SUMMER FUN AT MA AND GRANDAD'S HOUSE

We have had the kids since noon on Sunday. They have been an absolute blast. I was worried that Sutton would miss his mommy too much but his attitude never changed from day one. He was so happy! I have decided that he loves to be a part of the team even if it is a spectator. As long as he can be in the middle watching he is so  happy.

We spent most of our time at the pool and I would sit him in the middle of the yard and he would have so much fun exploring. He kept an eye on everyone and everything. I am guilty of never putting clothes on him! While we were home I just let him roam in his diapers. That was soooo much easier on me! He loves to snack on cheese puffs and drink water out of his baby sippy cup.

Every morning and night Bennett and Anna Claire would work in the garden. My garden has never looked better. They started out pulling weeds. Then, daily, they picked the vegetables for "Ma's salad." Anna Claire would come in the house and say "Look Ma, we got you more vegetables to put in your salad!"

 Just love this picture. Anna Claire watered my flowers every day and Bennett watered the garden.

 Every morning by 8:00 a.m., and sometimes before 8:00 a.m. for Bennett, they were in the pool.

Anna Claire spying on Ma and Sutton. She loves standing next to the brick on this side of the house. The brick is so warm and when she would want to warm up she would go lay next to the brick.

 Batman roamed the house looking for the bad men.

My precious little girl.

 Batman and Anna Claire looking for the robbers. The blue thing Bennett has in his hand is his microphone.

 Every afternoon we would have s'mores or a chocolate ice cream cone.

Now, THIS is the REASON why we did NOT go to Silver Dollar City! We had planned to take the kids to Branson to Silver Dollar City! Boy, did I think they would be excited. First, Bennett said "Ma, I don't want to go to Silver Dollar City. Grandad and I are going to train Sid." Sid is the DOG!!! Then, Anna Claire said "I don't want to go to Silver Dollar City. I just want to stay here." Oh well. Ma was the only one who really wanted to go. What kids give up a trip to Silver Dollar City for a dog!!

Gary, Anna Claire and Bennett working on training Sid to fetch the dummy in Beaver Lake.
We took the new RV to the lake for rest time and playing. Here is Ma, Sutton, Anna Claire and Bennett. Bennett is watching a hunting show.

Bennett in the bedroom playing with his toys. I thought the kids would be so disappointed that this RV only had one bedroom. The other one had two and the second bedroom was for the kids. Well, they weren't disappointed at all. They thought THIS BEDROOM was theirs! When Bennett saw it he said "Oh, Ma! It's so big." I guess it is their bedroom! It never came to my mind that they would just assume this room was their's. Bennett got some new toys similar to the ones he has been wanting from Bass Pro. He had gotten a Bass Pro truck earlier (the blue truck). Now he has a red canoe and a blue kayak, four wheeler with wagon, men (one man is a park ranger), fishing poles, two bass fish, campfire, tent, and cot. He has spend hours and hours playing with this. Oh, and two dogs that look just like Cal and Sid.

 Sneaky Sutton. You really have to watch him. If you blink he is halfway up the stairs.

Sutton loves this riding toy. His favorite thing to do with it is to stand up and let it roll back and forth.

 Back to the lake. Bennett throwing the "dummy" for Sid to fetch.

 Playing at the park at Beaver Lake.

 Sutton watching everyone outside. I believe his hair has gotten whiter.

Anna Claire showing off her new Bella Ballerina shoes. She was so proud of these shoes. They have little balls on each shoe and you can spin like a ballerina. When she took them off she put them by the front door and said "Ma, you will watch my shoes for me?" Bless her heart, I'm not sure what she thought could possibly happen to them.

 Pool time!

Nana gave me these popsicle sticks to give to Jessica. I kept them and made the kids popsicles. They just had their baths and have on their pajamas but I still asked them to go outside to eat them.

 Bath time for Sutton. I was playing with Sutton and he would scream something and I would say "You hush." He would squeal with laughter and I would say "You hush." Bennett said "Ma, that is not po priate to say." (Translation...that is not appropriate to say.) I knew that. I should not be saying "hush" to Sutton. I told Bennett he was right and I wouldn't talk like that anymore. So, what do I say now. I would just say "Boo" to Sutton.

Sutton at the park. He was so cute. When he first got on this toy that rocks back and forth he put both arms up high in the air!

 Sutton patting Sid. Poor Sid. Sutton pulled his tail, ears, nose.

 Sutton with his little doggies. One is black and one is blondish brown.

Pool time with Ma. I was so worried about Sutton getting too much sun. He has sunscreen all over his head and I kept a shirt on him while he was outside in the water.

Bennett really wanted Anna Claire to jump off the board. She didn't want to. Bennett said to Anna Claire "Aww come on Sissy. You are tougher than that!" You never know what Bennett will say.

Grandad spent most of the time with the kids in the pool. I didn't let Sutton stay in the water as long as everyone else. We would go inside and play.

Sutton making sure he stays on the first or second step. That's about as far as he would go. He did not like the water going above his tummy.

 He's a little close to the edge. Nope, he didn't tip over.

 The water boy, Bennett. He was in the pool most of the day every day.

 Anna Claire.

He knocked over the baby gate and then he climbed halfway up it. You can not take your eyes off him.

He studied the baby gate for a long time. I watched to see what he would do. He pulled it out. Then, he started climbing it.

 Brotherly love.

Again, this is the reason we did not go to Barnes and Noble and the Water Park in Springdale. Since we didn't go to Silver Dollar City I thought maybe we could do something fun the next day. Nope, Bennett said "Ma, I HAVE to train Sid today!"

Sutton playing on Slip and Slide.

Poor Suttie. Last night everyone was so tired. At 7:45 PM Anna Claire said "Ma, I HAVE to go to bed." I have Sutton's pack and play in my bedroom. I wanted to take a quick bath before putting Sutton to bed. Sutton was do tired when this picture was made at 7:30 p.m. Gary held him until I got out of the bath. When I got close to the pack and play Sutton just started leaning toward it. He wanted to go to bed so bad. All three kids, one old lady, were worn out!

Anna Claire in the playroom playing with her Barbies. Anna Claire told me that she might be a teacher when she grows up but she's not sure. She said "Ma, I have a lot of time to think about it. I don't need to make a decision right now." Bennett said he was going to be a football player. He then said "Sissy, don't you want to be a cheerleader so that you can cheer for me?" Anna Claire responded "No."

Sutton's favorite thing to do was play on the slip and slide. I had the water going the opposite way so that it wouldn't spray him in the face if he crawled on the slip and slide. Well, he crawled on the grass and got where the water sprayed him in the face. He squealed with laughter.

 Picking tomatoes.

We had so much fun. We just stayed home but that is what they wanted to do. At night I slept in the bed with Anna Claire and Bennett. Sutton slept in the same room but in his pack and play. Gary had to sleep in the guest room upstairs. Bennett was always first up and Anna Claire was always the last. The morning started off with one glass of chocolate milk. Bennett told me that two glasses was just way too much chocolate. He's right. The kids are so good about telling me the rules, which I do obey.

Every night, as always, was movie night and popcorn. However, they would play outside so late and then by the time they had baths it was 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. Most nights movie nights was half a movie or whatever they could watch in 30 minutes or less. I never had to tell them to go to bed. They were so tired. They were in bed every night before it was even dark outside.
They went home at noon today. We are missing them so much already.