October 9: What a busy week!

I can't pinpoint all the busy-ness, but I know a good deal of it centered around writing papers, accounting homework and test, accounting homework and more writing of papers.  I am taking 16 credits which seems to be translating into 60+ hours of reading and a studying.  Did I spend that long on my first degree?  What about on my second or third?  Sometimes you forget that part!

We also made a trip to Yankton to attend the wake and funeral of our best friends' mother.  It was truly  celebration of a life lived by a very special woman.  When it is my turn to leave this world, I hope that everyone will make it this kind of celebration.

Then the weekend came and so did Jamie and her family.  We had a marvelous time.  I know because my arthritis is telling me that I climbed in and out of homemade tents, played on the floor, had tickle time, and used my arms for lots of hugging and holding.  There were lots of other activities like making meatballs for spaghetti, playing trains, watching movies, and building tents.

We celebrated Henry's 3rd birthday and Zoe's 6th birthday with pancakes made by Grandpa and a birthday present hunt in the morning.  Then we went to an indoor bounce house party place with my niece Brianna and her kids, Brynn and Kale.  Obviously, everyone had a great time.  Great Grandpa just turned down his hearing aids and took in everything.  Kevin, Brianna, and Jamie went on the giant bounce slide with the kids many times.  Henry struggled getting over the obstacles on the giant slide the first couple of times because he is still rather small, but in the end, he was powering his way through without assistance. He and Grandpa just blasted their way through the cross pieces.   I have never seen Brynn so excited, and Zoe loved having more people to hang with.  Kale liked just sitting on the floor of the bounce houses feeling the movement.

Below are a few pictures of the fun.

 

Jamie makes stocking caps for a child's charity group.

Zoe inside the tent we built with her birthday present - a tent making kit



Henry found this tent in our closet and thought it was his present.
He got lots of play time in it and then found his real present
 - more Thomas trains and tracks.

 



Somewhere in there is Henry headed up to
 the top of the slide.

 

Kale

Henry moves at the speed of sound so no close-ups!

Brynn

And, LAST BUT NOT LEAST - Spaghetti and birthday cupcakes with "FIRE"