A Whole LOT In One SHORT Week

(This is a long post. There are a lot of pictures. You have been warned.)

During Thanksgiving week, LOVE came to town. LOVE came to our home. LOVE invested in my kids. LOVE served Grady and I. LOVE drove 26 hours and used vacation time to sleep in a preschoolers bedroom and spend a week with our family.

And I'm so thankful for that gift of LOVE!

Because our visits together are few and far between, we cram carefully plan as much memory-making fun as possible. This visit included celebrating two birthdays, celebrating Thanksgiving, and celebrating an early Christmas. (Whew!)

Grady and I took everyone to see The Real Christmas Story at Narroway Theater as a birthday gift for my mom. Sometimes an experience together is a good idea over a "thing" to unwrap and have as a gift. The music was fantastic, the acting/dancing was okay, and the animals were an added bonus of fun (like when a camel p**ed during the climax of the wise men caravaning and singing their hearts out in worship).

In between all the out-and-about activities, we had some time to play and relax together at home. Annalyse styled Grandma's hair (!!), Grandpa threw a football, and all of us played card games and board games again and again.

My parents have a tradition of buying each kid their first bike for their birthday and this year it was Jaxton's turn! He is so excited to finally have a "big bike that can go fast like Grady and Micah's!" He's itching for training wheels to come off, but I'm waiting for my husband to own the pleasure of running alongside Jax while he learns to balance.

What's time with Grandma without some baking? She and the littles made cinnamon rolls for breakfast... except that they made them the night before and the house smelled amazing but we weren't allowed to eat them until the next morning and it was torturous.

Grandma willingly and enthusiastically obliged (or maybe it was because I asked with sad and pleading eyes) to help Annalyse assemble a project for her book report. Fact: If something requires a hot glue gun I'm out. I can't do it. I'm sick. Or I'm tired. Or I'm busy. But I can't. I just can't.

But Grandma can. And she did!

And, because Grandpa can't come and simply relax, he took on the project of assembling some new bedroom furniture. While I'm thankful for the nightstands and dresser he put together with ease, I'm especially thankful for the time and patience he gave my growing boy while teaching him a thing or two about tools and reading instructions. (I called this Shop Class and went ahead and checked this as a day of school. Win.)

The weather was mild and there were still some pretty fall colors so we took a day to hike Crowder's Mountain. It's always easy-going until the last quarter, but it's always worth it when we relax up top and enjoy the views.

A picturesque view, I know. What you don't see, though, are the deep breaths of air we're all gasping for, the huge slugs of water we're consuming, and the sweat dripping down our necks even though it wasn't at all hot. Unless your name is Grady Lee, Micah, or Annalyse... then you simply scamper up the mountain and wait patiently up top for everyone else.

As we hiked, I commented again how thankful I am for parents (and a mom-in-law!) who are active and healthy and able to do things like this. My kids have enjoyed so many neat things because of grandparents who are able to participate with them. What a gift!

The good news is that each of my kids now have their own Camel backpacks to carry their water when we hike. The even better news is that they are conveniently packed in a box in the garage and I couldn't access them to use them. (Sigh.)

Some more good news: my parents have a wonderful pedometer to track steps and miles. Some even better news: it was safe and sound in the van instead of with us on our hike. (Sigh.)

Are you tired of hiking pics? Sorry. Too many good ones not to share. But I've run out of commentary to share about our hike so simply enjoy and keep scrolling.

Challenge issued: Everyone stand on the rock without falling off.

Challenge accepted and everyone did!

Wednesday before Thanksgiving was Thanksgiving preparation day, and everyone had tasks and assignments. If your arms and hands worked you were a helper!

Since we won't be together for Christmas, Christmas came a month early! The kids decorated the tree and Jaxton put no less than seven bulbs on one branch. And I've left it alone - as much as it bothers me - because he thinks it's beautiful.

Grady and Micah received NBA shirts from their favorite, but opposing, teams. Annalyse received an antique tea set, which she asks to use every.single.day. Jaxton received a remote controlled truck that has suffered quite the abuse as he learns to manage the remote, and a rifle with "real" sounding (and obnoxious sounding) noises. Because, obviously, grandparents buy the noise-making toys, smile happily at their grandchild's excitement, and then say goodbye and leave the noise-making toy for the parents to endure.

After a fun and full week, Thanksgiving arrived and we enjoyed a day of eating, relaxing, football, and games. That is, after the morning Turkey Trot 5K. This year it was just Grady and Grady Lee, but we still had fun cheering on the handsomest runners.

I don't remember their time, because I am fantastic with pertinent details like that, but I do know it was their fastest Turkey Trot to date.

FINALLY, Thanksgiving dinner. A lot of food and a lot of thankfulness, but with such a small crowd and with my mom's help, not a lot of mess to clean up!

Just like that a week was over and we were standing in the doorway, holding hands, praying, hugging, and saying goodbye.

 LOVE left town. LOVE drove back to their home. ANd we are so thankful for that gift of LOVE!