A week with the PopPop

My dad came to visit last week. His job allows him some flexibility to work out of the office. We had the pleasure of having him work from our house last week. Bella and him arrived Saturday evening. Bella had spent the week after Labor Day with Mima and PopPop. I was worried how she would handle being gone that many days from her family. She could've cared less. She had no interest in talking to me during the week and when asked if she wanted to stay two more weeks. She said "sure, if I can swim". Jacob on the other hand could hardly await her return. He smothered her with hugs and kisses when she walked in the door.
PopPop spent the evenings going to soccer practices, dance classes, and taking walks on the bike paths. The girls were disappointed that he couldn't come to their school skate night, but Jacob was sick and he stayed home so Jared and I could go.
Wednesday, Katy did not get off the bus. I could see her on it as it drove away but she hadn't been paying attention. I threw Jacob to Xandy and Bailey (the neighbor girl we watch in the mornings and afternoons) and took off after the bus. Here's a funny picture for you- can't you just see me running down the sidewalk after the bus trying to chase it down, looking like a moron? I did finally catch up and wave it over. My first reaction was to chastise Katy for not paying attention. Fortunately, and quite out of the ordinary for me, I held my tongue. Good things too, since she got off the bus just sobbing. Too make a long story short, a boy, who she considers her best friend here, was paying more attention to another girl then to Katy. That upset her and from there her day went downhill. She was slumped in her bus seat feeling sorry for herself when she missed the stop. She told me all that had happened, and even filled PopPop in a little, but she was adamant that her Dad not be told about her day. Seriously, SHE'S NOT EVEN 8 YET!!!! I had no idea that the boy drama would start so early. I figured in 8 more years this would inevitably happen but not now. C'mon, at least give me 5 more years of boys not being important!
In an attempt to salvage her day, we threw all our evening plans out the window and headed for a park. We hiked, played on a caboose, ran over a bridge, got sick spinning on the merry-go-round (wait that was just the adults- I'm too old to spin like that after dinner!), and swung on the swings. As we were leaving, Katy exclaimed "For a day that started as the worst day in my life, this was the best day ever.!" Oh, yeah! Mission accomplished, the day was successfully salvaged.

There were some sad little girls when PopPop left on Saturday and even more tears when they were tucked in bed that night. We had lots of fun while he was here though.