We had been planning to go visit Max's parents during Summer 2017 in Prineville for a long time and when we learned that the eclipse was going through Prineville, we decided to go on that very weekend. As it got closer, and newscasters were mentioning doom and gloom with traffic and the power going out and food being scarce, I got a little nervous. Sitting in traffic with 3 little ones is pretty horrible. Anyway, Max soothed my worries and we set out on Friday the 18th around 9pm. The kids slept in the car and we had a pleasant traffic-free drive. We stayed at Max's brother's house who happened to be out of town at a family reunion in California. So it was a bummer we didn't get to spend time with them.
But, we heard from my sister in law Elizabeth and she was planning on traveling for the eclipse so we had plans to meet up and she was able to stay with us at Brent and Lisa's house. It may have been a little confusing for our kids because they were at a cousins house but playing with cousins from the other side of the family!!
But we had a fantastic fun-filled cousin weekend. Max was able to spend lots of time with his parents and help fix things around their house which he was happy to do. We had a whole lot of trampoline time!
And Popsicle time (aww...I miss summer)
And all the cousins play so well together!
Thanks to cousin August for sharing his room and toys!
Miss Gwenevere took such good care of Edwin.
They were always being creative! It's fun to see them grow up and play together.
Charlie and Grace are 3 months apart and they seem to get along really well...I started telling Charlie to get off the fence then I saw the cute moment that was happening to I just shut my mouth. (Sorry Aunt Lisa)
Sunday afternoon was spent with a picnic at Castle Park...more wonderful playtime with the cousins.
Everett and Miles are 6 months apart.
Edwin was perfectly content getting snuggled by Gwenevere or playing with Grandma and Grandpa's dog.
And this sequence is wrangling kids for a photo for Grandma and Grandpa... Notice Max and Miles in the background...
And this is the best one of all of them looking at me...
And Everett is gone again...
Then more playground because it was summer and warm and still light outside! Those were the days!
And the occasional chat with Daddy after trying to hit mommy.
Edwin got some good Gracie snuggles too!
Then we eventually made our way home.
More chats with dad. I think this may have been nail trimming too.
The next morning was the day of the eclipse.
We had a tasty breakfast then made our way outside. We tried to be in the front yard because it was a better view but the kids kept running to the backyard so we made our way back there...
Just before totality we made our way to the front yard and got ready!
And holy cow...totality was less than 2 minutes but it was so incredible. Dusk came at 10:30am. It felt so absurd to the core of my body. The temperature dropped the birds got confused. We barely blinked then it was over, yet we stood amazed at the perfection of God's creation.
Here are the photos I took, mostly through the glasses except for the total eclipse and "diamond ring."
Also, funny side note, Charlie kept looking through the glasses then saying..."this is a moon one" then he would try another pair and claim it was a moon one as well. I think, by the end he understood he was looking at the sun with the moon blocking it, making it look like a crescent moon. But he thought it was the glasses making it look that way.
Another funny side note...Minutes after totality, we noticed Edwin's first tooth had cut through. I had just checked the day before and there was no tooth. So it had to have been an eclipse miracle. (his tooth is not pictured here, but his lovely blue green eyes are)
Shortly after cousins left, we made our way home too. the smoky sun was setting.
We did end up hitting some traffic but the kids slept for most of it and it was filled with good conversation about life goals to get black belts in karate.
