Well, after a very wonderful fun week with two very cute little girls it is very quiet around here. They left at 9 am this morning with their mom and dad to get the train back to DC. I am sure they slept a good part of the way home.
We had a grand time really and in addition we had the treat of seeing all our children together for the first time in a couple of years as well as being able to get a family picture. Minus Norah’s Andrew but otherwise everyone.
So things I got to see this week for the first time – The Discovery Center in the Albany Pine Bush. Wonderful place – Free and all hands on for kids and adults. We did not walk the trails but they looked like they would be great when things are flowering. We also went to the old Schenectady Museum which is now the My-Sci? It cost $21 for three of us – 1 adult and 2 children. Since we were not staying very long it was pretty expensive. The kids learned about magnets, got to play with a scanner like in the grocery store, and played with legos and there was a train and an MRI machine and we went in the butterfly room. It is not quite like the butterfly place at Niagara Falls but it was okay.
Then for more fun they went to the Northshire Book Store in Saratoga where the entire second floor is children’s books. They were in heaven up there. They just read and read and read and came away with a bag of books as a gift from Aunt Norah. And then the huge treat was going to the Cookies and Milk store. It was wonderful there. They only sell cookies and then milk or hot chocolate etc. The cookies were fabulous. They were big, and so good. The hot chocolate that I had was yummy and I had a big gluten free cookie. I could only eat half of it at that time.
Doggies – yes the girls visited various dogs owned by aunts and uncles. Asta really like Franklin who lives with Tim and Diane. She got down on the floor with the little yippy dog and was not a afraid. Now the two puppies got off on the wrong foot with both girls. They were out of the crates when we rang the door bell and barked like crazy and when the door opened the both tried to get out so the girls were scared. Even when they calmed down we never did get them adjusted to the puppies. I think Asta would have been okay but she takes her lead from big sister. But at least they got to meet the puppies as well as Franklin who they went to visit a couple of times.
Their end of visit big event was an outing to Chuck E Cheese. No I did not go with them. Scary thought. My memory of the place was terrible food, terrible noise levels and kids running all over the place. Those things just don’t appeal to me. Thankfully Uncle Tim and Aunt Diane took them. The kids were happy and had a wonderful time so I feel like I dodged a bullet not having to go. I would have driven myself crazy there.
The little ones were so happy when their mom and dad showed up and all the aunts and uncles – minus Andrew – came for dinner and lots of play time. They were totally wound up. I am sure they will sleep tonight and getting up and going to school tomorrow will be a challenge.
The good news in all of this is their willingness so young to spend time with us without the parents and not a meltdown all week. They were happy and willing to try anything. Sol who at home likes to just stay at home never hesitated to go out. And Asta who we worried would have a missing mommy and daddy melt down never did. She just went along with the flow of things.
So I am now confident that we can take them with us to the School House for two weeks this summer as they were both talking about all the fun things they can do up there. Just heard from them and they got home late and are trying to get the kids to bed as they are sad to be home. Yeah, grandma and grandpa rule!!!!
A great week and looking forward to see what this week brings. Every day an adventure.
My Blog: LIving Every Day As An Adventure 