Last week was a special one for us. Sidney’s parents came to town and it was much different than the previous two experiences when they ventured out west. When they visited in May 2020, it was a quick two-day trip to drop Sidney and the kids off as we started our family’s new chapter. They would visit again in October 2021 but we were still living in a COVID-conscious society that heavily limited what we could do.

What a nice time we had with Sidney’s parents. It was a thrill to show them the beautiful Spokane Falls.

Thankfully, things were different this time around. With pandemic restrictions lifted, we were able to actually leave the house and show them our city and the surrounding areas. Don’t get me wrong, we had plenty of quality time just relaxing in our living room but it was nice to balance that out a bit. Here is a brief synopsis of how we spent our week together…

Beau felt right at home in his dada’s arms.

All Eyes on Sloan – The Saturday that my in-laws arrived, Sloan opened her t-ball season. They got to watch that opener and then they also attended the following two games on Monday and Wednesday. It was nice that they got to see Sloan in action in addition to all the cuteness that goes along with 5-year-olds playing t-ball. Another special component of the t-ball action was that my parents attended all three games along with my sister’s family (Sloan’s cousin, Johnny, plays on the team too). This not only allowed Sloan to have a large cheering contingent but it also provided our two families plenty of time to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.

Sid’s parents got to see Sloan play three t-ball games.

Sunday Fun – The first full day that Sid’s parents were here, we took advantage of the sunny weather and spent most of the day outdoors. We took them to Riverfront Park where they got to see the Spokane Falls up close, feed the garbage goat, watch the kids ride the carousel, and scope out the brand new inclusive playground. From there we went to Avista Stadium to watch the Spokane Indians host the Hillsboro Hoppers. Thanks to my sister-in-law we had box seats for a lovely afternoon of Minor League baseball. Although the Indians came up short, we had a fun time and ate plenty of ballpark food.

We watched a Spokane Indians game at Avista Stadium on a beautiful afternoon.

Coeur d’Alene Excursion – I took a half day from work on Monday and we took Mr. Sid and Brenda across the border to Coeur d’Alene. We ate lunch, looked at shops, played at a super cool playground, and drove along the lake. Although my in-laws have the ocean and other bodies of water in South Carolina, there is just something about admiring a picturesque lake that is surrounded by tree-covered mountains.

Sid’s mom watches Sloan play during our trip to Coeur d’Alene.

Eating Out! – I mentioned that while in Coeur d’Alene we ate lunch. Well, this time around we had many more opportunities to eat at restaurants since all COVID restrictions were lifted. We were able to take Sid’s parents to our favorite fast food restaurant (Zip’s), our special trucker greasy spoon (Broadway Diner), and in Coeur d’Alene we ate at a spot called Sweet Lou’s. The first night we ordered pizza from River City Pizza and later in the week we feasted on fried chicken from the Yoke’s deli. Despite all that yummy eating out, the best eats probably came from our home cooked meals. One night Sidney made spaghetti and another night Sid’s parents made their famous ribs.

We ate at Sweet Lou’s in Coeur d’Alene.

Time at Home – For all we did in and out of Spokane, we spent precious time just relaxing at our house too. We played games, watched TV, and talked. “Gami and Dada” also got to participate in our nightly books and prayers tradition and also got to be present when Beau and Sloan woke up in the morning. It was so comforting to have them under our roof.

Sid’s parents got to read to Beau and Sloan.

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We miss Sid’s parents but are so happy for the time we had with them. It was nice to show them our life out west and have them participate in it with us. They are two incredible great people and we can’t wait to see them again. Don’t Blink.