Montana Grands - Days 9, 10, and 11

9th -  Where have the past nine days gone?  I do not want this to end.  We are having such a good time together.  Oh how I wish I lived closer to my little ones.

We do not have anything on the agenda for today.  I know --- what is wrong with us?  Since we don't have to race around this morning, baths sound good.  And hair.  Definitely hair.

The marble magic is set up and in use --- baths are being done separately and while one cleans, the other plays.  What a great plan.  Mister has been surfing for something special to do today and has discovered an activity at the mall this afternoon so for now we will hang at the house and play.  I am pretty sure we can keep ourselves amused for a few hours.

Cuddle time --- yes --- that is called for today as well.  We will worry about laundry and packing tomorrow --- for today we are all about loving.  Just so mom and dad don't feel left out --- we would LOVE for the big people in the family to come and visit now and then as well.  Seriously!

The way we catch these two --- constant giggles from Grandpa and I.

It is so fun for me to come around the corner and see moments like this.  A wonderful pop-up book and time with Grandpa.  Will they remember moments like this?  Oh I certainly hope so.

What an incredibly relaxed morning.  I guess it is time to get moving though for Mister is taking us to a puppet show at the mall.  I guess we need to get ready and see what this is all about.  Perhaps there will be time for some turtle looking while we are there as well.  And NO --- we are not returning to the LEGO store.  Once was definitely enough.

We arrive at the mall just as the show is about to begin and Grandpa leads the way to some mats to sit on.  With hips misbehaving, I take the "stand and walk" option instead.  I guess that will make me the photographer as well.

This one woman show is fast paced and a little frantic to me.  These two are having fun though and when she asks for a volunteer, Zyra stands right up.  She is then dressed as a cow and the gal running the show is going to try and rope her.  She tells Zyra to run and she throws the lasso.  Obviously she misses.  She tries again, but Zyra is having no part of it and runs fast --- way out of rope reach.  It's all rather comical.

The MC dances/sings/plays with puppets all while trying to teach about Texas.  As I said -- a bit frantic and we are not sure she succeeds, but it is entertaining at least.  When asked to dance, Zyra is right there --- Hyrum stands and watches -- but hey, he stands up.  At one point a giant dinosaur comes through and Hyrum makes a comment.  "He is not real."  Well, no --- do we need to talk about how dinosaurs are extinct?  When it is over, all the mats get picked up and put away and the mall is back to being a shopping center.

It's time to go play with the turtles again.  For the first time EVER - I sit down on a bench and let the kids climb and play in the mall.  Usually I try and explain that this is not what the mall is for, but I am tired today and heck --- what is it hurting?  Within no time Hyrum has climbed and grabbed the top --- feeling mighty proud of himself.  Zyra has to work much harder at it --- using the corners and gradually working her way up but she also does touch the top.  Time to go.

We stop at the local shopping center and make a pit stop at Gecko so the kids can see the chickens.  Since they have their own, they have fun telling me about how old these chicks are.  I am impressed with how close they guess.

Next stop is Tuesday Morning where each one is able to find a little toy to take home.  Hyrum is on cloud 9 with is new Sonic "Shadow" toy.  His smiles is nice to see.  Zyra gets a little book/puppy toy and soon creativity is flowing again.  I find a new little game of Fruit Bingo and we need to go before our arms fill with fabric.  Oh my, I love the fat quarters here.

A short visit to the grocery store so that we can make some brownies tonight and then onto the house.  I love how Hyrum helps me in the store --- Zyra, meanwhile, hangs out in Grandpa's arms.  (It's kind of her favorite place to be.)

After dinner, we play games for the evening and then call it a night.  A laid back, but definitely fun day.

10th -  Our last day --- oh no.  As Hyrum and I are standing in the kitchen making breakfast, he laughs and points out the window.  The bird feeder which hangs in the window has a squirrel trying to pull it up onto the roof so that it can get to the food.  Trouble is - it's empty.  Hyrum makes a dash outside to put food out for the squirrels and then comes back in to watch.  He puts the stool up in the kitchen to look out the window and within moments there are about 6 squirrels out there plus assorted birds.  He is content and ready for breakfast now.

After breakfast, I suggest that we get dressed and go to a park for awhile.  Little do I know that Grandpa has been talked into letting Hyrum watch Sonic X and so he is not at all happy about leaving but I promise him that we will just pause it and he can watch when we get back.  Reluctantly, he gets ready to go.  It is going to be very warm today, so it's a now or never time to be outside.

We try a new park and I like it.  It is not very far from the house, yet has some interesting variety in climbing apparatus.  Score.

About 15 minutes in, Hyrum comes over to me and sits down.  Suddenly he doesn't feel well.  Hmmm.  He wants to go home.  I tell him okay, we'll leave as soon as Zyra is ready, but that since he doesn't feel good, perhaps he needs to lay down at home and not watch television.  I walk away to take a few pictures and leave him to think about that.

Grandpa and Zyra have discovered that the park is up against a creek.  It is time to explore.

Well dang, someone must feel better because he soons joins us to check things out.  The area is full of brambles though so we leave and head for the house.  Yes, Sonic gets to be unpaused.  How mean do you think I am?

Our afternoon activity is a birthday party at the Buddhist Temple.  It is the Queens birthday and there is a small program going on for it.  Each Sunday, the Temple is open for all to enjoy and I love it there.  I have no clue what is being said all around me for it is all in Thai, but I like the grounds, the food, the music, and the dancers.  The koi are always a hit with kids and adults.  They are so pretty when the sunlight hits them in the water.  We are able to go inside the temple today so up the stairs to the entrance we go.  You must remove your shoes and leave them outside the door before entering.

 Inside, there is some sort of ceremony going on so we just watch and look around for awhile.  Again, no clue what is being said.  The murals inside are amazing though as well as the stained glass windows.  One of the things I love so much about Mister is his love of different church buildings and learning about them.  He finds it all very fascinating and loves to see how each one differs from the others.  We also both love the Thai culture and Thailand is very high on our "bucket list" of places to see.

Back outside, we need to find our shoes before leaving the upstairs area.  Trouble is, once we are downstairs, it is time to remove them again.  Oh my.

The birthday ceremony begins and as you can see, we are the only non-participant observers today.  Most days, this place is packed.  After this oh my gosh awful song presentation, the dancers take the floor to perform.  We watch for awhile and then take the kids back outside to walk around a bit more.

Yep, there is a money tree inside.  Hyrum is explaining to Zyra that we can't take it though.  It's just to look at.  Once shoes are back on, the fish are in high demand for a second visit.

As we are leaving Zyra wanders around smelling all the flowers and then sneezing --- then smelling and then sneezing --- all the way to the car.

I ask Grandpa for a fun stop on the way home and he remembers a Braum's nearby.  Woohoo.  Who is in the mood for ice cream?  I certainly am.

While sitting there, Hyrum and I start talking and I love each moment like this.  Oh I am going to miss this young man when he goes home tomorrow.  I have seriously gotten close to him.  I am just going to let this series of pictures speak for themselves as the joy on both of our faces is a story all by itself.

Love.  Thank you Grandpa, for catching this moment.  Now -- home to do laundry and pack.  Early bed tonight as we have a very early start tomorrow morning.  This day has gone by way too fast.

11th -  This is a sad day.  Yes, they want to to go home to mom and dad, but they would like us to come along.  Tough good-byes at the airport at 5 a.m.  Time to fly.

We get through security quickly and arrive at the gate with plenty of time so Master Hyrum decides to go back to sleep.  He is not at all happy about being up so early.

The flight begins to board and we are on our way.  After a few seat adjustments to sit together, we settle in.

After sitting for about an hour, it is determined that there is an issue with the fuel on the plane and the captain informs us that it will not be an easy fix.  Time to get back off the plane.  Oh yeah --- we are really happy now.  The line to make flight changes is massive so I get on the phone and discover that my flight is a turn around so  no matter how late this one is, it is the same plane that is being used for my return flight.  Okay -- let's settle in and wait.  They give us breakfast vouchers after another hour or so allowing us to go and quick grab some food to bring back to the gate as we are being told the delays in half hour increments.  Ugh.

What to do with two children and minimal toys?  My phone of course.  I put on more Bugs Bunny cartoons and  they settle in to watch while I stand in line for more information.  Each time my phone rings, Hyrum stands up and yells and I get out of line to come and talk.  My phone is plugged in or the kids would not be able to stream for long.  There are several not so nice passengers who then will not allow me back into line, so I give up and just hope for the best --- letting Matt do some checking on his end in Denver.  Yep, he and Becca are trapped in the Denver airport waiting for us.  This is full all around.

Finally, they admit that this will take awhile to fix and that a part has been ordered and is being flown in.  It will arrive around 1:30 and should be an easy install.  I take this as a chance to get up and move around a bit.  Let's go ride some trains and find a play area or two to get the wiggles out before picking up  lunch with the new set of vouchers they just gave us.

We arrive back at the gate only to discover that our fight is delayed another two hours.  OMG.  It has now been 9 hours since we were supposed to leave.  Zyra gives up and falls asleep for awhile -- I would like to do the same.  Hyrum is the little energizer bunny -- he just keeps going and going and going.  I give in and give him Netflix and Sonic X.  I think this is just a horrid babysitter, but at the same time -- it HAS been over 9 hours.  I am just thrilled that they are doing as well as they are.

Mister gets off work at 5 (now 11 hours delayed) and we are still here.  At this point they have cancelled my return flight and both Matt and I are standing in lines or on hold trying to solve the problem.  Mister arrives at the airport a few minutes later and tackles the front ticket counter to see if he can solve anything.  Their solution with him is to give him a pass to come back with us after he informs them that they "have held his wife and grandchildren hostage for 12 hours."  He arrives at the gate just as I finish changing my plans.  I call Matt and let him know what is up and get vouchers for dinner.

Throughout the 12 hours here, I have visited and enjoyed the company of a gentleman and his high school son.  Matt and I had decided that I would make the airline fly the kids unaccompanied without charging us and I was about to go to battle with them over that.  Bill (the dad) suggested that he and Ryan (his son) just take them with them.  One of them will take my seat and deliver them to Matt and Becca who are waiting at the other gate IF this plane ever leaves.  Matt gives approval and the changes are made.  I get my return flight refunded and we let the kids know what is going on.  Time for dinner and some more fun with Grandpa.

After dinner, we return to the gate with hopes that this dang plane will leave.  It is 7:30 and they are going to start boarding shortly.  Ryan has shown Hyrum a game on his Ipad and they are now best friends and ready to follow him anywhere.  Is this good?

We have to say good-byes again and I am a mess.  This whole situation scares the crap out of me.  Am I not the worst Grandma on the planet?  Zyra and Grandpa have a tough time saying a second good-bye today and that doesn't help my water works situation.

I take the kids to the jet bridge and send them on their way with my new friends.  Armed with phone numbers, photos and addresses - I reluctantly let them go.  Mister goes out to the car to wait for me so that it doesn't get towed.  I am not leaving until the plane does.  It is another HOUR before the plane pulls away from the gate and I do not know how many times I consider getting the kids back off the plane.  Just take off please.  Finally it leaves and I wait until the gate agent tells me it is in the air --- 14 1/2 hours after the original departure time.  What a nightmare.  I call Matt and Becca and go out to join Mister for the ride home tracking the flight on my phone the whole way.  I seriously watch my phone for 2 hours until I get the text from Matt that he has the kids.  I think I can breath now.  I do not EVER wish to be put through something like this ever again.  Oh my heart.

I wish the time together had ended better but at least Hyrum and Zyra were oblivious to most of it.  This was the best 10 days and I would have them back again tomorrow if mom and dad would allow it.  Well -- I would love to have mom and dad too for that matter.  Thank you both so much for the gift of time with your precious babies.  We will never forget it.