Grandma Mary's Memorial Weekend

The journey began at 7:30 AM in the morning. Happy faces and giddiness. Collin didn't ride with us, but he got to ride with Grandma and Grandpa.

3 hours later we were at the ranch in Cascabel, AZ. It is worm caterpillar season down there and there were about 15+ caterpillars per square foot. You could not avoid them. The ground was squishy and crunchy and they loved to crawl up pant legs.

This caterpillar was giving "Jack" a very long and wiggle nose.

Collin and Max were filling up empty water bottles to see who could catch the most caterpillars. (It was getting pretty disgusting.)

We learned something new about Melody. She is scared to death of caterpillars. Petrified to the bone. She had to be held by someone or up high in a camping chair the entire time we were at the ranch. (about 4 hours). This picture was taken about in the middle of this traumatic experience and she was exhausted.

Can't go to the ranch without a ride on the zipline.

A lot of the locals showed up to tell stories about Grandma Mary.

Dad sprinkled some of Grandma Mary's ashes in the grove so that she can always be at the ranch.

After the ranch we left around 3:00 and headed to Safford. That night we went to a hotel for swimming, pizza, and much needed rest out of a car. The kids were getting pretty angry about being in a car. The next morning around 10:AM we went to the Pima Cemetery to bury the rest of Grandma Mary next to Grandpa Max.

Malcolm and Carter starting to dig, looking for Grandpa Max.

Arabians and Ultralights. You will never see another tombstone like it.

After about 2 1/2 feet we found Grandpa Max.

Grandma Mary next to Grandpa Max. Grandpa's box is made of cedar (sorry if that is wrong Uncle Tom) and Grandma's is made of mesquite. Thanks uncle Tom for building these.

Melody helping bury Grandma Mary.

Quintin taking his turn to help.

All prettified.

Whoops misplaced pic. Collin helping bury Grandma.

After saying our goodbyes to Grandma Mary. We went across the cemetery to visit the other the side of the family.

Carter has the most popular name ever!!

Hello to Grandpa Carter.

So as we were driving away from the cemetery, my cousin (second, removed, i am not sure) decided to make the day special by flying my Grandpa Max's first ultralight over the grave sight for everyone to see.....

..........and then he wrecked it. No funeral is complete without an ultralight crash. The guy is ok, the ultralight was not.

Driving though Safford to see the sights. Look close, the sign says white trash party. Sadly we did not go.....

One of my relative's, many times removed or something, owns a hamburger joint in Pima.

This is the house where my Grandpa Max was born in.

And to complete the quest we got ourselves some family pics since everyone was together.

Just siblings and parents. Aren't we cute?!?

And of course the attempt with the grandkids picture. You take what you can get.
So for some family members it was over 500 miles in two and a half days. For our little family we extended our trip to 3 days and had the least driving to do...about 300ish.