Catching up with Great Grandma in New York

 Aaaahhhh.....New York!!!  How we L.O.V.E. this view!!!  Kris and the three kids and I spent four days in New York visiting Great Grandma Havens, Ellen, Brian, Carly, and Colin.

We made it to Mendon just before dinner.  Just in time to meet Ellen and go pick up Grandma for dinner at Applebees.

Garytt said, "I got close because I know Great Grandma can't see very good."  After visiting with Grandma, Ellen and Carly for a bit, we headed to Wegman's for a few groceries and then headed back to the house.   The next day we hit the local grocery where Garytt was kind enough to do the cart-work for us.

Our favorite view in the house!

After breakfast on day 2, we headed over to pick up Grandma and then spend some time at Ellen's.  We chatted all afternoon with Grandma while the kids helped Aunt Ellen do a little yard work.  Then, Kris fixed a yummy dinner for the 8 of us.

The next afternoon, we picked up Grandma for an early dinner before the Mendon Carnival.  We spent a few hours at Grandma's place chatting and then touring the building and meeting Grandma's friends.  Then, I took the little ones outside so Kris could have some time talking {peacefully} with his grandmother.  While they chatted, Garytt and Mackenzie rolled down the awesome hill out back.  We also tried to catch a peek of the squirrel that was raiding the bird feeder, but he was too fast for us to get too close.  

On our way to dinner we stopped in Honeoye Falls to see the...falls.  

 Just down the street was our destination....Craft Brewers.  Kris and Grandma split two beer samplers....vanilla coffee stout, indian pale ale, scotch ale, distilled Scottish ale, and a few others.  The kids and I had the CB Root beer.

From here, we headed over to the Mendon Carnival.  The kids ran around and tested every ride they were brave enough to get on while Kris wheeled Grandma around for a bit.  After a while, we moved over by the picnic tables so Grandma could sit and visit with many friends.  We stuffed the kids with all the yummy fair food...cotton candy, funnel cakes, lemonades...yum!

When all the fireworks were done, we headed back to Grandma's to drop her off and get our final hugs and kisses before we left the next morning.   We all had a great time hanging out with Ellen and the family as well as spending quality time with Grandma...Garytt and Mackenzie were more than happy to shower her with hugs and tell all kinds of silly stories.  I'm always so awed by the history of this amazing woman's life and the lives of her ancestors!  What a blessing she is to our family and I cherish every piece of the family legacy she shares with me, so that one day I can pass her stories on to her great-grand children.    Wonderful memories!!

 Speaking of memories...we decided to take a trip down to see the houses down the hill....built in the early 1800's by Brigham Young's father and later belonging to Grandma's Grandfather (I think?).

One last shot before we left....beautiful!

Fun With the Family!

Our trip back to the States involved a LOT of miles on the car and LOTS of smiles on our faces!  We were able to spend time with Kris' parents, my parents, our brothers and sisters, nieces, cousins, grandparents, and some pretty awesome friends!  

We were lucky enough to have beautiful weather for most of our trip.  So, the kids spent many hours in Grandma and Grandpa's pool.  We were all excited about the fact that Garytt (who could barely keep his nose above water when standing on his tippy toes during Summer 2012) but, now he could stand with his feet flat on the bottom and his chin cleared the water by about half an inch or so!

 The kids also got to spend time by a campfire several nights.  S'MORES!!!!

And....LOTS of play time with M O R G A N!!!  Spending time with our puppy was pretty awesome!  She and Garytt had a good time playing, most of the time.  She had to put him in his place a few times when he got a little carried away with the wrestling.   

 On one of my {m.a.n.y.} trips down to Brookhaven I dropped Morgan off at the train station in Jackson then as I was headed back to the interstate I happened to drive by the state capital building...impressive!  I couldn't pass up a chance to get out and take pictures of the beautiful building.

After a little over a week in Mississippi, I decided to take a trip to Delaware to visit friends and family BY MYSELF!  I left the two little ones in MS with Grandma and Grandpa while I headed out on my own.  I gotta say...it was a little weird being able to do what I wanted when I wanted to do it.  I almost didn't know what to do with myself...almost...

I made it to Felton/Viola Thursday evening and then Friday I got to go hang out with friends...YAY!!!

I got to spend Mother's Day with my mom for the first time in YEARS!  Mom and I went shopping and had a nice time just hanging out.  I was also able to spend several afternoons with my Lil Sis.  {sideways ice cream cone}  And, I spent time shopping with Skyler, then watching Abbey and Kasidey play ball.  My dad and I got to have a fabulous chat...and, dinner at Pizzadili's.  I also go to spend time at Felton Fire Dpt...a place a spent many many days as a kid.  And, my dad got me some very yummy chicken salad to take home and have all to myself (well, aside from the spoon my sneaky sister stole when I wasn't looking).

 I was pretty excited that on my way back to Mississippi I got to make a slight detour and spend the night with my cousin, Amanda.

So, after my week in Delaware and a quick visit to Tennessee,  I was back in Mississippi.  I spent several days visiting dear friends and preparing for Morgan's graduation.  Once graduation was done and we packed our bags again, we were headed back up north.

We got to spend several more days in Delaware. this time the kids were able to spend a lot of time with the family and friends.  We are so grateful to have the time to visit with everyone.  And, {YAY} we got to meet the newest member to our little group of friends... Beccy!  So happy for you Joshua!

 Washing the car with Pop Pop.

I am so glad we were able to spend a great afternoon with Carie and her girls.  A visit with Carie is always on my list when we make it home.  We have been great friends for quite a while and it does my soul a world of good to sit down and catch up whenever we make it back.  The kids spent the evening playing in the sprinkler, swinging, catching frogs, and jumping on the trampoline.  Fabulous day!!!

 The cousin reunion was something to behold!  I wish I had my camera rolling when Abbey first came home....Mackenzie was in the dining room and Abbey got off the bus then came in the front door.  Abbey squealed, "Mackenzie!" and Mackenzie squealed, "Abbey!" and they ran across the house to each other, at which point, Mackenzie leaped into Abbey's arms.  It was a marvelous moment!

 While Kris and Morgan were in Delaware (just a friday night, Saturday, and brief Sunday morning), they went car shopping.  We bought Morgan her first car!  Kris and Morgan held off their departure Sunday morning long enough to have a chance for us to see his Uncle Todd, Aunt Colleen, Aiden, Declan, Morgan, and Teagan before they spent the day at Dover Downs for Race Sunday.

Before Kris and Mo left, I got the kids in line and got a shot for my books...I've taken this very shot every year at Christmas since the year Garytt was born.  I had to substitute a picture of Morgan last Christmas, so I made sure to get the shot this time.  Too bad Garytt wasn't cooperating.

 Sadly, we had to say our goodbyes, kisses and hugs, and lots of tears...but oh so thankful for the time we were able to spend with everyone!

Oh Em Gee....she is a high school graduate!

The main purpose of our trip home this Spring...Morgan's high school graduation!  The tests were done; her bags had been moved back home; Mom and Dad, brother and sister, aunt and uncle, Grandma and Grandpa, as well as Mom Mom and Pop Pop, were all in town and ready to cheer her on!

Most of us arrived in Brookhaven in time to have a quick lunch before the big event.  After lunch, we headed to Southeast Mississippi Community College so Morgan could get in and ready for her walk.

This is a little out of order...but, I made a trip down to Brookhaven the week before graduation to move Morgan out of the dorm.  Here is a shot of her and her bestie, Annaleigh, just before her departure.

The whole family gathered to witness the graduation...left to right....Grandpa (Gregg), Pop Pop (Wayne), Daddy, Uncle Clayton (behind Kris), Garytt, Mom Mom Pat (next to Kris), Grandma (Joan), Mackenzie and Aunt Tisha.

Morgan Kate Wheeler....

Every kid in her graduating class (60-ish kids) added a string of Mardi Gras beads to the principal's arms and neck.

Soooooo proud of our 2014 Graduate!!!!!

After a graduation party on Saturday, where we were so lucky to be able to spend time with very good friends and family, everyone slowly started back to their homes and we hit the road for the next adventure.

I can't even tell you how excited we were to finally be able to get our hands on these two PRECIOUS girls!!!  Love them to pieces and we really wish we could be closer to experience their growing.

Just a quick little trip home...

After almost a year and a half, we managed to make our way back to the States!  We packed fifty million (okay, maybe not that many, but surely it was close!) bags and headed to the airport around 3 a.m. on April 21st.  Our (Garytt, Mackenzie, and I) flight left at 0635 from Haneda.  I thought I was really smart and packed as much "fun" stuff as I could for the kids.  So, we ended up with six carry-ons jammed full with books, crayons, pipe cleaners, play dough, DS games, cards, UNO, connect four, Guess Who, etc, etc, etc.  Well, in the 30 hours it took us to get from Tokyo to D.C. we only touched three of the six bags, and two of those three belonged to me.  All that junk to keep track of for nothin'!  Oh well...lesson learned.  

Our first leg, Haneda to Incheon, was only 2 1/2 hours.  A good introduction to the long trip, but why, oh why did they serve teriyaki chicken at 0700?  Garytt enjoyed it.  Mackenzie and I opted for smooshed pop tarts from the bottom of my bag.  

 Mackenzie came to an amazing realization on this flight....she can listen to music on her iPod, color a picture, chew gum, and watch a tv screen all at the same time!!!  How talented!

Once we got to Uncle Dave's house Mackenzie started building houses and tables out of paper for all of her little princesses.  By 1930 the three of us were struggling to stay awake.  Mom Mom Pat came for a quick visit and then we all crashed by 2000.

It's a good thing we hit they hay at 8 pm....because, the kids were up and ready to party at 0100!!!  Oh geez!  I tried to convince them to sleep a little longer, but to no avail.  So, we just got dressed and "snuck" (as well as elephants at 2 in the morning can sneak) out of the house.

We managed to leave the house around 0230 and stopped at Royal Farms for COFFEE, donuts, and a quick adjustment to the tv system in the car.  Our first debacle, trying to get the DVD system in the car to work.  Whatever I tried I couldn't get anything to play.  The overhead system didn't want to turn on and the headrest screens refused start.  Finally, I gave up and told the kids they had to do things the "old way"... EyeSpy, coloring books, cow counting, etc.  

Sooo....I was pretty disoriented from the flight and weird sleep, then I was having to relearn how to drive on the left side of the car and the right side of the road, and my daggon GPS, a TomTom I have now nicknamed DumbDumb, refused to find its satellites.  For the life of me, I could not make my mind remember how to drive from Smyrna to the Bay Bridge.  I know, I lived there how many years?!  I was disoriented, people!  Finally, I just used eenie, meenie, miney, moe and decided on a direction to drive.  

I must say, driving through D.C. at 3 in the morning is a MUCH better way to get through that city!  I think I was the only crazy person on the road that early in the morning.  After a few hours on the road, the kids and I needed to get out and stretch our legs.  I saw the sign, "Natural Bridge" and decided to head off the highway.  My mom was a few hours behind us, so we had time to burn until she caught up anyway.  

It was so nice to get out of the car and take a beautiful walk through the woods and by the river.

It took us a couple hours, but we walked the whole path back to the waterfalls at the end.  We looked at every bug, every rock, every flower, and amazing thing we could find on the trail.

We hopped back in the car a couple hours later and met up with my mom in Johnson City, TN.  The kids entertained my mom with ballet and karate moves with some Japanese language lessons in-between, while I cleaned out my car and figured out those silly movie screens in the car.  Yay!  I got one of them working, the headrest screen on Mackenzie's side, so I hooked up the headphone extension cord with the double plug and Garytt had to look across the car to watch the movies, but it worked!

The next morning, we were up around 3 and headed out the door.  We made a stop at McDonald's down the road, and just our luck, they had just cleaned the hoods, so they only had hot cakes or cinnamon rolls available.  We got an order of each, sent Daddy a picture, and hit the road again.  A few minutes later, Daddy sent us a picture back of his stand-in family eating dinner....

Since we hit the road so early Wednesday morning, we made it to Mississippi by 10 in the morning.  It only took five minutes and the kids were in Grandma and Grandpa's *freezing* pool.  It was great to see our family and the little puppy, who's not such a little puppy anymore.  Our next order of business....Morgan's Senior Showcase in Brookhaven.

We managed to make our arrival a big secret...from all but those involved in the mission....Dave (who picked us up at the airport), my mom (who monitored my crazy mind while driving 18 hours), and Kris' parents (who housed us for most of the trip).  So, Friday afternoon we hopped in the car and made our way down to Brookhaven to surprise our tiny dancer.  We got to the venue, snuck into the theater, found seats in a dark corner, and watched all of the performances.  Then, when the show was over we snuck out and went to the studio to surprise Morgan.  Turns out, she had spied us coming into the theater two hours ago!  Darn...I didn't get her reaction on video....but, YAY!  We got to put our arms around MORGAN!!!!!!!

It was so great being back home.  Around the people we love and the things we've missed.  Next on the agenda....GRADUATION!!!