and baby makes nana and grandpa happy

We're back from a weekend with our daughter and her newly expanded family! Each visit with them familiarizes us with our grandsons, and them, us. A good great thing! Friday evening after dinner we were out in their backyard and Luke was leading the way, calling over his shoulder, "Come ON, Nana!" Music to my ears.

We were blessed with good weather for mid-July. The days got into the high 80's, but overnight it cooled to 70 or slightly lower, and sleeping under ceiling fans to help cool the house down at Melrose, this was an incredible blessing. Humidity was present, but low, and a slight breeze made the warmth bearable. A big "thank you" for that.

Jude, whose birth was the catalyzing event for the timing of this trip, is sweet, and I drank in the joy of watching the constantly changing expressions on his face when he was awake, which wasn't often. In a way it is just as well that his interactive capacity is low right now, because it gave us time to play with Luke and Cross and let them know that Nana and Grandpa are cool. Ya know?

Friday we cooked out on the deck and then played in the backyard, swings and a trampoline being the activity of choice. It's been about 40 years since I was on a trampoline, and although I'm sure I looked anything but graceful up there, it was fun to bounce and giggle with my boys! Other activities included puzzle making and oohing and ahhing over the collection of trucks, trains and boats. I couldn't keep up with all their names, so (shhhhh!) don't tell.

Saturday was spent out by the lake with picnic lunches, some paddling in the blow-up canoe, and attempts to fish. We were also delighted to have dinner with our friends Jimmy and Barbara Saturday night. Time with them is always a treat.


Sunday morning we met the family for breakfast at Cracker Barrel before they headed to church and we returned to Melrose to wash sheets and towels and take care of other sundry details to close up the house. We got on the road around noon and headed home.

Now it's back to the grind with wonderful memories and some fun pictures to light our way into the week. Week? Here we come!

Ashley and Luke rockin' it at Cracker Barrel

Travis and Jude share a moment

Cross demonstrates his double-fisted agility with a banana split.