farm fun

we made it! it took about six hours (with a cracker barel lunch break - where madelyn ate like she had not eaten in days), but we had a very nice trip to north manchester to visit for great-grandma's 90th birthday celebration weekend. last night we visited with papa's brother dennis at his farm. great aunt joy made a wonderful dinner for all of us and matt's cousins and their families came over to visit too.

not only was there a lot of family to visit with, but we got to enjoy all of the fun things on great uncle dennis and great aunt joy's farm. here are a few of the pictures from last night. i am posting while madelyn is trying to nap in the next bed at the hotel before we meet up for great grandma's birthday dinner in a few hours. madelyn is a little confused by the "great" titles - i think that we might have to call her "great nana" to make things a little clearer (she keeps looking for her "grandma" from florida when we say "great grandma").

madelyn sitting with the big kids - nolan, leah, and dayton - on the golf cart.

almost sleeping while riding on uncle derek's shoulders during our hike after dinner - she really loves her uncle derek.

daddy swinging out over the creek. madelyn kept saying that it was "maddie's turn too" and great uncle dennis offered to hold her and swing, but daddy and i were too chicken to let her try - yet.

madelyn got to swing with nana and dayton instead at the cabin on top of the hill. there were these little seed like things from the tree and madelyn kept saying that they were worms. she wouldn't walk on the grass because there were too many "worms". daddy finally convinced her that they were not worms, but part of the tree and then she was good to explore again.

here she is swinging with help from great uncle dennis. a few minutes later he helped her swing by hanging upside down from her knees, which she loved.

a family picture with papa, nana, uncle derek, mommy (and baby brother), madelyn, and daddy at the farm.
all of us with the indiana g family. it was so great to visit with everyone again!

there is an hour time difference and madelyn stayed up until like 10:30 local time before finally conking out. we weren't sure how she would do sleeping in a big bed in the same room with us at the hotel, but she did great! she was exhausted from our day, but was too excited to sleep. she was singing all kinds of songs to friend - including "happy birthday". she has been singing happy birthday to (and for) daddy and me since i told her that we were coming for great grandma's birthday - she also sings it for great grandma. she has yet to sing it to great grandma, but i think she will do it tonight at dinner with the rest of us.

this morning we went back to great grandma's and were surprised because madelyn remembered which building was her's. granted she also pointed across the street to say that "maddie's house" was over there and our neighbor "dan's house" was next to it.

we met up with great grandma, nana, papa, uncle derek, and nana's siblings for breakfast. madelyn was lucky enough to get a ride from great grandma as we were walking around the hallways. she has also really enjoyed seeing an impressive caged bird display and fish tank. she is just loving all the new sights!

more of our trip to come later. love.