Heavenly Chaos and Family Joy!

Family fun began!  Last week our three brave daughters with their children embarked on a grand adventure to the Northlands of Idaho.  10 kids and 3 adults in 2 vans driving for 12 hours.  Maybe a little crazy??  But what a wonderful surprise for us!

They're happy and rested ready to go!

They arrived bright?? and early...3:30 a.m.
Monday morning.  Our new friends, another senior couple, Elder and Sister Harris had brought over extra sleeping bags, pillows and bedding galore the night before, so when the kids arrived, the sleeping and sleepy were able to crash instantly.

Family slumber parties are such fun!

Grandpa organized the troops into mission companionships and the grandkids were off the next morning for an adventure with Grandma.

...into the deep, dark shadows of Hungie Jungie Land!

Searching for buried fairy treasure!



















Then there was tons of lake fun in Lake Pend Oreille and down in Lake Couer d'Alene.

Even Grandma had to get in on the action!  Yes, Senior missionaries can get in the water.  How could I not?

Such fun in the sun!

While in Couer d'Alene, we had to stop at the resort for a taste?? of ice cream for lunch.  These humungous and decadent  morsels are called "Gooeys."  Aptly named...they were amazing!  A great reason to forget the diet!  We shared 4 of them between 15 of us!  No one complained.

This one we called "Death by Chocolate!"  What a way to go!

Chillin' at the Resort.

Let's see, how many pizzas for 15 people?  Ice cream for lunch...pizza for supper!  What could be better than that?

In between excursions, the front entry looked like this a lot!  I do miss it!

Up to the Schweitzer Ski Resort. 

Great view of Lake Pend Oreille

So happy to be in this lovely place!

Elder and Sister Harris invited us over for a barbeque!
They get to live in their cabin in Sandpoint while they serve as Military Relations Missionaries in the Spokane Mission.  Their permanent home is in Olympia, Washington.  They've become dear friends!

They had a great time in the camp circle, playing "Truth or Dare."

Amazing what they can do together without electronics!

Oh how I love these girls!  And they love each other, too!  Or else how could they spend the week together with 10 kids! :)

                                                       Another comfy slumber on the floor...

Then one last walk to the magical Hungie Jungie Land.  More treasure to be found in the deep dark shadows...

Sweet grandchildren humoring their imagination filled grandmother!

Getting the troops ready to roll out! Long trip ahead.

Group hug!  Their return trip was an unexpected adventure with tire trouble in Deer Lodge, Montana.  But angels in the form of McDonald's workers and other angelic strangers came to their rescue after several hours delay and many more miles to go. 

We called on more angels, our dear friends Don and Bev Hayes in Idaho Falls to let the kids crash there for a few hours.  They arrived about 1 a.m. and had much needed sleep and a 5-star breakfast to boot!  Angels everywhere!  

 How grateful we are for miracles!  Our girls' visit was so wonderful!  Sweet respite from our daily labors and now we get back to missionary work!  

Much more of that to come...

And all is very well with our souls!

Elder and Sister P.