In September we were talking with my parents and they asked if we could come to Michigan on a certain weekend. When we asked what was going on they just said that they couldn't tell us but that we'd want to be there so we bought tickets without an idea of why. Well truth be told we had quite a few suspicions but no definite reason. Between the time we bought the tickets and the time that we went two of my aunts died and both were having funerals when we were there. We were glad that we were going to be there already.
Hyrum was suppose to have his first field trip the day we left and I was so bummed that he was going to miss it. But when I drove him home from school the day before we left I asked him if he was sad that he wasn't going on the field trip. He said "No, I want to go to Michigan!" Case closed.
We woke the boys up at 3:30am the next day to get ready. Hyrum was SOOO excited. Noah was just excited because Hyrum was. Neither fell back asleep on the way to the airport. We were completely surprised. When we got to the airport manuvering three bags two carseats and four people proved to be interesting. We totally employed child labor.
Noah was more than happy to help. In fact he got angry if he wasn't allowed to help.
Noah fell asleep halfway through the first flight and slept for an hour while Hyrum took a cat nap and was awake for the rest of the day. I swear my kids don't need sleep.
The first stop after we got off the plane was to my grand aunt's funeral luncheon at the church. The boys just ran and ran working off all that pent up energy from being contained for so long. Then we headed to my parents house and Hyrum headed right for the cozy room where the toys are. After watching "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and much convincing we got Hyrum to consent to go to the local apple orchard for some donuts and cider. ( the donuts were clearly the selling point) But Robinettes has gotten a lot more fun since I'd been there last. Before, all there was was a great big apple. Now they had face cut out photo ops, which my boys love.
A apple wagon slide
In addition to the classic Big Red Apple.
When we got home we saw my parents yard full of leaves and decided to rake some up so the boys could jump in them. They don't ever get that chance in Utah.
They had a great time
We then decided to bury Derek in the leaves and have him jump out at Hyrum. But once we had him buried Hyrum didn't want to go anywhere near the leaf pile.
As you can see Hyrum was NOT happy with me.
Noah passed out at 8:30 but Hyrum kept going until we insisted he go to bed at 9:30. And he wasn't even playing with cousins yet.
Another day another apple orchard, and we couldn't get enough.
Hyrum was really upset that he didn't get a chance to pick apples off the trees so we went to an apple orchard that my parents always call me from in the fall saying how much they wished we were there. There were all kinds of things to do plus you could pick apples off the tree. We were sold. But this time we got to drive my mom's new car which Hyrum dubbed "The Lime Squeeze"
It was a cold and blustery day but we had fun nonetheless.
We started in the shop but then bought our tickets to the pumpkin coach that goes out to the pumpkin patch and apple orchards.
While we gathered again the boys and I posed on the picnic table with the gourds.
We had some time to spare so we went to check out the petting zoo.
We even got Noah to feed the goats. He was "Meh"ing like the best of em by the end.
Then we headed over to the old west village to check out a few natives. We took a stage coach into town.
And checked out a few ruffians down at the local jail.
Then took off into the sunset on our horses
By then it was almost time for our coach to arrive.
We hopped into the pumpkin coach that had donuts and cider on it ( fitting ) and headed off to the pumpkin patch passing rows upon rows of apple trees as we went.
It was chilly but I'd forgotten Noah's hat at the house so I put my ear muffs on him. Sometimes it seemed more like a cheek warmer. It was killing me!
When we stopped to get pumpkins Hyrum was the last one back on the coach. He just had to find the perfect pumpkin.
But then it was back on the coach with our 1/4 peck plastic bags in hand to go pick APPLES! Hyrum was soo excited. When we got to where we were picking apples the showed us to the different areas where they had the different varieties being picked today. Johnagold, Rome, Idared and Red Delicious.
Noah got to the trees and got right to picking and immediately eating the apples. Hyrum of course was looking for the perfect apple. We picked at least one of each variety.
Once again we were the last to reenter the pumpkin coach for the ride back. We ended our day with donuts and warm spiced cider and playing on the tire horses and seasaws.
Noah had an apple in his hand on the way home and by the time we were home it was eaten in half...from the bottom and almost done. We ate apples the rest of the time we were there and cut up a big bag to take on the plane with us.
The next day was the first day Hyrum and Noah would see their cousins. We went to see my niece and nephews soccer games. We were to meet my other sisters family there. We got to the field and two of my nieces were off playing near some trees Hyrum was bundled as we were preparing for the cold weather we had at the orchard and he walked over to them and they ignored him. They even walked away from him. It wasn't until they saw us that they even had any clue who he was. They didn't know we were coming. It wasn't long before they were four peas in a pod.
Then the Garricks got there. And by the time we went to my nieces soccer game Hyrum was in the thick of cousins. I love that it doesn't really matter too much to them how old anyone is. They all just play together.
After the games everyone went to my parents house for playing till they dropped. It was stake conference so we reluctantly left Noah and Hyrum with my 15 year old niece. Not that we didn't trust her but we were nervous of what trauma Noah would put her through. As it turned out he did great! Cousins are wonderful. The next day was Stake conference and my mom kept reminding us that we had to get up early etc as we talked and laughed into the night. To her surprize when she got out of bed the next morning we were ready and at the table eating breakfast. Guess we've grown up, huh Mom. :) Stake conference was hard for Noah. He just wanted to run and play. But at the beginning they announced my dad as the next Stake patriarch something we had speculated the surprise was. As the meeting progressed my mom leaned over to me and said " See aren't you glad that you were here?" I agreed that I was for so many reasons. Then the stake president got up and as is all too common in Stake conference asked some people including ME to get up and bear their testimony. I leaned over to my mom and said "Not so glad anymore!" I never know what to say in these situations. Most give some inspirational experience or deep and meaningful insight into a family member being called to a particular calling. But that really isn't a testimony in the traditional sense and I never have any deep and profound anything to say so I just got up there and bore a short and simple testimony and then expressed it in spanish for the spanish branch in our stake. I couldn't get out of the building fast enough after the meeting. Funny though after I sat down Derek said that he was kinda wishing that he could have said something. That amazing man of mine. He is the real spiritual one in the family.
After Stake conference we had a family dinner complete with my cousins from Texas ( who were in Michigan to bury their mother, my aunt ) complete with my cousin Colin's fiance Michelle who is lovely and a Muslim.
Not that it matters too much what her religion is but the fact that she was about to see a pretty profound thing in Mormonism. That of watching a patriarch be ordained. Kinda tough to explain what that's all about. But from what I hear she really got the spiritual sense of it all, which is good.
When the stake president got there my parents and he stood reading over the instruction sent to him from the general authorities.
He'd never done this since the previous patriarch had been such for 17 years. It was a great and wonderful day with so much family around and so much exciting and profound happening.
My older nieces and nephews were there to see it all happen as they will probably be the first of them to take my Dad up on a patriarchal blessing from the family. In fact, my 15 year old niece is contemplating having it done around Thanksgiving.
Shortly after the ordination the Garricks had to leave to get home but we took the opportunity to take pictures of all the cousins together
And of course a sister picture too.
(I look like the oldest and my sisters look like my younger fraternal twin siblings)
That evening was the viewing for my aunt. Since we didn't have nearly as many cousins to distract Noah this time we decided to take him with us. Something that after a few minutes I was regretting as he tore around the room sometimes directly towards the closed casket. My cousin came over to me and I expressed my regret and she quickly replied that her mom would LOVE that he is there. I knew she was right and that made it easier. The next day was the funeral and we had the same chaos with my crazy boys. I hope they didn't detract too much from the feeling of the service. Which was beautiful. During the luncheon the boys were determined to get themselves covered in food so we stripped them down to their pants. Noah ran everywhere. At one point he was at the food table and I saw him just as he grabbed a cupcake and ran off with it. He had everyone laughing. My aunt was buried in the same cemetery as much of my family and it was nice to visit the graves of many relatives. I also got to have a real and meaningful conversation with Hyrum about death and resurrection. He seemed to really get it.
That evening we went out to the Avery's to spend some more time with them and to get some family pictures taken. I can't wait to see how they turned out. We also carved our pumpkin so we could do it with Mema and Papa. As is tradition the kids were asked to draw a picture of what they wanted on their pumpkin...Noah was all about that and I got to get some sweet pictures of my budding artist and my artist Father.
Can I just mention again how much I love that all of the cousins play together no matter if they are thirteen or one or anywhere in between.
( They were "talking" to each other on the phone. Each just saying "Hello? Hello?" Just warms my heart)
The next day was the day we went home but before we left we went to Meijer to ride Sandy and get a toy for Hyrum and Noah that Mema and Papa promised to get them to keep them occupied on the way home. Noah really got into riding Sandy ( which is still only a penny- can you get better than that?) I really like the added element of the Theme from Bonanza playing while they ride.
Hyrum wasn't as excited about the pony. He just wanted to play with his toy. Can't wait till he's a teenager. :)
As we always do we tried to pack everything in and drove downtown to see what was left of Artprize and saw a few things.
( 2nd place winner this year)
( This one was in the top ten)
( The winner from this year's Artprize was the Christ mosaic to the right and there are others up on the second level )
The boys really liked the button which wasn't a part of Artprize but a piece of art I remember playing on when I was smaller.
We hurried home and finished up packing and went to the airport. Just in time to miss our flight by minutes. Word to the wise you need to have your bags checked a half an hour before you fly no matter how easy it will be to get through security because it's a small airport. So we had dinner and did some errands waiting for next flight. We got home super late but it wasn't a big deal. It was a great trip. But then we scrambled to get the house ready for visitors that were coming the next day.
1 comments:
Kyle and Amy Brinkerhoff said...
Isn't that exciting that your dad will be able to give your kids their blessings when they are older. I am excited about that with my Dad.