An Alien Invasion

This past weekend aliens descended upon our house and kidnapped us for a few days.

Actually, those same aliens probably think they landed on a strange planet and wondered when they could return home.

Those aliens would be my dad and my sister, who drove and flew from their respective homes to spend a few days in our house, visiting and making new memories of togetherness.

I thoroughly enjoy visits with my family -- this one was made special by the fact that we don't see my dad but maybe once a year, and it had been two years since Marissa had seen him. After the initial shock of having a grandpa who she wasn't expecting be sitting in our living room chair, she quickly took a liking to him, jumping into his lap and hugging his leg at every turn. She played puzzles with him and wanted to show him all kinds of toys and things that are important to her. It was pretty sweet.

I had forgotten how busy our life is in comparison to others. Our family life is, after all, our family life, and it is at a pace to which we are accustomed. For people like my dad and sister, who don't have little ones around all the time, it is a busy-ness which tires them and makes them want to nap. (Not so possible in our home sometimes.) Every time my sister comes to visit she says how much she loves spending time with her nieces...and how happy she is to return to her nice, quiet home after a few exhausting days at ours.

Some of the highlights of the visit were:

--When Kristi spent a special day with just Marissa, going to the pool and playing games.

--When Kristi took Lindsey to a nail shop to get her first ever pedicure. She only let them paint her nails, and she made funny vibrating sounds as she sat in the vibrating chair.

--Having "restaurant night" at our house on Friday, comprised of all the leftovers of the week which Lindsey and Kristi had menued out and helped to serve. (I love the fact that my family doesn't mind eating my leftovers -- thanks!)

--Going to the farmer's market on Saturday morning to get some fresh fruits and veggies. Lindsey got to buy flowers for the house and chose red roses.

--Getting a babysitter for a few hours and going out for a dinner just the adults. The best part was when we were waiting for the babysitter and  Lindsey asked every 30 seconds when Zoe was going to show up at our house. I finally gave her a timer so she would stop asking me, and she counted down every second of every minute until Zoe arrived. Kristi was in awe.

--Kristi actually tried sushi (!) at previously mentioned restaurant, and ordered salmon for dinner...and liked it!

--Going to the Bakken Museum with Kristi, Dad and Marissa and checking out all the crazy medical electric devices.

--Going to the Aquatennial celebration at Lake Calhoun to watch Lindsey's milk carton boat compete in a race. They didn't sink, though they looked like they were going to at any minute.

--My attempt at a chocolate flourless cake, which could not be wrestled out of the cake pan. It was delicious anyway in scoops and pieces, accompanied by the raspberry sauce I made when the raspberries got squished in the back seat on the way back from the farmer's market. (This is Lindsey threatening to touch Grandpa Tom with her chocolatey fingers.)

It went by too quickly and everyone left too soon. But we get to see my dad again this coming weekend, on his way back from Michigan to Arkansas. I just hope we didn't scare him away for another couple of years.