The Hansens came for a quick visit before they begin their new life in Texas. Since poor little Hallie never really gets her picture taken or displayed anywhere, we thought we'd document her activities while they were here.
Not knowing that it is something that children just do not do, she started by helping to set the table for dinner.
She and Grandma played some games in the family room...
We all sat down to watch (repeatedly)
Toy Story. Hallie's deep concern for the welfare of her hero, Woody, expressed itself (repeatedly).
She modeled her high-fashion outfits from Ellen's store in Portland (yes, that
is a fashion runway).
Then, she went for a ride (repeatedly) around the house on her favorite horsie, accompanied by their faithful hound, Rin-Tin-Gimli (who did not like seeing such undeserving advantage being taken of Grandma).
She played (yes, repeatedly) in any water she could get her hands on (in), and she was particularly thrilled by Grandma's vanity sink with its cool spongie-thingey.
She tried driving a basket until she discovered that no room + no wheels + no motor = no fun. We should have taken her to Dustin and Nichelle's where they could have shown her how to drive that thing down a flight of stairs.
Saturday was Tanner's birthday party at a place called
BOUNCE! Hansens stayed an extra day because Tanner invited Hallie to the party, where...
...she found a vehicle that actually had wheels. Grandma taught her a quick Driver's Ed course, and she was off...
...but slightly confused over which was the brake and which was the clutch.
That's Dustin and Trace and Jodie and Hallie at the top of the giant slide (repeatedly).
Aunt Kirsten got home from her Denver trip in time to coax Dobbie out of hiding. Hallie loves Kirsten, but she's a bit puzzled at the Chihuahua's sometimes arrogant behavior.
As things wound down a bit, we all sang
Eentsie-Weentsie Spider and other songs (repeatedly)...
...until, after four days and nights of ceaseless activity and seemingly no sleep, Hallie and Woody (he's resting, just out of the picture) and their faithful hound dog were just so tuckered out that they just slept and dreamed (repeatedly) of warm, sunny Texas days and cool, comfy Texas nights.
We were treated to lots and lots of politicians and aspiring politicians and other publicity-seeking types in Corvettes.
There were fire trucks carrying farm animals...
...and, ?What's this?!? Cowboy-people, in a parade, in Idaho, and they are not riding horses!
This was a group sponsored by a local youth academy that tries to teach disoriented children how to walk. They're still working on it...
This was the only thing even remotely resembling a float in the parade. I'm still trying to think of a connection between this Aardvarkephant and Eagle, Idaho, but I'm at a loss..
This was the only band (non-marching) in the whole parade.
The pizza-delivery truck ignored my entreaties and drove right by me.
This team of daring young girls was apparently attempting to keep this large log from rolling off the truck and crushing spectators...
...while their friends stood around doing nothing, dressed in clothing made from the skins of the rare Green Bengal Tiger.
A team of Miniature Cheerleaders.
A large group of miniature twins. Is that what you call them when there are that many? 
This parade in rural Idaho managed to produce only one horse and one rider. What is the world coming to?
Wait! Hold everything! I found a job, right in the middle of our parade!
Of course Mom loved this entry.
The tractor is not green and yellow and it does not say "John Deere". Surely, we're not in Iowa.
This is what got Grandpa to his first parade in about 34 years. That's Tyler on the left, sporting her new haircut, gracing the Wells Fargo entry in this year's festivities.
And look! There's Nichelle, throwing stuff at the spectators.
One more peek at the Wells Fargo rig. That's Tanner on the left, waving, and Tyler on the right.
I've been missing so much over the years--like watching the once-meaningful world of the small-town parade spiral downward into a contest of who has the biggest _______ (Fill in the blank with boat, motorhome, pickup truck, horse trailer, fire engine, ambulance, dance school, etc.)
Oh, yeah. Biggest Skunk.
Oldest old ladies in an old Mercedes-Benz. I guess thery'd just never been in a parade before...
At the end of it all came the fun--a giant water fight between the guys on the trucks and the spectators on the ground...
...a battle royal...
...that finally brought the long-looked-for clowns...
...and the other clownettes.
Until, finally, Mom had to say farewell to the parade as it faded far into the distance. She kept her shades on so you could not see the tears in her eyes.
Then, she went for a ride (repeatedly) around the house on her favorite horsie, accompanied by their faithful hound, Rin-Tin-Gimli (who did not like seeing such undeserving advantage being taken of Grandma).
Saturday was Tanner's birthday party at a place called BOUNCE! Hansens stayed an extra day because Tanner invited Hallie to the party, where...
...she found a vehicle that actually had wheels. Grandma taught her a quick Driver's Ed course, and she was off...
...but slightly confused over which was the brake and which was the clutch.
That's Dustin and Trace and Jodie and Hallie at the top of the giant slide (repeatedly).
Aunt Kirsten got home from her Denver trip in time to coax Dobbie out of hiding. Hallie loves Kirsten, but she's a bit puzzled at the Chihuahua's sometimes arrogant behavior.
As things wound down a bit, we all sang Eentsie-Weentsie Spider and other songs (repeatedly)...
...until, after four days and nights of ceaseless activity and seemingly no sleep, Hallie and Woody (he's resting, just out of the picture) and their faithful hound dog were just so tuckered out that they just slept and dreamed (repeatedly) of warm, sunny Texas days and cool, comfy Texas nights.
Willie, Kelly and her three girls. Little Claire did not leave her mom's arms through the ehtire ceremony.
The small but happy wedding party.
The Jenkins girls.
And the goodies. Genel made a great luncheon for everyone.