Dad and Mom Visit!

  It was a lot of fun to have Kim's parents come for a visit at the end of July/beginning of August! We went on some enjoyable outings and spent good time just relaxing at home as well!

Amy had us all over for a meal and yummy Reese's dessert to celebrate Jason's birthday.

 We joined Jason and Amy and boys in a visit to the children's museum.

what fun chairs!

picnic lunch outside the museum

 One of the boys' favorite stops this time was the rubber mulch pit. After seeing an older boy bury himself in mulch, Ian and Ryan were excited to try it as well.

Grammy even taught Ian how to play checkers while we were there.

 Play time at home included building creations out of Legos,

 working together in the kitchen,

playing baby games,

playing big kid games,

 reading books,

 visiting our neighborhood playground,

I think Grammy was ordering food from Ian's Diner here.

 

helping repot some plants,

 and showing Grammy and Papa new toys and skills (including gymnastics stunts).

 One special outing was to Chuck E. Cheese's. Ian had reached a reading goal we had set for him over the summer, and this was our celebration! The boys loved playing all sorts of games, and Papa and Grammy even snuck in a few games, too. (I think "Deal or No Deal?" might have been their favorite. :)) Momma enjoyed basketball the best, and I think Daddy's favorite might have been the water-squirting game.

counting tickets

 Our most unique outing together was when we went to Ikea to do some shopping ...

 and then to a local bridge that has a bat flight each evening.

a group shot while we're waiting for dusk

a volunteer sharing her bat knowledge

The whole event was surprising! We were surprised at how many people were there to watch the bat flight, at how stinky it was under the bridge when we saw the bats still resting, and JUST how many bats left the bridge once it got dark!

Can you make out the hundreds of bats hanging in those spaces?

 Before we left, we saw a community, fun-bike event. Very interesting to watch!

 a video of the bat flight ...

What a wonderful visit we had together, Dad and Mom! Thanks for coming to see us! We made some great memories together! We love watching you love on our kiddos and, of course, we love talking to, playing games with, and hanging out with you as well! It makes us all the more excited to think of having you living in our area in just a matter of months! Yay!! :)