We took the kids out of school on Thursday and drove to Logan, UT where we visited Guapo's Grandma. It was so good to be in her home. The kids love that place. She has a jungle gym and many very cool toys and so they play and play and we visit. We didn't get to see Grandma Hammond this summer due to Covid and on this visit we tried to be cautious with wearing masks. She totally spoiled us with pizza from Domino's and the Christmas gifts for the kids. Normally, we would hold those gifts until Christmas, but this year we decided to let them open them because she loves watching them do that and then playing with them. We really didn't do anything to exciting just play, visit, and eat dinner. It has been a long time since, we had the time to go to her house and just be there as long as we wanted, so I am so glad we got to go.
We left her house a little after 7:00 and headed to Swanlake. When we got there we put the kids down and visited briefly and then went to bed. It was a rough, rough, night. Honestly, it might be the roughest night of the twins lives. Abby was up almost every hour. It was terrible. However, we made it to morning and began a very fun day.
This trip was a little different in the fact that Grandma couldn't do much. It about drove her nuts to not scoop up the kids, chase them around, cook, and be outside whenever she wanted. However, her knee and foot were too swollen she couldn't, and so everyone had to pitch in and help. I thought it was great to see everyone working together to get meals fixed and take care of the kids and just make life happen. Grandma is a goer and so most times she does it, but this time I got to see people do stuff they don't usually do and they could do it. They might not do it my way, but they could. The meals were simple and that left plenty of time for visiting, playing, and being together. I hope Grandma's leg gets better and she can do the things she loves, but I also hope to remember how nice it was to be simple and let everyone help and do.
Anyway, Friday morning I made breakfast of pancakes and eggs. Then the Kylee and Tia ran off to play with Blaine and James. The twins were looked after by either Gaupo or I and they were inside, outside, asking for four-wheeler rides, or swinging. One big project of the day was recovering the greenhouse. Swanlake got some wicked winds and ripped and blew off the plastic on Grandma's greenhouse. Everyone was outside, so Grandma and I got in the side-by-side and I drove her to the middle of the garden so she could watch kids play and her greenhouse get a new cover. Once that project was well underway, the Anderson's arrived! The kids of course loved this because it means more cousins. They played and played while we got lunch ready. Then everyone came into lunch. Tia had a runny nose and was super low on energy so she went and took nap. So, did the twins and Gaupo. Once Tia was up, we carved pumpkins. Aunt Heidi, brought pumpkins for all the kids to carve. They had a blast drawing and cutting the pumpkins. When we were all done we put them on Melanie's steps. It was quite the collections--9 different pumpkins by 9 different kids. After pumpkin carving there was more playing, visiting, and four-wheeler rides. Heidi and Jeff stayed until dark because Jeff went out hunting. We had dinner and then put on a movie for the kids. Once Heidi and Jeff left we put our kids to bed and then played games in the kitchen. Melanie's favorite game is Castle Panic, and I remembered to bring it so that is what we played every night.
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| Blaine, Hyrum, Arlin, Naomi, James, Katelyn, and Kylee carving pumpkins. |
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| Kylee, Katelyn, Naomi, Gaupo, Tia, Hyrum, Arlin, and James. |
Saturday was a new day. With more playing and visiting and fun. Gary made breakfast and it was scrumptious. Pastrami, Ham, and egg sandwiches. The kids played a ton outside. Guapo and I went out and helped turn over some of the sandbox, so the kids could play in there. The big kids had been playing in the sand mound, but when we dug it up the little kids and big kids could play and Grandma could watch from the kitchen. Melanie and I also made caramel apples. Well we dipped them in caramel and then we let the kids that wanted to (Kylee and James) cover them in chocolate and toppings. We had a terrible time melting chocolate, but we finally got some that would work. I don't know what was happening. The first bunch I think burned. Then the next one was really thick, like too thick we couldn't use it, then finally we got some that worked, but it was pretty thick still. Anyway, we got them covered, and they were super good. The kids especially loved them. That night Blaine stayed over and had a sleepover with the girls. They all slept in the recliners in the living room. Us adults played Castle panic and visited.
Sunday was church. I got up to get ready for church. I thought it was plenty early but Grandma was getting up and getting potatoes peeled for dinner. I just let her do it because she is the fastest potato peeler I know. Seriously she probably peels like 10 to my 1 and I am not slow, just normal and she is super fast. Then Gaupo helped with breakfast. It takes awhile to get myself and 4 kiddos ready for church so luckily Gaupo could step in to help with breakfast. We went to church and we all wore masks because that is what we normally do, but almost no one there was. It was crazy and for us awesome. It was great to see peoples smiles again. Everyone has beautiful eyes, but I miss seeing the smiles. Anyway, after church we had lunch at the house. The we headed to Virginia.
Our first stop was Uncle John and Aunt Karen's house. Everyone was gathered there for dinner, so we started there. Randy and Erica and their kids were visiting John and Karen and then Kitt, Matthew, and Grandpa-Great were there for dinner. Since we had already had dinner we just visited and I joined in for some yummy chocolate cake. After visiting there, we took the kids to Grandpa-Greats where we put Gaupo and the twins down for a nap. While they were sleeping we visited, played games, and looked at family pictures. Grandpa-Great loves music and requested the girls sing. So, they did with some help and then we just kept singing for a little while. I love music it can be so powerful and relaxing. After they sang, Tia was ready to move, so I took her and the twins outside to explore the farm. Tia would have looked EVERYWHERE if I would have let her. She was so full of questions and curious about everything. I so wish it would have been a nice day, because it would have been fun to have Grandpa-Great out with us to tell the actual stories that went along with the places. However, she loved looking in the calf sheds, and the two white shed on the west side of the house. While we were doing that Kylee was busy chatting with Grandpa-Great. I have no idea what she told him, but she just chatted and chatted until we called them to dinner. We fixed a fancy meal of mac and cheese and hotdogs. Then we packed everyone up around 7:00PM and headed home. It was a fun afternoon in Virginia. It was so great to have not very many of us and to just be there no purpose except to enjoy Grandpa-Great and each other.
Monday we had to head back. I tried to leave the house in good condition. It wasn't perfect but the bathroom was clean, and once we took all of our apples, pumpkins, and other stuff out to the car it was pretty well cleaned up. Grandma made breakfast that morning since I was cleaning and then we were on our way. We didn't make as a great of time on the way home, but that is how it goes with trips home.
Once back our runny noses and cough were still here, so no one could go to school or work. We were pretty worried though about having visited some high risk people and that we might have given them Covid or something. Gaupo went and got a Covid test mainly so he could go back to work and we have prayed so hard that that test was accurate and that people wouldn't get sick from us visiting and so far it appears our prayers were answered.
I am so glad we could just go and visit. It was so good to see everyone, to visit, and just have time to be with some of our favorite people. I am so glad we went because it was really needed. I feel so grateful to be part of such awesome families.
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| Kade loved the cows and the four-wheeler rides. |
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| Abby and Jackson. |
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