Monday, April 9, 2012

Just Too Good To Be True!

Arriving after their flight, the children look adorable! Dressed so cute and Lilly with a braid in her hair. It didn't take long to lose that polished look but oh my, did we have fun!


Before going home, we made a stop at Wrigley Field for a ballpark tour.


Jackson looked right at home sitting in the Press Box.


That evening we took a night bike ride to the school playground. We actually took a bike ride every day—going to a park or playground or the Dairy Queen or a local garden store. I love it that the kids like to ride bike!


It is great to live so close to the bike path!



Okay, I can see this is going to get way too long if I give a play-by-play of every day. Still I cannot resist reliving these precious moments!

A favorite spot to climb and explore is Cantigny.



When Jackson and Lilly come in the summer, they like to go to Rice Pool and Raging Waves. Since neither were open yet for the season, we were happy to find an indoor place for a little water therapy.



We tried to eat healthy some of the time but after all this was Spring Vacation and so a few treats were in order.


On Thursday, we decided to spend some time working. We found a place where we could help children that did not have enough food to eat. We helped pack a lot of meals at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora. Jackson said, "It was not actually exciting to do the work but it really does make you feel good to help others." He did a great job bagging and weighing and then traded jobs near the end of our shift and measured and poured rice. Lilly did a lot of measuring and pouring of rice and soy but she was the best one in our group to measure the chicken which was just a little trickier.



Jackson and Lilly are great jumpers and they have endless stamina! We spent some time at Monkey Joes and Xtreme Trampoline and then went and bounced some more on Uncle Kevin's trampoline!


We had a busy schedule but there was still plenty of time to relax around the house.It was great to snuggle as we watched a little TV or read a book. Lilly and I played our one piano duet many, many times per day.


Friday was a special day, Good Friday. We attended a Good Friday event for children at our Wheaton Bible Church. First we made a centerpiece for Easter.


Later we walked through Seven Stations of the Cross for children. Each station had something to touch and experience. Cousins Kent and Jessica were the drama team at the Synagog site. They did a great job and we were proud of them.


It was a sobering time for us as we remembered all that Jesus did because He loves us so much.


Cousins Kent, Steven, David and Jessica joined us for an egg coloring party and an egg hunt.


It's too bad that the eggs are not very visible in the photo as there was a lot of creativity in the eggs!


Later we visited the Popcorn store to spend the change that was found inside of the plastic eggs at our Easter egg hunt. Jackson noted that the address on the store is 111 1/4 Front Street, Wheaton. It is such a little store that it does not get a whole number. We have been going to the store for more than 40 years and I never noticed the address before.


On the morning before their flight back home, Grandpa took the kids on a beekeeping excursion. They make very cute beekeepers!


Grandpa showed Jackson that the bees were happy to just crawl around his hands and get aquainted. They were not interested in stinging. Both of the kids examined frames for brood, honey, capped honey, and drone cells. Jackson and Lilly also helped smoke the bees a little but for the most part the bees were calm and did not need much smoke. Lilly especially was fascinated watching the bees bring in different colored pollen.


After a Culver's lunch, it was about time to head to the airport but we had time for one more Popcorn store run and a quick visit to our old park that we still miss.


The goodbyes were quick because the flight attendant came for the children earlier than we expected. That was a blessing for all of us.

Our tired grandchildren arrived home safe and sound late Saturday evening. But early the next morning the kids were properly bathed, combed, dressed, and smiling. Perhaps some of the polish is from all of the hugs and kisses received from their mom and dad. We received this Easter morning photo.

Just too good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you!


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