Gramma Was In Town...

Claude is a Kentucky Colonel. Every year the Colonel's have a big event. It used to be a picnic but they have now changed that to a day at Churchill Downs in the sky boxes. A very nice lunch is served. In the afternoon a refreshment is also served. It is a very nice affair with a dress code and table assignments.

Last year Claude and I went and had a wonderful day at the races. Claude received the invitation for this year's event and it was on a day I was sure I had a meeting. This information came last June when Bonnie was visiting for Katelyn's graduation from High School. I suggested to Claude that he purchase two tickets and ask his mom is she would like to come and go with him. He presented the idea to Bonnie and she was over-the-top excited about it.

Claude bought the tickets and he got three just in case I could come. Bonnie made her flight plans. This last week it all happened.

Bonnie arrived Tuesday, November 9th at Cincinnati Airport.

We had dinner at Mesquite's on the way home from the airport. Bonnie watches 'Dancing With The Stars' so we settled in for that Tuesday evening.

Wednesday we had a day at home for Gramma to rest up. She had a big genealogy project she wanted Claude to help her with while here, so they worked on that some. I went in to sing with Papa at the nursing home in the afternoon.

Thursday we took Bonnie to LaGrange to see Andie and her family. We actually plotted this day so that we could rest up on Friday. As it turned out, it was a great day to help Andie with the kids.

We got to LaGrange early enough to go to the Marx home and put a car seat in my car for Bailey. Andie was not there. She had a dentist appointment. We put the car seat in my car, then headed to Subway to get take-out lunches, then we headed to Hayden's school to have lunch with him. He was so happy to see us. He was very cute. They now have the families sit at a different table than the class. Hayden was watching his class carefully. He told me that when his teacher comes into the lunchroom that is the 'signal' to get ready to go back to class. He was watching from our table to be sure he was ready when his class was starting to get ready to leave. When his teacher came into the lunchroom, Hayden took Bonnie over to meet her.

Then we headed out the door to quickly get across country to Bailey's pre-school. Claude and Bonnie waited in the car and I headed in to pick up Miss Bailey. When the door was opened I bent down so I would be eye-level with her. She looked up from across the room and saw me and ran to jump in my arms. That feels soooooo good to a Gramma. I slowed her down enough to gather her jacket and book bag and a flyer from her teacher for Andie.

She informed Claude (Pa) that she needed french fries. He dutifully headed to McDonald's for a happy meal for Bailey. She was hungry chick-maiden because she downed the entire thing except for a few apple slices before she got home.

When we got to the Marx abode, Andie was there with a still numb mouth from seeing the dentist. We played with Bailey while Andie put together a veggie lasagna that for dinner that evening. The second picture is Bailey wearing Bonnie's shoes.

Bailey eventually laid down for quiet time. Andie and I walked down to pick up Hayden from the school bus. Hayden got a little play time prior to going to his doctor's appointment with Andie.

We eventually had everyone, including Michael, back home again for a nice lasagna dinner and some play time. Bonnie read and play some with the mini-Marx's and had a chance to visit with Michael and Andie. 

We bid farewell to the Marx family. For the story of that ride home check my Blog entry yesterday titled 'Irked'.

Friday was supposed to have been a quiet day to rest. Claude had a morning meeting in Lexington. We joined him at the AT&T store after his meeting. Claude purchased a new phone. I had mine officially diagnosed as broken. We ate lunch at Appleby's. I introduced Bonnie to one of my new favorites, "Wonton Tacos" (the chicken version). Then Claude and Bonnie headed back to Sadieville for rest and more genealogy and I went to Papa's apartment to work on his land line issues.

Saturday we were at the Georgetown building at 8am for the Worldwide Leadership Training broadcast about the new General Handbook for the Church. It was a really good broadcast.

Then we were off to the races. It was a wonderful afternoon. Very sunny when we got there and the clouds rolled in through the afternoon for a rainstorm that evening. Lunch was really good and then we pulled out our programs to check out the horses. We watched seven of the races that afternoon. Bonnie learned a little about the process and even bet and won several races. There are monitors in the rooms to watch while you sit at your table. But there are also sliding glass doors that let you out onto balconies where you can stand and watch the races under cover of the roof.

Bonnie wanted to be sure I got the airplane over the football stadium in the background. If you look closely you can see an airplane over that very full stadium. The seats are red in the Louisville stadium for the Cardinals but that Saturday every seat was full as they played a Florida school while the races were going on. All the red you see there is the people dressed in red for the game.

Our tablemates were a lady, who is the Kentucky Colonel, her hubby and her mom. They were interesting people who go to the races often.

I also had the winning sticker for the centerpiece. We now have another Kentucky Colonel bud vase.

After we left the races we headed back to the Marx home. Hayden had his birthday party with his little friends that day at lunch time. It was a Space themed party. We found a huge rocket on the front porch taped to a step ladder. We each had our pictures taken in the rocket just like the kids did when they came to the party. Here we are:

We had dinner of left over pizza and pasta salad from the party. We played some more and took a few family pictures to finish off this quick visit. Then we were headed back to Sadieville.

Sunday morning was spent with Claude on his visit to Owingsville Ward. This is such a fun ward to visit. It is the ward he will work with as High Councilor. Bonnie loved being there and totally enjoyed the meetings and the friendly people.

Monday I woke up with Charlie Horses in my side again. This happened once before and it is just muscles that get tense and spasm like a Charlie Horse in your legs. I still managed to move around and get some things done during our day of rest before Bonnie's big flying day to get home. Claude and Bonnie got some more genealogy done. Claude pulled out his jewelry making stuff in preparations for making Bonnie a pair of earrings. I got my new Blackberry and got it loaded with a lot of my stuff. I finished a crochet project for a wedding gift.

Tuesday we had a quiet morning with me starting the laundry and Claude making a big breakfast. Then Claude and Bonnie headed to the Family History Center for the afternoon. Claude showed her how to work in the New Family Search on the computer. Then they headed back to Sadieville where they scooped me up and Bonnie's luggage and we were off to the airport.

It was a full and very fun visit with Bonnie. We tried to provide rest time but it was still a very full week for her and us.