On Friday we had a really good tour of Piper and Leaf over at Lowe Mill. The owners were homeschooled! And there are several siblings working together, so that was nice, too.
We toured the warehouse, mixing room and the tea shop.
Before we left, everyone had to get their jar filled! I got caramel apple pie tea.
We came home with a summer blend with peaches that Ben won in a quiz and a chocolate fig blend and more caramel apple pie.
Ben went home with Katy because of the snow forecast, he's always wanted to sled down the back of the mountain. He got to, several times! Yay!
We all had lunch together and then headed home in case the snow got too crazy.
I have always wanted a picture of that tree! The one off in the distance, there's another shot later on down there. There's nowhere to pull off and no shoulder and Matt won't drop me off and let me wade over and get a shot and then come back to get me. It's not a safe stretch of road at all. But this is kind of okay, since it's pretty much exactly how I see the tree going down the road!
We waited for the tree to be moved, but those men parked about 6 inches from it on both sides and traffic stacked up behind them. If either one had thought to stop further back, they could have hoofed it off the road. We decided to turn around and g up the back way. It was much prettier!
We went back to Katy's on Saturday for a birthday hang Emma's 14!
Most everyone was off sledding again, even Matt and Chan got in on it this time.
Birdie and I ate most of a flat of raspberries while we waited.
Most everyone was off sledding again, even Matt and Chan got in on it this time.
Birdie and I ate most of a flat of raspberries while we waited.
Before long, everyone had returned and after lunch the kids played this horrible game with flavored jellybeans. You get a spinner and spin it, it stops on a color and you pick one bean from the bowl that is that color. Green could be lime, or grass clippings. Brown could be cinnamon or barf. Black was licorice or skunk spray. And so on. The kids were delighted and disgusted in equal measure, so it was a success, I'd say.
The dads ran for the racing game in the basement. The moms ran for the chairs in the sun room!
Our view was better!
The candles! I nearly missed it because we were-talking! Surprise.
This week is a little different, Jake did not bother to tell me there was no police thing tonight, so I arrived early to get him, Taco Bell in hand and a freshly filled tank. Cost me $32 to make that 90 minute round trip so he could come home just ahead of Matt. GAH
I did need to drive for a little while to be sure the brakes are acting right. So far, so good. Of course I am in that early on mode of having some minor panic at every odd noise.
Matt's dad popped in out of the blue, left fireworks and a stream of advice, then vamoosed for Kentucky. We will probably see him again in 18 months after he drives 8 hours one way to stay 15 minutes. He thought Jake was turning 18 this fall. That's Chan. In 3 weeks. Oddest family relationships ever. I saw my grandparents every single weekend of my entire childhood, whole weeks in the summers, spring break, Christmas break. The kids have seen theirs...maybe 2 dozen times in the past 10 years. That's for all 4 of them, not just Papaw. When Matt's dad comes up the walk, one of them always asks, "What do we call him again?" He probably does the same thing.
I know, better than most, that relation is not obligation. I am not complaining, just sad. They are such great kids and everyone involved is missing out on one of the best relationships there is in life.
I did need to drive for a little while to be sure the brakes are acting right. So far, so good. Of course I am in that early on mode of having some minor panic at every odd noise.
Matt's dad popped in out of the blue, left fireworks and a stream of advice, then vamoosed for Kentucky. We will probably see him again in 18 months after he drives 8 hours one way to stay 15 minutes. He thought Jake was turning 18 this fall. That's Chan. In 3 weeks. Oddest family relationships ever. I saw my grandparents every single weekend of my entire childhood, whole weeks in the summers, spring break, Christmas break. The kids have seen theirs...maybe 2 dozen times in the past 10 years. That's for all 4 of them, not just Papaw. When Matt's dad comes up the walk, one of them always asks, "What do we call him again?" He probably does the same thing.
I know, better than most, that relation is not obligation. I am not complaining, just sad. They are such great kids and everyone involved is missing out on one of the best relationships there is in life.
