Visitors ... Part 3

Thursday 3/26

Every Thursday is my "stitchers day" (stitchers for a cause = sewing for charity). I love it and Helen so wanted to come at least once. Last time she visited it was cancelled for VBS or so. This time it worked out. 9 am to 2 pm - and Papa gave us off, ha-ha.My stitching friends welcomed her and it was a lot of fun. A lot for Helen to see. Susan gave her one of the "kits" and Helen finished sewing the whole top. She selected fabric for the binding and did that in my queendom on Saturday. I can take it back next week.We have a potluck lunch and it's just nice social time too.

While we were busy sewing charity quilts, Papa and William had together-time too. It would be so much more fun if it wasn't that cold. But it seems never too cold for ice cream.

We had planned to have some sort of Easter / family meal and this seemed to be the best evening. Since we were all so busy (including the moving issue) we decided to not have the traditional lamb roast but opted for taco salad instead. The sauces (meat and cheese) can be in crockpots and most everything can be prepared and just needs pulling out of the fridge. First we nibbled on shrimp and smoked salmon.

For some Easter spirit Helen made her Easter dessert: rabbits in the grass. That is a tradition since her childhood. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture before we ate but if you go to a blog of a previous Easter you could find a picture there, ha-ha.

I know these photos are out of focus but they are so cute. Auntie is being a good auntie.

 

Friday 3/27

Sarah's day off. She had to go to the insurance though and some shopping had to be done. So we split up and then met at Target. Oh no, William had forgotten his pocket money. So we explained to him borrowing and giving back later and he was happy with that. He always "needs to" go straight to the HotWheel aisle. He picked a box with 5 new cars. But then at the cash register Auntie Sarah gave it to him as a present. One happy boy.

We went to the Silver Diner for lunch. Quite nice but the sandwiches are so thick that you probably could unhinge your jaw. Caleb was very lively!

Auntie Helen took the next two of Caleb and the photos in the Science Museum.

Yes, William loves the Science Museum. His family has a membership in the one in Nashville (Christmas present from his other grandmother) so James, Helen, William and Caleb all got in free here. Nice.Just in case you wonder ... Sarah and I went to her house and did some sorting, throwing out and packing, mainly papers/files. She was very happy when that was done because it had weighed on her.

Word has it that William lost his time on the controls here when Caleb decided that he wanted to have a go. Cousins.

Have I mentioned how miserably cold the weather is? James and I even have to bring the hibiscus back into the garage which we hoped could be outside for the summer already. Have to come up with things to do inside. Ker-plunk is a nice game. We all had fun.

 

Saturday 3/28

The HotWheel track got more attention this time than the train track. Mommy had built such a nice one. We had to play at least a little.

Papa went early to church to help because it was clean-up day. But he came back with donuts.

Lunch was later this day And just one of those fabulous snacks for William.

What to do on a miserable day with an almost 5 year old? He had said more then once he wanted to go to the Science Museum again. Oh well ........ so Papa, Omi and he went! They didn't want us to pay again when we showed them Helen's Nashville membership. We started at the top floor.

At 3:30 there was a demonstration about super cooling with liquid nitrogen. William was very interested. At the end the lecturer put a penny (but it had to be one 1983 or newer) into the nitrogen and when it was real cold he could hit it with a hammer and it broke into 4 quarters. William got one of the bits.

We looked just at a few more of his favorites like the "stand and spin". Here is a VIDEO!

When we were on our way home we let Sarah know. She wanted to say good-bye to Helen and William. She also brought Edy, our houseguest for three weeks. She had been before so that is o.k. with her except for the ride in the car which she soooooooo hates.She was quickly friends with William and Helen too.

William's evening snack.

 

Sunday 3/29

Our visitors are leaving today. But first breakfast. Omi has to make the applesauce and William helps.

It is Palm Sunday. James is lay reader. William is now adjusted to that Papa sometimes dresses up. We have to leave quickly afterwards though because we have lunch and then Helen needs to pack.

On the way to the airport at 2 pm. William is leaving and smiling? Well, he gets to go in two planes and then he is back with his Pops. He is excited and that is how it should be.

He is a good traveler and all went well.

Helen sent this picture! Sonyean is now in Nashville! I think William is going to show him his hometown now and what he is doing ... like soccer practice this day!

Going to see Helen, Ben and William in May! In the meantime ....... yeah for FaceTime!

 

 

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Visitors ... part 2

First a disclaimer. Mmhh, might not be the right word. But these are not all my photos and videos. James, Helen and Sarah contributed too.
Don't know whether timing was good or bad but Helen's visit and Sarah's first move (into the temporary place) came at the same time.

Monday 3/23

The good thing: the inspection of Sarah's new house was scheduled for 3:30 and Helen could take a quick look because she and Papa might be able to help with Caleb once Sarah arrives. Later on Sarah took her by the temporary place too (can't remember when) but Helen could get an idea about all three places. She had not seen some of the remodeling they had done either.
While Helen and Papa were gone William and I had fun. Sun was shining too so we could go for a walk in the neighborhood. William really liked the looks of the pine tree making new pine cones. So we took a photo together.

That flying toy from the Dollar Store is still a favorite. It will not last much longer because the center is worn down but we just can't find a replacement. If we knew then that we should have bought a dozen?
William also likes the "helping hand". It's good practice in dexterity for those little hands.

And of course we need to spoil ourselves once in a while.

Parachute-Teddy is also still fun. Here is a VIDEO.

Tuesday 3/24

Helen wished that she could have been visiting when Marsha gave a lesson in appliqué at the CR quilters meeting one month.
We call Marsha the appliqué queen because she has made many beautiful quilts with this technique. She is very generous sharing her knowledge and Helen was getting a privat lesson. We walked to her house at 10 am. We were in awe about her studio and seeing her work. Helen was very happy and said Marsha was an excellent teacher. This is going to be Helen's mug rug.

While Helen (and I) were at the lesson James went with William to Maymont. Of course William liked the animals (not so much the predator birds though).

They had a picnic lunch which included donuts. But it was so lousy cold that they had to come back home too soon.

Wednesday 3/25

Sarah had taken a vacation day since her sister was visiting and the girls, their boys and I went to the Children's Museum next to the Science Museum.
Right at the entrance was an interesting contraption at the wall, robes almost like a vac. You could stick a scarf in and watch it go and come flying out. Sarah took two videos. One has some slow-motion she tried out.
VIDEO 1
VIDEO 2

Could not pass up this photo opportunity in the corner about the dinosaurs. You have to take a series of pictures especially if there are two younger people involved! I think they are really cute!

So much to explore. William was really cute with his cousin.

Sarah took Caleb into the "younger section" where he was busy for a while.

William had fun with the "Apple tree". You collect the apples and pour them into a machine (inside the tree).

After a good while though we found the many groups of school children (and some were not were nice) overwhelming. We also were hungry. So we met James for lunch in "Peking".

William had not been happy to leave the museum so the girls decided to put both car seats into Sarah's car and go back. The cousins had fun on the back seats and then at the museum because most groups were gone.

Sarah took more pictures in the Children's Museum.

William the anchor man!

Ah, yes, he had wanted to go on that carousel already in the morning. A wish come true!
VIDEO 1
VIDEO 2

In the evening William prefers a snack instead of dinner and his mother is the best snack maker.

 

Thursday 3/26 ...... that will be part 3!

 

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