Kids have Fall Break now in school. I really don't understand this. However, that doesn't stop it from being a real thing. When the Mini's have a break in school, we usually get to see them for part of it. This year it covered the week of October 24 through October 28. We found the best time for them to visit was Saturday, October 22nd through Tuesday, October 25. Hayden had a cross country meet in Lexington that Saturday and we could have them after his meet. We had committed to attend Georgetown College tailgate and football game that afternoon. However, we could leave the game early with no problem. Andie asked if we could take the Mini's so she and Michael could have some time and she would come Monday. Andie is worn out with trying to keep up with all her stuff and she could use a break to do things at her own pace. Plus, Claude and love having the Mini's to ourselves. The plan was set and we would communicate with text message to arrange pick-up times in Lexington that Saturday.
Then Katelyn called. She was missing us. She said she usually only worked 3-4 days a week. She was wondering if she got 4 days in a row off if she might bring Raelyn for a visit. Well of course!! I suggested she call first to be sure we had no other commitments. She agreed. Then, voila!! The schedule was posted at her work and she could come to visit Sunday, October 23 and return home Wednesday, October 26. Claude and I assured her we could do that. I told Katelyn that was the weekend we would have the Mini's and they would be over the moon that Raelyn would be here. Katelyn thought about it and said, "Let's not tell them. Let's let it be a surprise." Okay. This would be fun. So Andie was told and asked to keep it secret and all was set in place.
Then Nissa found out Katelyn was planning on this trip by herself. Nissa said, "I would only have to have two days off." So, Nissa got two days off and she planned to come with Katelyn and Raelyn. We felt better knowing Katelyn would have company.
Then...Aubrey found out they were coming. She was between jobs and she asked if she could also come. Of course! We would be in for a full weekend with family in Sadieville. Yeah!!
We picked the Mini's up at A&W Root Beer in Lexington. We all had something to eat and then we left with Mini's in tow and Andie and Michael left to eat at a place they had heard of an never tried.
Bailey brought her newest game for us to play..."Puppyopoly". The girl does love animals. Saturday evening we played a round of Puppyopoly with our youngest grandmonster. She was very happy.
Sunday morning we had breakfast and hung out at the house during the morning. The plan was to take the Mini's to Evan's Orchard in the afternoon. They love Evan's Orchard. However, when we arrived that huge parking lot was fuller than I have ever seen it. There was a sea of people everywhere. This did not look like fun to any of the four of us. Claude and I have been wanting apple cider donuts this fall and we get them at Evan's Orchard. Claude found a parking space and we told the Mini's we would get donuts in the store and come back Tuesday afternoon to play at the play land. The Mini's felt good about this plan.
In the store we found the donuts right off. Hayden took Claude and headed to the fudge counter. I followed Bailey to the stuffed animal section. She was in search of a goat. She has a friend that has taken a liking to goats and she felt a strong need for a goat. She only found a mountain goat but that was close enough for her. She took it to Claude to see if it was okay for him to get it for her. He agreed, Hayden picked out fudge and we paid for everything and left. We did stop by the Kettle Corn tent and watch them make us a bag of Kettle Corn. While Claude stood in line I took a few pictures of the Mini's. The first one was to send to Andie and Michael and see of they could find their children. The second was the Mini's popping up from their hiding places. The third is Bailey and Hayden by a carved white pumpkin. And the last is Bailey and her goat in a school bus.
We stopped by Papa's before going home to Sadieville. The kids took turns with his walker and Bailey played under the stand of big pine trees in his back yard. Please note the goat in the trees with her. Oh my!
All this time I was checking for texts about the progress of the Michigan crew on the highway. I sent a text from Papa's asking where they were. They said they were in Dry Ridge, Kentucky. Oh my! They could get to the house before us. We bid Papa a quick good-bye promising to bring him out to Sadieville on Monday for a family day and then we hit the road still not having let the Mini's know that Raelyn was coming to play as well.
As we got close to the turn-in for our home, we pass this horse drawn cart. This time as we passed I got a big giggle out of the fact that in the back of the carts is a nice easy chair that looks just like a recliner. It may be cart drawn by a horse but they are riding in style in this thing.
Sure enough, Claude pulled into the driveway and there was a car already there. The Mini's quickly picked up on the fact it had a Michigan license plate. As Claude pulled up beside it, Aubrey was sitting in the front seat with Raelyn playing at her window. The Mini's saw her and fairly exploded. We had to remind them to stay seated until the car was parked in the garage. They were out like a flash and over to snuggle with this little cousin they love so very much. I should have had my cell phone camera going to catch that action but, alas, I didn't think that far ahead. I was just pleased as punch I had not blown the secret.
We got Raelyn inside and once she knew she could move around she was crawling everywhere. She had just learned to pull herself up to a standing position and we all delighted in this new skill. She grinned every time because she knew we were going to clap and praise her extensively.
She and Claude are just best friends. She loved sitting on his knee when he was in the big rocker. Look at that grin. Melts his heart. It is just like Evan, Claude's dad, used to do in his chair at the round oak dining table in Utah. Like father, like son.
In the evening the Mini's put on their bathing suits and we filled the whirlpool tub with water and let everyone play for a bit. Then Nissa and her girls went downstairs to sing around the piano. Raelyn thought this would be a good time to learn to climb stairs. She is very careful and didn't fall at all. But she can't get herself down after climbing up yet.
Grampa was in the basement blowing up the air mattresses so we had beds for everyone. Raelyn proved to be a delightful deterrent ummmmm, helper.
After a good night's rest for everyone, we awoke to a full day of family all together. Bailey determined it was her turn to feed Raelyn. It's fun to watch. Bailey never took to baby dolls. She played a little with Barbies. So watching the maternal instinct in action is just delightful.
Can you tell they love each other? Bailey, Raelyn and Hayden. Oh my this is great!
Bailey decided to take over our bed while Raelyn took a nap. She had the back up and knees up and the vibrating thing on. I truly think we got those features for the grandmonsters. We very seldom use them. I love that she is comfortable enough and feels at home enough in our home to do these things.
When Raelyn awoke the clock that moves and chimes was playing. Nissa gets this when we expire. As the loving Aunt, she has taken Bailey and Hayden in to play with it when they were babies. Now she gets to take her own granddaughter to learn about the clock. Let's train this little one up right.
I got the biggest kick out of watching Raelyn crawl over to the ray of light and sit and play with it. She loved the wood grain patterns on the floor. She loved crawling on the new carpet and then across the rug in front of the television that is from Kyrgyzstan. Then she would crawl over to the white chair in the living room and play with the fabric on it. She was really in to learning all the different textures of things.
These are my girls. They are lovely to me, inside and out. Nissa and Andie.
Bailey brought her Halloween costume and danced around in it for all of us. Here she is showing it to Raelyn. Hayden is in the foreground. He had a computer program that played backup music for his baritone. He was picking out something so we could listen to him play his band instrument.
Papa was out with most of the day on Monday. He absolutely loved watching Raelyn move around and grin at everyone. The first picture is Papa, Raelyn and Aubrey. The second picture is Papa, Aubrey holding up Raelyn and Nissa. The back of Bailey's head is in the foreground.
This is Hayden playing his baritone. He is getting better every time we hear him play.
This is Hayden's reaction when Katelyn was changing Raelyn's poopy diaper. He loves her but he is not ready for that, yet.
Tuesday night we took Raelyn to Fava's in Georgetown. They sell the best Frickles I have eaten anywhere. That is a fried dill pickle chip that is batter dipped and fried. You should see the video of her face all scrunched up as she at them. She liked them and was educated in another of her Mom's loves.
This is Raelyn in the little shirt and leggings we got her. Such a cutie.
In the evening she sat on Claude's knee again to brush her teeth.
Wednesday morning everyone headed their separate ways. What a nice visit we had. We never made it to the Orchard. That was okay. The weather got colder and we had some sniffles going on. But another rousing game of Puppyopoly filled that void quite nicely and pleased Bailey no end. Great that they want to come and be in Sadieville with us.
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