Grandpa Mel and playing at Grandpa's house

And the reason we came on this trip to begin with was to see my dear 92 year old grandpa Mel!  Last time I was here was for my grandma's funeral almost 5 years ago and I didn't bring any of the kids.  Before that Andy and I came and brought Maddie when she was only 2 years old.  So grandpa had never met Garen, Sophie or Rhett.  

I'm so glad the kids got to meet and get to know my sweet, strong, funny grandpa.  Sophie especially took a liking to him.  She always wanted to help him or sit by him.  Andy and I loved listening to his old WWII stories and about his younger life.  Grandpa kept saying he just wishes he was stronger and his memory was better but I think he's stronger and smarter than any 92 year old I know!

While at grandpa's house Maddie and Kaisa created their secret layer behind some trees and bushes right along the fence.  There behind the fences they made friends with 3 dogs and they built bunny traps (we saw tons of bunnies) and they created activities for the other kids, they built walls and doors, it was all very creative!

 grandpa even shot a few hoops with Andy and he made it-

 we took a little walk to the park near grandpa's house-

 light sabor fights

 Andy played my cousins 16 year old son in some basketball and surprised him by winning-

 I always loved playing this organ when I came to visit as a kid-

 2 of Nickie's girls Lyric and Ebony with Kaisa and Maddie- 

classic Minnesota, playing outside with a mosquito on his head-

 whenever you couldn't find Garen he would be sitting somewhere reading one of his new books-

 preparing a potion for the bunnies-

Goodbye hugs-