Are we having fun yet?: their trip

"Snack" at Penelope's

While we were in Thailand, my kids went on a cruise. Not really, but they might as well have. They went to Grandma's.

This was E's first plane ride. He watched everything with a keen eye. Our flight was at 6:45 am on a Wednesday morning before Halloween. It was a perfect flight. We had the whole back half of the plane to ourselves. E had paid so much attention, it must have worn him out. He fell asleep in my arms for half the flight. I couldn't believe my luck!!! W and T were very well behaved playing games and eating meal bars.

T was paying very close attention because when we got off the plane, he informed me that "if someone needs to smoke they should do it outside the building" He was just repeating the announcement made over and over to me, but with such seriousness. Yep. You are right, T.

W was sooooo excited to go to Grandma's. They told their learning box school friends every time they saw them, two weeks in advance. W was awake when I came to get her at 4 in the morning to get dressed and go potty. She usually only does these tasks if fully supervised and at a very, very slow pace. But I think she had everything done and wanting to get in the car in about 5 minutes.

I went to put everything in the car as it was ready. Luggage, E, and W ran in the car. Poor T. He was having a hard time coming out of a dead sleep. I went to go back in the house to help him and found him literally running out the door, crying. He thought I was going to leave him. I was surprised at how fast he got ready, so I just locked the front door and helped settle him down in the car. But when I got home, I realized how much he really thought I was going to leave him. His pj bottoms were in the front entry hall. He is meticulous about putting his pjs in the laundry hamper. Not that day. No time.

They went everywhere with Grandma. First they went with Grandma to vote. Why my mom didn't send in a mail in ballot is beyond me, but she didn't and dragged all the kids with her. They had a blast. T got down and looked at the voting booth's legs, shook them a bunch to see if they were sturdy. They all got stickers at the end that said they voted, so it was worth it.

I facetimed that evening with them. I was thinking E would have the hardest time being left. I've never done it overnight, and definitely not for 12 days in a row. I thought everything was good. On Facetime, he brought the ball over to show me and didn't seem distressed or uncomfortable. Seemed right at home. Probably helped that we had been there 2 months previous.

I didn't realize how hard it was for him until I brought him home. He screamed as if something were pinching or biting him every time we got in an elevator or walked by one. The plane door also looked closely like an elevator. He is still very nervous in elevators. He has never shown that before. My guess is that the elevator must be the last thing he remembers before being abandoned by mom. Who knows.

W settled in with a craft. They made glitter pumpkins. W's had every inch of the pumkin covered in glitter. No pumpkin skin showing.

T was in charge of the wagon at the pumpkin patch. They got really good at checking for squishy pumpkins. Good thing. Second to last day to buy and those pumpkins were in the end stages of life.

Oliver loves it when they come to visit. He gets lots of food from rejected items. And so he shares his food, too. E likes Oliver's dog food.

My mom put what my dad calls "decals" in the house. There is a ladybug painted on the wall in each room. W is finally old enough and noticed the ladybug painted behind the TP in the bottom bathroom. So she did the hunt. They didn't find all the ladybugs painted in the house, but are now on the lookout.

Grandma took them gardening. She was very surprised at how many gardening skills they already have. They pruned a bunch of bushes, T hauled away the branches, they planted tulip bulbs and T used his mini wheelbarrow to move stuff around.

They also picked apples from the tree and fed them to the horse that is there.

They might be asking for an animal when they get older. They all got a turn snuggling with Oliver at least once, until Oliver fell asleep with his head on their lap.

My mom's dad came to visit. One morning T popped his head into his great granpa's room and yelled "it's morning time!" and slammed the door shut again.

E adjusted well to his private suite. One afternoon, he had had it and ran into my parents closet and cried to be let into his crib. It was time for a nap.

My dad thinks it is so funny how vehemently e says no.

They had slinky apples for snack everyday. And then made a pie too.

They love the book "Owl Babies" and "old black witch" My mom changed the names in the Owl Babies to their names. They ate it up. E came home saying owl and making the noise. They made a whole pie the next day.

They loved having new play mates. Neighbor Maddie and Penelope kept them entertained with sharing so many toys and new games to add to their repertoire

W showed Grandma that she already has planting practice. She knew which way to plant tulip bulbs and how to get the pansies out just right.

T noted that "at Grandma's house we pray for rain and at our house we pray for sun" I guess we all need a lesson in gratitude and to pray for that.

They picked apples of course. How could Grandma leave that out of the activity list in the fall? They also fed the horse at my mom's friend garden place. And ate a slinky apple every single day for snack. Even E. Who loves variety. Can't get tired of slinky apple apparently.

They also played "tormento" every day. It involves swinging up wildly in the hammock just like a regular windy storm

They visited with Grandma An, too. Of course they played outside!! On the swing. I asked them about being with Grandma An. All W could remember is that she got two different kinds of drinks. Apple juice and grape juice. And she had a grilled cheese sandwich. That was all very, very exciting, let me tell you. T just noted that Uncle E wasn't around. I had to get more reports and pics from Grandma An.

T working hard

Penelope in her playhouse, with T and W to the right of her

Grandma snuggles

Uncle R and E play time. Oliver supervising

E, T and W awaiting the plane that would take them to Grandma's. I believe this is E's first plane ride. He was fascinated by the plane. And terrified of the airport