movie time with Grandma, Grandpa, and Garcia!
We had Steve's birthday dinner while Mom and Dad were here, and it was fun to get everyone together. It was my parents' first time actually meeting Maisie, even though they feel like they know her through pictures and stories we tell.
cute cousins
I had been saving a DIY project for when Mom would be here to help me. :) After moving the kids into their loft beds, I wanted to make some curtains to enclose the space under each bed. Not only would it make the bed look more "finished", but it would create a great little fort for them to play in. Andrew found a website that provided the perfect tutorial and how much fabric would be needed, so Mom, the kids, and I headed to the Hob Lob one afternoon to pick out fabric. Back at home, Mom experimented with the sewing machine Ann found for me at a church auction for $6. After a few minutes of adjusting a few knobs here and there, the machine worked wonderfully and Mom and I got to work! I measured and pinned the material and let Mom do the sewing; it has been YEARS since I used a sewing machine, and I feel more comfortable starting with a smaller project...maybe pillows or placemats or something. It took us about 3 hours, and then they were ready to hang!
hot rods for Ryder and colorful owls for Harper!
Garcia stayed close by Grandma's feet :)
Harper's bed before
Harper's bed after
Ryder's bed before
Ryder's bed after
It was still fairly warm at the beginning of the week, so we visited a playground and the jetty for a hot dog. The water was really choppy from all the wind we were getting, so we didn't walk far out onto the jetty itself. It was fun just watching the surfers who were trying to take advantage of the waves!
a race to the top!
hot dogs at the jetty
One place I really wanted to take my parents when they were here was to Myakka State Park. They had never been, and we haven't been since the spring before we moved down here...4 years ago! It was a much cooler and breezier day, but we stuck it out and even did the airboat ride to spot some gators. The kids had fun just running around and trying to climb the trees--lots of fresh air that day!
The poor alligators were trying to warm themselves and stay sheltered from the wind!
ready for the boat ride!
Once we started moving, Ryder's hood went up and he snuggled up against me to stay warm.
Harper didn't stay bare-armed for long! She bundled up and laid across Grandma and Grandpa's laps to stay out of the wind.
the canopy walk
on our way to the top!
When Harper and I reached the highest point, she exclaimed, "Whoa! We are up as high as the birds!"
looking down at the treetops
Ryder and Harper were set on going bowling one afternoon because we had done that the last time Grandma and Grandpa were here. (It's funny what the kids remember!) Luckily it was pretty quiet at the bowling alley, and we got through one game fairly quickly before heading to Old Salty Dog for a late lunch. After lunch we went over to the beach, even though it was nowhere near warm enough to go in the water! The wind and storm from the beginning of the week washed up tons of shark's teeth though. While Ryder and Harper picked out shells for Grandma and Grandpa, I collected a handful of teeth (maybe 20 or so?) for my parents to take home with them.
I love this pose!
Grandpa helped her with the ball and ramp each time, and it was funny to watch her anxiously wait to see how many pins she would hit!
Not the proudest moment for "M", "B", and "D"! We didn't even break 100!
trying to soak up Vitamin D before their trip back home!
Mom gave the kiddos a book of outdoor activities, and Ryder loved the idea of nature art. They also had Grandma tie a rope between two trees to do the limbo. I missed out on that one, so there's no photographic evidence! ;)
Garcia was my dad's buddy for the week, so he went through withdrawal when Grandma and Grandpa didn't come back to play on Friday. :(
