Hello everyone, we are back from our mini-vacation, and we had a great time. It's Sunday afternoon as I'm writing this, but we actually got back Saturday night. I was just way to tired to type anything up then.
Our original plan was to leave around 5:30pm or 6:00pm after Paul got home from work for the 1 1/2 hour drive to my parents house. I was trying to finish up the bookmarks I was working on while finish watching a DVD I had borrowed from my sister (I needed to finish it so I could give it back to her when we were out there). I had an idea of what needed to be packed, had some things laid out while laundry was finishing, things like that. Sarah had made the cookies and I had made the dirt cake. I was also making a loaf of raisin/cinnamon bread to give to my parents. As I started making the bread I realized part of my break maker was broken. The bar that holds the kneading arm on could be pulled completely out of my machine. Thankfully when I put the kneading arm on it sort of 'locked' on, I put the ingredients in and then when I put the pan into the machine it seemed to hold it all into place. I do hope that it keeps working like that. I will be extremely bummed if I can't keep using it, but I think I will be able to.
So anyway, it's around 2:00pm and we're done with all the baking, the laundry is finishing up, I'm working on my bookmark while trying to finish my sister's DVD. The phone rings and it's Paul on his way home. Because of the holiday weekend, they left everyone go home early, what a blessing. Though I was no where near ready. He was fine with it and he still didn't want to leave until later in the afternoon. But for me it was hard. I felt rushed all of a sudden. I did finish the DVD, but not the last bookmark I was working on. We got things finished and packed up but I made the mistake of not making a packing list. I didn't forget too many things, though I did forget a few things. But besides forgetting a few things we got out around 4:30pm and we were at my parents house by 7:00ish. We had a good drive, and there wasn't too much traffic.
Thursday night we didn't have anything planned except visiting with my parents, and getting our beds set up. It was a nice relaxing and fun night. We got to have nice talks with my parents, saw the town a bit and just relax. We set up three cots and one air bed for us all. I got the air bed, Paul slept on the bigger cot, and the kids had the two smaller cots. They were comfortable, and we slept well. We did forget how cold it gets up there in the mountains during the night. We fell asleep with the windows open, and around 5:00am I had to get up and close them, it was soooo cold. We had a nice morning with my parents on the 4th, then the busyness began.
We went and watched the parade, seeing my sister, niece and nephew. My nephew's dog got loose, and he couldn't find him, so after the parade we split up and searched for him. After searching some places, me and the kids went back to my nieces' house (our old house) where the dog stays and looked around there. We were just looking around the yard, calling his name and all of a sudden he comes running out from under a bush Sarah was looking around. It scared all of us, and we didn't have his collar or leash, but my nephew got there pretty quick when we called him and told him we found his dog. What a great way to start the 4th.
We celebrated my nieces highschool graduation. She did public school her whole life, but finished up her senior year homeschooling. So we did our own little diploma ceremony and such, it was fun. Then the 4th celebration started. We had fun with fireworks, water games and more food that any of us should have been eating. It was a great day that didn't end until we were back at my parents, in bed going to sleep around midnight. Which is the same time we went to sleep the night before too, we were quite tired.
On Saturday morning my dad was making a big breakfast for all 12 of us, so he was up and in the kitchen at 7:00am. Yes, we were awake now. A great breakfast as usual when my dad cooks, and then lots of visiting with family and again eating more than we should be allowed too. But we were also getting very tired from the late nights and early mornings, so we decided we were going to head home on Saturday night so we could get a good nights sleep.
My sister's in-laws were in town to help celebrate my niece's graduation, so that kept us busy too. Plus friends came over on the 4th, so though I'm not being very descriptive, we were quite busy. There was lots of catching up with each other, eating, having water wars, eating, playing with fireworks, eating. Oh did I mention we had some food to eat too? We had a great time, and Saturday evening came around way to fast, but it was time to leave.
We got home around 8:00pm on Saturday night, kids cleaned up, started some laundry and then went to bed. We all slept in this morning, but we are feeling good today. We've been somewhat relaxed today, and getting ready for the upcoming week. I have a few pictures to share, and then I need to try and catch up with all your blogs. I hope I can. I hope you all had a great weekend. Here are just a few pictures.
Hey JoAnn, yep I'm still around, just busy. Sounds like you had a great mini-vacation. I love those when you sit around and visit with family, catch up and remember old times. Glad you're home safe.
What a sweet post of family getting together, daddy/grandpa cooking breakfast.....very nice! Wow, all of the desserts look scrumptious too!.
Glad you all had fun with family.
((((hugs)))
Katia
This blog is so I can share my journey with the Lord, my journey as a wife and mother, and my journey as a homeschool mom. I pray that you will see the Lord in my life through happy and sad times, and that this blog glorifies the Lord.
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The bar that holds the kneading arm on could be pulled completely out of my machine. 
Thankfully when I put the kneading arm on it sort of 'locked' on, I put the ingredients in and then when I put the pan into the machine it seemed to hold it all into place. I do hope that it keeps working like that. I will be extremely bummed if I can't keep using it, but I think I will be able to.
I didn't forget too many things, though I did forget a few things. But besides forgetting a few things we got out around 4:30pm and we were at my parents house by 7:00ish. We had a good drive, and there wasn't too much traffic.
It scared all of us, and we didn't have his collar or leash, but my nephew got there pretty quick when we called him and told him we found his dog. What a great way to start the 4th.
A great breakfast as usual when my dad cooks, and then lots of visiting with family and again eating more than we should be allowed too. But we were also getting very tired from the late nights and early mornings, so we decided we were going to head home on Saturday night so we could get a good nights sleep.
