Luci's Days - A Party!

When Luci was here for her Days recently, she was so excited because she was going to get to attend Abby Lee's birthday party.  She has always loved fun times and playing with Stephen and Bonnie's boys who are close to her in age.  So, to get to go to a party that was hosted at their house was a special treat.

They played with a plethora of toys and all three lined up like little birds on a wire to eat dinner - more about that in another post on another day.  Surprisingly, Luci ate a good dinner and really liked the vegetables more than the usual kid food - hot dogs.  She really loved the pretty, pink, strawberry birthday cake and talked about how it was pretty and tasted, "really good!"

At one point they went outside and played with water balloons and Luci was thrilled that she hit her targets most of the time - "even Mrs. Bonnie!"

When we were on the way back down the hill toward home, Luci let Mike and I know, "That was a really fun birthday party!  I had a great time!  And I think Abby Lee is starting to like me!"

Grandchildren's Treats

One of the pleasures of a grandparent is getting to provide treats for their grandchildren.  Recently we had Luci visit for a couple of nights.  Sometimes a treat can be something so simple as time alone with us to do whatever they like.

One morning she just wanted to curl up in a chair in her jammies and play games and watch videos on her tablet.  We had eaten a big breakfast of pancakes and bacon and I think I might have dozed off a bit while she did!

We also try to have foods we know that they like and Luci is a lover of  'corn on the knob' (that is what she used to call it when she was younger).

She enjoyed every single bite!

One day we ran an errand to pay the water bill and decided a milk shake would probably cool us down on that hot day and she slurped up every single drop.  

We didn't get the chance to go to the pool like we usually do during the summer due to the limitations relating to the coronavirus.  That was a bit disappointing for both of us.  However, having her perky little personality around sure made for lots of smiles for Mike and me!  So, I don't know who got the most treats - Luci or us.

Fun Times

One day while Luci was here for her Days, Mike went next door and picked up Levi and Easton.  They all played together out in the front yard.  There was a softball game and a game of hide-and-seek and they ran and giggled and squealed. 

Mike said he was ready for some lunch, so everybody piled into the kitchen.  Quickly, Mike and I became a bit like short-order cooks.  One wanted a "baloney samwich" and one wanted a peanut butter and jelly one.  

One wanted corn chips and one wanted potato chips.  One wanted juice and one wanted milk and one decided to drink the rest of the milk shake we'd gotten about a half-hour before and all of them were telling us at once.  

I don't think I have ever seen Mike move so fast or his eyes get so big!  Easton said he wanted a peanut butter one but when I put the plate in front of him and he let me know quickly that it wasn't what he wanted.  He wanted his peanut butter on crackers.

Then, one fellow started acting silly and the silliness was contagious.

Then, the giggles ensued.

A fun time was had by all.

Summer Project #2

While Luci was here for her Days, I decided that we needed a project to do that would keep her busy.  We usually do some baking or cooking together and after we had done that, I got her to help me with a cleaning and organizing project.  One of my cabinets had just become a place for all sorts of junk.  So, I decided we would do a bit of organizing of that space.

I really hate that I didn't get a before or even a photo of her pulling all that junk out of the cabinet.  I'm telling you it was a jumbled up mess!  We threw out lots and made a box for donations.  Then, I filled a bowl with soapy water and Luci took a cloth and scrubbed the shelf and cabinet really well!

She was such a good helper!  Then, I handed her a bin and asked her to test it out on the shelf and she was so proud that it was a perfect fit!  So, we put some empty jars into one and vases into another and she tested to see what would fit and what would not.  Then, I handed her things and she found the perfect place for them and we called it a job well done!

The cabinet holds odd jars, extra spice jars, antique bottles that I sometimes use for vases, canning jars, vases, the vintage juicer (that big metal thing behind the large bottle on the left), a bottle of champagne somebody gave us, and liquor that I use to make marinades.

When we finished, Luci asked if we were going to do tackle another cabinet.  So, I decided that while she was willing, we would clean the island shelves.  She got down on the floor and handed me all the cookbooks and pottery.  Then, she got to Mike's side and started fussing about "all his trash!"  He had a stash of plastic bags, some empty soft drink bottles, an old farmer's magazine, and his medications poked into a basket and a bowl.  

She sounded just like a little old lady fussing about his "mess" as she took things off the shelf.

Again, I fixed a bowl of soapy water and she took a cloth and scrubbed the shelves well!

We let them air dry and added the things back onto the shelves - minus the trash that she fussed about in Mike's little corner!  

One of the things we didn't put back into the cabinet was a stack of cups she found.  She told me that she had a good idea of what she could do with them.  So, she took them to the bedroom and closed the door.  After a few minutes, she called me in to see her creation:

After Luci returned home, the house sure did seem quiet without her.  Plus, I certainly did have a good helper while she was here!

Luci's Days

Bridgette's daughters have traditionally come to stay with me for a couple of days when I am out of school for the summer.  Sometimes when Lillie and Lydia were younger, they would have some troubles at home - not getting along with one another or not being able to stay out of trouble, mostly, and they would need some Days with Grand B. I think it gave their mom some respite from two littles and also gave them a break from one another!

Well, this summer, Luci decided she needed some Days.  (Or maybe her mother and sisters decided she needed some Days so they could have some peace and quiet!)

She liked having some Activities to do after school was closed.  So, I knew that I should plan something for her and I to do.  I also had a project or two that I needed a little nimble being to help me out with.  So, we had Projects as well as Activities plus a party while she was here.

I had seen a tutorial online for creating a patriotic wreath.  So, I thought that would be something she and I could tackle.  I ordered the supplies to be sure I had them on hand when she got here.

Then, we spent one morning on the porch doing our Activity. First, she sorted the red clothes pins from the blue clothes pins - the white ones were a separate purchase.

I showed her how to clip the clothes pins onto the wire wreath form so that they wouldn't slide around and she dove right in clipping them on.

We talked about patterns and she told me lots about them and how she learned about them in school and used them in other Activities or projects that she had done with her mother.

She was very focused and worked hard to get her wreath form going.

Of course, there was also some silliness mixed in as well.  For example, I was told to take a picture of her at this point because it made here look like she had a crazy hairdo!

Oh, there were some distractions.  At one point she had to take a piece of cord that I have out there to tie the porch swing away from the window when the wind gets wild and use it as a make-believe fishing line.  That was a good five to ten minutes of fun pretending.

A major distraction came along and she had to go for her daily ride on the ATV with Mike.  

When they were on their way back to the house, I could hear them squealing and giggling far before they got close to the house!

She did complete most of her Activity with me only adding a few clothes pins.  And was really cute with it.

She took hers home but I hung mine on the door and it still makes me smile as I think of Luci and her busy little self working along on them.

I'll share about our projects that we did together and the party on another post.  Hope you are staying cool in these hot July days!

Time with the Grands!

I wrapped up my school work at the beginning of the month and took a little time to spend with the grandchildren.  I spent a day with Bridgette and her girls doing some shopping and watching the older two play softball.  I didn't take my camera and just spent time watching and interacting and enjoying! 

Then, I went to visit Bryan's family and help out with a little bit of babysitting one morning to free up Jessica for another responsibility she had.  What fun we had.  I did take my camera on that trip but wound up being so busy that I didn't really make so many photos there either.  Sometimes, it is just better to be there creating memories and not trying to capture them!

Linley sure loves her big brother and usually is curious about what he is doing and wants to be right there as a part of it.  She has just mastered crawling well and is very much the busy one.

Harris is pretty good with her and has learned the house rules of what she can have access to and what she cannot.  Most of the time he adheres to that and doesn't have things out that are off limits.  Now, that doesn't mean he is always happy to collaborate with her, however!

Oh, is she learning loads of things, though!  It is so fun to watch them and see them take in the world around them and make their mark on it.

While I was there we went to a church revival, played a bit of back yard baseball, built a train track and ran trains on it, watched an Alvin and the Chipmonks movie, baked some fancy brownies, and had lots of fun.  I sure wish I had more free time to spend with all of them!

Days for the Grands - Lillie's

This is Lillie's week of Days.  She is cashing in her Christmas gift from her other grandparents and us - riding lessons.

She seems to feel like she is as near to heaven as she can get when she is there with a horse.

The young woman working with her seems patient, knowledgeable, and wonderfully sweet.  Of course, I have no idea what they are doing and simply asked lots of questions when I was uploading photos.  Lillie informed me that she was learning to adjust the stirrups whilst aboard the horse in the photo above.

She had just a little bit of trouble getting the horse to lead over to the steps so she could climb aboard.  He didn't seem to want to walk the way Lillie wanted him to in order to have the steps on his left.

The two of them came to an agreement, though, and riding commenced!

They started off slowly with the teacher doing lots of coaching and leading and spinning a leather covered stick to get the horse warmed up and going as they wanted him to do.

Lillie practiced a couple of seating positions but I have no idea what they were called at this point even though she told me about them more than once on the drive home.  The photo above shows her 'posting,' I think.

Soon, she was navigating alone and was responsible for keeping the horse going in the direction she desired and tapping him with her legs and holding the reigns to get him going at a proper speed and direction.  It seemed difficult to me but Lillie kept smiling and working with the horse to get him to cooperate.

She looks so grown up sitting up there atop that big fellow!

I got rather nervouse when they started circling over near to where those fences were set up.  I guess in my mind I was thinking that big old horse would start galloping along and leap in the air and Lillie might fall off or go flying somewhere.  Thank goodness that was on the agenda at all, though.

First, they just went near to the fence and looked at it.  Then, they circled around and sort of ambled over it.  Not too far off the ground at all!

At this point, Lillie was to be in one of the positions she was practicing earlier in the lesson.  I hope she was in that position!  I certainly don't know one way or another but she went across the fence with no incident and I was relieved!

After going in that direction a couple of times, it was time to turn around and go in a circle and come across in the other direction.

I really hate that this picture does not show a clear look at Lillie's face.  If there is an image of pure joy, there it was!

She did that a few times and then tried another fence and made it across successfully.

At one point the horse acted as if he didn't want to do exactly as Lillie wanted him to do.  If I hadn't been afraid of the big fellow, I would have jumped into the arena and smacked him on the nose and said to straighten up!

She took it right in stride, though and got him to circle round and go across the new fence a couple of times.

I think that horse was 'giving me the stink-eye' in this photo but at least he was crossing the fence like Lillie was encouraging him to do!

Again, her whole body seemed to be smiling at this point.

Then, it was time to lead the horse back to the stall and remove all the tack and put it away.  Doesn't she look like a little thing hauling that saddle to the tack room?

Soon, they came out of the stall and she took him over to the fence and sponged him down.

Then, she led him over and opened the gate and unsnapped the lead to let him go out to the pasture for the evening.

She was a really happy girl!