Friday

We have had such a great week at home for spring break.  Jonah's and Noah's neighborhood friend Alex has spent the night with us every night since Sunday, and they have loved every second.  These boys are as close as brothers can be, but without the fighting, if you can even imagine that.

Today we went to my dad's house.  It's been so cold, or he's been gone, so his Christmas lights were still up.  It's okay, though, because he lives in the country and nobody cares out there.  ;)  Needless to say, the six pairs of hands got the work done much faster than just his own set.  It worked out so great, that he was able to do nothing but tie the twisty-ties to keep the lights bound together and supervise.  His grandsons love to chauffeur him around on the riding mower, so even him walking was nonexistent.

I snapped some pictures.  Imagine that.

Before we got started, we ate lunch.  He grilled hamburgers out on the grill for us.  When we were all finished, I cleaned up while he got the boys started.

I love a window above a kitchen sink.  I would wash dishes all day if I had one.  ;)  (Years ago I did have one and I adored it.  I miss our old house!)

When you're eleven years old and you have sensitive eyes, this is how you roll when you take down the Christmas lights.  The stick he's got in his hand is an old cane fishing pole.  My dad rigged this thing up with a hook and some duct tape on the end to help put up and remove the lights.  Pretty ingenious, huh?  My sister Trish is a madwoman with this thing...we're all still perfecting our skills.  And Trish, we missed you so much today!  Not for the help, but just the company.  It wasn't the same without you.

Those are my sunglasses, in case you couldn't figure that out.

We finished in a little over an hour (the cold wind made us rush) and then we headed to the garage to put them back where they belong.  Inside my dad's garage is a little work room where he keeps all his tools, and in that room, high up so he can still easily open the door, are hooks where he keeps all his lights.  I wish I'd gotten a picture.  My dad has got himself quite the setup for easy put-up and take-down.  The boys hung all the lights for him, while he sat in a chair and watched.  Which is EXACTLY how it should be, since he's about to turn eighty-three.  I encourage him regularly to put my boys to work!

While Graham hung the lights and Jonah and Noah handed them to him, Drew and Alex found ways to stay occupied.

Drew is such a goofball.

I also took a picture underneath the largest magnolia tree ever known to mankind.

This tree is probably ten to twelve feet tall, and her leaves reach down to the ground.  I love this tree!

I also took a picture of my dad's backyard.

I love his house.  It's like coming home.  The swing set is one that he and my brother Paul built sometime before I was even born.  It used to hold a bar, a rope in the middle and a swing.  Many, many hours were spent on this swing set playing circus.  My friend Stacy and I used to put patio tables in front of and behind us, and we would pretend to be trapeze artists.

Sigh.

Today was a really good day.  I love our Friday's, and I cherish every single second we all spend together.  Before we headed to Dad's, I stopped and paid our water bill and returned some library books.  While Graham went in to pay our bill, I snapped this picture of the town hall.

I do love our little town.  The library is empty, apparently, on spring break.  Maybe I should have stopped.

Well, that was our day.  It was wonderful.  Enjoy your weekend!  Love to all.