I can’t remember how many years it has been that the Grands have been spending their winters here in AZ and we have been going down to Sun Lakes on Sunday’s after church a couple of times a month, but it’s at least a decade. And we usually were able to get there before noon, have some fun and relaxation, and then when Jon and his crew arrived, a festive lunch and an afternoon of miniature golf, or bike riding, or roller blading, or fishing, or just sitting on the patio soaking up the rays of rays of the westward moving sun, until at last we packed up our scattered belongings, found missing socks, and bundled the tired, happy poppets into the van for the twilit drive home. Such has been the delightful routine, and such we are striving to continue…. but goodness, how growing up throws a monkey wrench into traditions sometimes! Because we have two young ladies who are committed to singing in the youth choir for 5 o’clock mass, and a mom who sings in the cathedral choir at 9 o’clock mass, we had to divide and conquer our day. Oma accompanied me to the morning mass, while Paul took the kids down to Sun Lakes early (thankfully remembering to haul my camera along since I woke up an hour late and was thus fighting a foggy brain as I departed the house). They were able to enjoy some extra time with the grands that way, and though it still felt like the afternoon was a little abbreviated, they made the most of cousin time, and the main celebration of the day which was J.T.’s 13th birthday!!
Pics of our day, beginning with before the cousins arrived:
And the rest of the afternoon:
