Surprise! Boise!

“What was your favorite part about our time in Boise?” Taite asked at dinner Tuesday night.  I like this line of questioning.  He asked Lincoln first.

Epi's owner Chris and our fam

“Um…this dinner?” Lincoln responded, sort of in the form of a question.  We were visiting Epi’s, a Basque food restaurant.  Basque Country a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees Mountains to the coast of the Bay of Biscay, and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.  Basque people have a unique dialect not founded on Latin and a unique palate.  Travis patronized Epi’s with three friends (John, Rich, and Nate) last time he passed through Boise.  He considers it one of his top three all-time favorite restaurants.  We arrived in Boise Monday to find that Epi’s was not open on Mondays.  We changed travel plans to stay for an extra day.  Travis really wanted to share Epi’s with us.  It was delicious.  Chris- the owner – is fabulous.  And we all recommend it! 

The question continued around the table.  “The police man place,” said Parker.  Tuesday afternoon we took the kids to the Old Idaho State Penitentiary. The prison was opened during the time of (and because of) the gold rush.  There were too many 49ers moving west – and not enough of them were honest.  The prison closed down in 1973 after functioning for over 100 years.  We saw where and how inmates were kept.  A 15-minute introductory video gave us a vivid picture of life for the jail birds.  The prison held over 13,000 inmates during its 100 active years.  Over 500 inmates escaped, but only 90 of those got away.  (Doesn’t that make you feel better?!)  Ten of those 13,000 were hanged for their crime.  The most common crime for women was forgery, for men it was theft. That was our first (and hopefully last) visit to a prison.  It was a pretty cool stop.

The first of many preserved buildings in the penitentiary complex

“Either the Birds of Prey Center or Tango’s,” I said.  Tango’s was our lunch restaurant – another Trip Advisor winner.  (We owe Trip Advisor some reviews.)  It was an Argentinian restaurant called Tango’s Subs and Empañadas.  The safe thing would have been to order subs.  But, “When in Rome…”  We tried some empañadas.  None of us had ever eaten one.  They went over like sweet tea on a hot southern summer day.  Everyone loved them!  In fact, we ordered four to share, then went back for three more to share, then got two dessert empañadas to share.  Delicious!!!  Calla said, “If I lived here, I’d eat here everyday!”  Winner.

She couldn't even stop to say, "Cheese!"

As you can tell, I think we’ve eaten out more during this past month of traveling than we did the entire previous 11 months.  Maybe that’s exaggerating, but we have had some stupendous meals prepared for us these last four weeks.  In New Mexico we stopped for the highly recommended enchiladas at the Grand Motor Inn.  Our drive-though in Buckeye, Arizona, brought us back to Ciao Grazie – an excellent pizza place.  In Newport Beach Taite found his new all-time favorite restaurant, The Melting Pot, and we ate on the Balboa Pier at Ruby’s Diner.  In L.A. we enjoyed The Farm multiple times, Yard House – probably my favorite restaurant of the trip, Lawry’s Carvery (super yummy sandwiches!!!!) and Wahoo’s Fish Tacos in Beverly Hills.   Travis says his favorite restaurant so far (besides Epi’s) is the Outlaw Café located in Van Nuys, California.  Malibu Seafood wins the Location Award.  Bankok West Thai in Santa Monica was a delicious Thai treat where Tim VanSumeren (who has lots of Thailand experience) gave us meal suggestions.  After our time in the national parks we enjoyed the Sequoia Brewery in Fresno.  In Wallowa County, Oregon, we ate at Mason’s favorite restaurant, La Leguna.  On the way back to Boise we stopped in Baker City, Idaho, where we found another Trip Advisory recommendation called Crave-a-Bowl.  It might have been my second favorite restaurant.  It was like a mix of Noodles & Co., and Big Bowl.  Finally, in Boise we were treated to Tango’s and Epi’s.

Usually New Year’s resolutions include losing weight.  With each restaurant meal I’m finding another addition to the tattoo that will eventually rest plainly across my waistline saying, “Fatty Tatty.”  (Here’s where I puff out my cheeks and belly and make a spitting noise.)  I'll consider weight loss when the trip is over.  (Thankfully I have an 'in' with some excellent weight management products and methods. ;-))

I digress.  “The Birds of Prey Place,” was Calla’s answer to Taite’s question.  Early last summer we, along with our friends the Barbato’s, took a trip to the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota.  Tuesday we took our kids to the World Center for Birds of Prey.  Like the Eagle Center, it is a raptor conservation center.  We saw lots of California Condors during our trip to the Grand Canyon last winter.  At that time, the tour guide told us about the endangerment of the California Condors and the efforts to increase the population.  This is the world’s leader in California Condor conservation.  They also had lots of other raptors.  We watched a short show on the center and the presenter brought out a bird on her arm.  “Does anyone know what kind of bird this is?” she asked.  There were about a dozen people in the room.  

American Kestrel

Taite was the only one to raise a hand.  “An American Kestrel,” he answered confidently. 

“That’s right!”  Later she asked if someone could name the unique traits of a raptor.   

Taite raised his hand again.  “They have talons, a curved beak, and excellent eye sight.” 

“That’s right!”  I was envisioning Taite leading the bird show someday. 

We saw owls, a bald eagle, some unusual and unfamiliar birds, and a peregrine falcon – the fastest animal in the world.  Thanks to Wild Kratts, the kids know all about the peregrine falcon, and they gave us a peregrine falcon education.

Lincoln seem to really enjoy the center as well.

Parker found a mommy and baby bald eagle

Home of the Blue

Now it was Taite’s turn to answer his own question.  “This dinner,” said Taite.  “And the blue field.”  While we were in Boise, we of course had to stop to see the first non-green football field in the world.  Boise State’s football field is blue.  You may have seen it on TV.  It’s just as blue in person.  Boise State's record at home is 93 (wins) and 4 (losses) since 1999.  Now that they can wear their blue jerseys at home next year they’ll be even harder to beat.  They’ll be like chameleons on their home turf.  

I have no idea how Taite got this picture

Now Travis got to answer Taite’s question.  “My favorite part of the day was the fact that we hadn’t even planned to be here right now.  I love that we could change our plans last minute and spend an extra day here.  It’s been a great stop."

The best part of Tuesday – and possibly of the entire trip – was when a woman in Tango’s stopped at our table just to tell us what great kids we have.  She said they were beautiful and extremely well behaved.  That was the second occurrence of its kind since we left Vegas last Tuesday.  I agree with them both.  Having well-behaved children sure makes adventures like this easier and more fun. 

That’s not to say there hasn’t been any whining or fighting.  In fact, Monday night Lincoln was torturing his sister by taking the ‘toy’ she was using.  “BOOM shaka laka!!!!  You don’t do that!!!” was Parker’s way of getting her brother to stop.  When fighting sounds like that, how can you not laugh?!  Oh, and I say ‘toy’ because Parker (like most children) can make a toy out of anything.  Lately Parker has been finding my Bible (or anything that looks like a Bible), and preaching to her koala…or herself in the mirror.  “…And we love God.  And God loves us.  He is big.  And God is very good…”  It goes on and on.  I imagined her koala to be a little like my dad snoring during mass on Sundays.

It was an unexpected, great part of our trip.  Now we head back to Vegas so I can attend my MonaVie event this weekend.

A Visit with the Ferre's in Northeastern Oregon

Geothermal energy.  Solar energy.  Guest apartment.  Open living space.  Small bedrooms.  Energy saving lights…that are cute.  Motion-sensing faucet in the guest bathroom.  Water-saving toilet (flushing #1 or #2).  In-floor heating.  Convection ovens.  Induction stove.  Large pantry.  Root cellar.  Garden.  Orchard.  Barn.  Giant underground rainwater cisterns.  Chicken coop.  Workshop.  Bunkhouse.  Horses.  Pigs.  Chickens.  Sheep.  Six hundred seventy acres. 

Our dream property is right now located in Wallowa, Oregon.  And it’s not for sale.  We visited our friends who live there, the Ferre’s.  Peter Ferre´ owns Legacy Service, LLC, which is how Travis got involved in Family Heritage.  For seven years Peter was Travis’ boss.  Travis has visited the Ferre´ Ranch and tried to describe the complex to me.  It’s something you just have to experience to understand.  We took the rare opportunity to do so, and I’m very glad we did.

We arrived Wednesday afternoon just in time to help Peter with ranch chores.  I didn’t know Peter as a rancher.  I only knew him as a businessman.  Wednesday he wore Carhartt trousers, Patagonia vest and coat, Danner Pronghorn workboots, NorthFace winter hat, and Carhartt work gloves.  He had tousled hair, a 5 o’clock shadow, and no beer gut.  At the young age of 47, while living in Nashville, Tennessee, Peter sold the labor-intensive portions of his Legacy business to five capable, willing directors (Travis being one of them) and started a new chapter in his life.  While living in Nashville Peter designed, what I’ll call, a green home.  It is arguably one of the most energy efficient homes in the nation.  He hired as many Wallowa County builders and contractors and purchased as many local building materials as possible.  Construction began in 2009.  From 2009 to 2011 Peter and his family lived in a cute little bunkhouse built on the south side of the property or in their Nashville home.  In 2011 Peter sold most of his Legacy business and his home in Nashville then moved to a completed home in Wallowa, Oregon.  Now he and his three children live there.  Peter is literally living his dream.  

The intention wasn’t to be self-sustained.  It was to be as environmentally responsible as possible.  The property is located high in the mountains on a dirt road eight miles off the pavement in Wallowa, Oregon (a recommendation from his knowledgeable brother).  It takes at least 20 minutes to get into town, and the town is small.  The population of the entire county is 7,000.  It’s about an hour to LaGrande where you’d find the nearest Wal-Mart, movie theater, and natural food store. The nearest major airport is 3 and a half hours away.

Peter and his kids have made friends all over the county.  Friday night the Ferre’s hosted a dinner party with some local friends.  Kory and Dave are ranchers.  Mary is a farmer (I don’t actually know the difference between ranchers and farmers – they both planted gardens and raised animals, right?).  Cam was a writer and fisherman/fishing guide.  David and Jessie owned a logging mill.  All of them were independent entrepreneurs.  Peter is a perfect addition to this county.  His attitude is not ‘what can the county do for me,’ rather, ‘now that this is home, is there anything we can do to help the county?’  His creative business mind is in full force.  With a desire to have a restaurant with good food closer to them, he’s purchased a rundown tavern in the next town over and partnered with capable restaurant-businesspeople to make that happen.  He’s invested local friends' business to help improve profit margins.  He participates in a non-profit organization called Slow Food (instead of fast food) by donating, hosting events, and brainstorming ideas.

Peter has also donated building materials to Fergi, the local ski hill.  As we drove up Sunday to Fergi the girls, Jordan and Riley, said, “…and there’s the wood Dad donated to repair the ski rental shop.”   In Minnesota we had a fair amount of snow before we left and our friends, the Lewison’s, invited all our kids to ski with them at Buckhill (the local ski slopes).  Amy and Steve are great teachers and gave the kids skiing and snowboarding lessons.  All the kids loved it.  Travis and I are not – and should not be – ski instructors.  Jim (Travis’ dad) told us the story about their family ski trips.  They nicknamed Travis “Kamikaze” because of his dive-bombs down the mountainsides.  I, on the other hand, have spent even less time than Travis on ski slopes over the last 10 years – and most of it has been on the bunny hill. 

The view from the bunny hill

Fergi was a great place for our family.  It was small.  Taite knows how to ski better than I do and was confident enough to go off on his own.  A few times I spotted him at the bottom of the hill, only to find him on the T-bar headed back to the top.  He loved it.  Calla and Lincoln liked it too.  They spent the majority of their time between the two smaller runs.  They figured out how to use the T-bar and the tow rope (or as they call it in Oregon  - the rope tow).  Lincoln had no fear and got right back up every time after falling.  He just kept going.  I think if Amy or Steve would have been with us, they would have had Lincoln skiing the black diamond hill before the end of the day.  Calla is a very good skier.  She made her pizza slice and weaved back and forth on the hills.  She was hesitant and almost never fell (which I’m glad about because there was a bit too much drama when she did fall).  

Calla's snowplow

Lincoln weaves along the slope

The rope tow takes Calla up

The chalet was just as shabby-chic as the rental shop

Parker skied the bunny hill three times and was done.  (Sigh.)  That was when I was most pleased with Fergi.  She could sit outside the small chalet at a picnic table and watch all of us.  I could see her from anywhere as I continued to ski with Calla and Lincoln. 

Riley

Sunday was the perfect day for us to ski Fergi.  We originally planned to ski Saturday, but the morning weather wouldn’t have it.  Lincoln requested we wait until Sunday anyway.  “Let’s go Sunday 'cause then Riley can go with us.”  Riley, the 12-year-old middle child and second daughter, was arguably Lincoln’s favorite person in the house.  Lincoln and Riley met Wednesday night when Riley returned from basketball practice.  She is athletic, studious, and beautiful.  She is charismatic and loves animals – especially horses.  Lincoln was drawn to her.  

Jordan

Parker shadowed big sister Jordan.  She is the oldest daughter and at 14-years-old, Jordan takes great care of her dad and siblings.  She is also studious and beautiful (she probably has the best hair I've ever seen!).  Parker loved following Jordan around the house and the grounds outdoors.  Jordan loves the outdoors.  She takes on lots of agricultural responsibilities.  She enjoys participating in FFA (Future Farmers of America).  She loves to backpack and travel as well. 

Traveling is in abundant supply at the Ferre´ house.  Peter loves to travel and loves to provide experiences for and with his family.  One thing Peter did with Jordan (and will do with the other kids) is take them on a special 13^th birthday trip.  Peter pays for it.  The 13-year-old chooses where to go and navigates the trip.  Jordan chose a two-week tour of Greece and Turkey.  She is very interested in Greek mythology.  Peter and Jordan traveled their hearts out together last year.  Talk about creating memories! 

Next month the Ferre’s are traveling to Costa Rica…for the entire month.  Of course they’ll get to practice their Spanish-speaking skills.  As of right now, their plan is to arrive and get traveling suggestions from the locals.  The only solid plan they have is to participate in a surfing school for the first week.  Peter, Jordan, and Riley will particpate in the surfing school.  Mason says the farthest he will go into the Pacific Ocean is 10 feet.  His plan is to sit on the beach and watch.  He has no intentions of letting a shark get him.  Ha!

Mason

Mason, the 10-year-old is the youngest of the three kids.  He says he has a fear of snakes and sharks…as everyone should.  He is also a comedian.  We all went to cheer for Riley as she played in two basketball games Thursday night.  Afterward we went to La Leguna – a Mexican restaurant in Enterprise (a neighboring small town).  Last time Mason ate there he got free fried ice cream for dancing in the middle of the restaurant.  This time he made his best attempt at singing Feliz Navidad and La Cucaracha.  When the lacking renditions didn’t cut it for the restaurant owner, he did a headstand.  He is a very confident kid and kept us laughing almost the entire time.  Mason loves basketball and is constantly spitting out NBA stats and history.  He even challenged Travis to a heated game of basketball.  Taite helped Mason shovel the ice and snow off the driveway one evening so they could play basketball outside.  When the ice was too thick and he couldn’t complete the task, Mason returned to his dad and asked for a blowtorch.  Commitment.  Skiing, surfing, horseback riding…not for Mason.  He’ll stick with basketball.  

Daisy and Parker smile for the picture

She is too stinkin' cute

Horseback riding might not have been for Mason, but everyone else was fired up for it!  Wallowa schools are only in session Monday through Thursday.  Friday morning Jordan and Riley treated our whole family to some arena riding.  We all helped bring the  horses to the tack house, brush them, saddle and bridle them, and walk them to the outdoor riding arena.  The dynamics of the horses was interesting.  They were like children.  One of them, Rodeo, was slower than the rest.  The other horses usually chose not to hang out with Rodeo.  Daisy and Brownie always had to be near each other.  Lily didn’t like to be left out.  I trotted her in the arena one time.  When she turned and saw the other horses on the other side of the arena she bolted for them.  Lily also doesn’t like Zeus – the hundred-pound yellow Labrador Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix.  As Lily and I made our way back to the tack house we had to walk by Zeus.  Lily freaked out and nearly bucked me off.  I felt a little like I was on a mechanical bull.  An English saddle doesn’t have much to grip.  I stayed upright.  The Ferre girls asked me if I ride a lot.  I'm feeling pretty confident since I stayed on a horse who practically dumped me twice.  ;-)  

Parker and Rodeo

Lincoln patiently waited for his turn on rodeo

Me and Lily

Taite rides Brownie while Calla rides Daisy

Calla starts on Brownie

Calla wasn’t so fortunate.  Daisy decided Calla wasn’t sitting correctly in the saddle and bucked her off.  Once Calla landed Daisy stepped on Calla’s leg.  The benefits of horseback riding in snow are: 1) snow breaks your fall, and 2) your leg can sink a little firther in the snow if a horse tries to step on it.  She didn’t get injured, just scared.  It took a few minutes, but Calla got back on Daisy – that horse that bucked her off – and continued to ride.   

Taite, who seems to always be naturally good at anything sports-related, rode multiple horses and enjoyed every minute.  He even trotted Brownie and Daisy with no problems. 

Lincoln and Parker took turns on Rodeo.  Parker started and Travis led Rodeo around the arena in line with the other horses.  Then it was Lincoln’s turn.  “I want to do it by myself.”  He didn’t want anyone to lead his horse.  He wanted to ride like the big kids.  Well, he was on Rodeo.

“Ok.”  I let him do it.  Rodeo was a perfect horse for an novice 5-year-old rider to try by himself.  One thing we’ve learned about our kids is if one does it, they all want to do it.  So, of course, when it was Parker’s turn again, she wanted to ride by herself.  Rodeo is the perfect horse for my little ones.  After a couple of hours we returned the horses to their corral and threw down some hay flakes from the hayloft.  From there we all walked up to the house. 

Travis and I lagged behind.  “Should we round up the sheep?” he asked me.  We arrived Wednesday just in time to help Peter move a ram from the trailer to the pen next to the horses.  The goal was to breed the ram with the two ewes.  We watched Peter, Jordan, and Riley unsuccessfully attempt to wrangle the ewes previous day.  Jordan tried to bribe one of them with treats in an attempt to put a halter on it.  Riley had a rope to lasso the second sheep.  Now Travis was asking me to assist him to do the same. 

“Um, I think I’m the wrong person to help you with that,” I responded, baffled that he’d ask me to perform that task.  I’m all about lending a helping hand, but I don’t want to be messing with unfamiliar animals whose owners can’t even wrangle them.  Travis has a lot more ranching confidence than I do. 

We continued to walk up the hill.  The ram saw us and shouted out to us…as if to say, “Hey!  I’m here!  Remember me!”  We didn’t know what to say – we didn’t even know the ram’s name.  He didn’t have a name.  At dinner Saturday night I was informed that the ram didn’t have a name because we hadn’t yet name it.  “Yeah.  The Wilson’s are supposed to name it,” confirmed Jordan.  Really.  I went around and asked each of the kids what we should name him.  Everyone was stumped until…

“I think we should name it Lincoln,” said Lincoln.  We laughed about it.  Peter suggested the shortened version of “Linc.”  We continued to eat our delicious dinner of locally-raised chicken, Ferre-garden-fresh potatoes, and salad. 

“Lincoln, eat your salad, please,” I requested.  Lincoln picked up one lettuce leaf at a time and started from the bottom, chewing it into his mouth.  Like a sheep…or a ram…named Linc.  Unbeknownst to him, Lincoln sealed the deal.  The Ferre ram is now named Linc. (Or maybe Link.)

There are a couple more things forever changed at the Ferre´ ranch because of our stay.  Travis helped Peter put up some fencing Thursday and Saturday we all went out in the back woods to do some tree thinning.  Taite, Lincoln, and Calla all had saws and worked hard.  (They’ll be great farm hands!)  Parker’s feet got wet and she became the self-appointed supervisor about ten minutes into the event.   It was a beautiful afternoon and the snow was melting.  Everything was wet – including all of our feet.  We have snow boots, not slop boots. We all could use some Bogs and SmartWool socks. I see a wise purchase in our near future. 

Parker eats the snow

Lincoln saws and moves trees

Calla saws trees.  Taite's in the background cutting them down.

With 670 acres, the small patch of thinned trees and the small amount of fencing our family helped with are barely noticeable.  The Wilson’s may not have made much of an impression on the Ferre´ ranch, but our time at the Ferre´ ranch has greatly impacted us. 

Sunday night we said our goodbyes to Jordan, Riley, and Mason.  They had school the next morning.  I brought our kids up to our guest apartment to read the day’s devotion.  More tears.  Our kids had so much fun they didn’t want to leave.  There hadn’t been enough time to skeet shoot or horseback ride again.  “I would like to live here,” said Taite.

“Really, Taite,” said a surprised Travis.  “Would you rather be here or in California?” 

“Here.”

In a previous conversation we told the kids about the Ferre’s upcoming Costa Rica trip.  “Wouldn't that be great?!  To get to travel Costa Rica for an entire month?!” I asked the kids.  Sounds like a dream to me.  (Maybe next winter?...)

“No.  I’d rather be here,” Taite replied with certainty.  Personally, I don’t think he knows what he’s missing.  But I’m glad he enjoyed the ranch so much.  I think he’ll enjoy a Minnesota farm just as much.

Our family has been impacted forever because of our experience at the Ferre´ Ranch.  Thank you, Ferre’s, for the invitation!

Exploring the ranch on the Mule

We stayed in the guest apartment above the garage

The view from the highest point on the ranch

That horse is huge!

Who loves horseback riding?!

Cute girl goes skiing

Cute girl feeds the horses

I really love horses, Mommy!

Self-appointed farmhand Taite feeds the pigs and chickens and collects eggs

Could we explore the ranch on horses?

All 7 kids playing a heated game of Farmopoly (of course), only to be followed by many other games

Our Oregon Trail

Have you been to Pompeii?  Travis and I were there in 1998.  It was fascinating to walk the roads of the excavated historic city finding everything impressively preserved.  If you are unfamiliar with the story, the extremely shortened version is - Pompeii was covered in cooled pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79.  The city remained covered until about A.D. 1450.  Herculaneum is a city near Pompeii that was also affected by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79.  Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum was covered in mud and hot ash.  Pompeii was suffocated, Herculaneum was burned then covered in mud. 

In 1974, oil tycoon J. Paul Getty opened a villa.  The design of the villa was inspired by the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum.  It is thought that the original owner of the ancient villa was the affluent father-in-law to Agustus Caesar.  The replica of the gorgeous Greco-Roman mansion has incredibly intricate detail.  On a walking architecture tour, our tour guide explained the details of daily life for the wealthy of the first century.  Taite and Calla, who have been studying ancient Rome and Greece, loved having a visual to bring their studies to life.  

 

The Getty Villa

Each of the rooms housed various artifacts. Along the tour, our guide referenced the room housing a shrine to Hercules - they did live in Herculaneum, and Hercules was their most precious god.  I made sure to bring our kids there to see what a shrine to a false god looked like.  What I didn’t know is that I’d be bringing our kids into a room filled with statues similar to The David in Florence, Italy.  What good mom wouldn’t ensure her children get to see a bunch of naked men?!  “Um, ok.  Let’s go on to the next room.”

We closed down the museum, made our way to the RV, and began heading east.  We were on our way to Vegas.  We took the next couple of days to recoup and recover.  We had done a lot in just a few days!  Our bodies were starting to notice the lack of sleep and abundance of driving on curvy roads.  We did a little school, played some putt-putt golf, laundered our clothes, napped, and played card games.  Oh, and watched the BCS National Championship game at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Taite and Lincoln cheered for Auburn University while the rest of us cheered for Florida State University

Taite takes a swing

The girls golf from the mountain tops

Lincoln and Taite cheer for Auburn

Tuesday morning we left the RV, got in the rented Dodge Caravan, and started driving north.  We were headed to the home of our friends, the Ferre’s.  (I can’t wait to tell you about that in our next post.)  Our plan for Tuesday was to make it to Boise, Idaho. 

Travis mentioned our route to Boise would take us perpendicular to the “Loneliest Highway In America” – Nevada Highway 50.  If Highway 50 is the loneliest, then I’m sure Highway 93 is the second loneliest!  Highway 93 took us north across Nevada.  The first 100 miles were comprised of 5 things – sand, yucca plants, mountains to the east, mountains to the west, and giant rusted power line poles.  I could not figure out why we were seeing power lines until finally we saw one house a couple hours into the drive, then one community of about 20 homes a couple more hours later.  We didn't even see birds.  This was the perfect road on which to have a quiet, mindless drive.

Hours of this scenery

It’s times like these where I most notice Lincoln’s uniqueness.  Lincoln asked to listen to music so we turned on the van radio and pressed “Seek.”  Both AM and FM dials continued to search for a station, never finding one.  He was done coloring, done reading, done with games, done with everything – even done with ‘I’m Thinking of an Animal.’  “Beedo, beedo, beedo,” is all he could say.  Apparently Lincoln’s brain is never quiet unless he’s sleeping.  He needed to say something.  This was not the first time he chanted ‘beedo.

“What is ‘beedo’?” I asked. 

“Oh, it’s what the Minions say on the Dispicable Me 2 commercial,” the big kids answered.  Maybe this was a good time to let the kids use their devices.  I mentioned in a previous blog entry that Taite now has my old phone to use as an iTouch and Calla has an iPod.  Lincoln found another old phone with Adventures in Odyssey and some music on it.  They all got an hour on their devices.  Lincoln shared his with Parker.

“Mom!  This is English!” he exclaimed, fired up about his encounter.

“Well, good.  It should be English,” I responded, unsure of his point.

“This is English!  Here Parker, listen!"  Then Lincoln began to sing some made-up unfamiliar words.  I asked him for the phone so I could see the artist.  It was Josh Groban singing the Italian song, "Canto Alla Vita."

We made it to Boise for dinner.  The exit we chose offered us only fast food options for our meal.  Chick-fil-a was the winner…even over Subway.  We just got our first Chick-fil-a in Minnesota a few months ago so we hadn’t had any experience with the food chain.  What I’ve read about the place is all good, though.  Of course I love that they aren’t open on Sundays and take stands that back their Christian views.  In my mind, however, it was still junky fast food.  Recently one of my favorite health bloggers, Food Babe, shared how executives at Chick-fil-a invited the her to come in and consult them on how to renovate their menu.  They found 100 sub-par ingredients in their foods that they are committed to improving.  I have no idea if they’ve started changing them, but I appreciate their effort.  All that, of course, made me feel much better about eating dinner there.  

http://foodbabe.com/tag/chick-fil-a/

Our time in Boise was completed with a stop at Best Buy to get a Rocket Fish auxiliary cable so we could have some music along the way.  We stayed in a hotel in Nampa, Idaho where it snowed 2 inches overnight.  It was crazy to think that we were intentionally driving into snow and cold.  As I write this we have been in Wallowa, Oregon, for three days and it has been well worth it!  Can’t wait to tell you more!