The cutest nieces in the world....

I spend the last week in Cinci (mostly) and almost-not-quite two days in Cleveland. The objective was to hang out with the cutest nieces in the world. We drew an ocean on the driveway, putting everyone in their own boats, drawing fish, sharks, dolphins to protect us from the sharks, seaweed, suns, sand, our names. We played at the park. We played with the garden hose turning it into a sprinkler and getting Uncle Mike wet. At McKenna's party we played Duck, Duck, Goose with a 10 other friends in the front yard. We rubbed the chalk down into dust and smacked our hand in it and left hand prints all over the ground and got away with it because I was the aunt watching over them. We read short stories before naps and long stories before dinner. We asked a gazillion 4 year old questions and I came up with a gazillion answers to those questions. We shopped at Target and left with two grocery carts full of balls for the party that the employees talked about for days (I found out when I went back to get cold medicine.) We went to swim lessons. We went to a picnic with their school. We played hopscotch. Margie, Jon and I drank wine and played cards. I caught a cold. I read a book. I helped my bother with a mailing for work. I helped Margie get the food ready for the party. I hung out with my younger brother, his girlfriend and my parents and talked about my hilarious grandfather. I played rummi with the 'rents and drank the local microbrew. I got a sunburn. My tattoos did not. I hung out with Kathy and her kids for a bit. We went to Target too. I bought a few more books to read. I was inspired to write. My flight couldn't land in Chicago. We refueled in Grand Rapids and I missed my connecting flight. I got on the next plane out. I was happy to be back in Seattle.