The Homestead
As many of you know, my parents have been building a house in Leavenworth over the past year, and this past weekend we were finally able to spend some time there!
For those of you who don't know the back-story (or my kids who may someday read this), here's why this little slice of heaven means so much to me....
In 1922 my Great Grandparents, Edgar and Hazel Connon, moved from Independence, Missouri to start a new life out West. My Great Grandpa had been in the Navy, and while coming off a ship in Virginia, saw a crate labeled for Leavenworth WA and decided that is where they would go. Fast forward a few months and they were homesteading 120 acres of land off the Chumstick highway.
Here they made a life for themselves and their three children: Isabelle, Ruth (my Grandmother), and Luther. My Dad has fond memories of visiting "Grandma and Grandpa" in Chumstick while growing up: watching his Grandpa wave the train down to pick them up on their way back to Seattle, decorating freshly cut Christmas trees with strings of popcorn, and enjoying wonderful home cooked meals made by his Grandmother.
In the early 1980's health issues moved my Great Grandparents to a nursing home which is when my Grandparents bought the property. They rented out the house my Grandma grew up in and the little white house up the lane, then a few years later, began building a second home / cabin of their own.
And here's where my childhood memories of Chumstick begin.
My Grandparents place was complete in 1982 and I have many fond memories of long summer days, snowy winter weekends, and countless Thanksgiving celebrations at the property. Some of my best memories include sledding down the big hill, hiking with my Grandma, building fires with my Grandpa (with "perfectly" placed logs), swinging in the shade of an apple tree, and watching my Grandma tend to her garden.
In the early 1990's my parents purchased 20 acres with the plan to build a place of their own. Although the intention was there, they went back and forth for years, then finally last year, they decided to build.
Since then they have been knee-deep in the process. From siding and appliances, to carpet and window treatments, they have spent countless hours pouring over these decisions and are finally nearing completion.
Our holiday weekend was spent settling in, taking long morning walks to see the "choo-choo" and horses (something I loved as a kid), and going into town for fun evenings out.
It was amazing to spend time with my family in a place that means an unspeakable amount to me. Whether watching Abigail walk up to the barn her Great Great Grandfather built, teaching Kevin to put his ear to the track to listen for oncoming trains, or laughing as Abigail happily yelled "yay house!" each time we pulled back up the lane, I was blown away by the joy I felt coming home to a place so rooted in my DNA.
Five generations later we are still in love with this land, and I can't wait for a third generation of Grandkids to start making memories coming to Grandma and Grandpa's place in Chumstick.
For those of you who don't know the back-story (or my kids who may someday read this), here's why this little slice of heaven means so much to me....
In 1922 my Great Grandparents, Edgar and Hazel Connon, moved from Independence, Missouri to start a new life out West. My Great Grandpa had been in the Navy, and while coming off a ship in Virginia, saw a crate labeled for Leavenworth WA and decided that is where they would go. Fast forward a few months and they were homesteading 120 acres of land off the Chumstick highway.
Here they made a life for themselves and their three children: Isabelle, Ruth (my Grandmother), and Luther. My Dad has fond memories of visiting "Grandma and Grandpa" in Chumstick while growing up: watching his Grandpa wave the train down to pick them up on their way back to Seattle, decorating freshly cut Christmas trees with strings of popcorn, and enjoying wonderful home cooked meals made by his Grandmother.
In the early 1980's health issues moved my Great Grandparents to a nursing home which is when my Grandparents bought the property. They rented out the house my Grandma grew up in and the little white house up the lane, then a few years later, began building a second home / cabin of their own.
And here's where my childhood memories of Chumstick begin.
My Grandparents place was complete in 1982 and I have many fond memories of long summer days, snowy winter weekends, and countless Thanksgiving celebrations at the property. Some of my best memories include sledding down the big hill, hiking with my Grandma, building fires with my Grandpa (with "perfectly" placed logs), swinging in the shade of an apple tree, and watching my Grandma tend to her garden.
In the early 1990's my parents purchased 20 acres with the plan to build a place of their own. Although the intention was there, they went back and forth for years, then finally last year, they decided to build.
Since then they have been knee-deep in the process. From siding and appliances, to carpet and window treatments, they have spent countless hours pouring over these decisions and are finally nearing completion.
Our holiday weekend was spent settling in, taking long morning walks to see the "choo-choo" and horses (something I loved as a kid), and going into town for fun evenings out.
Five generations later we are still in love with this land, and I can't wait for a third generation of Grandkids to start making memories coming to Grandma and Grandpa's place in Chumstick.
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