Another wonderful weekend

 

We got to have Elizer for the weekend again!  We picked him up Friday evening. 

On Saturday morning Dick went to the men's breakfast at church.  I took Elizer to the playground behind our house, then we went on a flower tour around the house. 

We FaceTimed Destiny, and he was so silly. 

We also went to the playground at the entrance to our community so he could try the monkey bars again.

We wanted to do something with Hunter, but storms were brewing, so we decided to take them to a movie.  Lori and Hunter met us at the theater.  We watched Elio.  It was a fun movie with the typical very touching ending.  I forgot to take any picture of the boys!!!  I was so disappointed.  

Elizer had a bubble bath.  He's such a comedian!

 

We went to church on Sunday.  It was a special service because the band was there, this time with a newly married flute player!  Our friend Emily was happy to be in charge of Elizer, and of course he followed her right up to the risers for our choir song.  

After church we came home and got ready for the rest of the day.  We drove to Manheim for a Stauffer family gathering at Josh and Jill's house.  They are the ones who bought Grandpa Stauffer's place at the auction in 2020.  They have updated so many things, but there are a few places that are still the same - like the shed where Dad Stauffer used to enjoy sitting and watching his woods.  They've turned the little greenhouse into a chicken coop.  Their garden is gorgeous!

The inside of the house is beautifully redone!!

There's a great place for the kids to play in the back yard.  Elizer was shy at first since he didn't know the other children, but he soon warmed up and had so much fun!

A few hours was not nearly long enough to catch up with everyone,  but it was wonderful. 

Elizer was wet when we were ready to leave, lol!

We took him home to his daddy and grandpa before we headed back home to State College.  It was a long, but very satisfying day.  

Elizer is so much easier as he gets older.  I always feel sad when a weekend with him is over.  I'm just glad he's close enough over summer to have him here.  I try to not think about the school year.  

I took another tour of my flowers this afternoon.  

This is my very first butterfly bush bloom.  Last summer when George and Lisa and Sophie were here George stopped at a nearby nursery and bought me two little butterfly bushes.  

I used to have a lot more of these deep red lilies and a lot of yellow ones too.  I'm afraid Dick got a little ambitious when he was thinning out the lilies and giving them away.  There are so many all around the house that I would not miss as much as these.  Slowly but surely I think my zinnias are starting to do better after a very bad start.  

I laughed when I saw this picture of my hanging planter.  It almost looks like it's part of the pine tree.

That's it for this time.