Here are some pictures from a fun family visit we had last month. Tim and Carolyn stayed with us for over a week, and Karen and Matt came for the last weekend they were there. 

We celebrated Tim's 49th birthday. I made my first ever cheesecake and it turned out great. It may or may not have been able to come out of that springform pan, though.

They got picked up from school by Daddy and Grandpa one day, and made a stop downtown for ice cream on the way home. For Timmy it's always a shake, and that must have looked like a good option to Joey too.

Thomas was at such a good stage for enjoying the extra company every day. He and Grandma were buddies.

Carolyn came with me to pick Annie up from cheer practice one day after school, and while we were in the parking lot waiting, we watched marching band practice. The view was way better than it is from the stands.

Tim snapped this picture while they were out early one morning.

Delaney didn't get to spend as much time with everybody as she would have liked to, between marching band and work; but at least she got visitors.

They went to a JV football game one night to see Annie cheer.

I really wish I'd taken a better picture of everyone at the dinner table. This was the night of the father vs. son meatloaf challenge, the idea for which came about after we had meatloaf for dinner, and Tim Sr had some critiques for it. They each made meatloaf their way, then we had a blind taste test followed by a vote. Although I think we all agreed the two versions were very similar, the winner was Tim Sr. But here was the kicker: Tim Sr voted for his son's meatloaf! 

As one of his birthday gifts, Tim's parents gave him a certificate to Bay Leaf Indian restaurant downtown, and he took me there one night for dinner. Back outside the restaurant, I became distracted by what sounded like the chiming of a grandfather clock or something. It was constant. Tim said, "I don't hear it." I said, "In Stranger Things, the one who hears the chimes is the one who's getting it next! Tell me you hear it too!!"🤣 We ended up driving around just to see if we could find the source of the chiming, which we never did even though it got louder sometimes; but it was a fun tour of the historic houses all lit up, big porches all decorated for fall. Some of them were made to look like spooky haunted houses too, and were very well done. I think I just stared out the window with my mouth open the whole time. I love driving around these neighborhoods any time, but this time of year they are really something special. I said, "You know we have to come back at Christmastime."

I came in the door that night gushing to everyone about how much fun we had driving around looking at those old houses, so the four of them -- Tim Sr, Carolyn, Karen, and Matt, along with Annie -- went for a drive the next night. Karen came in the door awhile later, saying, "That was amazing! That was incredible! We have to do that every night!" I was like, "I know, right?" because I don't always catch on to Brady sarcasm very quickly, haha. I think maybe I am much more easily impressed than they are. I'm a cheap date--this is our version of dinner and a show!