This year we decided to spend a weekend in Michigan before all the holiday crazy, so we took off via airplane the weekend prior. The airplane was a the best idea. The boys had a great time flying and we were there in an hour and a half instead of 11 hours. I'm fairly certain we'll be flying from now on, even if it means we have to rent a car when we get there when there are 5 of us.
This trip was exciting because we hadn't seen my family since summer, so the boys were so excited to get to spend time at Nana and Papa's. We also got to see little Maylee, the newest cousin, at only two weeks old. She was soooo sweet and is such a good baby.
Coming home always feels so good. Part of it is the holiday season, part of it is because we head back to the house I grew up in and part of it is getting to see everyone in one place, but always, always, always when we arrive my heart beams. Its good to be home.
Auntie Andrea came up with Remi for a visit too and the kids were stuck to her for much of the trip. To round out the family fun my mom and dad hosted a Christmas gathering where GG Ruth came to visit (still driving at 94!) and Aunt Chris and Uncle Pete with Agnes-Grace came too. Anna was sick so she stayed home. GG Ruth is still on her toes, its amazing to see her at 94 going strong. She's a bit more forgetful now, but tarts only to be expected at 94! She was telling us how she knows what she wants to say but the words just won't come out right, which makes her frustrated. I told her she deserves a break after 94 years. She should just point to who she means and say "you!" and we'd all be fine with that.
Its pretty special to us that the boys still have two great grandmas in their lives. I can't recall either set of my great grandparents. I think all were gone by the time I was 2. The boys, hopefully, will have great memories of laughing and cuddling up to GG Ruth. Hopefully they'll cherish these types of pictures. With any luck, their heart will be a bit more full because of all the love they find here in Michigan.
GG wasn't the only great one to see though, we hadn't seen Agnes-Grace since the summer either and she's grown so much! Its so fun to see how articulate she is. Little girls with large vocabularies are precocious! I just adore her, and she adored Maylee! She wanted to hold Maylee over and over again. Unfortunately she had a cold so her Mimi (Aunt Chris) kept insisting that she could not hold her again, which was upsetting to AG. She got over it of course, but made the most hilarious 3 year old arguments. "I'm all better now Mimi! See I can hold her!" or "Just for a minute I'll hold her and I won't cough!" It was too cute.
That same day we were working on the first of two major puzzles we completed, this one was 1000 pieces and so was the second, not pictured here. They were fun to sit down and do as a family. We'd all take shifts and get into the addiction for bits of time, coming and going for cookie and snack breaks.
On Sunday we celebrated "Christmas" with gifts from nana, papa, auntie andrea, uncle nate, aunt faya, maylee and jayla. As usual, Nana and Papa spoiled everyone. I warned them we were flying and that we would have less room to take things back so nothing big was important. Well, nana solved her own problem by getting each of the boys a monogrammed suitcase. So we can with three bags and came home with 5.
That night we met up with the Pinconning ladies. Lori and Pete were in town so they came out and Karen and Jamie to have a drink. We were down at the VI and out comes the bartender with a "shot tree". It was the most redneck thing I've seen all year. I giant bolt with some kid's woodshop invention to hold 12 shots. The best part was it was just 12 dollars. You can't even get a good drink in Minneapolis for 12 dollars. And to top it off I can't even drink! But I bought it and made them all drink them! It was fun and they downed their share of weird old school liquor. I'm fairly certain one of those things looked the electric green of Pucker. Ish.
Once the kids woke up Sunday morning they wandered downstairs and about lost their minds seeing all the gifts! Here are these two ready and anxious to start opening presents. So much fun and joy!
Of course, Owen was all hands on deck to help everyone who needed it. He was happy to open and open. The night before Aunt Chris and Uncle Pete gave him pajamas that he could barely contain himself over- he's wearing them here: you guessed it- construction.
Soon gifts were everywhere. From glowing lego cards to board games to clothes, to Zoobs. Dozens of boxes, books and bits of wrapping paper everywhere!
All the kids were pleased as punch to play with all of their stuff Sunday afternoon and while I prefer Christmas right before any of the gifts are open, it was great to see them so happy.
After playing for a bit we decided to venture up to Pinny Lanes to go bowling. I got to dress Maylee up in one of the outfits we bought her. Isn't she so stinkin' cute?
The bowling alley was sort of like I remembered it, sort of not. I think I liked the nostalgic version from my childhood better. This alley was where I was on a league as a kid in grade school. I used to spend every Saturday morning here and it was a blast! But now it was empty, the balls were few and far between and the alley isn't well cared for, it was sort of sad. Nevertheless, the boys had fun bowling and I'm pretty sure the bumpers used were the same ones from when I was a kid.
Grump faces.
Crazy faces.
Goofing around with Auntie Andrea.
On Monday we were all headed back home, which was sad. Before we went the boys each took a turn holding Maylee so I could get some photos. I asked them how they felt about holding their own sister. They were less than excited. Hopefully they come around to it!
By noon we had to head back to the airport. It was so great to get to see everyone and still get to spend Christmas morning with the boys at home. It was like the best of both worlds. The boys though were not ready to leave. They really adore their nana and papa, and Owen was so sad at the airport. He wouldn't give Nana a hug goodbye and after she stole one and we were walking through he was crying. He said, "I don't want to go home mom. I will miss them too much," as the little tears streamed down his cheek.
Thats how I feel too buddy. Its hard when such a big part of your heart lives so far away.
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