BEST SURPRISE EVER!!

For 3 1/2 months, we have had plane tickets to go to Washington for the summer. We've kept the secret from my mom the whole time. I told the boys Monday night, knowing that I could keep them off the phone with my mom for a day. Carsen's response to me telling him that they couldn't talk to Grandma on the phone was, "We can just trick her and tell her that we're NOT packing to come see her."The boys were beyond excited when Wednesday morning arrived and we were headed to the airport.

Braeden sat in the seat just across the aisle.

The first leg of the trip went without a hitch, but when we got to Denver, instead of the 1 hour layover that we were supposed to have, it was 3. It was time to be creative... so we headed to the train that ran from terminal to terminal.

We had to let a few pass, so that we could find one that didn't have very many people in the very front car. The boys thought that would be the best view.

They were right.

We went upstairs to see the jet up close.

Still killing time...

By the time we got on with the second leg of our trip from Denver to Portland, we were a little tired! What a sweet man sitting next to Carsen, who let him sleep like this for about 45 minutes.

Next thing I knew, I was losing the one next to me, too.

FINALLY, we could see Mt. Hood, and we knew we were close.

We pulled into my parent's driveway and I called my mom on her cell phone. The rest of the family was celebrating my sister-in-law Michelle's birthday at my parent's house, so everyone was there. Everyone else knew that when I called my mom's cell, we were there. My mom answered and asked if I was feeling left out. I told her I was and asked if they had any food left over. She said they had a ton (without knowing that I was actually asking because I was hungry). I told her to save some for us (which is something we do often, even though we live over 2,000 miles apart) that we would be right over. I talked to Michelle to wish her a happy birthday and told her that we would be right in. My dad opened the garage and let us in through the hallway. When we got around the corner to the family room, my mom was sitting over by the fireplace in deep conversation with Michelle. She didn't even see me standing there, poised to take pictures. Braeden was the first one around the corner to say, "Hi Grandma." There were a few screams followed by lots of, "Oh my GOSH's!" and "What are you doing here's?" and some more "Oh my GOSH's!" The shock on her face and in her voice just proved to us that SHE DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE!!! We pulled it off!!!!

I didn't get the greatest pictures because I was too busy taking it all in myself!

Then the mischief started!

(Braeden and Karlee, my brother's youngest)

Gaven and Nanu (after he biffed it and got a bloody nose)

Carsen picking up with Kyli right where he left off last summer.

The night wouldn't have been complete without a trip out to the train room.

Gaven and Papa Kim

I think this is the same look Braeden had when he was 18 months old and got to go run the trains. Some things never change!

Thursday, we met up with Nanu, Papa Kim, Auntie Dara, Landen and Trevor for a morning at the park.

Fun with Auntie Colee

Some baseball with Papa Kim

More fun with Auntie Dara

Papa spoiling the two youngest little rascals with some Oreos.

We have many adventures in mind for our stay in WA, so I'm sure there will be an overload of pictures these next 6 weeks. I LOVE my dad's super, super high speed Internet, so I figure I will take advantage while I'm here and get our vacation pictures posted!