Weekend stands for Winter

On Friday, Leon started drawing his Charmander picture.  He was so proud of it and it's now hanging on his bedroom wall.  It's the biggest picture he's done so far, on an 8X10 sheet of paper so he called it a poster.

I asked him to draw a Godzilla again, because he did one a week or so ago that was amazing!  He did with his finger on my phone drawing app and sent it to his dad and grandpa. 

The phantom snow finally hit on Friday, started AROUND noonish and lasted until the next morning.  There was no way Robb could take Leon to his mom's on Friday night and Ryan couldn't make it home due to icy roads, so Leon got super secret permission to watch a movie with me.  He's been grounded for 3 weeks.  One almost down now.

The next morning, Robb took Leon in one direction and because we were apprehensive about snow, I held off on heading to my parents until 11.  This way, I'd arrived just after their "after lunch" nap.  Meri's plans for Saturday were prematurely cancelled due to possible blizzard problems, so she came with me. 

But since I had the morning free, I took the Christmas tree down.  AND against my better judgement, I threw a perfectly good clove encrusted orange away.  It was mostly mummified and didn't give off the wonderful Christmas scent anymore... and was probably wrecking the window sill finish...

The living room looks nekkid.

When Robb got back, I asked him to take down the Christmas cards.  He always says that he never gets to see them and even though I had an "in your face" display of them this year, he still hadn't taken the time to see who they were from. 

So this gave him a great opportunity to see everyone's greetings.  And Rachel wins for the one that cracked him up the most.  Sorry Sluggy! Apparently Rachel is more warped than you... ;)

 Promptly at 11, Meri and I took off for hometown Iowa.  The roads were clear, dry and sunny. No winter problems at ALL! We got there JUST as the Pokeno game was starting and there was no way Dad was going to miss that.  He's mildly diabetic and if he doesn't win candy, he can get growly...  :)

The final game was a blackout and we ran out of the red chips, so Meri started improvising with the jelly packets, which fit the spaces perfectly.  I tried with sugar packs and while they kind of worked, jelly packets would have been better.  Oh well.

The game finally got over and my parents finally hugged us hello!  We went to Mom's room and visited for a while.  I showed them lots of photos of the fam on my laptop.

I forgot some laminated signs in the car that we'd promised my sister we'd hang in Mom's room, so Meri ran out to get them before we left.  Dad said his goodbyes and headed out too.  Last week, Mom had misplaced her dentures after a nap and if I'd gotten there early on Saturday, I was supposed to look for them.  Since I couldn't get there early, Melanie did and finally found them in a garbage bag in the bathroom.  YIKES!!!  If an aide would have taken out the garbage like she should have, they'd have been long gone...    So Melanie made the signs for Meri and I to tape to the garbage cans and above the one in the bath to ask the help to ask Mom if she has her dentures before they take out the trash.  I hope she doesn't lose them again! 

Then Mom walked us to the door and it took another 30 minutes to say goodbye.  I got a little goofy while Meri took some pictures and so that it wouldn't look like I was flipping the bird, she moved further to the left.  whew!

See?  It was innocent rabbit ears.

Meri got her pics with Grandma in too.  

More hugs at the door.  These more serious.

Mostly...  Until my laptop strap fell and hit Mom's hand.

Then she was all "the straight man" like, "Why does this always happen to me?"

Several hugs later...

 And a second plugging in the code to open the door without sounding the alarm, and we were off.

Mom likes us to drive past the doors when we leave so she can wave goodbye one last time, so we obliged.  It take a few miles to gain our composure after that... every week...

We got home at a decent time.  On Sunday, I actually got some sewing done!  After mis-cutting the fabric three times, I finally have 4 chair covers made for Maddy and Matthew.  They're not done yet as they have some fine tuning for fit to do and a hem and ribbons to sew on.  

They'll get there... 

With maybe a tablecloth to match!

Today, this is my view while I work.  Leon's little brother is here for the day due to some daycare issues with his mom's new job.  He leaves tonight. He is MUCH better than he was the last time he visited.  However he's a little sick in the diaper area..  ewww..  tmi.

Ok, that's enough of over exposure.  Have a great week!  I hope to come visit all of my faves this week!  It's been crazy and I apologize!  Hope to get caught up soon.