Weekend with the Rents :)

This weekend Philip was hunting at Hagerman Nature Preserve (you have to enter and then get drawn to hunt there) so I headed to my parent's house for a couple days to see the fam and have some help with the boys. We had another wonderful weekend at Moe & Pops! Joel and Levi got to have lots of adventures!

Moe treated Levi to some yummy breakfasts and both boys enjoyed 

some snuggle time in their jammies watching some "toons"

  

My Parents have had my Gran living with them for the past 11 years. This has been a wonderful blessing in many ways, but at times it is a lot of stress for my Mom to try to keep up with all of Gran's daily needs (help with cooking, cleaning, dressing etc) as well as all her medical needs (appointments, meds, concerns etc). I know my Mom is happy to return the wonderful care she was given as a child to her mother in her old age, and that she feels blessed to have these years together in such closeness. I also know that it must be exhausting for her. I think my Mom is amazing for all she does for her Mother! She is a wonderful caregiver. For me, the biggest blessing in Gran living with my Mom is that the boys and I get to see her every time we visit my Mom. It's a two for one special!! :)

This trip Levi helped Gran make some gingerbread man cookies for her upcoming Christmas Tea. I helped make (read; made) the cookies because Gran cannot see well and Levi is VERY easily distracted which led to a few spills, "miscalculations" on measurements and "creative" faces on the cookies. Some how they actually ended up being some what tasty and cute :) I love that Levi is getting the opportunity to make memories with Gran. I have so many wonderful memories of cooking, baking, sewing and crafting and much more with Gran! She is a wonderful grandmother and great grandmother!

making the dough

my silly goose

cutting out the "mans"

putting on the craisins and raisins for their faces

 Saturday morning Pop took Levi to the park and they had a blast! They spent some time throwing rocks into the creek (the most fun thing ever!!!) and found some sticks while there. Levi has a hard time with the "st" sound and it usually comes out as a "d" sound instead. Pop got a big laugh out of Levi being so excited about his "big dick" and told us how Levi kept explaiming "Pop, your dick is bigger than my dick!" and things like that. They had a sword fight with their sticks and when part of Pop's stick broke off Levi shouted "Oh no Pop, I broke your dick!" too too funny :) Levi sure is lucky to have such a wonderful man to share potty/body part humor and fun times out doors as well. I know they will make many more silly memories together as well as go on many out door adventures together!

the men and their "dicks"

Later that day Moe, the boys and I met Kate, Nora, Asher and the kids Great Aunt Mary at a park to play and eat lunch. We had a great time (despite Levi having an odd poopy accident...yuck!) and the kids had a blast swinging and running all over the place. Levi and Nora really love each other and I'm sure Joel and Asher will be best buddies soon as well :)

two cute baby boys...not big enough to get into too much trouble, yet!

Lucky cousins with their super involved Moe!

Joel getting some loves from his Great Aunt Mary!

 I am so blessed to have such wonderful parents who are amazing grandparents as well. I don't think I could survive hunting season with out them. As much as I love Philip, and am happy that he and his Dad share the passion/hobby of hunting (as well as my Dad and brother), it is hard to have several weekends alone every October, November and December. Now that I am a Mom to two busy boys it can be down right exhausting. I look forward to the days when the boys can go on some of the hunting trips with their Dad and grandfathers and I can have some quiet weekends alone :) For now I will enjoy the extra time with my family and the empathy of my Mom (who has also endured time alone with kids while my Dad went fishing and hunting). It was a great weekend, and with out the hunting trip it probably would not have happened!