Tuesday, May 26, 2015

OUR QUICK TRIP....

Well here we are...it's Tues morning and the holiday week-end is over, and we are back home again. It was a really good trip even though it was a pretty quick one.  I think I can re-cap it pretty quickly. We left around 10ish on Thursday morning and drove straight through to Lordsburgh New Mexico where we decided to stop for the night.  We had a yummy dinner and then went to bed and got a great night of sleep.  We got up really early, packed up and then enjoyed their complimentary breakfast before getting back on the road.  We were pulling onto the dairy around 2ish and the boys were just waking up from their naps.  They were SOO excited to see us!  Little Luke was awake in his crib so I went in to get him up, and was greeted with an excited, "Oh hi Grandma!" lol  Can't believe how well he is talking now.  We went back into the family room where Sam then heard us and came running from his room seriously not even really fully awake and saying, "oh hi!!  You are finally here!"  He'd been not so patiently waiting and watching for us all morning his mama said.  Had a hard time convincing him to go down for his nap at all, lol.  I guess I can't tell you every little thing they said and did that was soo darling and cute, though trust I'd like to, lol.  Soo adorable.  And little Claire, well she was just as precious as you can imagine a 5 week old baby to be.  She seemed a little bigger but not as big as I feared, and I can't tell you the time I spent just holding and rocking and loving on her.  Grandpa spent pretty much all of his time out walking and exploring the dairy with those boys.  Goodness he gets quite the workout, lol.  I brought along my sewing machine and got it set up and went to work fixing all the bloomers and rompers I had made for her...which was a lot!  lol.  But the leg holes were way too tight on every one of them.  I had cut six inch pieces of elastic for them, which I am not sure why as the patterns told me to cut eight inches.  But I thought they were too big that way so I NOT SO cleverly made them smaller.  Anyway, it took me a lot longer then I thought it might to make them all bigger.  I cut the elastic eight and half inches which seemed perfect.  A little too big for now, but plenty of growing room.  Will probably last her until August, or maybe even September depending on how quickly she grows.  Babies grow soo fast.  But I just couldn't see letting them all go to waste, and Melody was very excited.  The new outfits I brought all fit really well too. We also got her new curtain valances she had bought for the family room and kitchen ironed and hung.  They looked really nice.  I helped her catch up her laundry a little bit too.  I can tell you that Melody has her hands SOOOO full with those 3 little ones I am not sure how she does it.  And so patiently too.  I may have had 4 children, but they were all 3 and 1/2 years apart not close like hers are.  It's quite the challenge let me tell you  But I am very proud of the job she is doing, and grateful that her hubby is a hands on dad and helps her out in every way when he is not out working.  We celebrated little Luke's birthday as he will be two years old this coming Thursday.  Sam "helped" grandma decorate the cake and he and Luke BOTH enjoyed his new things.  One nice thing about having a brother who is only 20 months younger.  Lots of things work for both of them.  Sharing is a constant issue of course, but honestly both boys are doing well with that too.  Now let me show you some of the pictures I did manage to get.  OH!  Before I do that I need to tell you that my old lap top bit the dust right before we left.  Sooo I am back on the old one that has sooo many issues I am not sure how much blogging I will get done as it is sooooo frustrating.  We are researching replacements at the moment, so if I seem to be missing, know that I am reading and commenting as much as this computer will let me.  OK, back to the pictures...

GETTING THE THREE OF THEM BY EACH OTHER, LOOKING EVEN SOMEWHAT AT THE CAMERA, SITTING STILL AND SMILING MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR A WHILE.  OH MY GOODNESS WHAT WORK WENT INTO THIS PICTURE.  GRANDPA HAD THEM LAUGHING AT LEAST FOR A MOMENT ANYWAY!

THIS ONE WAS EVEN WORSE!  LOL  I TRIED TO JUST LOOK CONSTANTLY AT CAMERA WITH A SMILE PLASTERED ON MY FACE AS THE BABY WIGGLED AND FUSSED AND LITTLE LUKE KEPT WANTING TO GET DOWN, AND SAM WAS BUSY WITH HIS FINGERS, LOL  SO THIS WAS THE BEST WE COULD DO

I DID GET THIS ONE OF LITTLE CLAIRE.  HOW ADORABLE IS SHE?  LOL  SHE WAS NOT AWAKE ALOT, BUT WHEN SHE WAS SHE WAS VERY AWARE AND FOCUSED, LOL  SHE REMAINS A CLONE OF HER MOTHER

SHE'S JUST HANGING HERE WITH GRANDMA.....WEARING HER NEW LITTLE EYELET TOP AND PINK BIRD LEGGINGS AND BOW.....ADORABLE!

ALL THE GUYS....LUKE, SAM, MIKE, HIS DAD, AND HUBBY

WE GOT LUKE A POP UP TENT AND TUNNEL.  THEY LOVED IT...LUKE WASN'T SURE AT FIRST THAT HE WANTED TO CLIMB IN THAT TUNNEL THOUGH, LOL.  SAM WAS ALREADY INSIDE

HE DEBATED A WHILE, BUT EVENTUALLY WAS CONVINCED

LOVED IT ONCE HE GOT IN

MIKE AND MEL GOT HIM THIS LITTLE BASKETBALL AND HOOP.  THEY GOT IT HUNG EVENTUALLY AT THE PERFECT HEIGHT.  HE LOVED THIS TOO

THEY WISELY GOT THEM BOTH THEIR OWN BALLS, LOL.  THEY ARE RESTING UP HERE FOR GAME TWO, LOL

SAM NEEDED TO SHOW LUKE HOW TO BLOW OUT THE CANDLES.  LUKE DIDN'T SEEM TO NOTICE OR CARE THAT SAM WAS INVOLVED, LOL

WISH THIS WASN'T BLURRY....HE WAS SOO EXCITED AND CUTE

HE GOT TIRED OF THE CAKE BITES FALLING OFF OF HIS FORK, SO HE JUST LOWERED HIS HEAD FOR A BITE, LOL

PRETTY GOOD GRANDMA!

FINGERS WORK PRETTY GOOD TOO!

ANOTHER ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE SHOT.  LUKE DOES NOT SEEM TO SEE THE POINT OF STANDING, SITTING OR POSING STILL FOR PICTURES, LOL.  LAUGHING AT GRANDPA AGAIN
All in all it was a very nice, fun little visit.  We left the dairy SUPER early yesterday morning as we decided we would just drive straight through as Jeff needed to get back to work this morning.  It was going REALLY well for us and we would have made it home in record time, but once we got back into California and hit Palm Springs it was over.  Palm springs is about an hour and half from us....with no traffic of course.  Suddenly it was complete grid lock....I could write an entire post on that section of the trip alone, but I will spare you and give you only the facts....we were both soo done, sooo tired and soo over it that we considered just getting off and finding a room for the night.  However when we got off the freeway to check that possibility out and at a minimum get something to eat and use the bathroom, it proved to be the biggest mistake of all.  Let me just say this.  We never did get anything to eat, never got close to a bathroom, and wasted over an hours worth of time fighting even worse grid lock trying to just get back onto the freeway,  The good news was once we FINALLY got out of that area, we gathered speed once again and pulled into our drive way around nine thirty! OH MY GOODNESS....I was never soo glad to be back home at that point.  And yes, we have learned our lesson. Never again will we travel home ON a holiday again.  California just can't handle that.  I did not feel totally well the whole time I was there either.  Had an attack of shingle pain one afternoon that was really pretty bad, but I did press on.  It didn't last thank goodness, but let me tell you I am tired of not feeling my best.  Hopefully soon I will put that behind me.  Poor hubby had to get up and go to work this morning and I felt kind of bad.  Sorting through pictures and catching up laundry is all that is on my list.  I intend to start some new sewing projects this week, but not today. Hope you all had a great week-end.  I am going to try and catch up with all of you as soon as I can.  Blessings to you all!  Debbie   I have a couple more pictures to share though.....I know,  SHOCKER, lol

MEL SOMEHOW GOT THIS SHOT YESTERDAY AFTER WE HAD LEFT...PRETTY GOOD I THOUGHT....AND NOW THAT I HAVE SEEN FIRST HAND HOW HARD THIS IS TO ACCOMPLISH, IT'S EVEN BETTER, LOL

AND I GOT THIS OF ANOTHER SET OF MY GRANDKIDS YESTERDAY,  THEY WERE AT THE WILD ANIMAL PARK IN SAN DIEGO,  SEE THE TIGER BEHIND THE GLASS?

AND MY SWEET LITTLE TELLA!  GRANDMA MISSED SEEING HER AND HER BROTHERS AND SISTER SUNDAY!
And i just had to share this super quick little video of little Vinny praying.  He too speaks amazing well for his 21 months.  His prayer is pretty quick, but it's right to the point,  lol  ENJOY!





8 comments:

  1. Love all the pics! Sounds like you had a great time. Hope you have a great week.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  2. Your grandkids are adorable!! Aren't they the best? What a beautiful family!

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  3. The prayer cracked me up! I have heard some long windy prayers in my life, and I like this one far better... to the point. Dear Jesus, and Amen! :) What a great little trip, you guys must have been worn out... I remember southern California traffic, but it's no better in Dallas. So glad you got home fine, and again, your pictures just take the cake!

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  4. I will have to get to the PC for the videos. What great photos! I am sorry that you had such a time with the traffic, shingles, and time constraints. A couple more of these trips and you'll have all the ins and outs figured out. Take a few days to just rest and be. You deserve them.

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  5. Oh I forgot going through the desert on a holiday weekend! Oh you poor thing. I bet it was terrible. I love the pictures and I am amazed at all you got done with the shingles still acting up. I hope you get to rest a bit more this week. What a whirlwind trip.
    I also hope you get your computer issues sorted out.

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  6. I felt myself tensing just reading about the crazy traffic backups...but I am glad that you were brave and made that trip and returned safely. What a delight to spend time with your sweet family and enjoy that darling baby!

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  7. We learned that lesson, too when we tried to drive back from Hilton Head on Memorial Day last year. No hotel rooms available (at least not at a rate we wanted to pay ... just for a place to sleep). And the traffic through Atlanta! :-o Glad you got home safe and sound and have a chance to get rested. (And once again, your grands are just so sweet!)

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  8. What a trip, Debbie! Mel's family is beautiful, as are all of your other grand children.
    I have to tell you that I have a huge regard for your husband-I, could never drive in the traffic you have out there in CA.
    It would scare me and put me into a panic attack!! Give me grizzly bears and high mountains, but cars
    speeding along on crowded freeways-no way! I'd be in constant prayer, for sure.

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!