Sitting down at the luggage carousel surrounded by five suitcases and two car seats it felt more as if the Wolf Peralta's were a traveling circus rather than a family on a weekend visit. Although Ashlee loved seeing her family again most of the times after she left Springfield she felt as if she needed two more days off just to recover from constantly transporting children from one event to the next. Every vacation at home turned into a working one. First they had to remember which grandparent the kids spent the first two days with so that the other grandparents could take their turn. The world might end if the children stayed at the farm first two times in a row apparently according to Doris and Blake. It wasn't just the grandparents that they had to see the Lewis' and the Coopers all took turns not to mention the activities that had to be coordinated. Maybe she would ask Olivia for an assistant just to keep track of her grandbabies social obligations.

This was going to be the first time that Ava and Ashlee didn't spend the weekend sleeping at their parents with the children. It wasn't that they didn't love being in a multigenerational home but the last few weeks had been especially stressful and they needed time alone to reconnect. Ava first mentioned dropping the kids off on the front door with notes attached to Ashlee the night after she received the tickets in her mother's email as a joke but after their recent friction Ava suggested it in earnest concerned that they were loosing focus on their commitment to each other because of the constant demands of being a mothers. It was time that the couple put their marriage first and the vacation was the perfect chance to do so. "Really? We can do that?" Ashlee gasped in surprise. "They won't mind?"

"Hell they probably wanted to do this all along. They're only nice to us because we bring the monsters to them. Do they even give us a second glance once they've fawned over them? They wouldn't even notice if we didn't even make it to dinner. Now that they've given them 'their babies' they don't bother with us anymore "

Ashlee burst out laughing and hit Ava on the head with a pillow and responded "I don't know about you but my mommy still loves me" They spent the next several minutes tickling each and before long the three gremlins burst into their rooms and jumped on the bed adding to the fun.

Not that anyone would mind them being at the Beacon. If anything the grandmothers were glad to finally have the grandchildren to themselves. As always the week's itinerary had already been voted on an arraigned even before the flight was booked. As they sat on the runway Olivia texted that the immediate family would have a leisurely dinner on the farm. The activities of the following days would given out on a need to know basis. Whatever the matriarchs had planned would be sure to involve plenty of food, laughter, and embarrassing situations that made for good home videos.

Ashlee, Stino, and Cat waited by the luggage as Ava and Spence went to check out the weekend ride. Usually when they spent the weekend Olivia gave them one of the Beacon's company cars to haul monsters in but every car in the hotel's fleet was a huge but luxurious SUV. Screw that. This weekend Ava and Ashlee were free from the rugrats and the last thing they wanted to drive would be something that might encourage the children to come with. Not that the brats even gave them a second glance once they were in Springfield. Ashlee couldn't go to the restroom without the twins sitting on the floor beside her demanding to sit on her lap. Stino had just started to be okay being alone while she went. There were times when Ashlee honestly considered locking herself in the closet just to get a couple of minutes alone. "It would only be considered abuse if I locked them in there" she reasoned aloud. From the moment they woke up it felt like they were afraid she would slip out the door if they left her alone. But she felt marginally better because at least they didn't keep jumping and tickling her like they did to Ava. Yet once they got into the Midwest it was as if they immediately forgot who they spent every other weekend with and had to be made to even say goodbye or hello. More likely the parentals might ask them to pick up extras from the store so Ava made sure to reserve the smallest, fastest, least child, luggage, grocery friendly two seater the rental place had.

Spence stayed with Ashlee because he thought it might be easier to talk his mommy into getting him a Cina Bon if Ava and Ashlee were separated. While Ava was the junkfood addict she was so used to associating airports with business travel that she never strayed from the path towards the luggage. Ashlee could be more easily tempted. Cat stayed because she'd walked enough and there was no way she was going to take another step without causing a news report worthy protestations. The little girl already had firm ideas about energy conservation. She wasn't about to waste any on anything she could get someone else could do for her just as easily. Looking towards the ticket counter Ashlee felt a sharp tug and then heard a corresponding yelp. Seeing his family coming from another exit Spence had taken off running forgetting that he was firmly attached and by the time Ashlee reached him he was back on his feet waving and yelling "Grandma!!" and "Abuela!". Cat was just as securely chained and was yanked forward and said a few words that Ashlee was going to have to discuss with Ava once this trip was over. But once she spotted her grandmothers she took off and reached Olivia's legs seconds after Spence and was lifted in the woman's arms. The two were hugged, kissed, and squeezed as they were passed from one pair of waiting arms to the next.

Even Fancy got in on the hugging. The seven year old got along very well with Stino because the two shared similar temperaments and were often found sitting together discussing their future plans of one day running a shared venture of the Beacon slash Baskin Robbins Corporation. Cat and Fancy worked well together as long Fancy was in the mood to deal with the three year old grabbing her toys and interrupting her games. Fancy had a Spencer temper as well and often considered if the satisfaction of shoving the toddler would be worth the punishment. Spence on the other hand she gave a wide berth. She missed him when he was gone for a month but as soon as they were together she wondered when he would leave. Having to constantly look over your shoulders for when he ran towards you laughing wildly with muddy hands each time he visited tended to foster such feelings.

"How are is my birthday baby" Olivia cooed as the pair made a second circuit around. Still not yet acknowledging Ashlee "I can't believe you're going to be"

"I tree granma. I a big girl" Cat informed holding up two sticky fingers.

"Yes you are baby you are abuela's big girl" Natalia said with a kiss.

"I this many" Spence added holding both his hands out spread and reaching towards the ceiling. "Wow you are a very big boy Spence" Blake said as she tickled the boy.

"Where is Stino" Doris asked with a hint of confrontation holding her hands on her hips and her head cocked and eyes narrowed.

Natalia added passing Cat to Blake as Blake passed Spence to Clarissa "Yeah were is our baby?"

"Um maybe I'll answer that when someone actually greets me. Jeez"

"You are so easy" Olivia teased hugging her daughter in law and then held her hand out to Doris who looked at her daughter with a scowl and passed off a crisp twenty dollar bill to her arch rival.

"Thanks a lot Ash that's coming out of your inheritance!"

Now that everyone had been hugged at least three times including the ones that drove together to the airport they moved the bundles to make a caravan. Spence walked between Emma and Clarissa holding a hand from each. Every few steps he would stop and they would swing him in the air to hear his squeal. Blake still had Cat wrapped around her as tight as a girdle. The woman had tried to put the mini Olivia down but that idea had been twice vetoed. Cat wasn't setting foot on the ground until she absolutely had to and with three grandmothers, one abuela, and two aunts she didn't have to for at least four days. By the time the bags were packed and the twins were strapped into their car seats Cat was again hungry and tapped her grandma Olivia's shoulders and declared "Wanna go home mama. Wanna eat"

"I told you they were starving!"

The fact that a mother and brother were still missing was beside the point. Less than a minute later Ava and Stino drove up in a BMW roadster and the boy barely let the car stop before he was trying to open the door but it was a difficult feat with him hooked in his booster chair.

"Of course you show up once all the heavy lifting is done"

"She is your daughter Spencer" Doris laughed as she opened the door taking Stino into her arms.

"Hey you forgot something. This is a no kids zone car that booster seat is ruining the car"

Taking Ava into her arms Natalia questioned "Why didn't you all just take one of the Beacon's car like you always do?" As the children and the grandmothers stood around in the lovefest Ashlee put away the single suitcase that contained her and Ava's things.

"How are you sweetheart is your mommy feeding you? He looks like he's loosing weight." Blake asked.

"I'm sorry are you talking to me ma'am? My wife and I don't have any children"

"Wife? This weekend we're just girlfriends"

"Mommy mama you do have I'm your children"

"Mommy? Who is mommy? Do I know you?" Ava asked tickling Stino as he wiggled in now in Natalia's arms.

"I was about to ask you the same thing"

Regardless to whom the children belonged to everyone was gathered together eating and discussing the plans for the weekend and the twins' birthday celebration. All Ava and Ashlee wanted was to part way at the airport and officially start the first weekend they'd had without the children since moving to New York but were afraid that the other would shoot the idea down so they sat around the table barely able to contain their frustration. Ten minutes into dinner Natalia spared them asked if they could go by the grocery store to pick up more vanilla extract for the cookies and cake. Quickly saying yes Ava grabbed Ashlee's hand and practically sprinted to the door.

"It's not like we don't know what you're rushing off to do" Blake called out behind them.

"We are helping make cookies" Ashlee said stopping suddenly with a bright and slowly spreading blush.

Emma glanced up from her plate and asked "Is that what they call it these days"

"You better never find out" Olivia causing both Clarissa and Emma to flush.