Guess Who Turns Four Today...

It's almost impossible to believe that four years have already passed since grandson, Caden, entered this world!  It seems like it was just yesterday.

I still remember the day well.  I was in the middle of hosting a Christmas luncheon for Ed's co-workers when I received "the call".  I hastily left my food in the care of others, and my daughter and I headed to the hospital.  We were able to make it to the hospital about an hour before Caden arrived.

These days, Caden is a typical, active, little boy.  He spends his days playing with his farm toys or his Thomas the Train play sets.  He still enjoys driving the tractor he received for Christmas last year, and looks forward to hitching a ride on "E's" big tractor whenever he can.  Riding in Grandpa's old pickup, on trash day, is also something Caden often looks forward to.

Caden now spends his days in the company of his baby brother, Chase, who will celebrate his first birthday later this month.  Caden's a very loving and protective big brother to Chase.  I hope this will always be the case.

Happy Birthday, Caden!  Mimi wishes you lots and lots more happy days ahead.

Guess Who Is Learning How To Read...

Things are certainly changing around here.  Some days I look around, and wonder where time went!  Wasn't it just yesterday when our little "Maddie" was toddling around the living room watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?  I spent a lot of time with little "Maddie" back in those days, but these days--not so much.  As I mentioned, things are changing.  It's a bit sad, but it's just the way life is.

First of all, our little Maddie isn't so little anymore!  She's growing into a beautiful young girl, and these days she prefers to be called "Madison"!  Madison has a very busy and fulfilling life of her own these days.  She has Alex, the little boy her mama keeps, to play with and keep her occupied whenever he's there.  She is also attending a private K-5 program, and goes to school from 8 until 12 five days a week.  Then, of course, there's AWANA on Wednesday nights, and some homework to do, too...Oh, and did I mention that she has a new puppy, too?

The other evening I had the pleasure of hearing Madison read to me for the first time!  She did an excellent job, and I was one proud MiMi.  My mind couldn't help but wander back to my old days of teaching reading in first grade. I've listened to scores of first graders reading out of the very same book, but none of them made my heart sing quite like Madison did!

Madison has always loved books, and I hope she always will.  I'm a firm believer that if you can read, you can do anything!  Way to go Madison, keep up the good work, and come back and read to me anytime!

Trick-Or-Treat - They Sure Are Sweet...

All three "grands" posing together

Chase the duck, with his brother, Farmer Caden

Madison, the cowgirl

Ed and I only had three trick-or-treaters come our house on Tuesday night, but I happen to think that our three little visitors were the best of the bunch!  That's probably because they are my grandchildren!  As usual, I had a "goody bag" waiting on our little visitors when they arrived, which they promptly tore into!

This year, our little ones came dressed as a cowgirl, a farmer, and a duck.  All were equally precious, but that little duck with those striped legs just stole my heart!  I couldn't help but think about the year his brother showed up dressed as a skunk!  Then, of course, there was the year his brother was dressed as a monkey, too...

Our visitors didn't stay long, but they did take a moment and allow me to take a few photographs.  Some of them were more willing participants than others, but all participated.  What can I say, except "Like father, like son.", his daddy was the same way, when it came to having his picture taken.

I'm told that all three "grands" now have lots of candy, which they will enjoy munching for the next several weeks.  Oh the joys of being a kid!

Male On The Move...

It's official, as of last week, our little Chase became a "male on the move"!  He's learned how to crawl.  Almost overnight, it seems, Chase went from scooting to crawling everywhere.  Last Friday evening, Chase kept all of us busy keeping him out of trouble!  It's been a while since we had an active baby in the house.

Why is it that second or third children seem to grow up so much faster than first ones do?  Judging from the gleam in Chase's eyes, I'd say it's so they can keep up with older siblings!  Chase seems to adore his older brother, and Cade feels the same way.

Chase seems to have outgrown his "cranky phase", and is now a happy, busy little boy.  He also loves to eat.  Now, if those first aggravating teeth would just come on through so he could chew!

Chase's dark brown eyes just sparkle with excitement, these days, and one of his favorite words seems to be "Yay".  He understands praise, which tells me he gets a lot of it.  This speaks volumes for his parents, and makes this MiMi happy.

Time Is Passing...

Where has this summer gone?  It's nearly over, and I don't think I've posted but two or three times!

The grandchildren have had a busy summer.  Madison and Caden have both been on fun vacations with their families, and have been involved in various summer activities throughout the summer--including VBS and swimming lessons.

Chase has spent his first summer learning how to navigate.  He's gone from rolling to pulling up.  He can scoot, but hasn't quite gotten the hang of crawling yet.  I suspect it won't be long, and he'll be trying to keep up with the other kids.  It seems as if he's growing up more quickly than the others.

Summer is nearly over, and soon Madison will be beginning her second year at "Busy Little Beavers".  She'll be attending their newly-formed Kindergarten class.  She'll be attending school five mornings a week, instead of four.  She's lucky that she's already familiar with her teacher and her surroundings.  I hope it will be a happy and productive school year for Madison.

Caden will be enjoying another year at home, in the company of his mom and little brother.  He won't turn four until December, so he still has some time...He started attending "Storytime" at the library over the summer.  "Storytime" is when the librarian reads several books out loud, all with a common theme, then follows up with a craft project.  She also teaches the children a few "wiggles songs".

I'm so happy that my grandchildren have been able to spend all of their early years at home with their mothers.  What a blessing for them!  I don't regret a single day that I spent at home with my own children.  Time passes too quickly, and children are just too precious give up, until you don't have a choice!

I haven't posted here as regular as I once did.  I keep telling myself that I need to get back into the routine of posting regularly, but the truth is--I just don't have the time and energy anymore.  What a difference a year or two can make when you are older, especially when you have health issues!  It takes me twice as long to do half as much as I used to do :)  Gotta' love growing older.  Until next time, here are a few grandchildren pictures...

Caden at the library

Chase up on his hands and knees

Chase and Caden going for a wagon ride

Madison and Caden playing at the park

Caden and Madison roasting giant marshmallows

Where Are You Going, My Little One?

Today's post will be an update on grandson, aka "Baby Chase".  This is the last time I feel like I can call him "Baby Chase", because he is growing up so fast!

Chase continues to be a "Mama's Boy", and there isn't a thing in the world wrong with that!  While he gives the rest of us tiny smiles and some of his attention, he saves the best for his mama.  His smiles for her can light up the room!  Here's what Chase's face looked like after his mama left him with me earlier this week...So serious--almost sad!

I had the pleasure of Chase's company for a while on Tuesday morning.  It's rare that I have Chase all to myself, without any of the other "grands" around, but the others had gone to the park with their mamas, to play.  I'm not sure Chase knew what to think about being left behind, but I was tickled to have him all to myself.

I threw the old bean bag down on the floor and got down on Chase's level--something that's becoming increasingly hard to do these days!  Chase and I  played for a bit, and before long,  he began to enjoy himself.  I loved watching him explore.

After a while, I got the chance to sing and rock Chase to sleep for his nap--one of my favorite "grandma things" to do.  It's good to know that I still haven't lost my touch!  Is there anything more precious than a sleeping baby?  I would have taken a picture, but I was afraid I'd disturb him!  As it turned out, Chase's daddy called--and did disturb him!

Believe it or not, Chase is already seven months old!  He's rolling both ways, and actually pulled up for the first time on his seven month birthday!  I suspect that he's in a hurry to grow up and have some fun with his big brother, Cade,--who happens to be growing like a weed himself!

Look Who's Learning To Read!

I'm still trying to get a handle on this new blogger dashboard, as well as find the time to keep up a second blog!


Our garden is history at the moment, so perhaps I can now do better! 


 Summer is quickly passing, and boy is it hot! Everyone pretty much stays indoors due to the heat. 


Madison's mama has been keeping her busy with lots of indoor activities, and of course, Madison plays with Alex, the toddler that her mama is now keeping.  Those two have a great time playing together! 


 Some of Madison's indoor activities have included school work. Here's a preview of some of what she's leaned so far...I'm so proud! 

Blogger, I have a problem!

Imagine my surprise when I finally popped over here to write a post, only to discover the top section of my dashboard is covered up!  I can't get to the section where the title goes, or to the draft or publish buttons.  I can barely see the bottom orange edge of the "publish" button--and I can't seem to figure out what the problem is...

Has anyone else ever experienced this problem?

I'm going to click on the "orange edge" and see if this will publish.  Of course, even if this publishes, I still won't be able to give this post a title.  I'll keep searching for an answer to my problem...

Maddie Loses Her First Tooth...

Last Friday evening, June 22,  marked another important milestone in the life of our granddaughter, Madison.  She lost her first tooth--with a little help from her dad!  The first tooth was quickly followed by the losing of a second tooth on June 24.  Madison pulled the second tooth out by herself.

We'd been expecting these baby teeth to come out for several days, since the permanent teeth had already come in directly behind them, and were completely through.  For a while, Madison had been the proud owner of 4 front bottom teeth!

The tooth fairy made a visit to Madison's house on Friday night, and left her five dollars.  My how times have changed!  I remember getting a quarter for my teeth, while our own children usually got a dollar.  I guess the tooth fairy has to take inflation into account, these days!

Another thing that's changed is how this whole thing with the tooth fairy works at Madison's house.  There's no placing of the tooth under Madison's pillow!  Madison has a special little pillow with a "tooth pocket" which hangs over the door knob of her bedroom.  The tooth fairy doesn't even have to enter Madison's room--which was certainly fine with Madison!

Man, the tooth fairy has it made these days--except for the amount of money that she has to leave!  Five dollars per tooth--let's see, that could run into quite a bit of money over time...and inflation is still on the rise!

Little Things Mean So Much...

My husband and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary on June 18. As usual, we went on a little "anniversary get-away" to celebrate.

 I wanted us to just concentrate on being with each other, without any outside distractions, so I left my laptop at home--something I rarely do!

 Ed and I had a fabulous time enjoying each other's company, while sitting in the sand, and soaking up the wonderful, relaxing atmosphere of the beach. I like to think of the beach as "my little piece of Heaven on earth".

 We got back on Tuesday evening, but I didn't check my computer. When I finally got around to checking Facebook and my email, here is what I found: 


    

 These two delightful boys are our youngest grandchildren, Caden and Chase. They belong to our oldest son, and this photo greeting is special to me for several reasons!

*The oldest boy, Caden, hates having his picture taken!  He runs at the sight of a camera, yet here he is smiling and posing!

*Getting two small children to pose and smile at the same time is a real feat!

*It really means a lot that our daughter-in-law, Christina, took the time to make that sign for Ed and me, then surprise us with the greeting via email and Facebook!  Time is a precious commodity for a mother of two small boys.

Thanks so much for the well-wishes, guys!  We'll treasure the photograph always.

A Little "Chase Update"...

I'm afraid that I've been a bit slow in posting updates concerning our youngest grandchild, Chase, and I feel bad about that.  I'm getting older, time is passing more quickly, and sometimes I feel like baby Chase gets lost in the shuffle of daily life.  I remember feeling the same way about my third baby.  Perhaps age has something to do with it, or perhaps it's birth order, who knows?

I'm proud to be able to say that Chase is a very healthy, active,  little one.  He recently turned 5 months old--already!  I can't believe it.  Like I said, "time is passing quickly".

Chase has a very serious nature, he can look right through you with those piercing brown eyes--and he's also a "Mama's Boy".  He likes to have his mother within his sight at all times!  Chase also loves to eat!  I've never seen a baby get so excited at the prospect of being nursed.  His enthusiasm is unmistakable!

Recently, Chase discovered "his voice", and delighted all of us with the different sounds he is learning to make in his throat.  He's also discovered his feet, how to hold a toy, and is currently learning to sit alone.  He's got a way to go before he can sit without falling over,  but he's learning.

Just yesterday, I watched as Chase found great delight in watching cousin Maddie's swim suit dangling from the ceiling fan above where he was laying.  Who needs fancy toys? Ha!

I find that I haven't taken as many photos of Chase as I did of the other two "grands".  (It was the same with our third child.)  That could be because there's always a lot more going on, and everything takes a bit more effort than it used to.  I need to do better in this department!

I did manage to take a bit of video about a month ago--which I'm just getting around to sharing.  His serious side is evident in the video.

Here's little Chase enjoying one of the baby toys at MiMi's house:

These Boots Were Made For Stompin'...

A little over a week ago, we had a storm of epic proportions in our "neck of the woods".  The sky quickly grew dark, and the wind began to blow.  Within a matter of minutes, three of the pine trees in our yard were snapped in half and lay on the ground--only missing our home and storage building by mere inches.  Next it began to hail!  By this point my nerves were very frazzled, so I sought safety in our large whirlpool tub until the last of the storm had passed.

Here's a photo of grandchildren, Madison and Caden, showing off their rain boots after the storm had passed.  Nothing like making the best of a bad situation--by stomping in a few mud puddles after the rain!  What child doesn't enjoy doing that?

I could have used a pair of those boots myself--to stomp away some of the tension left in my head following that storm.

All's well that ends well--at least all of those trees missed the house!  The only problem now is I tend to freak out every time the wind blows...Gonna' have to buy me some rain boots, and do a little stompin'!

Busy Little Beavers...

Monday marked the end of granddaughter, Maddie's, year at "Busy Little Beavers' Christian pre-school.  Their closing program was held on Monday evening.  They used a "western" theme for their program.

I've never seen a more cute and "eager" little bunch of little "beavers" in my life!  There were twenty-two "beavers", in all, along with their three teachers.  It was an awesome group!  The enthusiasm of the students was very evident.

It was so impressive to see how much those children had learned in the short amount of time they spent at "Busy Little Beavers-"!  The three-year-old class knew all of their letters, letter sounds, and numbers up to twenty!   The four-year-old class had built on the skills learned in k-3, and actually read for us--and counted to 100--and told us how much coins are worth! These are all skills we were teaching in first grade when I worked at school!  (Oh, what has happened to our public school system???)  Last, but not least, both classes showed off many of the Bible verses they'd learned throughout the year, and they also delighted us with several songs and recitations.

At the end of the program, each student was recognized and presented with an award.  Madison received "The Humble Helper Award".  The teacher shared how Madison was always willing and eager to help her out.

The program was held in our local Methodist church, so it was a bit crowded at the front of the church..  I didn't have a particularly good seat (again), so I could only see Madison at certain times during the program.    I filmed a short clip of what I could see best, and will share the clip at the bottom of this post.  Madison's the one on the far right who says, "I don't care!" during the recitation.

Great job, Madison!  You make this MiMi very proud!

A Mother's Day To Remember...

Last Sunday afternoon, which happened to be Mother's Day, our family was all sitting around feeling very full and content after the delicious meal that son-in-law Clint prepared for all of us for Mother's Day.  Baked ham, fresh green beans, macaroni and cheese...it was all delicious!  He not only cooked, he cleaned up the kitchen, too!  What a man!  

Anyway, as we were relaxing, 4 1/2 month old baby Chase was sitting there, happily babbling, when out of the blue he said "Mama" as clear as a bell!  Those of us who heard him "speak" were quite surprised, since we'd never heard him make any specific sounds resembling words.  What a special, and very memorable moment that was for his "Mama"!

Is anything more special than hearing the word "Mama" for the first time?  It makes this mother's heart sing!  I'm sure Chase will say "mama" at least a million more times in his future, but it will never be quite as special as that first time--especially since he chose to say it on Mother's Day, with a room full of witnesses!

What a Mother's Day gift!     

   

Madison's 2012 Dance Recital

A couple of weeks ago, our granddaughter, Madison, participated in her dance recital.  This year's recital was held in the same auditorium that Madison's mother danced in--almost thirty years ago!  What a walk down memory lane that was for me!

Not a lot has changed...The seats are now padded and more comfortable, but the old auditorium is still very crowded and it's hard to see the stage, unless you are in the first few rows of seats--which I wasn't!

The auditorium was already half-filled when we arrived--and we got there one hour early!  To get a good seat, one had to arrive two hours early--and stand in line outside for one of those two hours!  We arrived five minutes after the doors were opened, and we ended up with horrible seats--mid-way back in the auditorium!  We couldn't even see the dancer's feet because we were so far away.

I didn't spend much time taking pictures or video, but I did manage to get a clip of Madison leaving the stage after her first dance number.  We all enjoyed watching her "exit swagger"!  My video isn't the greatest, due to the distance I was from the stage, but I tried!

During the second dance number, it took me a minute or two to even figure out which child was Madison!  It was dark, and I was a million miles (it seemed like) from the stage!  I started out by filming the wrong child!  Finally, during the last part of the dance, I figured out which child was Madison, just as she moved to the front row for the second part of the dance!

Take Me Out To A T-Ball Game...

Last week Ed and I shared a new experience!  We went out to our local Rec. Dept. to watch our first T-ball game!  You may be wondering how in the world we've lived all of these years without watching T-ball, but it's true, we'd never watched T-ball, until last Tuesday!

Grandson, Caden, is playing T-ball for the first time this year, so we went to watch him play.  Grandchildren have a way of getting us to try new things sometimes!

My first thought was where in the world has time gone?  It seems like just yesterday when Caden was taking his first steps...But there he was, all dressed up in his little ball uniform and cap...So cute!  In fact, we had to wait while the teams finished taking pictures before the game could get underway.

I was busy having a little "MiMi Time" with baby Chase during the ball game.  That meant that Ed was left to do "camera duty".  (I'm usually the photographer of the family.)  While Ed's camera skills could use a little improvement, he still managed to capture Caden batting and then running the bases (and also doing a few other things along the way...)  Ed also filmed Caden's turn catching and throwing the ball...Such cute and precious moments, I just had to share...By the way, Caden is #3 (in red).

 

Another Weekend On The Road...

Granddaughter, Madison, and her family spent another weekend on the road, this past weekend.  This time they were headed to the Jacksonville Zoo and Fernandina Beach--along with grandson, Caden, and his family! Both families left very early on Friday morning, with the little ones still dressed in their pajamas.  Here are the two, playing at McDonald's, while on a breakfast stop!

Thanks to the modern marvels of technology, I actually felt included on this trip!  Our daughter, Brandy, regularly sent photographs from her phone, so I could see what everyone was up to, and she called each evening to fill me in on the day's activities. Daughter-in-law, Christina, also posted pictures to Facebook, too.  Don't these two look like they were enjoying the motel pool?

Here's a picture of baby Chase enjoying his first visit to the zoo...Kind of makes you wonder what he's thinking about, doesn't it?

It was awful quiet here at home, with everyone gone.  It's a rare weekend around here, with no grandchildren stopping by, and we were happy to see everyone return!

All of the family travelers finally made it home safe and sound yesterday afternoon--some earlier than others.  Unfortunately, Christina got up with an upset stomach on yesterday morning, so they arrived home first!  (What an unpleasant way to end such a fun weekend!)  By the end of the day, the place was alive, once again, with the sounds of grandchildren's laughter...  

I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures from their trip--and hearing even more details about the grandchildren's weekend at the zoo/beach.  I'm also looking forward to eating some of that fudge that they brought me from the "Fantastic Fudge" shop at Fernandina Beach!  Thanks guys!

Flower Girl...

Last weekend, Madison and her family traveled to Valdosta, GA for a family wedding.  The bride is a cousin of Madison's dad, and Madison had been invited to be the Flower Girl for the special occasion.  Since Valdosta is nearly three hours away from us, the family spent the entire weekend there.  It was very quiet around here...

Ed and I didn't attend the wedding, so I asked our daughter to please send me a photograph of Madison dressed up for the wedding.  She did.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw how beautiful Madison looked!

My daughter says Madison did a good job as Flower Girl, and had the time of her life at the reception!  I'm told that Madison was one of the first on the dance floor, and that she continued dancing the night away, along with many others.

This was Madison's third time being a Flower Girl in a wedding.  She's getting so big, it will also probably be her last.  Time is quickly passing...Before we know it, our little Madison will be grown and walking the aisle as a bride.  Now that thought really makes my heart skip a beat!  

Some Photos Worth Sharing...

A while back I think I mentioned grandson, Caden's tractor and trailer, a Christmas gift from his parents.  I also mentioned how Cade likes to haul certain things in his trailer.  I wasn't able to catch Cade in this photo, but I was able to photograph the contents of his wagon!  I spy his sippy cup, his "key", his favorite stuffed dog, and I think I also see his box of Thomas puzzles...just a few of Cade's favorite things!

Recently, I was lucky enough to be able to attend granddaughter, Madison's egg hunt with her pre-K class.  I was also lucky enough to capture this exchange of Easter eggs between friends!  That's Madison (in the green shirt), accepting an egg from her friend, Grace...So sweet!

I had to laugh when I read grandson, Chase's, shirt the other day.  It says, "Don't look at me, that smell is from Grandpa!"   This could very well be true!  LOL

This was our first-ever attempt at getting a group photo of the grandchildren!  We never did get them all looking up at the same time, but that's okay--at least nobody was crying!  (It's hard to tell, but all three had on their John Deere shirts.)  I hope this will be the first of many memorable group photos!

Here's Some Of What Caden Has Been Up To Lately...

The first T-ball practice at our local recreation department!  

Cuttin' down tall grass with E-pa.

And attending the "Easter Extravaganza" at the rec. department with cousins, Landon and Layton--and playing in the bouncy house, of course!  Lots of fun times for a busy and active little boy!  Stay tuned...

**Photos borrowed from Caden's mom.  Thank goodness she loves to take pictures!

What Maddie's Been Up To Lately...

Would you believe it's still five days until Easter, and Madison already has one Easter Egg Hunt "under her belt"?  She attended a church egg hunt with a little friend, weekend before last.  It would appear that Madison has become pretty good at finding those hidden eggs...I think she had a really good time!

This past weekend, Madison attended her first "Tea Party" birthday party.  All of the guests dressed up, and were served "tea".  Madison's comments concerning the party?  "They had lots of food"!  It was her friend, Ally's, fifth birthday.

Here's a photo of Madison (on the left) seated with one of the other guests at the party.  Aren't little girls the sweetest things when they are dressed up?

More fun adventures await Madison this week--and the next!  On Thursday, there will be an Egg Hunt at her pre-school, followed by another Egg Hunt at my house, on Easter Sunday.  Of course, Madison will be coloring some eggs over the weekend, too!

Next weekend Madison will be the "Flower Girl" in an "out-of-town" family wedding.  I'm also hearing plans of a possible trip to the zoo, with cousins Cade and Chase, scheduled for the weekend after the wedding!  Busy times, but so much fun!

Catching Up...

Lately, I'm failing miserably at keeping up with this blog!  I was able to keep it up regularly for so long, but these days I just seem to be spinning my wheels...Meanwhile, life goes on!

All three of the grandchildren are growing like weeds, especially baby Chase, who will soon turn 3 months old!  I can't believe he's almost been in this world for nearly 3 months already!  He already weighs over 12 pounds, too!

Madison is busy finishing up the final few weeks of her "Busy Beavers Preschool" classes.  She's also busy finishing up her final weeks of dance class.  Before we know it, summer break will be here!

Madison has had more than her share of illnesses since Christmas.  It's been first one thing, then another.  She was forced to skip dancing at the Rattlesnake/Wildlife Festival a couple of weekends ago, due to  an earache.  Thankfully, she's well at the moment--and I hope she stays that way!

I snapped the following photo of Madison in one of her dance costumes, on picture day.

Cade has been busy (and sick), too.  He's just getting over a nasty cough and an earache.  He's been learning how to share his mom's attention with baby Chase, and also how to be a big brother.  In between, he's been busy having lots of fun!  Not long ago, he went to the park, and  played with some of his little friends, and watched his daddy playing in a basketball tournament.  Cade said, "I didn't like the buzzer!" (at the basketball game)

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I haven't seen it yet, but I'm told that Cade has planted a small "garden" at his house.  Cade's been quite interested in our garden since we first started planting it.  (On more than one occasion, Ed and I have been working in the garden, only to look up and see that little green tractor heading our way!)   Perhaps Cade will turn out to have a "green thumb"--and we can convince him to help us in our garden!

A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words...

Don't you love how, every now and then, the camera manages to capture a "magic moment"?  

I was thrilled when I discovered this priceless photograph stored on my camera.  

I think it's safe to say, grandfather and grandson have officially "bonded"!

A Day In The Life...

Yesterday, I began my week by keeping our two grandsons for a couple of hours.  I try to do this regularly so our daughter-in-law can have a couple of hours of uninterrupted silence!  I may be old, but I still remember what it's like to have several little ones around 24/7!  Silence is rare, and it's treasured!

Granddaughter, Madison, doesn't have school on Mondays, so I invited her to come over to play with Cade during his visit.  She arrived before I had a chance to go pick up the boys, so she rode down to their house with me.  Madison lives right next-door, while the boys live just down the road from us.

As I drove down the road, gathered up the baby, the children, the diaper bag, and began loading up my "precious cargo" of three grandchildren into my car, I couldn't help but make this comment, "Life sure gets complicated when you throw a few children into the mix."  Of course, this statement is very true, but I wouldn't want life any other way!

My how mine and Ed's lives have changed over the past six years--but all three of our little "changes" are beautiful, healthy, and unique!  They make us happy, they make us proud, and they also make us tired...after all, we're not "spring chickens" any more.

Yesterday, the grandchildren came, they played, (except for baby Chase, who slept through most of the visit) and then they went home. Afterward, MiMi ate lunch and took a nap... However, Ed had to jump on the trampoline with Madison whenever he came home from work...(smile)  Life is good.

Look Who's Learning To Smile And Coo...

It's our sweet new grandson, baby Chase! Two months old and counting...and growing like a weed!

Future Farm Girl...

Our family recently made the decision to plant a garden.  It's time to get back to basics again, and become more self-reliant--besides, home-grown just tastes better!

We began by planting some new potatoes.  This was granddaughter, Madison's, first gardening experience--and she was all excited about it!

Once the potatoes were cut and dropped, Madison grabbed her little shovel and began to join right in helping to cover them up!  I can only hope she'll be equally as enthusiastic when the potatoes get ready, and it's time to pick them up!

More Valentine's Day Gifts...

I didn't get to see Chase or Caden on Valentine's Day.  Both were busy with their mom, doing other things on that day.  When I did see them on Friday evening, however, they came bearing belated Valentine's Day gifts.

Our candy and two cards from the boys!

This is the inside of the hand-made card--decorated by Caden.  We laughed and commented that the drawing of "E" resembled the old SNL playdough character, "Mr. Bill" :)  He seems to be saying, "Oh no!!!"  Love the flower sticker for me, and the tractor for "E"...Oh, I forgot--Caden corrected me and said, "That's a backhoe, not a tractor!"  I stand corrected.

And here's the other valentine.  One of the cutest that I've ever seen!  It may have something to do with that picture on the front of it!  Thanks, guys.

"Out Cold"

Baby Chase is known for being restless.  He's had a lot of tummy aches since his birth--in other words, he's been a bit colicky.  He also grunts and moves around a lot.

On this particular day, however, he was totally relaxed...I mean, he was "out cold"!  Those are my loving arms that he's resting so comfortably in...

I asked my daughter to quickly take a photo, and she did.  Not long after this photo was taken,  baby Chase woke up and began squirming again.  I guess it was a good rest, while it lasted...I certainly enjoyed it :)

Valentine's Day Gifts From The Heart...

My husband, Ed, and I have both been battling head colds, so Valentine's Day found both of us feeling a bit "under the weather".  However, our "little ray of sunshine", aka our granddaughter, Madison, brightened our day when she visited us and came bearing Valentine's Day gifts.

One of Madison's gifts was a little jar of assorted chocolate candy.  I'm sure we'll enjoy that!  Just a night or two ago, Ed was searching for some chocolate...

The other gift Madison brought was a hand-made Valentine booklet, titled "What I Love About Mimi And E".  The booklet contained pocket pages, and each pocket had a removable page.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  Of course, what made the booklet most special were the words inside...

What I love about Mimi:  She plays games with me after we practice writing.
What I love about E:  He jumps with me on the trampoline.
What I love about Mimi:  She lets me eat at her house.
What I love about E:  He lets me go with him to haul the trash.
What I love about Mimi:  She lets me watch her movies.
What I love about E:  He plays kitchen with me.

So sweet!
Many thanks to Madison (and her mom) for making such thoughtful gifts for us.  We'll treasure them always.

Just Like A Scene Out Of A Movie...

I have no photograph to go with this post, but oh how I wish I did!  With or without a photo, I just had to tell you what I experienced one day last week!

The weather was pretty nice, and I was actually feeling good, too.  It was just before lunchtime when I decided to take a brief walk down the road and back.  I felt sure I could use some fresh air and exercise.  Did I happen to mention that our little grandson, Caden, lives at the end the road?

I'd made my way about three-fourths of the way toward the end of the road, when suddenly I looked up to see a tiny body running in my direction!  It was Caden, and he was running toward me as fast as his little legs would carry him.  It was just like a scene out of a movie...The theme from "Chariots of Fire" began to play in my head!

Apparently, someone was very excited to see me--and he made me feel so loved and appreciated.  I continued to smile for the rest of the afternoon, as I later spent some time watching granddaughter, Madison, playing outside in her yard...  Aren't grandchildren one of God's most wonderful gifts?

Six Weeks Old Already!

Time is passing so quickly, I hardly realized that this precious little bundle turned six weeks old on Tuesday!  I saw this photo on Chase's mom's FB page, and just had to borrow it for the blog because she captured him perfectly!

Gone is the tiny little bundle who came home from the hospital...he's being replaced by a chunkier version, who now has less hair.  Each day more and more newborn outfits are finding their way into the discard pile.  One thing never changes...they sure don't stay little long!

Capturing A Precious Moment...

The other evening both Madison and Cade were at our house with their families.
Usually the two of them are in constant motion together!
Imagine my surprise when the two of them settled in E's lap just long enough to read a book with him!  Fortunately, I was lucky enough to get a photo before the two of them were up and gone...(Ed appears to be looking at something other than the book  Ha!)

Minding Our P's and Q's...

Time is quickly flying by, and I seem to have less and less time for blogging these days...One of the reasons I have a little less time is because of the pretty little girl in the picture above!  That's our granddaughter, Madison, posing for a photograph, immediately after arriving home from school one day. I usually pick her up from school on Tuesdays, and sometimes she's dressed so cute I have to take a picture!

Anyway, Madison's pre-school class is learning to form the letters of the alphabet, and some of this has been a bit difficult for Madison.  That's where this MiMi comes in.  I worked in first grade for 15 years, so I've had lots of experience with teaching handwriting!  Maddie's mom asked me if I'd be willing to help Madison with her handwriting.  The prospect of helping Madison was a win/win situation for me.  First of all, I'd get some one-on-one time with Madison, and second of all I'd be doing what I love best--teaching!

It was slow going at first, but Madison and I seem to have hit our stride now.  She's improving with every session, and she and I have a good time playing a game of her choice afterward.  That girl loves to play games--and if I don't watch her, she'll try to cheat! Ha Ha

So, the next time you hop over here for a visit, and you don't see a recent post--I just might be helping Madison with her p's and her q's...or her b's and d's!  Or we could be in the middle of a game of "Candyland" or "Who Stole the Cookie".  Fun times for sure!

Guess Who Turned One Month Old This Weekend?!

On Friday, January 27, this sweet little bundle, also known as "Baby Chase", celebrated his one-month birthday!  Say it isn't so!  Can a month really have passed already?

I'd just spent some time with Chase on Wednesday morning, but when I saw him again on Friday evening I exclaimed " My goodness, how he's grown!"  It was as if he'd grown overnight--and indeed,  he had!

I was curious, so I pulled out my old set of baby scales and weighed our newest little bundle of joy.  He weighed in at 10 pounds even!  Chase may be "gassy" and he may let out a "grunt" (I think it's his way of expressing his opinion) whenever he's passed around, but he's also "growing" like a weed!

Of course, growing is exactly what our new little one is supposed to be doing, and I think he's doing his job quite well!  I just wish time would s-l-o-w down just a bit...at this rate, I'll  blink my eyes and he'll be graduating from high school!

"I Was King of the World, When Daddy Let Me Drive..."

Our three-year-old grandson, Cade, received a new tractor for Christmas.  He hasn't stopped traveling since the day he learned how to drive it!

I can't count the number of times I've heard the familiar "whine" of Cade's tractor outside in the yard.  He usually drives his tractor from his house to our house, then back home...if the battery holds out long enough.  His daddy is always walking or driving close behind him on these trips.

Cousin Madison loves to take Cade's tractor for a spin around the yard, as well.  Between the two of them, sometimes the tractor is just too tired to make it home, but that's what car trunks are made for!  Sometimes we just load that tractor up and take it back home.

In the short video clip below, Cade was just learning  his driving skills.  He's had lots of practice since then.  Of course, there have been a few "fender benders" along the way, including a "run in" with one of the pine trees in our yard...Did I mention that Cade tends to like to drive in "high gear" most of the time.  (I hope all of this isn't a glimpse into his future!)

There is a small wagon attached behind Cade's tractor.  Inside of that wagon, you will usually find three things.  (1) a small wooden box containing three "Thomas the Train" puzzles, (2) his "Key" (the little money/blanket that he's had since birth), and (3) a small stuffed "pound puppy" that looks like a hound, a gift from a friend.  Quite an assortment of cargo, huh?

Time will pass, and the tractor--along with its interesting trailer cargo-- will eventually make way for other things, but for now, Cade thinks "he's king of the world, when his daddy lets him drive"!

Having A Little Talk With Chase...

A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting with our newest grandson, Chase.  On that particular day, Chase was very alert, especially considering the fact that he was only two weeks old at the time!  I quickly grabbed my camera and video taped our "conversation".

I published part two of my conversation with Chase, over on my other blog, "Reflections by Kathy".  Then I began thinking that I'd like to have the entire conversation published here on MiMi's Mini Tales.  Here's my entire little talk with Chase.  I haven't seen him this alert since that day!

I'm looking forward to having some more "MiMi Talks" with Chase in the future...

Maddie's Christmas Field Trip...

I want to take a moment here, and backtrack.  Somehow, in all of the Christmas shuffle, I neglected to post about the field trip that I recently attended with my granddaughter, Madison, and her mom.

Busy Little Beavers preschool took a field trip to Savannah--the week before Christmas!  No wonder I neglected writing about it, huh?  I didn't know which end was up the week before Christmas, did you?

Anyway, the students of the preschool and their chaperons traveled the fifty-five miles to Savannah, and met a local library there.  It was a very large, new library...completely solar powered, too!  Did I mention there was a tree in the middle of it?...It was a "fake" tree, but still it was an interesting sight to see!

We were quietly ushered into a room reserved for "story time".  After a few minutes, the library story teller began reading the children a few books, which they seemed to enjoy.

Following story time, the students and chaperons traveled next-door to the Savannah Mall for a fun ride on the Christmas train.

  Our last stop was to the Bass Pro Shop for a class photo with Santa Claus.  While we were at there, I asked Madison and my daughter to join me for a picture with Santa.  They did.  Here we are, 3 generations posing with Santa!

Following the photo session with Santa, we were on our own for the rest of the day.  After grabbing some lunch at the Food Court, we did a little browsing at the mall, and let Madison play on the indoor playground for a bit before eventually heading for home.  Fun times, fun memories...I'm glad my daughter let me tag along!  Below is a video clip of the trip...

These Boots Are Made For Walking...

A funny thing happened this week...On Wednesday, Madison and her mother had a big discussion about boots.  Although Madison has a pair of "Hello Kitty" rain boots,  she told her mother that she would like to have a pair of  black boots to wear to school--"like the ones other little girls at school wear" she said.

My daughter Brandy explained to her daughter, that while some little girls may be wearing black suede boots in pre-K, she preferred that Madison wait until she's a little older before she got some.  Brandy prefers to dress Madison in more age-appropriate attire.  I'm a bit old-fashioned, and tend to think that way, too.

On Friday, Madison went to visit her "Nana" after school.  Apparently, at some point, Madison had  expressed her desire for a pair of black boots to her paternal grandmother, as well-- hopefully before her discussion with her mother on Wednesday.

In any event, on Friday evening, Madison came home wearing a pair of black suede boots--a gift from "Nana".  Oops!!!   Madison sure does love her black suede boots.  Her mom?  Not so much.  

The "Prepare Song"...

I discovered something new about grandson, Caden, this Christmas season!  I discovered that this little fellow knows how to sing!

Cade is very quiet most of the time.  He's a serious little boy, always concentrating on the task at hand--usually playing with a tractor or a train.  He doesn't spend much time on idle conversation when he's at my house, and he sure doesn't sing!

The other night, out of the blue, Cade began singing "Joy To The World"!  I couldn't believe my ears, even though daughter, Brandy had told me Cade knew how to sing this song.  He sang every word beautifully, and was right on key!  I was impressed, and thrilled, that I finally got to hear it!

Hearing that tiny little voice sing that song took me back nearly thirty years, to a time when Cade's daddy could sing "Amazing Grace" as good as any adult--and he was only two!  (Such sweet memories.)

Now you may be wondering what all of this has to do with the title of this post.  Well, at first,  Cade didn't know what the title of the song was, so he referred to it as "The Prepare Song". (from the line of the song that says, Let every heart, prepare  Him room...) and just  I love it!