Grana and Grandpa visited for the weekend and as  always it was packed full action.  The kids welcomed them with a personalized show, full of audience participation and inventive lyrics.

Bedtime with them couldn't be complete without the singing of Wyoming Fight song lullaby.

The next day Grana and Grandpa spent the day at Universal Studios while the kids were at school.  The day after we went to visit the Nixon Presidential Library  along the way we stopped at Stevens office.  Reghan loved the view of the equipment while Heath cleaned off his shoes as best he could.

 

For lunch we stopped at the Northwoods Inn where the kids ate next to large taxidermy and could throw all peanut shells on the floor by candle light. 

Unknowing to us, the library was under renovation so only the displays in the corridors were open and Nixon's childhood home. 

The next day we put the grandparents to work.  Grana got busy sewing little stuffed creatures that Reghan and her created while Grandpa assisted Steven in beginning to re-wire our outdoor chandelier followed by a dance off upstairs.

The biggest part of the day was to celebrate Ashlyn's birthday.  We had a tea party so part of the day was dedicated the food prep for it.  Reghan came up with a new recipe, Pineapple Delight.  She'll make a few modifications next time but for her first original recipe, it was pretty good.

All day long she was counting down the minutes until she could open her presents.

She absolutely loved the her little tea party.

Had deep conversations.

And blew out all FIVE of her big girl candles.

She loved all of her presents.

And then finally the cake and ice cream. 

Grana and Grandpa got her a makeup bag with makeup and Heath made sure her eye shadow was applied perfectly.

More night time reading before bed.

The night ended with our birthday girl dreaming contently with her new American Girl Doll in matching pajamas.

The following day Grana and Grandpa left and Ashlyn awoke on her actual birthday.  It was a school day so business went on as usual except she got to pick the dinner spot after Reghan's soccer so off to McDonald's we went where she received a great big gold 'A' balloon from Heath and Reghan.  Needless to say, she had a fantastic birthday filled with family and wishes that came true.