Fun with Janie

Well, someone definitely left something behind after the family reunion (ahem, Aunt Jane!  you forgot your daughter!)  We ended up keeping Janie for 2 weeks.  This was some major cousin time for my kids.  They rarely get to spend much one-on-one time with a cousin, especially for that long.  We did our best to keep Janie from getting homesick, but she did threaten to move in with Grandma a few times when little cousins got overly annoying.

All in all though, I was pretty impressed with how well the 3 of them got along, considering the age differences, 6, 9, and 11, and the constant jealousy of Grace or Harriet of the other when Janie gave too much attention to one girl. I tried to keep them as busy as possible to cut down on the squabbles and distract Janie from missing her family and her dog.  She missed her dog the most.

Week 1 - send 'em to basketball camp!

I thought this was such a brilliant idea.  They would have something to do every day, but it wouldn't take the whole day, I would get a break, and it was inside so they didn't get hot and I didn't have to worry about sunscreen.  Brilliant.  Until Grace broke her elbow as she tripped over a girl while playing basketball.  What the crap?  That's a nice way to start the summer!

The girls seemed to have a great time though, and Grace was so insistent on not missing any camp, that I let her finish camp before taking her to the doctor for her arm.  I was in denial that she really had broken it.  Poor girl - playing basketball with a broken arm.  Mother of the year.  I've held the title several times, so I'm used to it.

(trying to shoot with a broken elbow)

I'm still kind of in shock that she broke her arm.  We worry to death about all these other things, biking and skateboarding with helmets and pads, riding horses with helmets and ultra safety rules, but I just drop her off to run around a hard-floored gym with 50 girls and she breaks her arm.

Grace got her cast on Friday morning.  I remember the stunned, sad, pained, look on her face when the doctor nonchalantly said that she'd have to wear a cast for 4 weeks.  She cried pretty hard, and then, she put a smile on her face and rarely complained after that.  It was pretty amazing.  I am super proud of her for how well she took it.

Friday night we went camping.  Sure, take the girl with the fresh, clean cast that needs to last 4 more weeks, and go sleep in the dirt!!  I'm keeping my mother-of-the-year title.  It was actually a good thing for her to have something to be happy about because she was very bummed about having that cast put on.  We also really wanted to take Janie camping.  She had never been in her whole life!  (my kind of girl actually, but... then I married David and had his children)

good thing I love this car... I'll probably have to drive it til I'm 80... it still does a good job camping

The puppies were happy too.  They haven't been camping since we lived in Salt Lake.  Probably 8 years ago was their last trip. Too bad we had to keep them on leash, but I guess it's for the best since Velvet dog is deaf anyway and can't be called back.

We were warned to not let Grace sleep with anyone.  People with casts roll over in the middle of the night and break other people's noses and give them black eyes.  No room in the tent for solitary confinement, so we hoped for the best.

not a bad way to wake up:

even better that HE cooks breakfast!

Oh, to be fair... our friends, the Claytons, actually invited us on their camping trip.  It was fun to get to know them better.

And then we went on a little hike.  1.5 miles is about all Velvet can do these days, but we really can't believe she's still as strong as she is.  At 14 years old, we are very grateful for her long and full years she's had.  We know they won't be much longer, so we are trying to savor them.

 And, then we found a little water fall.  (Jemez falls)

This was a major source of contention.  I wanted to be so protective of Grace's arm.  David stepped in and insisted that I let her go into the river.  I really was freaking out - this cast was ONE day old!  I had nothing to cover it, and if she fell in, I knew we'd be paying for the new cast out of pocket.  We had so many more days to get through and the "DO NOT GET THIS WET" lecture from the doctor was very fresh on my mind.  Check back for later posts on how long I let it ruin our summer.  David was right - we had to let her do things within reason.  I adjusted my definition of reason pretty soon after.

 My happy little camper giving her "purple baby" a piggy back ride on the hike.

Let's see, what else did we do with Janie?  Week 2:

We spent a couple days at Galloping Grace, playing with chickens, ducks, goats, mini horses, and riding the big horses.  

Poor Cochise.  This is the last time we would see him.  He died about 5 days later.  We miss you Cochise!

Grace, riding with a cast.  It's really amazing how many things you can do with a broken arm in a cast.  It didn't stop her from much of anything.  We found really only 4 things she couldn't do at all:  play her guitar, go to karate class, go under the water in the pool, and take a shower.

 Miss Janie - we love our fellow horsey cousin, riding Bones.  

The girls spent TONS of time in their rooms upstairs playing dress up, having crazy little conversations, and listening to Taylor Swift.  (I found a sweet little list they had made called "steps to get famous."  It was seriously funny.)

 I had to throw this one in.  My friend, Keisha, invited us to her pool one afternoon so we stopped at Trader Joe's to get snacks on the way.  I don't think I've ever seen a cuter shopper!

 Grace, insisting that she wouldn't get in the pool, didn't bring her suit, but ended up sitting in the baby floaty in her clothes with a grocery bag on her arm.  White trash swimming all the way.  Can you say "Cousin Eddie?"

 And, then, we had an early birthday party for Grandma the night before Janie left to go home (and we left for Salt Lake.)  She had quite a summer - 50th wedding anniversary, and 75th birthday.

 Happy Birthday Grandma!

Farewell, cousin Janie.  We had a great time with you.