Papa and Grams

Ben's dad, Kerry, and step-mom, Lana came out on saturday for a visit. Ben took Kara with him to pick them up from the airport. She was so excited to go, and even more excited when they all arrived home together. She loved showing off by spelling words and reciting the pledge of allegiance for them. Here is a picture of the girls "helping" me make a cheesecake. Ben made a blueberry glaze for it that turned out really good. Especially since he didn't really know what he was doing, he just threw it together.We let Lana take a nap, since she was up since 1AM getting ready to leave. While she slept, we watched Tropic Thunder. It was pretty funny. We took them to dinner at Ben's favorite mexican restaurant, La Palma. Then we came home and watched Kara's new movie, UP, and had the cheesecake.

Sunday we decided to go to the NW trek, since everyone usually likes going there when they visit us. It was raining the whole time, but not too cold. We didn't mind the rain too much, except I forgot to change my shoes I had thrown on to run to the store. I meant to change into boots, but forgot, so I was walking through puddles and rain with slip-on ballet flats and no socks. Here we are watching a beaver show off.

Ben got a picture of the mountain lions since they are not always out on exhibit, so we don't see them as often as the other animals. Kerry and Lana said one of them looked like she had recently given birth. I can't tell those things, but if anyone would know, it'd be those two.

After NW trek, we went home and had the roast Ben started the previous night. He made up a really good recipe that everyone seems to love. It was tasty as usual. Kiersten, Lana, and I took naps while the guys watched football. Then we watched Transformers 2. It was an okay movie. That evening, we all watched old movies of the girls when they were babies. They were pretty fun to watch and remember all the silly and adorable things they did, and how cute and little they were.

Monday morning, Papa helped the girls ride their bikes around the block several times. He is always such a great sport about playing with them and letting them do whatever they want. Lana made us all a delicious breakfast, and of course we had to have her make some baked beans. Ben made sure I took note of all the ingredients for the beans, and I was supposed to watch her make them, but she had them already done and cooking in the crock pot by the time we woke up. They are much earlier risers than we are. Lana took Kara and me shopping for clothes, and she is just too generous. I kept trying to tell her I was just letting her get me one thing, but she kept taking everything I so much as looked at, and handing it to the cashier. She took the receipt and ripped all the tags off everything on the drive home so I wouldn't know the amount to reimburse her. She also insisted on getting Kara anything she wanted, and got a stuffed toy for Kiersten too. It was fun shopping with her, even though I now have to think of a good way to pay her back.

Kerry and Ben stayed home from shopping. They played in the backyard with Kiersten. It is so cute to hear her say, "papa! where are you?"

After we got back from shopping, Ben grilled some steaks for all of us, and we had Lana's baked beans. It was a tasty dinner. All of us girls took naps again while the guys watched more football. the girls played with Papa and Grams the rest of the evening and got just spoiled with love and attention. Here is Kiersten perusing a toy catalog waiting for us to come home from the store. I asked Kara to look through the toys r us book, and circle the things she would like to ask santa for. She circled all but 6 items, which she crossed out, so I will have to go through it with her again to find out what things she would most like to ask santa for.

They flew out early tuesday morning, and we all miss them already. Kara has a list of things planned out that she wants to do with them the next time we go to Idaho for a visit.