Forever Young: March 2011

Monday, March 28, 2011

Grandma's Visit

It's been great having Grandma with us the last few weeks. We've made some fun memories together. Here are the highlights.

1. Shopping, shopping, and more shopping! Grandma gave the girls money to spend for their birthdays, and it started burning a hole in their pockets the second it got in there. So several trips to Justice and one trip to Walmart later, it was all spent and the girls' couldn't be happier with their purchases.

2. Celebrating Mardi Gras! We had Jambalaya and the most delicious king cake ever!

3. A trip (or two.......or more, but who's counting) to Cane's. Grandma, being a chicken lover, just can't get enough. And who can blame her? It is the best chicken ever! She's hoping one will open up in North Carolina close to her. In the meantime, she gets her fill of it while she can.

4. Three words--Ya Ya Yahtzee! We introduced the girls to one of Grandma's favorite games. Lots of fun.......even though I never got a Yahtzee and always had the lowest score. Good times.

5.Picnics and playing at the park.

6. Going to Katie's Chorus Festival. They sounded great, but they didn't make it to state. Oh well. There's always next year.

7. Three more words--biscuits and chocolate! Always a special treat!

8. Grandma being here for Katie's birthday. Priceless.

So glad Grandma was able to come and spend time with us! Can't wait to see you in June!

A Grandma Holiday

My girls said that today was a "Grandma Holiday" since today was the last day of Grandma's visit. And since they don't get to see her enough, I let them talk me into it. So after finishing up Grandma's quilt and helping her get all packed up, we went and grabbed some food and went to eat lunch in the park. It was a beautiful day! After lunch, Sarah wanted to show us how awesome she was at the monkey bars. Great job, sweet pea!

What a beauty!

And then it was Katie's turn.

Another beauty!

This little guy thinks he's as big as his sisters.

And he's pretty darn cute too!

Then Katie pushed John David on the swings.

And Sarah climbed on top of this.

And wanted me to take her picture.

Then we tried to get a picture of Grandma with the kids.

But it turned out to be way harder than it should have been. We couldn't get everyone looking at the same time. So this was as good as it was gonna be for that moment.

Then John David wanted to climb up top like he saw his sisters doing.

So we took him over to the little one, and he did climb on top of it.

Then the kids played on this slide for a few minutes. It was really steep, so the kids flew down it. I'm sure that's why they liked it so much.

Then John David tried this because he saw Sarah doing it.

And then I decided it was time to go, before someone got hurt.

Looks like John David has finally decided to bond with Grandma.......just as she's about to leave. Oh well. We'll see her again in a couple of months, so hopefully he won't forget her this time. What a fun day making memories with Grandma!

Just in the Nick of Time

Last summer when I went home, I helped my mom clean out my dad's clothes from their closet. Some things my brothers kept, some things we threw out, but some of the things that we remember him wearing a lot, we packed up in a suitcase and I brought them home with me. I got the brilliant idea from my SIL Kristen to make a blanket for my mom out of these clothes. I had told my mom that I would have it done for her by Christmas. But Christmas came and went and I hadn't finished it. So I decided that it would be really cool if I could have it done and sent to her by their wedding anniversary in February, but it came and went too, and I still wasn't finished. So when she made plans to come visit for Katie's birthday, I decided that I HAD to have it finished so she could take it home with her.

When I got home and was going through the suitcase one night, Aaron said, "Man, your dad had a lot of blue stuff!" And then he had a brilliant idea. He said, "Why don't you just use all of the blue things to make the blanket for your mom?" I really liked that idea, and decided to go with it.
It took forever to cut out all the squares, and this isn't even half of it. We're going to use what's left to make quilts for each family. But that project is going to take a while, and require more hands. (hint hint--Kristen and Amanda)

Everything on the front, with the exception of the blue on the top, bottom, and sides, is all from shirts, pants, or pjs that he wore. And I put Carolina blue minky dot on the back. I used a t-shirt that my brother Eric and his family gave my Dad as the center block.

I just love how it turned out. I think my Dad would like it too.

My mom said the beginning of this second year without him has been harder than the first year, so I'm hoping this will bring her comfort, and help her to feel my Daddy's love for her (and my love for her too) when she wraps up in it.