At the end of September Layla had two days off school, so being the brave soul that I am, I decided to drive up to Salt Lake with the kiddos to spend the weekend with their cousins. Heather brought the kids out from Denver and Whitney and the boys were already there in limbo between Chicago and Seattle.
As a twist of good fortune (and possibly some interference on the part of God, who, being omniscient, feared for my sanity) Ryan was called on business to Salt Lake the day before the kids and I were leaving on our eleven hour drive. He took Dylan with him and dropped her off with Mimi and Grandma, who doted gleefully on her until we got there a day and a half later. Dylan was great for the grandmas, and had so much fun that when I ran to her with arms outstretched, my face beaming at the thought of our impending reunion, she totally snubbed me. She wanted nothing to do with me. She gave me the dirtiest look a one year old can give, then threw her arms around Grandma and stayed put. She eventually warmed up to me, but I am still looking forward to the day that she realizes that my actions were for her own good, apologizes, and thanks me (that happens, right?).
We had a great weekend, the highlight being time spent with the cousins and Auntie Kenna. It is incredible seeing Layla and Berkleigh together, like best friends who've never left each others sides. They spend hours playing elaborate games of make believe and rarely disagree. The boys are absolutely hilarious, getting to know each other and figuring out how to play together. Hudson, Carson and Weston are so different, but still manage to have fun together. I am looking forward to watching their relationships develop over the years.
We also made it over to visit Grandma and Grandpa several times. Weston always loves to poke around in Grandpa's garage, eyeing his tool bench and touching all of the things he's not supposed to touch. Imagine my surprise when I pulled into my parent's driveway to see Weston on a stool at the tool bench in his underwear holding a power drill. To his delight, Grandpa had invited him to build a bird house together. Weston was in heaven, and talked about it for weeks; about how he got to use the drill just like Grandpa and how someday he was going to have tools just like Grandpa. I'm sure someday it will come full circle, and Weston will be the one letting Grandpa use his tools, and Grandpa will be the one building things in his underwear.
I am grateful for the relationships we have with our extended family. My children are so blessed to have incredible grandparents to look up to and wonderful cousins, aunts and uncles to enrich their lives. I hope we never live too far to visit regularly.
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| The theme from The Patty Duke Show keeps running through my mind. |
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| Hud the Stud |
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| She's growing up WAY too fast! |
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| Weston in a log |
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| As always, Dylan found the food. |
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| These two were inseparable all weekend! |
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| Cutest cowboys in the West! |
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| Dylan in Mimi's backyard |
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| These three have years of trouble-making ahead of them. |
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| All of the kids LOVE Mimi's playhouse. |
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| 2x4: check. Power Tools: check. Pants: Who needs pants? |
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| Just the Girls |
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| Getting ready for pictures |
2 comments:
That was a lot of fun. Can't wait to take them camping (and maybe canyoneering) next year!
And when I begin to dodder about in my undies you can get me one of the plastic tool sets and I'm sure I will be entertained for hours.
It doesn't require dementia to use power tools in your underwear--just recalling Grandpa Jim at the cabin. Then again...
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