Families

 

The Bissells, Thanksgiving, 2025

Albarran Dallas Family, Thanksgiving, 2024

Davis, Kansas City Family, Christmas, 2025

In yesterday’s blog, I wrote about our three families but neglected to include photos of the Bissells and the Albarrans, so I decided to begin today’s entry with their family pictures.

It’s later than usual—8:30—and Mary and I have been up since 7:40. Tom joined us around 8:15. The house is unusually quiet and will stay that way today, as the boys will either be staying home or visiting Audraya’s parents. What a letdown. We’re left debating how to fill the day—Costco, the Country Club Plaza, or Lee’s Summit’s farmers market. Plenty of options, yet none compare to having the boys here.

Yesterday, though, was just about perfect: sunshine and time with the boys. While we were having our morning coffee, Nick texted that they were on their way and would arrive around 10:00. And that set the tone for the day. We stayed in all morning, simply enjoying their company, and didn’t head to Lee’s Summit until about 2:30.

Nick And Aundraya Arrive With The Boys

Working From Home

Nick worked from home, though I did catch him nodding off around noon. Evie spent a lot of time reading to Rhys—mostly Richard Scarry—and even ordered a new book because he loves them so much. 

Finding Water

Splashing With His Feet

A Big Boy Walking The Bridge

I took Rhys for a short walk, where he became completely absorbed by a puddle, splashing it with his hands, then his feet, and finally attempting to drink it before I intervened. We continued down the trail for about 20 minutes, and it took some convincing to turn him back around, but he climbed the hill like a champ. Around noon, Marlena’s friend Grant came over to scrapbook with her and spend the night.

Scrapbooking

Back home, it was nap time. Tommy was already asleep in the bedroom, so Evie gently lifted him onto her shoulder, letting Rhys have the room. Tommy slept there for nearly half an hour before waking up smiling. During all this, Tom ran to CVS for cold medicine, Audraya slipped off to Target thanks to plenty of babysitters, and Mary went out to buy a gift card. I ate a chicken sandwich, read briefly, and unsuccessfully tried to nap.

A Tired Tommy J With His Great Grandma

Reading About Trucks

Once both boys were up after 2:30, we drove to a park in downtown Lee’s Summit. Rhys had a great time on the slides and running freely in the open field, while Tommy slept through it all. When the boys started to fade, they headed back to Roeland Park.

Grant And Marlena

Tom, Mary, And Billie, Watching The Baby

A Tired Big Boy

We stopped at the International Tap House—busy and lively—where we had beers, talked, and played a couple rounds of Bananagrams. By 5:00, hunger sent us to Main Slice, surprisingly quiet that evening. We ordered beers, a couple of pizzas, and three of their well-known salads—far too much food, as it turned out, but all of it good.

Beers At Tap House

Playing Bananagrams

We didn’t get home until 7:00.  Grant, Marlena, Mary, and Evie decided to play Telefunky while Tom and I watched F1, the new Brad Pitt movie on Netflix. It was predictable and heavy on racing scenes—worth watching if that’s your thing, otherwise skippable. We turned in around 9:30, leaving the kids still up, talking and laughing—always a good sound to end the day.