June Catch-up: Visit to Gran and Pop's

The last week in June we visiting my parents in Virginia. The girls talked about it for days before, asking "Are we going to Gran and Pop's house today?" several times before breakfast.

Finally we arrived - I didn't get many pictures, mainly because my mom was taking them on her camera constantly. But I did get a few cute ones.

Swinging on the huge swing. Lela was finally able to swing on the disc swing (well) for the first time, so of course her Pop had to make her a new one. The actually made and installed it together. How sweet!

A sweet thing happened while we were there. Two phoebe babies fell out of their nest. We got to watch the mother feed them and fuss over them. All the other birds, particularlly the bluebirds, came to watch as well. By the end of our visit, the phoebe babies were flying!

A too-quick visit to Aunt Bec's place - it is so cute! Everything is decorated just so, while still being comfortable, in a natural, ethnic, chic motif.

A didn't-go-as-planned trip to the Japanese steak house. My girls were terrified of the fire, smoke, and noise. Something to laugh about now, though it wasn't funny at the time.

Liv and her Grana. Liv was enjoying a special treat - a Shirley Temple - courtesy of Pop. I remember drinking those on special occasions, like beach trips, and it was nice that a tradition has been passed.

Pop with Laurel, enjoying her Shirley Temple.

And bushow!ing with Pop. When we were kids, we would "bushow!" in the ocean - get thrown into a wave with our dad. I don't believe that word has ever been documented until now. While this wasn't the ocean, Lela and her Pop sure did have a lot of fun.

Blueberry Goodness

Last night, we went blueberry picking with co-op friends. I didn't get many pictures, but it was idyllic - small farm feel, kids running through rows of blueberry bushes, picking until it was dark then driving home with quiet sleeping babies under the Full Moon.





Liv snapped this picture (among many others not suitable for publication) of a picked-over-but-full bush.



Lela slept in until after 9am, but as soon as she woke was ready to make blueberry pancakes. Laurel and Olivia were eager to get started.



Lela and Liv devour the results - from this recipe. Mentioned was the need to have a warmed plate in the oven, however that wasn't needed since they gobbled them down as fast, faster actually, than I could make them.



We weren't done with breakfast until after 10am! We piddled around the house, watering flowers from the rainbarrel which was thankfully full. We played on the swings - which have yet to be shared! We painted outside, which was more about the process of painting than the actual results. The girls painted stories of fireworks and faeries dancing in fields of red poppies. Then they swirled them away in color mixing bliss.

After the painting, pool time was in order! They washed off and I hosed off the craft table. Soon after Mike came home, and after dinner, there was more pool time. This time, they pretended that bits of floating grass were mermaids. I am guessing that mermaids will become a "new thing" around here for the girls.

Home.....

We had a nice time visiting The Grandparents this week. The girls enjoyed spending quality time with their Gran and Pop, and I will share adventures and pictures soon. Suffice it to say that they had a great time - and didn't want to leave. I bribed them with candy in order to get in their carseats.

But as a teaser to the soon-to-come post and pics - - - some highlights:

- baby birds
- bushowwing in the pool with Pop
- surprise 1/2 birthday!
- Japanese steak house not going as planned
- family treasures
- and they no longer will they say think that Pop is the only person on Earth who can make something out of wood. (Even though they have historically said everything wooden was crafted and magicked out of his hands.)

But for now I'm just glad to be sitting at home, with a glass of wine, talking with Mike about nothing, picking at the guitar and playing the same chords over and over. In other words, status quo.