You couldn't pay for a better vacation spot than my parents house.  You can fish, go boating, go for walks, Ranger rides, feed animals, walk dogs, roll down hills, pick up dead fish, read books, play games, eat good food - all of this with two willing guides (a.k.a. Grandma Jane and Grandpa Pack) - and that's just in the first hour that you're there.

The kids and I spent Friday at Grandma Jane and Grandpa Pack's playing and having fun.  The weather wasn't too warm, but it wasn't raining so we spent most of our time outside.  Here are Martin, my mom and Sophie posing for a photo on the dock.  Apparently we've reached a new developmental milestone, as Martin flashes #1 at the camera (this will be followed at some point by the developmental milestone where he's still flashing his finger at me, but it won't be the same one pictured here):


We had a bonfire that night, which might be the first for Sophie.  They did well, staying out of the fire.  Mom and I gave the kids some warnings - you could get burned, it's very hot so stay back, don't get too close.  My dad told of the time he put his sandals too close to the fire and the bottoms melted off.  Then told Martin that he should never sit too close to the fire in his underwear for the same reason.


Sophie's stomach is a bit like Sevda's.  She may not eat much all day, then eat shocking amounts in one sitting.  Here she is, polishing off her third hot dog:


The only bad part about going to my parents house is that our own house seems so boring in comparison.  Here, we have to do laundry, run errands, and spend some time in the house.  On the way home, Martin explained to me that we could go back to our house for awhile, but he would need to be back at Grandma and Grandpa's by dinnertime.