Friends & Family in Idaho

While we were in Idaho, we were privileged to be able to visit with Ted's sister and family, who drove over from Oregon to see us for a bit.  Ski, Clint, Megan, and Tabitha had stayed with us in Las Vegas for Thanksgiving 2008, so it had been awhile since our families had gotten together!  They drove in Wednesday of Commission week, and Rhonda drove up from Colorado so she could see them as well.  (She was headed to Montana to visit her mom and family in Butte.)

We visited Wednesday evening after Commission activities were finished, and then the kids and I spent a leisurely morning with all of them before going to lunch at McDonald's.  Then Rhonda hit the road to get on to Montana, and I did a quick shopping trip to buy Kenna a bathing suit so she, Tobin, and Arden could swim with their cousins at the hotel pool for the afternoon.  We joined up again at the school for dinner and the evening Commission activities, and then we got to visit some more before bedtime.  Their family headed out Friday morning.

Tabitha loved holding Zaden!

Tabitha and Kenna--these girls had SO much fun together!

Rhonda, Ski, Meghan, Clint, Arden, Tobin, and Tabitha in front

We're just missing Charis, who was with the Commission campers.

Ski with Zaden, who had a fixation with water bottles that week. :-)

Saturday after our Commission clean-up was over, we went to John and Michele R's house for a barbeque.  Their daughter Andrea, who was in the youth group when we were stationed in Idaho, was visiting with her little boy Keaton.  They live in California, where her husband works way out in the middle of nowhere.  Michele and Andrea did a wonderful job of preparing yummy cookout food, and John grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, and steaks for us, so we were very well fed.  Andrea even made some patriotic lemon cake pops that were oh-so-yummy!  It was fun to have more time to visit with them.  Andrea and I had chatted a bit in passing throughout the week, but we were busy with kids and didn't really have much time to catch up, so it was a blessing to get together and just relax before our next road trip adventure.

Ted and Zaden

Andrea and a very sleepy Keaton!

John, king of the grill!

Michele, Andrea, and Keaton