Visitors - Nana, Grandpa, and Great Grandma

This is a post that was meant to be written weeks ago.

Fourth of July weekend, my parents and my grandma came to visit.  At this point my mind is a little fuzzy about all the things we did but as I add in photos, perhaps things will come back to me.  I do know that we had a nice time.  The photos are also slightly out of order, some coming from my mom and some from my camera and some from my phone, so things aren't perfect.  I think we can all handle that though.

Friday, July 3rd my parents and grandma drove up from Eau Claire.  We grilled Friday for dinner and I cannot remember what we did during the day.

I do know Lilly had the camera and took lots of pictures. 

Saturday, July 4th we hung out and then left for the parade.  We were able to walk down to the parade, we live five blocks up from Main Street.  My mom, grandma, and Lilly walked on ahead.  Lilly walked the entire way, my dad and I pushed the empty stroller, carried lawn chairs, and water.

Waiting for the parade

Watching the parade.  Per usual, the marching bands were her favorite

The parade was fine, poorly timed in sections so we were waiting for awhile for the next float.  There were some annoying floats that sprayed water instead of candy, which was irritating.  Perhaps appreciated on a hot day, but on a nice mild day getting hit with water wasn't really what I wanted.

My dad spent his time while visiting weeding our garden for us, which is greatly appreciated.  Despite putting up some weed blocking paper, our garden had a fine collection of weeds.  Lilly asked my dad if she could carry the weeds to the driveway, which is where we had them drying out last time he weeded our garden, Memorial Day weekend.  Her memory is crazy sometimes.

Many of the weeds

More of the weeds

Saturday afternoon we braved the potential crowds and went to Pamida Beach, which I think is actually Bayview beach.  Across the highway from the beach was a Pamida when we first moved (and had been for a long time, hence the unofficial name of the beach), then it was a Shopko, then a Shopko Hometown, and now I think is going to be some sort of tractor something store.

Nick jumping off the diving board into the cold water

Saturday evening Nick grilled pizzas for us.  We have a system down, I make the dough in the afternoon and then Nick pretty much takes care of everything else.  Can't say I don't mind the system.  Grilled pizzas have become a regular part of our weekly dinner routine, particularly when we have guests.

Part of the trick is shoving the coals off to the side 

Sitting in the backyard, enjoying pizza

The grill master

Finished pizzas

Eating some gross blue/white candy from the parade.  Lilly enjoyed it though

Sunday morning, Lilly listened to stories on the back deck while she ate her breakfast.  Greta hung out in Grandma Phyllis's arms.  Then we went to Souix Beach up by Bayfield, our beach of choice.  It has great sand and is usually not super busy.  My parents and grandma stopped to pick up sandwiches at CoCo's in Washburn.  We had a great time for awhile, then Greta lost it, was too hot, and couldn't handle being at the beach any more.  I went to the van to nurse her with the AC blasting while the rest of the crew packed up.  Lilly was terribly disappointed to leave, but such is your life as a big sister.  My parents and grandma headed back to Eau Claire and we headed back to Ashland for nap time.

Story time with Great Grandma Phyllis

Breakfast and stories on the deck

Family photo op, Greta has yet to dip her toes in the lake

Tech savvy grandma, taking photos with her iPhone!

Thank you to my parents for bringing Grandma Phyllis up to visit and thank you for all the help you did around the house and entertaining the grandkids.

We made it up to Lilly for taking her away from the beach in the morning with a special trip to the beach in town with just mom.  Photos aren't easy that way, but I did snag this one.  She also went all the way up to her chin and practiced some actual swimming moves in the water and mentioned that she cannot wait to be big enough to jump in from the diving board.