Appreciating TT

The sad truth is that TT sees the worst of me when she visits.  The sad truth is that after five nights in a row of getting up at least three times per night with Eva and two days of shoveling and lifting sod and getting up and down and up and down and up and down using my already questionable knees, my patience with my children started to wear thin.  The sad truth is that a single mama who rarely gets any time off from being the sole parent of 2 children under 5 eventually gets really frustrated by the fact that NOBODY SEEMS TO BE LISTENING to anything she says.

Come over here and get your shoes on.  Sam.  Come over here and get your shoes on.  Sam.  Sam.  Sam.  Shoes.  SAM!!!!!!!

Eva, no.  That is dangerous.  Eva, turn around.  Turn around.  Eva.  Turn around.  Eva!  [sigh]

The sad truth is that I was so exhausted and my back and knees were in so much pain that I failed to really personally appreciate my own mother and everything she did for our family this weekend. Without her I would not have gotten a break AT ALL this weekend.  Without her I wouldn't have gotten through the piles of laundry and the sinks full of dishes.  Without her I wouldn't have gotten the garden in and the herbs divided and the seedlings transplanted.  Without her I wouldn't have gotten to enjoy several fabulous meals full of fresh veggies and charbroiled steak and perfectly flaking salmon with a delicious creamy dill sauce.  Without her I wouldn't have been able to take a hot shower AND wash my hair.  Without her I wouldn't have had time to sit down in the sun and watch my children laugh and play and dance and enjoy the magical weather and their very, very special grandma.

Thank you so much, TT, and I'm sorry I wasn't more appreciative while you were here for an absolutely wonderful weekend.  We love you more than you know and we all miss you tremendously when you leave!

The basketball star in the family

TT shows Sam how it's done
(Yes, Sam has on underwear but no shorts.)

A game of fetch

This girl LOVES her TT

TT teaches Eva to eat the raw corn she's shucking

Sam is an awesome garden helper

Really!

Evidence that I was there... photo by Sam

TT cooks steaks and all kinds of delicious grilled veggies

Morning on the deck

Checking out the weather in our pjs

Sam eats the raw green beans almost as fast as TT can snip them

Not quite warm enough to set up the big pool yet

But not really room for Sam and Eva in the duckie pool.

Lots of water fun

Sammy declares TT's baked salmon with dill sauce the best fish he's ever eaten!