Sleepover

Every Conference we have a sleepover with the grands.  It all started when we would go out to dinner after the Priesthood Session on Saturday night and the grands would ask if they could sleep over.  We let them but since it was so late already they really just came home with us and went to bed.  A few years ago I decided to have them over on a Friday when they all could come so they could enjoy each other longer.  It's a lot more fun having more time together.  I told the kids they could come at 4:00.  I was sure I would be home from book club by then and they could have 5 hours to play before having to go to bed.  They all got to my house before I did.....I think they were excited.  It was a nice weekend and so they had a great time playing together.

This was Macie and Jordyn's first time joining the big kids.  We decided that once the grands were old enough to realize they were missing out then they were old enough to join us.  It was fun having the two little girls but I will say that they don't understand what it means to be rewarded for going to sleep quickly. ☺

Before I forgot we took a few pictures together.  All the grands were much more interested in playing so we hurried and then they were off.

The older girls like playing house and school.  They all really enjoyed the big boxes we had from our new chairs and made homes out of them.  It's fun for me to watch them be creative and use their imaginations.  The boys had a box of their own and had a good time poking, cutting, taping and decorating it. They also enjoyed playing the Wii until Parker lost his remote into the TV.  He was playing baseball and his "bat" flew right out of his hand and into the TV.  I was standing right behind him and saw the whole thing and couldn't figure out where the broken glass was that I heard.  It turned out the the glass was broken inside the TV, behind the screen.  Oopsie!  I reassured Parker that it was an accident and no one was in trouble.  It was nice having the TV off the rest of the night 

actually. 

I decided that we would have breakfast for dinner and just have cereal in the morning.  I cooked a bunch of bacon and sliced some oranges and got a bowl of peaches ready while Kimleighel made everyone Captain America Waffles. Kimi is so cute to help out.  The kids all enjoyed their breakfast/dinner!  I enjoyed having the mess on Friday instead of Saturday.  On Saturday's I like to get everything back to order.

My grands like to create and they look forward to me having something for them to do.  I was pretty sure I had lunch sacks in the pantry and so I had them make puppets.  We had paper, pens, crayons, scissors, punches, and glue sticks scattered all over the table and the kids got creative.  They had a really good time and made some really cute puppets.

They were all really good to help clean everything up afterwards.  With everyone helping the mess was cleaned up quickly.  Man, it's nice having older grands that help.

Everyone got ready for bed and then we had a few puppet shows.  They made me laugh.  The girls cut holes in their puppets so they could eat bacon and they all did.  It was pretty clever and funny.  The boys fought with their puppets. ☺  So funny the difference between boys and girls.

I wanted to have the grands in bed by 9:00 since Kamryn had a early soccer game.  We did well and I believe everyone was actually asleep by 9:30.  I reward the kids with books if they go to sleep good.  I have so many books from my kids and this is a fun way to get rid of them.  Kamryn asked me what happened if they didn't go to bed good which made me laugh and caught me off guard.  I just told her she wouldn't get a book.  All the older kids settled right down and were still and quiet.  The two little girls were wiggly.  Macie had her feet up on the couch and Jordy kept situating her babies.  I decided to rub Macie's back to help her settle down and after about 10 minutes she was asleep.  Jordy had been laying down but got back up and so I went over to rub her back and seriously within a minute she was also asleep.  The only one still moving was Mya, who just couldn't get comfortable.  She moved to the couch and I rubbed her back for her.  By the time everyone was asleep Larry got home.

Larry went to the Temple with a friend who was taking out his endowments so he could be sealed to his sweetie. (more on another post)
 
In the morning they all got to choose a book.  They find some good books that I forgot we had.  The one that cracked me up was Macie's.  She chose a Goosebumps book and didn't even consider a cute picture book when we tried a few times to change her mind. haha (she's 2)

I love our Conference Sleepover Tradition.  The kids have so much fun and we are making some fun memories.  I'm so addicted to these little ones.  I always feel a tiny bit of quilt for not letting all the babies stay but remind myself that their time will come and they do get to sleep over at other times.

I enjoy my fun bunch of grands.  They seriously make my heart smile and about burst from all the love it holds for each of them.