Family Vacation

Jim and I drove over 15 hours straight through from New York to Georgia in our new car

over Labor Day weekend to see Bryan and Jess' new home.

Their new home is situated on five acres in the suburbs of Atlanta in what could be called horse country. Ranches and stables and horses were everywhere we traveled. The home is a ranch with three bedrooms, a full basement, large familyroom/office, living room, three baths and a large eat-in kitchen. A lot of space!

Aaron & Corinn and Dan drove up together from Florida to join us. 

The boys shared their rooms with us. Of course this came at a high ;) price for us grandparents.

Country living has been a dream of both Bryan and Jess and after 10 years of living in tiny to large apartments this has been a dream come true. Bryan has taken on landscaping and deforesting the yard of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. Of course with country living comes the unexpected guests who come to visit. Like the two tiny ring neck snakes. The huge lionlike dog that wandered through their yard during a rain storm, deer with baby fawns and the like.

Jess has been filling cabinets throughout the house and finding more cabinets and closets than she ever dreamed of having. Some are STILL empty! Elijah and Asher now have their own rooms and have their own taste in decorating.

There are also three areas to "retreat" outdoors if one wishes. My favorite was the screened porch with a large swing. Asher, Elijah and I spent many moments there birdwatching and reading together. (Thanks Elijah, for using your new hammer to tap in the nails that were popping up in the floor. Grandma's toes appreciate it!)

At one point as I sat on the front stoop (big enough to hold two large rocker chairs and small table with numerous trucks and toys, I thought how nice it would be for the boys to have riding toys to play with on the huge yard. Bryan must have read my mind because a one night after dinner he had Elijah entertain us with is new driving skills.

(Note:mower blades are not running while Elijah is driving.)

You can also catch a glimpse of the hammock they bought for another relaxing place in the yard. Great place to read, rest and hang out with little boys!

This brings to mind another thing new for this family -- climbing trees! The yard has some great ones and Elijah was just too eager to show his climbing skills.

The weather cooperated the whole time we were there. So we set out for some walks through some of Georgia's many trails. This one was an easy one so we were able to carry on conversations without having to worry about tripping over roots or stones.

Of course having the family together meant lots of meals together. We went out to eat several times for breakfast or grab a quick lunch or celebrate a birthday or two or three with dinner. (Dan, Aaron's and Asher's)

There were projects to work on:  Bryan's new grill, Elijah's new sword, using his new tools from Grandma and Grandpa, yard work to be done with new hedge cutters, etc.


It was a fun time, a relaxing vacation, a time to catch up with the kids and time to get to know our grandsons. (One is as goofy as ever!)

Now that Asher is speaking more clearly it is really amazing to hear what he has been thinking!

Now we look forward to repeating the adventure in November when we all gather for Thanksgiving -- again at Bryan and Jess'. For now...farewell and safe travels.

Goodbyes after breakfast.

Aaron & Corinn as they headed back.

Note: On previous blog it was mentioned that we would be taking the minibike down. Due to problems with our truck, we had to postpone that until Thanksgiving :(.

A Grandfather's Labor of Love...

When my husband Jim and his little sister, Cathy, lived at home, their dad got them a minibike. A Rupp minibike to be exact. A classic today. After Cathy moved from home and their parents were selling their old homestead, Cathy offered the bike to us. We had three sons that would surely enjoy the bike.

After a getting the bike repaired and refueled, the boys had some great times riding the bike in our yard and the back fields. It was great fun though a little tense as the kids rode by themselves or together with us or their brother, Bryan.

I have a picture somewhere of Bryan riding it and his long legs being held up to allow him to ride on the lawn. We have another of Aaron holding on for dear life, but enjoying the ride and the camaraderie with his big brother. The bike took the boys on a few good jaunts before it was in need of repair again. Being the end of the season the bike was put away and never came out of the garage again.

The years went by and the boys got into mountain bikes and  BMX bikes that they liked to ride in the "trails" doing stunts and jumps and such. The poor little minibike was relegated to the back of the garage.

Then when our grandson was old enough, he spotted it in our garage asked what it was. From that day on he would look for it in the garage and ask if it was fixed yet. Truth be told, Jim would have loved to hand it off the him and make more room in the garage, but they had no place to ride it.

Until now. Bryan and Jess moved their family into a home on five acres! The yard is HUGE and just begging for little boys to ride minibikes on them.

So we are heading down the Georgia to deliver a repaired minibike to the new generation of Bells. But first came the labor of love only a grandfather could bestow on his grandsons. So here are a few of the phases to get there.

Tools & Parts to do the job.

Custom pieces to make.

The patiently waiting Rupp.