Company

We were lucky enough to have two sets of grandparents come visit for Sammi's blessing last week during Ben's week off.  And, we were lucky enough to have them at two separate times!  First, we had Grandpa Tom and Grandma Dixy.  We picked them up from the airport and went to Schmidt's where they were super impressed with the 1/2 lb. cream puffs that are the specialty there.  We then decided to be completely spontaneous and tried to win some tickets to Wicked at the drawing they were holding outside the Ohio Theatre.   We didn't win, but they offered everyone who entered the drawing discounted tickets.  So we decided to go for it.  We rushed home, left E and Sammi with our trustworthy friends and rushed back to the theater in time for the show.  It was awesome.  I was so glad to finally get to see the show I've heard so much about.

The next morning, I dropped Grandpa Tom and Grandma Dixy off at school so that they could meet Ben for a suture workshop.  From there they went directly to Washington D.C. to the Glenn Beck rally.  That didn't sound like much fun to me, especially with two small children, so I opted to stay behind.  We passed the time with some friends and even got chicken nuggets for dinner one night.  I also watched quite a bit of Food Network.  I heart it.

The rally-goers returned just after midnight on Saturday night, and Grandma Dixy left really early the next morning.  Grandpa Tom stayed for three more days.  Those days were filled with a visit to the train tracks by our house, a small fishing trip, a Reds game (for Tom and Ben), a trip to the Bunny Fountains, Texas Roadhouse, Jeni's Ice Cream, and a very short round of Frisbee-golf, aka Frolf.  It was a lot of fun, and I don't think we could've packed much more in!

Just a few days later, Grandma and Grandpa J, Nat, Brad, and Steph arrived for their visit.  They arrived late at night, so they didn't get to see E the first night, but they got to meet Sammi for the first time and fell in love with her. (How could you not?)  We got up pretty early the next morning to drive to Cleveland to pick up Uncle Scott and head directly to our train excursion on the Cuyahoga Valley Railroad.  E was so excited about this.  See picture below.

He was thrilled to death to be on a real live train.  It was a three-hour round trip and he was awake for two of the three hours.  Every time he heard the train whistle, he would turn to me and say "Mommy, what sound?"  quickly followed by "It's not moving yet...nope, not yet."  The ultimate, though, was wearing his train shirt while playing with his trains ON a train...a train car named Emerson, no less.  You'd have thought we'd be all train-ed out by the end of the day but we were not.

a thrilled little boy

Happiness :)

Having these pictures in the order they're in makes it appear that there are two baby Sammis, but I assure you, we only have one.

Proof that we got to ride on the car named Emerson.  How cool is that?

After our train ride we drove to Kirtland and got there just in time to get a tour of the Kirtland Temple and the church-owned site as well.  Afterward, we went in search of some dinner and went to a 50's Diner.  They had really good milkshakes and HUGE hamburgers.  Then we drove all the way home and got there around 12:30 a.m.  Then we had Sammi's wonderful blessing day (it deserves its own post, so it will follow.)

On Monday, we headed to COSI to check out the Titanic Exhibit, then hurried to City BBQ and Graeter's before we had to drop Uncle Scott off at the airport.  We hung out for a couple more hours at our house and let everyone get more time with E "paying trains" and cuddling with Sammi, and then suddenly it was time for them to go. :(  We went out to the front porch and waved goodbye as the rest of the fam left for the airport.  Tears ensued, and the long-awaited trip was over.  We had so much fun and were so glad to have all my siblings here.  (But we missed having Ashley!)

I hate it when family has to leave, or we have to leave family.  It's the worst.  But at least we have Christmas to look forward to, and maybe even a trip in October for me and the kids.  Thanks again for coming!  We love you.