A week away and a surprise

 The three big kids spent the week with my in-laws last week.  They swam a lot, went to the farm, and had a bonfire.  

Here's Madelyn inspecting the soybeans:

 This picture cracks me up, from their expressions to their clothes; it's a modern American Gothic:

 The siblings had been scheming up a surprise birthday party for my mother-in-law for several months.  It's very difficult to fool her, and it's very hard for me to make up stories.  Like it was very hard for me to keep finding reasons that we needed to come down to their house to pick up our kids when there were 2 other cars leaving their house to come to the D.C. area.  Now, those two vehicles belonged to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law who were both down there for the birthday party and had no intentions of getting my kids back up the road.  We eventually had to leave it with her idea of letting Philip bring the kids home.  We never went to their house.  We just stayed at the party hosts' house until the party started, and Philip brought the kids to the party all the while my mother-in-law thought he was driving them home.  It all worked out and she was surprised.

Granny talking with Mr. Stephenson, the host:

Granddaddy getting some Julia love before the party:

Surprise:

 Happy birthday, Nana!

Water fun at the party:

 Aunt Cindy striking a pose:

Happy birthday Nancy, Mama, Nana: