Montana Grands - Days 1 & 2

Day 1 -

It's time to fly again.  I am off to Denver to meet Matt and Becca in order to pick up Hyrum and Zyra to come and play with us for 10 days.  I am beyond excited as it has been much too long since we have seen these two grands.  The day gets off to a rocky start as I went to bed last night thinking my flight is 20 minutes later than it's actual departure.  Great --- then we arrive at the airport to find construction up the wazoo until finally Mister tells me to just get out and walk to the check-in.  It's a quick good-bye and I am off and running.  I grab a boarding pass and head for the "oh my gosh" long security line.  The stress levels are definitely rising as I work my way through the maze.  Fortunately, they have a metal detector line open which saves me the time to opt out.  I make it though, walk to the gate and onto the plane.  Whew.  Once in Denver, I walk towards the overlook to the trains to watch for my family.  The bridge from security comes in up here as well so I think I have it covered.  I can't miss them.  The minutes start ticking by and I start to get nervous.  After a phone call, I find out that they have been stuck at the counter FOREVER and are now heading to security.  Sending them to the bridge, I walk to meet them just outside security so we have a few minutes to visit while walking to the gate.

Matt runs real quick to find some breakfast for the kids and we are soon boarding.  Let's go to Dallas.
As we head down the jet bridge, Hyrum looks up at me and smiles while saying, "this is my favorite part -- I love this tunnel."  Yay --- I am smiling already.

Once on the aircraft, they settle in quickly, checking out tables, windows, and the televisions.  Let's get out of here and go see Grandpa.

With a wonderful flight behind us, Grandpa meets us at baggage and in the blink of an eye we are at the grocery store letting them pick out what they want for the week.  Past experience has taught us that if they help in the menu, we don't fight over eating food.  Yay!  On to the house.  The memories are strong and soon they have both brought some of their favorite toys out to play.  It's time for Gammy to unwind a bit.  I do laugh at Zyra's choice of toys - first it is CARS Legos and right after that, she has a tool kit and is taking apart other vehicles.  Quite the little mechanic.

After lunch and some quiet time, we decide to walk over to the school and get some wiggles out.  As we are walking, I show them the pecans on the trees.  They are surprised at how many there are and that they become nuts.  It's kind of amazing to me as well.

As we round the corner and head up to the school, Hyrum turns around and yells that he knows where he is and wants to go ahead.  With instruction to stop at each cross road, he is off.  Three blocks later, we are through the gate and they are let loose.  I think we have a lot of wiggles to release.

Naturally Miss Zyra heads to the most difficult ladder to climb.  My heart needs a boost you know.  Malea was the same though so I should be used to it by now.  Hyrum plays it a little safer, just hands and drops onto the slide for starters.  It doesn't take long before they are both quite adventurous and need to do the climbing wall as well as the other more difficult apparatus.

We all climb up into the large slide and as Hyrum waits for Zyra and I, he starts sliding and tries so hard to hold himself up.  By the time Zyra and I are in place we have to pull him back up --- and we are off.  Yep --- I can be a kid sometimes as well.

Next, I have to have a lesson from Zyra in how to climb up to the rings.  She instructs me each step of the way, telling me exactly where to place my feet.

Once she has me at the top of the ladder, she abandons me to go and play with Grandpa.  Thanks a lot sweetie.

Meanwhile, Hyrum is trying out each new area and takes me over to the high bars to give them a go as well.

These two have only been here a few hours and this little girl has already managed to re-wrap Grandpa right around her little finger.  They both just light up when they are together.  It is so fun to watch.

Nor Grandpa must receive instruction as well as Hyrum watches from above.

Soon, it is time to go home and make dinner.  The request is for hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.  Grandpa and Zyra are in charge and soon are busy at work in the kitchen while Hyrum and I play.  During our meal, Zyra is talking away telling us oh so many stories when Hyrum pipes up, "Zyra, you talk too much.  Stop talking."  Both Mister and I have to laugh and shake our heads at him.

After dinner (which is late - 7:00), Zyra asks to go to bed.  Goodness.  We put both kids into jammies and Hyrum climbs into bed with her.  As I cover up Zyra, she is asleep within seconds and I tell Hyrum that he only had to put pajamas on -- not go to sleep yet.  He can get back up.  He gives me a double fist pump and whispers "Yes!"  This establishes a nightly routine from here on out that he loves - a video or two before he, too, must go to bed.

Wow -- what a busy day and I went to Denver and back to boot.  I am also tired and heading for bed.

Day 2 - It is time to get this summer camp session rolling.  I love that Amanda has named the visits to Gammy's as "summer camp."  I hadn't thought of it this way, but I guess for the kids it works.  We are up, fed, dressed and off to Downtown Dallas for the morning.  Mister has put extra cold-pak bags in the car and we are aiming for Farmer's Market to pick up the things we didn't get yesterday.

As we walk through the beautiful stalls, many people hand out samples and I want to find out what the kids like so I keep handing items to them to try.  After about half a dozen of them, Hyrum looks at me with exasperation and say, "Why do you keep making me taste things?"  They are way more interested in the birds flying around and the people with dogs.  Really?  Do they not see dogs and birds back home?

Look at this beautiful display.  Oh the colors -- yum.

We are successful and soon have filled two shopping bags.  Time to go.  Walking back to the car we pass tents full of interesting things but a potty break is required.  Upon completion of that little detour, we climb into the car and head for Klyde Warren Park.  Both kids are fascinated that it is built on an overpass to the highway and are soon checking it out.  Much to our dismay, the playground is closed for repairs.  What the heck?  It is only a year old.  We wander through the park and discover a craft area so take a few minutes for Zyra to make a fan.  Hyrum backs off and doesn't want to do one.  He does help his sister pick out the paint pens though.

Trouble with fun projects in front of you is that it doesn't take long before you want to be involved more.  It's a good thing Zyra is a loving sister as she lets him join in and color the strips on her fan.  Soon they have a rainbow fan to help keep them cool the rest of the day.  I think they did a magnificent job.

Continuing on our way, we cross the street and head for the Nasher Sculpture Center for some fun.  Of course there are play areas to be found EVERYWHERE and I am pretty sure this is not what these hoops are intended for.

As we enter the door, we are greeted warmly and handed a bag with instructions for a scavenger hunt that will net a prize if completed.

Taking  a moment to sit down, we read the directions and have a short talk about how I am dang sure that the prize will not be a transformer.  Oh my.  I have them finally willing to accept a balloon or sucker of some sort and away we go to "hunt."

We have to locate 4 different sculptures and write down the artist that did them and the name of the piece.  I like this -- teaches a little about art while having fun. Let's go.

We are down to the last one and it is a Picasso sculpture.  The kids have been searching and searching for the pictured "swirl" that will lead them to the correct piece and  Hyrum has finally located it.

Of course he wants to instantly turn in his hunt to redeem his prize, but I take a detour downstairs where I know more activities are going on.  We find some Kapla blocks to play with.  Dang but I love these things.  I may have to get some to play with myself.

After a few minutes, an announcement tells us that there is a sculpture activity in the next room.  Off we go and take our seats.

A local artist is placing some plaster in each child's hands to make a cast of it.  Zyra willingly  holds out her hand to participate, but Hyrum prefers to just watch.  While the plaster sits to harden, he shows how he forms a bust from the same medium.  Within moments, the plaster starts to heat up and solidify in Zyra's palm.  Soon she has a little cast of her hand.

Yes Hyrum, we can now go and redeem our hunt paper for a prize.  However, a reminder is made about what he may get.  Goodness.  They get snapping wrist straps.  At first he thinks it is a bracelet and doesn't want anything to do with it but after I explain and tell him that it will glow in the dark, he is all over it.   Yay.

Onto the Dallas Museum of Art for some fun and activities.  This is definitely our artsy day.  Heading straight for the children's section, it literally takes only seconds before they are both actively engaged in different areas.

There is a board full of sight words and Hyrum stops and asks me to come over.  He then proceeds to read about 75% of them to me.  Awesome.  Zyra, meanwhile, has located a white board and is busily writing and drawing away.

We leave the children's play area for some time in the education center.  First up:  light tracing and they both LOVE it.

When that wears out, we call it a day and start the return trip process.  Hyrum and I make a stop at a piece of art to have a discussion and play "I Spy" with it.

It is hot out by the time we are back home and everyone is ready for lunch and some quiet time.  It is Zyra's movie choice today and she wants something with a puppy.  The only thing I can find in the cabinet is Winn Dixie so into the player it goes.  We pull up the love seat and they have their own movie theater for the next hour and a half at which time the toys are again put to use for some play time before dinner.

 After dinner, I decide to make some donuts for a treat.  I get a helping hand from Zyra who would also like to fry them, but I control the situation there much to her dismay.  She gets to sugar them though.

Upon completion, it is milk and donuts for all.  They are a hit with Missy, but Master Hyrum turns up his nose and says no way.  Fifty per cent seems to be how it goes some days and I have learned to live with that.  No pressure here.  This has been a fun day but it is soon time to close eyes.  Once Zyra is down, Hyrum heads for the office to watch Sonic X --- at least two episodes.