Moving (yet again)

We've found a house in the middle of nowhere: Mono City, California. It is about eight miles away from Brian's work in Lee Vining, and near many of his co-workers and students. There is nothing in the town but houses. No grocery stores, gas stations... NOTHING. We said we wanted a small town; I guess God decided to give us what we wished for!

Forgive me if I sound negative. I really am looking forward to living there. It'll be--like everything else these past two months--an adventure!

Brilliant ideas... at least in Jack's mind

1. Chewing on used earplugs is yummy!
2. When Casey drinks from her water bowl, it's fun to imitate.
3. It's also fun to drop pieces of dog food into the water bowl.
4. Books sometimes go into a sinkful of water when Mom's not paying attention.
5. Toilet paper is for unrolling!
6. Blocks are meant to be scattered far and wide across the living room floor.
7. The office chair can spin... and spin and spin and spin!
8. The keys on the laptop can be picked at and removed.
9. The moon is visible 24 hours a day. (Thanks, Grandma Melanie, for getting him hooked on that one!)

"Good-bye God," we went to Bodie

Poor Brian. Before he'd started this all-consuming job, he'd requested to go somewhere for his birthday: Bodie, the famous ghost town about an hour from here. But when this past weekend actually came, he confessed that he'd rather stay home and relax. Uh-uh, I said, and held him to his first wish: a trip to the biggest, baddest ghost town this side of... well, anywhere.

This blog's title came from a young girl who, upon learning her family was moving to Bodie, penned the dire hesitations in her diary. In its 1880s heyday, Bodie boasted a population of 10,000, mostly gold-seekers. The town became a haven for criminals: robberies, stage holdups, street fights, and murders were commonplace, and the 65 saloons far outnumbered the churches.

Only five percent of the original buildings still stand, and we toured what we could yesterday. Jack enjoyed traversing the dusty streets and climbing up an ancient set of stairs. And Brian? Well, he gave up his morning to go to Bodie, but he got his birthday afternoon to relax and eat cake.

To my wonderful husband...

Happy Birthday! I love you.

Back to Cali

Jack, Casey, and I are back in Mammoth Lakes. The latter part of our trip to Idaho was a whirlwind of family get-togethers. My sister Val (a.k.a. "T.T.," for Jack) flew in for a few days. Of course, we had to go up to Moscow to get the boys together again. We went into Hodgins Drug in downtown Moscow to peruse all the wonderful vintage toys; Jack bawled when I pried him away from the train table.

Due to Jack's obsessive love for trains, my mom thought we should take him to the "Train Park" in Lewiston. Again, when we left, he cried. I'm talking oodles, buckets, of tears. We'll take him back this Christmas, when the train and all the trees are heavily strung with glittering lights, and carols blare from loudspeakers. He saw it two years ago, when he was a newborn... but I don't think he remembers. ;-)Saturday morning, the Gibler family, never one to attend a rodeo, decided to partake in at least one Lewiston Roundup festivity: the parade downtown. Sorry, all my Manteca and Lathrop friends, but your parades ain't got nothin' on the Lewiston Roundup parade! It featured a dizzying array of horses, trucks, bands, and floats. Jack has been in several parades, riding in a stroller alongside his daddy's junior high band, but this is one of the first he has observed from the sidelines.

Jack's strategy for parade-watching is as follows:

1. Crouch in the street, a few feet from Mama, as the parade participants coast by.

2. Point at the fire engines, and then at toy fire engines packed in the diaper bag.

3. Watch as the older, more experienced, kids run into the street to get pieces of candy that are thrown from floats.

4. At Mama's prodding, pick up pieces of candy that land nearby.

5. After picking up candy, throw back down on the ground, just as people on the floats did.

6. Also at Mama's request, place candy in Auntie Callie's plastic bag, for Cousin Tobin to devour later.

7. Later, fall victim to sneaky older girl--a complete stranger--who holds out a plastic bag. Throw candy into her bag. Watch Mama laugh.

8. Take requisite photo with the grandparents.

Sunday was Grandparents' Day, and Marisa orchestrated a lovely brunch, which we ate on the patio. Yet again, we all pigged out, and lazed around all afternoon. The next morning, both T.T. and I left town. Good-bye, my lovely home state...

A Labor Day to remember

Yesterday was the 5th annual Gibler family Labor Day gathering, the first one I've been able to attend. We had it at my grandparents' house in Kooskia, which my aunt and uncle are now turning into a B&B. Many, many little cousins were there, and I was able to meet my cousin Joel's new wife, Flory, from Guatemala. Jack enjoyed the bubble wands, and even plopped right down into the bubble pan at one point. We all pigged out on hamburgers, chicken, and a plethora of sugary treats. A fun time was had by all!

Jack's first sentence

"more

cheese

please..."

(Uttered this morning at breakfast.)

(Yes, I gave him cheese for breakfast. Huge chunks of it. He was impatient, waiting for the toaster.)

Wedding, et cetera

Well, the wedding was wonderful. Jack went up with me and played through the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Jaime and Chris put us up in a hotel that overlooked the river (the Spokane River, I think?); we both enjoyed the pool on Friday night. (Jack mostly enjoyed just running around the pool while I swam furiously to keep up with him!) On Saturday morning, we woke up early, drove to Coeur d'Alene for breakfast, and then traveled to Plummer. My Aunt Claudia and Uncle Karl were willing and able to watch Jack during the wedding. He went down for a nap in the Pak & Play and slept for more than three hours while I drove back to Post Falls for the wedding.

Jaime, the bride and one of my very best friends on earth, was beautiful as always, in a white gown with a red stripe across the chest and down the back. Her Aunt Laresa, the maid of honor, and I wore red gowns and silver heels. The wedding was held in the backyard of Jaime's uncle's house, in a wooded area just a half mile from the water. It was a short but sweet ceremony, officiated by their friend Gary, who'd become certified to perform weddings just for this occasion. Jaime's uncle had hired a photographer who flew overhead in a helicopter just as we were all walking down the aisle, and we all laughed about it being a celebrity wedding, with paparazzi overhead. After prime rib, pulled pork sandwiches and the wedding cake, I drove back to Plummer, where Karl and Claudia offered to put us up for the night. Rather than drive the hour-and-a-half back to Lewiston, I gladly accepted their offer. Uncle Karl took us for a ride in his Kubota so we could see the goats and all the trails he's carved into the hillsides above their house to cut down trees for firewood.

We were up early yesterday morning, and picked up Marisa and Avi in Moscow on the way back to Lewiston so the boys could play a little. Yesterday afternoon, we all went to the beach at Lenore with my cousin Sooki and her boys, Kyle and Kobe, for a picnic... and an attempt to brave the frigid, rushing water.

Today, it's up the river again, to Kooskia, for the annual Gibler Labor Day get-together. Can't wait to get those little cousins together!