Uncle Ralph comes to Idaho...

Uncle Ralph had a work trip to Ontario Oregon and flew into Boise Tuesday morning... so we got to spend the day with him.

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Not sure how much time we would have, I hadn't really planned anything, so we just figured it out as we went along.

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He had a rental car and travels with a GPS, so he drove right to our house. The dogs were as excited to see him as anyone was. And even though he doesn't mind dogs, he is adamant about NO LICKING!

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Sorry, I wrecked my dogs, when they were all puppies I had to have puppy kisses and I love the smell of puppy breath. So that is how we show our affection around here... they don't know how to turn it off for strangers.

He coped pretty well, and Taylor fell in love with him because he would play fetch!!

After the tour (it was his first time to my house) aka the "grubby tour" because the house was not clean; I had to just let that go and cherish that he was here with us. We made some hoagie sandwiches and watched a Netflix show he has the teenager hooked on now called "The IT Crowd". It is British humor and falls into that so stupid it's funny stuff, like "the office" type of show to me; so I spend allot of time rolling my eyes, but he and the teenager were laughing out loud.

Then we decided to go for a drive, maybe to see the strong silent mysterious man at work... but ended up on the other end of town to pick up some headphones at Target. We found some Tye die clothes and tried to get pics to send to Panda.... but they had kind of dull yucky colors and we lost the photos on his blackberry, so this is the only one.

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I don't mind the gray and white, but maybe with a bright pink or grey and yellow would be pretty to mix up the color combos. They just didn't have bright colors, they were all muted and very dull. Long arms are great to document everyone and the store sign into one shot :)

Next stop, Sonic!! Ralph had never been, they don't have them in Seattle yet.

Of course he was enjoying his treat until he sucked up chopped up, very bitter cherry pits that had somehow gotten into his drink.
It's usually the strong silent mysterious man that ends up with the strange things in his food that have to be sent back... I guess Ralph was in that seat since Jim was at work.

But Sonic was good about bringing him a new one and trying to make it right.

As we were driving home, I got a call and my strong silent mysterious man called to give me heads up that he got a little scuffed up playing football at break with his crew. I said out loud "you know how I feel about you playing football with a bunch of 21 year old boys?"

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When I hung up, Ralph asked me about that comment.

We had a very good brotherly talk and he reminded me that I am NOT Jim's mother!!

Yep, he does have his own mother and what a heavy cross that was for me to carry, "put it down"!!

I think I really needed to hear that, I am a worrier, and I do have very strong motherly instincts that kick in and I am often very heavy with burden worrying about other people in ways that I really don't need to!

And my teenager doesn't need the same mother he did when he was learning to walk.

I promise to try and do better!

Somehow I knew that, but just couldn't let it go... it's much easier said than done. Hearing it from my brother made me realize I was missing out on allot because I was so busy being my husbands mother, I didn't have time to be his wife and eternal companion.

It's hard, but I promise to try!!

We had shredded pork corn shell tacos for dinner and I tried to send him off with a Little Debbie Oatmeal cookie... we used to LOVE those when we were kids. My Grandma always had them at her house when we would come visit in the 3rd cupboard inside one of those yellow tupperwear round stackables... they other two had M&M's and those chocolate wafer cookies that you can eat in layers or peanut brittle if my big brother was with us. Much to my surprise he said he "gave them up a long time ago". What? I didn't push it, and I totally get trigger food! But really walking away from the little deb's?

I couldn't even ask about Krispy Kreme donuts after that.

Darn, I forgot to remember to have him sign our guest book... I hope I get to see him before he goes home Thursday morning.

I love my brother so much, it was so fun to have him all to ourselves for the day!