Showing posts with label Johnny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Johnny. Show all posts

Friday, July 24, 2009

Thurs., 7/23/09...Estes Park & Johnny...

A week ago my mom had forwarded me an email from Johnny (my Nana's widower) on how life's been and it said he was going on a family reunion trip to Estes Park. I emailed him to find out when he'd be out our way so we could see each other. He said he'd be there July 23-25, but he didn't know their schedule so he'd call me when he got there. Well I should have put it on my calendar b/c I remembered all the way up until the day before so by the time Johnny called yesterday morning, I had totally forgot! I rushed to get showered (fastest shower in a long time!), packed and out of the house for the 1:15 min drive up to Estes Park. L even told me she had to pee twice so we pulled over so she could pee in her little potty. I had a lot of fun driving my car up the mountain. I must have passed at least 20 cars and probably 15 of them were in a row that I just kept passing like 3 or 4 cars in a row. Of course, right after I finally passed them all, L said "pee pee potty" and I asked, "can you wait?" and she said, "pee pee potty." I'm sure those cars must have thought I was nuts for passing them all and then pulling over! :)

We got up there around 11:15am. L greeted Johnny with a big "grandpa!" and he got to hold her while I unloaded the car, put a dress on her, etc. We hung out with his family (son Bill & his wife Vickie, granddaughters Amy & Elizabeth & her fiance, and daughter Diane) and ate pizza for lunch. Bill let L dump ALL the pieces to their Cranium game on the floor...he'd then put all the cards back in their spots, and then she'd dump them out again. She also liked the playdoh for the Cranium. They also had one of those bday cards that when you open it, the card talks. She loved that and they let her take it home. (She dutifully played with it until she destroyed it this morning.) Then we ventured into town for ice cream. Johnny pushed L in the stroller for a while and then Bill took over. They were so cute. Bill's going to be a great grandfather when the time comes. He was such a natural w/L and she really took to him! :) We found a place that had homemade ice cream (I got huckleberry) and then we ate our cones on the riverfront. L really wanted some ice cream so Bill let her eat some of his and I let her have a few bites of mine too. She loved being next to the water and the center of attention. She ran up and down the stairs and up and down the river. Elizabeth & her fiance wanted to do some climbing so I took some quick shots of their whole family for them and Diane took some of Johnny, L & me before we headed our separate ways.

I took L back to their condo to try to put her down for a late nap (it was after 2:30pm) but she wouldn't have it. She cried and cried and kept screaming for me. I finally gave up and told her she had to rest on the couch w/me or she was going back into the crib. She did that heavy breathing that kids do when they've been crying forever and laid her head on my chest (facing me). She must have slept for about 45 min. like that (still doing the heavy breathing from sobbing for at least 30 min of it). It was SO nice to be able to hold a sleeping toddler since I haven't held her sleeping in my arms since she was a baby. That girl just doesn't sleep anywhere but in a crib (ie: no car, no stroller, no arms, etc.). Shortly after she woke up, Amy, Vickie, and Johnny came back to the condo and we got to visit some more before the rest of the gang showed up again. I wanted to leave around 5pm but time escaped me and we ended up leaving around 6pm.

I stopped by McDs for some chicken nuggets for L and realized I had forgot my sunglasses. L peed in the potty and I put a diaper on her so I didn't have to keep stopping on the way down since it was starting to sprinkle and I didn't want to have to get rained on. We took a quick detour back to the condo to get my glasses and then were on our way. I got stuck behind some slow people on the way down that didn't make for nearly as enjoyable as a drive, but it was alright. When we got home we were able to walk L around the block a few times before giving her a bath and putting her to bed.

All in all it was a great little trip and we really enjoyed ourselves with Johnny and his family. :)

I will say that we paid for it this morning though b/c boy was L cranky today! I'm sure it's a combo of no nap on Wednesday when Candy was here and only getting a 45min nap yesterday.


Johnny & L when we got there


L playing w/the Cranium playdoh w/Amy


Diane reading L a magazine


Johnny showing L a map from the history book he's writing to pass the time (it's on 1800s Kansas counties & towns)


view from the condo


L, Johnny & Bill looking at my photos on Bill's laptop


Amy holding L


L checking out the river


running up the stairs


dancing on the sidewalk


Wingfield family impromptu photo shoot


me, Johnny & L


L crying up on the balcony w/Amy & Johnny b/c I'm down below trying to take some pics






one last pic of Johnny & L :)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thurs., 7/23/09...Estes Park & Johnny...

I'm too tired to write a lot but just wanted to say that L & I took a trip up to Estes Park today to see L's great-grandpa Johnny (my Nana's widower). L loved seeing her grandpa and I enjoyed seeing him as well. I can't believe it's been a year since I saw him last and next week it will be a year since Nana passed away. :( I used to see him all the time when I visited CA.

more on today later... & pics will have to wait too... must sleep!