2014 Memorial Day Weekend...

Friday, May 23rd, Claude and I went to Crestwood, Kentucky to enjoy a session at the Louisville, Kentucky Temple.  This was followed by a leisurely, delicious lunch at Red Robin.  A nap for Claude at Casa Marx and reading the next 39 Clues book would fill the remainder of our afternoon until Andie and the Mini's got home. 

We loaded Hayden and Bailey in my car and returned to Sadieville.  This would give Andie and Michael a night without the Mini's.  Andie planned to come on Saturday and this meant we would just have the kids until she got to our home to take over the parenting reins again.  Dinner was enjoyed at Dairy Queen in Frankfort on the way to Sadieville.

Saturday morning Claude and I took the Mini's downstairs to help with a project needing completing.  While living in Maryland, we purchased a turtle sandbox when grandmonsters started arriving. When we moved to Kentucky, we left the turtle sandbox for the next owners of our town home who had two children. Then grandmonsters started moving to Kentucky and a friend told us she might be able get us another turtle sandbox for free from her neighbor who didn't use it. Claude made a nice ledge on our hill in the back yard for the sandbox to sit on under the trees.  Now our grandmonsters have all outgrown the sandbox age. Claude emptied the sandbox and brought it up the hill.  My job was to clean it up and get it ready to be given away. Somehow, it seemed like the cleaning process might be a fun adventure with the Mini's.  It was every bit of fun one can imagine.

 After cleaning the sand box and all the toys that go with it, those industrious Mini's moved on to watering tomatoes and cleaning the patio and deck furniture.  Bonus for this Gramma!!

We headed inside for an ice cream treat to cool down after all that hard work.  Hayden had earned time to play on the computer. Bailey chose to take our three nice sets of dominoes and create a castle.

 

Andie stopped in Georgetown and picked up Papa and Tiny for a visit. It was an absolutely beautiful day Saturday. Temperatures in the high 70's and a gentle breeze with very little humidity. Bailey and I were on the front porch when Andie and Papa arrived. Bailey was covering the concrete with chalk art.  Hayden joined us and Claude got up for his nap to join us. We all sat on the front porch and enjoyed the day.

Claude showed the kids his chain saw. At some point we talked about using chain saws and they were curious. After their chainsaw lesson, he backed his Jeep out of the garage and drove the new John Deere tractor out and hitched up his trailer to it.  It was time to give the Mini's a ride in the trailer.  I have pictures when Hayden was a little boy and came to visit.  Claude was spreading new dirt in beds all over the yard. He had a pallet full of bags of soil to spread.  He would fill up the trailer and take it to the places he wanted to spread it. Hayden sat in that trailer for hours playing in the dirt as Claude spread it.  It was time for another trailer experience.

 

After their ride all over our empty lot and the lot with our home on it, it was time for the Mini's to each get a turn driving the tractor 'by themselves' with an attentive Grampa behind.  Claude is sure he broke a few rules doing this but it was so much fun for the Mini's. The grins on Claude's face were priceless.

 While Hayden took his turn, Bailey enjoyed a little time with her Papa. He was so happy.

 Then Bailey got her turn to drive the tractor. 

 

Hayden and I tried our hand at keeping a badminton birdie in the air.  We were awful but we enjoyed ourselves.  Then Bailey and Claude tried a game of horseshoes. 

 

The sun started to shine on us as it crossed over our home so we retreated inside until the shadows were over the back yard.  We fixed dinner and all ate on the deck.  It was such good use of a lovely day.

Sunday, Claude and I headed to church in the morning.  Andie and the Mini's had a relaxing morning at home. When I got home they were finishing up a round of fun in the sprinkler in the back yard. The turtle sandbox was filled with water for play.  We were blessed with another beautiful day.  We had a visit from the President Jenkins, our stake president. He wanted to be sure Claude was okay after losing the election. Very thoughtful of him. We were fine immersing ourselves with family. Claude grilled burgers and we dined on the deck again. Movies were watched in the evening by the Mini's while Andie, Claude and I enjoyed talk on the deck. At one point I heard the Mini's in the living rooms say, "They are still out there. Yippee!!"

Today, Monday, Andie and the Mini's stayed until about 10:30am.  Then they were off to get a few chores done on their way home.  They also included a trip to Rebecca Ruth's Candy for a tour on their way home.

At 11:30am Claude and I left for Brooking's Park in Georgetown.  The Georgetown Ward (congregation) were having a Memorial Day picnic.  Lots of members attended.  Claude took his lemonade stand and finished off the unused lemonade mix for the Sadieville Armed Forces Day Picnic. It was a hit and very much appreciated as today was a lot hotter and much more humid.  I took kids games for the Primary age children to play.

This is a picture of Claude helping CJ Alcorn with his Citizenship and the Community Merit Badge for Scouts. 

 This is Caitlynn Parker.  She is such a cutie.

This is Bishop Brad Manwaring and his son Breck cooking hot dogs and hamburgers.  I like that Bishop is scratching his head almost like, "What have I gotten myself into?"

 The next pictures are the Primary children enjoying a 3-leg race.  

 

 

 

Claude and I were so hot after the picnic that we loaded our gear in the Jeep and headed directly to Dairy Queen for an Orange Julius for Claude and a pina colada smoothie for me. They were soooooo very good.

It has been a great Memorial Day weekend.  Reality will hurt tomorrow.