Our Stay In Minnesota

Some nights, it was difficult to get the three kids to get to sleep. Jack had been looking forward to seeing Tommy and Anna for months, and when darkness fell and it was time to go to sleep, Jack didn't want to stop playing. He also liked watching a movie or two.

Eventually, we would turn off the lights and finally get them to sleep, but it was fun to hear their laughter and see their smiles.

It's what made the trip so great. To se the grandchildren have fun together was incredible.

But eventually, the three would start to fall asleep. Usually Anna or Jack would be the ones to fall asleep first.

Tommy was the last to shut his eyes, and we sometimes would enjoy him just a little while longer before he fell asleep too. For me, it was incredibly fun to be able to do things with him.

One afternoon, I decided I would take the boys to a movie. Jack and I had seen Star Trek. I thought it might be fun to see it a second time, but Jack was not interested.

Tommy and I went the next day. It was so much fun, and I could tell that Tommy was excited. He talked a mile a minute before we arrived. Tommy does that when he's excited.

We walked into the theater with plenty of time. I did concessions. Tommy was very excited about the sodas, popcorn and mini-doughnuts they had. It seems like I also bought something else that Tommy wanted as a snack.

The movie was fantastic. It's something I'll always remember doing with him, not because of the great film, because it was a very good one, but because of how excited my grandson was to be with me that afternoon.

The photograph at the left is of Jack and Anna playing just a short time before we left for Idaho Falls.

Everything is so green in Minnesota. It's something I will miss. Living all your life in a desert area all your life forces you to notice things like this.

You just can help enjoying a scene without scrub brush and cactus.