Lazy Saturday Mornings

Trevor had work to do in the Office and Grayson and I couldn't go outside due to bad weather. What to do with a 3-year old needing excerise and entertainment? Indoor bowling of course! We have a perfect place in our house for this. A long hallway with hardwood floors. Just make sure the doors are closed and throw away! We had a great time bowling together, chasing the balls, setting up the pins, and even bringing Daddy out of the Office to join in once!

Valentine's Day

I hadn't been feeling well the few days before Valentine's, but when I woke up Trevor said that he wanted to take me to Cracker Barrell for breakfast. It might not sound that glamorous unless you know how much I love breakfast food and Cracker Barrell's all-day breakfast menu! The three of us got ready and went to the front door to find that there was a dusting of snow on the ground!! What another great surprise. Being a Northern girl, I'll take snow in whatever form it comes. Thank you God for that Valentine's gift!

And as you can see in the pictures, Grayson brought "his friend" with us to Valentine's breakfast. Minnie got the royal treatment at breakfast and enjoyed her pancakes fed to her by Grayson!! Look out Grayson's future girlfriends-royal treatment is on the way!! Grayson also decided he needed to bring his own digital camera to breakfast to capture the day for us.

What a great Valentine's Day: Cracker Barrell breakfast, snow on the ground, being with my 2 boys!!

Visit with Gran

My Mom comes over every Spring for a few days to visit Grayson (and Trevor and I!) on his turf. She loves to see him in his environment, play with his toys, and visit all of his favorite places here! I even get to squeeze in some game time in the evenings. I say game time, but it's always Scrabble-and yes, she still beats me almost every time!!

We loved relaxing and playing with toys, watching cartoons, having meals together, going to Grayson's 2 favorite parks, a little bit of spoiling, and just being together! Thanks Gran/Mom for coming to see us here and for the fun couple of days.

Grayson and Gran "fixing" each other's hair with the sticks from the Kerplunk game!!

We were the only ones there, so the playground became the Polar Express train, and Gran and I were Conductor Grayson's little helpers. Here Gran is on the lookout for snow and ice that may be ahead!! Oh the imagination!

"Park" playdates

We love the fact that there are so many great outdoor and indoor park options to choose from. We also love that there is one within walking distance from home and another just 3 minutes away. With the weather all over the place, we still make it a point to get out and get some fresh air. The pics below are from 3 different park dates all in the last 2 weeks. Isn't it amazing the weather changes that we have been experiencing? Coats and hats one day and short-sleeves another. Whatever the weather, all of these fun days are for my "park-loving" Grayson!

"Mommy, it's still wet"--so I proceeded to go down and came home with a wet bottom!

"You can't have any of our food"--said to the seagulls as we "picniced" in the 45 degree weather

"I don't need any help Mommy! I can do it all by myself 'cause I'm bigger now!"--he really has grown to be able to do it alone-YEAH!!

"Take my picture Mommy! I made it to the other side. Daddy will be soooo excited!!"

The unconventional way to go down the slide! (Hamilton and Grayson)

Alexander and Grayson and Hamilton--I can see you but I can't hear you!!

Digging for dinosaur bones

Hamilton loves the see-saw! Grayson not so much!

Deep thoughts from Grayson

How did a whole week and a half go by without a post? It's not for a lack of things going on! Just a few great lines from Grayson I don't want to forget:



--"I guess there's a good reason to be naked sometimes" (said on his way to go poop on the potty--and by the way, we are over that hump. that's for another post but we came back from Christmas and he has had 2 minor accidents in a month. WA-HOO!!)



--"I don't want to share, and I don't need friends. You and Daddy play with me" (but Grayson when you get bigger and go to school you need to learn to share and you'll want to have friends. even mommy and daddy have friends) "When I get bigger, I'm just going to drive a truck with my Daddy!"



I have forgotten the rest. This is why I should post every day!! I know their were 4 thoughts. If I remember, I'll add them later. Heidi, in an earlier comment I read you mentioned that you lose brain cells after each child--so I should quit while I'm ahead a little

First and Last

So maybe we have all seen one once or twice during harborfest, or for us that live by the Locks, occasionally in the summer months...a yacht of a boat! I experienced a first and I'm sure a last yesterday. I went after church to help Trevor finish detailing this yacht/boat. I walked into the warehouse to see it hoisted up on a platform. It takes your breath away and makes you smile to see it for the first time. And then to get to walk up the ladder and climb aboard. What a beautiful and majestic thing!!

I did a little bit of work on all 3 of her floors/decks. I had a great time. I didn't even mind the work. There were so many other people there completing different facets of the boat so she would be ready to set sail today. One of the girls had the job of all the finishing touches/decorating. I would love her job...putting pillow down, making the cool beds, stocking the kitchen, etc. Anyways, I absolutely had a great time! (By the way Dave, that doesn't mean that I want the job myself permanently, so don't come calling!)

As I was leaving I was asked what I thought. I wanted to say that my son was gone for the next couple of days and could I sail away with them for a few days!! What an experience that would be. I know that he said that after a few days on a boat you're ready to get off, and I'm sure that is true. But for someone who has never done it, it sounds heavenly!! So Sue, maybe I'll dream right along with you on the boat end. I've seen the glimpse now!

Only 2 years and 10 months later...

It is finally done!! Well, almost anyways. Grayson's baby book is in the final stages. It has 53 back and front pages, around 379 pictures, memorabilia, and personal notes. I'm amazed as I sit to write captions for pictures how the stories from so many years ago are coming back. A good picture really is worth a thousand words when it comes to those first year "firsts". I still have a little backtracking to do to totally complete some of the pages, but at least the layouts are done and no more pages need to be added. There are only 12 months in a baby's first year, right?!

It has been great fun and I'm so proud of the finished product. Yes, you can tell by looking at some of the pages that this is my first real "go" at a creative memories scrapbook. I'm excited to get started on the "family" albums that will follow up this huge baby book! That one I should be able to keep up with as we take pictures throughout the year. One page and memory or event at a time.

Here are some of my favorite pages: