Tricky Treats in Idaho

I didn't know if anything was going to be worth the 22 hours in a car with a 1 and 3 year old... but the look on my mother's face made every brutal mile worth it. The week of Halloween this little Iowa clan packed up the VW Passat, Halloween costumes included, and made our way to Idaho. My parents recently returned from their mission on Carry the Kettle Indian reserve and hadn't seen our kids in a good long while. My father had never seen Matthew. We had told them that we weren't going to be able to be there when they returned but had planned to have them come out sometime next year after the weather would cooperate with a trek across the plains. But, I got a little anxious so we went to see them. Jonathan was able to finagle a few more vacation days together in a row and we had 1 week to make our move. We drove straight through to Ogden, Utah our first day and crashed with Jonathan's brother for the night. The plan was to get up early enough the next morning to drive the last 2.5 hours to Jerome and show up in time for church. However, special me thwarted our plans as I decided to hide our car keys under a towel in the bathroom. After unpacking and repacking the car, walking the yard, and grilling our bambinos for the keys, a quick pit stop in the bathroom would reveal my classic blunder. Much later than anticipated we left for Jerome. Thankfully, Sacrament meeting is last and it has just begun when we got to the building. Miraculously the only pew left in the chapel happened to be the one in front of my parents. We walked in the back of the chapel and Mom's face dropped. It was priceless. Dad sported more of a blank stare, but both of them were having quite a time refraining from whispering and exemplifying reverence by any accord. We spent a care-free, farm filled, pumpkin' carving, cousin rousing, great three days with my folks and then moved on to our next attack with Jonathan's folks. Jonathan's parents were equally surprised with our little tricky treat on Halloween. Grandpa Jenson spotted the car before the kids that were planted on the doorstep after we doorbell-ditched them there. The Iowa plates were the ringer. Grandma Jenson on the other hand had a near fatality when we came flying out at her from her own stairwell. Classic zinger. It was marvelous. We did some serious trick-or-treating, went for horse and carriage rides, frolicked through the yard with cousin Hallie and sewed the CV boot back together on the car before leaving to head back home. This time we drove the 22 hours straight through. It was zany... but family is ALWAYS worth it.

This is how I really felt.