Road Trip - Days 31- 33 - Billings

 Today is July 1st and that marks Day 31 of this trip.  We are in grandparent mode and taking care of four grands while their parents take a vacation and few days together.  We're in Billings, MT and starting to get into the structure of littles and teens.  What a combo!  Oldest teen works for her uncle during the day and that leaves us with three.  Today, we are attempting to water the lawn AND teach Mariel that water is not of the devil.  She is truly afraid and runs from the water for quite awhile before venturing close to it but running alongside it.

Finally - her hands go in.

More examples.

More hands.

And - success.  She gives it a shot.

Meanwhile, up on the patio, Isla wants NOTHING to do with the water.  Later, cuddles all around and I can't believe today is behind us already.

7/2 When Rhiana left on Sunday, she managed to lose her phone right off the bat.  So, today I'm going up to the airport to see if it was turned in.  It wasn't, but my crazy time there was worth remembering.  First thing, I know I'm can't leave my car unattended in front of the doors, so I attempt to go into the parking lot.  I get up to the place where you take a ticket and it isn't working.  Drat.  With another car behind and signaling that I need to back out, I go to back up and enter the second drive and notice this sign ON THE PASSENGER SIDE of the first lane.  Perfect.  I can't get to it from there so I pull my car into the second lane - get out of the car and go around to the other side of the stand and scan the code.  it sends me a code that I must enter to open the gate.  BY now there are multiple cars behind me - one also struggling in the other lane.  Gate opens and I find a spot to park.  I know I have 30 minutes before being charged so set out to ask my questions.  After a crazy walk through the back halls of the airport and to the management office, my answer is no and I'm back at the car fairly quick.  When I go to exit, I have to get the code again and then it tells me to enter a credit card number.  I wasn't there long enough to get a charge (codes are time-stamped) and there IS a person in the little building.  I just sit there (with cars stacking up behind me) until he stops reading his book and looks up.  I show him the problem and he says I still have to enter the card number.  Um, NO.  I'm not doing that for a zero charge and then having my card in their system - which I will likely never use again.  Finally, he relents and lifts the gate to stop the cars behind me from honking.  Stupidest system I have ever seen.

Home to do laundry and attempt to put Elena's room into some semblance of order as a surprise to her.

I took Zyra and Malea out to lunch as Zyra was over visiting and spending time with us.  We didn't get a lot of time with her last week, so this is nice.  Red Robin, it is.

We get a double dip today as Matt is taking us to Carverss for dinner tonight.  After a HUGE snafu with Elena - everyone get changed and are ready for a nice evening.

The teens are enjoying themselves.

We have such a nice time and thank you to Matt and Becca for a great evening out.  An attempt at a pic - 

And a nice lady walking up offers one from a better angle - kind of.

Home and some energy release in the backyard.

7/3 Malea and Zyra are doing their thing and that leaves me and Grandpa with the littles most of the day.  Survival is the plan.  Grandpa even turns to dancing with them.  Anything to keep Isla from screaming at me.  She LOVES me.

After my sanity time, I relieve Grandpa and go back to playing with the girls.  Another day is done.