Getaway

The kids had a long weekend off from school on Feb 14-18th and Marci suggested us going over to my parents house to get our hair done by Sara and celebrate my Mom's birthday early before they leave for New Zealand. Kyle and I had to talk in Church on Sunday the 17th, but then after Church we came home, packed up and left after eating lunch. Kyle had to stay home for work so it was just me and the kids. We met Marci at North Bend and stopped in Ellensburg to see our Grandparents before getting to my parents. The weather was nice and the roads were bare and dry. Jeni and her kids came out on Monday. Sara and Zane came out Monday also to do hair for a lot of us, which was so nice of her. It's gotta be tiring. We had fun though being in the "hair salon" all day and talking and sharing stories. I'm grateful for my sisters and that we can have fun together.

Preston set these bowls out for cereal and they are ginormous bowls. haha. When my Mom got her new kitchen she moved the location of the normal bowls and Preston was just getting the bowls out from where they usually were. It was pretty funny. He would probably eat that much cereal though.

Sara, my Mom and I were trying to get a picture of Chelsea and Zane together. They were not cooperating together at all. It was annoying though because during the day Chelsea would hug Zane then take him down. Or she would take toys away from him or bug him. She was mean. Sara said usually Zane is the mean one so she was surprised he wasn't the mean one. He did get into the dirt in my Mom's potted plants. These little toddlers are busy. 

We celebrated my Mom's birthday early. She made chicken parmiagiana, french bread, Cesar salad and a chocolate chocholate chip bundt cake for dessert. It was all very good. All of us kids went in together and got her a binding machine (to bind papers and make them into books) and gave her some different sizes of binding combs. She loved it. Kevin and my Grandpa Bill were able to come out for dinner too. 

On Tuesday morning, my Mom made roll out sugar cookies with the kids. They had fun cutting the dough and helping my Mom. We were watching the pass conditions because it wasn't looking good. There was lots of snow and they had already closed the pass for avalanche control twice that morning. Marci had an appointment to get back for and we had ballet and Kate's basketball team pizza party to get back for. When we found out the pass was opened again we left right away. After eating BLT's on homemade bread of course. haha. 

These pictures show our driving conditions on our way home. It was snowing pretty hard and the roads weren't cleared very good. Lots of people were driving really really slow. Like slower than they needed to. This one car was going like 20 mph. It was funny. Marci drove and she was amazing. She's more confident in the snow and I gladly let her. We got over the pass fine and both got home in time for our things. They closed the pass soon after we made it over. It's a good thing we got through because it didn't reopen until later that night like after 10pm. We were blessed. 

Kate was awarded the "Best Team Player". The Coach said he could have given her any of the other awards because she was willing to do anything and was happy. She was excited to see her teammates again and we visited and ate pizza. 

I dropped my parent's off at the airport at the end of February. They flew to New Zealand and then they were going to Hawaii before coming back home in 2 1/2 weeks. My Dad served his mission in New Zealand 41 years ago and he has wanted to go back and visit. We were all encouraging them to go and so we are happy they get to go and do this.