Monday, October 9, 2017

Grandma and Grandpa Bassett

Our last week of summer break may have been the best! Grandma and Grandpa Bassett made the long drive from Utah to come visit us before school started. They arrived on a chaotic Saturday evening and stayed with us until Thursday, at which point we all drove across the state to send them across the Mississippi. 

More than six weeks have passed since their visit, so this post won't have all the sweet memories I would have hoped to catch. But I have to at least highlight a few of our favorite moments together. 

Stories and Games



There were lots of story time snuggles on the couch with Grandma and Grandpa. I think Reid would have been content to spend the entire visit with his head in Grandma's lap as she tickled his back. We also spent a lot of time at the kitchen table playing card games and Qwirkle. Both Reid and Nell tried their hardest to sneak out at night and catch some extra time with Grandma and Grandpa while I was playing games with them. Unfortunately for them, Coraline was always following close behind so they never got to stay up quite as long as they would have liked. Next time my parents come I'm going to have to remember to schedule one late night for each kiddo. 

Day Trip to Sheboygan

When we went to Bookworm Gardens last year I remember thinking "My mom would love this place!"  And I also thought my dad might want to check "see the Great Lakes" off his (non-existent) bucket list. So we all piled into the minivan for the hour drive over to Sheboygan. 

We arrived just in time to enjoy lunch at Culver's before heading over to the Gardens. Thankfully I was right, and my mom and dad both loved it. How can you not, with all that gorgeous scenery and adorable kitsch?




After the gardens we headed down to Kohler Andrae state park for a quick dip in the Lake. The kids were in heaven. They just couldn't believe their luck. They played in magnificent Lake Michigan so many times this summer! I'm always amazed by the variety on each beach we visit. We had this little slice all to ourselves.



It was probably the murkiest water I've ever seen in the Lake, and (as usual) it wasn't super warm for swimming, but we still waded in a bit and had fun playing in the sand and rocks along the shore. Despite her absence in all these pictures, Mara was along for the journey. 

Over Night Stay in La Crosse

When my mom first gave me the dates for her visit she told me to get a hotel somewhere for a little overnight vacation together. I was already planning on taking them to Sheboygan, so Ben and I discussed that option. We also thought of Wisconsin's biggest tourist trap: The Dells. Ultimately we decided it would be the most fun (and convenient) to drive them over to the State's Western border before sending them off the next day. 

We have some friends that live in La Crosse so we asked them for recommendations on what to do. Everyone seemed to agree that the La Crosse Queen -- a boat ride up the Mississippi -- was a must. It has a pretty infrequent schedule and my original plan to do that when we arrived Thursday didn't work out with everyone's schedule. So instead we took that night pretty easy and just checked into our hotel and immediately took a swim. After that we walked up the street to eat dinner at a nice little dinner. Before bedtime my dad and I walked along the river to find the Queen headquarters so we'd know what to expect the next morning. 

Because we had adjoining rooms, Ben and I were able to tuck the kiddos in for the night and then take our own little walk along through the river park. It was so nice to have some individual time carved out for each of the special men in my life. 

It was also so nice to watch my little angels as they slept. Why are sleeping kiddos the sweetest?



The next morning I took just Reid and Nell for another swim (maybe Coraline too, can't quite remember). But even before that they all enjoyed cartoons in bed and the hotel breakfast. It's fun to see how those simple life pleasures can feel so magical to a child. 

We finally made it down to the Queen. Pictures cannot do the scenery justice. The bluffs on that river are just amazing. It was also really fun to listen to the guide give us a history of the area. I marvel at all the ways man harnesses nature. 



Miscellaneous Highlights

We were so grateful my parents were a part of Ben's new calling and his ordination to the High Priesthood. It also worked out that they got to come with us to Reid and Nell's Back to School Open House. Earlier that day Reid and Nell even put on a fashion show, showing off all their new outfits, shoes, and school supplies. I have my own fond memories of doing the same thing for my maternal grandparents. I honestly think it was one of the kids highlights. 

We had plenty of time to enjoy our backyard, as the weather was nice enough for several outdoor lunches and dinners. There was also a wonderful rain storm we all enjoyed from the garage. The kids showed Grandma and Grandpa how much fun they have running out on the driveway as the sheets of rain come pouring down before the lightning and thunder roll in. 

We sure had a great time showing them a slice of our life here in Wisconsin. It's hard to be so far away for most of the year, but that just makes the time we spend together that much richer. 

1 comment:

Claudia said...

Thanks for the trip down memory lane! That was soo much fun and this post makes me miss my Wisconsin family :(! I do LOVE your beautiful state and wonderful town. A great place to live. Just wish it was closer so we could see one another more often (ummm, like next door maybe?) Missing my Wisconsin kiddos!

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