Our Week Away

We had lots of fun, putting lots of miles on our van this last week! We left here Saturday morning, way too early, and went to a workday at Altamont. Very nice to see everyone. I feel like I didn't do much while I kept track of kids, but hopefully we helped somewhat! Than on to Dana and Marilyn's, and Sunday morning breakfast on the patio!

Evan and Dana left Sunday evening to come back here to work, but we stayed until Tuesday. Marilyn let the kids do one of their favorite Grammy's-house activities-- painting!
She gives them paintbrushes and a bucket of water, and her gray porch or rocks become dark gray! The windows got a little attention, too...

Tuesday was quite the day. Since we were driving right past the cottage where Owen and Ashley are staying this summer on our way to Vaughans', we planned to stop in and say "hi" and see their place. I had a few bags of things for Bet, so we just stopped by there real quick... Then they just had to play with Orianna and Co. for a bit... then it seemed silly not to see where Cody, Justin and Owen work, just a few miles up the road, so we took them chocolate milk and donuts. So it was quite a while before we got to Ashley's! The only Vaughan family members we didn't get in were the Alaskan ones... but I did draw the line at driving to Alaska with small kids! Anyway, Owen and Ashley have a cute little cottage-- quite tiny, but nice and cheap for the few months they'll be there before they head back to Maine for Ashley's college.
Cheyenne stayed at Bet's for the night Tuesday night, and Bet came up Wednesday. It had been a while since the cousins had been together, so very chaotic and fun! Bethaney helped the kids make sugar cookies one morning-- we quickly found out why it's usually a Christmas activity and not a 4th of July activity-- no matter how long we chilled them in the fridge, by the time they were rolled out they were too warm to hold their shape. They still tasted yummy, though.
Tori modeling the dress I made her all by myself! Well, except for the fact that Marilyn watched my kids for me while I worked on it and helped explain the pattern, and Mom watched the kids while I finished it. It was so much fun to sew! I just started learning this winter, helped along by the fact I couldn't find any decent maternity clothes. Then, Dana and Marilyn bought me a sewing machine for my birthday! Since Rilla's birth, I haven't had much time to play with it, so this was fun.

It's Olivia's turn for a week down here, so we left Mom and Dad's Friday morning. Our poor van (with over 186,000 miles on it) must hate these trips. Olivia's knees were rather crowded. We had: a second-hand bureau I'd bought for Elliott (I've been storing his clothes in diaper boxes, so this is good!); two suitcases (one for Olivia, one for us); Marilla's swing; the Exersaucer we're inheriting from Lillian; two strollers, one of them a double stroller; my sewing machine; a laundry basket and Rubbermaid full of sewing supplies, my large diaper bag; two garbage bags of Salvation Army clothes (Mom and Dad don't have a store up there); a laundry hamper of our dirty clothes; assorted toys, comic books, blocks, etc.; our meeting bag full of Bible bags; and other small bags. Plus, three car seats and five passengers. Since I'm a worrywart about things flying around if we got in an accident, everything had to be packed in just so. I was quite impressed with this feat of engineering!

We were glad to be home and see Daddy Friday night. Bet and Justin were also here Friday night, on their way to fly out to Colorado for a family wedding. With all the unpacking and playing, the house definitely looks like a bomb hit it, but it should be fun week with Olivia here.

Our basement is still coming along. Evan spent Saturday finishing up hanging drywall and building new stairs with risers and all. It's going to look pretty spiffy!

Marilla is experiencing major seperation anxiety if I'm not in the room, preferably holding her and focusing on her exclusively, so I think we'll just surgically attach her to me for the next couple weeks. I'm kind of hoping it passes before convention! I go around saying, "She's probably teething..." -- the excuse mothers use for fussy infants months before they ever show a flash of white in their mouth!