July 14, 2026 - The girls are coming for a visit! We drove to Mom's last week so we could bring her to Indy. She's looking forward to meeting Marilyn and spending time with the gang. Elaine and Marilyn will be here for a week and Meg and Maddy will get here for a long weekend. It's Marilyn's first time on a plane and the trip had a few hiccups, firstly a cancelled flight out of SLO and then delays leaving on the rescheduled flight. They were able to make the quick layover and got to Indy at 1:00 in the morning!
Ian helped with dropping off all the luggage (baby's sure require lots of "stuff")
a little light reading on the plane
and a quick snooze on the layover
Gram wanted to be there for the pick-up at the airport
Marilyn isn't quite sure what's going on!
Reunion selfie
July 15, 2026 - Today is a chill day, so that Elaine and Marilyn can get acclimated...maybe a trip to the mall to help Gram look for an outfit for Meg & Maddy's wedding?
A girl and her bottle (and a pretty cool high chair that straps onto a chair and folds up nice and small for travel)
She still loves books!
and rides on Grandpa's shoulders
and of course stroller rides
her first pic on the Monon Bridge!
swing time on the back porch
Four generations
Where's my supper?
A good way to carry around the remote when you need your hands to maneuver
Grandpa's latest YouTube viewing is pickleball
A successful trip to the mall
Ready for bed!
July 16, 2026 - Today we're sorting through all the crazy things I saved from the girls' childhoods, as we try to downsize. Let's see if I can get anyone to take these things home! We're looking forward to Meg & Maddy getting in tonight!
kisses from Gram
lots of stairs climbing
Next a walk to the Opti-Park in Broad Ripple
she's getting close to being a walker
I've never seen that toy stuck to a forehead!?
time for games
and more stair climbing
we found a few dress up items
our favorite dress up shoes from Dodie Davis (Ann & I played with these shoes when we were kids and then Elaine & Meg)
an old doll of the girls'
and dress up with Nanners
July 17, 2026 -
Meg & Maddy are here! And we have Rise and Roll donuts for breakfast!
Good morning Marilyn
It's Aunt Meg!
a girl and her Grandpa (and his phone)
Lindy and Marilyn are dressed alike!
Lindy's eyes are very interesting
a walk on the Monon
we're on the bridge but you can't see it!
Lunch at Northside Kitchenette
Aunt Maddy
Elaine has a fine dinner planned for Marilyn
Mike and Huddle stop for a visit (Marilyn isn't sure what to think of either of them)
Can't I play darts too?
the dart ref
Maddy's making dinner
pasta and asparagus...Yum!
July 18, 2026 - Today Ann & Erich are coming for a visit. They will take Gram home with them for a quick visit to Cincinnati then back to Alliance.
another trip to the park
Anners
and Aldo
July 19, 2026 - Meg & Maddy are headed back to NYC this afternoon, so it's another chill day around home.
the flowers are blooming along the Monon
The old fire house looks lonely
a walk along the canal
a few birthday presents for Marilyn
Marilyn thought these noses were pretty funny
Ouch!
Everyone had to try on a nose
even Mama
swinging in the meadow of the complex
Marilyn wanted to try these out too (or was it Grandpa that wanted her to try them out?)
Hey, you're going the wrong way!
July 20, 2026 - It's the last day, and we're going to check out a few of the amazing playgrounds in Carmel. The newest playground is "Up and Down the Monon", which I've been wanting to check out...it looks huge! Then Coxhall Gardens and Westermeier Commons (which has a splash pad).
Carmel's newest playground
She's a climber
Coxhall Gardens has lots of cool trails, this one had a few tunnels to explore
through the woods
then the butterfly village
such a fun spot!
Then we went home for lunch, got Marilyn into her swim suit and talked Kevin into coming with us to check out the splash pad at Westermeier Commons.
Marilyn is a water baby, so she loved it.
We checked out the cool playground at Westermeier too.
Swinging with Mom
It's the Pout Pout Fish!
Two peas in a pod
Bath time
July 21, 2026 - And just like that the week is over. Luckily Elaine and Marilyn had an easier trip home and someone even caught a nap along the way.
Someone's happy to see Dad
