mountain oasis

Jarrad and I were invited to a wedding over the weekend, which was conveniently located just minutes from PopPop and Uma's house. We had a lovely couple of days. Rachel ran PopPop and Uma ragged, and, likewise, Rachel was run ragged, too. PopPop and Uma live in the mountains, in the most perfect spot in the best little neghborhood, with a little duck pond right in the middle and a big creek running right under their bedroom window. They've carved out a little oasis behind their home, with a deck and a small garden, and a little pebble yard. It looks like it's right out of a magazine, and it feels like a vacation every time we go.

While there, Rachel fed ducks, watered flowers, went for a ride on the paddle boat, and went to a party in PopPop and Uma's neighborhood. What fun!

non-toy toy of the day

Although PopPop and Uma have some toys they've bought for their house, and although we brought toys with us, Rachel spent most of her time playing with the box from the portable crib PopPop and Uma bought for Rachel's visit. First, it was a bed. Rachel requested a pillow and blanket, and pretended to snore, holding Sleepy Elmo and Blanky tight. Then, it made a the most wonderful house. She invited all her friends (stuffed animals) to join her, and then threw them all out again. She moved everyone in and out many times, even at times demanding that they individually ask permission to enter (she sometimes answered, "no" to their requests, to which her friends responded with dramatic crying, delighting Rachel. She picked up each one, hugged, patted its back, and declared it, "happy" before tossing it in the pile with the others). It then became an empty sandbox of sorts, when she asked to take it outside to play in the pebbles. Uma gave Rachel several containers--bowls, cups, and spoons--and Rachel had the time of her life, sitting in the box, pouring pebbles, serving pebble soup, and sipping pebble tea. Later, the box became a sliding board, and each of her friends (stuffed animals) got a turn sliding down to Uma and PopPop. Rachel cackled, and eventually convinced Uma to let her "slide" down too. By the end of our time there, the box was completely worn out, as I'm pretty sure everyone else was too.