Cousins Chillin' in Seattle

C-Force

From the moment we walked in the door of Auntie Heather's house Aidan and Ethan were the best of friends. They hung together just about every moment of every day. The only time we saw the boys was when they got hungry or when they wanted something to drink. They jumped on the trampoline, played Wii, swam in the pool together, played legos, watched TV and movies (including Sponge Bob-we have a rule at home: no Sponge Bob cartoons except at Crow's house--or Auntie H's), slumber partied it up, played little Star Wars guys, caught bugs, dug up rocks, and so many, many other things only kids can think of. The "big guys" and the "little guys" as they became known to everyone, played so well together. Aidan and Ethan included Leo and Riley in most of their games and the four of them played and laughed. Only occasionally did the "big guys" ask for "alone time". The wanted "alone time" in the trampoline so that they could jump as much and as high as the wanted to and they wanted "alone time" in the swimming pool so they could splash and jump around in the pool as much as they wanted.

Leo, Ethan and Jason's legs in the pool

Aidan and Ethan swimming and playing

When the four of them were jumping in the trampoline it was so much fun to watch. They jumped, made up games where the little guys chased and attacked the big guys. Brothers on brothers (Leo chasing Aidan/Riley chasing Ethan) and cousins on cousins (Leo chasing cousin Ethan and Riley chasing cousin Aidan). They played a game invented by Uncle Jason that including placing coins on the trampoline and jumping and scrambling to collect the coins. Even Pa and Grandpa Russ jumped on the trampoline. Grandpa Russ did a flip! The often went from the swimming pool straight to the trampoline. For the first few days, they went non-stop from activity to activity and game to game. They were exhausted by the end of the day but they were happy.

Leo: out like a light

After a few days of not seeing very much of Aidan, I started to miss him and occasionally went to find him just to give him a hug. On the other hand, I really felt like he was growing and becoming more independent and it was a great thing to see. Leo's favorite part of Auntie Heather's house was the two kitties, Leia and Raven. They are beautiful kitties and they are very well behaved and very good with kids. Leo spent his days following them around and when he disappeared and was no where to be found we always knew we could find him upstairs in Heather's room or her bathroom where the kitties like to lay in the two sinks.

Best Buds!

The first couple of days of our trip we we hardly went any where and we did not do too much because I arrived sick. I started to feel like I was coming down with something on Saturday or Sunday before our trip. I ended up having a work-related training on the Saturday before we left and I just think in planning and preparing for the trip I was run down. I don't take vacation very often; it had been March 2008 since the last time we travelled to Seattle. I was so disappointed to spend my first week of vacation sick. We arrived on a Tuesday and since I was not feeling any better by the Friday I decided to visit a doctor. He gave me some meds and over the next couple of days I started to feel much, much better. The first time I literally made it outside Heather's house was that Friday when I went to the doctor and afterwards Heidi had so kindly met me and we had a DQ blizzard and talked for a couple of hours. It was great to get meds, get out of the house, and especially to see Heidi.

During the first few days of being home we visited with family and got a chance to see Grandpa Russ and Grandma Joan, Pa and Crow and Oma and Opa. We had BBQ's, pizza and enchiladas. Although I was feeling under the weather and probably not very social we had great meals, fun visits, and the kids got a kick out of hanging with their grandparents.

Did I mention Grandpa Russ is the Dog Barber Whisper? Teddy got a shave to beat the heat!