Another great weekend

On Saturday morning I drove to pick up Sammy and Bianca for an overnight stay.  Once again we stopped at Arby's on the way back.  I like it there because they do have indoor dining, but there's never more than a few other people there.   It was such a beautiful day for a drive.  The green on the mountains at this time of year is so bright and fresh.

There were lots of purple blossoms on trees along the way. 

When we got back to State College we went right to Discovery Space.  We had not been there in over a year.  They recently resumed open hours, but by reservation only.  

Bianca always finds a friend!  I just love it.  

We decided afterward that it was fun, but not quite as fun as before, because there were less things to do, which we expected.  I'm sure they will gradually bring back all the fun things as COVID becomes less and less of a problem in our area.  

They wanted a picture at the tie-dye table when we were leaving.  I suggested a picture from this angle so the Discovery Space building would be in the picture.  

But Sammy suggested we take it from the other direction so that in years to come, when we look at this picture we'll remember what buildings were across the street.  He said, "We'll say, 'Remember there used to be a Sleep Inn over there?'"   Seriously, what child thinks like that??  Sometimes I think he was born with a 50-year-old inside him, hahaha!

When we went home I made a dinner he had requested - oven barbecued hot dogs and mac&cheese.   The kids found plenty to do.  Bianca rediscovered the Lincoln Logs and built a boat.  She even had a person chillin' in the back of it!  She also polished her own nails, took a bubble bath, and tucked all her "babies" into the guest bed.  

This guy had NO END of trivia questions for me.  His head is filled with facts.  Facts about history, about events, about presidents, about rocks and metals, about actors, movies, music.  I seriously don't think he ever forgets anything he hears or reads.  He was pulling the trivia questions right out of his head, not out of a book.  He's a third grader!  He just couldn't believe I didn't know many of the answers.  I think I'm starting to wonder about my intelligence!

They had fun with the triangle peg game (like Cracker Barrel has on their tables).  Bianca enjoyed making new designs with the wooden puzzle.  

I gotta tell you a story about that wooden puzzle.  Dick and I bought it at a flea market-type place in Manheim last March (Prussian Street Arcade), the weekend before the shut-down started.  Sam and the kids were here for the rest of that weekend, and they started working on that puzzle.  We soon discovered that one piece was missing.  We were so disappointed.  Dick and I remembered that when they had bagged our things at Prussian Street Arcade they had dropped it and had to pick up the pieces.  We suspected that one of the pieces may have fallen under the counter.  We thought we would call them the next week to ask.   But then came the shut-down, and we never did.  

Last week one day I was vacuuming, and when I looked at the couch cushions, I thought the middle one was looking a bit worn, so I decided to turn it around.  And would you believe, THERE WAS THAT MISSING PUZZLE PIECE!!!!   Over a year later!!  Apparently, with very few people here this past year I have never vacuumed under the couch cushions!  Please don't hate me!!

Here's the puzzle before and after the piece was found.

Sammy worked and worked at the triangle peg game.  I found a video on YouTube that gave a sure strategy.  He did it that way a few times, but he preferred to figure it out his own way.  Under the triangle it tells you how you did, depending how many pegs you have left.  If you have two left it's "Close, but no cigar!"  Thus my cigar comment at the end of the video above, haha!

Sunday morning we went to church.  The kids were delighted to find out that there was going to be a drama in children's church.  Afterward Sammy said that he was Peter who was led out of jail by an angel. And nobody believed it was him when he went to his friends' house.  Great story of the power of God!

Our excellent flute player, Brenna Bixler, was at church and I was delighted to play prelude with her.  She adds so much to our music, playing along so beautifully with all the congregational songs.

After church we came home, packed a lunch, packed up all the kids' things, and hit the road.  We took these two home to Jenn's house.  And no, they did not keep the peg puzzle!  Gotta have something at my house that's special, haha!

Our mission for the day was to help Destiny and Alex move a few things.  They have recently moved into a mobile home that had been her mom's.  They have much more room to spread out, and certainly more room for this busy boy to practice his new skills!  He gets around!!!  

I have no idea what I did that was so funny, but this was his reaction.  That big smile!!!!  He is SO precious!!

Once again, there were beautiful and ever-changing views of the sunset on our drive home.

I have other stories to tell, but I don't know if I'll find the time.  We leave for Florida a week from today, and between now and then I have a lot to accomplish and several appointments. Hopefully I'll be able to get back here at least once before we leave.