I seriously need to finish up this post, but it just seems like I never make time to get it finished. However, I have more things to write about, so I need to wrap it up. After getting to Grandpa-Great's house late on Friday I was hoping against hope that the girls would sleep in a bit. I guess they did they made it till about 6:30, but then they were ready to be up. Actually it was just Kylee that woke up which is why I took her upstairs, because I really wanted Tia to sleep if she would. Grandpa-Great and Papa were the only ones awake, but slowly and surely everyone else started waking-up. The only one I didn't see for a long time was Kitt, but turns out Kitt probably got food poisoning so I didn't see her much because she spent the whole day throwing-up. Anyway, about 9:00 we had a delicious breakfast of pancakes and eggs. Then it was getting ready for the day. Actually while people were still 'getting ready' my mom's cousins--Bob, Suzanne, and Scott came to visit. So, as more and more of us got ready we joined the chatting in the front room. It was fun to hear what some of my second cousins were up to. It is also kind of fun to my mom interact with her cousins.
After they left, we went to the greenshouses aka Brady's Plant Ranch. It is one of my most favorite places and sometimes I even dream of moving back there and running it. I love how the greenhouses feel, the people that come in, the product, and for the most part the hours aren't too bad. I don't know if I could ever actually do it, but its fun to have dreams. Even though it was opening day for the greenhouses they weren't really ready. I was kind of disappointed about that, but at least the back houses had lots of color and plants. I love taking my family there. I love dragging my kids all around, seeing how many different flowers I can remember and what I can remember about them. I love being there and the memories it brings back. Anyway, I had my family walk through the greenhouses with me. My girls were a little hesitant at but when they learned they could take the little shopping carts with them, they were all for it. After we got done with the tour it was time for lunch.
My Uncle (the owner of Brady's Plant Ranch) has fulfilled one of his dreams: to have a food stand that sells his meat. This food stand happens to be at the greenhouses and is called the Snack Shack. My mom and dad treated us to Brady Burgers. Oh man it was so good. The girls had a blast with their drinks, chips, and Hamburgers. I had a great time with it too. At the end, my Aunt Karen let the girls pick out one fairy each to take home. So, I think this summer I might be making my flower box into a fairy garden and to be honest I am kind of excited about that.
After lunch we came home and it was time for naps. While the girls and Gaupo napped the rest of us just chatted and relaxed. It was pretty nice to just hangout. If you haven't noticed my family tends to just hangout a lot when we are together, which I think is so great because the time we are all together and kind of far between. Anyway, after the girls woke up they got to go on an Easter egg hunt. To be honest my nephew Ross probably did a better job of hunting the eggs than the girls, but everyone got some and it was really fun to watch.
After the egg hunt there was more talking and visiting. Then those who were not fasting had dinner and then baths and then we let the girls watch a little bit of a show. I couldn't help myself from choosing the Lawrence Welk show. We use to watch that show every Saturday night during bath time. My parents managed to get us all through the bath and hair combed in that one hour. I remember thinking that it was such a cool show. Kylee thought the show was good too. Tia and Ross liked the air mattress that was in that room better, but even Tia like the dancing. After a little of that show it was time for bed. Gaupo helped the girls get settled in while some of us adults played Forbidden Island. After we played that Gaupo came up and we play Pandemic. Gaupo, Seth, and I got really into it and Klaire and Kara were kind of like 'so what do we do.' Note to self--I need to be less involved when I teach people how to play cooperation games because it is so easy to just take over and not let them really get the strategy of the game. When those two games ended it was pretty late, and with the late night before it was time to shower and go to bed.
Sunday morning we woke up and got ready for church and then said good-bye. It is always kind of hard to say good-bye, but it was a little easier this time because I knew they were leaving when church was over and I would see them again soon. So, we left and headed to Swanlake for Church. We got there just as the opening Hymn was being sung. It was a fast and testimony meeting and Swanlake ward is so tiny that there was plenty of time for testimonies. Both Gaupo and I bore our testimonies. I love hearing Gaupo's testimony. I often see or hear him bear it informally, but it is sometimes really nice to hear it formally too. Tia got to spend part of the meeting on the stand with Grandpa and of course loved that. Grandpa thought it was pretty fun too. After church we stopped by the cemetery to decorate Derek's grave. We got a couple of flower pinwheels in blue and green and a little frog to stick up there. I love telling my girls about their brother. I love just going and stopping by in some ways its as if I stopping to pick him up and take him on the next part of our journey. (Kind of weird I know, but its the way it is) Grandma came with us and I think she enjoyed going up there with us. Then we went home and had a scrumptious dinner. Then we had the girls lay down for a nap. I visited with Grandma and Grandpa for a bit until the girls woke up. Then Grandma showed us her greenhouse and all the plants that are growing in there. Then we went and saw the cows, swung on swings, and watch Uncle Aaron mix food for the cows. Then it was time to make pizza for dinner and have a treat and send the girls to bed. When the girls were down it was time for games. We played Pandemic and Forbidden Island. I think I did a little better and teaching and not taking over on the strategy, but I don't know. It was still fun to play. Then Gaupo and I kept Grandma up a little later talking to her in the kitchen and then we all went to bed.
Monday morning we had breakfast and then headed back to Grandpa-Greats to pick up Kitt and head home. The journey home seemed really long. It didn't help that Tia kept saying she needed to use the potty. However, we got a lot of our book read and we actually ended up finishing it late that night. The drive was uneventful and we got home in pretty good time. We had spaghetti for dinner, and then got Kitt on her way home. Then we had a mini-family home evening after which Gaupo and I read Percy Jackson: Titian's Curse until we finished. After that it was really quite late so we went to bed. Luckily the girls did sleep in the next morning kind of making us late for everything, but it was still really nice to sleep in our own beds.
This trip was a such a great getaway. I am so proud of Klaire for graduating. She sure worked hard and got it done and did great. It was fun to celebrate with her and I am excited to see what she will do next. I am also glad we got to spend so much time with family and enjoy playing, laughing, visiting, and celebrating. I feel so blessed to have and be a part of the families I am. They are full of unique individuals who continually teach me, love me, and help me along this life long adventure.
After they left, we went to the greenshouses aka Brady's Plant Ranch. It is one of my most favorite places and sometimes I even dream of moving back there and running it. I love how the greenhouses feel, the people that come in, the product, and for the most part the hours aren't too bad. I don't know if I could ever actually do it, but its fun to have dreams. Even though it was opening day for the greenhouses they weren't really ready. I was kind of disappointed about that, but at least the back houses had lots of color and plants. I love taking my family there. I love dragging my kids all around, seeing how many different flowers I can remember and what I can remember about them. I love being there and the memories it brings back. Anyway, I had my family walk through the greenhouses with me. My girls were a little hesitant at but when they learned they could take the little shopping carts with them, they were all for it. After we got done with the tour it was time for lunch.
My Uncle (the owner of Brady's Plant Ranch) has fulfilled one of his dreams: to have a food stand that sells his meat. This food stand happens to be at the greenhouses and is called the Snack Shack. My mom and dad treated us to Brady Burgers. Oh man it was so good. The girls had a blast with their drinks, chips, and Hamburgers. I had a great time with it too. At the end, my Aunt Karen let the girls pick out one fairy each to take home. So, I think this summer I might be making my flower box into a fairy garden and to be honest I am kind of excited about that.
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| Tia with her chips and drink. |
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| Grandpa-Great (who I am sure did not know this picture was being taken) and Kylee. I am back in the background too talking to Jessica Henderson. Kylee had just had a burger, drink, and chips. Look how happy she is. |
After lunch we came home and it was time for naps. While the girls and Gaupo napped the rest of us just chatted and relaxed. It was pretty nice to just hangout. If you haven't noticed my family tends to just hangout a lot when we are together, which I think is so great because the time we are all together and kind of far between. Anyway, after the girls woke up they got to go on an Easter egg hunt. To be honest my nephew Ross probably did a better job of hunting the eggs than the girls, but everyone got some and it was really fun to watch.
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| Tia finding eggs. |
Sunday morning we woke up and got ready for church and then said good-bye. It is always kind of hard to say good-bye, but it was a little easier this time because I knew they were leaving when church was over and I would see them again soon. So, we left and headed to Swanlake for Church. We got there just as the opening Hymn was being sung. It was a fast and testimony meeting and Swanlake ward is so tiny that there was plenty of time for testimonies. Both Gaupo and I bore our testimonies. I love hearing Gaupo's testimony. I often see or hear him bear it informally, but it is sometimes really nice to hear it formally too. Tia got to spend part of the meeting on the stand with Grandpa and of course loved that. Grandpa thought it was pretty fun too. After church we stopped by the cemetery to decorate Derek's grave. We got a couple of flower pinwheels in blue and green and a little frog to stick up there. I love telling my girls about their brother. I love just going and stopping by in some ways its as if I stopping to pick him up and take him on the next part of our journey. (Kind of weird I know, but its the way it is) Grandma came with us and I think she enjoyed going up there with us. Then we went home and had a scrumptious dinner. Then we had the girls lay down for a nap. I visited with Grandma and Grandpa for a bit until the girls woke up. Then Grandma showed us her greenhouse and all the plants that are growing in there. Then we went and saw the cows, swung on swings, and watch Uncle Aaron mix food for the cows. Then it was time to make pizza for dinner and have a treat and send the girls to bed. When the girls were down it was time for games. We played Pandemic and Forbidden Island. I think I did a little better and teaching and not taking over on the strategy, but I don't know. It was still fun to play. Then Gaupo and I kept Grandma up a little later talking to her in the kitchen and then we all went to bed.
Monday morning we had breakfast and then headed back to Grandpa-Greats to pick up Kitt and head home. The journey home seemed really long. It didn't help that Tia kept saying she needed to use the potty. However, we got a lot of our book read and we actually ended up finishing it late that night. The drive was uneventful and we got home in pretty good time. We had spaghetti for dinner, and then got Kitt on her way home. Then we had a mini-family home evening after which Gaupo and I read Percy Jackson: Titian's Curse until we finished. After that it was really quite late so we went to bed. Luckily the girls did sleep in the next morning kind of making us late for everything, but it was still really nice to sleep in our own beds.
This trip was a such a great getaway. I am so proud of Klaire for graduating. She sure worked hard and got it done and did great. It was fun to celebrate with her and I am excited to see what she will do next. I am also glad we got to spend so much time with family and enjoy playing, laughing, visiting, and celebrating. I feel so blessed to have and be a part of the families I am. They are full of unique individuals who continually teach me, love me, and help me along this life long adventure.
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