am I raising an OCD child or what??? Dusty and I are hoping to find another forclosure or short sale this year and make good on it again. Plus, I think we both just like having a big project to work on...and this house is done! So on to the next one I say.

If you or anyone you know is interested in moving to Clinton, UT you can check out the home @ http://www.clintonhome4sale.blogspot.com/. It really is a great house and we've loved calling it home!