Quad Wednesday and Special Friends!!

We were so excited to see the quads yesterday morning!

I was still not feeling well last week so, even though Amber brought them over for a brief visit while she fixed lunch for all of us and then left enough for Louis Dean and I to eat for a few more days, it just wasn't the same as our NORMAL 'Quad Wednesday!'

We got right to our arts and crafts right after they arrived!

I used acrylic wine glasses for these pumpkin votive candle holders. 

Trystan knows the parts of the glass - she painted the 'bowl' orange and the 'stem' was to be green!

Arts and Crafts!

The kids are now learning to make LONG strokes!!

I absolutely LOVE to see them learning things right before my eyes!

They play so well together and apart!

It seems like a dance the way they will all play with something and then drift off in twos and then then maybe one will find something to interest them and go off by their self and then they all come back together again.

Granddad was just waiting for a lull in the action so he could introduce them to yet another musical instrument! He had it out and ready in the den!

A Dobro lesson!

Everyone got a turn!

It took awhile! All four had their own little lesson.

Granddad held court while giving me time to prepare lunch!

The quads dearly love the dilly bits!!

It's just oyster crackers with olive oil, dry ranch dressing mix, lots of dill and garlic salt and any other seasonings you can get your hands on! Bake in a slow oven - or a convection oven to speed it up as I did yesterday.

I am loving this milder weather!

We had the A/C on but I let us all go in and out without worrying about shutting the doors every time.

This little Trissy just captures your heart!

She is the most articulate of the four and I LOVE to hear her tell her stories about when she was a 'little girl!' Of course, now she is a BIG KID!!!

After lunch we finished up our project by painting the stems.

I think they turned out lovely!!!

I painted the two in the back and they are glass while the quads painted unbreakable ones.

You're welcome, Amber!

Naps followed with a chapter of Little House on the Prairie first.

Louis Dean has the entire set of the Little House series collector dolls and the kids get to look at them in the doll case each week and now they can identify who is who.

All four of them napped for over an hour and I slept right along with them!

We were getting ready for special visitors after we woke up.......and a birthday cake was in order!

Look how grown up they are looking with Logan putting her hands on her hip!

Kimmy and June are two of my oldest and  dearest friends.

I've known Kimmy since the early 70's and both Kimmy and her mother, June, have been in my art class in years past.

They came bearing treats for the kids - just as they never failed to have a treat for Amber and Benjamin back when they were little! Pistachios were Amber's favorite and she still thinks of Kimmy and June when it comes to pistachios. Ben's favorite was Runts!

Back when Amber was a baby and just beginning to walk, she would crawl to the door on Tuesday nights and wait for the art class ladies to arrive. Kimmy was most often the first one and Amber would grin up at her and reach for her hand. Then Kimmy was STUCK!! Amber would pull herself up and proceed to walk all around the house holding Kimmy's hand!! She did this with Pat and a few other art ladies as well but Kimmy most of all!

Just look at my friend June!

She is 84 years old YOUNG and simply beautiful!!

She has been such a good friend to me over these long years.

Louis Dean cooked her a birthday dinner to remember!

Chicken fried chicken, gravy, homemade biscuits and finger potatoes with green beans.

The kids like to eat at the dining room table and I think it makes them feel grown up.

Amber and Mike joined us for dinner and it was fun like a party!!

While we all lingered in the dining room talking, the kids and Granddad went out to den to do some serious Paw Patrol watching!

Cake followed afterwards.....

It was a wonderful evening and a great celebration of LIFE!!

I love seeing all the ages celebrate together.

We are all connected.

Neil Diamond is now packed away in the music case and nature CD's and Enya are now playing.

Thursday after Quad Day is a sleep in and recover day around here.

My CT/IVP test was today and I'll see Dr. Bloom for the results tomorrow.

I put the house back to rights while Louis Dean went to his jam session this evening so we are all set to sit out in the cool air on this very first October night!

I don't think it's quite cool enough for a sweater but I do have the attic fan on!

October is my favorite month right after September!!!

I'm going out to the gazebo where Louis Dean is waiting. He poured me a glass of Riesling and I am grabbing a light sweather - just because!!!