Washington Whirlwind

Grandma Gail and Grandpa Roger

We have now returned from ten wonderful days in Washington with Peter’s family. This was the last of our trips this summer before our move to Zambia which is coming up quickly now. It was important for us to spend time with Grandma Gail and Grandpa Roger and Peter’s siblings and their families. The boys have a mental list of things they “always” do at Grandma Gail and Grandpa Roger’s house and so the days were filled checking those things off. Some of these things include: playing with Jetson and Bailey (Grandma Gail’s dogs), riding the six wheeler with Grandpa Roger, bathing in the Jacuzzi tub, going down the giant Radio Flyer wagon slide and riding the carousel at Riverfront Park, going for horse rides at Peter’s aunt and uncle’s house, and the list goes on. But there were new things added like watching cement being poured at the neighbor’s house and going on the rides at the Pavilion. Plus there are the toys they remembered playing with on previous visits, like the remote control jeep, that have to be pulled out. There is a whole slew of things they remembered having done in the past that we didn’t do this time that were recalled on our drive to the next pitstop. There just wasn’t enough time for everything. I’m glad they have such good memories but if we keep accumulating more then we will have to schedule a month long visit in order to check them all off!

During this visit to Washington, we wanted to spend individual time with each of Peter’s four brothers and sisters and their families. It was good to connect with them at their homes and see their lives. We started in Spokane and saw Peter’s two brothers there. Then we drove to the middle of the state where one of his sisters lives. Then another three hours to Olympia to where another sister lives. We hit a wall about mid-week and just felt really tired. It could have something to do with being on the road off and on since the end of June. But we got a second wind for the remaining time together. All of Peter’s immediate family, twenty-two of us in all, took a ferry out to Anderson Island in the Puget Sound and spent four relaxing days together in a rental house there. It was a bit crowded but we had fabulous weather allowing us to be outside much of the time. Peter’s sister and her husband have a really nice boat so they took us out on the Sound several times. The boys thought that was so cool, despite it being very windy.

In the morning when the tide was out, we could walk on the rocky beach and find millions of little crabs. We also found a few jellyfish.

One day we went to the Ol’ Swimming Hole which was a wonderful swimming area on a lake on the island. We spent a lot of time outside playing bocce ball and pickle ball, a game which is a cross between tennis and ping-pong. It is played on a small court with a tennis net and slightly enlarged pingpong paddles. It was a refreshing time together and the kids had a wonderful time playing with cousins and interacting with the adults. It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone at the end, knowing that it will be three years before we can join them all again for a family get-together.

Half the family on the ferry ride home

Two sayings were uttered ad nauseum out of the mouths of our boys on this trip. Jason says, “Ah, sweet,” at almost everything, but especially cars that have a fin on the back. Brendan’s word of choice is “Booyah.” That evolved into “Booyah, Grandma” or “Booyah, Grandpa.” Older cousins taught our boys these versatile phrases, and now they have passed it on to their younger cousins. Playing with cousins definitely provides an education for all involved.