the benefits of living close to family

Now that I live so close to family I've been able to babysit for two of my brothers. I'm babysitting my cute nephews right now. I was welcomed to their home by my brother, saying "Luke wants you to go find him. He's playing hide and seek. He's hiding under his bed. It's his only hiding place."
Me: "Where's Luke?" walking into his room.
Luke: Giggling under his blanket on his bed.
Me: "That blanket is giggling! Who's under there?"
Luke: "Me!"
Me: "ME?"
Luke: "Not you! It's LUKE!"

I also got to babysit my cute niece last Thursday. She's only about 8 months old, but she's a smarty-pants. She was trying to mimic me when I said "ah oh!" and I swear she can say my name. . . .I'm quite certain. Lately whenever she first sees me she says something that sounds almost exactly like "Esther".
Another benefit of living so close to family is that I've gotten to spend time at my parents' home working on my quilt. I got a new sewing machine from my Grandma, but I'm still going over to my parents' home to finish my quilt. For those who are sewers, you'll understand: Besides the obvious, that it's fun to visit with my mom and dad, I've been sewing 9 quilt blocks with a 1/4th inch seam. My new sewing machine's needle is set at 3/8ths of an inch and I don't know how to change it yet. If I were to make the last three quilt blocks on my new machine they would end up considerably smaller than the other nine. That would just not work!
I love spending more time with my family. So grateful to be around them, especially around this time of year!