Over The River… (Day 2)

On Saturday, we went for a walk in the wide wide world.  Well actually, we really only went for a walk just down to the end of Porter Canyon Rd., but it did feel like we were way out there.  Where can you get stretches of blue sky that go on forever and desert canyons in your backyard except for the wild west or in some storybook?  Thirty seconds down our path, we met a horse and a donkey (next door).  Five minutes later, we fed goats and watched some geese.  And while I’m well aware that these things have always been in Holbrook, and we’ve been to Holbrook with the kids at least ten or twelve times before, it just seemed better this time.  Maybe it was the weather (the sun? the rain?), maybe it was because it was Papa’s 60th birthday, or maybe it was the relaxing pace at which we took pleasure in the small things, who knows…  I’m just happy about it.

Bella noticed a stink bug, and did a little freak out.  She’s pretty city girl when it comes to bugs, so Daddy took it upon himself to acquaint them a little better.

Poor little Ariana didn’t like the goats one bit.  She has been having some trouble with animals lately, which I feel really badly about (barking dogs, anything large with a non-human face).  After meeting the goats, she made it clear to us that she much preferred sitting in her wheelchair and watching safely from afar, while the other kids got up close and personal.  And that was okay too.

Soarin’ Trevor and Brayden.

Trevor got thirsty, so I suggested he take a drink out of the hose.  That’s what we do in the country, right?  Turns out, even in the country, they have nozzles on hoses that sometimes are set to “full” or “spray”, and this was the case for poor Trevor.  Luckily, he was a good sport.

Papa turned 60, and 60 is OLD, so we had to make an occasion out of it!  We razzed and roasted him all night, and *I think* he figured out that we were joking sometime between receiving his hand-made walking cane and getting his bottle of (fake) Viagra.  We all ate out at Romo’s, and then hightailed it back to the home front for cake and presents.  We, along with Twyla, Emily, Eddie, Rob, and their families got Papa a Reuger hand gun that he’d been eyeing; and Ryan and family got him some sort of fancy electric tool involving drill bits that I don’t know the name of.  I think he was pleased with the whole event, which is nice, because after 60, every birthday is a big deal (just kidding Rick!).

Over The River & Through The Woods… (Day 1)

Last weekend, we took one long overdue trip to Grammy & Papa’s house (Jake’s parents) in sweet little Holbrook. And while we will always feel fondly towards Holbrook because it is where Grammy and Papa reside, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it quite as lovely as last weekend. I mean, it was just friggin’ beautiful last weekend. I thought I’d died and gone somewhere… really friggin’ beautiful! With perfect tranquil warm air and a fresh breeze that barely whispered autumn; flowers in full bloom; perfectly blue-green everything, anywhere you looked; trees heavy with ripe fruit and brightly colored vegetables crowding the garden – I just couldn’t believe that somewhere could get that heavenly.

It was just too wonderful to stay inside, so I had to pry Gabriel away from watching “Toy Story” on the tube (his new favorite movie) and kick him out the front door. He quickly realized what he’d been missing (what a city boy). The girls took turns swinging on the tree swing while the boys rode scooters and bikes up and down the long driveway. The kids had rolling races down the grassy slopes and pitched play forts. They explored, barefooted, the grounds – relishing in the way the grass felt on their feet (cool and soft, unlike in the Valley where bare feet means two things: hot and sharp), picking up fallen apples off the ground and eating them straight away, like real country children.

That night, the cousins played. And the boys behaved like boys… like crazy little boys. And the girls got fussed over. And Grammy made a yummy lasagna and lemon bars that we all ate together (all twelve of us, which still felt like a small group, because we were missing the others.) The men watched silly TV shows and chuckled aloud as though they were back in high school. And there was love. :)

Days 2 & 3 still to come.

The girls loved this swing like none other. They fussed each until it was their turn. And then they never wanted to get out.

When you imagine how grandmother’s country house should look, does it look exactly like this? It does to me.

Nothing beats a rolling race when you are in the mood to hear a chorus of children’s laughter.

My adorable niece, Kendrick.

My big boy nephew, Brayden.

My awesome nephew, Trevor.

It was hard to capture the action of this pillow fight, but it was raucous and fun. And nobody cried. :)