On Tuesday morning we picked up the grandkids and headed to my mother’s family cabin.  We brought both of our dogs this time which meant a really full truck.

We stopped at the Black Diamond Bakery as I did with my grandparents, back in the day.  We purchased pastries, cookies and Crystal Mountain Bread (like my grandfather loved).

We traveled through Enumclaw where I used to smell the pickles.  Now they are tearing down the pickle plant.  To me, this is the end of an era.

On 410 the colors are already turning.

Mount Rainier was a little smokey but still visible.

The temperature hit 100 degrees.  

We all made it to the cabin.

But we were hot.

Steve seemed fine.

Piper mysteriously liked to have a thick blanket over her and read a book.

And she kept playing with her toys.

Steve still seems to love the river water.  After many years of being scared of it, he is now a water dog.  Ryeleigh is not. She will barely get her toenails wet.

Here is the sun setting on the mountains around us as we were walking the dogs.

Here is the sun in the morning on Edgar Rock, again while walking the dogs.

The dogs still enjoyed the walks to the river.

As did the grandkids.  But William, like his grandfather prefers a motorcycle.

Everyone was getting hot. This was Ryeleigh’s cooling down spot.

In the morning, Tom and William had investigated spots on the river to hang out for the afternoon heat.  The best spot turned out to be on the other side of the river near the demolished bridge.  There were good skipping and kerplunking rocks as well as sand to play in and logs to walk on.

There were a lot of a fingerlings as well as a butterfly.

The dogs took it easy in the long grass.

We returned to the cabin for a nice kid-friendly dinner. After the boys went to Whistlin’ Jack’s for supplies.

In walking back, I found this survey monument I photographed for Tom’s sake.

In the evening we played a rousing game on Monopoly which William won yet again.

Later Tom and William reviewed photographs on the tablet.

Thursday morning Steve was back in the river.

In the hot afternoon, we returned to the opposite side of the bridge to stay cool in the river.

My Mom and Al had joined us at the cabin, and Mom joined us on the river.

Unfortunately she was chased away by bees.  They left the rest of us mostly alone.  The kids enjoyed walking the logs, playing with the wet sand and throwing rocks.  I enjoyed just relaxing.

Mom did wave to us on her walk back.

The boys rode away on their bikes back to the cabin.

Later in the evening, there was more dog walking.

And more grandkids’ hanging out.

Then it was time to measure them both.

They had both grown 2 5/8 inches in a year since the last time they had been to the cabin.

Ryeleigh enjoyed relaxing on the porch.

This morning I took a chance to enjoy the relaxing sounds of the river.

We all took one last walk with the dogs.  I showed Tom a bearing tree I had found.

On the way home, I took the classic photo of Mount Rainier over Tipsoe Lake.

The grandkids are safely home now (minus a couple of bruises and cuts).  It was a wonderful trip, and I know the grandkids really enjoy themselves. Plus Mom and Al really seemed to enjoyed having them as well.