While Daddy's Away...

Matt was in Scotland last week for work. Edinburgh to be exact.The bummer timing of the trip is that it fell over MEA week (which is a 4 day Fall break for kids in MN b/c of teacher meetings), so we didn't have our usual routine to keep us busy, and most of our friends were either traveling or having out of town visitors. So, how did we spend our week? I'll tell you in pictures. A lot of them.

Snuggled in for our nightly reading. We sent this pic to Matt, who was about to board his trans-Atlantic overnight flight from Philly to London

An early morning trip to Chevy for an oil change and tire rotation before school. I packed breakfast, and after they ate, the girls enjoyed looking at the new toy catalogs that had come in the mail the day before (nice timing, toy companies).

On Wednesday, we picked Jillian up from school and headed down to Des Moines to spend a few days at Grammy and Grandad's. This was a nice time for an extended visit, and honestly, it really helps the girls to have a fun distraction while Matt is away. Not that they don't miss him, but being amidst constant fun at G and G's really helps to cut down on the lamenting over Matt's absence.

On Thursday, we loaded up a yummy lunch and headed out to Grandad's office to meet his work friends. After lunch, we found the farmer in one of his fields and got to ride in the combine as he harvested. This was something I got to do a lot as a kid at my grandparents' farm, so it was neat to have the girls experience this.

Jillian got to drive

If you look closely you can see Jillian and I in the combine--she is on my lap

Our ride was on the right

Waiting with Grandad in the truck for her turn

Ready to be picked up by the combine

On Saturday, Aunt Mal came up to see us. One thing I wanted to accomplish was to get some pics of the girls outdoors in the Fall foliage. We ran around a local park for awhile, playing music for the girls to dance to as I attempted this photoshoot.

Momography

Cute subjects

Oh, Adrienne

There's one in every bunch. I took about 500 photos, and Adrienne has her tongue out, her hands down her pants, or a goofy grin in about 80% of them. We may have more of a humorous focus for our Christmas card this year.

We all headed to Tasty Tacos (a Des Moines delicious dive) after the photoshoot, and then Aunt Mal and I escaped for a few hours of shopping. The girls went back to G and G's house and played outside all afternoon.

My little pumpkins with a big pumpkin

At the park behind G and G's house

I see you, Adrienne

Helping Grandad with yardwork. There's Adrienne's tongue again. This one's a framer.

On Saturday night we decided to celebrate J's birthday a bit early with G and G and Aunt Mal. We picked up some delicious cupcakes, a few party favors, and surprised Jillian after dinner that night.

Minion Grammy is ready to party

I love this series of pictures as Jillian comes out of the bathroom to see everyone in party hats and minion goggles.

Time to join the fun

Tough choice--those were some gorgeous and rather tasty cupcakes

Adrienne needed a quick intervention after she finished that cupcake. That girl is passionate about her sweets

Time for a few presents

Adrienne in top form--half naked and hand down her pants. She is so ornery and funny right now, and reminds us all of her Aunt Meggie when she was this age. Sometimes I really think I birthed a mini-Malia and a mini-Megan.

An exciting gift--the wanna be chef gets a chef jacket and hat!

What are you scratching at, A? The girl is having some real underwear problems these days. When I ask her what the issue is, she always says, "My underwear just go right into my bottom!" She is learning what a wedgie means.

Silly sisters

Love love love this

We headed back late Sunday morning, stopped at the grocery store, and frantically cooked, unpacked, did laundry, and settled back in the rest of the afternoon. I was pretty happy to be settled and have our laundry done before Matt got home late that night with all of us. He brought us all some fun Scottish gifts--cashmere plaid scarves and a Harris Tweed bag for me, and the usual snow globes for the girls, along with some kilt-wearing teddy bears, and the hottest item in our house these days--"real big girl purses". These bags go everywhere with us now. Jillian even carried it downstairs first thing this morning, ready to roll.

A good bag--never leave home (or your bedroom) without it.