Easter 2013

This was the first time I have braved coloring Easter eggs with the kids.  We used Kool-Aid and food coloring because I had those on hand. 

The kids enjoyed it.

And our final products ended up ok.  The brown ones were actually grape Kool-aid.  We won’t use that flavor again; they looked bad and they tasted like grape boiled eggs.  Not good.

Then we went to Papaw’s for dinner and the annual Easter Egg Hunt. 

The Easter Bunny hid all of Kora’s under sticks.

She almost didn’t have a big enough basket.

And then she enjoyed the fruits of her labor in the Gazebo.

Tuck’s were hidden a little bit more challengingly.

I know he circled around a couple of them multiple times.

But he loved racing around the front yard looking for them.

He finally found the one in the mailbox.

And settled in to inventory the booty.

It was a cool day but the kids had fun and we ate like kings, of course. 

2011 Hole Family Christmas

Christmas Eve is always the annual Hole Family Christmas. Long ago we outgrew Nanny’s house and now have it at the Clubhouse at the golf course.  Nanny, the eternal matriarch of the family feels obligated to host. She is just starting to accept help, at age 95.

This is Nanny and her brood of 9 grandchildren (2 were missing), 13 great-grandchildren (2 were missing) and 3 great-great grandchildren.

(One day Nanny was lamenting that she was so old that she was a Great-great Grandma.  I told her it had nothing to do it with age, but rather that she was just doubly great.)

I know I am biased but I think she has done well and has reason to be so proud of the family that she reigns over.

You are one in a million, Nanny, and we all love you so much.

Have I ever told of how Nanny got her nickname: Nanny Hoo Hoo?  When we were little, whenever she would come over, she would poke her head in the door and holler “Hoo Hoo, is anyone home?” And so that translated into our young lives as “Nanny Hoo Hoo”.  And we always differentiated our Grandmothers as Grandma Dora and Grandma Nanny.  It wasn’t until I was well into my 20’s that I came to realize the redundancy of the title.  It was always just the way it was.

I have been so blessed to have such wonderful women to model and look up to.  Thank you Nanny Hoo Hoo for all that you have done and taught us.

I love you so much!!!

Another Afternoon on the Clearwater

September 12

The kids had such a good time on the river that we decided to do it again.  This time we went to another site with slower water but we brought out the life vests this time.

Again Rufus was in rare form.

We picked up Dash after kindergarten and headed upstream.

The boys were having so much fun.

And the little ones were out cold.

But it didn’t take long before everyone was up and ready for lunch.  Nothing like Cheetos and sandy fingers.

I tried to get the kids to set up for a photo moment to send back to the grandparents who were missing all of the fun.  This was the best we got.

So back to the water for more fun.

I still can’t believe that we were in Idaho in September and we were swimming.  It was in the upper 80s the whole time we were out there.  Very nice weather and great company.

Idaho Arrival

Sept. 8: Our flight left at 8 am.  We arrived in plenty of time which was a good thing since we got on the shuttle without grabbing the car seats.  So we checked in and TJ took the shuttle back out to the car and schlepped the car seats back to the Delta counter while the kids and I watched planes take off and land.  Luckily they let you take the car seats and other “baby items” for free rather than considering that an additional checked bag.

We had a 2.5 hour flight into Salt Lake City.  The kids and I were in one row and TJ was right in front of us handing us snacks and games.  The kids did really well and Kora decided to finally fall asleep on the descent into Salt Lake; only about a 15 minute nap.

We had just enough time in Salt Lake to grab some lunch and use the bathroom then it was to our gate and out to the plane. The flight into Lewiston was only  1.5 hours.  Tuck was out shortly after take off and slept even thru the landing.  Kora on the other hand was wide awake for the whole trip.

Once we landed, got our luggage and picked up the rental car we grabbed some lunch and followed Mandy, Jenny and Blake to the park to run off a little steam before an hour long drive into Orofino.

We spent nearly 2 hours at the park. The slide was a big hit.

Blake wouldn’t go down without his Momma at the beginning.

Once he did go down on his own he got a little turned around.  Funny kid.

Kora was fearless from the get go.  Of course she only goes down backwards and on her belly.

Plenty of climbing, swinging and running were just what they needed after the long trip.

Kora slept the whole way to Orofino but Tuck was too excited about seeing Dash that he didn’t nap any more.  Just lots of “are we there yet”s. We all arrived at the house about the same time.  You would never have known that the kids hadn’t been together for 21 months.  They are such good friends and such good kids.

More posts of our adventures to come.

Idaho Vacation

We spent the last week in Idaho visiting my sisters and nephews.  Here are some pictures of just some of our adventures. 

Tuck and Blake on the slide.

Blake, Dash and Tuck watching cartoons in the morning.

Playing on the Clearwater River

Visiting Mandy’s new horse

Riding a friend’s pony

More time on the river.

S’mores

Carnival rides

Hiking along the reservoir

I will have more pictures of each adventure but these will have to do for now.