labor day weekend: terra studios

We spent the extra long holiday weekend with these wonderful people.

My grandparents arrived Friday afternoon, and we had a wonderful visit despite the stomach bug that rushed through the family - and all over the backseat of our car. Thanks, Liam and River - I think it was only me, my Mom, and Grandma who were spared the intestinal upset. But we still had a good time, went some fun places, ate plenty of good food, and just enjoyed each other's company.

On Sunday, we drove out to Terra Studios, where whimsy rules the day. The boys loved all of the miniature sculptures and secret doors.

River was especially taken with this sweet little troll. He stopped to sit with her several times.

He was smitten with this purple-skinned family as well. He tried to climb up on each and every one of them.

Liam and Gabe explored the labyrinth, but Liam climbed up and over the walls whenever he wanted to take a short cut.

My mom joined the fun, taking both boys up and down the tower a few times. She's a good sport.

Do you see Liam and Gabe on the opposite shore? They were looking for frogs, and in all of that searching and finding, Liam was down in the grass and mud enough to collect 37 seed ticks that we didn't discover until they were feasting on him when we got home later in the night. Gabe had to hold our screaming boy down while I removed every last one of them.

Oblivious to the drama unfolding across the way, Grammie and River enjoyed a tea party by the lake.

Here is Liam, fascinated with the glass sculptors at work. I am behind the camera, following Liam's every move to keep all of those Bluebirds of Happiness on the shelves where they belong. My worry turned out to be unwarranted. He did great, and not a single bluebird was lost.

Look at all of those bluebirds. That's a lot of happiness.