McClellan

To Grandmothers House We Go

While in Utah for the funeral we visited my (almost) 94 year old grandma in Idaho.

In front of her home:

Oh look caught Eric and Jackson playing Clash of Clans (they are obsessed):

Girls:

I tell my kids one of the many reasons I like to take them to visit my grandma is so that they can fully realize where (who) my swearing habit comes from. She has this gem hanging up outside of the bathroom:

Four generations of girls:

With the boys:

3 more to go!

New Years Eve 2013

After visiting my grandma in Idaho, we headed over to Riverdale (also in Idaho) to do a little swimming in the hot springs. I insisted we do this activity since I thought my kids should experience it in the dead of winter, but man I was scared. It was seriously, seriously cold and the thought of getting into swimming suits, walking outside to the pools, AND THEN MOST HORRENDOUSLY getting out again and having to change clothes, sounded torturous. But it sounded fun too, so we went.

The chilly walk in:

Waiting to enter the great unknown, aka, outside:

Success!

We spent about an hour enjoying the pools, then rushed back to the dressing rooms to change. The dressing rooms felt downright hot after being outside, so it wasn't as bad as we all feared.

We found out when we arrived at the hot springs that a band was playing inside a heated building on the property so we went to watch them for a while. IT WAS GREAT AND I COULD HAVE STAYED ALL NIGHT. It reminded me of all the time I spent in high school going to local gigs (that's what we called them).

The kids (Megan) did not share my excitement. She looked fairly tortured the entire time, and shot me angry looks whenever I did a little dancing.

Tortured look:

I think the rest of us rather enjoyed it. There was even crowd interaction. My mom and Jackson both participated, but my girls refused.

We stayed for only one set as we had even more fun plans to attend to. Dinner and a fireworks show, called "Cul-de-sac of fire" that Grandpa Ken had planned. It was impressive!

Around 11:30 p.m., after the show we headed back to the hotel to ring in the new year from our beds. Jackson had developed a stomach ache so he went right to sleep, but the girls made it:

This was my very favorite New Years Eve in quite sometime, if not ever.

2 more to go!

Goodbye To Grandpa's House

Many years ago Eric's grandpa sold his house to an elementary school. There was a stipulation that he would be able to live in the house until his death and then the family would have 6 months before it would be turned over to the school. As he lived to be 98, the school has been waiting a LONG time for his house. So while in Logan we made sure to visit it one last time.

The kiddies on the basement stairs:

Eric doesn't remember the house looking any different than it does today. And my grandma's houses never changed either. I wonder if it is a generational thing not to redecorate, or if I will ever get to that point too?

Doesn't this old football helmet look kind of like those helmets they have babies wear to reshape their heads?

Eric told Jackson to look tough. This is the best he could do:

He's a lover, not a fighter.

Our last morning in Logan was gorgeous. The air warmed up just enough to soften up the snow. Eric's dad took the kids out to build a snowman, and before we knew it (seriously like 5 minutes later), they had this masterpiece built.

Soon it was time to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa:

And great-grandpa's house:

Tear drop.

1 more to go!

Utah Miscellany

Last Utah post!

Just a little picture miscellany from our trip to Utah.

1. We ended up buying a roof luggage bag for our trip so Tucker could have a dedicated seat, but he refused to sit on it. Instead preferring Sadie's lap:

2. We stopped to eat at The Training Table (A Utah Original!). In case you are not familiar with The Training Table, you order you food through these phones and then they buzz your phone when it is ready. It's a thrill every time.

3. The Seahawks happened to be playing while we were eating so I posted this photo on Instagram with the caption, "At dinner tonight I tried to pull Jackson and Eric away from obsessively checking the Seahawks score on the phone. I started to give them a hard time about it and Jackson responded with, "Mom. It's football."

Rules just don't apply when it comes to football.

4. Todd & Mallory gave us the game Fibber for Christmas. While playing it at the hotel Sadie remarked, " Jackson you look ugly, But I am rocking these."