Day 3 - Sunday with the Grand Kids

We attended church on Saturday evening. It seemed easier than getting 4 ready by 8:15 on Sunday morning. (The two older ones having the most trouble!) Miss W was rather upset the children were not called up front for the Children's Sermon. They were the only kids under maybe middle school age at the service. I am sure it did not dawn on Pastor Kathy to have a Children's Sermon on Saturday night. That service is attended by mostly retired folks.

Sunday was a wet, drizzly day. No outside activities, so we did some more baking. Sour Cream Banana Bars in the morning.

We substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream. She filled the measuring cup herself, after locating the correct one.

Mcbe understood he could not help. I told him when he is five he can help bake. He was okay with being able to lick a beater.

That smile says it all. She was one happy little girl. 

ready for the oven

Once she has licked the utensils, she washed the dishes! Well...she played in the water and got them clean enough for the dishwasher. 

I went looking for Mcbe for lunch and this is where I found him. I covered him and let him sleep...two hours. He missed lunch, but got a healthy, hearty snack. 

Miss W asked if Sunday night could be popcorn and movie night. YOU BET! Hubby was attending high school graduation receptions, so popcorn and a movie was perfect.

Monday was also drizzly weather, so no outdoor activities, again. We made healthy breakfast muffins on Monday and had baths that night. We returned the kids to their mother in Brookings on Tuesday morning and spent the rest of the day geocaching. We rested on Wednesday, and are getting the house back in order and eating leftovers. Life is good...

Day 2 with the Grandkids Last Weekend

Saturday morning was nice enough to head to Highland Park for some outdoor fun. One of the reasons we bought this house when we did in 1977 was its proximity of the almost full-city-block-size of this park. (The other reasons were the proximity to the church & and elementary school.) The new and improved playground equipment allows for LOTS of running and climbing and energy expending activities. We had the corner of the park to ourselves.

"Push me, Grandpa, push me!"

brave enough to come down backwards, this year

love the hair from the static electricity

I told Miss W we would make cookies that afternoon after she rested. She did fall asleep for awhile. I had found a cute children's apron at a nearby discount store in AZ this winter. It was just the thing for Miss W. We both wore aprons for the baking project, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies.

She was an excellent helper. I had her locate the correct measuring cup from the stack. We needed a one two, a three four, a one four...you get the idea. She was also very careful in holding the cups when I did the pouring or when she did the scooping of sugar or flour. There was very little residue on the kitchen counter when we completed the mixing. Of course, licking the spoon and the beaters is the BEST part.

We used an ice cream scoop to make the cookies. She was able to release the spring handle to drop the cookies on the sheet for baking.

Good cookies. Good project. 

Perfect rainy afternoon time consumer.

Friday, Day 1 of the Weekend with the Grandkids

We met our son and DIL at the half-way point on Friday to bring the grandkids to our house for the long holiday weekend. The 'big' kids needed a 'staycation' and G'pa & G'ma needed some grandkid time. The weekend forecast mentioned one day of good outdoor weather, so we made plans to pack in the outdoor activities on Friday.

we started with a picnic at the zoo

then a visit to the new children's section

he still won't feed the goats

new animals to sit on

tractors, little & big, to sit on and climb on

a new carousel

a larger horse

the perfect place to sit and get the wood chips out of one's sandals

3 alligators have replaced the penguins

"What you looking' at?"

the traditional animal face photo

mangy bison, still shedding

even mangier camels

the baby Bactrian 

Miss W wanted a photo in the tire nest

so we did

a family of geese walked by

cute little gosling

final stop at the zoo...the fish tanks

then to the zoo playground

and finally, home for naps...well, one of them napped

I am just now getting to the posts from the weekend because, frankly, 1) I was too pooped to do them each day 2) Miss W slept in the office and that is currently the home of the computer with all the photos and 3) there was NO time during the day to have continuous minutes to hours to work on the blog, without interruptions. The g'kids left Tuesday morning. I am in recovery.

Miss W Graduates!

I have an opinion about graduations prior to high school and college. My first teaching job was kindergarten in a small school. The retiring teacher had kindergarten graduation. I did not. Instead, the five and six year olds invited their mothers (and others) to a Mother's Day program where they sang the songs they had learned, recited nursery rhymes, and other cute kindergarten activities to make a parent happy and a grandparent proud. My opinion has not changed.

Last week we were invited to Miss W's preschool, end of the year program. We wouldn't miss it! Miss W's daddy was so self-conscious in front of an audience at her age. Hard to believe, I know, but he was. So it is a joy to watch his very animated daughter 'perform.' But before we get to Miss W, I have to share photos of Mcbe.

He greeted us at the church wearing this awesome sport coat and shirt. Aunt Hilary loves shopping for clothes for these two. It has taken the pressure off Grandma!

Mcbe was also the little guy who did not talk much. OH MY, has THAT changed! He talks non-stop. Here he is sitting on Grandpa's lap telling him something really important.

Momma videoing the program for Daddy who was 

out-ot-town for work

singing "Six Little Ducks"

...with the feathers on their back...

one of Aunt Hilary's B-Day gift to Miss W

the dress with matching tights, the hair bow, the boots

and later you will see the coat

Absolutely Darling!

story about monkeys and an alligator

acted out story/book "Caps for Sale" 

aaahhh, the construction paper graduation caps

with a colored yarn tassel

proudly holding her preschool certificate

It was fun to hear the same songs and rhymes I taught five and six-year-olds 44 years ago, and the same books and stories. Some of the OLD standards are still the best and have survived time. Miss Sue, the teacher and only teacher, the program has had, is retiring this year. I wonder if next year's program will be similar???

After the 20 minute program, Miss W went shopping with Grandma. I had promised a doll, princess doll, of her choosing, for her birthday. She was ready to select the doll. Grandpa said we should stop for ice cream after the shopping trip. So we did.

the blue coat for the outfit

so dang cute!

Miss W and Elsa

We did have a discussion about what she wanted in a doll...to change clothes, to play with her brother, to whatever... She had her heart set on this one, so Grandma caved, but so would have Grandpa. You are only 5 years old once.