A 'Mini' Vacation...

Thursday, December 6th was the final Institute class for the fall semester. What to do, what to do, now that I don't have to prepare a lesson for a few weeks...hmmmm...I know! We'll take a Mini vacation!! That's right folks, when you are so worn out you need a break you should volunteer to watch the two youngest grandmonsters overnight. That is just guaranteed to put all things back in perspective.

Friday morning Claude had a meeting in Georgetown. I had some errands in Georgetown. We packed our gear and I drove him into Georgetown in my car and dropped my Big Guy off at the curb. Then I headed to K-Mart. I found many things I'm sure I needed on some level. Then it was off to Papa's to drop off some thing. I can't even remember what but I'm sure that was important as well. Then I stopped in the Family Dollar store just to see what they had and picked up a couple of items to entertain the Mini's. Then it was off to find a parking space on Main Street in Georgetown and await the arrival of my honey. United Bank had just the spot.

As I sat in this spot and pondered which of the many things I brought to entertain myself if Claude's meeting ran long (which it did), I realized I was sitting right in front of The Country Peddler. One of the items I was looking for was something Christmasy to hang on my bird house chain on the front porch. I wandered this quaint little store and finally found the perfect thing, a big deep red bell. Now I could go to my car and peacefully work on a project I brought to entertain myself.

Claude's meeting ran a bit longer and I enjoyed my quiet time in my car on Main Street.  When he arrived we headed to Frankfort for lunch. Then off to LaGrange to be there before the Mini's school bus arrived.

It was a rainy day so Claude drove me to the corner of the kids street to meet the bus. We loaded the Mini's in the car and drive back to the Marx garage.

The Mini's were allowed to each watch a show and have an after school snack. Then we settled down for a serious game of 'Trouble'. This was a little game I picked up at K-Mart and it was simple enough Bailey could play on her own. Andie was able to stay out and finish her shopping before coming home to get ready for her Mom's Club Christmas party.

Bailey entertained herself playing with my camera. I just love this self-portrait. I really think it looks like a hippie from the 60's.

I crocheted the beginning to a bunch of the granny squares I need for a new baby blanket. Since the yarn changes colors on each row, there were a lot of ends to be tied in before I start the next rows. Bailey took this picture of my hands at work. Then she took the pieces I finished and made an octopus out of them.

The Mini's DVR's the new movie about Sofia, the newest Disney princess. Claude got us pizza for dinner. Andie returned and began preparing her items to contribute as food for the Mom's Club party.

I purchased little workbooks for each of the kids at the Family Dollar Store. We spent some time playing in those. I also purchased some Christmas ornaments to paint. Bailey painted her four and left two for Hayden.

We ended our day with the movie about Santa and his father and two sons and the change in transportation from the sleigh to the space ship. I believe it had the name Arthur in it. It was a cute movie.  The Mini's were quite worn out and gave us absolutely no issues with getting them tucked into bed.

Saturday morning the Mini's actually waited a while before they knocked on the wall for me to get up and come play. So cute. I really wanted to get up as soon as I heard them but I know that their ability to entertain themselves on a Saturday morning can be important for a mom and dad so I didn't want to stop the Mini's skills in this area.

I joined them and we quietly tiptoed downstairs so Claude and Andie could sleep a little longer.

The Mini's wanted to watch their Princess Sofia movie and, in the interest of keeping the house quiet, I said that was a great idea. I worked on my crocheted squares and they watched the movie at my sides.

One thing that had to be done in the morning was find this year's 'Elf on the Shelf'. Last year he was named Chippy. This year he is named Harry George. How did he get such a name?  Hayden chose Harry for Harry Potter. Bailey chose George from George of the Jungle. Hence, this years elf is Harry George. He was found in the toy room playing a game with Spiderman.

Andie came downstairs later and made a nice breakfast for everyone. Then it was time to play again.  Pa (Claude) entertain the Mini's with wrestling. This was much appreciated since Michael is usually the provider of all wrestling matches and he was out-of-town. Please note the look on Hayden's face versus the look on Claude's face in this picture. Priceless!!

Bailey was super happy that I let her cut herself a length of my yarn for her necklace. We tied all her painted Christmas ornaments  with the yarn and she had a grand necklace to wear.

Andie is a mom full of projects. She had two for her children Saturday morning. The first was to find that box of candy canes left over from last year. Candy canes located, she turned the oven on to a very low temperature, lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper and placed the candy canes on it. The fun was unwrapping these aged candy canes. After they heated a bit they became soft and bendable. Hayden and Andie made letters and the kids enjoyed a bit of a sugar high.

Bailey determined she needed to be wrapped with ribbon like a package, carried through the house, and delivered to me as a gift. The person to perform this service for her was her Pa. It was so amusing to observe. Bailey was dressed in her dragon costume. Mind you they started this project with Pa laying on the loveseat and Bailey standing beside. Then they moved Pa to the floor with Bailey standing beside giving specific instructions on the process. The ribbon fell off and they had to make her a package again. Then Claude had to get up and carry Bailey around the mail level and deposit her with me. Such a production and so much movement for Pa. Can you say, "wrapped around her little finger"?? 

Andie's second project for the morning was taking pipe cleaners, cutting them into 3 pieces each, letting the kids twist them together into a star-like shape and then suspending them in a heated Borax solution. They were then placed on the window sill to be very still for 24 hours. By then the crystals should form around the pipe cleaners and made beautiful snowflakes, which the Marx's will put in their back windows. That Borax solution was also colored with different colors of food coloring the Mini's chose.

 At some point in the afternoon, I determined I should probably get dressed. I headed upstairs, made our bed and changed clothes. When I peeked in Bailey's bedroom I found her Daisy Girl Scout vest on her horse. 

We had a late lunch with the Mini's and Andie followed by Claude trying to take a brief nap before our drive back to Sadieville. Bailey determined she needed to be there as well. She scrunched into her end of the sofa and made herself comfortable and told Claude he needed to move up a little on his end so she had more room. Goodness. Such a girl. 

We finished our visit with a game of Apples to Apples.  We had a great 'Mini' vacation.