Over the River and Through the Woods

To Grandmother's (and Grandfather's) house we go!
We have made our annual pilgrimage to Spokane to visit Grandma and Grandpa Fox. In our 12+ years of marriage we have driven to Spokane many times and know the drive well. This was perhaps our most pleasant drive yet. Who'd have guessed that a minivan completely full of children and parents for 11 hours could be peaceful! Miracles never cease!

It helped that we got a very early start and by the time we got to Idaho Falls the kids thought we were only in Ogden. I packed up lots of snack foods and real food and books on tape and movies for the DVD player and we were good to go. Cannon makes or breaks the trip, depending on how much he screams (sad screaming or happy screaming) and he was a pretty happy chappy this time around.

We had a very relaxing evening after we arrived in the late afternoon. You couldn't pick a more child, family-friendly location anywhere than Grandma and Grandpa Fox's house. This is a beautiful log home up on top of a small mountain with everything outdoors and indoors for children to enjoy. We just wish it were a little bit closer to us!
Yesterday, Abe and Grandma Fox planned out a full morning of stops and visits. And if you know these two, you know that they take their planning very seriously. So we had a schedule and we stuck to it.
First stop Uncle Chuck and Aunt Merleen's house; which use to be Grandma Edra and Grandpa Bill's house (Abe's paternal grandparents); which was right across a field from the home Abe grew up in.












Next stop--to visit Mike and Marjorie and see their backyard chickens. The kids had fun chasing the chickens around the yard and catching them--or trying to catch them.











SUCCESS!!!
















Next stop-- a visit to the Pines cemetery where two generations of Fox Grandparents are buried.















Faith seemed to instinctively understand that when in Pine's Cemetery, you must gather all the pine cones you can find.













Next stop-- yes, another stop-- and this is all before lunch! Next stop- a visit to the office where Grandpa and several of Abe's brothers work.














Here is Elinor with Grandpa. I LOVE this moment because it captures something amazing. Jim and Kathleen have 45 grandchildren and #46 is almost here. Yet here is Elinor with Grandpa and he knows HER. He loves HER. He cheered for HER when she played her piano song. She knows he loves her. It doesn't matter how many grandchildren there are. And if the kids feel so important to Grandpa, you can imagine how they feel about Grandma Fox.



Last official stop was Taco-Time for lunch where we saw cousin Lani working. Clark was happier than he looked in the picture (I hope)!
What a treat for us to get to spend so much time with Grandma and Grandpa. We always feel very welcome and loved when we come to visit.









When all the morning visits were done we headed back up the "The Hill" for a few hours of rest for the little ones and serious playtime for the older ones. Clark and Abe went on a hike, but forgot to take their bright orange vests Grandma got for them to avoid getting shot with an arrow during the bow hunt. Fortunately they came back unscathed.







And then they discovered the 4-wheelers! Oh joy! Bethany came running inside to say, "Clark is SO COOL! He is such a good driver!"
Later on Clark chivalrously gave Bethany the helmet to wear.













Cousin Sarah is a lifeguard at the pool Abe swam in as a kid. So the in-town Fox families spent the evening at the pool. That is Sarah's little brother, Hyrum, in the picture.












Cannon and cousin Joseph. We enjoyed a tasty dinner at the Call family home last night. These two little guys are two of the eight Fox babies born within a year of each other.











Abe and Elinor took an early 4-wheeler ride together this morning all over the hill. Elinor was so delighted to find this "exquisite" wild turkey feather. What a find!