Preparations

So the kids and I spent last week mostly at Mama's house. Ian was working CRAZY hours with his team to get a demo finished for the Super Computing '09 (yes, there really is such a trade show!) Conference and there were many details left to wrap up for the shower I was helping throw for my sister. (Note to self ~ taking on a task like that with two three year olds in the house is not so easy...) I figured the best way to cope was to head to the refuge of Mama's house, knowing that there would be several sets of hands to help out.

I was right! We got in late Tuesday afternoon and had the chance to have dinner with some of our old Bible study group. Man do I miss some of those folks ~ we were together for the better part of five years!

Then as the torrential downpours continued on Wednesday, one of my cousins whom I've only gotten to visit with three times since we've moved came over to help me with some of the "artsy, decorating" details.

Mama watched our girls build a fortress...
...sweet Toby tuck in the baby that the girls left cold and shivering on the floor...
...and Caleb sleep...

(I didn't take a picture of him snoozing, but that gets shown here a lot, so I'm sure you have a picture in your mind)

while Monica and I caught up on life and got the stuff for the gift table done. Here's what Maylin's side of the table looked like on Saturday...
Thursday was grocery shopping day as trips to a warehouse store and the regular grocery were on the schedule of things to do as well as spending a few hours at NaiNai's house, having dinner with my sister (we missed Uncle Adam that night ~ his job is requiring some pretty crazy hours for him right now too), and starting some of the food prep for the party.