Granny, Papa, and Auntie Shirley's Visit

What in the world would children's lives be like without grandparents? There is just something so special about seeing your kids with your parents. We have been very lucky to spend a lot of time with Granny and Papa since Harper was born 6 months ago and they just paid us another visit! Fantastic...would you believe they travelled all this way by car? It was just a mere 24 hours or so. Are they nuts? Not really...again, I don't think there is anything that a grandparent wouldn't do for their grandbabies. As Granny put it, "I don't really want to see you, Allison...It's all about the kids now." :) Oh, how times have changed. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Graden was so excited to have them come stay and we had an extra special visitor as well. My godmother whom I haven't seen in 18 years accompanied my parents and had just gotten off a flight from England! Bless her! What a wonderful breath of fresh air she was in this house. I practiced my "British" while she was here and found myself wanting to add the word "lovely" to every other sentence. I have added the term "press on" to my vocabulary because I think it's quite smart. I guess if I am half British, I better start talking like it! Truly, Shirley was lovely with Graden and Harper...what a way with kids she has.

Granny, Papa and Shirley got a taste of what putting two kids to bed was like one night when I was at work and Adam was playing soccer. Granny almost peed in her pants telling us the story of how she and Shirley had to join forces to get Harper's diaper changed. How can one tiny thing conquer two adults? Graden decided that he was going to venture into our room without telling anybody. Once Mom realized that he had been awfully quiet for a while, she found him in our room with his hands covered in black ink, my scissors and permanent markers out, as he calmly explained to her that he was busy and that he had work to do. How in the world did I not end up with anything on the carpet? It's a miracle, I tell ya.

We had a wonderful time during their visit with trips to Hillridge Farms, The State Fair, and the ladies even got to go have English afternoon tea at the local tearoom downtown. It was delightful. I don't think Shirley bought in to the whole concept of eating as much junk as you possibly can at The State Fair as all she had were some fried green tomatoes. C'mon...I only had a fried Milky Way, half of my mother's fried Three Musketeers, part of a funnel cake smothered in custard, part of a funnel cake smothered in chocolate (are you seeing a trend here?), roasted corn, and fried veggies. Quite nasty, but oh so good!

Hillridge Farms was good times too. Graden could have fed the goats all day long. We took a hayride to pick out pumpkins. Papa and I went down the big underground slide with Graden quite a few times and Graden and I rolled around in some corn. Very fun...still finding corn in the dryer.

We loved the visit and can't wait to see Granny and Papa for Christmas. Hopefully Auntie Shirley will come back soon! We love you!

Graden's 3rd Birthday

We just celebrated a milestone in our family on September 15...Graden Virgil McIntyre's 3rd birthday. What a big boy he is becoming. It's amazing to reflect on how fast these last 3 years have flown. He has grown into such an imaginative, inquisitive young fellow who loves to dress up in anything involving superheroes, making up stories or listening to his daddy's, and helping out his dad with anything that involves going down to the basement.

Graden's birthday was a fantastic day. What started out as a nice small get-together at the house that I vowed would be low-key and casual turned into a large soiree. We celebrated with 23 other little ones ranging in age from 5 months to 8 years and their parents (who didn't seem to be sweating like I was!) The day couldn't have been more perfect. Okay, it was 95 degrees with I'm guessing about 90% humidity so again, sweating profusely. The kids rocked it out on the slip n slide and splashed around in the multiple pools we had set up in the yard. Graden wasn't at all interested in the slip n slide (not a shocker considering he is the most cautious kid on the planet), but loved the water balloon fights. We had a little Batman cake and then let the kids pound out their energy on a pinata. Quinton, our 8 year old neighbor, was the only one that could make it happen....candy, candy, candy! Great way to end a b-day party...send the kids home on complete sugar highs.

It was a great day and a perfect way to celebrate our little man. We are so proud of him and can't believe 3 years have past! They have been blissful!

My Journey Into the World of Blogging

So I am plunging in...I have been inspired by many friends who have perfectly documented their family's every move in their blogs. Although I am technologically incompetent, I thought I'd give it a whirl. We'll see how it goes. Being that I can't seem to get out of the hospital in my son's baby book (he's 3 by the way) and I now have my daughter's life to document, I figured this would be the best way to view all those pictures (ok, not all of them) that will permanently collect dust in the closet unless I get my act together. So happy reading folks...