When In Idaho

For the past week we have been wandering transients without a place to call home.  Which meant we could either live in the woods eating pine cones and various bugs and foregoing all forms of bathing, or we could visit the in-laws in Idaho.  We choose Idaho.

It was the right thing to do. 

While there, we pretty much flew from one adventure to the next with wild abandon (And actually, we pretty much did forego most forms of bathing.  Unless running through the sprinklers counts as bathing.  And I just decided that it does.).  We stopped partying only long enough to eat every single thing in sight.  We’re talking Grandma Skidmore’s chicken and rolls, Café Rio pork burritos, at least 3 BBQ’s, Reese’s s’mores, enough Winco Bulk candy to put a small elephant into a diabetic coma, and of course, a Mrs. Powell’s cinnamon roll.  Actually 6 of them.  You guys don’t even know.  I almost dropped the whole half dozen on the ground, and for a split second my life flashed before my eyes.  But then I realized that they would still be delicious eaten right there off of the bakery floor.  I’d pretty much have no choice.   

Our first stop was Grandma and Grandpa Skid’s for Memorial Day.  They are the cutest things alive.   

 They live on a little farm (I’m a city girl – I find farm life fascinating.  I couldn’t hack it for one day.).  They have a huge grumpy bull and a tractor.  Which basically makes them heroes. 

 Favorite moment ever: Grandpa Skidmore looking over at crying Cameron and whispering, “Hang in there, buddy.”  (Grandpa Skid has Alzheimer’s and is the sweetest man ever.)  Seriously precious. 

We visited Grandpa Webb at the cemetery and brought him some flowers and Brooklyn drew him a picture.  There was a nasty rabid dog that would not leave, I think I got bit by a spider, and my kids both used the porta-potty.  (So stay tuned for the upcoming post about how pleasant rabies/hepatitis/toxicosis is.)

 Favorite cemetery moment: When we pulled up, we explained to the girls that we were going to see Grandpa Webb, who they know very well is not alive anymore.  While climbing out of the car, Aubrey (with a very concerned look on her darling face) asked, “So…. wait.  We’re going to find the stone for Grandpa and then we’re going to dig down and see his body?”  Not exactly.

And naturally, before we left we had to make a trip to what Jarvis (Luke’s awesome bro.) adamantly claimed was “the best water in existence.” 

The verdict: It was delightful.  Yummy, of course.  But it was water.  I think all water tastes the same.  (Except for the water in Washington D.C.  That water is nas to the t.)  But my kids got to drink out of a pipe on the side of the road which they thought was the coolest thing ever, and so yes, I’d have to agree that it just might be the best water in existence.
 

 
Next, we over-stayed our welcome at Luke’s other awesome bros. house.  Brady and his wife Debbie currently hold the “Parents of the Universe Award.”  While there, I became painfully aware that I yell a lot.  And I have a nasty habit of going pee with the door open, which almost got awkward on several occasions.  (I may be claustrophobic.  Or lazy.)

Favorite moments: Laying in the hammock  with nothing but the breeze to bother me,

 giving Cameron his first (very well received) taste of watermelon,


 

(Get after it, brother!)
learning how to play the “Dead Man, Dead Man” game on the trampoline,


 hearing Bruce’s (Luke’s last awesome bro.) Nintendo sounds impressions,
watching the girls try on every single dance outfit cousin Hannah has ever owned,

watching Luke and Brady’s softball game,

 and getting drenched in a water fight that I made very clear I was not to be involved in. 
 
 

Awww, good times.

We also decided to try out a new Idaho Falls hot-spot.  Wall to wall trampolines, trampoline dodgeball games, and 3 trampolines with pits.  Umm, yes please. 
 
Luke was a tumbling little monkey and the girls were literally bouncing off the walls.
 

Favorite moment: Luke getting into a dodgeball fight that was basically him verses a dozen toddlers.  Ben Stiller’s got nothing on him.

And of course, we met up with our Iowa besties.  We dragged them along to the zoo and let the kids run wild while attempting to catch up.
 
Our conversations somehow always end up like this:

Ashley: “So, how did the move…  oh shoot.  One second.  Aubrey, put the duck down!”

Carrie: “It went alright.  The drive was really…  Mason, that’s not food!!” 

Ashley:  “So, when do you have to…  oh, hang on.  Brooklyn needs another fruit snack.”

Carrie:  “Yea, so we’re supposed to start… No, Mason, leave your shoes on!”

Ashley: “So, do you plan on just…. Aubrey, put the duck DOWN!!”

And that is why we’re such good friends. 

And while we were there we ran into 2 of the girls that we used to coach like a million and a half years ago. 

Pretty darn cool.

Along with all the awesome things we did this trip (I didn’t even mention the black light Zumba night! ), we had a blast just hanging out.  The girl grandkids had a sleepover night at grandma’s  and I’m sketchy on the details but Brooklyn took a 2 hour nap the next day.  That means it was reaaaaaally fun. 

 
The night before we had to leave, we had a family dinner at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  Aubrey made herself a permanent enemy of the cat, Brooklyn ate Cheetos and Skittles for dinner and Luke landed himself in a WWF Wrestling Match.  (It’s nice to know that if this whole Anesthesiologist thing falls through, at least we’ll have professional wrestling to fall back on.) 
 
The kids thought the impromptu show was possibly the best thing ever, except for one.  My tender-hearted little Aubrey failed to realize that the whole thing was pretend and thought for sure her dad was being tortured.  Before I realized the emotional trauma she was experiencing, she looked at me with tears in her eyes and choked out, “I think Dad is losing.”
 
 Have you ever laughed and cried at the same moment?  I have.

Favorite moment: All of it.