One Great Weekend

We had 14 people at our house on Saturday! It's Labor Day weekend, and both families decided it would be a great time for a visit. John, Bonnie, Anna and Jack had been planning to go camping in Cherokee so we knew they'd be coming, then Grandma and Pop Pop Hunter, Laura and even Aunt Pat were able to come also, and since Catherine had just moved here (and because of the 3 day weekend) my parents were able to come too! We were nervous beforehand it might be too hectic, but it went really well and we all had a wonderful time.

Aunt Pat definitely gets the award for travelling the farthest - we got an e-mail from Pop Pop on Wednesday that he had talked her into flying in for the weekend, and also Nana Goodfellow! Justin called me with the great news, then read the e-mail again and realized there was more at the bottom... specifically the line saying "NOT!!"... Turns out, Aunt Pat WAS coming, but Nana couldn't be talked into it (she isn't too keen on flying). Justin felt like Anna - not a funny joke Pop Pop!

Most of the family arrived at different times on Friday, so we were able to have quiet visits that evening. Aunt Laura and Great Aunt Pat got to meet Grady for some one-on-one time before the crowd came on Saturday.

We made 2 crock pots full of Chicken Taco Soup, so we wouldn't need to cook with everyone here. It made it much easier! We had such a great afternoon - watched the first WVU football game of the season, John, Pat and Catherine went on a Geocaching adventure, and just had a great visit.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was Jack finding a pacifier - we told him it was Grady's. He picked it up and walked over to where Grandpa Loftis was holding a sleeping Grady and proceeded to try to stick the paci in his mouth! Then later in the afternoon Justin saw him pick up another paci, look it over, apparently decide it was NOT his, and put it on Grady's lap when he was in his swing! What a great cousin - he knows it's no fun to be without your paci!

Sunday was the LAAFF (Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival) downtown, so we all trekked out to enjoy the party. It's an art and music festival - all local, and very... eclectic! It was perfect to show everyone (especially Pat who had never been here) the true Asheville scene. We took Grady, and Justin carried him in a backpack carrier for a while and then we traded and I put him in the Moby wrap. It worked great for about 2 hours, then started to get a bit hot.

Catherine, Grandma and Grandpa Loftis went with us downtown and then we met up with the Hunter family there. Aunt Pat had a great time - Justin was trying to organize everyone, and each time he turned around she had run off with someone to do something different! We all got some kettle corn and headed home for naps around 5pm.

Later that evening we met at Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company for an informal dinner in the game room. It was a nice calm end to a hectic day and fun weekend!