Party time

Last weekend was a party.

First, Braeden and I bought a new plant.  Braeden said, "Can I name him?"

Since he lifted the plant and also pushed the cart at Home Depot because the plant was too big and I couldn't see where I was going, I said sure.

He named the plant Trevion.  I think I should have asked him what the name would be before I said yes.

But Trevion it is.

We tried to make him feel welcome.

The little friend on the window sill is a zucchini.  I hope I have too much zucchini this summer.  I'm always jealous when people have that problem.

Friday when Adam got home from work, Adam and Braeden and I headed to Nevada.  Emma had to work and Mark had multiple rehearsals so it was just the three of us.  You will not be surprised to hear that we stopped at Maverik on our way out of town.  Adventure's first stop.

I like road trips with my dear ones.  I said to Braeden earlier in the day that I wished Emma and Mark were going too.  He acted shocked and said, "I'm looking forward to it just being me."  As much as he loves his siblings he loves being the only one too.  Like I told Emma, as far as Braeden is concerned, he's the sun and the rest of us are the planets.

We visited with my parents a little then went to bed.  (My mom gave us cookies.)  Saturday morning, we picked up Olivia's kids and headed to Elko.  A while ago, Edgar was badly burned in an accident and we were there to help.  Lili and Ruben had 4-H shooting sports.  They needed a parent (or benevolent uncle) to stay with them.  So Adam did that and Braeden and I took the three other boys on an adventure.  We went to four different stores and bought four different donuts.

We had a taste testing to see which was the best.  The sprinkles, though not my favorite, was a crowd-pleaser.  We let the boys run at the park a little and then we hit the museum.  We saw the animals and the guns.  There is a large collection of taxidermy animals at the museum.  According to Omar, "They are real but not live and don't touch them."

Marcos has a cell phone that isn't activated and he took copious pictures of every exhibit.

I had a marvelous time.

Braeden snapped pictures in the van while we adventured around.

Omar was a fan of the mints Braeden bought and distributed frequently.

It was a lot of cute boys all in one place.

We picked up the older kids and let them choose the lunch spot since they didn't get donuts.  Wendy's it was.  On the way there, one of the boys asked if he could have soda.  At the same time, Braeden said yes and Lili said no (two oldest children--they are always bossy).  Braeden said to Lili, "You're not in charge."  (Not only oldest child, but oldest cousin in the van.)

Ruben asked Lili, "Then can I have chocolate milk?"

Lili said, "Apparently, I'm not in charge."

Everyone got soda except Lili, who wanted water.  Because really I was in charge and I wanted to get those cuties whatever they wanted.

I think if I could take this crew to lunch every Saturday for the rest of my life, I'd be a happy kid.

In the afternoon, we tried to get Olivia to have us do work around the house but she didn't let us do much.  We did fold some laundry.  I love folding laundry and my sisters don't.  My mom vacuumed and I moved stuff around for her.  I like cleaning in teams.

Meanwhile Braeden played/wrestled with his cousins on the trampoline and they about did him in.  He came in, sweaty and winded and said, "I'm exhausted!"

We took a walk on Marianne's new trail until I wimped out on account of my wimpy knee.  (Does everyone's older sister create walking trails on the hills behind her house or is that just mine?)

We headed back home Saturday night and I was happy to be reunited with Emma and Mark.  It's always nice to be home but I am grateful we live close to that Nevada gang.