Christmas 2009

I'm a happy YaYa.. I had my entire family here for Christmas.. lots of noise.. lots of people.. lots of gifts.. too many in fact.. but mostly lots of love.. even a backed up septic didn't spoil my enjoyment of the day. Truly a Griswold Christmas and I loved every minute of it!

I'm wishing you each and every one a Happy and prosperous New Year...

Christmas Happenings

Okay, since I just lost an entire post I'm going to make this short. House decorated as much as it will be, gifts .. some wrapped.. most not.. too many purchased... Gibsonville lighting of the green, check, Christmas parade, check, Burlington, Graham and Mebane parade, not...

Candy marathon, check, Courtney's candy marathon, check, more candy being made today..

Wish me luck..

Thanksgiving 2009

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have so much to be thankful for... family and friends to name a few.
It was a little different this year. Courtney and Spencer chose not to spend Thanksgiving with the family and had their own dinner with a friend's family and I missed spending time with them...
Christopher had to work... I missed spending time with him.
For a few years we've been fortunate to share Thanksgiving with Cindy's parents. This year they had family in from out of state and decided to spend their holiday at their home with them.. I missed them... Rik, Cindy, the girls, Susie, Frank and the girls were all here.. we had a great time.. I think we all ate too much!
Susie thought she was going to get out of the annual Black Friday search... ha! As if! She caved.. LOL.. Michelle, Cindy and Susie checked the ads to see where the best deals were and plotted our route... although we didn't get all we planned on purchasing we did have a good time.. once the shock of being out at 3:00 AM wore off... Breakfast was wonderful... gave us strength to carry on... the lines were long but we had a great time ... Maybe next year Cindy can go... due to work she couldn't this year!
Now to get the decorations up from the basement and distrubuted where they need to be.. less is more this year, less is more.. I'll keep saying that until the last light is strung, the last ornament is placed and the last stocking is hung.............
To be continues...

Holy Cow..

has it really been that long since I made a post? For cripes sake where have I been?

Witches and goblins and dancers...

oh my!!

Saturday we went with Cindy, Rik, Michelle and the girls out Trick or Treating. Maddie really got the hang of it this year. It was such fun! Rik made Maddie's costume.. a witch.. and she was a cute one! A group of people walked by and commented on the "cute witch".. Maddie, being very serious tugged on my hand and said ... "YaYa... they think I'm a witch.. acutally, I'm just a little girl DRESSED as a witch ya know!"... so cute!!! Sophia being Sophia didn't want to wear the pink poodle costume after having worn it earlier in the day.. it was a little hot.. she also didn't want to wear a cute red dance costume that I put her in so as a last resort I put her leggings on and slid on one of Courtney's tutu's.. from WAY back in the day! Sophia was happy with that and went out into the neighborhood ready for action! All was well until we got to Susie's house.. they expected to see RahRah, Shelly and Susie.. all they saw was 4 Jack-o-lanterns with candles burning, an empty bowl and a note on the door.. something about Goblins and candy.. and them being gone.. I don't know really, didn't read it all.. We told the girls that they weren't home.. it was all good... they moved on to the next house and got candy there.. in the end that's all that mattered! LOL.. the Candy.. Sophia when given the choice always chose a "pop".. she loves suckers.. I'm pretty sure her pail was 3/4 full of nothing but suckers!

I was amazed at both girls.. neither tried to eat one piece of candy until we got back home.

All in all it was a great night.. add in an extra hour of sleep.. well, you get the idea.. although I didn't actually sleep that extra hour.. it still was a good night!

Halloween Fun

Every year we decorate large round hay bales ... this year I had help! Looks great! It's amazing how many cars will pull off of the highway so the drivers/passengers can get a better view or take pictures! Last week a deputy stopped by.. hmmm.. maybe that's the key to actually getting them to help!!

Boy.. am I ever slow getting this posted...

I have a new grandson!! Benjamin Graham Shelton checked in on October 7, 2009, 3 weeks earlier than expected... and much faster than I think anyone expected.. Courtney was at the hospital roughly 30 minutes before the little man appeared!!! He's doing great.. was a little yellow and had to wear a biliblanket for a couple of days after coming home but is now looking good! Zeke is an awesome big brother and is so cute to see when Benjamin cries.. I hope they'll grow to be best friends...

My family is growing by leaps and bounds and I LOVE it!

It's family time again...

our annual family cookout was held Saturday Sept 12. I'm glad to spend time with family I don't see often. My kids all came so we took the opportunity to do a family picture! This is a first!!

There were thrilling rides at the park. I didn't make it up that far this year.. guess I was too busy gossipin'.. as if I'd gossip! You know I'd rather walk on my lips than say ANYTHING bad about ANYBODY! I don't think Zeke rode any of the rides but the girls did. Such fun for them all!

Good food and plenty of it was there! I don't know about everyone else in the family but I look forward to this every year. It's a memory to keep forever. I only hope others feel the same way. Family is family, good or bad... you need to enjoy them while you can.. one day they will be gone and there is no going back.

School Dayz........

Maddie has started pre-school. So far, so good. It's amazing the attitude these people have. So encouraging, which is great! Last year's experience left a lot to be desired! Never in my wildest dreams did I think a program would allow a teacher to constantly tell the kids they were bad.. day in.. day out.. by October I had had it and so had Cindy, Rik and Sandy.. although Sandy did give them a chance for redemption by going to speak with the director it didn't do any good.. so, out Maddie came. Best decision ever made. I can already tell just by picking Maddie up on the first day these folks have a great program. They allow parent participation too which is good. I hope Maddie will make new friends and continue to enjoy going.

Fall is coming!!! Fall is coming...

You know fall is right around the corner when Starbucks begins to sell Pumpkin Latte!!! Guess what.. they're selling Pumpkin Latte.. not that I drink it.. but, it's a sure sign for Fall..

Come on Fall!!!

My first Award...

Thank you Kathe for giving me an award... I was so surprised and I'm so thankful!
It took me a while to post it because it took me a while to figure out what I was supposed to do! Thank you Sharron for helping me!!

What was I thinking??????

hahaha... I've started a part time job! LOVE IT... but what was I thinking? I am now enrolled in a 3 hour class.. today... anyone that knows me knows how much I despise school.. LOL.. well, not really, but these days it does take more time for things to register. I sure hope they have a copy of MLS for dummies there!
Wish me luck friends.. I'm a nervous wreck!!!

On the road again..

just can't wait to get on the road again... or in this case.. on the road for the first time. Ever since Zeke was born I've wanted to paint him a little coupe car.. a couple of weeks ago I did... well, I started to but Rick decided he could take it apart and paint it much better.. so I let him.. pretty smart wasn't I?

After much grumbling on my part about the paint peeling off ... Rick finally got it pretty much as good as it would be... (do not ever ask the paint "expert" at walmart if Outside use means it will stick to plastic.. he will tell you it does.. I will tell you it won't!!!)

I'm a stickler for the little things so I had to make this "Zeke's ride"... meaning a lot of Carolina add-ons.. He sure looks like he is enjoying his car.

I think I may have stumbled on to something here.. maybe a pink and purple ride for Sophia? hmmmmmmmm....Yes I can see a cottage industry here as soon as I find the perfect paint.. and the used "unloved" coupe cars.. anyone have any to get rid of? LOL

You say tomato.. I say to-mahto...

this girl loves tomatoes.. I'm mean, she LOVES them.. It amazes me.. disgusts Rick! LOL.. he's not a tomato fan.. Maddie will pick them up and eat one like she's eating an apple. Here area few shots of her enjoying a very juicy, fresh from the vine tomato.

Birthday Boy...

I can't believe Zeke is already a year old.. where did the time go? I don't get to spend nearly enough time with him.. I feel like he doesn't really know his YaYa or vice versa .. that makes me sad.. but, when we are together, I try to make up the time.. he's such a joy! It amazes me each week to see what new thing he has mastered. I can see he's going to be a pro ball player... he loves balls and books... you can see his mind spinning when he's sitting in his favorite chair... trying to figure out what to do next. I think in the next few weeks Courtney and Spencer are going to see just what a little man he is as he's getting in to everything that catches his eye!

Flower Children...

I had hoped to get photos of all the grandkids in the sunflowers.. Zeke didn't stay long enough to check it out but I did get the girls.. Maddie loved it.. Sophia, being Sophia could have cared less. The bees are enjoying it although a beekeeper at the zoo told us not to plant sunflowers if we were expecting to harvest honey.. Odd.. since a beekeeping site sent me sunflower seeds for that reason.. and to help promote bees... anyway, bumble bees have been enjoying the flowers nonstop since the first one opened. I have shared the beautiful flowers with Courtney and Susie...I think they both had allergy attacks within 24 hours because of my generosity.. Susie put her flowers on the deck, Courtney kept her's in the house.. but, then again, I never mentioned the connection to her when she told me she wasn't feeling well the day after getting her bunch... I wisely left them in the field to enjoy from the comfort of my home!

Summer time... and the living is easy...

lalalalala.. or so they say.. this summer has been hot as blazes!!! Maddie's pool looks pretty good to this YaYa.. and if the "neighbors" wouldn't peek over the fence and think they had seen a whale this far inland I do believe I'd be in that thar pool!!! ha!

The garden is about done in.. too many high temp days and not enough water..but it's been a good year.. the green beans are done... only got a couple of pickings from them... the watermelon are about ready.. which in my opinion makes for good eats all the way round. The corn was pretty good .. had to fight deer and goats off in the beginning but managed to get a few ears of corn put aside for winter... did I mention tomatoes? Well, let me tell you.. I'm getting them... the best year ever!! ha! I've frozen tons and made juice from tons and have eaten tons.. and.. still have tons to be harvested! Too bad you can't freeze them for sandwiches in the winter.. ha!

An update on the grandkids.. all are well. Maddie has finished dance.. we've put her on the list for the fall session. She seems to have liked it although I hear she was a regular chatter box during observation week.. I wonder if Mickie can handle her? I sure hope so.. she's too cute for words in her tutu!
Sophia is speaking more.. but still I have to wonder what goes through her mind.. she gives you these looks as if to say "you'll never figure me out ah-ha!" and I do believe that.. she's definately in to everything these days.. she's learned to climb on the couch and in my chair. Let me get up and she's flyin' in it too.. with that little grin .. knowing it's my chair and she's not giving it up.. at all... Zeke is moving along at a high rate of speed too.. he is still doing the comando crawl and running in his walker. The new thing I saw today is climbing in his chair.. Courtney says he's climbing the stairs too! Scary!! Today when I went in I was greeted with a huge smile.. warms my heart to know he does love his YaYa.. I tried all day to bribe him to say YaYa.. offering a dollar didn't seem to impress him.. but I swear.. I'm positive he did say it.. and I didn't even have to fork over the dough! LOL. I'm sure his mama would disagree.. but you know, us YaYa's know a different language .. NaNa's do too.. so, I'm sure, absolutely positive he called me today..

We discovered a new way to blow bubbles.. easy peasy! The kiddies LOVED it.. I guess they spent the better part of 2 hours playing with these bubbles, inside and outside! What a great way to spend an afternoon and it didn't cost a dime.. well, maybe a dime.. but that's it!

4th of July

It was definately a different 4th around here. Usually the entire family is here for a cookout and splashing around in the gibsonville pool at some time during the day. This year Rik, Cindy, the girls and Cindy's parents came out. We had fun but I missed my other kids.. such is the life of an adult parent I suppose. I don't have to like it, but it's true...

We had a great time together. Maddie is a pro at fireworks now and found Paw-Paw's to be a little boring this year. Sophia didn't like them one tiny bit!!! She screamed louder than they were popping. Gabe of course cowered in the bed as far away from them as possible. He had to be apologized to with a cup of vanilla ice cream!!!

wii fit update...

so, that daggum little cartoon character still goes "Ohhhhhhhh" when I step on the wii board.. but every now and then, just when I'm about to put my foot through the tv, I get this "GREAT" from him! Today I did the fit test and I'm tickled to say I'm down 3 lbs !! That's a pound more than I set for myself in a 2 week period. This character wants my obese butt to do the test daily but I can't take the failure I know I'll see each day so I decided on a 2 week limit. I'm down a total of 6.9 lbs in 6 weeks... I think that's pretty good! My goal is to drop at least a lb a week and work my way to fitness so I can keep up with these amazing grandkids I have... no way am I going to be the "granny" of yesteryear.. I want to boogie right beside them all!

Thought you'd like to see other's that are enjoying the wii fit program too! Sophia loves a ball... she doesn't care if it's Gabe's ball or one on the tv... she just loves balls!