memorial day and other good stuff

Always, always, when Liza comes home, there is lots of game playing and fun.  Our new favorite "game game", not card game, is Quixx.  We've discovered a way to make it even better, by lamanating the score pads and using dry erase markers.  Buddy improved on our improvement by enlarging the scorepads, even better!  We played a lot on the first night they arrived and all of us were scoring very low!  We loved it when Buddy and Liza noticed that Doug and I both scored 47 on the same round.  47 is "my number".   Whenever I choose a number between 1-100 with the kids, they all want to guess 47 first.  Our anniversary is 4/7.  Like Doug says "38", I say "47".   I loved that both Liza and Buddy noticed "our number".

 

Of course, the first thing that Aylabelle wants to do everytime she comes to visit is get right out to "Grampy's swing".

 

The girls had set up the tent out in the backyard to go out and read or just chill.  Aylabelle immediately decided that the tent was her hiding place.  Everytime she was outside, it was "Let's hide!"

Oh my word, Doug's grin is never bigger than when he's playing with Aylabelle!

She even talked me into "hiding" with her during our Memorial Day BBQ.

 

It was actually a little cool after dinner, so while everyone was visiting, I didn't mind at all climbing into the tent and cuddling with her to warm up a bit.  Then, Doug "found" us.  I'm trying to figure out why my hair looks frosted in the sunlight???

I'd bought all of the food for our own BBQ last week.  Then, we were invited to the B's for their BBQ, which we debated on all weekend. With Quayd working all afternoon, with Liza and fam here, and we had to be in 38 places in two hours, we ended up just cooking out at home.  Alan and Jill worked all day and had only one of their kids at home, so, when Alan called, we invited them to just join us.  They picked their asparagus from their garden, showered and ran back to Logan to join us for a fun dinner.  We ended up with so much food!  shocker!  The menu just continued to grow and grow.  Quayd requested burgers instead of steaks.  So, Burgers, it was...and...Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Bean Salsa, Broccoli Salad, Grilled Asparagus, Chips, chips and more chips!  No tablescaping.  We grabbed what was there and set a table outside under the trees.

While waiting for Alan and Jill, we visited in the street with Layne and Julie, which we do often.  Best neighbors ever!  Lasse and Zee grabbed their long boards and road up and down the street.  Zee didn't even have shoes on. They were just coasting down the hill, but they love their time together.  Lasse is, again, Layne and Julie's foreign exchange student, who's been here since last August.  He goes back to Germany this coming Sunday.  My heart aches at the thought because I know that Zee's heart is going to be broken.  These two are close.  Not as in romantically close.  They are such good friends.  He will be missed so much.  Last night, they went for a hike together to First Dam and she came in just as happy as could be because they had that extra time together. My heart hurts for her because she's losing one of her best friends!  Thank heavens for Facetime!

Aylabelle saw Auntie Zee on the longboard.  So, she grabbed Zee's scooter and had to try it out.  We were all blown away because she did it!

and loved it!  Such determination!

Liza and Buddy enjoyed the visit with Alan and Jill.  All of our kids are close to Alan and Jill, so it was fun to be together.  After dinner, we played a few games, gabbed a lot and enjoyed a dutch oven peach cobbler.  Only, it was a bit different... I used a lemon cake mix by accident!  Oops!  It was a bit different, but hey, warm cobbler and ice cream... it can't be bad!

 Alan brought some REAL Ginger Ale.  Not gingerale.  But, Ginger. Ale.  Everyone had to sample it.  Buddy really loved it.  Everyone else thought it had too much of a sting aftertaste.  I passed... I'll just stick to my diet coke.

And here's why Uncle Alan is everyone's favorite... he's such a ham!  My cute favorite nephew Jake is sporting a goat and stache.  He's so cute!  My girls adore him!

 

Aylabelle just gets loved on non-stop.  She's a little angel!

Doug and I just love having them here.  It was a wonderful weekend with a few big events.  One, Quayd's ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood and Two. Kelly showed up.  I'll have separate entries for both of those!  Life is good!  So are wonderful holidays!