HoMe AgAin

Max and I are back from our yearly vacation up north. We go up to Coeur d' Alene, ID every year to see my family and spend time at our wonderful lake cabin. We didn't actually make it to the cabin this year but we had such a great time with ALL my family, literally. My mom and her hubby, my dad and his wife, Max and I and the rest of the bunch were all up there at the same time this year! We got to spend at least one night with everyone and a few with my sis. We played in downtown Cd'A and went to Spokane, I did family pictures for my Aunt and Uncle and my mom, sis and I had the wonderful opportunity to go spread my G-ma Carol's ashes at a lake that she and my grandpa used to love to go fishing at when they were alive. It was the most beautiful funeral/memorial, or whatever you'd call it, I've ever been a part of. It wasn't formal or anything, it was just the way it was supposed to be, the way my beloved grandma would have wanted it. Just the people she meant the most to remembering her and celebrating the wonderful woman she was. It was a rainy, cool day and right after we finished spreading the ashes, mom said a prayer and we were just sitting in the boat and the whole lake got really peaceful and calm and it felt like all was right with the world. Even though it was a sad thing to be doing, it just felt like it was happening exactly how she would have wanted it to. We were all at peace. I love her so much and I think about her often. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to do this with my mom and my sis and to have had my Grandma in my life for as long as I did.

Mom being silly with the airplane hat

Laura and I dog-piled on mom!

Laura and I made penis pasta for my mom! He He!

Laura and I riding a moose in downtown Cd'A? Yep!

My sis, mom, Jeff (her step-brother), Leah (Jeff's niece) and me on the beach at Lake Curlew, G-ma and G-pa's favorite place. Be at peace G-ma, we all are.

The peaceful and calm lake after we spread the ashes

Looking out at the lake from the dock

The beautiful Spokane River. I think I'm going to have this one blown up and framed!