Our wonderful week with the Swedes!

I'm really struggling here!  Finding time to write about and post pictures of all we're doing seems impossible sometimes.  But I'm determined to do it no matter how belated, because it's the only way I remember things.  I've had this family diary going now for 17 years, and I can't quit now! 

I need to go back to last Monday when our daughter Miki, her service dog Hope,  and her friend Kicki arrived.  They are visiting from Sweden for the month of October.  Of course, being in Manheim near Miki's son Bjorn and his family takes priority, but they came here for a whole week! 

On Monday after they arrived we did lots of talking and catching up.  I made skillet shepherd's pie for dinner while we talked, and in the evening we had fun watching the Voice and eating popcorn and crackers, chips, and hummus. 

Tuesday was my second cataract surgery.  I was to arrive at 11:30.  Miki and Kicki took me there.  Once again, even though they say I was awake during the short procedure, I remember nothing of it!  My eye felt a bit scratchy the rest of the day.  Here's a picture I took Wednesday morning as I was fully amazed at being able to see everything without contact lenses or glasses.  (The insert was taken on Tuesday, haha!  You don't want to see that any bigger!)

On Tuesday evening we watched the Voice again.  Destiny came and joined us after she got off work.   Kicki sat on the loveseat crocheting and snapped the lovely picture of us other girls, including Miki's precious little Hope.  She is the sweetest dog I have ever met.

On Wednesday the weather was lovely, and we were ready for a field trip!  First of all, I had a follow-up  visit at Nittany Eye Care, then we had fun browsing all over Ollie's.  They had never been to an Ollie's before.  Then we went to Starbucks in the Penn State library, where Destiny works, for our lunch.  It was BUSY!!  I circled Destiny's head on the picture.  We got sandwiches and drinks and sat at a table in the news and magazine section of the library adjacent to Starbucks.  There were many, many students there working at tables and in lounge chairs, a really nice, relaxing atmosphere.  I wish I had taken a picture of it. 

We had parked at the Nittany deck and had to go all the way to the top floor.  It was beautiful to look out at that part of the campus and the mountains in the distance.

We also got a selfie up there too.  Then we went to the Penn State Arboretum, where we got some more pictures of ourselves.  

As always, strolling through the arboretum was one beautiful sight after another. 

After we were home I took some pictures here.  

On Thursday we stayed home.  Miki was having fun.  First she added some bling to one pair of my sunglasses.  I was given a pair after each surgery and told her she may have one of them.  Then a package she had ordered online arrived and she was like a kid in a candy store.  As we talked, she was drawing and painting with her new pens. 

I made air fried chicken, baked corn, and baked potatoes for dinner.  Lynn joined us, and we had a really fun evening.  Destiny came after work too.  I didn't get any pictures of Kicki that day.  She was probably crocheting.  She and Lynn had a very special connection as they shared their cancer journeys with each other.  I wish I had gotten a picture of them together. 

 

Friday was Destiny's day off work.  We went over to her place so Miki and Kicki could see where she lives.  Destiny was feeding Pixi, her chameleon, when we got there.  SO interesting!!  Pixi was so tiny when she got her.  I couldn't believe how big she's gotten.  

We went to Brothers Pizza in Bellefonte for lunch.  The food was SO delicious, and we had a lot of fun together. 

I took this video of Pixi.  She eats crickets.  I had no idea she had such a LONG tongue!!

In the evening we went over to Anthony and Lori's for a cookout.  Such a beautiful place to be, and Miki was so happy for the chance to reconnect with them.  We had a really wonderful evening together. 

On Saturday morning we had our driveway resealed, so we had to be creative with our parking for the rest of the day.  Thankfully we have lawn on each side of the house, and it was a beautiful, dry day. 

Dick went over to Anthony and Lori's at the crack of dawn to make another try for a deer with his bow and arrow.  

The rest of us went to Way Fruit Farm for their harvest festival.  We got lunch in their cafe.  

Then Anthony and Lori and the boys arrived and we got in line for the wagon ride to the pumpkin patch.  It was fun and absolutely beautiful!

We found some pumpkins to take home.  Austin found a really heavy, light green one.  They had agreed that he had to carry whatever he picked.  And he did!  We were glad we didn't have to carry our pumpkins all the way back!

There were rabbits that could be held.  Destiny and the boys had a wonderful time with them.  15-20 minutes was to be the limit, but they didn't want to leave them.  

We came home for an hour or two, then drove to beautiful Colyer Lake, about twenty minutes from here.  Dick was with us for this part of our day. 

We went on a hike that half scared me to death!  The path was narrow and there was a hill that went up on the one side of the path and down on the other side.  I felt like I could easily lose my footing and slide down the hill.  I got no pictures of that part of the hike, because I was hanging onto my walking stick!  I was glad when we got to the easier part of the hike, which took us across a nice bridge and then to a place where we could sit and watch the sun slowly slide behind the mountain.  

There was one short cut on the way back where you could walk across some stones.  Destiny got this video of Dick.  I think he hammed it up a bit, imagine that!  I did not use that short cut!

Instead of going back the way we came on that narrow path, we climbed the side of the dam.  It was actually pretty steep, but we walked diagonally instead of straight up the side. 

We were a tired bunch when we got back to our cars.  But it was a GOOD tired!  Of course everyone was hungry by the time we got back home, and thankfully I had a hamburger helper box of stroganoff, which hit the spot for everyone and didn't take too much work.  

On Sunday morning Miki and I sang a duet at church - her song choice, her heart-felt testimony. "Who Am I?"  I LOVE singing with her!!

Anthony and Lori and the boys came to our house for lunch.  Dick grilled chicken breasts and sausages. We had things left from our cookout on Friday evening too.  The guys were watching part of Lord of the Rings on TV.  

Then they said their goodbyes to the Swedes.  We were so glad they had gotten to spend so much time together over the weekend.  

Dick and I left around 3:30 to go meet Alex halfway and get Elizer back for the week.  Destiny was at work, of course.  Again, the leaves were just glorious.  And so was the sunset as we neared State College on our way back.

State College Assemblies of God was having a Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat that day.  Destiny really wanted Elizer to go to it, even if it was only for a short time.  We went home and got him into his adorable kangaroo costume, then we went to the church and walked by all the fun stands where they were handing out candy and other fun things.  There were free hot dogs, and we were hungry by that time, so they tasted good.  Best of all, there were tractor and wagon rides!!  Dick took Elizer on the wagon.  Definitely the highlight of the evening!

Destiny came there right after work as quickly as she could, but they were soon closing.  She came to our house then so she could say her goodbyes to Miki and Kicki and Hope.  They had enjoyed some down time while we were away.

On Monday morning I made eggs and bacon for the girls after Dick left for work.  Miki came out to the kitchen and said, "Mom, your toilet is smoking!"  I knew this had to be one of her famous pranks, but I CRACKED UP when I saw this!!  She is toooo funny!

We sat at the kitchen table in our pj's and ate and talked and laughed, as always.  Of course, sweet Hope sat with us.  I just love the way she gazes into Miki's eyes.  It is just the sweetest thing ever!   I don't think I ever properly introduced this sweet, very intelligent dog.  She is Miki's emotional support dog, and she is 100% in tune with Miki and her anxiety, even her blood sugar.  Truly amazing!!

Around 9:30 am they were ready to hit the road back to Manheim.  We'll be seeing them again on Sunday at a Stauffer family gathering at Dick's brother Fred's place. 

Bless you if you made it the whole way through this!  I can't even believe I'm getting this finished up!