Grandparents Visit and a Creepy Carol

Jason's parents came for a visit. It's always fun to have the status quo pushed to the side to have company. We went on a field trip to an aquarium last Thursday and while we were driving back Jason was picking them up from the airport. The kids were so excited.

Grandpa and Pip...
On Friday we went to see A Christmas Carol. This was the choice not because it was a kids movie that had just opened but because my oldest 4 are in a production of A Christmas Carol right now (Madison is Scrooge!). So we were very excited to get to go to the theater.
Can I please now tell you that this movie is VERY SCARY!!! I can't believe my kids all made it through. It is definitely for older kids and even then might be preferred to be done when it comes out on dvd as opposed to in the theater. Over dinner the kids were talking about how creepy it was and Carson said "I don't blame you for taking us, mommy, but it was really creepy!" I keep thinking they are going to have lots of bad dreams (like when my parents took us to see Gremlins when I was in 4th grade!) but so far so good. They have also enjoyed playing "Marley" where one of them is the ghost of Marley and chases around the other ones. Nice.

On a sweeter note - we went to feed the ducks and play at the park...

Cole had prepared a presentation on Canadian Geese for school (that he didn't get to present because he was sick) and he was so excited to see the geese at the pond. He was calling to them from the edge...

Pipster is a slide fanatic. She goes nutso for a good slide...

My handsome boy - who later was crawling on the OUTSIDE of the equipment on the very top (like that big kid that youre so annoyed with for setting a bad example for all the little kids). I was proud of him for being brave but quickly had him get down. Right after both Cole and Will thought they'd try it too. Sigh...

Grandma helping her sweetie climb the ladder...

The twins having some discussion about the digging toy. I know its not a good picture but the interaction between them was precious and I wanted a shot of it...

Ty is finally brave enough to try and do the monkey bars all the way...

...he is, unfortunately, having issues with not buttoning his pants and so this is what I saw most of the day...

Wilson is starting to look a little like Eddie Munster with his hair growing in - I just can't decide what to do. I don't think I want them to ALWAYS have buzz cuts so I am trying to let all the boys have some hair - but man - they are looking ROUGH right now!

The girls liked pretending they were gymnasts - but bless their hearts, they got their grace and flexibility from me so that will have to remain something they dream about! I also think they look NOTHING alike. You would never guess they were sisters...

What's a visit with grandparents without a trip to the Golden Arches...

Here we all are in front of the playhouse Jason and his dad had been working on (that is for another post)...

The 5 days went by fast. Hopefully we can have a fall visit from Wayne and Debbie every year. I love for my kids to get to make special memories with their grandparents. I don't know if any other kids on the planet have as loving of grandparents as mine do. What a blessing!