We finally actually did get some rain overnight, along with a bit of a lightning show that Rowen and I ended up watching with Jaimie, Kaitlyn, and Kara after the thunder woke them. Eddie and Nicole slept through the light and sound show. There wasn’t as much rain as I’m sure the area farmers hoped for, but they probably preferred that to the deluge, hail, and damaging winds that swept through other areas along the storm front.
Except for a bit of rain around lunchtime, we’ve had another beautiful day. Rowen and I went to our weekly riding lesson and trail ride this morning, and then we spent the afternoon playing with all of the younger kids; including Ethan, Ehlana, and Naomi. That included playground time at the park; an ice cream run to the Emporium that Mom, Alicia, and Violet helped us with; swimming in the river; and just hanging out in the back yard for the last hour or so before dinner.
Though it turned out that we could have done the campfire tonight after all; we’d already done that, so Mom and Aunt Leanne went with a dinner and a movie night – this time at Uncle Adam and Aunt Leanne’s house. Philip picked up Naomi after enjoying nearly a full kid-free day, but Rowen stayed to help me entertain the younger kids while Mom was busy with her end of the cooking. She helped us ‘move the show’ two doors down the street too before needing to head to the computer store; where her parents needed to be reassured that they actually did still have a daughter and spend the rest of the day with them.
There wasn’t anything on the dinner menu that was grilled in any way, and might even have helped to partially de-tox some us from a week of regular doses of treats and snacks. The movie was picked mostly for Eddie and Nicole; and we settled in for a little quiet cuddle time while watching the animated flick. It was time to go home after the movie ended; mostly because Mom, Dad, Violet and I needed to help Jaimie and Kaitlyn to pack up for their trip home in the morning. Kara, Eddie, and Nicole weren’t leaving – and doing a similar switch – until Saturday morning, but Grandma and Grandpa were meeting up with Richard, Carrie, Duncan, and Mercy in Crystal Springs to exchange Jaimie and Kaitlyn for Chris, Martin, Dawn, and Jillian. Taking the collective grandkids out for lunch and a little shopping was going to be involved before our next group of cousins – and one best friend – would be on the road again for Witch Falls.
Ehlana and I helped Jaimie with her packing, and then we did a group bedtime story and snack before tucking Ethan and Ehlana into their beds and moving up to the third floor. Mandy and I ended up with another cuddle buddy, and this time, I have Kaitlyn with me while Jaimie is bunking for the last night with Violet. My usual nightly computing had to wait until after Kaitlyn fell asleep, but, thankfully, she was tired out too, so I’ve been able to get a little family business work done; had a little messaging chat with Dawn; made a few notes in our Magi Project archive; and I’ll have this wrapped up too without needing to stay up an hour or three past midnight.
While my cousins have a travel day, with shopping and lunch with the grandparents bonuses, I have a work day ahead to help Mom with getting everything ready for our incoming guests; so I’m going to wrap this up. The next couple of weeks are going to be a blast of fun, and even though we’re a little scared of having another summer holiday like last year with Chris and Martin – and Jonathan this year – Rowen and I are really excited to have Dawn and Jillian to hang out with too.
Don’t go there, Proctor. It’s time to sleep.
Live from Witch Falls; this is Cassie Proctor, signing off!
