Awesome & Stupendous

Today is the first of a three day adventure with our two youngest grandmonsters. It is Michael's birthday this weekend. Andie is giving him a few days to themselves at home called a 'staycation'. Claude and I get Hayden and Bailey for those three days.

This afternoon we drove to LaGrange and picked them up after Hayden got home from school. We drove from LaGrange to the Peytonia/Waddy exit off I-64. They had gas for $3.33/gallon. A steal for gas lately and we wanted to be sure we got some of that before it went up. This turned out to be a good thing because by the time we got back our Pilot station's price went up 10 cents from when we left Sadieville at 11am to $3.55/gallon.t

We made note of the fact that this Love's Gas Station also had a McDonald's and that was where we wanted to take our little charges for dinner. It would split up their long ride to Sadieville.

Hayden and Bailey were super excited they were getting McDonald's for dinner. They were also super excited to be out of the car for a bit. Claude filled the car and I took the Mini's in to order their dinner.

They each ordered a hamburger Happy Meal with fries and chocolate milk and apples. I tossed that caramel dip before they figured out what it was. Yeah me for that save of sugar.

Claude joined us as soon as he moved the car and parked it. We enjoyed our dinner and the Mini's ate every single thing in their meals. We were most impressed.

Hayden was tickled that this gas station had a McDonald's, a Subway and the Love's market on the inside. He also figured out you could walk through all of that without going outside. He was really anxious to show it to me. I asked him if Claude could go with him and that was perfectly fine. So he and Grampa headed to find the Love's store.

Bailey continued to dip her apples in ketchup and eat them. Go figure. I'm not complaining, just making note. The girl ate her fries with her ketchup, then finished her hamburger dipping each bite in her ketchup and finished her apples by dipping them in the ketchup first then eating them.

Claude and Hayden returned with treasures in hand. They found little light sabres that actually lit up with M&M characters as Star Wars characters on the outside. Claude eventually figured out that inside the handle was a little bag of M&M's. Hayden picked out a blue light for him and a red light for Bailey. They were thrilled and this kept them busy for the rest of the trip home.

We made it home to Sadieville just in time. The kidlings were ready to be out of the car. We unloaded the car and then the kids ran and made sure things were as they knew they should be inside the house. I just love that part. It pleases me no end when the family is at home in this home of ours.

Michael purchased Hayden snorkeling gear and Hayden brought it with him. The intent was to put up the wading pool tomorrow and he wanted to try it there. The weather is now calling for rain but that wasn't going to stop Hayden. He really wanted to try his gear tonight so he fetched it from their suitcase, gave it to Claude and they went to the kitchen to get the packaging open.

Bailey and I headed to the bathroom to fill the whirlpool tub. I have created a monster. Bailey looked at my vanity in the bathroom and said, "I need to put in my contacts."  Translation...I need to play in your make-up. I let her do this last visit and now she wants to do it again. Bailey applied her make-up while I filled the tub.

Claude and Hayden got the packaging open and Hayden tried the gear on in the kitchen first.

Then we were off to play in the tub. Hayden figured out the particulars of how to work the goggles and the snorkel. Then he played for at least and hour and a half. He was one very happy boy. Even figured out he could swim with them on and gave that a go in the big tub. He had me add water to the tub and loved watching the water come into the tub from underwater. My favorite statement was, "The underwater world is AWESOME!!"

Bailey was a great little sister and added toys for him to search for under the water. She was having such a great time and she said, "This is stupendous!!" Where do they get these words?

By 8:30pm I had them out of the tub and in pajamas. Grampa set up a show for them. Then it was off to find our beds and get them to bed for the night. They settled in just fine and were so worn out that sleep came easily for each of them.

I made cookie dough for us to cut out cookies on Saturday and bake them. It was a good first day of this weekend.