3 Generation Photo - Part 2 (Wordless Wednesday)

This is our 2nd photo of three generations of McLean's. Tim should note that
I finally learned how to use my remove! Taken at Mesa Park in Las Vegas, NV
close to our home.

Wordless Wednesday

Hattie just a little on the tired side during our visit
in July.

Wordless Wednesday

We are All Enlisted...

Our family is in town and we are doing all of the special places for children and parents. Today we did the Natural History Museum and then Old Mormon Fort State Park.  They are right next to each other. Both are fun places for kids. We finished the natural history museum - the dinosaurs and fish area are always a favorite. The fort is a great place to let the kids run around outside. Today, however, there were several people dressed in Civil War attire. Much to our surprise they dressed all of us (see the photo below). It was great fun. Grandma was the colonel, Suzanne the general and me a lowly sergeant. No uniform was available for Hattie, but we determined she was too young to enlist. Enjoy the photo and think of all the fun we had getting dressed.

Sister's Weekend Has Officially Ended - Sort of. . .

I received the following graphic from daughter number 3 with daughters 4 and 5 in the photo. Now at least I know where my car is parked when I get home tomorrow. That makes things good. I carried on periodic text messages with daughters (JoAnn doesn't do text messaging) so I feel as if I know 2% of what went on and that is probably all I want to know.

Yet, it was a good weekend. Two days in a row we exhausted the kids - Bakes and Bradleys. At least I thought we did. Yesterday Deano came home exhausted and slept. Then both boys went down later without a peep - okay, after an hour of talking. But then I remember that my brother and I would talk into the evening after we were put to bed, so it must be in their genes. Daughter number 3 may need a week to readjust her 4 to family life again. I'm sure I've run them a little ragged.

After Church today the girls needed to go out and feed the chickens and ducks. They work pretty well as a team most of the time, as depicted by the photo below.


My heart goes out to those grandparents who raise their grandchildren. I know I'm not cut out for it. I love coming home to JoAnn and a nice quiet home. We enjoy our family, but we also enjoy our time together and we think we have earned it. We have great kids with great families and they do well. We are proud of them. Did I fail to mention that Mike was an awesome help this weekend and I could not have done it without him? It's true! Thanks Mike.

A Day at the Park

We had a busy morning getting Ellen off to school and Dean off to Mexico, then Alexis, Danny, Deano & I were off for donuts and back for a little relaxation. By 11:30 am we'd had enough relaxation and we decided we were hungry. So it was off to the Bradley's to pick up the family, some food, and hit the park. We did just that. A dad, grandpa, and 5 children under 8. More appropriately an 8 year old and 4 under 4. We are brave or stupid and I haen't decided which just yet.

Nothing like lunch in the park.

I just picked out a few of the cuter photos for here and put most of the photos on my flickr account.

Come on, does it get any cuter than this?

The kids had a great time. About 2:30 pm we noted they were moving awfully slowly. At that point Jay and I figured it was time to take them home. Sure enough Deano slept all the way home and Danny is asleep now. These are the experiences memories are built of. I'm sure glad I have this time in Idaho while the daughters converge in Las Vegas.

Bonnie moving from the end of the slide to her next adventure.

Alexis showing off!

Cousins having great fun! Lookout world!

Changing of the Guard

It is spring once again in Nevada. Actually spring has come and gone and I'm still thinking it is spring. After 35 years in the midwest I truly had forgotten about those California (and now southern Nevada) February springs. Trust me when I say I'm not complaining - maybe a little gloating. But what has that got to do with the "changing of the guard?"

It is tough to get a photos of a squirmy crowd - and 2nd son was the worst of the group (more on that later)

Yesterday, the Bake family left for Boise about 10 am PDT and simultaneously the Allen family left Aurora (11 am MDT) to come. The Bake's took in a little Disneyland and southern California beach (jealousy on my part) and returned to recover at our home. Of course with 2 little boys I really don't think there is any such thing as recover in the vocabulary.

Nonetheless, we had a great time. Dean & I took the kids to the Bass Pro Shop one evening to wear them out. Yes, it was I who was worn out by the time we got home, but they had great time looking a the fish tanks, stuffed animals (they are fake too), and going 100 miles an hour plus through the store in an effort not to miss anything.

Now we turn to a little more sedate group - by that I mean older, with the Allen's in town. It will still be a busy week. And they were ALL up early (is there no justice?) on Sunday.

Grandma and I had about a 13 hour break yesterday and got a lot done - provided you call relaxing and recovering "a lot done", and we did call it that! I think we both felt done in, but when the kids arrived at 11 pm, we and they were ready to go.

Family is all about strengthening relationships and we want our children and grandchildren to have great experiences when they visit. It is the family experiences that they remember - doing things together. There is a strength in our family that is all important and it is the most important work that we do as parents and grandparents.