Callister Reunion

Last Wednesday night Jim, Tralee, and I drove up to Atlanta, Idaho to spend a few days with the Callisters (Jim's Mom's side of the family). I've never been to Atlanta but it was BEAUTIFUL! We saw 25 deer on the drive up to the lodge. The lodge was right next to the Saw Tooth Mountains so the views were awesome. The lodge we rented was set on 500 acres, it had a tennis court, basketball court, natural hot spring pool, hiking trails, bike trails (both for mountain biking and motorbiking), horse shoes, a little golf T, volley ball court, a little stream that ran through the property, a big yard we played softball in, a pond with paddle boats, swings, and the lodge itself was nice and spacious for the family to gather in to play cards and visit. All the meals were catered, so we didn't have to worry about planning meals. It was really nice. Also, the Callisters were the only people there, so it was really nice to know that we were all connected in some way. I still don't know everyone there, and I don't think I ever will (there are 12 original Callister kids, and each of them have large families) but I got a chance to meet a few relatives I haven't met yet, and visit with others I already know. It was great.

Jim and I rented a room, which worked out perfectly for us. When I had to lay Tralee down for a nap or bed time, I didn't have to worry about leaving her alone. I just had an aunt or cousin keep an ear out for her, while Jim and I left to play. And play we did! One day we went on a mountain bike ride to a natural hot springs waterfall. Someone had damned it up, so there was a nice little pool there. We biked to it in the middle of the day, so we didn't get in the pool, it was WAY too hot, but still gorgeous. The first night we were there, Tralee went down easily and Jim and I went swimming in the pool at the lodge. It felt great. Other times while Tralee napped we played card games, hiked, visited, and went for a motor bike ride.

While awake, Tralee's favorite activity -- hands down -- was playing in the little stream that ran through the property. I don't know why I even bothered to put Tralee in regular clothes. I should have just let her play in a swim diaper and swimsuit. She loved the water. Plus, the little stream isn't deep at all so I could just let her play and play without any worries.Every morning a group of girls and I went on a hike. Jim watched Tralee for me. It was nice to start the day off with a little exercise and girl talk. After the walk there was usually a softball game starting up, so I took Tralee while Jim played.

The only thing planned was a short family devotional on Friday night. The rest of the time everyone could do whatever they wanted. I like family reunions like this. I think when things are planned and scheduled it becomes way too much. I also HATE LOOOONG programs. I've been to a few reunions where things were WAY over planned, and there were just too many speakers during the devotional. When things drag on like that I think it detracts from the Spirit. When programs are short, sweet, and to the point I love it! That's what this devotional was like -- perfect!

I have to say Jim, Tralee, and I had a lot of fun at this reunion. Jim was awesome. I was a little worried he would be so preoccupied playing, that he would forget about his wife (who doesn't know very many Callisters all that well) and daughter. However, Jim was very attentive to us. When he WAS busy playing he checked in regularly. Jim also forwent certain activities I KNEW he would have loved to play, to spend time with his own little family. At one point the three of us took a nice long nap in our room. It was great. When did sleep become one of my favorite past times? I think it was after I had a baby. Jim also took Tralee a few times, so I could enjoy doing an activity or two. So, YAY for Jim! Below is my favorite picture of us from the reunion.
Lastly, I have to explain the picture below. While we were in Ohio Tralee fell in love with my niece Haylee's crocs, which are several sizes too big for Tralee. So, my mom and I decided to get Tralee her own pair that actually fit. We found a cute pink pair of Disney crocs in Tralee's size, but when we excitedly presented them to her she started crying. She wanted nothing to do with them! The only thing that got Tralee to stop crying was letting her wear Haylee's crocs again. So, my mom went back to the shoe store to return the crocs we bought for Tralee. Afterwards, while browsing the isles at Target, my mom came across some knock-off crocs that were similar in color to Haylee's. She also bought them a few sizes too big, and gave them to Tralee. Tralee LOVED them!!! In fact, she is still in love with them, and won't let me take them off of her feet. They're WAY too big for her, but Tralee wears them with pride. The picture below is Tralee taking a nap at the reunion. I put her down without the shoes on, but they were mysteriously back on her feet when I came in the room to check on her. Man this girl loves her shoes!

The Last Ohio Post

I have a few more pictures to post from the Ohio trip, and here they are in no particular order.

This was our last night in Ohio, Jim and the kids were trying to roll golf balls into the hole. It was pretty fun.

Tralee hanging out in the tall grass

Uncle Jim is pretty amusing.

This is the best shot I got of all three kids. I couldn't get all three of them to look at the camera together. Oh well.

Tralee chasing after a bubble

Playing

Jim blowing bubbles for the kids. Tralee tried to catch them, Haylee tried to pop them, and Brady wanted to Ninja fight them.

Tralee looking at a bubble. . . silly girl!

This is one of my favorite pictures. Haylee and Tralee had no idea I took it. They were just sharing a quiet moment together in the grass. Cute cute!!

More from Ohio

These photos are from the fourth of July. Jim got the kids some sparklers, poppers, and glow sticks. We had a little party in my parent's back yard the night of the fourth. Before that Grandma Charlene and I ran around on the golf course with Tralee. Jim and the bigger kids went off to hunt for golf balls golfers lost. Brady really got into it. Jim said he would be on his hands and knees in the tall grass trying to find them.

Here's Tralee, obviously ready to PARTY!!

Tralee giving Grammy Char Char a kissy

Jim trying to spell "Jim" with a sparkler.

Jim making a heart for me. How sweet.

Before I forget. Another popular after dusk past time for my husband was catching fireflys. I guess there weren't any fireflys in Canada where he grew up. They mesmerize him. Everytime we visit Ohio or Wisconsin in the summer Jim has to find a jar, and skip away like a kid trying to catch these magical bugs. Haylee and Brady had just as much fun capturing them as my hubby did.

Ohio Vacation: The Park

My Mom and I took the kids to the park on the fourth. Here are some photos from that.

Ok, the first picture above isn't from the park, but it is from Jim's playground. Jim's on my parent's deck with Tralee, just itching to get back on the golf course!

Grandma Charlene had more fun swinging than her grandkids!

Ohio Vacation: Party and Fireworks

On the 3rd of July we went to my Mom's office party. Her work is located right next to a park that hosts fireworks. So we ate food, played lawn games, rode around on a off road thing (I can't think of what it's called), and then watched fireworks. It was a nice night.

Here's a picture of my Mom, Haylee, Jim, Dad, and Jimmy chowing down.



I like this picture of Tralee. She was wandering around and I noticed how tiny she was compared to this huge tree.

Jimmy and Brady riding around on the . . . nope, I still can't think of what it's called.

At one point Jimmy was taking Haylee for a ride, and Brady wanted to go too. Jimmy said he couldn't until after Haylee's turn. So, instead just waiting there, Brady decided to chase after Haylee and Jimmy. It was pretty funny seeing him sprint after them in the middle of a field.

There was a dog at the party, and Tralee's eyes lit up every time she saw him. She kept trying to give the dog kisses. It was cute. I think there's a picture of her doing this in the collage above.

Poor Tralee became really tired and cranky when we were waiting for the fireworks to begin. I didn't want her to fall asleep before she saw her first big firework show, so I kept her awake. The first few explosions captured her attention. She looked at them with wonder. Then, her crankiness crept up again, and I decided to sit with Tralee in the car and see if she could fall asleep. She did. Jim came with us too. So, just the three of us watched the remainder of the show from the parking lot. Jim even scored some more drinks and rice crispy treats from the party. So, there the three of us sat, eating, drinking, sleeping, and being merry while explosions erupted in the sky above us.

It was a good night.

Ohio Vacation: Flying and Golfing

The first part of our Ohio vacation was the portion I was most anxious about. We've flown with Tralee three or four times now, but we haven't flown with her since she's become so mobile. I was worried that sitting still for a long plane ride would be nearly impossible for her. Luckily, we've been blessed with a pretty great kid! I can't say that she was a perfect, quiet, little angel for all the flights, but she did better than I thought she would. Before we boarded our first flight we let her run off some energy in the airport.

Then, as instructed by several parents who have flown with toddlers, we brought a portable DVD player along with recorded episodes of Sesame Street (her favorite) on DVDs. Also as instructed, we packed along plenty of snacks, new toys, coloring books, and regular books to keep Tralee busy. It seems to work out great. If she got bored with one thing, we pulled something else out of the bag to occupy her. The second flight was great because she fell asleep before the plane even took off. She slept until the last hour and then became fascinated by looking out the window. It was night time and Tralee must have loved all the twinkly lights. Here she is on plane ride numeral uno.

Tuesday we flew. Wednesday we visited with family, and Jim went golfing with my Dad. If all Jim did this vacation was golf, he would have been happy. He was able to golf twice, and then he sneaked onto the greens around my parent's place to practice after dusk, when no one else was on the course. I think he even woke up early our last morning in Ohio to sneak in a few more holes. Yes, it's true, I'm a golf widow.

The first thing I did on Wednesday morning was give Tralee a bath. She loved my parent's big tub.

The first thing Jim wanted to do was show Tralee the golf course. Later that day Jim went golfing, as I mentioned above.

The rest of Wednesday we just hung out. Nothing too exciting, just nice.

Installment One of Ohio Trip: Musings in General

We made it back from Ohio in one piece. Our plans of hanging out with the Labiszak family, golfing, swimming, shopping, sorting through old memorabilia, watching fireworks, and other family activities were successfully accomplished.

I think it may take more than one post to document the trip, mainly because I don't want to do it all at once. Also, we leave on Wednesday night for another family reunion up in the mountains. I probably won't be done posting about Ohio before we leave to hang out with the Callister side of the family.

That being said, there are many things I've been thinking about posting. Our trip to Ohio was not only to visit with family, but my mom wanted me to sort through several boxes containing the memories of my youth. Sorting through the all-but-forgotten boxes, and reading my old scrapbooks (from 5th to 12th grade), finding notes from friends, favorite toys, books I loved, looking at faded photographs, reading a note I wrote a crush but never got up enough courage to give him, examining old school assignments, and reading all the poems and stories I scribbled across lined paper 10+ years ago really opened a Pandora's box for me. I was able to see the girl I once was from a woman's point of view. In some ways I wish I could go back and tell her the things I've learned over the years, to save her from future heart ache and embarrassment (Oh, the embarrassment!!). In other ways I know I wouldn't have learned all of these things had I not experienced the unpleasantness of puberty. I also realized how much I have yet to learn.

While rummaging through my memories I realized how embarrassing the teenage years really are. Despite the feedback I received growing up, I always felt very awkward. Instead of being myself, I often played the part of who I thought people wanted me to be. I was so fearful of rejection that I tucked Real Leslie away and only let her come out for my closest friends and relatives. I hope I can instill in Tralee a strong sense of self. I want her to know that life is so much simpler and happier when you're true to who you are and what you represent. I think I would have been a lot happier in my teenage years had I done this. Not to say that I was unhappy. I had moments of pure youthful glee saturated in silliness. In fact, I caught myself laughing quite a few times while rummaging through my memory boxes. I'll have to post some of the ridiculous things my friends and I came up with to do for fun. . . but later. I'm getting tired, and I have many other things to post about first.

I'll end this post with a video from the trip. Tralee, my mom, and myself were on the 16th green playing one night in Ohio. This green is pretty much my parent's backyard. It's fun to play on it at dusk when there aren't any golfers coming through. Tralee had a blast. She's such a funny little girl!