Tenzi is a game where you each roll ten dice and try to get different patterns, sets and groups of whatever the card tells you to. The first person who gets it wins that round. Liza and Buddy have the "77 ways to play Tenzi" pack, which adds even more fun to it. Aylabelle wasn't quite sure what to think of her mom, Gram and Aunt Carol as we would roll then clap between each roll OR call out a line from a movie, or sing a song or make animal noises between each roll. She sat back looking at us and announce, "Grammie, you're silly!" This made it even more fun, knowing that we were entertaining her!
As soon as we were ready (and we played until the very last minute we possibly could), we met my mom and Buddy in town at Even Stevens, a new sandwich shop. Liza had raved about this sandwich, so I told her to just order whatever she wanted to me, while I took Aylabelle to the table to visit with Mom and Buddy, who arrived just before us. We had a fun lunch, talking and laughing and watching Aylabelle. I took some cute pix there and was thankful that I did because we really didn't get many photo opportunities all together.
Aylabelle really loves my mother. I'm so glad! Mom is all alone right now and I really feel like Liza and Buddy being there right now, just after Boyd's death is a blessing for her. They don't see her often, but they see her enough that it's given Mom something to look forward to. I love how she says "Nana Ruby" because Buddy's mom is also "nana".
Lunch was DE.LISH!!!! This sandwich... potroasted turkey in beef au jus with jalepeno jelly and sauteed onions. OH MY! We tried to figure a way to fit in an extra meal before we left just so that we could have it again! Sadly, we didn't have the time.
Aylabelle was showing me her glasses like Grammie's.
I think that this is one of my favorite pictures ever of Liza and Buddy. He's growing a beard, which I LOVE!!! They are truly one happy little family. For this, I'm VERY thankful! What a good man he is...husband and father. And he's even a pretty good son-in-law. I tell him that he's my favorite and he always reminds me that this isn't a hard thing to be! He's my only!
I convinced Carol to sit long enough for a picture of us together. She's not a fan of selfies! But, she's so cute! Why not!?
I'm not sure what Mom was in such deep thought about. It's rare that she's not telling a story of her life and making us laugh. But, I love this!
There he is, my favorite son-in-law again! Is that a great beard or what?!
After a fun little lunch, we told Buddy goodbye, knowing that it would be midnight before we saw him again and told Mom that we'd have dinner with her at her home later that evening. Carol wanted to buy Liza a little hostess something-something. Last trip down, I'd bought Liza this large "thing", for a cute little nook in her home. Carol wanted to complete the nook. So, off to St. George Taipan, we went for an hour of fun looking and shopping. We could hardly wait to get home and put our findings into the nook. Liza was thrilled! Carol was happy that she was! So cute!
Liza got Aylabelle right down for a nap and I decided that I'd lay down for a bit too while they went for a walk. I put my head on the pillow and checked the clock. Exactly four minutes later, Aylabelle was awake, so we played and read books together until they returned. As soon as they were freshened up, we headed over to my mother's house for a yummy meatloaf dinner. After dinner, we were excited to teach my mother how to play Tenzi. Oh my. That was a fun two hours...because Mom wasn't quite sure what we were doing all the time, but she was a good sport.
She also had these very large dice in a jar and gave them to Aylabelle to play with. She "mooed" and yelled and stacked them along with us the whole time. Very fun! It was a good visit with my mom. I realized, this trip, just how much she is alone. She really appreciated the time with us, it was obvious.
She did a pretty good job! The best part was that she'd put her hands up in the air and cheer for herself and say, "Tenzi!!" whenever she was done! She watched our every move.
Have I mentioned that I adore this child!?
Just as we were leaving, I asked Carol to snap a picture of Mom and I. We don't get enough of them.
Before we could get to sleep, Carol and I were checking the weather aps to see what the drive home was going to offer us. It didn't look good. We actually even considered leaving right then and getting a room on the way home to beat the storm, but the snow was already falling. So, we went to bed, hoping for a good day of driving, but also considering staying one more if it looked more promising. We laughed ourselves to sleep, muffling our faces, several times. How do we do that... spend so much time together and always laugh so hard like it's been forever!? That's friendship! I heart her!
Good times! Life is good!
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