Hibberts Hang Out

Mom and Dad came out for four days August 26 - 29. We'd been looking forward to their trip all summer and it has quickly come and sadly gone by already. Luckily, the way Patrice and I figure it, they will have to come out for a baby blessing (at least one of them) early next year and for a baptism in November of 2011.

They picked up Patrice and Jayden Thursday morning, after only about five and a half hours sleep and then came down here. They got a tour of the updated but still not fully remodeled house and the garden where we saw the first golden orb weaver spider this year. Spiders freak Dad out, but we think they are cool. I should go see if she's still there and take a picture to send to Dad. He tried to get a pic, but it didn't turn out; he didn't want to get to close.

We headed of to the Indiana Art Museum's 100 Acres. With the gardens and the outside sculpture, we thought Dad would enjoy it and it was SUCH better weather than when Grant and Stephanie were out. It was spring warm with a breeze, which made it perfect for being outside. Dad took lots of pictures of the weekend and so those are the ones that I'll post as I didn't try taking any with my phone.

Playing on Funky Bones Sculpture

Hibb Sibbs & their Kidds

After IMA, Mom and Dad treated us to McDonald's lunch and then we went to pick up Eric. JT was waiting for us at our house when we got home. We had pizza, visited and the kids tried to swim, but after jumping in, said it was too cold.Graigry and Ro jumped in first and said it was too cold. Then when Nate came up to the deck all ready to go they said, "Jump in Nate!" Of course he did and as soon as his head was above water he did his fastest doggie paddle to the side repeating "IT'S COLD! IT'S COLD! IT'S COLD!" It was not very nice of the big siblings, but funny for those of us watching.

Mom and Dad helped us clean up and then everyone was off to their homes or hotel around eight o'clock.

Friday we went to the Children's Museum. Xela, Aurora and Graigry we excited because, one: they were excused from school to spend time with family and two: they got to go the the museum, something they don't often do because I usually go while they are at school.

The museum was GREAT! There was no one there, compared to other times. We could go where we wanted and stay and do what we wanted for as long as we wanted because it was so uncrowded. That hasn't happened in the last few times I've been so, it was awesome.

We went to the Rock Stars, Cars and Guitars like we did with Grant and Steph. We went to Egypt, requested by Dad but all the kids had a good time. We went to the carousel and scienceworks where we all got a little wet before having lunch.

Dad taking a picture
of me taking a picture
of Xela & Graigry as Elvises

Neta feeding me in the Eygptian tent

Aurora & Jayden having their own feast

I couldn't hula hoop around my waist,
but I could around my NECK!

The Clock Tower
It captivated the children for 20 minutes

Jayden was hilarious at the clock tower. He jumped up anytime one of his cousins got up to volunteer to do or say something and then he'd just get up, front and center to get the close up on all the action the "plumber" had to offer. It was so funny!

Aurora's favorite carousel horse

Neta loves going up and down

This picture is upside down
but you couldn't tell, could you!
I'm missing a piece of my leg.

Dad has always enjoyed taking pictures of kids looking into mirrors. There is one of me, on Halloween night before going trick or treating. I'm dressed as a gypsie and crying because I didn't want to go, but for some reason that I can't remember now, I had to go. Anyway, here are all the kids in this same mirror.

After four hours at the museum, we headed to Patrice's house for dinner. Before there, because it was only three o'clock, we stopped at a park for the kids to burn off some more energy after taking a nap in the car. It was at a school and had some fun things to play on. Again, Dad took some great pictures.

HEEVE!

HO!!

Graigry went all the way across the monkey bars

Eric chased me across a wiggly balance beam

Hey look! I'm flying!

We decided to play catch, the kids as the ball,

which was attached to a zip line thing.

It went a lot faster than the one at Ellenberger Park.

GRAIGRY

XELA

NATE

Before we were really done playing there were two kids that had to poop so we headed to Patrice's where there was a dash on the bathroom. Good thing she has three bathrooms.

We had a good time visiting and reminiscing about elementary school as Dad brought some things that Mom had saved since we were in first grade. Patrice's in-laws came over to help fix the garage and Brenda, her mother-in-law, ended up with all the kids in Jayden's room, keeping them quietly entertained while us Hibberts sat around the kitchen table enjoying ourselves.

Saturday we went to Anderson Apple Orchard. It's something we do at least once a year, usually in mid September, so we decided to do it early and take Mom and Dad.

This year they had a tractor that took you out to the rows that were ready for picking. Jayden and Nate were all about the tractor and could have stayed and ridden all day. We were dropped off at the Jonathan and Gala rows and picked ourselves a bag of each kind. Then we went to the Mollie Delicious apples. They were HUGE! They were also the only kind of apples that Eric liked. He isn't in to the tart or even slightly tart apples. The Mollie Delicious were too sweet for me (probably more so after eating a Jonathan and Gala apple).

Again, Dad caught the outing in photos.

Of course, I have on my best face for the photo.

I case you haven't been out there,
rows and rows of different kinds of apple trees.
You pick some, you eat some, you bag some
then you go home and it takes you over a month to use them all.

Patrice giving JT a taste test bite,
then he wouldn't let go of the apple,
or the apple wouldn't let go of him.

An Apple?
An Orange?
It's a very orange apple.

With our stroller full of apples,
we trekked back to the van.

There was a picture of Mom, apple in her mouth, lifting Graigry in the tree to pick an apple, but Blogger keeps flipping the picture so instead of horizontal, it's vertical and they are looking into the sky.  I tried to save it in different rotations, but it doesn't help.

After the apple orchard, JT went home to study and we went downtown to the war memorial. The last time I walked through there was with Mom and Dad, so it's been a few years. They've added a September 11 exhibit, if you want to call it that, which brings back all sorts of memories and emotions. Considering it wasn't the kid friendliest of places, they did rather well.

We hit McDonald's for lunch before coming back to the Scott house for dinner and smore's. The water in the pool was chilly, but the warmer day had warmed it up making it swimmable.

Sunday, everyone came to our nine am start ward so we could have the afternoon together to chill, eat and visit. Right after church Mom and Dad took a picture with all the Indy grandkids.

Fairly well composed picture,
thanks to Graigry standing on his toes!

All too soon, it was six o'clock and we shared some hugs and said our goodbye's. Mom and Dad had to drop of their rent a car and be at the airport in time for a 6:30 am flight Monday morning. JT needed to do some studying and Jayden hadn't had a nap so everyone headed out.

It's always great when family comes out. I wish we lived closer so we could see each other more often, but we will take whatever opportunity we get. The kids weren't very excited to go to school on Monday, especially Graigry who wanted to stay asleep after such a long out of routine four day weekend. Apparently Jayden asked to play with cousins early Monday morning as well. Oh, the pains of reality!

A Few Bike Ride Pics

I finally got the two AWESOME group pictures from our 155 mile bike ride to the temple, so I thought I would dedicate a post just to them. I will forever remember this trip!

Bring It On!
The group in Madison, Indiana after lunch.
This was the bridge we crossed over the Ohio River
into the hills of Kentucky.

Saturday arriving at the "Celestial Kingdom"
 HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!

Nate and No More Fear

I mentioned in the Family Fun Week post about Stephanie helping Nate overcome his, not really a fear, but hesitation and trepidation with putting his face in the water. She taught him how to do it so he wouldn't get water up his nose or in his mouth.

Two weeks later, he's all about jumping in the water and does it over and over again, sometimes without his nose plugged. Here's the proof (again with my phone, which doesn't have the best resolution). Xela and Aurora each have a jump documented as well.

Thanks Stephanie!!

Nauvoo Trip 2010

We haven't been to Nauvoo since Christmas 2007, but we haven't been to the Nauvoo pageant since I was pregnant with Graigry. They've totally changed the pageant since we last saw it so I was excited to see it again and to be there with Grant and Stephanie was a bonus.

The Scott family left around 6 am, with the hope that the kids would sleep some of the trip there. Some did. Grant and Stephanie didn't leave until around 10 Indy time. We were just outside of Carthage when they left.

Carthage was wonderful. It was the same movie and same tour, but I enjoyed feeling the spirit and the sister missionary that gave the tour maybe gave more of the history or something about the people who lived in the jail and others that surrounded the event in Carthage. Maybe it was the fact that the kids were older and I knew they would understand and feel more. We sang a hymn in the downstairs jail, which they didn't do before. Sitting up in the room where they were martyred was special again. I love the feeling in that room. And to see the original door with the bullet holes and to know that Joseph and Hyrum were willing to give their lives for the cause, and they didn't have any fear. They had a testimony and sure knowledge of the gospel and there was nothing they had to fear. They had earned their reward.

Scott kids with Brothers Joseph & Hyrum

In front of the upstairs cell.
Can you imagine being there when it got to be over 100 degrees?
The straw and mattress saved John Taylor's life.

On our way to Nauvoo from Carthage I asked the kids what they felt in Carthage and why they felt that. Xela and Aurora were able to feel and recognize the spirit. I hope they younger ones felt something, even if they didn't know exactly why or what.

We stopped in Nauvoo for lunch, fudge and ice cream before going to the hotel in Keokuk, Iowa. We ate lunch at the Nauvoo City Park east of the temple. There were some swings, teeter-totters and a slide so the kids were able to run around a little after such a long ride.

We went to the Walmart across the parking lot to get food for Sunday and a few extra snacks until we could check in and then we hung out in the hotel for a little while and went swimming. We were swimming when Grant and Stephanie arrived.

At five we went to Pizza Hut's buffet for dinner before heading over to Nauvoo. Nate loved driving over the Mississippi River. Now every river we cross when we drive somewhere, he thinks it's the Mississippi. It's kind of cute.

Now the last pageant I went to was like all the other pageants, where it's actors going along with a pre-recorded script. That's what I was expecting. It's SO much better. With the updated pageant, it's more like a broadway play. The main actors have microphones and a script that they've had to memorize. The old pageant, I walked away feeling "okay??? So...." Now, they have been able to tie in family, Book of Mormon, temples, community, sacrifice, prophets and other gospel subjects. It was amazing!!! I loved it when they lite up the Nauvoo temple and had a quote played by President Hinckley about Brigham Young's temple and Joseph's temple as book ends. I hadn't realized how much I missed President Hinckley.

Anyway, before the pageant...

I was used to going to a pageant, spreading out a blanket and trying to keep the kids entertained and controlled for a few hours prior to the start. The pageant has chairs set up, so we didn't need blankets and we sat close enough that we were able to see faces and expression on the actors' faces.

Before the pageant started, they had a "parade"
to help gather everyone to the stage.
We were singing the Star Spangled Banner
 before the opening prayer.

Now, at the Nauvoo pageant, they have a county fair with things for the families to do while they wait for the pageant to start. After each activity, kids get a bead to put on a string and eventually make a bracelet. The first activity was watching a puppet show and in addition to the bead, they gave away sock puppets. There was quilt tying, head band braiding, potato sack racing, hand cart pulling, tug-o-war, woodcutting races. Here are some of the pictures.

Picking out strings and wood buttons to make a top

Stephanie and Grant trying to make the tops work.
It took some practice and even then it was hard.
You had to strike the right tension with the right rhythm.

Aurora making her braided headband.

Nate being helped by the sister at the wood cutting race.
I think she was asking him about getting a bead or a new ribbon for the beads.

Xela and Ro cutting a log.
They did pretty good; only buckling the saw twice.
Hibberts beat the Scotts in the race between the marrieds.

Xela and Aurora pulling their siblings off into the sunset.

Grant pulled Steph, Eric pulled me.
We were told not to run, so...
 the men folk walked quickly in another race.

Eric's the one in the blue.
My phone doesn't take the best of pictures.

It was such fun. Grant and Eric were on opposite sides of the tug of war. Eric's side won both times, mostly because BIG guys came up late and pulled on his side. There was a close one, but again, a huge beast of a man joined Eric's side and they won at last pull.

I love the kid handcart picture. Can you just see them walking off into the sunset across the Mississippi?

As I mentioned the pageant was absolutely wonderful. If we could have afforded the time and money, I would have gone and seen it again the following week and brought friends. We left there and got to the hotel close to midnight. A couple of the kids had fallen asleep and so we quickly and quietly got all the kids to lay down on one queen sized bed.

Five little monkeys sleeping in one bed.
Luckily none of them fell out and bonked their head.

They were asleep within a few minutes and by then, Grant and Stephanie were back (Grant knew one of the actors) and so Eric and I went to their room to visit for awhile.

We had to leave Sunday afternoon, so decided to hit some of the Nauvoo sites before going to church at two.

Updated picture of the kids infront of the memorial.
Last time, Neta was in an infant car seat.
She wasn't in a good mood that morning.

After church at two, we went to the brickyard, so that Stephanie could get a Nauvoo brick. Eric stayed in the car because Neta was asleep so I took the kids in with the Hibberts. The tour room was air conditioned - something different than 2007. Then again, it was winter and so we met in where they make the bricks which was a warm room. Apparently them make all the give away bricks in the winter. Just a little something I learned.

After the brickyard, we loaded up remaining kids in the car, said good byes, exchanged hugs and we headed on our six hour drive to Indianapolis. Grant and Stephanie continued their trip west Monday morning.

It was SOOOO great to have that extra day, to be with them a little longer. Grant and I, being bookends of the family, kind of like two different generations, didn't have a whole lot of things in common growing up, so it was good to share a memory and experience together. I carry a love, respect, and admiration for him and the way he's lived his life and I know will continue to live his life with his own family.

It was a great family week and it was a great family weekend. Time and memories I will cherish always with my forever family.