Aunt Sandy Returns

Tom attended a 4-day workshop this week in Bowling Green that timed perfectly with a four day break in Aunt Sandy's work schedule, so she visited us and kept us from being too lonely.

I had lots of plans for the week.  Swimming at Brookside, visiting the zoo and a children's museum, as well as lots of bounce time on the new trampoline and playing on our other new outdoor toys.

Unfortunately, Murphy's Law kicked in.  First Ellie got sick, then Tommy, then Ellie again, then me, and now Tommy again.  Ugh.  We still enjoyed the visit, we just spent a lot of it laying around on the couch and whining and sleeping.

This morning, with only a few hours of visiting time left, we broke out the paint and the feet, and had an art project moment...

Birthday Party!

Tommy and Ellie turned two years old on Tuesday.  We celebrated at home with family.

PB&J cake with Abby and Elmo!

Tommy started collecting balloons as soon as they were inflated.

Grandpa Selvage

Cousins Ethan and Rachel

Tommy loves the new water table from Grandma Lux.
I had to literally drag him back to the patio to see his other gifts!

And EVERYONE loves bubbles!  Especially Ellie. :)

Grandma Selvage gets in on the bubble action.

So did Ethan.  He's just in between fills.

Emma played.  And Rachel and Grandpa Selvage are in line for their turns.

As with crayons, crackers, and most other things,
Tommy tries to work with both hands at once.

Queen of the Bubbles

To go with the cupcakes, we had a build your own sundae bar.
We also had a lunch of their favorite foods: cheese, crackers, pretzels,
and lots of fruit.  Not to mention a few cheese curls and chips.

Ellie is a little sad here because I kept grabbing the cake and pulling
it back from her to keep her from putting out the candle with her hands.

Om-nom-nom.

She is over the sads now.

Grandma Selvage checks in for an opinion on the cupcakes.

Emma and Aunt Lindy

Rachel doing duck lips with her sundae.

Well, it was design your own sundae. 
Ethan was just being efficient.

Papa brought Tommy and Ellie some lunch.
Tommy kept asking for more "carrots".

Speaking of efficiency, who needs a spoon anyway?  Not Emma! :)

More fun at the water table.

Scout and Bridget on sentry duty, are trying to figure out the corn hole game.

Ellie takes a watermelon break and supervises the trampoline assembly.

Piñata time!

In honor of the way that Tommy and Ellie like to run around with buckets
and bins on their heads, we used bins in place of the more traditional blindfolds.

At least in theory we do.  By the time we got halfway through the
line we gave up blindfolds for safety.  Or again, efficiency.

Grandma Selvage takes a swing.

Grandpa Selvage gets the bat going so hard that it's a blur.

We were well past naptime, and Tommy stops for a much needed break between turns.

Grandma Lux at bat.

On his second turn, Ethan gives Tommy pointers.

He's not as helpful with Rachel.

Cooling off a bit in the baby pool and washing away the stickies.

Ethan examines his piñata loot.

This is probably Tommy's third or fourth (or seventh) dum-dum.
Oh well, the only other time he's ever had them is post haircuts, so I guess it won't hurt.

Grandpa Selvage may have been the most excited person of the day,
except of course for the guests-of-honor.

Yay!  The trampoline is finally assembled and now
Ellie is getting out to let Tommy have a turn.

Rachel, just chillin'!

Aunt Sandy.  You knew I'd get you in here eventually, didn't you?
And thank you so much for the super fun trampoline.
(Which is now hiding from the storms under the carport.  Hope it's still there in the morning!)