My sister's wedding had been the topic of family conversation for a LONG time (and rightly so). But the Pedersen family also had a blast before and after the wedding.
After a very very very long day of flying (and being delayed getting into Phoenix by 6 hours because of plane issues in Richmond and missing our connecting flight in Atlanta....grrrrrr!), the family had some dinner and some play time....both were MUCH needed at that point. The boys did extremely well with the traveling and time difference. They had a second wind once they saw the toys Oma and Papa had waiting for them to play with. And then...they got to sleep in the same room (Jeffery on a toddler cot that he LOVED and Jakob in a pack n play). They were in heaven!
The next day....well...the next day was my birthday. I didn't really think much of it since the weekend was about my sister. Little did I know that on top of all of the other craziness going on that weekend, my mom and dad had planned a surprise party for me to which 30 of our family and friends who are family came!!! It was wonderful and I was so unbelievably touched. It was supposed to be a Mexican fiesta....outside. But, as it would become the trend for the whole weekend, it started to rain in the afternoon and all festivities had to be moved inside. 30 people....in my parents' house!!!!! It was SO much fun. They even had a piñata filled with candy for the children of my cousins to hit. It was a very rare thing to celebrate my birthday with extended family so this was just wonderful!
While Dave helped my dad set up the tables and chairs and such outside (in preparation for the party), the boys played in the pool. Yes. They were in the pool on October 16th. :) It was freezing, I assure you. But Dave went in with them and they all had a grand time!
Because of work obligations, Dave had to leave from the wedding reception to catch a red eye flight back to VA. :( But the boys and I stayed on in AZ for a whole week more! The morning after the reception, my mom held a casual brunch for family who were still in the area and it was a great chance for the boys to endear themselves to Dave Bauer and my Uncle Joe. :)
My dad recently joined a model railroad club in Scottsdale and that was at the front of Jeffery's mind when talking to him. So....we went and he set up his trains and ran them for the boys. They were in heaven....as was my dad. :) Afterwards, we took a ride on the museum's garden train....and then.....
....Papa treated us to lunch and ice cream at a Scottsdale legend -- the Sugar Bowl. I used to go there as a little kid and it was so much fun to see the strawberry ice cream that Jeffery ordered come out and be almost as big as his head. ;)
Night time shenanigans included "flying" on papa, reading train books, and singing "This Old Man" with Oma and her stuffed "Old Man". My parents LOVE to be grandparents and my kids are the beneficiaries of their generosity, wisdom, interest in them, and time spent with them. They are creating such special and wonderful memories with them and that alone is the greatest gift Oma and Papa could ever possibly give our boys.
We went to the Mesa Natural History Museum the following day where we got to see dinosaur bones, meteorites, pan for gold, and be a part of an old western movie. :)
The following day was spent playing baseball in the backyard with Papa and our wonderful family friend, Warren. He and his wife, Linda, have been a part of our "family" since before I was born and I simply adore them. Jeffery had an absolute blast playing baseball with Warren and Papa....even though Warren is a Cardinals fan. (Jeffery was very sad to hear this as he is a Cubbies and Nationals fan.)
Afterwards, the family took a very exciting (well...exciting for the boys) ride on the new light rail that runs from Phoenix to Mesa. We took it all the way to the airport....went on the airport sky tram to Terminal 4...and then back. :) Jeffery thought it was a great time!
Before I knew it, it was time to return to VA. My mother, God bless her, flew back with us to help me with the boys. I wouldn't have survived the day without her. The plane...it would have been tricky by myself with Jeffery needing to go potty and the such...but it would have worked somehow. No. The plane wasn't the issue. Atlanta was the issue. I would have been lost without her had she not been with us in Atlanta. So....she flew back with us and then stayed in VA for a whole week. :)
During her week here, we took her to Carter Mountain (right outside of Charlottesville) and their apple orchards. She loves the spot....and their cider and apple cider donuts. ;) It was a gorgeous day!!!! And then Dave had a marvelous proposal. Carter Mountain is only about a 10 minute drive from James Monroe's house, Ash Lawn....a presidential home my mom had never been to. Dave proposed that he run the boys around on the grounds outside while my mom and I toured the house. An hour with no boys?! At my favorite president's house?!! With my mom?!?!! Sign me up!!! :)
We also took her to Pocahontas State Park....which is a favorite of ours. It is maybe 30 minutes from our house and is absolutely gorgeous. Jeffery somehow convinced my mom to swing with him :), Dave had a blast swinging both boys by the arms, and we hiked around Beaver Lake on a stunning Virginia Fall day.
Also on the list of activities during her visit were: 1) making leaf houses with Jeffery; 2) she voluntarily raked our front yard and beds!; 3) an adult dinner at the Can Can Brasserie.....a dinner for the ages!!!!!!; 4) Halloween. Jeffery went as a construction worker, Jakob as an engineer and my mom stayed and passed out candy.
And then, again before I could comprehend the passage of time, my mom was leaving to head back home to AZ. She had been with the boys (and me) for 2.5 weeks....the longest she's ever had with the boys and we loved every minute spent with her and my dad and the rest of my family. It was a busy and crazy October....but it was absolutely wonderful and a month that will go down in the record books!!!!
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