A few weekends ago we went to Spokane, WA to visit the family. Primarily, it was to see my Grandma for her 80th birthday. I suppose we use the term "weekend" loosely since it was for five nights, Thursday through Tuesday. We had a great visit, even with the crummy weather the first few days. My brother Jerry made it up from the Portland area and it was his first time meeting Kellan.
The boys (all three of them) made themselves right at home. Grandma may spoil the Hamilton boys just a tad. First off, Kellan took a liking to Grandma's cupboards and kitchen utensils.
Many kids have pulled pots and pans out of this cupboard.
Oliver and his cousin Rio had a great time together. Here they are creating some colorful masterpieces.
Rio had just graduated from Kindergarten and he was proud to display his cap and his Star Reader certificate. We are SO proud of him.
Rio and Oliver had a great time playing in the sand box.
Keith on his perch.
Both Oliver and Kellan enjoyed swimming in Grandma's tub.
Kellan was so relaxed in Grandma's tub that 2 of the 4 baths he took he felt the need to poop. EWWW!!!
Kellan finally meets Uncle Jerry!
This was a common view, someone (or two or three) with electronic communication devices. Here, Carrie with the Mac and Keith with his Droid.
I love this photo of Oliver and his Grandpa.
Rio and Oliver coloring with Grandma's new window markers.
Kellan and Shane having a refreshing sippy cup of water.
Shane and Kellan relaxing. Kellan was a bit spoiled by his Uncles and Grandparents and enjoyed all of the individual attention.
Keith and I had to drive into Chewelah for some baby food and I took a few photos on the drive. The first several days we had cool and rainy weather. Summer in Eastern Washington has been taking its time showing up.
When I was growing up I always thought this pointed mountain must be a volcano.
Driving down into the Chewelah valley.
The sign going into Chewelah.
Very appropriate, A Place for All Seasons.
The three Garner cousins:
Oliver, Kellan and Rio.
Kellan loved Grandma's bottom drawer. This has always been the kid friendly drawer. This is the drawer that I used to have tea parties out of.
Since our last visit to Washington in February Oliver has been asking for a racetrack like Grandmas. We had to set it up right away.
Oliver called these loops hoola-hoops. He didn't like them much.
Oliver, Rio and Keith playing with the racetrack.
Grandma and Kellan. I love the expressions in the photo. I wonder what Kellan was thinking?
Oliver and Grandpa on Saturday morning.
Rio and Oliver checking out the rubber frog.
Saturday morning, my God Parents came by to visit. It was so nice to see them and I loved that they were able to meet Oliver and Kellan. They helped out by taking a family photo of us.
Grandma, Oliver, Carrie, Jerry, Shane, Rio, Grandpa, Kellan and Keith.
Us kids with my God Parents, Dad's Uncle and Aunt.
Oliver, Neil, Keith, Carrie, Kellan, Carolyn, Shane, Rio and Jerry
Kellan enjoying the grass.
Oliver playing in the bushes with his rubber lizard.
I love the expressions in this photo. It appears that Oliver has something mischievous on his mind.
Rio and Kellan having a quiet moment.
Cutie Cousins.
Rio, Kellan and Oliver
These three had such a great visit!
Rio found this huge mushroom in Grandma and Grandpa's back yard.
Rio, Shane and Oliver putting together some lego trucks.
Grandma said she loved her new Mother's Day cup and it is now her favorite!
Grandma and Oliver smelling the tea.
Saturday afternoon we went to Shane and Rio's house. Rio was waiting for us on his trampoline.
Uncle Keith and Rio flying high.
Oliver had been asking to play with Rio's racetrack since our last visit.
I'm not sure who had more fun; the Dad's or son's?
Aunt Carrie catching a snuggle with Rio.
Sunday morning we started out with a race around the track.
Sunday afternoon Shane took Jerry, Keith, Rio and Oliver to the Mud Bog Races in town. Keith took a few photos of their adventures.
Keith found humor in the high tech IT guy tapping into the outside world from the Mud Bog Races.
Check out the square of cleanliness on the windshield.
Sunday afternoon we made the drive over to Spirit Lake, ID to see Grandma for her 80th birthday. She had been feeling under the weather so we left the boys at home. Van treated Keith to a tour of his gun collection that his Father made.
Grandma and Carrie
Carrie, Grandma and Keith
Van and Grandma
While we were away, Oliver and Kellan stayed back with Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Jerry.
Uncle Jerry tapping into his inner computer geekness.
Oliver enjoying a sticker book of snakes and bugs. He matched every sticker with their respective picture in the book.
Kellan digging through the kid drawer.
Notice the safety device that had to be installed on the cupboards under the sink.
Grandma even moved some Kellan friendly spices (like sprinkles) to the bottom rack so that he would have something to dig through. Do you think he might be spoiled?
Kellan and Oliver spent some time out in the sand box.
They even dined on HUGE pieces of watermelon accompanied by ham and cheese in the shape of people.
Kellan's first watermelon. YUM!
He kept trying to eat the rind.
Uncle Jerry showing Oliver how to play the Wii.
Monday morning, Kellan was bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Grandma and her Grandsons.
Rio, Oliver and Kellan.
Uncle Jerry had brought a tie dye project for the family and we colored shirts on Monday morning.
Rio is ready to color some shirts.
Waiting can be so boring.
Oliver was so excited to paint his own shirt(s).
Rubber gloves were a must have source of entertainment.
Thankfully the boys had painting shirts on. Check out the drips down the front.
Oliver showing off his muscles and painted arms.
Oliver took a photo of his Mommy.
We had a great time coloring shirts with the family. Uncle Jerry wanted to make sure us Colorado Hamiltons had tie dye to take back home with us. Stay tuned for pictures of us in our new duds.
Blog Spot wouldn't let me upload all of the photos, so check out the next posting for the rest of our visit. Between Mom and I we had about 900 photos. I managed to cut it down to about 150 for this post. I guess that exceeds the post maximum.
Click Older Posts at the bottom of the page for Part 2.
1 comment:
Oh my goodness! WE went to some mud bog races, right here on the outskirts of Small Town, USA, about 7 years ago. It was, hands down, the biggest redneck event that I have ever attended. I am so, so, so glad to see that you have done the races, too. I always knew we'd make good friends with a lot in common!
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