What A Difference A Day Makes

As most of you blog friends and family know by now, my youngest has moved to Illinois so that she and her husband can finish school.  He has a Volleyball scholarship, so no transferring to the sunny side for them!  Oh how I miss their smiling (and not so smiling) faces.

After a VERY long trip - changing planes three times, layovers, and a car ride; hubs and I made it from our cottage by the sea, to our daughter's house, in a little town in Illinois, USA.  We had been waiting so long to see this little guy.  I got to sit in the back of the car, right beside my newest grandson.  The conversation went a bit like so. "Em, hey Finn.  Sup?  Grammy missed you so much buddy."  All this in my best octave for kid talk.  I smiled and smiled and talked and talked to my little guy.  And do you see that face?  That look was what I got for the twenty minute ride back to my daughter's house.  Do you think he didn't remember me or, I just look that much worse now?

 

It was so much fun to watch the leaves changing.  Those of us who live in So California miss out on that wonderful season of Autumn.  It seemed like every day I looked down the street, there was more yellow and orange and red.  Amazing and beautiful to see the plants and trees turn jewel toned colors.  I can definitely see the allure of living where there are seasons.  Even though this wimp went around wearing long sleeves, socks,  a sweater and a jacket the entire time.  You'd have thought I was back in Ireland for pete's sake, and it's not even winter yet!

It was a whirl-wind tour, but we fit in a trip to the pumpkin patch and a hay ride.  We went to a fun street fair and a car show.  Lots of fried food was consumed (which I am still recovering from).  I find that in the mid west they fry everything, even chicken.  I don't know what's up with that but it sure tastes good!

 Finn got to ride on a saddle at "The Roadhouse Grill".  I really think they should reconsider their name.  "The Roadhouse Fry" anyone?  Ride 'em cowboy!

Eating makes Finn very happy.  Apparently much happier than sitting in the back seat of the car with his Grammy.  And he LOVED the Pumpkin Patch.

Told you I'd make you smile.  In my humble opinion, going to see your grandson and taking him to his first pumpkin patch, is better than a trip to Hawaii!

 We got to go on a hay ride.  For free.  Nothing's free back in Cali!

Seriously?  Pumpkin guts? 
 Man I'm glad that kid can't talk yet, aren't you?

These are Maggie and Ian's creations.  Pretty fantastic.  Finn wasn't even remotely impressed with the end result either.  Maybe next year?

Then it was tubby time, and all week I got to be the sole proprietress of tubby time.  See that smile?  That was just for me!

I think I won him over with tubby time.  Be still my heart.

Then we went to Home Depot and the Dollar Store to get all sorts of goodies that babies love but, don't usually get to play with.  Such as, the toilet paper roll.  Night lights, door stops, locks, switches, and velcro that you can stick stuff to.  Papa Mac attached everything to a board.  He and Ian screwed it into the wall in Finn's room and wallah!  A sensory board just for him.

Our little granddaughter Rebecca may or may not be getting one of these for Christmas.  Shhhhhh.

The Sensory Board!

This was the most fun trip.  I taught my grandson to drive.
With two steering wheels!  Grammy's are fun like that.

Then, before we knew it, before we were ready for it; it was time for us to leave.  Leave our baby girl, her new hubby and our wee grandson.  The leaving was a tiny bit easier though, knowing that they live in this darling little cottage, with a bedroom just waiting for us to come to next time. 

From this:

To this.

What a difference a day makes!

Bye, Bye, Buddy.  Until we see you here at the cottage for Thanksgiving - the surf's the best then!  L O V E

GRAMMY and PAPA MAC

Blessings,

Tia