the perplexities of jaren

 So, this is a lot of background to a very funny story. While we were in Idaho, Jaren slept in a spare room that had a picture of Tyler's Grandpa Johnson (so Jaren's great-grandpa) on the wall. The first night we were there, he was asking Tyler who that was as he was going to bed. And he wanted to know why we didn't visit him. So, the next afternoon, we went to the cemetery where he is buried. We were explaining (or trying to) that the cemetery is a special, sacred place where people are buried after they die. 

The next day, we went into town to get some groceries and drove past the street that the cemetery is on. Jaren was in the car with Grandma and said, "There's the cemetery where Grandpa Johnson is buried! Yeah, but soon you and Grandma Haystack are going to die."

I was laughing so hard, and I still am! It was totally such a matter of fact with him. 

No emotion whatsoever.

 

Sitting around the campfire one night, Jaren said out of the blue, 

"Grandpa, do we have to pay for this camp?"

After we all stopped laughing, he replied,

"No, we don't. This is Idaho."  

SO true.

Showing the boys Uncle Jeff's buck. This was the night that Jaren looked up at the sky and noticed how many stars there are. With all the city lights and clouds, we just don't see them here. He was mesmerized. Then, one night out at camp, he asked me, "Mommy, do the stars come out of the fire?"  

I am shocked at the things he asks about sometimes. It's amazing.

 An afternoon drive to Sherman Peak. The day we picked huckleberries.

These three characters... Jaren and B (their cousin) were so funny to watch. She would chase him all over the place yelling "Jennen!!" and pull him to the ground. Of course he loved it, most of the time. :) Until they crashed on top of each other. And Kaden would join the fray and chase her, as well.

(the boys are in matching shirts because we took family pictures. I can't wait to show them to you!!)

 

 Underage driver at the controls!

 

Jaren calling them in, and Kaden ready to shoot. :) The last night before we left, Tyler and Grandpa took them on their own little hunting trip. It was the highlight of their vacation.