Busy.

I'm exhausted. It's been a busy two weeks.

Granddad passed away Saturday, June 12. I feel honored that I got to hold his hand when he passed. Wednesday was the funeral. Leave it to the Merrill/Quinn family to make a funeral into a swim party. Then we all went to see "The Karate Kid".

Thursday we flew back to Utah. Thad and I celebrated early our 4th anniversary and The Anniversary Inn and went to dinner at The Roof. We stayed in the Jungle Safari room. I think we may have to visit The Anniversary Inn every year now. 1 room down, 29 to go!

Friday we went to Lagoon with the kids and my parents. Fun! Cayson loved the scary rides and Carly had fun going on the kiddie rides.

Saturday was Katie's wedding and we took the kids to see "Toy Story 3".

We had so much fun at Lagoon on friday that we took advantage of their bounce back pass and went again on Sunday. Sunday is a much better day to go since the lines are all much shorter. We walked on most of the rides. It was awesome. Thad had to fly home Sunday evening and we were all sad. Last time he left I didn't see him for 10 days and we thought it was 3 weeks. I wont see him until August 2nd now. Its going to feel like 6 months! I hope that spending the days with his kids, wife and in-laws was a great way to spend Father's Day.

Tomorrow is our 4 year anniversary and I'm sad that we wont be together.

I have tons of new pictures to post but the internet sucks up here and they wont load on blogger so pictures will have to wait.

How do you watch someone you love die?

I've been John Quinn's granddaughter for 4 years but somehow it feels like much longer. 

He was diagnosed with cancer in September. He did chemo and radiation. It looked like things were getting better. He actually started to get back to normal. Then it got bad again. We spent a lot of time with him before we left for the cabin. It got worse. His doctor gave him the option to do a lot of testing or go home. He chose to go home and live out his life with his family. Thad called me wednesday to say it was almost time...I came home immediately.

Now I'm watching someone I love die. 

I'm watching every breath get harder.

Tonight we are all sleeping in the family room around his hospital bed.

Granddad was walking and talking on monday. Tuesday he wouldn't wake up. Wednesday and thursday he would open his eyes when we talked to him and smile a little. I talked to him and showed him pictures of the kids. Today is different. There is no response. He is leaving us.

I'm trying to be strong. I'm trying not to cry. But I'm sad.

He has been my granddad for 4 years. It feels like he's been my granddad my whole life. He loves me like he has been my granddad my whole life. I'm going to miss him.

Vacation.

We are in Idaho and we are having a great time!

Thad got to be here until the end of May then he had to go home.

We are sad and we miss him.

It snowed a few times and it has rained every day we have been here.

We took a drive through Yellowstone on day and Cayson had fun playing in the snow.

We went to Virginia City and Nevada City.

We rode on a train and saw the old gold mines.

Then we walked through Nevada City and the old ghost town.

Thad, Cayson, my dad and I went for a quad ride.

It was 45 degrees outside and it rained on us.

Going 35 mph on a quad while its hailing isn't fun.

Before Thad left we went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Burke and I were tired so we slept in the car.

Thad and Cayson got to practice a little throwing.

Carly loves the hot tub.

She loves jumping off the cover into your arms.

I finally got Carly to ride the quad with me.

She doesn't like loud noises so its been hard to get her on one but now she really likes it.

She gets very excited and then when the ride is over she is mad.

I don't have the pictures loaded yet but yesterday we went horseback riding.

It was Cayson's first time on a horse so he rode with me.

My dad got bucked off his horse which was frightening.

Burke is sick.

We came into the hospital around midnight.

He has croup and was in respiratory distress when we came in.

He continued to have difficulty breathing after the first breathing treatment so they admitted him.

He was given a steroid injection last night and started oral steroids today.

Hopefully this will kick the rest of it and we will go home in the morning.

Hoping for a sunny day tomorrow!

Good morning

I woke up this morning and brought the kids upstairs to my parents bedroom.

I went into the kitchen and heard a noise.

I walked to the porch and looked out the window door.

Well hello!

I ran down the hall and burst into their room yelling, "There's a bear!"

then ran back down the hall with Cayson.

Very quietly we looked out the window and watched him eat grapes....

...then he ate watermelon.

He looked in the window and smelled around.

Carly wasn't scared....

...I was a bit nervous.

My dad finally tried to chase it away.

He didn't want to leave. He threw rocks.

The bear just looked at him.

Coco and Dusa saved the day.

They ran the bear off.

THEN....He came back.

I heard metal clanking.

The bear was in the trash bins.

Coco and Dusa to the rescue again!

Now we are afraid to go outside.

No more walking from the spa room to the house at night in the dark!