Grandma K and Grandpa J

Last week was Jason's final week of class for his PhD. He was swamped with a research paper to finish. Being the loving wife that I am, I decided to help him (and myself) through this week by taking the kids to Grandma K and Grandpa J's house :) It was so nice to relax! Thank you, Mom and Dad for holding Asher, making meals, cleaning up after meals, letting me walk the aisles of the music store at my own leisure....I was extremely lazy! I didn't help like I should have. I really appreciated the break. Natalie was there from California with her Mom, Grandma and kids (dropping her brother off at college), Brooke came down with her kids. Ashley was there. We got to see Jason and Tiffany between all their busy-ness (with Jason finishing up his Masters). We also got to see Grandma and Grandpa Craner a few times. Fun! It was good to see all of you. Here are some pictures of our stay.

Notice Ashers bigger-than-life smile with dimple. It's so cute!!!

Thanks for the huge chunk of chocolate, Aunt Brooke!

This was so cute. Sam found a ladybug and the kids were captivated by it. This is why we should become like little children. The miracles that Heavenly Father blesses us with daily don't go unnoticed or unappreciated by them.

O.k., yes, I have an excessive amount of pictures of Ethan. I think he's the cutest kid there is. It may have something to do with the fact that he's a small replica of his dad, and that he's obsessed with trains "choo, choo-t!", and that he rattles off in his own language that we're slowly starting to understand, and that I can usually make him laugh right out of a good hearty pouty face, and that......one day while we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house he was playing games in the basement with Grandpa. He came all the way upstairs to find me and said, with a concerned look on his face, "Mom, I hii-.....Ma, I hi-". What? Is he telling me that he hit? He grabbed my hand to drag me all the way downstairs to where Grandpa was sitting and then rubbed Grandpa's arm extra softly. Sure enough he had hit Grandpa and wanted me to witness the apology.

McKenzie and Mallory had a blast together. They were two peas in a pod. How fun for McKenzie to have girl cousins to play dolls with, to giggle with, and to talk to!

Grandma helped the grandchildren make their very own books with markers and sticker. Of course McKenzie loved it! She loves to draw and tell stories, and is an amazing artist and story-teller at that! Sometimes I have to remind myself to stop whatever important thing I'm doing so I can stare intently into her eyes and listen to every word her little-big imagination want to let out (she loves to talk and loves to be heard). She is so adorable! However, don't you dare wrinkle one of her drawings even a little bit! You will not live it down for awhile. I can't believe she's going to school next year. She wishes she could go this year and is completely ready in every way. But her mom is completely not ready in every way so it's a good we have another year to prepare. McKenzie knows all of her letters and writes them well. Sometimes she chooses to do lowercase letters and always informs me of this important decision when I tell her which letter to write.

I enjoyed staying up 'til 2 or 4 a.m. chatting, eating, watching movies, playing games, watching American Idol, relaxing, relaxing, and relaxing. I also enjoyed getting back to Jason. We missed him! And his class is done!!!!!! I can't believe it. He still needs to get his paper published and do a dissertation.......but, the light at the end of the tunnel is almost blinding me now so I guess I'll go put on some shades and smile big.