Company Gone

Since the wee hours of Monday morning or was it the ending minutes of Sunday? We have had a grand time with my sister and her family down for a visit. They are the only ones far away. I remember peeking out and watching them file up into the house, waving at a few who noticed me, the older ones carring the sleeping little ones into the house.





My parents have 4 girls. I live less than a dozen feet away (as in there is an alley of sorts between the two trailers). Sister 2 lives far away with her husband and 11 children. Sister 3 lives in town with her husband and daughter and is expecting within the month a second daughter. Sister 4, Rhoda, lives across the yard with her 3 boys and a girl (3 Grubs and a Blossom). Much of this week - ALL of us were here. So in age order we had (names of some withheld) ... J, K, Kendra, R, S1, Vannan, C, M1, M2, Anthony, M3, Alex, Shi, H, Joel, Avery, S2, Valarie, S3...and Miah? nearly due....that is a LOT of grandchildren!





Vannan and S1, hit it off really well. Vannan has done nothing much other than cry since they left. She is a soft hearted child and takes EVERY loss this way.





I don't remember much about Monday - but we were so glad when the promised rain and gloomy weather cleared off to give us 4 beautiful days that the little ones could play outside almost all day together.





Anthony and C had a great time playing together - they were 2 of a kind. Anthony also took their leaving hard.





We finally got the 4 born all in the same year together for pictures too - Shi was in Jan, H in April, Joel in June, and Avery in July. They got along pretty good. Alex and M3 rounded out the slightly older group, and then there were the "babies", Valarie, S2 and S3. They sure had a great time exploring, climbing, running, and getting to know each other.





Wednesday, the boys all helped dad clean up my front yard and remove several trees that were dying that are around our two trailers. It looks great, but I am slightly worried about the extra hours of sun we will be getting come summer. Every year I struggle to keep the temps in the house below 90. We still have several other trees to go, but had to wait for the burn pile to burn down - especially since it is not far from my front door!

Later that night - the older ones all made sa'mores and we also wrapped close to 50 potatoes (sweet and White) and buried them in there.

Thursday morning we took pictures - I'll be posting a few later and updating our blog picture. Then Thanksgiving dinner all day long. It was great.

Friday we went to Tim's parent's house and did it all over again. We did venture out for just a little while to take advantage of looking for a new camera at Black Friday prices. Walmart was out - but we did pick up a sweat shirt for Joel for $4, we got the next size up so he should wear it for 2-3 years. Then Kendra got Tim to take us to Micheals to use the 50% off coupon with her money she had - including a gift card. She wanted crochet hooks - but ended up with a cute craft caddy.

This morning, they loaded up and left. The whole place seems so empty now....and quiet.

So, back to our regular schedule - except we've got to do Christmas cards and make presents. I'll try to take pictures. Should be fun now that I can see what I am taking a picture of!