Summer Break Week Eight, the One Where We Were Together

Fair warning. This post is mostly a photo dump of a great week. I make no apologies.

On Friday, Makenna and Erin each flew to Augusta on separate flights around their work schedules. Greg and I loaded Kate and Ty into the car and hit the road at four in the morning to meet them there at lunchtime. We had one beautiful day together before Erin's Sunday morning flight home. Makenna flew home Monday. This visit was the first we were all together in seven months and worth every bit of the planning. Of course, we would have preferred more time, but in these crazy times, we are grateful for what we did get.

The neighborhood pool was an easy way to spend some time together. Erin wouldn't leave Austin's side despite Lauren and Taylor assuring her he remains independent at the pool. Heck, he remains independent in life. But Erin is nervous and hovered. He didn't mind.

This looks far more wholesome than it was. Ty hid with his dad while his sisters belted the words to highly inappropriate songs. This is our circus and these are our monkeys.

Austin demanded a meatball sub from Firehouse for breakfast. It was seven o'clock in the morning. He was willing to compromise, "okay, sushi then". He settled for sausage and fruit but the boy remains hungry and out eats several of us.

Flash light hide and seek in Austin's room. "Come on Mimi. I scare you." Of course I complied and of course, I was scared. Every time.

Ty is Austin's most sought after playmate. Uncle Ty is delighted to be in demand. Ty has plans when they are older, always calculating how old they will be when they can do things like drive to the trampoline park together.

We indulged in lengthy afternoon naps, celebrated birthdays and took several dips in the neighborhood pool each day. Evening swims as a family, our favorite.

Listen closely, you can hear his adorable giggle when he runs to jump into the pool. I cannot get enough of his belly laughs. They are simply the best thing in the world right now.

We took daily walks together and spilt up for a day where the boys swam and the girls shopped. Fitting rooms in Augusta are open so we were finally able to get Kate some jeans for school (if we even need school clothes in two weeks, Lord help us all) and Lauren found some cute dresses too. On Ty's birthday, he got some jump time at the local trampoline park and we had the place with only two other families. He loved it. He always does.

Wednesday morning, Uncle Ty, Mimi and Austin played while Pops helped Taylor touch up a couple of vehicle's paint jobs. Taylor has a story about this but only Lauren rats him out. Kate and Lauren ran some errands together for a little sister time. In the end, everyone enjoyed the time together.

Ty napped Wednesday evening and Kate finally got her turn to have Austin to herself.

Our final day together was tough. Moods were somber as we loaded the car in preparation for our early morning drive. It will be Thanksgiving before we gather again. Austin has changed so much in recent months and we know the difference will be shocking in November. Thank goodness for google duo.

Heat index was over 100 all week. We were desperate for shade when we weren't in water while outside.

Spraying Pops through the glass. Pops, of course played along dramatically. This boy brings out the playfulness in all of us.

I was uploading photos to the blog when I was suddenly soaked by a water gun I didn't know he had loaded in the water table. He was beyond tickled by my surprise. His belly laughs are so amazing, I failed to scold him for shooting me in the face.

Thursday night, Lauren was rocking Austin and explaining our goodnight hugs were also goodbye hugs and our sweet grandson's bottom lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears. Mimi's eyes leaked a great deal throughout the night and early morning drive too. Goodbye is hard.

We miss them already.