We finally get Hopie at the beginning of July. We had a blast celebrating the Fourth with her and other family members and friends. It's way too cool to be able to just sit on our deck or swim and watch the fireworks put on by the Hebron Volunteer Fire Dept. No worries for parking, bathrooms or snacks! Nothing beats a small town! Not a thing.
Like her sister, Sarah, Hope also loves to scrap book and do paper crafting. For her this go 'round it was scrap booking. I figured if we didn't get to the paper crafting she wanted to do, Sarah could help her. This is what my dining room look like for the majority of July. It was only "cleared" away to make room for meals.
Actually, this is pretty clean compared to most days!
Hope was no different in her energy level. We had much to do, but a little more time to do it in!
Hope pressed on every day to work on her scrap book. She was making a gift for her adorable little niece (my very first Great-grandie). So every day we took out and put away the projects at hand. Every. Day.
But when I they needed a break the Mario Marathon continued . . . with the same scenario. PTL for Ben ~ but he even grew weary at times. Goldilocks showed him no mercy either (pushing him off the screen ~ by accident of course ~ or causing him to take a lava bath, or get eaten by those "things" that lurk around or by just being 7 and playing Mario). But after much agony or maybe just the need to play the game, he would succumb to our their pleadings for help. And all would be good for a while.
When we they tired of that, or Ben wouldn't help, they did the next best thing: "Just Dance"!
Can I say hardwood floors come in handy when you have busy, energetic kids sliding around.
All furniture is moved back. Girls had to spread out lest one should get conked in the nugget.
Don't mind the laundry basket ~ that's as far as I made it ~ or the lamp ~ we were still in transition with Kelly's move. Such is life. Just keepin' it real here.
To add madness to mayhem, Paul brought over bubble wrap for them to dance on!
There were puppet shows to put on. I'm so glad imaginations run rampant in our family! I'm not sure, but by the looks of it, I think they paused
Lion King to use as a backdrop. Don't quote me on that. The puppet with the big blue eyes is Rease's. She made it in school. It scares people around here, so I'm told.
And of course, the trek to Tyaskin Wharf. Word spreads quickly when treasures are to be found. The tide was too high again, but Hope did find a couple little doo-dads. Not all was naught.
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| The Bear Hug! |
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| The Treasures |
Of course they swam in the pool, played, read, cooked and bickered. But, all was well and right with our world. Memories were made. Lives were bonded together.
Then, before we knew it, it was time to head back. Where had the month of July gone? It's never easy saying goodbye to your grandies. Never. My heart was heavy. Very heavy.
Tears ~ an understatement. I swear, I hate goodbyes. JUST. HATE. THEM!
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