One Last Weekend (for a while)

The time has finally come for Shane and Alycia to load up the contents of their cozy home in Tremonton and make the move to Vernal. Dad parked the truck and horse trailer in the drive-way Wednesday and the packing began. Kevin spent the day Thursday helping them tear down beds and load all the boxes that Alycia and her Mom had packed the previous weekend. All the furniture and appliances were put in storage. Only the bare necessities were to make the trip to Vernal until a new home could be purchased. After the house was totally emptied and turned over to the new owners, they came to Grandma's house to spend the rest of the weekend together as a family. Saturday was full of fun activities. It's amazing how precious the every-day activities become when they cease to become every day.

The kids love the Jeep, even if all they do is sit in it. Kasen and Kennedy spent time climbing from the front to the back while Grandpa and Shane put new brake shoes on Shane's cars. Kasen had a snack of a left-over hamburger patty and a hotdog from the night before.
The garden spot was finally dry enough to plant the tomato and cabbage plants. Dixon got the cabbage plant at school. It is supposed to be a giant cabbage.
Jackson was in charge of planting the peas. He carefully set out two rows of seeds all by himself.
Grandma, Kasen and Kennedy snuggled in the cabin and read story books.
Aunt Leash played soccer in the back yard with Dixon, Jackson, and Cooper. Then she bounced with them on the tramp. They like to play "crack the egg".
Later in the afternoon we drove to Logan and went to dinner. Kennedy hadn't had a nap so she fell asleep during the drive. Well, it wasn't at all long enough, so she was very distraught when she had to wake up for dinner. She pitched a spectacular fit! Then she eventually calmed down enough to eat, but it was touch and go! She is showing me her tiny gummy bear.
The Ekins family enjoyed their dinner.
Sunday we all went to church together. After church the kids sat together for a last lunch while Shane and Leash packed the cars. Shane drove the old red Grand Am. There was barely a place for him to sit. Alycia drove the Grand Prix. The car seats were circled about with pillows, blankets, and towels, Both of those cars were filled to the gills!
Too soon it was time to let them go. We knelt while Randy said a simple, but very heart-felt prayer. Then tears, hugs and kisses all around. They got in their cars and we waved them off. I couldn't help but remember all the times my Mom had stood at the curb to wave me and my kids off. She must have been just as sad as I was.

One of the hardest things that had to happen was for Cooper to say good-by to his Beast-Quest books. He had checked them out from the Tremonton library so they weren't really his, but he knew every title and he loved them so much. The first task to be taken care of in Vernal is to get a library card so he can check them out again!