Family Weekend

Do you ever have those weekends where it's almost as perfect as it can get?  Even though you travel most of it and spend enormous amounts of time with others you feel refreshed?  That was this past weekend.  And it was probably the best weekend we've spent traveling around to see family yet.   

The reason for the whole trip in the first place was because Grandma Wallace isn't doing so good right now.  On Friday, we left early to head over to see her and stay with Steven's aunt & uncle.  Nervous to go and see her (after all we had heard about how she is doing), we arrived at the assisted living complex and spent one of the best evenings we have ever had with her.  Not only did she recognize us and get excited to see us, but she told some great stories!  I guess pain medication can make you loopy.  She was so sweet and held Steven's hand almost the whole time.  We ate ice cream together (totally spoiling our dinner) and left in high spirits.  It was awesome.  Right before we left Steven prayed for her and it was a sweet, sweet moment.  

The next day we headed up to the cabin on Steven's Pass (nope - doesn't belong to my hubby, just a really great coincidence).  We picked up Amanda on the way and were lucky enough to see this...

Do you know what is happening in those pictures?  There are hundreds of salmon in that creek making babies and dying.  They swam all the way up there from the ocean just to lay eggs and die.  I had never seen that before and it was pretty stinking cool (literally, it stunk like rotting fish - see proof below). 

Maggots, anyone?

I was the only one brave enough to venture out a few feet and try and get some video.  There was one lone salmon slowing dying a few feet from me and every time she gave a death throe I jumped.  She wasn't scary, just gross.  And the thought of a half dead salmon slithering over my feet is super creepy.  

Safe from shore...Amanda - why you givin' me that look?

We ate and ate and ate.  Steven's mom kept feeding us full course meals with a new dessert for each!  It was insane.  It was also the hubby's birthday and he got to celebrate with his parents and family for the first time in, gosh, years!  (Might be five - not sure)  

Happy Birthday, Steven!  I apologize for the poor picture quality.

Here's the whole crew that was at the cabin.  Steven's uncle and other Grandma were there to join in the festivities, not to mention our niece and her mom who drove up on Sunday for the day. 

We had so much fun.  I love having the in laws to visit, but having company is tiring, you know?  Being in their element was relaxing and refreshing.  We could have great conversations without me thinking about cooking or cleaning or entertaining.  Fabulous.

Not only did we have good time with family, but I was able to download a new book on my Kindle on Saturday night (standing in the rain out on the far corner of the deck), The Help.  I'm over half way through it.  I don't remember the last time I read for over an hour in one day.  Gosh, Sunday was great.  We headed back after a late lunch and our GPS took us on a new adventure - always fun!  At one point, I was driving, Steven was sleeping and I had no clue where we were.  Seriously.  It was somewhere between Wenatchee and George.  I think.  And it was the first time on our way back from a long weekend that we weren't frustrated getting home so late (almost 8pm).  It truly was the perfect weekend.