A Trip to Boise

The week after we found out about my Mom's cancer I had already planned a trip to Boise. It was my annual training online for IDLA and since I don't have a good Internet connection in Utah I decided to make the trek to Boise to visit family there and use their Internet. It also was really good for me to get to go to Boise to hold my mama and tell her I loved her.

Since my mom's life has been crazy and my sister Annie was already staying at her house for that weekend as well, my brother Bud graciously accepted for me and the kids to stay at their house.

The first night we were there we had a big family dinner at Bud and CharEl's house. The cousins all loved playing together and the adults enjoyed being with each other and feeling of the other's support and love.

Uncle Buddy started the coolest game with the kids. He was willing to give wheelbarrow rides. He had to have spent a good hour walking around the backyard with giggling children in tow. Here are Trevor, Tyler, Sammy, and Levi enjoying the kindness of Buddy.

The next day I was completely spoiled by my brother and sister-in-law. They watched my kids while I sat on the computer attending my conference. They brought me breakfast and lunch to my room (where I was hiding away to participate on the computer) and my kids were very well attended. I was also able to upload a bunch of pictures using their Internet connection, thus the massive catch up on the blog.

After my conference that day my sister was still in town and so the whole family decided to go to "Bounce World." It is a place where they have a bunch of those big, blow up bouncy toys. They had bungee run, a couple obstacle courses, and a big slide among other things. They also sell Pizza Hut pizza there. It was great for our my family and our size of kiddos.

Along with the bouncy toys they also had several of these little toddler push/ride toys. Levi and Tyler especially enjoyed them.
Ellen helping push Tyler around in the car.

Ellen and Sammy climbing up the big slide.

Aunt Gretchen with Ellen, Trevor, and Sammy.

Aunt CharEl and Tyler, Uncle Bud and Levi. I am grateful to my family who took mercy on me here and helped my kids play on the big toys. While I think I could have done it, I don't know really how enjoyable it would have been with my big old, 31 week pregnant belly. Levi had Buddy take him up about 10 or 15 times before he wore Bud out and finally decided that he could do it on his own.

Trevor and Ellen had both eaten a big lunch before we came. Aunt CharEl had made them chicken nuggets and she said they each had probably eight or so. That didn't stop either of them from eating some of the pizza that the rest of the family had gotten. Here is Trevor enjoying himself while watching Sponge Bob on the TV they had.

This is my favorite picture of the whole trip. Gotta love my Trevor man!

Annie and her family left right after "Bounce World" and the kids and I headed back to Bud and CharEl's for some more spoiling. CharEl made a fabulous dinner while Buddy ran to the store to get snacks and a movie from Red Box. We watched "Gnomeo & Juliet", ate popcorn and marshmallow circus peanuts, and snuggled with Grandma Kitty that night.

After the movie the boys were all in desperate need of a bath, so once again my brother took mercy on me and bathed my boys with Tyler.


Rub-a-dub-dub three boys in a tub. Trevor, Levi & Tyler.





The set up for our sleeping at Buddy's house was with Ellen and Trevor sharing the Hide-a-bed. They snuggled with each other every night. I took this picture because I love how cute and completely comfortable they are with one another.


The next day was a repeat for me again. I spent the whole morning on the computer listening to online learning "crap" and Bud and CharEl spoiled me and my children. This time CharEl had an activity planned with the older kids. She made bean bags with them. They each got to cut out their own shapes and help her put the rice in. The bags are really cute and my kids all love them!


That afternoon I went shopping with my mom and then we had dinner planned at my parents house. The kids were so excited to get to be at Grandma's house. They just love all of her puzzles and dress ups.



Levi decided that this needed to be his outfit for the night. It was a beautiful purple dress accessorized with fairy wings. He played in it for about an hour before we got on swimsuits and played in the pool. Then after playing in the water he once again put it back on for the rest of the night. Isn't he pretty?!


Playing in the pool was a lot of fun, although by the time we got to it, it was a little cold. It helped that we pumped hot water into it from my Mom's bathroom, but that only filled about half the pool. The kids didn't really seem to mind. They splashed like crazy and enjoyed spending time with cousins again.


Tyler and Levi the whole trip were great friends. Of course they fought a little, they are 2 year olds, but really they played and shared pretty darn good. Here they are playing in the pool together.



This trip was a well needed one. It was good to be with family and to get to hold my Mama and tell her how much I love and appreciate her. It was good to hug my Daddy and try to support each other as we contemplated what another diagnosis of cancer would mean for our family. It was especially nice to get to spend so much time with my brother Buddy. My kids loved his home and his family and I got to have some absolutely fantastic late night conversations with a brother that I have only truly gotten to know in the past two years. I feel like I am making up for lost time that my tattle-tale childhood and his drug and alcohol years stole from us.


Thanks for a wonderful trip Kunz family! I love each and every one of you!