Grandma and Grandpa T's visit part 2

After visiting Niagara Falls, Palmyra, Syracuse, Harmony, and Kirtland, Grandma and Grandpa came back to Michigan to stay with us for a few more days before flying back home. They had a great time visiting all the church sites, many of which they had never seen or haven't seen in decades. Here they are at Niagara Falls.

After seeing all those spiritual places, we decided they needed a dose of reality so we told them to go to HELL! Hell, Michigan that is!

We had a great time posing in these devil cutouts and looking at all the creative and fun things in the gift shop.

Abbie and Leah loved this "Little Devil's Door". We got there just as it was closing but normally the owner gives free ice cream to any child that can walk through that door without having to duck. Leah would have qualified but Abbie wasn't quite short enough. It sure was fun to play in, though!

We also went to the park and did my favorite walk around Gallup Park and then played on the playground.

Leah had so much fun swinging with Grandma...

And being pushed "higher" and "faster" by Grandma and Mom.


Abbie also had a turn and Grandma pushed her a lot longer than Mommy usually does...

And had fun playing games while swinging.

Abbie loved showing Grandma how she can go down the big slide by herself now

When it was time to go, Leah threw a tantrum and didn't want to leave. The only way she could be consoled was to have Grandpa carry her to the car.

The girls also enjoyed more time listening to Grandma play the violin and dancing around the room to the music

Abbie even got a little lesson on what the different parts of the violin are like the frog on the bow, the bridge, pegs, strings, and chin rest. I think we may have another rising generation of musicians in our family!

They also had fun making cookies with Grandma...

And reading more books at bedtime

Leah really got attached to Grandpa and would ask where he was first thing in the morning and after waking up from her nap. She loved to sit on his lap and read books and just be held by him.

It was also great to have my mom here for Mother's Day. We went to a RS conference all day Saturday and then went and got pedicures together while the boys (Daddy and Grandpa) watched the girls. Mom also got a new haircut and was really happy with the results!

Grandma took pictures of us getting ready Sunday morning and I thought that was fun to document also. Here's Abbie getting on her hearing aids, she's still doing great with them and even requests that I put them in first thing in the morning so she can hear her cartoons better.

Doing Leah's hair. They do pretty well letting me do their hair most days since we've been doing it regularly since day one. I'm just out of ideas on how to do something creative that doesn't take more than 5 minutes and will work with their fine, thin hair.

Here they are all done up and ready to go!

The whole family in front of our blossoming tree! I love springtime!

We had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa while they were here and will miss them until we see them again in July for a big family reunion out west. We can't wait!

Grandma and Grandpa T. visit Michigan!

We've been looking forward to Grandma and Grandpa's visit for a couple months and now the time is finally here. The last time my mom was here was when Leah was born almost 2 1/2 years ago so it's been a while since she's seen our whole family and has spent much time with the girls. We've had a fun couple of days dancing and playing the violin...
Reading books,

.

Reading books again,

And visiting with my aunt and uncle who also live here in Michigan.

We also have been to the Henry Ford Museum (see below), driven around town to show them the UM campus and hospital and Jared's work, ordered in yummy food for dinner, gone shopping, made cookies, watched movies, and stayed up late talking. Grandma and Grandpa are now taking a road trip to Niagara Falls, Palmyra, Syracuse, and Kirtland, and then will be back with us for a few more days before flying home. We love having family here!

Visit to the Henry Ford Museum

We decided to go to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village with Grandma and Grandpa and we had a great time. We spent the whole day there and luckily we went on a day that it wasn't raining. Here are a bunch of pictures to sum up our day:

In an old Model T Ford, doesn't it look like the car in the old version of the movie "Cheaper by the Dozen"?

Leah in front of the Oscar Mayer Weiner mobile

Abbie and Leah got a kick out of this human hotdog display/toy. There were so many things geared towards kids, more than I remember when we first came here 5 1/2 years ago.

Me brushing up on my teaching skills in an old 1950's classroom. Abbie loved sitting in the desk and playing school.

.

Grandma and Grandpa in front of a disassembled Model T Ford

.

Taking a walk down memory lane

.

Grandma learning how to spin wool which she never got to do in Nauvoo while on a mission working in the Family Living Center.

Going on the carousel in Greenfield Village, Abbie was terrified at first but at the end finally warmed up to it and wanted to go again.

Grandpa had a good time also on his dark stallion!

Leah has no fear and was happy to be doing anything out of the stroller

.

We got her a candy necklace to keep her happy for a while and she loved that, it made quite the chalky mess though!

The coal-fueled steam train that goes around the village. It was too hard to pass up a free* ride to the other side of the village after tons of walking. *We were prepared to pay the $4 per adult fee (kids free) after being exhausted from walking all day but the conductor let us go for free after seeing our two kids, double stroller, disabled husband, and pregnant wife! Thank goodness!

The kids had fun taking a ride on the train but I couldn't get any good pictures except this view out the side.

The train station roundtable, the girls had more fun throwing rocks here than anything else.
Finally leaving at closing time down a beautiful path of blossoming trees. I'm so glad spring is finally here!

My tired babies at the end of a long, but great, day!

My dandelion ballerina

Abbie started a ballet class last week with her friend Nora and so far she loves it! She has always loved to dress up in her tutu and dance around but I've never put her in a formal class or anything so I think she's going to love learning some moves and poses. Here they are after class in their cute tutus.

Learning some moves...

Here they are after class picking dandelions and posing in front of the daffodils.

Abbie brings me bouquets of dandelions all the time now that they are growing everywhere in our yard. I remember doing the same thing when I was a kid and always loved it when my mom put them in water and displayed them on the table or window. Isn't my dandelion ballerina so adorable?