Grandview 2024

Annually, Shelley hosts her kids and all the grandkids at Grandview Lodge each July.  They always have a blast, and today marks the start of their adventure. We kicked things off yesterday when three little ones were having a blast in the park, while the rest of the gang got ready to head over to Grandview!

On a recent day, Shelley and I accompanied Vera, Faye, and Maeve to Costco to procure provisions for the upcoming week. To our astonishment, the three young girls (ages 4, 7, and 9) proved to be remarkably helpful. However, loading the already-filled car presented a challenge. Despite the difficulties, we completed the task. Unfortunately, Vera was positioned between two watermelons and bags of chips. Fortunately, the remaining distance to our destination was only 12 miles.

Eric, Taylor, Allison, Leslie, Jack, and the Guillory grandchildren had previously visited Roadhouse Brewery until our arrival. At 5:00 PM, we were all checked in and settled for the week. Given the inclement weather, we decided to engage in indoor activities and prioritize rest for the days to come, allowing for enjoyable experiences.

We kicked off the day with a yummy breakfast of French toast, bacon, scrambled eggs, and fruit. Shelley nailed it with the food prep—we only had a couple of French toast slices left after Eric was totally hooked on the eggs! The group hit up the Grandview “north pool” for some fun, while I (Londell) dashed to the store because I’d totally forgotten the spices for the ribs! Shelley gave me a heads-up twice, but I totally spaced. When I got back, I decided to tidy up and chill out.

They got back around 12:00 Noon. Some went for a stroll, others took a nap (both adults and kids), and some got creative with arts and crafts. The little ones were super tired, so it was time for a break.

At 1:30 PM, I started cooking the ribs for dinner. I was planning to slow cook them on the grill for a 5:00 PM feast. The grill was a bit of a handful, so things didn’t go exactly as planned. But hey, it turned out to be a fantastic meal! Even little Jack discovered a love for ribs and watermelon! After dinner, we gobbled up a homemade mud cake (kind of like an Oreo cookie cake with ice cream). Once we were done, the group did a quick tidy-up before heading to the pool. There was a chance of rain, and right when they stepped outside, a massive downpour started! It was like, less than 10 minutes earlier, the sky was a brilliant 80 percent sunny, and then it just “popped up”! So strange!

I stayed and showered, followed by a deep clean of the place.  This will help reduce the stress when they return.  At about 7:30, the 4-year-old MH returned and cried in pain.  She did not take her goggles; the chlorine was a painful experience.  Nothing could comfort here!  That was too bad! 

The kids sure love the slides!

Once they all returned, they continued trying to start a fire. This was difficult as the hard rain soaked all the wood!  After using 1/5 a roll of paper towels, it was a success.  We started out and enjoyed the fire until the Mosquitoes drove most of us in by 10:15 PM.  Eric and TG stayed much later.

Carry on my friends, carry on!