Jodie-Odie...and Elmo

This is Jodie, my very first best friend!  In grade school we wore the little half-heart necklaces:  I wore "BE FRI" and she wore "ST ENDS."  We were built-in school bus seat partners, and on many a ride you would've heard us singing Starship's, "Nothin's Gonna Stop Us" or playing the slapping hand game, "Eenie, Meanie, Gypsaleeni..."  And now, we live in the same town!

Jodie met the kids and I at the Little Garden Cafe and we had a great time reconnecting over bagels and coffee.  Afterwards, she was up for hanging out at Audubon Park so the kids could run through the splash pad.  Jodie's new job may have her traveling north occasionally, so we're hopeful for more shared time together.

Jodie's nieces call her "Auntie Jo-Jo," which I think fits her personality to a T.  (I remember a childhood conversation when Jodie said she didn't think she'd ever be a grandma, because "who's ever heard of a 'G'ma Jodie'"?!?)  Later that night, as we were saying prayers, Gracie said, "Wasn't that so nice of Auntie Jo-Jo to spend time with us today?"  Yes, it was!

Go For A Drive...

Our family loves to go for drives.  So when we had to make returns out in the valley, we made the labor worth it by driving home through the farmlands east of Spokane.  I told Jeff to drive slowly to let me drink it in; my soul breathes better out here.

We even came across some Bachelor Buttons in the ditch line and the kids came home with bouquets.

We Eat Well...

...when we have company over!  :)  We don't get together with Joel and Sarabeth as often as we like, but when we do, good food and games are always on the docket.  This time we collaborated on baked potato bar and corn-on-the-cob...and Jeff beat us hands-down in Wasabi later that night.

A Memorable Trip to the Dentist

So, it was the first week that our family had been home after several July trips, and I knew that I had a dentist appointment on Tuesday, because the lovely people at my dentist office called to remind me the week before.  I took Gracie with me, because last time they counted her teeth and gave her a toothbrush during my check-up and they told me to bring her along again to see if she'd go for sitting in the chair.

 

1)  I knew it was going to be a momentous visit when on the way to our appointment the van hit one of those magic numbers on the odometer and--LUCKY FOR ME!--we carry the camera in the car for nerdy occasions such as these!  :)  [Please DON'T notice that the car is going faster than 40 mph while I'm taking this picture--but if you DO notice, rest easy knowing that I'm blindly snapping three or four pictures while my eyes are fully on the road.]

2)  The next memory, that is now etched in my brain, happened when I told the front desk that I had a 4:00 appointment.  When they squinted their eyes at the computer screen and asked me how I spelled my last name, my brain triggered:  "My appointment is NEXT Tuesday, isn't it?"  Yep.  They called me TWO weeks before my appointment!  After they assured me that this happens more often than one would think (and after I laughed and explained I was a teacher on "summer-brain") they were able to squeeze us into their schedule and Gracie and I went back...

3)  And here Gracie sits, no big deal at all, waiting for her teeth to be cleaned.  She didn't even need me there--another hygienist took her away while I was getting my X-rays.  (I had to ask to get up to go take a picture before my cleaning--moms need to record such moments!)  She had zero cavities, thought the cleaning tickled, and even let the dentist look in her mouth.  It was a great appointment--meant to be, even if it wasn't scheduled to happen.  :)

Raspberry Harvest

We were so excited to join Aunt Jen, Janie, and Henry at Greenbluff earlier this month to get in on the fruit harvest!  Jen had a couple of favorite spots:  we picked raspberries at the Harvest House and then we picked cherries at Siemers' Farm.  (I was also after zucchini, but their "baby" zucchinis weren't as big as my thumb, so I couldn't bear to pick them yet!)  My fingers were too red to take pictures, but I did snag this one of Joshy.  Funny thing...no matter how many he picked, his bucket never got more full than what you see here.  We each tried to only eat THREE (I know, completely unrealistic, but we tried it...) but this boy's red mouth and red fingers told us that he was having trouble counting correctly.  :)

Gracie and I found a recipe for Raspberry Blondies, and she is loving to help bake in the kitchen these days, so she assisted in this creation.  She poured, scooped, and sprinkled all sorts of ingredients.  We thought a lot about Aunt Debbie while we made these, because she's been known to crave the Maple Nut Blondie at Applebee's...oh, and if you're wondering, half of the bars have crushed almonds on top for Jeff and I, and half are without for our protein-free eaters.  (Okay, maybe 1/3 and 2/3...our kids are going to have an awful time learning fractions in this house!)

And this is the only picture I took at a summer BBQ we were invited to at Jen and Kevin's.  The kids had a great time in the sprinkler and the kiddie pool, while the adults ate our way through the evening.  Granny and Pappy, G-G, G'ma Colleen and Papa Scott, and the Largents were all there, as were Kevin's parents.  Ah, those summer nights!  :)

Chillin' with the Edmondsons

It's finally hot in Spokane, people.  If someone asked me what personal item I would take with me if I were to go on Survivor, at this point it would be a toss-up between my kiddie pool and my air conditioning thermostat.  

During hot weather like this, we love to share our AC.  :)  On one of our nights between trips, we helped the Edmondsons escape their sweltering house, and they helped us get our baby fix!!!  A great reason to BBQ with friends!

 Baby Anna is doing so well...so chunky and kissable!!!  Joshy loved her binky.

 And Miss Lydia continues to crack us up with the breadth of her vocabulary!

And who can resist this smile?!?!

HITS HOUSE Reunion

TWELVE-ish years ago it was just the five of us living in the HITS House...and last weekend (TWELVE years later) it was the five of us, our spouses, and TWELVE kids living under one roof!  It was such a fun, crazy time to reunite in Spokane!

Bekah, Josh, Grace, Sidney, and Katie cooling off while we waited for two more families to arrive.

I think I caught on camera the ONE time that this boy sat down!  He is as busy as a wind-up toy!  We enjoyed watching Nelson and Karina shadow/chase after him all weekend.

Popsicles!  One of the many times we lined the children up for pictures over the weekend...

The four oldest girls...isn't this sweet?!?  They got along so well!  Bekah (almost 4), Katie (5 1/2), Gracie (4), and Hazel (almost 5)

Sweet Holden boy...

The yard games were intense...Marc, Jeff, Chris, Beau, and Nelson all got after it.

And Becky brought dress up items!  What fun the kids had!

She also brought mustaches and a photo booth...hours of fun!

At one point the kids had a dance party--look at Henley's break dancing moves!

I love this picture of the dads just looking on...

Ha!  Hazel McBasil grooving in her dress-up princess wig.

Henley turns into Iron Man at night.  The disguise is donned and the bad guys are fought before bedtime.

Children simmering down before bedtime.

Bryant having breakfast.

Photobooth!  Four oldest girls:  Hazel, Bekah, Katie, and Gracie

Four oldest boys: Henley, Cooper, Josh, and Jacob

And the mommies visit!  The common essentials are in this pic:  coffee, babies, and cameras!

Hazel is getting to be SUCH the photographer!

She took this picture for us...right after she told her dad, "I'm so glad the girls could have some time together."  What a crack-up!

And then there was the POOL...

Jacob is almost two--and talking up a blue streak!

Matching legs for Hazel and Katie

Hazel loved little Jocelyn

Posing for more pictures...

On Saturday night, Matt and Heidi invited us to Van Sickle Park for a BBQ.  The kids LOVED the playground while the adults visited.

Bryant eating dirt!

Sweet Sidney in the sandbox with the boys.

And the Van Sickle kids made...FIFTEEN!  Can you figure out who they all belong to?
(Answers from left to right: L, N, G, E, E, E, B, V, V, B, G, N, L, G, V)

Karina and Bekah visiting

The Warren Leadership Team represented!

Thanks for the BBQ, Van Sickles!  We couldn't resist in bringing you...

...THE BEAR HEART!!!  It lives!!!

After seven years in our freezer, it's found a new home.

It was a wonderful weekend filled with reminiscing, catching up, and making memories again together. Thanks for making the trip to Spokane, friends!