Disaster Averted

So, I mentioned that Nanna and Oupa watched the boys this past weekend, right? Well, we picked the boys up and forgot two very important items at their house. See if you can spot the items in the pictures below.

Yes, you're right. Bear and Blanket.

We had an emotional Sunday without these two at our house, but thankfully Oupa drove them to us on Monday. Oupa to the rescue. Phew. Thanks, Oupa!

Ducks & Goose

First, let's all wish a happy belated birthday to Oupa.

Second, our weekend was a doozy, and he and Nana were generous enough to watch the boys so Keith and I could have a datenight, do some major house cleaning, host a baby shower, work at Museum Day, endure bouts of alternate enjoying & lamenting the silence in the house, and attend brother and sister-in law's Oktoberfest party. It was a busy, busy, weekend, and I have only one photo of the whole thing. I'll share that later.

For now, I've finally uploaded some random pics of the boys from June, July and August. If you read the blog you've seen its not due to a lack of photos being taken, it's just a matter of getting around to it. So click on over and take a look if you want. Some pics you've seen here, others you have not.

A few weeks ago we visited Nana and Oupa and went to see the ducks at Lake Peachtree near their house. We fed ducks and goose. Yes, some of you might think those are "geese", but Cole corrected me. One goose, many goose.

We also did some swinging. Big high!

And used Oupa as a seat during snacktime.



Momma Went Solo

 In the last 5+ years, I've only flown without Keith once. Now twice. And I've only gone on a handful of roadtrips without him, so traveling solo tends me to be rather startling. Who will be there to pick up the heavy items? Who will remind me a thousand times to check for my ID? Who will take 15% of my airplane seat space? So I was a little off at the beginning of my trip to Phoenix to see Preggo Amy. It's always fun to look forward to alone time, but once I'm really alone, well, then I just don't know what to do with myself. *

*Unless there is a bed nearby, in that case the answer is always sleep.

My flight had a little delay due to some engine problem (always reassuring to hear right before a flight), but then we got off the ground and to Phoenix with no problem. Amy picked me up at the airport and we ran errands and chatted the rest of the day. And later that night, I sat and watched her bake a birthday surprise for her mom.

 She was making this, from my favorite baking cookbook. I have this book, and gave it to her at her wedding shower. This cheesecake was insanely good. Hmmmmm....cheesecake....
 

 She was making it for her Momma, whose name is the same as my momma, Estelle. Momma Estelle's birthday was a week or so earlier, but Amy thought we'd celebrate again as the momma and all three of her girls would be together in the same city for the baby shower.

So while she baked, I sat and mentally redid my baby shower prep-list. We got all the necessary items in the few hours after she picked me up from the airport and I was more than happy to sit on a bar stool and drink wine while she and her belly puttered around the kitchen, but a tiny part of me was a little more than antsy. I drank that part away, went to bed and got up ready to work!

Anyone with kids will agree that your day at home with kids is full. Always very full. Give milk, fix food, referee a fight, get kids presentable. A person can be awake from 6am and by 10am still not have done anything except tend to kids. So when I woke up at 4:15a (don't be impressed, with the time change its already 7:15am here at home) with nothing to do but cook and get food ready for the shower, I was in heaven. I had coffee, did not worry about getting myself or anyone else presentable, and listened to the radio while I cooked. 

A short while later Amy brought Momma Estelle over. Momma Estelle was crucial to tomato slicing later.

 The next few hours were a blur of mixing, baking, drinking coffee and washing dishes. I had a blast. And then Amy's sisters were there! They also flew in from Atlanta. The only pictures I have of them this day are of them working. That's right, don't step into my (errr...Amy's) kitchen without being put to work. Here's Lynn, doing some croissant slicing.

 And Julie, on croissant assembly duty.

 Those two weren't the only ones working. We thought we'd put the pregnant one to work with a few cleaning chores.

 Lynn makes an excellent supervisor.

 

 After dinner that night we enjoyed the cheesecake Amy made the night before. It was insanely good. I've already done two spin classes this week so try to erase some of it from my thighs.

 

 Then Momma Estelle and the two sisters went to their hotel room, and full panic set in as I realized that I still needed to decorate. AGGHH! Matt was nearby and was forced into helping. Here he is talking to his brother, and because I'm a lady I won't say what he told his brother I was making him do. Let's just say people living alternative lifestyles would be offended.

 The rest of the night is a blur. It involved obsessing about placement of dishes on the table, lamenting that the edges of the roses were turning brown already, wondering if I had enough food (YES!), and a glass of wine. Or two?


And before I knew it, it was Saturday. I got into pre-shower mode, and was so into the details that when I looked up and saw this, I couldn't help but laugh. You know how little kids sit close to the TV?

 It's a Saturday during football season, so naturally GameDay would be on, and a game would be on in the background. I just didn't expect Matt to be sitting so close.

As much as we'd all like to sit around in our pajamas and scream at the TV as UGA lost their game, there was a shower to be had. Look how nice Amy, her mom and sisters look.

 Amy and her two hostesses. Mandy on the left, me on the right.

 We ate, we chatted, and then watched the mom to be open her gifts. I loved this...

 I should point out that while watching Amy open gifts one could also watch, but not hear, the Florida game. Co-host Mandy is a rabid Florida fan, and I am pretty sure it took all of her might to not sit and stare at the screen here.

 A whale tub!! Amy got some good stuff.

 A group shot of all the ladies.

 And finally, our parents to be. Congrats, Amy and Matt!

Many more pictures of the weekend can be found at our picture site.

Make a Mess

We saw GG/Grammie again later that week when she stopped by for a day of playing on her way home from hanging with cousin Evan. She brought with her some cupcakes that were a big hit.

 A big hit with the younger ones, I should say. I'm not so sure about these.

 But others were totally cool with them.  Get that paper out of the way.

 Oh, cupcake. How I love thee, is what I think he's thinking here.



Later that same day we went to Madison to see the third Bandito, and GG. She was there for a few days watching him while Angela and Ken were out of town. We played a bit outside.

 Evan might have been hiding from his cousins here.

 Grady heard uncle Ken had trouble with this lawnmower and decided to check it out.

 Evan wanted to know why he couldn't get on the lawnmower. Sorry Weee Dude, Big Dude beat you to it.

 A hearty round of soccer started.

 Which meant Evan ran around.

And Grady stared and Cole nervously fidgeted.

 And then Grady decided to get back on the lawnmower.

To distract all three from fighting over the lawnmower, we tried to get a picture of GG with her three grandboys. Out of 14 pictures, this one is the closest to everyone cooperating.

 And then it was time to leave. Bye Evan!

 And we drove off into the sunset.

 Looking cool in the blue sunglasses GG found on the beach.



Great Grands

I've returned to the Land That Makes My Eyes itch, and can honestly say I had a fantastic time in Arizona. More on that later, now I'm still getting readjusted to regular life. Oh, wouldn't it just be easier if life were a constant parade of parties and showers? .

Instead I have laundry, cooking, cleaning, and...work. Hard to forget that.

I do also have two little boys who grew at least a foot while I was gone and who desperately need a haircut. So while I get busy on the things that need attention, here are pictures from two weeks ago when we visited Keith's maternal grandparents, Nanny and Papa.