Round Two of Family...

Drew and Katelyn wanted to come visit over New Year's. This was fine with us. Our major concern was weather. It would be December into January and there is always the possibility of very bad weather. So, we agreed to all watch the weather and, if it was bad, they would change their plans even if it was the last minute. 

They left Saturday morning, December 30th. Sure enough there was a major snow storm for them in Michigan on Friday. The possibility of not coming was very real. They determined to wait until there was some time for road clearing before they left on Saturday so they didn't get away until closer to 9am. But they felt like they could get out of the snow and be okay. That did happen and, other than a back up in traffic in another spot, they did just fine. Slow and steady wins the race. I sent them pictures of the snow we were having in Kentucky. One picture had a ruler in the snow on the back deck. It measured a whole quarter of an inch!!

We kept the Marx family informed and they came to spend the first night with the Roper family also. So Saturday was great family time. 

Each year I put up a small tree in the basement with lights and garland. Then I leave the box of ornaments and the grandmonsters can decorate as they see fit. The Mini's didn't get any ornaments on the tree at Christmas. Bailey was getting sick, Hayden hurt his ankle before they came (hence the makeshift cane out of a wrapping paper tube), and then Hayden started to get what Bailey had. So tree decorating was not on their interest list. But we left the tree up and the lights on and waited to see if Raelyn might enjoy putting on an ornament or two. Really, the tree lights just stay on and it becomes the nightlight as the Mini's sleep in the family room when they come. 

Bailey took Raelyn downstairs and taught her the fun of decorating the kid's tree. I think they had fun.

Sunday morning, I awoke to a tiny little knock on our bedroom door. Katelyn took this picture. Raelyn was wanting us to wake up and play. How cute is that!! 

The Marx family would visit through the morning and part of the afternoon. Then they would head back to LaGrange to do their own family celebration for New Year's. Bailey asked me if she could do an experiment. I asked her if she had one in mind. She did. Go figure! She had heard that, if one puts a uncooked egg in its shell in a bowl and covers it with vinegar and leaves that overnight, that the egg will get soft. Okay. I had eggs, vinegar and bowls. So I told her where things were and she went to work setting up her experiment on Saturday evening. Sunday morning this is what she found with her egg. The hard shell was soft and you could squish the egg. The white part would rub off with your finger and the membrane under the white shell held the egg together. It was a nice experiment and Bailey was very happy it worked like she understood it would. I was amazed. You can really learn some cool stuff around grandmonsters.

Then Bailey determined Raelyn needed a tent to play under. I found the purple camouflage fabric I bought to make tents out of and Bailey set to work to create a tent with the breakfast table chairs. Raelyn was a little concerned about going under but Bailey showed her how and soon Raelyn was very happy in their little spot. Her doll came in with her. When the Marx family was getting ready to leave they asked if they should take it down for me. I asked them to leave it in case Raelyn wanted to play under it some more after they left.  

Raelyn loves horsey rides. Bailey was happy to oblige. I went to take a video of them and all I got was Raelyn sliding off Bailey's back and them giggling.  

We pulled out the doll stroller for Raelyn to play with the doll. Turns out she and Bailey figured it was a perfect fit for Raelyn and Bailey pushed her all over the house in the doll stroller.  

Nissa, Raelyn's grandmother, would have enjoyed this. Raelyn loves to play Ring Around the Rosie with Nissa. She got Bailey to play it with her.  

And the big whirlpool tub in our bathroom was used again. Bailey played with Raelyn. Claude and I never use this tub but the grandmonsters surely do. 

The Marx family left and we settled into the basement to watch the three Lord of the Rings movies.  This is a tradition Claude and I look forward to each New Year's Eve. We start about 3pm and watch all three of the Lord of the Rings movies back-to-back. That is about nine hours of movie viewing so we finish around midnight. Katelyn stayed with us one New Year's several years ago so she understood what we would be doing, that good food would be provided and a crochet project would be done by me while watching. Drew has never seen or read the Lord of the Rings so this would be an experience for him. I assured them that he could watch the television upstairs if there was something else he would rather see. But he was a good egg and watched all three with us. 

Raelyn was up for the first one. She played around with toys and pretended to play the piano. Then it was time for her to go to bed while we watched the remaining movies. We enjoyed shrimp and wings and lots of chips and dip and lots of other good things. It was a very nice evening.

We didn't find out until later in the week that we missed all the excitement outside between midnight and 12:30am. Our street is just very quiet. Occasionally a neighbor will have a party or people over to watch a ball game and there will be a bunch of cars and more commotion that usual. But we really are a quiet neighbor. Until this New Years. Around midnight at the house two doors down from our home, a man had the police called on him for abusing his wife. Evidently they blocked off the entry to Eagle Bend, the man brandished a gun at the police and threatened them, threw something at his wife and physically abused her. The end result was that he was arrested and put in jail and told not to go near her, etc., etc., etc., Goodness. There were multiple police cars and lights and a lot of commotion. We didn't hear any of it. Not one bit. We only found out when Claude went to City Hall and our City Clerk told him about it. She also lives on our street but closer to the entrance. She and her hubby had been out for New Year's with friends from their church and had a bit of work to get back into the subdivision when they got home. I found all this amazing. Saddened that it happened in our community. Saddened that there are children in that home who must have witnessed this horror. And amazed that it all happened and the Mayor was watching movies in his basement totally unaware of it. Go ahead. Chuckle at that.

I was right about leaving the tent up. Raelyn and Katelyn played under it the next day.

Claude loves this little nugget. She is cautious about who cuddles with her. But she warmed up to Claude again over these few days with the Ropers.  

Monday, New Year's Day, Katelyn and I went to visit Papa while Raelyn napped. They had the nursing home in a critical way that week and most of the next. About half the residents had the flu and the other half had pneumonia. Papa didn't have either but he has a congested cough in the top of his throat that he has had for a good while. All residents were confined to their rooms so as not to spread germs. Meals were brought to them but they couldn't go to the dining room or be in the halls. I was still visiting Papa every day though. If I had a fever or a cough, I was not to come. I had to sanitize my hands upon entering and exiting and stay in Papa's room with him while I visited. I was told I could take him out but the temperature has been in the single digits with wind chills below zero all that time so taking him out was prohibitive. I was told I really shouldn't bring anyone in but, clearly, I didn't think that applied to Katelyn. So off we went to visit her Papa. 

He was so very happy to see her peek her head around the curtain in his room. His eyes lit up and he grinned so big. We showed him pictures of Christmas and New Year's of the family. A few videos we took of those things. He reveled in that. Then Katelyn asked Papa to say Hi to Nissa while she videoed him. He did that and Katelyn sent the video to Nissa. Nissa responded with a hello to Papa and a request for nose sugar. This was a thing with Papa and his grandchildren. Katelyn gave Papa the phone to watch Nissa saying hi to him. Then he remembered his nickname for her 'Kanissa Mantha Maybelle'. Katelyn was videoing him with my phone while he watched Nissa on my phone. Katelyn was so very happy she got his voice saying Nissa's nickname on video. Then she told Papa she wanted a selfie of them. So she crawled up beside him in the bed and took this great selfie. What a treasure of a picture to have. It was worth the risk of illness to have this visit with Papa.

Back to the house and play for the afternoon and evening. By this time Raelyn was getting comfortable with plundering. This was something I did in my Mother's parents home when I was little. In the drawer of the entry way table she found an old map of Maryland. She tore parts of it off and then used it like a blanket to sit on. Who ever thought an old paper map could be so much fun? Not I said the Little Red Hen. 

My crochet project for New Year's Eve was a sweater made out of a crocheted circle. Katelyn found the picture and pattern a couple of years ago. I saved it. I had some purple yarn and set to trying to make this for Raelyn. The lady that created this pattern abbreviated some things and so I had to improvise to get it to work. But Raelyn was very happy with it. It doesn't fit just right but that truly does not matter. Raelyn has a thing for anything crocheted. I have made her a few blankets that she sleeps with and puts her fingers through the weave to go to sleep. This little sweater will be great fun for her to play in and tote around.  

Monday evening Claude was really wanting to bake a cake mix. I think he wanted chocolate cupcakes. Katelyn said she would love to bake with her Grampa. So they put their heads together, checked the cabinets to find what was available and made this love four layer cake. It was very good. Katelyn says she is now ready to make a birthday cake for Raelyn this month.

Tuesday morning the Ropers would leave. We had a biscuits and gravy breakfast to get them ready for the cold ride back north. Claude got a little help from Raelyn. He was in heaven.  

We had a lovely visit with the Ropers. So grateful they want to come and visit. Grateful they made it safely coming and going. Grateful the Marx family came and those little cousins had some more time to spend together. Just a lot to be very grateful for.