March 2019: August 2013

07 July 2013

Midsummer and the month we had grandchildren stay with us. To begin with, Dawn and I drove to Utah the first of the month be at Dax’s baptism and celebrate Tate’s birthday. We also rode our bikes with Dawn’s cousin, Angie Bytheway. Josh has a beautiful garden. Tate also had an unusual birthday cake made from a watermelon. Tate and I golfed at Swan Lake golf course. We had a great time in Utah.

We drove back home with Tate and Baya who stayed a week with us before Josh and Danielle came up for a fishing trip we had planned on the South Fork of the Snake River.

The fishing trip was a highlight of the summer. Josh, Tate and I floated down the South Fork of the Snake with AJ our guide from Heise Expeditions. The day was spent catching beautiful brown trout and one cut-throat trout. We say eagles, moose and many other birds. Good time had by all.

We also hiked the Cress Creek trail near Heise, attended the outdoor concert at the river in IF. It was a full week with the Russells.

It just does not stop there with the grandchildren. Dawn and I drove to Coeur da lene to meet with Brian and Katie Kurowski and their three kids. We arrived a day early after spending the night at the KOA campground in Deer Lodge, MT. The day before they arrived Dawn and I rode the famous Coeur da lene bike trail from Kelloge to Cataldo (some 15 mines and returned). It was a beautiful ride. Then spending the night at the Coeur da lene Resort campground we met up with the Kurowski’s.

While in Northern Idaho we took the Kurowski family to Silverwood Amusement Park near Sand Point, Idaho. All day long we had fun, in the water and on the rides. It was a full day of excitement.

The next day early we drove all the way to Idaho with our three grand kids in the back seat. Orion (11), Makelae (10), and Elenore (5) spent the next two weeks with us. During their stay we did many things with them. To mention a few: played golf, went to the library, farmers market, walked the green belt, loaded shells and shot guns in Rexburg, Tautphaus park, BBQ at Julia’s house, Orange Leaf frozen yogurt, Guitar exhibit at the IF museum, mowed the lawn, picked up apples, played games, Chucker’s ball game, hiked Cress Creek, swam at YMCA pool, not to mention drove back to Kirkland, WA in one day to take them home! We believe they were ready to go home!

Once we got the kids home, Dawn and I drove up to Whistler, BC in Canada to stay with Stephanie. She invited us to mountain bike with her for a couple of days. Dawn and I rode the Valley Trail and Tin Pants single track while Steph was on the ski lift and speed down hill.

All in all this was a very busy month for a couple of old grand parents.