Just like last year, each grandchild over the age of 4 was invited to have a one night sleepover at our house this summer. We love being able to focus on just one child and they love receiving all our attention. Each child was treated to a game of mini golf, an ice cream cone from a local creamery and one meal in a restaurant. It's amusing to watch them look over the menu and decide what they want. Some made their choices quickly and others had a hard time deciding. The funniest choice was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich chosen by Clara! The mini golf games were fun. All the children did great and the only rule we gave them was that they had to get our balls out of the hole so we didn't have to use our aging knees to bend down. Some of them always remembered and others we had to remind as they bounded off for the next green.
The older girls I took thrift store shopping. They loved it and we were pleased with the bargains that we found. Steve took Mark fishing and I took Awstin to the Choo-Choo barn. (If you have been reading my blog you know that when Awstin was younger I took him there often and it was his favorite place. We like to revisit it once a year for old-time sake.)
We also watched movies, played games, enjoyed the deck, played with cousins and Alexis helped me in the store for an afternoon. She was great and I wish she lived closer so I could have her help more often.
Here are a few pictures in the order that we had them. We started with Lydia in the middle of June and ended with Clara the beginning of August.
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| Playing with some of her thrift store finds |
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| Cousin stare down |
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| The fish that Mark caught |
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| This picture wasn't taken during the sleepover but since his face was cut off on the fish picture I added this one. |
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| Alexis loves all her little cousins and they love her |
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| Working the store |
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| Choo-Choo Barn! We spent 2 hours there and only left because it was closing time. I wonder if he will ever tire of this place! |
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| Yum! |
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| Mini-Golf! |
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. She must have tried at least five times to get this ball through the door, but she was determined!
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| Golf buddy :) |
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| And we asked for a small dip! |
I'm glad we can do this with each of the grandchildren and I'm glad they love to come. When I mentioned to Alexis (who just turned 13) that in a few years she probably won't want to come, she replied, "I'll always want to come no matter how old I am!" That certainly warmed my heart.
