Madeline Rose: Grandmom and Granddad Visit!

We were so excited for Grandmom and Granddad Sebastian to visit - we talked about for months and when the time came...it was wonderful! They arrived on Saturday, October 18, 2014, which happened to be the day after Grandmom's birthday. Maddy and I picked them up from the airport and we headed to our house where we showed them around as it was their first time seeing our "new" house, and Maddy immediately took control of the tour. That night we enjoyed a dinner out at a neighborhood favorite restaurant (The Country Cat) and then headed back to our house to enjoy Grandmom's chocolate birthday cake (her Grandmother's recipe) with chocolate frosting on the outside, and "surprise" pink frosting inside (Maddy wanted pink involved). It had been a long day, so Grandmom and Granddad headed to their hotel shortly afterward.

Sunday Grandmom and Granddad came over late morning and Grandmom, Maddy and I headed to our local farmer's market while Granddad and Steve watched the Vikings Game. Grandmom, Maddy and I had a nice walk around the market, and we bought fresh salmon, dill, apples, tomatoes and a cookie treat as well. Mom made a yummy salmon dish for dinner and I made some rosemary roasted potatoes for a side.

Monday Grandmom and Granddad headed over to our house early so we could take Maddy to school together, so they could see ChildRoots and also learn the lay of the land, as Steve and I were heading to New Orleans a few days later and Grandmom and Granddad would be watching Maddy while we were gone! As they would be flying out Monday, the same day we arrived, Maddy would be going to school that day to facilitate the transition. Grandmom and Granddad enjoyed seeing ChildRoots and meeting some of the parents, kids and teachers. Later that morning, the three of us (me, Mom and Dad) headed out on our own little adventure, to wine country, Dundee area, Oregon. We visited three wineries - Anne Amie, Argyle and Tyee. It was nice to have some solid time to catch up and hang out with my parents, all while enjoying some very good wine!

Tuesday Grandmom, Granddad, Maddy and I all headed to Seattle together. We went to my cousin Chris' home to visit for dinner with Chris, his wife Brooke and their 2 year old daughter Ellie (plus baby on the way!). We had a lovely visit with a nice dinner and dessert to boot, then headed to our hotel. It was late, but Maddy was VERY excited to stay in a hotel.

The next morning Maddy got to watch cartoons in bed, then we headed to Pike's Market, had a fantastic brunch at Lowell's, and walked around the market checking out the seafood, fruit, veggies and crafts. Grandmom and Granddad bought Maddy an adorable new hat, and I got a much needed new wallet (rubber, made from tires, so hopefully will last a long time) and Alaska King Crab for Thursday's dinner. I love walking around the market and the little shops surrounding it, and even though it was raining, it was fun for all of us! The rain made the drive back to Portland a bit challenging, but we made it just fine in our new CRV. We didn't make it back to Portland until evening, so we ordered Chinese food for dinner and called it a night. Grandmom and Granddad stayed at our house that night and for the rest of their stay.

Thursday Steve and Granddad and Maddy flew a kite and then went to a puppet show while Grandmom did a bit of reading for her upcoming Board of Directors meeting, and I spent some time packing and running errands, preparing to leave that night on a red-eye for New Orleans. That night Steve and I made the King Crab leg dinner for all of us, which we all enjoyed very much (possibly me the most - crab is my favorite)! We had some leftover cake and Steve and I said goodbye to Maddy for a few days...and that night my dad drove us to the airport for our red-eye to New Orleans!

Friday through Monday Maddy had an excellent time with her grandparents and I really don't think she missed us at all! Grandmom and Granddad took her to swimming lessons, out to lunch and shopped for new legos and other toys, baked cookies and cooked meals together, and played and played. When Steve and I flew back from New Orleans on Monday, we met Mom and Dad at the airport (they were leaving shortly after our arrival) and received a debriefing - all went swimmingly well and they had a great time with their little granddaughter. And we arrived home to a clean house, some new favorite toys for Maddy, and some very yummy home cooked meals in the refrigerator. We are one lucky family!

THANK YOU, GRANDMOM AND GRANDDAD!!!!!