Settling In

Friday (June 28) was our calm before the storm day. Niki and Cooper really didn't remember our house and were thrilled to discover the toys, sandbox, the swings, slides, and most of all the trampoline.

Niki and Cooper became my breakfast companions for the next several weeks while we tried to let Tosha get a little bit more sleep with baby Ava.

They arrived during Syracuse Days.  Gary is flying the Syracuse flag along with the American flag this week in honor of that celebration which has been going on as long as Gary can remember.

Enjoying the back yard for the first time ever at Grandma's and Grandpa's house.  It was winter last time they came so no outside play.

They loved the trampoline.

 Ava loved the swing when it was moving, but was not happy when I stopped it to try to get a photo.

Aunt Jena is fun in the sandbox, too.

 And then it was time for a quiet TV time while the grown-ups played games!

Tosha and Gary got a bit of game playing in during the time she was here.  Here they are playing "The Game."

Friday night we all headed to Family Night at the Syracuse Days.  We had dinner, snacks, watched the magician and the reptile guy, and then some rode the ferris wheel.  It doesn't seem that long ago that we were doing stuff like that with our kids.  Time flies.

 By the end of Friday, the boys were enjoying their grandpa time.

For Scott:  a picture of the reptile guy: 

Niki waited in line with me for a chance to pet the snake.

I got stroller duty with Cooper (who couldn't understand why he couldn't go on the ferris wheel) and Ava.  We strolled around and enjoyed all of the lights as night fell while everyone else was on the ferris wheel.

Saturday morning:  Parade Time
The fact that I went with Tosha and the kids to the Syracuse Parade shows the craziness that happens when you become a grandmother.  Parades are not my favorite!  I made sure my kids saw a few and attended a few more when my kids were IN the parade, but since then have avoid them as much as possible.  I haven't even gone to a parade with my grandchildren who actually lived in Utah  (I was waiting for them to be a little older so they could enjoy it.  That is what I told my other kids.) But Gary suggested that it would be a fun thing so off we went.  (Not Gary--he headed off to his mom's to do some bookwork.)

Niki

Tosha actually ran into someone she knew from Clearfield while watching the parade.  That happens when you attend a parade in your home town.

Cooper stayed in the stroller for a bit but then joined Tosha, Jena, and Niki
up on the parade route.

Needless to say, with all of the candy and other treats thrown at them and the noises and floats, Niki and Cooper loved the parade.  I mostly sat back and played with Ava.

This man is an old friend of Gary's family and a former employee of Hall and Gailey.

We then headed to Gary's mom's house so that the kids could meet Grandma Holly which is what the great-grand children call her.  The boys enjoyed playing ladder ball.

Tosha then headed with her kids to their great grandmother, Grams, to spend the afternoon as it was her birthday.  We headed home to take care of things before the troops gathered.