Day 7 and this trip is rapidly coming to an end. This is my last full day and I am spending it with Rhiana just hanging around the house but, first, it's an early birthday Kasey was in Afghanistan a LOT the past couple of years so I held off on his birthday gift last year, thus the afghan. Is that too much of a coincidence? I never thought of it until I just wrote this. Ugh.However, I also have his gift from this year so give that as well. Anyone who has followed me at all this year knows that it is a pair of slippers (the ones on the bottom right). Yep. I'm getting to the end of the year and am so thankful that they fit him. That's a definite plus.
Okay, okay. Time for school. I walk the girls over and then just enjoy my walk back. Upon returning, Rhiana and Kasey want to go and get some breakfast and since I am not one to turn that down, off we go to Grains of Montana. It's time for a pic of these two before people think I'm making them up.
We truly just spend the day talking and puttering around the house. They are in recovery mode from a trip and that is something that I totally understand. I go through it each time I return home. The after school walk is made by both Rhiana and I. It's nice to have her along and the girls are super excited to see her there.I have so enjoyed having a bit of time with her. I would dearly love for them to come and spend some time in Dallas this next year. We have not had the pleasure of showing Kasey around our city and feel as though we have neglected them all as a result. Besides, who doesn't want to go south during the winter?
Once the girls are home, it's homework and organization time and then we are off to gymnastics and I am going to spend the evening with Matt's family. I have not had time alone with them yet and tonight is the night.
Rhiana drops me off and as I arrive, Becca is calling the chickens up to the house for treats. Isn't that just so cool? I watch for awhile and then remember that Hyrum is about to return home from school so I make a quick trip to the front door in order to see if he has been dropped off yet. Oh yay!!! There he is. I am super stoked to spend some time with these two and have until dinner to do so.
Now to run back to the backyard again --- are the chickens there? Yep. Also, a quick peek in the refrigerator shows me the different colors and shapes of eggs that are delivered daily to the family. Wow.
After dinner, the evening activity is the annual carving of the pumpkins for Halloween. I am so happy to be a part of this and cannot wait to watch. That's right -- watch. The slimy insides of pumpkins have never been my favorite thing. (In case you are wondering, the refrigerator is out in the open due to an issue --- it doesn't usually sit in the middle of the kitchen.)
First step --- open the tops. Dad's job, of course.
Now to clean these buggers out.
At this point I do give in and help. I scrape Becca's pumpkin while she is busy and then sit and separate the seeds from the goo. Look at the size of this bowl of seeds when I am finished. Wow. That is a ton of seeds.
Zyra is trying to come up with her own design for her pumpkin and it's giving her a bit of trouble. Even I still have issues with remembering that once you cut out a large area, all the details inside of it are gone. It's a definite challenge.
Becca has opted for one of the patterns in the book and she is FOCUSED. Seriously. Nothing is stopping her from moving forward.
Matt has drawn his own, Hyrum has drawn the ghost from Mario and it is now being carved out.
Zyra has an idea that doesn't quite work out how she wants and pretty soon it turns into a profile of Yoshi from Mario. All right -- we are going forward.
In the meantime, Hyrum has finished and moved onto other games.
Finally --- all pumpkins are complete and Matt is given lights that need batteries added to them. I pitch in and help a bit and soon we have all pumpkins on the counter and glowing away.
I even took a video of the overall effect before we moved them outside. Pumpkins are done and ready for Halloween.
It's almost bedtime which means that Matt needs to take me back to Rhiana's but first I have a birthday gift for Hyrum as well. Everyone is getting early birthday gifts this trip as I get to give them in person. Isn't that the best anyway? A book and slippers. Well, the slippers are a bit big but that is much better than too small, so I'll take it. The book will make him happy in the meantime.
Pictures before I leave. Oh my heart.
And Gammy wouldn't be herself if she didn't turn it into a tickle fest.
Can I have a mother/son picture? Hmmmm . . . .
Oh yay!!!
Dang, that's it but I have to say goodnight to Becca, Hyrum and Zyra. Why is this always so tough? Matt then returns me to Rhiana's and I am able to give my good-bye hugs then. Oh sweet tears. This is always just so dang tough.
It is Day 8 and my time is Montana has hit the end. With a good-bye to my daughter, Rhiana, as she goes off to teach -- I have a bit of time with the girls before school and we spend it getting school assignments finished.
A brisk walk to the school later and that's it. What a fun week we have had and I wish it could happen each month. Drat. Maybe I'll get lucky and Kasey will take a job in Texas. Hey, I can wish can't I? Until the next time, I love you all so very much and thank you for letting me share a bit of your life this week.
Now, it's time to fly. Bye Montana - It's been perfectly wonderful. See ya again.
No comments:
Post a Comment