Weekend Update

We just had the best weekend!  We were invited to spend the weekend in Leavenworth with Grace's family at her Grandmother's house.  It was so much fun. We started out Friday making Lasagna for our part of the weekend cooking. I also made a pan of brownies. What is dinner without dessert. Sadly, because I was so busy making food for the weekend we did not have time to eat lunch! So when Daddy came home to pick us up after work, we were hungry!  Since we needed to be on the road sooner rather than later, we stopped at McDonalds.

mmmm, chicken nuggets!

Quickly back on the road! When we got closer to Leavenworth, we saw some free range turkeys. I like turkeys 

We stopped in downtown Leavenworth since we were a little early. We found some places to visit next time that we had not seen before. Lon and Daddy washed their hands. It says it is not safe for human drinking. Maybe it is for the horses

That night was fun, we got to Grace's Grandmothers. Lon and Grace were up till 12:30am. Yes, 12:30 am. I was tired. Lon did not seem tired at all. He said he could have stayed up later and why could I have just put in another movie and let them watch it? It was time to sleep. Really.

The next morning we got up. 5 of us went for a morning walk. Megan, me, Grace, Lon and Grace's grandmother. We walked to the club house. We did not know it was the First Annual Upper Wenatchee Watershed Festival.  What a great time the kids had! The river truck was so cool, the loved that. They loved learning about fish habitat and catching little smelts. 

Fun with the river truck

Then we found the very best part! Down by the river, two fish and wildlife biologist were down there to show the kids the bugs that live in the river. They were fascinated. They looked at bugs. Being the only kids there, the biologists spent all the time in the world with them. It was private lessons! The kids were thrilled!!

Looking at some bug and getting to learn more than Lon ever thought about river bugs

They gave Lon the big net, he had his socks and shoes off already, and he caught more river bugs.

Looking for little fish. I am not sure they found any.

We walked back up the trail to the club house, went through the clubhouse looking at the little informational booths, we got a rain gauge! Then outside we got a book for a woody scavenger hunt. Find alot of what was out there and get a prize! Since Grace and Lon were some of the first kids, they got their pick of prizes. Grace got a Strawberry Shortcake coloring book and Lon got a monkey hat. We all think it was a bear, but Lon thinks it is a monkey. SO it is a monkey.  We then heard they were having a free salmon barbeque for lunch. We had asked the guys to make us sandwiches for lunch, but decided on the way home to eat the sandwiches for lunch the next day. It was a free salmon barbeque! They had grilled salmon, watermelon, potato salad, spinach salad and cake! Did I mention it was FREE? amazing. The food was all really good too! 

We went home and got our swim suits, after lunch Megan, Gernot and Mark went on a hike to Hidden Lake, and Grace, Lon and I went to the pool.

SPLASH! We had a great time in the pool. I got in the pool with the kids. It was very much fun. Lon and Grace both learned how to jump into the pool. With and without their life vests. They jumped in at the 5 foot level without life vests, just so long as I was there to make sure they were okay. It also clicked with Lon on how to do his torpedoes from the edge and start swimming! I was SO proud of him!

By the time we were done swimming, the festival was over and they dumped the ice on the grace. Lon and Grace thought it was really fun. 

We walked back to Grandma's house and about 15 minutes later, Mark, Megan and Gernot came back from their hike. We talked about it, and decided to go down the river in a tube.  I had never done that before!  It was very fun. Although I think next time I would like a small paddle so I can make it to shore just a touch easier. I relied on Mark to get me to shore, and he did a good job when it was time to get off the river.  It was supposed to take an hour to get down from the bridge, but it was more like 45 minutes. I enjoyed it very much.  Lon and Grace were playing well with each other and Grandmother.  They cleaned up their messes when they were done. Grace and Lon did not fight at all the entire weekend. It was impressive. 

We put the lasagna in the oven when we got back from the river. I am glad I made two pans of lasagna. There was barely any left. Same with the brownies.  We played Apples to Apples after dinner, it was fun.  Then it was time for bed! The next morning we went to the pool again and Lon showed off what he could do. Daddy was impressed.  Then we had to get on the road and go home so Mark could get to work the next morning.  The engine light came on and said the coolant was too hot, but we think it was because the car was baking in the sun and not moving for two days. The light went off after we were driving for a bit, but we will get it checked out in the morning.  Mark will take my car to work and I will take his to the shop.  It is going to be a busy week!  School starts next week!