March Madness - Bagleys - Not Basketball

This year has been pretty fun!

March was especially fun, a bit hectic, but fun, nonetheless!

March 1st I flew to Denver, Colorado where, at 7:30pm, Laura Michelle picked me up at the airport and we headed to Utah with Kellie and Delia. When I got in the car, both girls were crying and Laura? Cool as a cucumber, speaking calmly and reassuringly that we'd be stopping soon and Kellie could be free of her car seat, for a time. Delia was most likely crying because of her big sister's cries.

It is also important to note, Laura's demeanor, cool as a cucumber, was impressive because she had been pulled over for speeding while en route to the airport. I would have been grumpy and rattled. Thank you Ms. Colorado Highway Patrolwoman for not citing Laura and for visiting with her for a few minutes before sending her on her way! Your empathy is so appreciated.

Even though I had just been in Colorado visiting Laura and her family in February, it was fun to be with the girls again. Of course, we stopped at Village Inn for dinner before letting Carmin (my name for Laura's GPS voice) takeover our course of travel.

Kellie was a little sad because Mama had forgotten to pack Kellie's new shoes, with sparkles, so Mama had to carry Miss Kellie in to the restaurant. Delia was all smiles!

Kellie chose my dinner for me, Chicken Fried Steak, from a photograph on the menu. Sweet, eh! I didn't order it. I had miles of driving ahead of me and didn't want to get sleepy from a high fat dinner. To be honest, I don't remember what I ordered. I just know a salad was included and Kellie and I shared it! She likes to share food with me and I love it!

We travelled the northern route to Utah, via Evanston, Wyoming and it was a very uneventful trip. Although it is a longer drive than the southern route, we were leery of winter weather conditions and had the memory of Paul and Heather's trip home from Colorado still on our minds. In November, Paul hit a deer on their way home and the deer totaled the Bagley mobile.

We did pass one deer, that I saw, on the diagonal, but it was running away from the highway.

A few pit stops for gas and personal relief, landed us in Utah, at the airport where my car was parked, at 7:15am. I arrived home at 8am and Laura arrived in Lake Point at 7:40am - I think.

Not bad, eh!

It did take a couple of days to recover from not sleeping that night.

Believe it or not, that was the first time in my whole life I stayed awake more than 24 hours!

Laura and the girls stayed in Lake Point with her Mom and Kelly for a week then headed our way for the remainder of their visit, staying with Grandma Lori for a week and with us for a week!

In the meantime, on Friday, March 5th, Val took his scout troop on an overnight camp out and I had an unexpected sleepover with Heather and her crew!

Heather's plan had been to spend the night at ther sister's home, in Layton, but it didn't work out as hoped. So, I was able to benefit! :)

Heather and Jesse slept in the family room, Alona and Kacen slept on the floor in Grandpa's changing room and Abbi? She slept with me!

For such a petite little thing, she is a bed hog!

A few times during the night I was whacked in the face with her little hand. One time it even stayed on my face while she was sleeping. At least Abbi got some sleep, right? :)

While trying to go back to sleep after a love pat from Miss Abbi, I laid there thinking about what I was going to feed them for breakfast. When they arrived on Friday evening, Alona hadn't eaten dinner because she didn't like the shepherd's pie that was served at Aunt Crystal's and I certainly didn't want to send her to bed hungry. So I fixed her a grilled cheese sandwich in an already messy kitchen.

It has become a tradition that when Val takes his Scouts on an over nighter, I prepare hot chocolate for him to take along... giving the boys something warm to drink while unpacking their gear and digging snow caves to sleep.

On a recent grocery shopping trip, I bought a can of hot chocolate mix and grabbed Cherry Chocolate, by mistake. Ugh!

I took advantage of our hot chocolate tradition with the Scouts and sent the Cherry Chocolate flavor!

That particular camp out Val had the scouts write me thank you notes and a few of the boys requested mint hot chocolate 'next time'! Don't blame them!

Back to my middle of the night thinking... My kitchen was particularly messy because I prepared the hot chocolate and a Hobo dinner (aka: tin foil dinner) for Val to take with him. Andrew, who also likes to camp, went with Val this particular time and so Natalie came to our house with him, to meet up with his Dad.

Natalie stayed for a while and we were able enjoy a nice visit. After she left, I worked on laundry and other things but thought I'd clean the kitchen in the morning!

Loathsome is how I feel about cooking in an already messy kitchen.

There I lay, with Abbi's little hand on my cheek, worrying about how I could pull-off breakfast with a minimal amount of stress.

The solution came to me... in 4 letters... IHOP!

With a plan in place, I drifted back to sleep for a few more hours!

Come morning, Alona and Kacen joined Abbi and I in bed for Saturday morning cartoons. I'm a little rusty on said TV programming, but Alona and Abbi were able to help me find some.

Kacen was so cute. Each time he saw a familiar cartoon, he'd turn to me and say, "Grandma, we have that cartoon at our house, too!"

After breakfast, Heather brought the girls and I home and off she went, with the boys, to deliver girl scout cookies to family and friends in Weber and Davis counties.

Grandpa and Andy returned from their camp out about the same time Natalie arrived to retrieve her birthday boy husband.

Alona and Abbi and I were happy Grandpa was home so we could play a little hide-n-seek... a loved past time at our house with grandchildren. It is especially fun when they tell us where they will hide or where they are hiding. It makes the seeking so much more challenging!

When Heather and the boys returned, Kacen migrated outside to help Grandpa unpack his car.

We girls and Jesse were having fun when I realized I hadn't seen Kacen for a while so I went outside to see if he was with Grandpa. Abbi was right behind me and climbed in the car with her brother to have some fun in Grandpa's car.

The last time Kacen and Abbi spent unaccompanied time in Grandpa's car they decorated his dash board with a sharpie they found in the car. :/ Grandpa is so particular about some aspects of how his car looks! But hey, the sharpie was black, his dashboard is almost black... what's the worry!

Anyhoo, Abbi and Kacen were in the car having fun and I asked Miss Abbi where Mr. Kacen (at the wheel) was taking her.... "We're going to New York for Girl Scouts." she replied!

Abbi loves pink. Abbi loves fairies. Abbi loves to dress-up.

New York seems like the logical place for Girl Scouts!

A conversation and inquiry ensued between Kacen and I a few minutes later.

Kacen: I need my wallet.

Me: Your wallet?

Kacen: I need my wallet.

Me: Why do you need your wallet?

Abbi: Because he's taking me to New York City, Grandma.

Me to Kacen: How old are you?

Kacen: I'm three.

Me: Three? But you need to be sixteen to drive.

Kacen: Oh.

Kacen: I need my keys and my wallet.

Me: Are you 16, and old enough to drive?

Kacen: Yes. I need my keys and my wallet.

Me: How old are you?

Kacen: 16 3.

Kacen is such a hoot!

He has such a well developed sense of humor for such a young tyke.

Not long after that fun interchange between Kacen and I, Heather loaded her crew in the car and headed home.

Unexpected sleepovers are so fun!

Part Two of March Madness coming soon!