Grab the Tissues.

One of my goals of this trip was to get some good pictures of my grandparents together, with us, and especially with their great grandboys. If you've been reading my posts then you can probably imagine that my camera was out all.the.time. In fact, I know it was quite annoying. But it paid off as I got fantastic candid and staged pictures. I am tickled to share these pictures with you...

As I was setting up lighting I asked the boys and Josh to come hang out so I could get my lighting and settings right. There are a bunch of funny outtakes and I have included some at the end of this post. These are a few of the boys that were not meant to be "used" but they are cute to me. I love how, in the second picture, their legs are positioned similarly.

 Now prepare yourselves. And if you are my family, grab some tissues. The next few pictures are tear jerkers. Keagan is SUCH a lover. And he adored his Great Grandpa. (Finn did, too, but as you know Finny is rough. And just not one to sit still.) I was still trying to get set up and asked Grandpa to come on over the the couch because I was just about ready. And what I captured next are likely my favorite of any other pictures I have ever taken. These are not prompted, they are 100% genuine love.

Then Great Grandma sat down and Finn was roped into joining the party...and the love further overloads...

I really wanted to get some pictures of my Grandparents, just the two of them. They have built such a close and beautiful family. I love listening to their stories of how it all started, the ups and downs, their commitment to each other. Next year will be 60 years of marriage for them. What an amazing accomplishment and example they are.

Finally, a couple of all of us... I couldn't decide which one I liked better, so I included them both.

This picture is funny...Grandma was putting her glasses on Chesney! I don't think he minded too much. 

After pictures Grandpa showed me a bunch of his old pictures from family. He is very interested in ancestry and genealogy so he always has pictures and stories about our heritage. I enjoy hearing the stories. Ever since I was a little girl he has loved to show me his pictures from trips they have taken or old relatives. I suppose this may be where my love of pictures and photography stemmed from?

Now some outtakes! Not only was I trying to get lighting worked out but also my remote shutter release...this is what I got. I live with a bunch of goof-balls. :)

Leaving Grandma and Grandpa's house was hands-down the most difficult thing I have ever had to do. I won't dwell or get into emotional specifics (mainly because I can't type well through tears), but knowing how life works is painful. I am so in love my Grandparents. My Grandpa is the only one I've got. And, he's been a damn good one. I have learned life lessons and love from him. I am so very thankful for this visit. And these pictures.

On our way back into the mountains to see Aunt Kim and Uncle Ed and Ross and Riley I turned around to find this. Terribly uncomfortable...and silly.

I tried to get some pictures of our drive into the mountains. I couldn't get many good ones, but this was pretty of the mountains and the Trinity River. 

Eureka!

There is something super neat watching your own children play where you used to play. I suppose being a military child, my boys will never see where their mommy "grew up" because we moved all over and I have actually never lived in the house my parents are in now. But my grandparents house has been a stable one in my life and I remember playing there as a kid. And sitting at their counter eating snacks. And just being little there. So these pictures really have no specific content or meaning to anyone but me. But I really do like them a lot. They bring about a sense of warmth in my heart, a very simple image but one I never want to forget.

After breakfast and getting ready we decided to go exploring around Eureka. The purpose was two-fold: to get the boys out of the house and to explore Eureka with none other but the best tour guides, my grandparents. We started at Woodley Island where there is a statue of an old fisherman who represents all the fisherman lost at sea. Then we walked down to the marina so the boys could see all the boats.

(Keagan IS "smiling" in this picture...this is just typically what I see if I ask him to smile for the camera)

Then we drove downtown where there are two beautiful Victorian mansions. As a little girl I remember being in awe of these mansions. The feeling remains as an adult. They are stunning and gorgeous and my pictures really do not do them justice. The green house is the Carson Mansion and the pink one is the Pink Lady. They are across the street from each other and were once owned by the same family (the Carsons...imagine that!). Google it for more information. Super interesting history!

Next stop was Gill's by the Bay, a seafood restaurant that has apparently been there forever and is super popular with the locals. We stopped for a little bite to eat, mainly for Josh to try the chowder (I had chili). We tried to get Grandpa to come and eat with us, but he preferred to stay in the car with Chesney-dog. I am not sure, but I think the boys might have wanted to stay in the car with Grandpa!

Next stop was Sequoia Park. Northern California is well known for the Redwood Forest and Sequoia trees. Our plan was to take the boys to see some "big trees" but when we took them to the park in Eureka they just didn't get the significance of these tree giants. So Josh and I enjoyed looking at the trees, and then moved on. Because they just didn't care, we decided not to waste our time taking the boys into the Redwood forest at this point in their young lives...maybe next time. Even though I have seen these magnificent trees since I was a little girl I still have a hard time wrapping my brain (or my arms for that matter!) around how huge and tall they are.

For reference on the size of these trees, check out the boys and Josh next to them.

Sequoia Park is not just a bunch of huge trees, but a cool playground too. And even some slides that come out of the trees. I've said it before, my boys love a good playground.

As we were driving out of the park, Grandma and Grandpa stopped to give us a little information about this particular spot. This was where Grandpa proposed to Grandma nearly 60 years ago. I thought that was pretty cool.