And this is what we came to Post Falls for ~ Basketball!!

Our reason for coming to Post Falls was to meet up with Brandon and his family to catch a few games of basketball.  Brandon is the head coach for the Orofino Maniacs.  

This is the weather we had to drive to from Post Falls to Spirit Lake where the tournament was being held.

The two head coaches talking before the game.

Before the game they look so relaxed.  The manager is on the left, Travis, the JV coach is in the middle, Brandon on the right.  Looks pretty sharp in that tie, if I say so myself.

Warm up for the team

And Grandpa got recruited to do the book :)

Danalyn watching the action on the floor. Christopher pointing to where I should be taking pictures and Max wondering what am I doing?  This is one of a few facial pictures I got of Max...he usually looks away from the camera.

Watching the game.  Don't think Christopher sat still for more than 30 seconds and that was when he got in trouble.  Did I say he got in trouble - he wasn't listening to Mommy.

A picture of the tiger... Christopher thought he looked scary.

My beautiful daughter-in-love, Danalyn

And Tigger came along to watch the game.

The Coach in action.

And the Coach yelling "set a screen, set a screen, set a screen!"  Do you think they got the message?

Christopher yelling "Go team go!"

Coach is getting a better look.

Watching the Ref....and not liking what the Ref is saying.

And this is the Coach after getting called for a Technical.

The Coach had to stay in his seat for the rest of the game.  Got the Technical because he yelled "This is RIDICULOUS! to the Ref.

 It was not a pretty sight to see Brandon get the technical but that is what happens when the Coach doesn't like the calls the Ref's are making.

The score at the end of the game.  The Maniacs were the guests and this looks like the fouls were pretty evenly called but in actuality we had 2x the number of fouls then the other team.  It was a sad loss.

Christopher & Grandpa sharing a hug during the JV game.

Christopher and Grammy.  Grandpa needs to tell Grammy when he is taking the picture :)

And we had to get our hands stamped so we could come and go.

And bundled up and ready to go back to the motor home after the game.

And it was still snowing as we returned from Spirit Lake to Post Falls.

During the JV game Brandon got a call from the AD (Athletic Director) that the roads between Post Falls and Lewiston were closed due to snow, drifting snow, and high winds.  So the team was staying another night.  While driving home we got a text from Danalyn texted us that the boys were pooling their money to buy pizza because some of the boys had no money left (they thought they were going home after the JV game).  

So once a team mom always a team mom.

I said I was making a chicken & cheese casserole.  Did they want me to make a couple of extra casseroles for the teams.  SURE was the reply we got back.  So after discussing the situation with Ron we made a stop at Wally World and bought stuff to make spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, milk and of course the boys would need a snack for later in the evening so we bought chips and oranges.  And then we went to the motor home and did some cooking!

The dining table loaded with food stuff and the electric fry pan to brown the hamburger.

And simmering sauce and water boiling for noodles.

And the food: chicken & cheese casserole, spaghetti noodles & sauce, bread with butter, milk and chips.

Better picture of the bread, butter and salad.  The oranges are on the other counter.

Christopher and Max were served first.  Didn't know what would be left after 16 teenage boys helped themselves.

In the front, some of the boys eating, in the background is Brandon, Danalyn & the boys.

The whole group eating dinner.  We took over the breakfast area in the hotel.

And at the end of the day Grandpa and Christopher!

All in all we had a terrific and busy day!  More basketball awaits us once we are back in Lewiston.  Max has games on Monday and Thursday and the high school boys have games on Tuesday and Friday!  It will definitely be a busy week and we are happy we are here to enjoy it.

Swimming in Post Falls ~ December 2010

When Christopher saw us he was so excited.  He wanted to go swimming and so we were off to the pool.  We only had about 30 minutes that we could swim before heading off to the basketball games. 

Christopher, our little fish.

And Max, the bigger fish.

Do you know how hard it is for a little guy to swim without splashing others in the pool?  Christopher had a hard time with that but he did okay.  The other four people left the pool about 10 minutes after the boys jumped in.

Getting in again.  Christopher likes to climb out the stairs in the deep end, walk without running to the stairs and get back in.  Funny boy!

Christopher and Max being very careful not to splash.

It is hard for this Grammy to get front face pictures of these swimmers.  But here is Grandpa with Max and Christopher enjoying the water.

When swimming was over we headed back to the motor home, changed clothes and loaded up to go to some basketball. 

Newport, WA ~ Monday, December 27, 2010

We woke to very cold weather but that did not deter us from what we came to Newport to do.  Go to the cemetery where Ron's Grandpa is buried.  Ron never knew his Grandpa as he died when Pete, Ron's Dad, died when he was 14 years old.

We ate a quick breakfast of apple cinnamon oatmeal and a banana and then we got out on the road.  They weren't too bad till we got into the church parking lot. 

Pulling into the parking lot at Spring Valley Mennonite Church.

We liked their sign and the link which explains what the Mennonites believe.  Ron was raised in a Mennonite Brethren Church in Blaine, WA.  When his mom passed away in 2008 she was the oldest living charter member of the Birch Bay Bible Mennonite Brethren Church.

This used to be the Parsonage.  It is now Sunday School & Youth classes.

This is the view of the cemetery as you walk around the back of the church.

OK I think I am a pretty smart person but I will admit it was not till we were traipsing through the snow that I realized we would not be able to find Ron's Grandpa's grave marker as it was covered in snow :)!  But we continued the walk to the cemetery.

The second marker in the back on the right is a Heibert.  We believe this is one of Ron's Aunt Wilma's relatives as she grew up here in the Newport area.

This is facing the rear of the church.  We know that Ron's Grandpa's marker is one of those drifts/openings.  We just don't know which one and with over 12" of snow on the ground we were not going to find it.

Close up of one of the Heibert's markers.

View of the back of the church from the cemetery.  Ron commented that this big evergreen must have been a pretty small tree when his Grandpa died.  It is huge now.

 And that was our visit to the cemetery.  We drove back to the campground, about 8 1/2 miles away and then got the motor home ready for our days drive to Post Falls. 

From Edmonds, WA to Newport, WA

We have had two good days of traveling and also some visiting.  I will share our trip with pictures and a few comments.

My Christmas Cactus opened another bloom.  There are three more buds yet to open.  A note about this plant.  It started with a cutting from a friend who got her cutting from Ron's Grandma Workentin in the mid '70's.  I think it is pretty cool to have a plant that came from Ron's Grandma.

Santa Clause Ron on Christmas morning. 

Wanting a picture of us together on Christmas Day I used the window of the Jeep as a mirror.  It is fuzzy but it works.

Heading out on I5 - lots of rain.

First stop was in the parking lot of this little restaurant.  The signs on the right of the building say "Good Friends and Good Times."  They were not open but it looked like the kind of cafe we would like to eat at.  Maybe another time.

Climbing the summit at Snoqualmie.  The motor home stayed at a steady 35 mph. 

Lots of snow on the side of the road, but the roads were bare and sometimes it rained a little.

And the sun came out at times.  The snow sure looked pretty.  I was so glad it was only on the side of the road.

The weather cleared up once we were on the east side of Snoqualmie Pass.  We stopped in Ellensburg for a couple of hours to meet up with Rosalie & Rick Sasaki.  Rosalie and Ron went to school together in Blaine.  We had a delightful lunch of ham sandwiches and nachos with cups of hot coffee.  It was fun to catch up and here about their family and share what our family members are busy doing.

Clear skies from Ellensburg to Moses Lake.

This was in Moses Lake where we stopped for the night.  Lots of pretty snow on the ground but none on the roads.

Time for our Christmas Dinner.  It was fun to listen as other customers walked past our table and said things like "Look Santa & Mrs. Claus."  It was a relaxing meal but definitely not the same as sharing Christmas Dinner with our family or friends. 

 While we were in Moses Lake we contacted Ron's Uncle John & Aunt Ione along with cousin Hans.  We made plans to visit with them this morning for a couple of hours.  Since Aunt Ione lost the hearing in her left ear they don't attend church.  It sounds like a dull roar when she is in a place with lots of people.  So we visited with them till about noon when we got on the road to head to Newport.

Leaving Moses Lake about noon today.  It was cloudy with a hint of blue skies.

Cold, clear skies but great driving weather.

And then it started to rain.

Lots of snow on the side of the roads, some rain/snow mixed while driving.

This is the office at Old American Campground in Newport, WA.  It is a K & M Resort so we can stay here for free.

The playground at Old American.  I am sure it is busy in the summertime but not today.

 

Ron heading back to the motor home after getting us checked in.  Lots of snow on the ground.  Glad we have electrical hookups so we can use our little heater.  It is supposed to be down into the 20's tonight.

Ron heading towards our campsite.  Ron told me to stay way back with the Jeep so he could back up and get a straight shot into the camp spot.

And here we are parked for the night.  Ron got the motor home level and plugged in.

We are all settled in for the night here at Newport.  Tomorrow we are going to go to the little Mennonite Church on the other side of Newport.  It is where his grandpa is buried.  Grandpa Workentin died when Ron's dad was only 14 years old.  Pete & Uncle George became the breadwinners for the family.  It is interesting to hear how Pete & Uncle George worked in the logging camps to make sure the family was able to stay together.  Ron has always been a hard worker and great provider for our little family.  He came by his work ethics from having such loving and caring parents and grandparents.

That's all for now.  Hope everyone has had a great day!