Condo

I think it was when I was in the sixth grade, one of the first days of middle school, and I made the biggest slip up and when telling my classmates about what I did over the summer. Instead of calling my family's time-share condominium the "condo" I called it the condom. I'm not sure I even realized yet what a condom was, so you can imagine my horror when I finally figured out the reason behind the looks I got from my class and teacher. :)

Since I was a wee one my family has been spending the same week in July at a timeshare condo in Island Park, ID. This was the first year Darius and the boys were able to go, and the first year I've been back for probably close to around 8 years or so.

The entire time I was there I kept thinking to myself, how the hell did we fit as many people as we did in that little unit for all those years!? It wasn't just my family of 10, it was my aunt and uncle and 5 cousins...and some years an extra friend or two. Chaos...and bodies everywhere, but it didn't feel like that when we were younger. It was just fun.

I'm happy to report it's still fun. Since we've all grown up, the condo week is now rotated each year between siblings. Since we've lived out of state for so long, Darius and I missed out on our turn so we weaseled in on my parent's year and enjoyed a great week with them.

I love the reason behind their smiles in this picture. Inside joke. :)

Our trips into Yellowstone never get old, and I think this year and the route we took was one of my top favs. We saw tons of wildlife...a lot of them up close, and just the drive itself was gorgeous. 

Can you tell Zach has to pee really bad in this pic!? :)

Much to Darius' delight, Ben and I took up golf while at Island Park. I played my first few rounds of golf and really enjoyed it. Come next year, D and I will have a fun activity that we both enjoy. :)

During all our years going, I don't ever remember going to a rodeo/bbq (probably would of cost an arm and a leg for all of us to go) so going to one this year was a big treat. We visited the Meadow Vue Ranch, and from late June to early August, they host a rodeo/bbq on Wed & Sat nights. What's unique is that the rodeo involves all the youth that come to participate in the ranch's Summer Youth Camp. It was awesome to see all the kids riding horses and showcasing skills that many of them had only just learned within a week or two. And the bbq afterwards....so yummy!

My dad's birthday has always fell on the week of the condo, so to be able to share his birthday with him at the condo again was special. What a great opportunity he and my mom have given us to be able to spend time with family, connect, and enjoy a beautiful part of the world for all these years. Thanks Mama & Papa!

I can't express the emotions behind looking at photos of these two guys in places I spent time at when I was their age. There's something really beautiful about being able to revisit these places all over again for the first time and see it through their eyes...even with all the complaints and whiny moments. I hope they're able to look back on these trips with the same great memories as I've come away with. 

Rounding out a fun week, we were joined by James and Brooke's family for the last couple of days, and on Friday we all met up at my Aunt Elaine's cabin not far from the condo, and enjoyed the company of my favorites cousins who we just don't see nearly enough of. :) It was an afternoon of fun that was over far too soon. How awesome it was to see all their beautiful faces!

Can you believe that gorgeous person driving is the same lovely baby I was lucky enough to take care of nearly 20 years ago!? Holey Moley! Seated behind Riley is her lovely mother Jerilynn and a very happy Zach. And in the background is the reason behind my love of Shelties, Rocky. I threaten to steal him and take him home with me every time we see him. :) 

I'm sure there were plenty of years (probably much of my teens) to where I didn't appreciate our yearly trip to Island Park, Little did I know how lucky I was all those years to have that time with my family and in such a beautiful place too. I'm beyond grateful that I have the opportunity to visit it still with my own family in tow. Good times. :)

Idaho in the house!

It wasn't too long ago that we used to be the furthest ones out from the rest of the family, but now it's James' family. I can't say that I mind giving that title up much. :)

James and Brooke had some stuff going on in Utah at the tail end of May, so it was great to have some time with them while they were here visiting, and it was an extra treat to meet their new family member, Preston. What a chill baby he is! It was super cute to watch his big sisters love on him.

A bunch of the family got together to celebrate their daughter, Madison's, 2nd birthday with a little cake and ice cream.

I love any excuse to make a fun cake!

 

We hadn't planned on it, but threw together a little impromptu bbq a day later, and we were joined by my parents and James' family after their visit to the zoo earlier in the day. The kids had lots of fun together, and we got to enjoy an extra helping of their company before their trip was over. It's always fun to get together...especially with how much the kids change in between our visits.

Wrapping up 2013

I think I'll package up the rest of the month/year in one post. If it's anything like my gift-wrapping skills it won't be anything extraordinary, but at least it will get done.

December treated us to a couple weeks of really cold temps, but for the most part it was a bearable month all things considered. We had some decent snow storms, and I will say this...regardless of not being a fan of winter, I do think a blanket of snow helps to boost the seasonal spirits. I grew up with mostly white Christmases, and I love a reminder of those memories. Having a backyard now is great for the boys, and I'm enjoying the freedom of not having to accompany them on every trip outside. :)

I guess in some ways I consider ourselves to be a young family, so I'm still working on what our traditions will be around the holidays. I think we nailed down a couple we want to stick with, but I guess we'll wait until next year to see what others will be a good fit for us.

Christmas Eve we finished up delivering the last bit of our Christmas baked goods, and we had planned on a trip to see Santa afterwards, but after pulling up to the Sugar Shack, we found that we missed him by a day. We ended up heading home with what will continue to be our Christmas Eve dinner tradition of Chinese takeout. We stole that tradition from the Bacon Family! :)

Once bedtime rolled around for the boys, we went to lay down and all of us ended up falling asleep before 9:00! It was a good thing D woke up halfway through the night, or the boys may have been overlooked by Santa. Even on his days off D can rarely sleep in, so he was up early watching a movie when Zach woke up to use the bathroom. Hearing the TV on he went to investigate and saw his stocking and got the rest of us up in a hurry. Starting our morning off at 6:30 AM was definitely not my idea of fun, but the boys' enthusiasm and a cup of coffee were all I needed to get going. They had a great Christmas, and we're very fortunate that we could do for them what we wanted to.

We made pizza last year on Christmas and we decided to do it again. I think that will be our Christmas dinner tradition moving forward. Leave it to us to have the holiday food traditions nailed down before anything else. :) Anytime we make pizza we need help to eat it, so joining us for dinner was Mom, Dad, Joy, and JT. Their company was a lovely way to finish up the day!

The rest of 2013 was mostly uneventful. The boys and I all came down with a nasty case of the flu, and sick is how we spent the rest of the year.

We didn't have the best start to 2013, but D and I both agree that once things turned around, the year ended on a really good note for us, and we're hoping the trend continues throughout 2014.

Cheers to all our family and friends for great things in 2014!

What are you grateful for?

On the days leading up to and following Thanksgiving, our daily photo challenge topic each day was something we are thankful for. After Thanksgiving I also came across a lovely tradition that I'd like to begin next year. It may be a little past Thanksgiving already, but there's no time like the present to actually get started.

For those of you that read this post and would like to join me, please feel free to leave a comment (or even send me a photo you would allow me to post) to express what you're thankful for.

My list is endless of the things I am grateful for, but I'd like to take the opportunity to elaborate on my family and share a little something about each of them that I love and appreciate.

Grandma Ruth - She is as sweet as they come, and I love that every time I leave her house I can always find her at the door or in the window waving to me as I pull away. The sight of her waving goodbye makes my heart swell.

Dad - I think Dad is almost as excited as I am that we finally have a garden to plant in the Spring. His green thumb is one of the things I'm so happy to have picked up from him. Before we left to come home Thanksgiving evening, he told me he had some flower bulbs for us on his workbench. I love and appreciate the little thoughtful things he does.

Mom - Her generous spirit is a blessing, and from her I have learned the tremendous satisfaction to be gained by doing for others. I think like her, I am truly happiest when I am able to help anyone in any capacity.

Michel - She pays it forward. She knows the struggles of being a SAHM, and she has shared some of her experiences and challenges with me. She knows how it feels to be need, and in return she has graciously given to my family when we've been in need ourselves.

Eric - I love his calm. He is gentle with his words and his children. I am louder and more abrasive. He's a quiet reminder to me that I don't need to raise my voice to get my point across.

Clair - He is courageous in the ways he is able to be vulnerable. I love his ability to let his guard down and share with others his struggles and triumphs. He has been sharing his personal affirmations for a year now on his blog Canffirmations. Although his affirmations are personal to him, I can often find ways to apply them to my own life.

Connie - I feel really loved when she gives me a hug. I think my family members all give great hugs, but Connie's radiate a warmth that is extra special. Maybe it's more noticeable to me considering we weren't always very kind to each other in our youth. I'm grateful that we can express our love for each other now.

Carrie - She is thoughtful and always remembers the little things. I like to think she has an excellent Rolodex in her head of important dates and events. Carrie will be the one that always remembers to call and send her best wishes for whatever the occasion may be.

Joy - Her strength and resilience inspire me. Her inner strength is much like a boxer. She takes her blows amazingly well and comes up swinging like Mickey O'Neil.

James - His fun-loving and easy-going nature is contagious. His humor and relaxed attitude is refreshing to be around.

Darius - He is such a hardworking man, and as hard as he works, he's so pleasant to be around when I am fortunate to have time with him. Regardless of his schedule or how tired he may be, he helps me around the house and acknowledges the work I do with the boys at home.

Ben - I love his willingness to help me around the house and his independent spirit. It sometimes breaks my heart just a little when he refuses my help, but at the same time I love that he wants to do things for himself and the satisfaction it brings to him.

Zach - He is social and will talk to anyone about anything. I love that he pulls me into his conversations with others that I probably would not talk with otherwise. He's a great reminder that there's no reason we can't connect with the people we come across each day.

And to each of you....the rest of my family and friends, there are so many wonderful qualities about each of you that I love and admire. I'm truly grateful for each of you and the strength and inspiration I am able to take away from all of you. Part of the reason I am me is due to the positive influences of the amazing people I am surrounded by. I hope to be more mindful of each of you and to take the opportunity to express my gratitude more often.

Much love to each of you.

Mom & Dad - Hosts extraordinaire!

Our visit with Mom and Dad was great. We've really missed having them around while they've been gone on their mission, and they were so sweet with all the plans they made for us, driving us around, feeding us, and pampering us however they could.

Dad took the boys down to the pool just about every morning before we'd head out for the day, and they'd stop by the office afterwards for a cookie. Ben was disappointed there weren't any oatmeal cookies, so Mom whipped up a batch for him one morning. She took the boys out a couple times to look for fireflies before bedtime, and they both would take the boys off my hands during our outings here and there to give me a break. Those little breaks were wonderful!

Whenever we had any downtime, Mom was always checking in with us, asking what she could do for us. We didn't have anything planned for our last day, but it's not for lack of her trying! We were content to just hang out and relax, but she and Dad would have gladly took us anywhere.

 

Mom and Dad have really enjoyed their mission work and time living in Michigan, and it was a treat for all of us to see where they've been living and for them to be able to share with us some of Michigan's gems.

Thanks again Mom and Dad for the wonderful visit! We loved our time with you and appreciate all the fun things you shared with us. We're looking forward to having you home in a few months!

MI - Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad

Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad wasn't in our original plans, but I'm glad it was a last minute addition. We spent a full afternoon there and probably could have benefited from a few extra hours to explore the village a little more.

Crossroads Village has over 30 structures that have been preserved from the 1800s. Dozens of them were relocated and restored. The boys and I got started with a visit to the Durant Barn, built by Billy Durant, one of the founders of General Motors. The barn is now used as the village Toy Barn. The boys were full of questions and enjoyed playing with all the old-fashioned wooden toys. I even attempted to walk on stilts....making it a very short distance. :)

We all took a ride on the Huckleberry Railroad for a 40-minute ride through some woods and along part of the shore of Mott Lake. The ride was lengthy due to our creeping speed of 15-20 mph. The railroad apparently got its name because people could easily hop on and off the train to gather a few berries that were said to grow alongside the tracks.

After our train ride, we visited a couple shops in the Horton-Colwell Building. On the second floor of the building there was an Opera House which, at the time of our visit, was hosting a magic show. We had some time to kill before our ride on the Genesee Belle, so we stopped in to check it out. Our group of 7 plus 2 others made up the audience. I think Mr. Magician Man thought we'd be a dull crowd, but I think we pleasantly surprised him....at least I know Zach did! He was the lucky assistant and had us all laughing. I had no idea he was such the little performer. I didn't catch the first few minutes of him onstage, but he was dancing around with moves I've never seen!

Following the show and a break for snacks at the car, we made our way to the Genesee Belle which is an old paddlewheel riverboat. We enjoyed a very relaxing ride around Mott Lake which was followed by the scariest carousel ride I've ever been on. A carousel is built in 1912, and you'd think it would spin at a respectively slower speed, but apparently when it was restored there was some sort of crazy motor installed. I don't recall being on a carousel without some sort of belt or restraint of some kind...this carousel had none. I thought Zach was being lame sitting on a bench rather than picking a horse to ride, but he had the right idea! I was leaning over from my horse holding onto Ben out of fear he'd fly off his horse, and the ride attendant still had to jump on mid-ride to help him scoot up and get a better position on his horse. I'm glad Ben didn't realize what a death trap he was riding on.

 

The village was closing, so after a quick stop to visit the farm animals, Stanley Schoolhouse, a few other structures and a hay maze, we made our way to the exit and headed out.

MI - Frankenmuth

It took me a day or two to remember how to pronounce the name Frankenmuth, I finally got it after I trained myself to pair Frankenstein and tooth. It's definitely a unique place, and we probably would have had more time to explore it had it not been for the Christmas monstrosity store known as Bronner's Christmas Wonderland!

The sad face in the  middle just wants his mom....

....see a few seconds later and he's happy as a clam. Cute little stinker.

I don't think anyone can fully prepare someone for what to expect upon entering this store! Saying that it's a Christmas explosion doesn't quite cover it...you'd need to multiply it a couple of times. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were warnings in place to advise those susceptible to seizures to enter at their own risk. No joke.

There's so much going on in Bronner's that your eyes literally cannot keep up or process everything you're seeing. We spent hours in this store, and didn't even see everything. You could probably spend days there before you took everything in. The store is the largest of its kind and is the size of 1-1/2 football fields and could probably easily be expanded by another 1/2 and still be slapped full of everything Christmas.

Trees, ornaments, indoor/outdoor decorations, ornaments, stockings, ornaments, Santa costumes, ornaments, lights, ornaments, figurines, and more ornaments. The list of stuff is exhausting. You want Christmas TP? Yup, they got it.

 

Once the shock to the system dulled somewhat, it was a lot of fun to wander around the store and look at everything. All I can say is "wow."