Mostly Chris!

Papa and I had the opportunity to spend some time with Chris on Friday afternoon while Claire, Chloe, Mike, and Paula attended the girls' first parent-teacher conference. At their school, the student attends with the parents and is  asked to set some goals for the next grading period. Paula reported that both girls decided that they would like to be "nicer". That strikes me as very funny since they are both such nice little girls. Their respective report cards back me up on that!

While they were gone we had some laughs with Chris. Chris adores his Papa and even this morning when he saw me after Sunday School his first words were "Hi Grandma, is Papa here?" Papa is equally smitten with Chris.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below the three C's sample their caramel apples that they had made earlier in the day. Their great Aunt Jen had sent them the ingredients and instructions which was very sweet of her. I think prior to this picture being taken each of them had dropped the apple off the stick at least one time. Oh well, they still tasted yummy to them!



 

 

 

 

 

Enjoying Autumn....hope you are as well!

 

Halloween Fun, 2013

Halloween fell on a school day, actually the day I normally volunteer in Claire and Chloe's classroom, so I was able to take part in their fun day at school. All of the children were in costume,  sweet little costumes that indicated how creative their parents were. It was fun to see.

Chloe declared that she was a snow queen/angel. The angel part was added later but she did indeed look like a little angel.

 

Claire was a princess bride and in the picture below we see her consulting with Cinderella about something important. Cinderella's Mom had made her dress and it was so authentic to the story looking. She has twin toddler brothers who came in to the classroom and they were two of the mice from the story and were absolutely darling. Their mother is beyond talented!

 

 

Below you see the class dancing to the music of the song "Dry Bones".

 

 

 

Here is their wonderful teacher and her precious little daughter who stopped by for a short visit.

 

 

 

About mid-morning the school costume parade took place. The Kindergarten children led the parade by marching through the classroom of the 1st graders who then stood and joined the parade and they all went on to the 2nd grade class who then joined the parade until they reached the 5th grade classroom. All K-5 students then marched to the playground area. The middle school students didn't take part in the parade but were outside for some celebration time of their own.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That evening Mike and Paula hosted a little dinner party and trick or treat time for some of the family. Aunt Suzie came as Batgirl and looked beautiful as usual. Below she is holding Chris the dinosaur.

 

 

Paula and Suzie. Paula looked so cute in her long, black wig!

 

 

Claire and Chloe by the door, anxious to get started trick or treating!

 

 

 

Emma is ready too.......with her glow stick....

 

 

Hold on kids...one more little detail before we go.....



 

 

Chris came back with Mommy a bit earlier than the rest of the gang. He promptly took his candy bag and dumped it all in the bowl holding the candy his parents were giving away. He didn't seem to mind sharing at all...

 

 

Someone is looking just a bit weary.... not Grandma!

 

 

 

Someone, believe it or not, was giving away full size cans of soda. Mommy let Chris have a little taste. The three C's hardly know what soda tastes like. 

 

 

 

 

Aunt Batgirl and Chloe the snow queen/angel.

 

 

 

Cousin Ezra, the tiger....

 



 

Three tired looking trick or treaters.....

 



 

 

Batgirl and sweet little cousin Emma.....

 

 

 

It was a long and busy day but the children thoroughly enjoyed it. Again I think of how thankful I am for healthy grandchildren and for the fact that we are able to take part in many of their activities!

 

Welcome November, one of my favorite months of the year!

Deep Into Autumn Activities!

On Wednesday of this past week Claire and Chloe's Kindergarten class visited a local farm and pumpkin patch, The Book Family Farm, and their teacher kindly invited me to join them. I am so glad I did because it was extremely enjoyable and I learned several things that interested me a great deal. Of course Paula was there and Nonie was also able to attend for a portion of the tour and the girls were very excited and surprised to see her. The children were complimented by Mrs. Book for their behavior and for their eagerness to learn. I certainly credit their teacher because she prepares them well, expects the best and seems to get the best out of these children. She is amazing!

Here is Mrs. Book talking to the children at the beginning of the tour.....

 

 

It was a bit of a chilly morning, and some of the children didn't bring a jacket or sweater....

 

 



 

 

Meeting and greeting and feeding the some of the chickens.....

 

 

 

 

Each of the children were given the opportunity to "gather" an egg from the unique rolling hen house. They move it each day, set up the fence and as Mrs. Book told us, the chickens have a new salad bar to feast on each day. Pretty cool.....

 

 

 

 

Time to meet Cinnamon, one of the four milking cows of the group they call the Spice Girls....

 

 

 

 

 

Feeding the geese....

 

 

 

 

 

 

After meeting the pigs it was time to venture to the pumpkin patch and choose a pumpkin....

 



Chloe made a fairly quick choice. Claire was the last in the class to make her choice....kept going from one to the other trying hard to decide..... I didn't get a picture of Claire with her pumpkin. :(

 

 

Fun in the hay maze.............Claire and Chloe......

 

 

 

 

Class picture....



 

Claire takes a minute to take a picture with Grandma....thank you Nonie for suggesting it!

 

 

Claire meets some new friends along the path.....

 



 

 

 

On Thursday when I arrived at school I found out it was crazy hair day and boy was there some crazy hair in their classroom....

 

 

 

On Friday we picked up the three C's to spend the night with us. As it turned out, I invited them to stay another night, and so we had a super weekend of fun at our house. Aunt Suzie, Miss Cheryl, Miss Connie and Mr. Wayne all stopped by for visits. The three C's baked cupcakes which I find I don't have any pictures of, and we happily shared some of them with our friends. Also the highlight of the weekend was the old (and I mean old) aviculturist magazines that Papa had cleaned out. We bought some children's scissors, glue sticks,  and lots of construction paper and you would have thought we had given them a gold mine. Even Chris spent quite a bit of time do art projects. The girls cut and pasted bird pictures off and on for hours. Chris isn't in many pictures because he tended to be hanging out with Papa more time than not, I guess. 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning Chris had found his way into our big bed when I came out of the shower..... on Friday night he slept with Papa and I slept on his camping cot. He preferred that arrangement but we talked him into the cot last night. 

 

 

Shortly after, the girls joined the boys in the big bed.....

 

 

We also spent some time at the park, read books, and the three C's listened to one of Papa's famous stories about Wyatt Earp. They love those stories and beg him regularly to tell them more. Fortunately I usually can busy myself when he is storytelling...they are a bit much for me!

 

Loved our weekend and loved hearing Chris spontaneously say, "I love you, Grandma", several times during his visit. He is beyond precious!