Family and Friends

Wow…I have so much to tell you and not enough pictures to tell it all. I had another busy week.

Last week on Thursday I rode with my daughter Kalissa and her son Gannon to Iowa City. If you have been following the blog, you might know that Gannon had a lot of health troubles when he was little. He has improved (or we’ve learned to live with it) but Gannon’s health is always on everyone’s mind. I’m sure Kalissa will do an update on her blog about Gannon soon.

Well we were only a bit from my son Buck’s house. We ended up going there and picking up the kids. We brought them back to my house and had two overnights with them.

My daughter Kalissa’s family came over too so there could be cousin time. The kids love it. I love it even though it is exhausting. Here Kalissa did Lucy’s hair.

Here is Buck’s daughter Lilly and Kelli’s daughter Georgia (Yes our daughter Kelli and kids came too). We always stand the two by each other to see who is taller. Lilly, on the left, is a year younger.

Friday evening we watched a movie and the girls “helped me stitch”. I love it.

Saturday I had a graduation party in Cedar Rapids, which is near Buck’s house, so I was going to deliver the kids back to Buck. About a half-hour into the two-hour drive, Lilly threw up in the car. UGH!!

I ended up not going to the graduation party. I didn’t get vomit on me but I didn’t feel clean anymore and I didn’t know if it was the flu or what and I didn’t want to spread anything. In the end, we’re thinking she was car sick.

I went back home after visiting Buck.

I got home in time to do a few things around the house and get some blog posts written.

The next day, Gloria and Gaylen came over. Gloria is a long-time blog reader. I consider Gloria and Gaylen my friends. I just love them both. We actually see each other quite often. They live about 35 minutes or so west of me. They are travelers and love going out to eat so they often end up this way and stop by for a visit. Gloria is an avid quilter and Gaylen is such a good sport and tolerates us.

I was at their house for a visit and saw their wonderful bird feeder and commented on it. Gaylen offered to make me one!! WHAT??

They came on Sunday and delivered it. I am just sick that I didn’t get photos. They came when my ground was HARD (no rain here for a long time-we really need it badly) and in the hottest part of the day. I can’t believe that Gaylen worked through all of that and installed it.

Georgia is here standing by it on Monday. She came as I was taking the braces off. I was going to fill in the hole then but everything got chaotic.

I asked Kelli if she wanted my old stands and she said yes. So I moved the feeders and forgot about filling in the holes. I did that later after the picture.

I just love the feeder. Gaylen said it is made from an old piece of farm equipment called a dump rake. That’s from back in the days of farming with horses. They used the rake to rake up the hay on farms.

Gaylen does great work. I’m so impressed. I’ve shown my kids and they are so impressed too. I so appreciate the good workmanship. It’s a wonderful piece and I’m honored Gaylen made if for me.

Later that night Karl came over. We ordered take-out pizza and got frozen yogurt.

Monday the house was full of grandkids again. Kelli and Kalissa’s kids were here.

We hadn’t had a “cousin twin” picture in a while so Kalissa tried to grab one. Gannon was born one week before Georgia so we call them the cousin twins. They are both four now and I couldn’t love them any more than I do. They make my heart happy each in their own way. Georgia is full of piss and vinegar and Gannon is an old soul.

Gannon drew this picture of Izzy and me.

I asked him what the black part on my head was. He told me, “I had to make your forehead!”. HA!! No neck…no feet…no hands, but I do have a forehead.

Kalissa wanted to get a picture of Gannon and Izzy and me. We tried but the other kids photo-bombed us.

Then Kalissa got a picture of the three of us.

Kalissa’s family went home and napped…
Jerry’s new owners came…
Kelli’s kids all napped…

When Georgie woke up she was crying because she wanted supper with her cousins so she called and invited Kalissa’s family over for supper.

We had walking tacos. It was easy…and pretty quick.

They all stayed and played then rode bike home…it’s slow with Gannon but he can do it.

Kelli stayed and I stitched outside while she looked at old cross-stitch magazines a blog reader sent. THANKS!!

At about nine that night, Kelli and the kids went home. I went straight to the love seat and watched an hour of floss tube while I stitched. Then is was to bed for me. I was pooped. It was a long stretch of family and friends.

I had a great time…I love my bird feeder stand…I loved my time with Gloria while Gaylen worked to install it. I did send a few projects home with them too. Gloria does charity quilting and I send a couple of UFOs that a blog reader sent to me home with her.

I had a great time with the kids and my adult kids too. I love summer when they can all be outside!!

A good time was had by all!!