Kennewick, Washington

One week after getting back from Tennessee, we all flew out to Washington to visit Dan's family.

We decided to book a direct flight from D.C. Not a great idea. A drive up that should have taken two hours ended up taking three. We were already having to take detours 30 minutes into the trip to avoid heavy traffic. Fortunately, we had added in extra time and we made it. The flight was fine. Dan sat with the kids on one side of the aisle while I was snuggled between two strangers on the other side. It made it awkward to try and talk to Dan about anything. I felt like I was screaming at the lady next to me.

We got into Seattle around 8:30 and after going through security, Dan realized he forgot his hat. We tried to track it down, but couldn't. Then the rental car took FOREVER. They said they didn't have the full-sized car we ordered. So they offered us an SUV. We were all settled in when Dan realized the tires were bald (and we were going to be driving through the mountains) so someone else working there offered us a different car. Which happened to be full-sized and for some reason they hadn't offered it to us before. Anyway, we finally got out of there and spent the night at Heather and Lael's house. It was so nice of them to let us stay there!

Sunday they gave us a delicious breakfast and then we hit the road to Kennewick. We took a scenic route through the mountains and stopped for a view of Mount Rainier. We stopped for sacrament meeting in a small town called Eatonville. Can you see the amazing view they have from the church?

 Let's get a close-up.

What?? Amazing.

On the drive.

 My first belly shot taken by someone other than me. 20 weeks!

We made it that afternoon to Dan's parents' house and Matt and Amy's family was there too.Heather's family came soon after. We had a delicious dinner and an impromptu arm wrestling session.

Monday we got to visit with Betsy! It was so great to see her and her kids were so kind to mine. I should have gotten a picture of the kids together. After we left Sam said that Ella (Betsy's oldest) was his best friend.

I can't wait until we can finally have a roommate reunion with all the girls! I tried to arrange something with Julie, but we missed her by a day!

Tuesday we headed to the Benton County fair.

Elephant ear.

 Sam was in heaven playing with his cousins. From left to right: Sam, Mack, Luke, and Hunter.

 Texana and Sam riding the Big Pink.

We also swam one of those days, plus a few more times.

I think Tuesday night Dan went shooting with Matt. Sam played Blokus with his cousins and Grandma.

Wednesday morning we hung out at home. The weather was gorgeous.

 Rolling around in the inflatable ball.

 Afton really loved it, too.

 Not.

 I just think she is gorgeous!

Later we headed to a park with Dan's mom.

 And got a shaved ice.

Thursday we went to the temple with Dan's dad.

After the temple we packed up and said our goodbyes. We had a great trip!

Cheney Reunion Part 2

Wednesday Kirk went biking and the rest of us had another picnic and wading in the river experience. This time we went to Greenbrier something. We ate at a picnic area where we saw a baby possum.

The river was really nice where we went. We were the only ones there and the water was nice and calm. The little girls found a special spot with tons of butterflies and that kept their attention pretty much the whole time we were there.

Later the kids decorated picture frames for the cousin picture that we take every time.

I like to call the above Millie Einstein.

I also tried to get "nicer" pictures of all the kids I could. Aiden is clearly not comfortable around me. His smile in the second one cracks me up.

 "The Smolder"

 Half of the amazing duo that mastermind the whole thing.

As if we hadn't packed enough fun into one day, we had a "birthday party" even though it wasn't anyone's birthday. The kids played with balloons, hit a pinata, and squirted each other with water guns.

 Afton is a lover, not a fighter, and wouldn't hit the pinata.

 Sam, too, although he tried, is a gentle giant.

 Carter, on the other hand, had no qualms about ripping into that donkey.

 Kung fu master.

Thursday Kirk and Ryan went on a hike in the morning and we all hit the outlet mall after they got back. What else did we do that day? I can't remember. Maybe we swam? Millie won the award for the world's largest diaper. When she would try to sit down, she'd fall from side to side it was so bulbous.

 We got delicious shakes that took forever to make at this local joint.

 We walked the strip in Gatlinburg. They have a ton of Ripley's Believe It or Not type things. This is the world's tallest man on record. (Well, it's a robot thing OF the world's tallest man on record.)

 Sam loves transformers.

 And I got Dan this sweet shirt.

Friday we went to the aquarium which was super great. Then it rained and we ran to Wendy's.

Saturday we were packing up, trying to leave by nine. And THEN... FINALLY... we saw a black bear. Right by our cars. Then it walked up the hill in front of our cabin and came around to grab the trash can. It was a big one. You've probably already seen my spastic video, but I'll post it again just because.

 (The reason I reacted that way was because I knew my dad would be annoyed that it got the trash out of the bear-proof bin RIGHT before we were trying to leave, okay??)

Until next time, my lovely family!