Car Show, Nature Walk, Japanese Food & More

Lane worked nights last weekend, so the kids and I left after school on Friday and went to spend the weekend with my parents. We never ever get bored while we're there, and the weather was so pretty! They desperately need rain, but the hint of fall in the air was very nice. I wasn't ready to leave on Sunday. I was really tempted just to let Rhett skip school on Monday and stay another day...or two...but we didn't.

We got there about 5:30 Friday and ate a quick dinner and then went outside to enjoy the remaining daylight. It's nightly routine there to put corn out for the deer, so the kids wanted to help with that. Rhett has been promoted to farm buggy driver. He does a good job!

Rhett and Granddad pouring corn for the anxious deer. They were standing all around us just watching and waiting.

We also went up to the barn that evening to see the little pygmy goat named Toby. I didn't get a good picture of Toby--only one of his back side, so I'll leave that one out. Trust me though--he's CUTE. He's very small. I could have picked him up if he wasn't so fast. He climbs through the fence with ease so he's hard to catch, but he's really funny to watch.

Next we went back inside and played for a little while before baths & bed.

Crosby played with the toolset

Saturday morning Dad and the boys went to the shop while Mom, Alexee and I went to the barn so Alexee could ride Banner. I drove the truck back home while Alexee rode the pony (with Mom walking beside her) and met me there. I went inside to get my camera to take their picture as they came up the driveway.Then we went to the shop to see what the guys were up to. They were planning to go to a car show at the city park, and we were afraid Crosby might have been bored but he wasn't--he was having a great time. :) They were working on an old Coke machine when we got there.

I guess they got the machine working! (Rhett takes full advantage of his one-Coke-a-day privileges while in Flippin. He doesn't get to drink Coke at home, so it's a treat there.)

Dad took Rhett for a short bike ride around the parking lot (no traffic at all, no loose gravel, no light poles.)
I wouldn't be surprised if Rhett asked for a leather jacket and a biker wallet for Christmas. He loved it. Which is fine...as long as he's happy staying in the parking lot!

Dad & the boys

When I took the picture above, Dad said it reminded him of this picture:

(The photograph is faded, but that's Dad on the very back, probably right about Rhett's age (7). The driver is his older brother Jerry who was 15, I think. It's hard to see, but in the very front is Dad's younger brother Greg who was probably about 2--the same age as Crosby.) I love this picture of them as kids. I would like to get a copy of both photos to frame side-by-side.

I hadn't ridden the motorcycle since Rhett was born--maybe not since I got married?! I had Rhett take our picture going across the parking lot. I forgot how fun it was!

Next activity: car show. Alexee and Mom weren't interested, so they went to McDonald's to see if they still had Strawberry Shortcake figurines, then they went home and went on a long nature walk (more on that below).

Crosby tried to get into someone's antique car.

When we got back home, Mom and Alexee had made a poster to showcase their nature walk findings. My favorite was the cactus. I asked Alexee later how they got the cactus without getting stickers and she said, "Mo just kicked it with her boot and picked it up on a part that didn't have stickers." :)

Alexee spent a lot of time with her friend Princess Louisa.

Rhett took a ride on Banner.

Saturday night we went to Mt. Home to eat at the Japanese restaurant with my Grandparents. It was a fun night. We stopped by DQ for ice cream on our way home. I ordered C a bowl of vanilla ice cream and my Grandmother ordered a vanilla cone. When we got our food, C decided that the cone looked much better so he handed me his bowl and reached right over and took Mo Nina's cone from her and started eating it! :) She didn't seem to mind though--it was so cute.

Alexee and Mo Nina walking in together

A GOOD WEEKEND

I'm so thankful for my family!