While Mandy and the kiddos were here . . .

. . . we had a nice dinner here at the house on Saturday night.  Lori's & Bryce's families joined us, too, and it was so nice to have them all here.

On Sunday, we took lunch to Grandma Miller's house and had another nice visit there.  Bryce's fam wasn't able to join us (he had guard duty), but Blake was able to come (Brett had to work).  Brett sent one of his guitars to Layla, and that was a real attention getter for the kids.

See Jack?  See Jack's boo-boo's?  One broken leg and one broken arm.  He didn't let that stop him from having some fun, though.

Porter was perfectly content to be around so many "strangers" - as long as either his mommy or his sisters were in sight.  I got to feed him several times and I think he likes his Nonna's cooking :)

On Monday, Olivia helped Pa Joe feed the bees.  He learned at one of his beekeeper meetings that honeybees like clearance-priced-candy-canes.  Olivia was more than happy to "suit up" -- she looked like a cross between a beekeeper, a hazmat worker, and the flying nun (it was pretty windy)!!!

And, of course, we couldn't let the sort-of-nice-afternoon go by without a trip to Rocky River . . .

And then, all too soon, it was time to say goodbye.  First, here at Shangri La.  Then, in M'boro. And lastly, at the airport.

An Olivia story:  The last night they were here, I had helped Liv get ready for bed, which included a bubble bath for her in the big tub and a change of clothes for me afterward!  I read her some funny poems and was going to stay with her until she fell asleep (she was in one of the twin beds upstairs).  I sat on the side of her bed and in just a few minutes, she asked, "Nonna, why are you looking at me?"  I told her that I just loved her so much that I didn't want to take my eyes off her.  She said, "Well, could you sit at the end of the bed?  You're freakin' me out!"  Stinker.