Jason and Laura Brown: Grammoo and Granddad Visit: August 2012

***Disclaimer: I never get enough pictures! There were some really sweet moments of Moo and Dad with Tru that I didn't get documented...RATS!***

Grammoo and Granddad came to visit us this past week, and we sure did have a fun time! They drove the RV from Lubbock, spending the night in Tulsa on the way. For whatever reason, Tru gets sick every time someone comes to visit, and this was no exception. He woke up with a fever on Saturday morning. Some Tylenol and Zyrtec later, he rallied enough for us all to go to Roemer Topf for some delicious German food. Yumm-O! What a great way to start the trip!

Sunday morning, Tru's fever was back, so he stayed home with Moo and Granddad while Jason and I went to church. By late afternoon, he was officially better and ready to party with the grands. Eeeeeearly Monday morning we had to take Jason to the aeropuerto so he could head to Washington state for the week. When I returned from that, it was time to get down to business!

I had 3 big things I wanted to accomplish while I had the muscle and the babysitting powers of Moo and Granddad: landscaping this ginormous yard (just cleaning up what was already there but had never been appropriately trimmed in over a decade...not my fault, it's a rental house), washing the patio and patio furniture, and sanding/painting the piano bench so Tru could use it as a chalkboard.

Dad and I had the patio and patio furniture clean by lunch Monday. After lunch, we started the landscaping...and quickly realized what a big job it was going to be. We worked the whole afternoon on just the front yard!

Before pictures

While Moo and I took Tru to the commissary Tuesday morning, Dad got to work on the side of the house. By the time we got home, he had it all trimmed. After lunch, I went out to help. We worked like crazy people for the rest of the day and finished all the landscaping. We filled 15 barrels with the trimmings. We even completely took out 2 trees. That was a LOT of work - THANKS, DAD!!!

After pictures

Wednesday was Granddad's day off from manual labor, so we all just relaxed around the house. Moo, of course, made us amazing meals every single night...and even cleaned up the kitchen and helped get Tru in bed. There's nothing better than letting my mom loose in my kitchen. Fabulous meals, scrumptious pies, banana bread....you name it. *sniff* I miss her already. THANKS, MOO!!!

Reading with Granddad

On Thursday, we headed out to Eckerts for breakfast and a little shopping. It was too hot and humid to pick anything, but we had to get back for nap anyway. Once Tru was down, Dad and I headed back to the airport to get Jason. As always, Tru was delighted to see his Daddy. :)

Mmmm...apple butter, chocolate chip pancakes, ham....mmmmmm

Moo tried to get Tru to pet the nice bear.

Tru decided to give the bear his space.

Dad likes to see the old cars they put on display.

Tru loved having his own shopping cart. It's a good thing it was a slow morning and the store was practically empty!

Moo caught him as he tried to exit the store to go have some REAL fun in the parking lot.

Jason had to go to work on Friday, so Dad and I accomplished the third and final task of sanding and painting the piano bench. It's ready for some serious chalk now!

Tru is helping.

Now that Granddad is busy, Tru eyes his tools....

Saturday was another lazy day. Moo and Granddad watched Tru so Jason and I could go see a movie....the first one in 6 months! It was great. For dinner, we lounged on the back porch eating pizza.

Best.Game.Ever. One, Two, THREE, WHEEEEEEEE!!!!

What a wonderful week! It is so great to have parents we want to hang out with as adults. It's also great to have parents who will jump in and help when we have too many things on our plates and not enough time.

Obligatory family shot before the padres hit the road