Grandkid Time

We have enjoyed time with the two grandkids one afternoon a week most of the summer; sometimes more often, sometimes less. The temperatures were 10 to 20 degrees cooler than earlier this month so I decided we (meaning I could handle) some outdoor time with them last week. The city trolley does not run on Wednesdays, as that is one of the options we will be doing before school starts. So I needed another plan. (We have used the museum a lot.) Miss W mentioned her 'most fun' birthday party several years ago was at a splash pad. Ah Ha! I could handle that! The swimming pools are so crowded and a swimming pool would not be my first, second, or third choice anyway. But a splash pad? I could handle that. I just told the kids to bring their swim suits and a towel. The afternoon would be a surprise.

Getting to the location of the city's only splash pad is an adventure. Pass the airport. Behind the state prison. Near an elementary school. We 'worked on' cardinal directions during the drive. (Once a teacher. Always a teacher.)

The cooler temps were a downside to the plan. The splash pad water was COLD. And although the area was in sunshine, the two of them got chilled. As the afternoon wore on, more kids and their parents came to the splash pad, so the kids interacted with kids of their ages.

The saving grace to the afternoon adventure was the nearby playground. It is hard to find park playground with equipment for Miss W to enjoy as well as M. This one worked well.

They would play in the water and then run to the playground for awhile.

Entertainment for a couple of hours. When we left the park, a girl in a wheel chair was enjoying time in the Splash Pad with her parents. What a great opportunity for that young girl!



The two kiddos spent the last weekend in July with us while their parents had a weekend get-away in Minneapolis for their anniversary.

G'pa had given each of them a special date time with him for each of their birthdays. Friday was Miss W's date day. The two of them had lunch at a place of her choosing. No electronics, no games. A conversation date. So her final lunch choice was not her first choice. She survived without electronics and enjoyed her lunch choices.

Then they went to the new Lion King movie followed by an ice cream treat and shoe shopping.

While they were enjoying their date afternoon, M ate at home; veggies and the leftover hot dish from Wednesday night. The look doesn't say it, but he was thrilled to know he was getting the hot dish a second time. (It is a keeper recipe.)

Then M and I went shopping for his school supplies and some new school clothes. I did not take photos of that haul, but here is his needed school supplies. We got everything but the boxes of tissues.

On Saturday M and G'pa had their date time. Lunch, movie (Toy Story 4), ice cream treat followed by shoe shopping. While they were enjoying time together, Miss W enjoyed that leftover hot dish before we went shopping for her school supplies and some new school clothes. Thank goodness for summer sales in July! No pictures of M's new shoes or the bags of clothes and school supplies. (There  are more items on the back side of this list.) I did not buy the Clorox wipes or the tissues. 

Because they are not allowed to bring their electronics to our house, we played games to practice math skills (but don't tell them!) and thinking skills. The last half hour before bed each night was reading time.

A good time was had by all.