Family Weekend

There was a lot of coming and going this weekend for the Reeders.

Today, April 11th, is Jake's birthday. He has been working for the Postal Service almost nonstop since the beginning of February. He went 17 straight ten hour days with only one day off in a stretch a while back. Anyway, he asked for his birthday off, and the Sunday connected to it. Last Wednesday he was told he could have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off instead. 

We met up with Jake Friday afternoon after my hearing aid appointment and went birthday shopping at the flagship REI store in Seattle. He came away with new trail shoes, a hammock and tree straps for it, a camp chair and new sunglasses, some of which we bought. With all that work, he has some money of his own again!

Saturday morning he took off in Gus the Bus, the family owned old VW camper bus. 

Meanwhile, Jill and the kids had been vacationing in California. The sent hints of their location to Facebook friends. 

Sandy Eggo! Otherwise known as San Diego. Props compliments of their hotel breakfast buffet. 

They went to some fun places and that waffle got around. Here Isaac wanted to "Lego my Eggo".

They returned to Seattle Saturday morning and we met them at the airport and then took them out to breakfast. Afterward they wanted to show off their treasure - from the Mexican Border Nike outlet store. 

Isaac thinks he has struck it rich, since he and Jill can wear the same size, but actually only those LeBrons at the top are his. Jill says she needs this new shoe wardrobe for her new job. She recently found out she will be teaching Physical Ed instead of second grade at her same elementary school next year. This is a job change she has been hoping for for several years. 

Tom and I did manage to get in some walks and some yard work Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. And I baked a pie. 

At 1:00 on Sunday we settled in to watch the Sounders play an away game in Houston. They scored in the last seconds of the game to tie it up and bring home a road point. 

Then we drove to West Seattle for a live soccer game. Irene decided to play spring soccer this year and Sunday was their first match. 

By 4:00 game time the sky had almost cleared but it was still chilly.

Irene played an aggressive first half. 

 She was quite concerned when an opponent fell down. "Are you all right?" she asked. 

 She had rosy cheeks coming off at halftime. 

Look at that. Grandpa is not on his phone. 

After Irene's game we took Jill and the kids out to dinner while texting Jake to check on his progress in getting home. About 5:00 he was just leaving Wenatchee. 

We went to Jill's house after dinner and Jill and Tom and I worked on coordinating calendars - soccer schedules, travel plans, vacation schedules, etc. 

Jake rolled in about 7:15, back from his adventure. Gus the Bus lives at Jill's house so we were able to meet up and hear about his trip. 

Since there was still snow in the mountains he decided to explore the dry side of the state. He followed freeways and lesser byways, taking the scenic routes to the Hanford Reach.

This is the only free flowing part of the Columbia River until it comes out of the Cascade Mountains and heads to the sea. This National Monument area borders the Hanford Reservation, where plutonium was made for the first atomic bombs, and many more after. It is now a national clean up site. 

And then when all of us had gathered together, we had birthday pie. 

 Turns out the candles I grabbed out of Jill's cupboard for the berry pie were the kind that don't blow out. It took the two of them to get it under control. 

It was a good weekend for everybody. Now Jake is back at work, Jill and the kids are back in school, and we are back to our daily routines. 

At least until next weekend.