Linnea is LA-Bound!!!

Ugh.  We knew this day was coming, but the reality was quite sad.  Linnea took off to Portland with Jeff on Sunday, January 29.  She was then going to take a week to pack up Portland things before going on to LA...and Jeff drove her, because the roads were a little questionable.  He rode the train back!

Micah thought if we didn't look at her stuff, she might not go.  We were all so sad!!!

And that sneaky 'Nea surprised the kids with their very own STAR WARS plushes: Ewoks and a Chewbacca!  Lots of love in this house for that lady...  We even used her chopsticks with our grilled cheese and tomato soup in her honor...

January Endings

Granny had a birthday on 1/26, and we stopped by for dinner with her on our way to swimming lessons.  Birthdays are not as fun without your spouse...but Granny gave lots of hugs.

These were pics we took because we found a huge leak in the basement bedroom, a WEEK before Linnea was leaving us.  The pics were for insurance purposes.  They checked it out, but insurance doesn't cover cracks in foundations, which is what we thought was happening.  Lots of snow melted, so we thought it was snow coming in...

The Jan/Feb Birthday Peeps celebrated at the end of January!  Look at those ages!

Linnea got Josh his birthday present QUITE EARLY, since she was leaving and wouldn't be back in time for birthday fun.  Josh really, really liked it...and Micah loved it!

Linnea and Kaitlyn wanted to take me out for pottery as a birthday treat before they left...Linnea and I made houses (hers said 304 on it!) and Kaitlyn made a Spokane bowl.  Very fitting momentos.

Alex turned 12!  A dozen years of fun with this girl!  She celebrated with a trip to LASER QUEST!  We were happy to wear black and shoot guns in her honor.  :)

And then a sleepover followed!  Brave Auntie Heidi and Uncle Matt...the boys were OUT and the girls lasted a bit later...

And THIS happened...!...Micah donated THE POTTY to Other Mothers!  We are 100% an Undies Family!

Micah's Mobius Field Trip--with Teacher 'Nea

Over Jan Term, Linnea finished up her second degree by interning at Mobius (and Spark, and...she was busy!)  We wanted to go down to see her many times that month, but finally went WITH HER after she finished her last official day.  This way, she got to play with JUST US.  No sharing 'Nea!

Learn to Ski Sunday

 Both kids learned to ski this winter--and it was all due to Daddy...and Oden!  Jeff took Josh up one Sunday afternoon with Drew and Oden, and once Josh saw Odie skiing, he decided he could, too!  After our first crazy experience on the mountain, I was FLOORED when Jeff sent me these pics from the mountain!  Good work, Joshy!!!

Snow for DAYYYYYYYYS...

Amidst THREE snow days in January, we found some inside fun to be had...

Alea starred in her school's Missoula Children's Theater production of Peter and Wendy.  Alea was Tiger Lily and she did a great job!  It was so fun to watch her perform at the end of her week of practice!

 

Jeff's water bottle broke!  You'd think it was the freezing weather that did it, but I think it was just dropped one too many times.  We had to take pictures of all of his stickers before we tossed it and he started over on the Nat'l Park sticker collection.

Fizzie's with Family!!!  Need I say more?

And we had a date night!  Kaitlyn and Linnea offered to watch the kids on a Friday night in January to let Jeff and I dine alone.  Linnea was getting ready to leave for LA, so this was a sweet time--coffee shop in pajamas was quite memorable!

And Josh was so sad to part with Linnea...and her Chewie stuffed animal!  He asked her if he could take it to school for the day before she left...

Harvey Lee Lochhead---1931-2017

The week that Pappy passed away, I remember the "boys" took the week off (Scott, Jeff, and Drew) to help organize all of the details.  I remember thinking that time should really stand still for a few days, while we all mourned our family's loss.  But it was a good week to be together, telling stories about Harvey and looking through pictures.  Here's a picture of Scott that was found in a box of photos...DOESN'T HE LOOK LIKE JOSH!?!?

His service was held on a Friday at Whitworth Presbyterian Church, and it was a full house.  There were a lot of stories told, as Pappy was full of life!

Perri and Dennis came over from the west side, and this is the only picture I thought to take!

It was a good week for our family to celebrate G'pa Harvey's life.  It was so hard to see him in the shape he was in...and we're all thankful that he's now free of his body that was "TRASHED."  :)