Visit from Grandma

 

Since I was feeling so sick with my pregnancy, my mom and sister Lyndee decided that they would come visit me to help get my mind off of my mind off how I was feeling. I was totally excited for their visit, and it was successful in keeping my mind preoccupied.

Lyndee brought her baby, Audrey, with her. This was one of the highlights of their visit.

They had gotten in late on Friday night, my boys were of course asleep. The next morning I heard Audrey stirring and hoping I could help Lyndee get some rest, I went in to get Audrey. 

I went into the room she was staying in to find that Roger was standing over the pack and play that Audrey was in, trying to soothe her. I grabbed Audrey up and brought her into my bed. 

Like most mornings, William and Grant were in my bed for they usually find their way there during the middle of the night. William woke up just as I brought her in. He saw the baby and his eyes got extremely wide as he demanded, "Mom!! Where did you get that baby!" I'm not sure if he thought that I had had my baby or if I had stolen the baby from somewhere, but he was surely confused. 

I reminded him of Lyndee's visit and he was excited to play with Baby Audrey...as was all of the boys. 

 The last couple of weeks Grant has been taking his baby blanket (which actually was Michael's, but he has taken ownership of it), spreading it on the floor and telling me that he made me a place for me to change the baby's diaper--the baby that is in my belly. Not sure I want a blanket on the floor for the next 6 months.
To say that Grant was excited to have his blanket changing spot put to use would be an understatement.

 We loved having my mom and Lyndee here, but let's be honest, Audrey stole the show.

 She was loved

 She was adored

 She was cherished

 Probably more than she liked

Most of the days during their visit, Todd didn't work, so we girls got to play a lot while Todd watched the boys. We went to lunch a couple of times, went shopping - more than I have in the last 2 years put altogether. But we did do things with the kids: went to the local community theater showing of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat (one of my favorite, except I hate the Pottipher's wife scene. I really hate that they Hollywood-ized it rather than portray the true character of Joseph: run away from sin and temptation), we watched the boys in their Karate and Swim classes, went to the movie theater to watch the Muppet Movie.
We also let the boys play as we redecorated my dinning room and got rid of the top of the hutch.

Lyndee had to go home a day before my mom, so she missed Country Christmas Lights at Lake Farm Park, one of our favorite Christmas traditions.

The boys got to talk to Santa Claus,

 and no one cried! A first for us

 Michael didn't want to talk to him for he said that he didn't want anything for Christmas.

 Then we got to watch a horse show. There were some beautiful and majestic horses.

 After the boys pet the horses, we went and saw some of the other animals.
We had gone to Lake Farmpark when my dad visited us 6 weeks prior. We think that these pigs were the newborns we had seen with him.

 Roger sure loves animals...all animals. No wonder he loves chicken soup, everything in it except for the chicken.

 The boys took a ride on a pony

Then had just as much fun trying out some saddles

 Grandma Patti showed them how to ride

 

Then we traveled to Santa's workshop in the North Pole

Where with the help of Santa's elfs, the boys built their own toy

They were allowed to use drills

 they liked the power

 They hammered away

 

And were precise

 Until the toys were built (so glad that Grant has learned how to smile for the camera)

Then the boys took their toys to the next station and painted them. 

 Some requested some help

 Some just slopped along

Where some were extremely focused on not making a mess anywhere while covering every square inch of the toy with paint.

 

Regardless of the technique, the outcome was the same. A great time with many memories made.