To Grandma's House We Go.....

Debbie and I decided that since we had a long weekend, we needed to go up to Washington to visit my Grandma. So me, Sam, Debbie and Kota arranged for our little vacation. I agreed that it would be ok to drive since gas was cheaper and I would've had to buy 2 plane tickets since Sam is older. Even though last time I drove, I said I would never drive again.....

Well we set off at 4 am on Thursday morning, hoping to get into Spokane by 2 pm. (My grandma had no idea we were coming!)

I started out driving and made it to Butte, a couple times along the way my car would just kinda lose power, like I was out of gas and then start up again. My dad told us to get some de-icer stuff and put it in the tank, since it was like 10 degrees outside. We thought that worked and after driving around my birth place for a while and eating lunch, Debbie took the wheel and we were off again.

My car keep acting up and finally by the time we were just about to Missoula it completely died. Everything thing still worked, like electrically, it was just as if we were out of gas even though we had a half a tank. We would pull over and then wait a minute and it would start back up, we would go 1 mile or so and it would die again. We decided we had to call a tow truck, even though we were 8 miles from town. $128, can you even believe that?

While we were waiting for him to come we decided to try one more time and it started up and acted like nothing was wrong. We called and cancelled the tow truck just in time and headed into town. Debbie and I held hands and prayed we did'nt die in the middle of an intersection. We had called a local Jeep dealer, since we figured a service station would be too hard. They got us right in and told us it was my fuel pump!!! They take about 3 hours to put in and they didnt have time that night, but they could 1st thing in the morning.

So we had to venture out and find a hotel. We thought ok upside, we could go swimming....We didnt bring any suits and there was none to be found in Missouls MT. :( (While we were in Wal-mart looking Sam tried to help push the cart and tripped and fell into the cart giving himself a little fat lip. ) We were having a rough day, must have been a full moon.....

We headed out and found a cheap hotel room ($55) We crashed at like 8:30 that night. We were completely spent! Next morning we woke up and took the jeep in and we headed off to breakfast. 2 hours and $885 later we were on the road.

So much for a cheap vacation!!!!We were just happy the weather was good and there was no traffic on the freeway. Things could have been a lot worse. Quite the little adventure for us!

Well, enough of the bad stuff and on with the good.....On the way, there is a little store we always stop at, the silver dollar bar. They have all kinds of knives and swords, toys, shirts and souveniers you could think of. Dakota loves that place, Sam loved it too. We found him a little box that when you slide open the door a snake slides out, his reaction to it was so funny! He screamed just like Clint would have and threw it down. We died laughing.

Anyways, we made it to Spokane at about 1:30 and totally surprised my grandma! We stayed at my Aunt Annie's house and my grandma came and sleep over there with us! We played games, ate junk, laughed, cried, talked into the wee hours of the morning, scrapbooked and enjoyed an evening with the Jonas brothers (haha inside joke).

Sam was a little crazy and a bit of a bully to the other kids, but I think he had a good time. He loved spending time with Kota, even though he drove him crazy with his Potato head pieces!!:)

He needed to spend some time with his great grandma Kunz, because she is a wonderful lady! I am so glad that we could spend that time with her and my aunts and their families! We really wish they lived closer so we could do more things together! Annie thank you so much for your hospitality!! We love all you guys lots and miss you already!

Dakota and Sam waiting in the Jeep dealership.

Grandma, Annie and Deb scrapbooking. They have quite the scrapbook set up!!Me and Uncle DenisAunt Darla and KaitlinnAunt Annie...Hospitality Ambassador :)Grandma, tryin to win just one time!!!Me and SamSam and Kaitlinn, they played good together.

Sam on the way home, seriously he was screaming 2 seconds before I took this. I look back and this is what I see.....Side note.....Don't be surprisped to see a for sale sign up for Mr Potato head in the near future! The kid is a little OCD about the parts, not sure where he gets it from......hmmmmm