Girls Days -- Much Needed

I have been blessed to have the wonderful company of a great friend in my studio the past couple of days.  Lisa has been working on her newest great creation while keeping me company and on task.  We have talked and worked through two complete days.  I wish every day was like this.  Honest.  Cass came out and joined us part of the time as well while working on her pineapple table runner.  We had machines and lights and fun going everywhere.

Today, we made ourselves a delightful lunch of fresh goodies and invited Mister to partake with us before heading back to work.  I hope we can do this again soon.

A Truly Funky Tomato

While trying to make a caprese salad for my girlfriend, Lisa, and I, I discovered this tomato.  It was sprouting from the inside.  So very odd.

Carhopper

We treated ourselves to a night down on Lower Greenville and as we were leaving The Bottle Shop, we found a visitor who wanted a ride home with us.  He was HUGE.

Ranger Game -- Woohoo!!

When we returned from Wyoming, I had a message on my computer from my good friend Lisa asking if Mister and I would like their ticket to tonight's Ranger game.  Naturally, we jumped on the chance and are excited for an evening out together.  We leave the house about two hours early so that we can grab some food and have plenty of time to be at the stadium.

We did not plan on an accident on the highway which made our trip take 1 1/2 hours.  Yep -- you read that right.  Once we arrive, park and head into the stadium, we are greeted by free bobble head dolls of Yu Darvish.  Mister then takes ours back to the car while I wait just inside the gates.  Upon his return, we make a quick tour of the stadium, find our seats, find our dinner, and luckily even locate some true Texas beer.  This night is looking fine.

Cowboy stadium through a window:

Our view of the stadium:

Dinner -- oh so healthy:

It is a beautiful evening and we are ready for the game.  Here we go.  Yu Darvish is on the plate and the game begins.  The entertainment along the way always makes a baseball game extra fun.  The Rangers win the game against Houston and Mister and I crack up at the "Texas" power sayings and songs.  Perhaps they should do something different when both teams are from Texas.  Too funny.

As we are leaving the stadium, a pick-up cuts us off and we wind up in an accident, wait almost an hour for the police so that we can press charges as it was a hit and run, and then drive home.  Again, it takes us 1 1/2 hours to make the trip.  Three  hours on the road for a local baseball game.  There are times when driving in this city makes me nuts.  Tonight was one of them.

Back in Wyoming - Fun With Grands - Day 5

It is our last day here as Amanda and Trent are due home this evening.  What shall we do?  First up:  breakfast and each person is able to have whatever they wish.  Ryan choosees blueberry pancakes-- yum.

I ask the boys if they want to do and do something or just hang around the house -- the choice is to hang around for awhile and then go do something.  I am cool with that.  Downtown is always nice and sometimes hard to get.

They ride bikes with friends, play on the trampoline, and generally just relax.  After the past 4 jam-packed days, I think everyone deserves time to just do whatever makes them happy, even if it is absolutely nothing.

It only took a few hours, though, before they were ready to be up and moving.  Mister and Raef had looked up a new park to go to and we had also heard about a Farmer's Market going on today.  First stop: the market where we are treated to watching them roast peppers.  So cool!  I cannot believe that we live in Texas, the roasted pepper mecca, and have never seen it done this way.

So yummy.

The heat coming off the roaster is intense and we make sure everyone, including Caleb stays way back so as  not to get burned.  Ryan is such a great big brother to him.  The peppers are done in almost no time and I am in awe.  Sure beats me holding them over the flame on the stove and turning them one at a time for 5 minutes each.  Ugh.

Soon, the cages are opened and dumped into bins for packing up to sell.  I bet they go fast.

The park that Grandpa and Raef picked out is Martin Luther King Park, dang close to downtown.  We locate a parking place and the entrance is a bridge over a stream/creek that has beautiful trees overhead and presents an awesome beauty that helps me simply slow down and enjoy.

The boys spot the playground and are soon off and running.  Let the games begin.  Raef and Ryan start their "challenge" game while Caleb tries to master a climbing rock that leads to a slide.  I have to force myself to let him try without helping him.

Grandpa has the same worries, but once he reaches the top, he turns and looks through the bars at us proclaiming, "I did it" repeatedly.

He also discovers he can reach the slide up this ladder --- now that is even harder to let him be but he really does NOT want any help.  Grandparents are born worriers I think.

The older boys are busy using each and every piece of equipment and amidst shouts of "take a picture, Gammy", I am running to and fro.

After a snack/water break, Caleb and I walk over towards some stairs back behind Martin Luther King's statue.  Where do they lead?  Ah, down to the creek.  We are quickly joined by everyone else and we take a few minutes to talk about the area.  Ryan really would rather go back to the playground and soon begs Raef to go with him and they are off.

Grandpa and Caleb throw a stick into the water and watch it float away.  This starts a major form of entertainment and we are soon hunting down sticks, pinecones, and anything that will float.

We actually find a very large branch on the ground and with a little work we manage to get it under the fence and into the water.

As it floats away, Caleb is heard saying, "Bye, stick."  Goodness, but is that not super cute?

It is time to head back over to the playground and check on the boys.  We discover that they have created a small pit fort under the climbing rock and are having a great time in there.  That quickly changes when Caleb decides to join them and smashes down their walls while crawling in.  Drat -- little brothers!

Soon, all three are back out and on the slides.  They discover one that has bumps on it and slide down in all manner of positions.  Heading down the slide backwards on his tummy.

It is time to head home for lunch and a nap for our little guy.  Also, Mister has a surprise for the boys and it starts at 1 so they need to really move.

Grandpa is taking the boys bowling.  Here are the pics he takes:

I love these oh so much.  Ryan looks so very serious first aiming the ball and then waiting for the results -- love the hand placement.  Fantastic.

They have a great time and are all excited when they return.  Mister had a pretty dang good game too and claims to have put the rails down each time it was his turn. Hmmmm, can I believe him?

When the boys got home on Friday, we simply forgot about school for a few days and now we have to play catch-up and make sure all the homework is done.  Sucks, but has to happen.  Even Caleb gets into the act by coloring.

We want to end on a high note so decide to take the boys to dinner.  After discovering that the Olive Garden is closed -- ??? -- we drive through downtown again and spot the Twin Dragon.  We ask the boys if they like Chinese and once again Ryan sends us into giggles by answering that he doesn't want to eat Chinese people.  And he is sincere.  He soon agrees though and we get the car parked and race through the rain for the door.  The food is wonderful and the boys declare that it is the "best Chinese food they have ever had" and state that they are going to ask their parents to come here.  Yes!  We succeeded.

Wow -- it is a school night and we need to get people to bed.  Where has this day gone?  While the boys finish preparing for tomorrow, Caleb and I start reading books.

Ryan soon joins us, but it is not long before he is sent for pj's.  He does what is asked but adds my sweater as part of his outfit.  Perfect.

This has been a great few days.  I love this time with my grandsons and will treasure the memories forever.  Caleb and I took a quick selfie --- rarely do that, but am so glad we did.  Truly not sure I want this to end.

Amanda and Trent arrive home safely and the next morning we are delivered back to Denver for our flight home.  Everything works out precisely and we are soon back in Texas.  I can't wait for another opportunity to be with little ones.