Montana Girls are Back - Days 6, 7 & Travel Home

3rd - We are on day six.  What to do - what to do.  Well, feeding the tribe is usually a good start.  Elena wants biscuits for breakfast, so biscuits it will be.  Two littles in the kitchen gives me ample time to share the work.  They are more than happy to roll out the dough and cut it into circles for us to bake.

Now that that is finished, let's get dressed and have an adventure.  We have called for a bus to pick us up and zoom us to the train station.  All that's left to do is wait.

Where is the bus?

Malea can only wait so long and she must find a stick and something to poke at.  Fun times.  Aha - here is the bus.

A mere 5 minutes later, we are at the train station and we have just a few minutes before our train arrives.  The girls have the system down pat and Malea knows she has to stay with me while Elena can hang out up front.

When our train arrives downtown, we walk a couple blocks and then catch the trolley.  Ah, something new.  I'm not so sure that Malea is very impressed with it though.  The day is just starting and she's oh so tired, she says.

It seems like we just had breakfast, but not really.  Obviously ALL the minutes weren't recorded.  By the time we arrive, they are asking for food again.  I check out the new cafeteria (recently remodeled) and order us a bowl of soup to share.  I have absolutely no idea what happens but it takes FOREVER to get the soup and finally I stop someone to ask what has happened.  He says it will be right out and as he walks in the door to the kitchen, another person walks out with THREE bowls of soup.  We only bought one.  I explain and he says, "it's okay as it took a long time to get these to you."  Okay girls, dig in.  (No, not a chance we can eat all this.  Just enjoy.)

Now for some fun.  Reading time.

Wouldn't it be fun to have something like this in their bedroom?

Ah, great pic Malea.  If there's a place to crawl into, she finds it.

The find a giant pegboard to play with and I locate a bunch of huge rubber bands.

Malea wants to claim all the different ideas as hers even though some are Elena's and other children's but okay -- here's a picture anyway.  Yes, she's copying the post that Elena took when she finished her creation.  Little sisters - they just want to be like their big sisters.

Moving into another area, we discover a light table and both girls set to work once again showing their creativity and testing both their and my ability to get the angles right.  Geometry everywhere.

Malea gives up after awhile and locates other items with which to spend time.

About this time, I sneak Elena out to the creative build area and set her up.  Then back to Malea to make sure she is okay.  This starts my back and forth process for the next half hour while Elena let's her imagination work with the supplies she is given.

It takes longer than I think and soon Malea wants to give it a try too.  Well, okay.  Off we go.

Our next stop is at an etching table where they build a picture one etch at a time.  I love the idea and they work at it for quite awhile, moving from pattern to pattern.

Our time is up and we need to start the return journey.  Out we go to wait for the trolley.

It's definitely a transport day for these two.  Bus, train,  and trolley.  Wow.

We are lucky and all the connections go well.  The bus is waiting for us when we arrive and ZOOM -- it's back to the house.  Super slick.  I love DART.

Quiet time while I work on dinner.  When Grandpa gets home, he suggests some fun at a park playground after dinner.  What a perfect idea.  The girls can now add a car to their transportation modes for the day.  Grandpa picks a park that is pretty close and usually not very busy.  He's right and we pretty much have the place to ourselves.

The kid in all of us comes out now and then and I catch Grandpa having a twirl.

Ah,my heart.  Missing teeth and all.

The clouds are moving in.  I think we have another storm rapidly approaching and in order to keep Malea from another "oh, well" moment, we make our way to the car.  It's been a fun day and it's time for baths and bed.  For all of us.  Night.

4th - We have SUCH a busy day planned today.  Aunt Jenny and some cousins are on their way for the day.  It is the LAST full day for Elena and Malea which means the thing Elena has been waiting all week for will happen tonight but first -- breakfast and Elena wants to make scones.  Deal.

She loves to be in the kitchen and her scones turn out really good.  While she waits for them to bake, a grapefruit must be had.  Again, she loves these and asks for one almost immediately upon arrival here.  This is her last one this trip.  Sigh.

Now, I have been setting up a sewing area this morning as well.  Jen has a college project which is due Monday and I have friends coming over to help get it done.  As soon as Jen arrives, we are go, go, go on the project and Grandpa takes over with the grands.  You can read all about our big project in THIS POST.

Jared, Jon, and Bekah have come with their mom so the girls definitely have cousin time while we sew.

Bekah takes up a spot in the living room while we sew and contributes a ton of help.  Yep, she's really working up a sweat.

I take a break from sewing for a minute and find Grandpa in a rousing game of UNO.  Fun times all over the house.  There are currently 6 adults and 5 children in my house.  That's a lot if you have ever been here.  Also, two of those children are as large as adults.  It's a full house.

The project is coming along nicely and our sweatshop is working hard.  Malea stops by for some hugs and I am more than happy to stop what I am doing and offer them.

By noon, the project is down to a one woman show so everyone else packs it up and heads out.

Grandpa and Elena are in the kitchen making a shiver for dessert.  Yum

The kids have been asking to go swimming all morning and now we are off to do just that.  Jen stays behind to finish putting her project together and Grandpa and I are off.  In Jen's car.  With Bekah driving.

I'm not sure who is more nervous, Bekah or Grandpa but I find a way to let it all go and just play around taking selfies with the girls.  This day needs to slow down so that I have more time with them.

The rec center is right near the house although I had no idea it was here.  We come here to the splash pad all the time and the fact that there is a pool never crossed my mind.  I never even wondered what this building was.  Wow.

Bekah has two little shadows that are super attached to her right now.  Not much chance of breaking free.  The girls decide that they are all three going to jump in the pool together.

And away they go.  The only flaw in their plan is that Malea doesn't swim.  Therefore, her jump is to Jon.  It works and Grandpa is there to catch Elena as well.  Brrr.

It's COUSIN TIME.  These moments are the absolute best for me to watch.  It's why I love our trips down to the beach so very much.  Just the interaction between the cousins is fantastic.  Grandpa is such a good sport and gets in the water with the kids to help Malea and Elena out.  He loves it as much as they do.

After awhile, much too long actually, I locate the kiddie pool for Malea.  Oh goodness.  Why didn't we come here first.  I bring her over to play and am soon joined by Bekah and Jon.  One is not interested in the water anymore, but the other is awesome to Malea and plays with her for the rest of our time here.

She is much happier in the shallow water even though she starting to get cold.

Time to go.

As we are leaving, the girls spot one of the employees with something in their hand.  They walk over to check it out and find that they have a large frog.

Always willing to give a touch, Elena gets up close and personal with it.

When we finish, the lifeguard releases it back out onto the lawn and freedom once again belongs to the frog.

What do you suppose he told his friends?

Okay, let's go.  I stay at the back watching everyone on their way and notice that Jon waits for Malea as she struggles with her towel, but then Malea has no loyalty at all and runs for Bekah to hold her hand.  They do love their BIGGER cousins.

Okay - The time has finally arrived.  Elena has been asking to have a "Chopped" competition ever since she arrived.  We waited until now so that there would be more people around.  Our other requirement is to make it a video.  Now one would think that that would not be a problem as we have done other videos before, but one would be wrong.  You see, Elena wants the competition to be with Grandpa.  That means we lose our cameraman and I become a very poor substitute.  Oh well, here goes nothing.

During the week, I made a stop at a store and selected what I thought would be interesting combinations of items with a few odd ones and yet, easy enough for a 7 year old to work with.  I also decided that we would only do appetizers and desserts and no cooking.  Jon has asked to be the third competitor so we are ready to start.  You can see our entire "show" by clicking on this CHOPPED LINK.  It's worth the stop.

During the show, Malea has her own cooking project going on in the den when she is not judging.

This has been such fun.  Doesn't she just look oh so grown up in her new dress, apron and with her hair up?  Love, love, love.

Now, after that mess gets cleaned up and the kitchen kind of set up, dinner gets started.  I know -- seems like they just ate but really only had a taste or two during the challenge.

After dinner Elena gets to serve her dessert for everyone and I'm pretty excited.  It is one of my favorites and we get to have the leftovers this week.  Yum.

And this day is a wrap.  Well, mostly.  I finish up the laundry, pack the girls, and then sit and bind Jen's project for her.  She is leaving as soon as I am done and it will be a very late night drive for her.  It will be a very early morning for me as the littles have to be returned tomorrow.  Yuck.  We say goodbye to Jen, Jared, and Bekah.  Jon is staying for the week and will hang with Grandpa tomorrow while I fly.  It's definitely been fun.

5th - Ugh.  I get up my girls early in the morning and am thankful that Bekah did Elena's hair last night before she went to sleep.  The braids are staying in.

We have a super early flight and Grandpa leaves us at the airport around 5.  After going through security and arriving at the gate, we settle in and they both go back to sleep.

 Oh, can I please stay this way forever.  My heart is breaking.  The visits with these two are so far between.  The only consolation for me is that this year I will get to see them again this summer down at the beach.  Smiles through tears.

It's time to fly and we are soon in our spots ready for take-off.

Malea wastes no time in returning to sleep.  She really could care less about this flight.  Sleep is all she is interested in right now.

It's a quick flight and soon we are landing in Denver.  Elena is awake and ready to see mom.  She watches our entire landing all the way up to the gate.

Rhiana is there to meet us and I give her the girls rather reluctantly.  It has been just so wonderful.  Truly.

They leave me at the gate as I have a very quick return flight and am back in Dallas by noon where Grandpa and Jon pick me up.  It's time to get another session of camp started.