Mini Vacation: Day Three

We knew on this day that we were going to stop and see my Great Grandma Marge Legard in Coeur d'Alene.  Papa told me that it would be best to go see her after lunch so we made that the plan.  We got up and went to have breakfast at The Silver Spoon (per Papa's recommendation) and checked out of our room.  We were wasting a little time before we had to be back in Coeur d'Alene for our visit so we decided to go to the Post Falls outlet mall.  There is no longer a Post Falls outlet mall so we just drove on to Coeur d'Alene.  We stopped for gas and did a little shopping.  We bought some flowers and a birthday card to give to my Great Grandma.  She celebrated her 103rd birthday on Thursday, June 27th.

Great Grandma Marge knew the kids by name and talked to each of them.  She mentioned several times she didn't hear well when the kids would ask questions but then I would repeat the questions for the kids.  She could answer them.  We talked about the Sunshine Mine and the Kellogg area and her paintings and pictures in her room.   Harper showed Great Grandma a bridge and Ry gave her a nice big hug, which she reciprocated.  She asked me to send her a picture of her with the kids.  I am so thankful my kids were able to share this time with their Great Great Grandma.

And we're heading back home....Yay for an awesome va-cay.

Mini Vacation: Day Two

One of the major reasons we decided to take a trip to Kellogg was to see where my grandma was interned.  My grandpa had told me that she had just recently received her name plate and I wanted to see that.  She's 4 plus hours from us and I don't know that I'll have many times in a year to go see her and this seemed like a good time.  

We had found out the night before that the waterpark didn't open until 11 and that gave us plenty of time to tour around Kellogg (you can't get too lost in a town this small).  

The cemetery is on Pressley Rd (not the same spelling but still kind of neat)

Loved the entrance of the cemetery

We had thought about bringing fresh flowers but didn't want to them to die and look bad before someone could come and replace with fresh ones again.  I'm not sure who placed these here, but the cemetery had lots of flowers left over from Memorial Day.  All the other internments had fake flowers too.  

It was not a sad visit.  I really just wanted to see where she was--its a very beautiful cemetery--very green and park like.  I talked with her for a bit.  I was glad to go.  

We also found my great uncle Harley's internment.  This is grandma's brother.  

We took some time and walked around.  It's a very old cemetery and we enjoyed finding the oldest headstones.  Harper picked flowers off of headstones and danced around.  She was not exactly respectful while we were there.  We decided that as a child growing up in Kellogg you had two choices--mining or military.  This cemetery had a Veteran's memorial bench and so many headstones had military insignia.  

After we left the cemetery we decided to go to the Sunshine Mine Memorial.  I had never seen this before.  My grandma and grandpa knew several people who died in this tragedy.  Logan was very interested in the history..  Presley noticed how the head lamp is always on.  

As we were driving back to the hotel we noticed there were mining tours at Crystal Bridges Mine so we decided to go one. 

The hard hats have names on them--Presley's says Wylie, Logan's Dopey, and Rylan's is Bashful.  Harper was not happy to have to wear a hard hat.  Rylan was sure we were going to find diamonds.  This is how Dave had to walk through the tour--he could never have been a miner.  We were laughing so hard.  I laugh every time I see this picture. 

The tour guide told us the story of how four men mined for gold in this mine for three years.  It appears that they were planning to come back and mine for more as they had left their tools and buckets and boarded the entrance up.  But for some reason, they never did return.  The tunnel was discovered 100 years later and was opened for public tours.  It was an interesting tour and again, Logan was interested in the history.  Our tour guide pointed out gold nuggets, quartz, and silver, but no diamonds.  

The owner is Ray Cropp and he mentioned that he worked at Sunshine (but got out about 10 years before the disaster) and at Bunker Hill.  I told him my Grandpa Jim Legard worked at Sunshine too, and he recognized the name and then specifically asked if there was a Jerry Legard (my grandpa's brother).   

Ry led us back with his flashlight. 

They had a little gift shop and the kids picked out some things.  Outside workers taught the kids how to pan for gold and the kids had a good time finding agates and gold nuggets (fool's gold).  They each got a little vial to hold their gold.  

 My great grandma worked at Bunker Hill--I think this is where she retired from.  These old box cars were out near our hotel on tracks.  We never could find the Bunker Hill mine.  One waiter told us there are no left over buildings from Bunker Hill. 

We went out to eat lunch and then to the water park.  This hotel has the body boarding/surfing simulator and Logan, Presley, and Ry all tried it out.  There were lots of crashes. 

Logan attempted a 360 degree roll over

Going down the big waterslides

A ginormous bucket would fill with water and drop down about every 15 minutes.  Logan, Presley, and dad decided to lay down and take the water onslaught. 

We closed the waterpark down with an ice cream treat at 7:00 and then went up to our room to watch Game 6 of the Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs.  I'm glad we opted to order in and not leave to go out to eat.  It was an over time game won by the Heat.  

Mini Vacation: Day One

We took a little trip to Idaho to kick off our summer break.  Our first day we traveled to Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and then on to Kellogg Idaho.  

In Spokane we stopped at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for a fun treat. 

We then drove on to Coeur d'Alene and walked the boardwalk and went to see my great grandma's memorial at Tubb's Hill.   I have so many memories of Coeur d'Alene--I love this little town.  My family visited there often because that's where Pom Pom lived.  When they built the boardwalk and the Coeur d'Alene Resort, Pom Pom's apartment was demolished and she had to move to another little apartment in town.  

It was crowded and hot this week-end.  I told stories to the kids of what I did there as a child and some of my memories.  I wasn't sure if we'd get to see Pom Pom's rock because there is more construction going on (we asked, they're building a big parking garage) and the park that was there is no longer.  I didn't ask if they're re-building that.  

LOVE...

Pom Pom's Memorial...

We had some lunch and drove on to Kellogg, Idaho.  We checked in to the Silver Mountain Resort and went to the waterpark.  After we swam Dave ran to the Walmart and bought us the things to make smores--this resort has fire pits all around and you can just find a spot to roast marshmallows.  Ours was near a game area with a bean bag toss and a ping pong table.  The kids played games and made and ate smores.  On our way back to our room we stopped and played basketball.  Mom and the kids versus Dad--Logan made the winning shot.  This was the first time at a hotel where we let Logan and Ry sleep in the same bed and Presley and Harper sleep in the same bed (our room had three separate rooms, each with their own bed).  Luckily, we must have tired them out 'cause we didn't hear a thing all night. 

 

Father's Day: June 16th

I didn't take many pictures on Father's Day.  We woke up and had pancakes and then Dave took Presley, Logan and his dad out to see the new Superman movie, "Man of Steel".  Dave bar-b-que'ed for us and then we went out to Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat.  We do love our Daddy!!

This paper was in Ry's folder on one of the last days of school.  It says:  My Dad fighting on my trampoline.  It was fun.

The kids love, love, love when Daddy plays rough with them.  And it always ends up with someone crying, and mom takes care of that.

I snapped this picture with my phone as we were upstairs getting ready for the day.   Ry is very observant of his Daddy.

End of the day...

Dance Recital: June 15th, 2013

Presley and Harper completed their first year of dance with a final recital held at the Performing Arts Center in downtown Wenatchee.  It was a long recital--close to 3 hours.  They each had only one performance.  Harper's class was the second dance and Presley was after the intermission--I think #47.  They were both part of the finale number too.  There were actually two performances, one at 2:00 and one at 7:00.  We all watched the first performance and then I volunteered backstage for the 2nd performance so I didn't have to buy another ticket.  It was a lot of waiting backstage.  Presley brought her IPod and watched Disney and played games.  I wasn't too prepared with Harper--I should have brought something for her too.  They both did their dances wonderfully, I think even better the second performance, despite the long wait.  

Grandma, Papa Berries, Alyson and Mylee came to watch them.  

After the first performance

Backstage waiting

After the second performance, about 10:15

Both girls were jazzed up after their second performance.  This was on our way out to the car and Presley and Harper was stopping at every lighted area for a picture.  Presley liked this lit up rainbow waterfall downtown.  As you can imagine, they were both super delightful the next morning at 7 AM on only about 8 hours of sleep.

My mom and Grandpa brought some of my Grandma's things they found in her jewelry box.  Harper got the flower box, Logan got the flag pin, Rylan got the whistle (my grandpa said this could have belonged to my Great Grandma Pauline),  Presley got this ring--which I love and have been wearing, and I received this necklace, which is very neat too.  

Logan's Last Day of Elementary School

Farewell to Sunnyslope Elementary...

Special Fifth Grade Awards...

Logan received several academic awards, an award for Passport Club, and a plaque for being Vice President of K-Kids this year.

Receiving his K-Kids Plaque--Logan was the only boy officer this year.

Logan also received a special award--The Principal's Leadership Award.  Logan and Courtney Brown won this award.  To be considered for this award, students had to write an essay explaining how they demonstrate leadership qualities.  Teachers, past and present, and the principal decide on the recipients.  After Mrs. Pflug announced the winners, she asked Logan and Courtney to read their essay at the podium in front of the whole school and all the 5th grade parents in attendance.  Logan went first and did a very good job. We have always thought of Logan as a leader and it was so great to see that that is what is seen at school as well.    

Logan and his principal, Mrs. Pflug

After the awards assembly we went to tell Logan how proud we were of him and he said that he was really hoping for the Most Athletic Award, which was won by a girl...ha ha!!

The last time Logan will walk these halls as a student...

Spencer, Riley, Colby, Logan

Logan attended two fifth grade parties and he took his first ride in this limo too.

Really can't believe we have a middle schooler...