A GRAND time

Experienced Mommys

When Cherise and I went up to see little newborn Evelyn, I took this picture of her and Alyssa with their girls, Anabelle and Evelyn. Today I took a picture of them with their bigger kids, Henry and Katelyn. They are such wonderful moms. Rowan, Katie, Evie, Henry and Anabelle are very blessed to have them.

There were nine in the bed and this Gramma said, "Hurray!"

Not exactly "picture perfect" because Rowan was pretty upset that we didn't do our usual boy/girl/boy/girl order. He is only 2 months younger than Danika but I wanted to have them lay down on the bed in their birth order. It would have worked fine except we ran out of room :P Evie had to be held by her brother.

L-R:Wyatt (7), Genevieve (6), Danika (4), Rowan (4), Henry (2), Katie (21mos), Garrett (18mos), Anabelle (6mos) and Evie (3 weeks)

The Grandgirls!

So cute in their eclectic array of pjs. We are not going to be all together on Christmas morning when we usually are wearing new jammies. So this is going to have to suffice for this Christmas season.

Unbelievable goofiness

Katie looks like she is telling Evie how crazy this family can be. She's saying how she can't believe how goofy adults can get when they are trying to get kids to smile for pictures.

"They go like this a make funny noises..."

Out and about

In her spare time

Krystle wanted to start doing some quilting. She did one years and years ago.She made this one for Evelyn. I love it! Makes me want to attempt a piece quilt again. I'm not sure I have the patience.

Aunty Coco the Magnificent

I've had to be in meetings a couple of evenings lately and so Courtney has pitched in with the kids around here. She likes packing around the one year olds.

When she takes pictures, Courtney enjoys taking close-ups. They are great when you have flawless baby skin like these two. Aren't both of them precious?

At the ballet with Genevieve and Danika

I've attended this ballet a few times over the years. This presentation was very different from the others. It's amazing how different choreographers can change the feel of a classic. The story was adhered to and the music was perfect.

The girls stopped on the landing to look out the window on our way to our seats.

They got to dress up in their Christmas dresses. We looked like a pretty festive group.

"Reading" the programs. I'm so glad we got to do this. Maybe we'll make going to "The Nutcracker" a new tradition.

Home Manager

Har and the boys got me a new computer chair for my birthday. All of the grandkids like the hydraulic feature that raises and lowers it. It also rolls and spins. Garrett is getting quite fond of it. He's a mini home manager in the making.

The most wonderful time of the year

"Grand"parenting!

None of the guys were super happy to be in this photo but the girls look pretty good. These were the grandkids that were with me on my birthday!

Keeping "Love and Family" in the holiday

Christmas is all about Family and Love so I kept those pieces of my decor up on the mantle amongst the Christmas trimmings.

My Birthday Celebration

Though birthdays are appreciated each year, I don't celebrate with a party usually. However the kids love to watch people open presents and have cake and well... party. In spite of Genevieve's scowl. The rest of them enjoyed me opening little things from each of them.

Rylan went to the Scandinavian shop and picked up a mug for me. Cherise made a mug with Henry and Anabelle's handprints on it. The boys and Krystle also gifted me with beautiful coffee, tea or hot cocoa mugs. Love them!

We had cake complete with number candles. I was tempted to switch those numbers around and go back 9 years but I'm a big girl and can handle getting older. Only one more year and I get the senior discount!!! Woo hoo!

Logan and Alyssa and kids had this flower arrangement delivered. Gorgeous!

These past couple days have come to be

All About Eve-ee

What a precious munchkin! So content to be held and snuggled.

I don't think Aunty Krystle has had enough of her yet. She is happy to hold her whenever a pair of arms are needed.

Aunty Coco held her and got her to sleep. She looks pretty relaxed.

She obliged her Uncle Cam too. Feeling secure in his experienced arms.

Kate doesn't have the experience down but she's working on it.

She sure has the love down though. Look at that smile! Evie is taking it all in stride. I hope she continues to be an easy baby. She'll do great on the journeys ahead.

A double December birthday celebration

Our friends' Grandkids

Our friends, Tom and Kim, have two grandchildren. Isabella and Vincent. They were both born in December. Bella is going to be 5 tomorrow and Vinnie turned one yesterday. They had a combination party for them. Har and I took 3 of our grands and joined in the celebration.

Bella looked like the princess she is and Vin was cool in his red and black flannel. If it had been black and white it would have looked like a checkered flag and matched his new Jeff Gordon ride on car.

He tried the car out but Bella spent more time on it than he did.

Hilarious birthday request

Bella has always thought it would be so fun and funny to get a pie in the face. She's also wanted to throw one at her Papa. Chocolate cream pies were fashioned for the occasion.

Bella chose Tom to get it first. Then he reciprocated.

What a couple of goofs!

Vinnie's First Birthday Cake

According to his Grandma, Vin doesn't like new textures. He was pretty leery of his birthday cake. It didn't take a whole lot of coaxing to get him to start tasting. He dove in after a bit and made quite the mess.

All in all, a good time was had by the birthday boy!

Welcoming our Winter Friend

This little snowman lives on our porch swing through the winter season. The guys got him out of storage and I plugged him in. It was Garrett's first time meeting him, since last year he was pretty oblivious. The other kids were happy to see him again. High fives and handshakes all around. Now I have to get him set outside. I'm leaving that for another day. Perhaps tomorrow.

A big THANK YOU to Har and Hayden for getting our snowmen set up on the roof and the lights up there too. Slowly but surely it's beginning to get more festive feeling around here.

Season of slug slowness this year

One room decorated

Our main floor bathroom is the only room in the house that is decorated as much as it's going to be. Don't know why I'm lacking my usual joie de vivre that this season brings. But I've got to find some bootstraps and get it back! Because...

For Anabelle and Katie

I did manage to get a couple of sewing projects done. The one above is a Gramma quilt for Anabelle. I have 4 more twin sized quilts to make before Christmas and would like to whip up a couple of throws too. Don't think I'm going to be able to accomplish all that though.

Another double flannel blanket for Bellie-belle.

And one for Katie-kates.

Ready for rain

Garrett wanted to wear these boots that used to be Cam's. They were as long as the little guy's legs but somehow he was able to walk in them. I don't know why we bother with the presents when the kids are so creative in finding things to entertain themselves. Wyatt would be happy with glue, tape, scissors, paper, cardboard, a stapler and markers. He spends hours in creative play.

"Look" where we went!

Our boys needed to get their eyes examined this week. We were able to get them in on Wednesday. Both of them could use the tiniest bit of correction but not enough to require them to wear glasses. So they both opted not to get them. After the appointments we went to the food court at the mall.

We took them and Garrett to Billy Heartbeats.

I think I spend too much time taking crayons away from Garrett for him to trust that it would be okay to draw on the kids menu paper.

My main men!

Gar didn't get the hang of coloring. Harlan spent a little time trying to get him to. I wish I could find the picture we have of Harlan at an easel when he was in about first grade. He was home with some childhood disease and his mom let him quietly work on a drawing. His tongue was firmly between his front teeth in concentration just like in this picture. Creative types have things that help them focus.

The "Lazers" visited Danika's school

The Trailblazer organization provided gifts to the headstart that Danika attends. She said they were "Power Ranger Basketball" players. But insists that they are "Lazers". I wonder if her class sang to them. She starts Jingle Bells with "Bashing through the snow..". Love that girl!

Getting a taste of new "to us" technology

Our far away grandkids are learning so much about technology. We are going to have to invest in a web cam of some sort to be interactive in our communicating with these kids so we don't miss them growing up. They are doing it so fast! Harlan has set up a skype account in preparation for live chats.

Cherise actually took this photo with her phone. But I can picture these smiling little ones and Alyssa and her three getting to video chat with us in the months ahead. It's going to be great!!!

Shopping and stuff

Jack Frost nipping

We've had more mornings with frost than not in the past week or so. It sure is pretty though.

The reason for frosty mornings is clear skies. Which means sunshine when I pick up the kids. Genevieve looks like she's enjoying the rays. I like the lighting provided by the sunshine in Wyatt's picture.

Blue skies and leafless trees. Looks a lot like the beginning of winter.

Both boys got haircuts

Here are before and afters of their haircuts. It was only the second time Garrett has had me cut his hair. He did so well. In spite of being trussed up like a Christmas goose with only one hand and arm out of the cinched sack.

Our sweet Anabelle and wonderful Henry

Little miss Anabelle has an exersaucer now. It has to be all the way to the bottom setting and then some. But her feet touch and she really enjoys being upright.

Henry is so good at playing. He sorts, stacks, and enjoys the musical toys. He had me reading the same two books over and over and over.

Grocery shopping helpers

I rarely take the kids shopping for groceries. There are so many things to draw the group apart. But we had to pick up a couple of things so we stopped on the way home from school the other day. They are good helpers. Whole Foods has a lot of fun toys that were a distraction. Seeing their eyes light up when they were in that area of the store makes me think I need to visit up there by myself before too long.

I like that the clerks are so child friendly. Stickers for everyone!

A quick trip to Cascade Station

Logan's parents were heading north to visit with the new grandbaby. They had something to drop off to Cherise and we had something for them so we met on the east side. They had a little detour off of the freeway and we got to have a lunch outing at Subway. It worked out well. I hope they enjoyed their time with Evie, Katie and Rowan!

Christmas shopping at Lloyd Center

We did NOT buy this bear. It looked so cuddly but was the size of a twin bed!

Courtney and Garrett and Cam posed for me by my favorite trees in the whole mall. The ones decorating Nordstroms. I love the rustic decor with the bird houses and faux birch trees.

Heading home til they return for the Holidays

It was a nice day for a drive through the gorge. We loved having Cherise, Henry and Anabelle here for almost a week.

Shopping again... this time at Fred Meyer

Garrett liked having Danika share his race-cart for a bit. She opted to spend an hour in Playland. I had no complaints as I was able to pick up a few gifts while she was there.

New brews at Burgerville

This futuristic looking machine is the new pop dispenser at the Convention Center Burgerville. It is crazy! You choose the kind of soda you want and then choose whether you want a flavor added. My Coke Zero was so refreshing in lime, orange/vanilla and raspberry.

Holiday Craftiness

I took pictures of Danika's most recent craft items that are decorating her classroom. Don't you love the eyelashes on that reindeer?

Happy Holidays to Danika from Fred Bear. She was wearing this sticker when I picked her up. She was taking it off and putting it on all over her clothes. On the way home I looked in the rearview mirror and she had it smack dab on her mouth.

Sometimes I think I would enjoy the gift of silence.

Because there's not a whole lot of that around here these days.

But then I remember what a gift God's grace is. It is only by grace that we have the abilities and strength to be here for our kids and grandkids at this time. And we look forward to these Holy-days with thankful hearts.