Home, Four Bells, Tea Party and Thanksgiving Eve.....

 Louis Dean and I were up early on Monday morning and on the road back to Irving before 9:00!

His dental appointment was at 1:00 and I called at 9:03 to confirm the time.

Alas, when we arrived - we found out the hygienist had not come in - so we had to reschedule for the next afternoon! Louis Dean was hoping to get out of it altogether - but that didn't work!

Summer is back from Arkansas and scored big with her birthday gift for him!

This clever tool will get out any stripped screw no matter what size.

It was a good day.....a cozy  fire, warm socks, and a Hallmark Christmas movie.

It's good to be back home.

Guess who's back??

Our cats!

Amber brought them over Tuesday along with the kids who stayed with us overnight.

We all had such a good time! First, the kids and I got in the car and Granddad got in his truck and followed us to the dentist....

I wasn't taking any chances on him getting lost and missing this appointment!

We circled the parking lot and watched him go in, just to be sure he didn't get back in his truck and go back home.

The kids and I went on to Years to Your Health store which the they found fascinating!

**Source**

They were such well behaved children as they looked through the whole store, sampled with complimentary tea, and browsed the minerals, rocks and crystals.

The lady who worked there was totally impressed with them and I even took her pic with them.

From there we shopped Aldi which is a lot different from shopping Target with their mom nut just as entertaining.

Back home, Harrison washed the car for me - he noticed how dirty my windshield and windows were.

(My wiper/wash thingy is not working.)

The girls all cut flowers and....

filled bird feeders while I took down a huge strand of burned out lights from the front porch and put up fresh ones.

My first Christmas Card for 2021 came in the mail....

The kids had fun doing one thing and then another and enjoyed running around the front yard playing tag while their granddad and I sat out there watching them.

Trystan helped me finish the porch decorations before we went in to eat supper.

Goulash, garlic green beans, garlic bread and grapes.

The kids all wolfed it down like it was the best food in the world.

It was the first time the grands have spent the night in a good long while and I had bought a brand new camping cot for Harrison to sleep on. They all wanted to sleep in the guest room together and we made it work. Although, after they were in bed and sound asleep, I went in and chceked on them and realized that the cot was pushed all the way up to the cabinet holding the litter box inside - and pillows blocking any way they could get around the cot! I managed to pull the cot down a few inches and removed the pillows and propped the bedroom door open so the cats could get in if and when they need to.

Crisis averted!

For weeks now I have been getting up earlier than mormal.....as in much earlier!

As in 6:30 this morning. I was sitting in the den with my cup of coffee when Trystan joined me.

I asked if I could interest her in a cup of coffee!

We had a cozy little one on one time together - which is a real treat when you have two sisters and a brother all the same age as you.

Kailey was up next and she fixed herself a cup of coffee - which is a little coffee and a lot of milk with a hearty squirt of Hershey's chocolate syrup.

It wasn't long before all three girls were awake along with Granddad and we did our morning reading time together.

Since it was Thanksgiving Eve, I put the ham in the electric roaster and set it out on the kitchen deck.

I had some of the hen and chicks plants from last weekend and we potted the rest of them up for them to take home.

We had a High Tea Party that served as lunch on Wednesday.

They still love their tea parties and it was like old times with all the talk and laughter and Harrison trying to talk his sisters out of their tea cakes!

This was Trystan's plate - all neatly arranged.

While we had our tea party - Granddad had taken over the kitchen and was making his dinner rolls for Thanksgiving!

While his dough was proofing, we cleared the tea table and loaded the dishwasher and then got out of the kitchen so he could finish his bread. He has a hard time concentrating so it is best if no one goes in there or even talks to him while he's baking.

We played hand after hand of NUTS and had such a good time.

The kids are actually pretty good at it and they want to play with the adults on Christmas Eve!

The rolls turned out perfect....thanks to Trystand and me for watching them in the oven and taking them out before they burned! By the time he gets to the baking part, Louis Dean is worn out and has been known to let them burn.

Trystan was my decorating buddy all day long and, together, we decorated the foyer.

She had some great ideas and worked so hard! She truly made a huge difference in how much I got done that day.

We finished a Hallmark Christmas movie just as Amber and Mike arrived to pick the kids up.

We all  enjoyed every single minute together!

The girls each left a little something behind for us to find....

Logan made a rose petal heart for me.

Kailey left this note on our bed......

"You are the best

Thank you for all you do.

Us four kids are greatful to have you.

Your granddaughter Kailey"

Then this note was from Trystan.....

What happened was this......

she and I were decorting in the foyer and she was reaching up to add something and her sleeve caught this little ice skater and he broke his leg.

I found her standing out on the porch looking so forlorn and it broke my heart.

She was so upset at breaking it and I quickly told her it was no big deal! Granddad could fix that up in no time. She left this sweet note on his desk in the music room and was amazed at how fast he repaired it!

It was wonderful to have the kids here and get to spend such quality time together!