Just Being Silly

Just being silly and making her grandma laugh. Pure joy for both of us!

Fort Building....the next generation!

It is so much fun to watch the next generation do the same things that their parents did as children. The grandkids worked long and hard to collect the wood and rocks they needed to create their fort. The children were very proud of the huge building materials that they had found and hauled to their building site.

The parents however thought it looked more like a fire danger since the "Fort" looked a lot like a huge bonfire ready to be lit. Don't tell the kids!

Checking Out the Big Outdoors

This little guy wonders around nonstop checking out checking out his new surroundings on his recent visit to Flagstaff. He loves chasing the lizards, chipmunks, and squirrels. He also keeps his eyes on the bigger kids and takes it all in. He is as very happy camper when he is playing outdoors at his grandma and Papa's house in the forest.

No Front Teeth ... and Couldn't Feel any Cuter!

"Don't I look cute without my teeth Grandma?" She was very surprised to learn that even Grandma had lost her two front teeth many years ago!

A Beautiful Display of Teamwork!

It was so much fun watching the grandkids working together to get this tree down. You should have heard all of the commands and suggestions that they were yelling out to one another. A lot of muscle, cooperation, and an enormous amount of energy was put into this challenging feat of determination. For grandma.....it was a beautiful display of teamwork!

Pop Star Treats Inc.

Early Saturday morning we received a knock on the door. To our surprise we opened the door to find our nine year old granddaughter who lives right down the street and her friend who was spending the weekend with her.

We were greeted with a well rehearsed sales pitch. They had created a sign reading "Pop Star Treats", a product and price sheet, and a folded up cutout from a Halloween Costume catalog of two Pop Star costumes that she and her friend wanted to earn the money to buy . Their presentation of the cupcakes and their sales pitch were both adorable.

They had spent the day before baking up a storm and they had a WAGON FULL of cupcakes for sale! They had also made mini cupcakes on picks as free samples for their potential customers. They were confident that just one bite of their tasty free samples would greatly sweeten their revenues!

We were thrilled to be their first cupcake customers. Later in the day they hit us up for a car wash, and even later in the day they hit us up for some housework. Each time they returned they had a bit more cash in their tightly clinched fists. When they left our house in the late afternoon they had earned a total of $54! Not bad for a days work at 9 years old.

Creative, hardworking, and adorable are just a few of the words I will think of with this precious memory!

Grandkid's Back to School Party Favors

Pencil boxes (with their names printed on them) filled with a few school supplies were the party favor for this years Grandkid's Back to School Party. The items included new pencils, erasers, a pencil sharpener, a bottle of glue, some stickers, a back pack package of Kleenex, a box of crayons, and some sweet treats.

Before the party started I had a list of rules. (much like you would see in a classroom.) Each child's name was listed and there was a box to check off for each task or rule. The number of tasks or rules matched the number of things inside the gift boxes.

I showed them the boxes at the beginning of the party and we talked about the rules. I explained to them that broken rules would result in a loss of an item or items (of their choice) from the gift boxes.

With Papa and I being so outnumbered and with an outing planned we needed an incentive to help us. Some of the items included following directions the first time they were asked, no fighting, buckling up in the car, being helpful, staying with our group in the parking lot and in McDonald's, eating good, cleaning up, and participating in all of the games and activities. The incentive plan worked like magic. They were quick to remind one another of their potential loss or losses. At the end of the party everyone had earned their complete gift boxes!

The box had to be packed just right to get it all in there. They all loved going through their gift boxes and then the challenge of getting everything packed back in. I was so proud of them as they worked together, assisting one another to get their gift boxes filled again.

Look who Grandma Loves!

Two of my grandson's and their parents took a summer vacation to the beach recently. I had a request of them (the boys) before they left. I asked them to please write a message in the sand for "Grandma" and take a picture of it and send it to me as an activity for them at the beach.

It ended up being quite the task since the waves kept washing it away before they could snap the picture. They endured and got the job done just like Grandma requested. I love it! How can such a simple thing bring a grandma so much joy?

Dance Recital Times Three

My three granddaughters recently performed with their dance school. The college auditorium was filled with all those who were there to support the little dancers. They had been practicing for weeks and weeks for this very special Pink Carpet Event. Custom costumes had been made. Hair, make-up, a limo, lights, fireworks, the whole nine yards. The girls were thrilled to be a part of it.

Our family was there with 100% attendance taking up over half of an auditorium row of seating. All five little boy cousins were there to support and to be entertained by their sweet and adorable girl cousins. Three of the boys cousins 8, 6, and 2 all walked into the auditorium carrying bouquets of flowers for the girls. It was as CUTE as it could be!

The girls did a great job and they were very proud of themselves. They came straight out still in their last costumes following the show to see all of us. They were showered with bouquets of flowers and a flashing photo shoot fit for the dancing diva's that they were!

I am very proud of the girls and equally proud of my entire family who all do such a wonderful job of supporting one another.

Bargains! My Favorite Thing to Find

I went to CVS to have my prescriptions filled yesterday. I chose CVS this time because I had two gift cards that I had received for free for filling previous prescriptions there months ago. While waiting for my prescriptions to be filled I browsed the store. I found a bunch of storage containers at DEEPLY reduced prices. I had been needing some so this was a great find. When I went to check out with my prescriptions the cost was completely covered with my free gift cards and the receipt included a $5 off coupon on any purchase in the store of $15 dollars or more for the next three days.

I went and loaded my cart with thirteen storage containers in a variety of sizes. The CVS shopping carts are very small and I was making a huge purchase so it was very awkward and quite a balancing act getting my purchase to the register. Most of the containers were valued at more that seven dollars each and I didn't pay more than a $1.50 each. On top of that, my total was just over the $15 dollar mark before tax so, I used the $5 off coupon I had just received. My total cost was just over $13 for 13 storage containers. A savings of $60.88!

If mood and happiness boost the immune system as research says then I received a much needed shot to my immune system with this find!

Camp Out Free Time

While Papa and I were prepping the Camp Out breakfast the kids kept themselves busy with indoor coloring projects at the table. Our two oldest campers who are eight and nine helped keep the younger ones busy until it was time for them to come into the kitchen to put in their breakfast orders. It made Papa and I feel very good to have received many of the projects to place on our fridge with hand drawn hearts and hand written notes expressing their love for us. So, so sweet!

Too Cute, to Not Share

I recently took my granddaughters set of scriptures that I had given to her as a gift for her 8th birthday to a bookstore to have her full name printed on them. I took them on a Saturday and I told her that I would return them to her on Sunday at church.

Her middle name is Aileen. At church she came running up to me and asked if I had her scriptures. She quickly looked them over and was very pleased to see that her name was spelled correctly. She told me that she had been very worried that they would spell her middle name to read "Alien!"

My Award Winning Dancers!

This was such a fun day to spend with our granddaughters and their parents. It was the girls first dance competition. It was great to see their confidence and their blossoming dance skills on stage. They looked adorable, they were great members of their dance teams, and they gave it their all!

They won many ribbons and trophies but most importantly they realized the rewards of their hard work and practice. The reward was not only the trophies and ribbons but also the confidence they had gained, the skills they are perfecting, and a sense of achievement for their individual efforts. Great job girls! Grandma is very proud of you.

A BIG Valentine Surprise!

I promise this was NO set up. Just before I left on my trip I posted about "Heart Attacking" someone for Valentine's Day. Papa and I found a very happy surprise waiting for us when we returned home from our trip.

Our first clue was a long hallway that leads to our bedroom was scattered with hearts. Our bedroom door and doorknob, the bedroom walls, furniture, lamps, shutters, bathroom walls, shower walls, mirrors, my bathtub, and even the toilet were all covered in hearts of  all sizes and Valentine colors. Precious personal notes had been written by our nine little Valentines to let their grandma and papa know how much we are loved.

The welcome home surprise brought a big smile to our faces. I laughed and smiled as I read their little notes and as I pictured them in my mind choosing all of the very creative spots they had chosen to stick their hundreds of handmade hearts. 

They were all very excited to hear about our surprise and how much we enjoyed it. They all asked if we saw this one and that one that they had carefully chosen to place. They had been anticipating our return and reaction for a couple of days. Today when we all spoke after school it was very clear that they had had a lot of fun creating this very special Valentine memory for Papa and I!

It is indeed a "Heart Attack" that we will long remember as a very special time. 

The Broadway Babies

Introducing the Broadway Babies! Three of my granddaughters performed with their dance company at a recent community event.  The two younger girls (far left in photos) are part of the Broadway Babies and the older sister (that I am very sad to say, I did not get a photo of because I ran out of memory) danced with the older dance team.

The family was out in force to support the girls in their first stage performance. Three of the boy cousins watched with admiration and excitement as the girls took the outdoor stage to perform their adorable and well rehearsed dance routines. 

The girls were as cute as they could be and they felt like a million bucks. They had their first experience with stage make up and hair. They were all wearing jewels in their hair and matching glittering earrings as part of their dancing attire.

This grandma couldn't have been more proud of the girls for all of the practice they had put into learning the dances and for their courage to go on stage. I was also very proud of all those who attended to show their love and support to their granddaughters, nieces, and cousins!

Holiday Greetings 2008

Here is a collage of family photos that my grown children sent out for Christmas 2008. The photo's show my daughter, her husband, and their three handsome sons. My son, his wife, and their two adorable boys. My three beautiful granddaughters and their very sweet baby brother are pictured without their parents this year. 

Yes, that's right. I'm a very proud grandma of nine!

Adult Night Out Christmas 2008

Without this bunch I wouldn't be a grandma at all! These photo's were taken on the evening of our Christmas adult night out with our grown children while all of the grandchildren were at my home with sitters having a cousin party of their own.

Our youngest grandson came along with us this year. He looks to be having a great time too while giving his aunt a hug during dinner.

My grown children and their spouses are an absolute treasure to me.  I couldn't be more proud of them for the values and integrity that they live by.  I am so grateful for the  productive and self reliant lives that they live and for the example they are to the next generation. They each take the responsibility of parenting and providing for their families very seriously. They also provide and give a lot of love and patience to their children which has nurtured very happy and secure grandchildren for me to love too!

Number Eight....Just Because

This little guy is number eight out of nine grandchildren. I thought I would post a picture of him "just because". He's not getting many photo ops here on his Grandma's blog. He's not big enough to come to the camp out, or the back to school party, so he has not made many of my postings.

He did however attend last years family Christmas tree bonfire where we got this cute picture of him all bundled up for a night out with the family! He will be coming to this years Christmas day camp so you will be seeing more of this adorable little boy very soon.

America's Next Top Model

During commercial breaks of watching America's Next Top Model she likes her Papa to pretend that he is a high fashion photographer and she is the model. Non-stop poses are no problem and Papa's pretend camera captures every single pose.

Sleepover at Grandma's

This little guy along with all of my other grandchildren love to have a sleepover at Grandma's house. He doesn't even mind that he is snuggled up in "less than boyish" bedding. They all have their favorite blankets and when they are all here together we very often have to do some bedding negotiations so that everyone is happy.