A green day brought the past back

Sometimes you can tell your adult kids what to do but....

He just smiles and says no. 

And that's okay.


But when I really need him he never disappoints. 
Like last night at our Leprechaun party. 

He took over the Red Light, Green Light. 


Then it was switch places, and Logan got to be a kid again. 

Serious stuff to  him.

Thanks to the Ryan family for joining us last night.

Glad I got Brittany in one of the pictures anyway. 

Don't know how I missed taking any pictures of her husband Travis
(unless you want to count this one of him videoing the race)
Logan and Travis were the best of friends starting about age 12
I use to call him my 5th son. 

So bizarre watching their kids play together.....25 years later. 

Téa, Jonas, Hudson, 
and Shroeder (who just got hurt outside and not feeling the best right then)


Last night brought out the reflective mood in me.
So I had to go find some Logan/Travis pictures. 

Most of these were taken 20 years ago. 
TWENTY years. Gone, just like that. 



Travis, Pete Maskovich, Robby Pauline, and Logan go put your shirt on.


Travis, Robby, Logan, McKay
and Pepe Hernandez in front



Logan and Trav with Wendy Karsevar.
One of their favorite teachers, hands down.


Logan, McKay, Travis and his sister Kasey (who by that way has not changed at all in 20 years)


CRAZY how time is. 

If you don't think your life is whizzing by, 
you better think again.

Back in the day, the days were long and the years were short.

Now the days are short and the years are short. 

Why I told them not to come back at Christmas time

So one evening last December while McKay and McKenna were here from Boston,
I had them tell me about their horrible adventure flying out here.

No way do I want them ever to repeat this experience.

 

We never finished this video as I got tired and wanted to go to bed that night.
Then Karen and Tyler arrived and we were too busy having a good time after that.

But they did make it to San Francisco, and Brock drove them the 4 hours to us,
arriving here about 4pm.

About 16 hours late.

We hope they come back next time in the Spring or Summer!


What is it about boys and hammers?


I guess I didn't realize how much a hammer means to a boy. 
And I raised 4 of them. Boys I mean. 


At first I was trying to give our grandson Jonas instruction.

Then Grandpa came along and said, "No not on the floor."


What is it about hammer and nails and male bonding.

Normally whatever Jonas is doing his twins sister insists on a turn. 
But not when it came to hammer and nails. 


She was oblivious to it.

Nor did Jonas notice he put 2 different socks on that day.


Just did not matter to him. 


Completing a project with Grandpa and a hammer 
was what it was all about.

The next morning when Jonas was getting ready to go back home 
he asked if he could keep the hammer. 

We told him the hammer stays here, 
so he can use it next time he comes.

He paused in thought and then said, 
"Can I just hold the hammer again?" 

So we let him have some time alone with the hammer.

After he went home I went to check...


I know it must have been hard to leave it with us, but he did!



The wood kit above is from Woodworkers Kit Club and intended for ages 7 and up.

I learned yesterday that LOWES has some building kits for kids @ $7.98 each. 
I plan to check those out tomorrow. 





The wonders of my week #10

1. Just as I started reading this book, "Carly's Voice," 
and right on page 2 there is this one line in their story 
that describes our neighbors, 
(except for the part about the old bricks).

"We lived in a tidy and well-groomed neighborhood of old brick 
homes, with well groomed neighbors that kept to themselves."


So I'm trying to say that we still don't feel connected to anyone on 
our block and we've lived here for 7 months now
We keep trying.... Maybe when the weather gets warmer??



2. I saw this obituary recently in our paper. I didn't know this 
woman, although I did go to school with one of her sons, so I read 
it. The part that struck me I highlighted:

Must have given her peace the later years of her life 
to know she gave her family her all. 

I've probably said this before here, but my Mom would sometimes 
say to me when I was a little girl: "One of the biggest secrets in 
the world is being a wife and mother is THE best job in the 
world." 



3. Yesterday at church we opened our regular Sunday bulletin 
like we always do....


As I opened it up I gasped, turned to Den and said, 
"How did these BABIES get on the program for Primary?
When did they grow up??"


We do start them early in our church. 
They are just THREE years old.

I never know who is more excited about this. 
The parents, or the 3 year olds. 


4.  McKenna asked if I know of any good names in our family 
history she could pass on to her sister 
who is having a baby any day now. 
I did find one! 

My Great Great Great Aunt Atlantic Ocean Lewis, 
born in 1809.

She was the 11th child of 14.
There must be a story behind her name, but not sure we will ever know!
The other 13 children in the family have normal names.

5. We are loving this stuff.


It comes in other brands as well, I think.
I put it on fish, vegetables, pasta 

and last night on our chicken salad (not as a dressing, just as extra seasoning)



6.  My nephew Jake and Katie had their 2nd baby boy today. 

I think my sister Peggy should get the award for most beautiful Grandma of TEN.

the baton has apparently been passed

I'd been coming to the school theater for 24 years.

But Last Monday night was different though.... Long gone are the days I would come pick up my
sons there. Monday night it was all about our granddaughter Elora. 

She sort of lives there these days practicing for a big play that will open on March 9th. 

So as Den parked the car I told him we should go inside and watch the last part of her play practice.
He said, "We can't do that."  

He was worried we would embarrass her. I told him no, not the way we're going to do it.

We just sit in the back row and observe. We don't go looking for her, we don't approach her.
I know our place.

I LOVE being around teenagers. They give me energy.
So I did talk to a few of them.

One very nice boy came up to us and said, "Have we met before? I think I know you." 
I said I was Elora's Grandma. 
He said, "That's how come you look familiar to me!! You have Elora's eyes!"

Yeah right. I don't have her eyes at all. 
I think he was just trying to score points with the Grandma. 




Speaking of Elora, while sitting in the back, 
our eyes looked around the theater trying to find her.

Den thought she was the girl in the white top...see her right there below?
But as that girl lifted her long white painted fingernails to scratch her head, I said, nope, not her. 

Then looking to the other side, I thought, wait, I think I see her....
the girl next to the boy with the red hat!


Then she stood up awhile later, I could tell it was her!



As she looked our way, Den left at that very moment to get some water. 
He was just trying to give her space. Not me. I didn't want to miss anything.

But then she did the unexpected. 

She came right up to me and in front of her friends 
she threw her arms around me and gave me a big hug. 

She's a sweetheart.

We couldn't help but buy her the treat of her choice on our way home. 
Choc shake and fries.

I still can't figure out how time passes as it does. 

But I guess every Grandma says that, right?


Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...