Riding With the Top Down

 

Riding with the Top Down

Mr. Tennis a/k/a the Rickster has a convertible!  

Yes, he bought it a number of years ago without consulting me -- generally his MO when buying vehicles.  

One year, he and two salesmen showed up at the house -- he had bought an old used pickup and needed to get a check!!  Yes, I was surprised! I didn't know he was in the market for a small pickup! 

 It was a great little pickup and everyone in our neighborhood borrowed it to get mulch for their yard each spring.  

Sadly, most who borrowed it brought it back with the gas tank empty. 

One neighbor even told him when he brought it back that it needed gas!  

Hey, thanks dude and you're welcome!  :0 

Walt (age 9) and Rickster

Anyway, I digress - back to the convertible.  

As you might guess, it has a limited season of use and it's 2020 time is nearly up as the temps get cooler. 

 So, he decided to take each of the Little Grands for outings the last two weekends,

 except the baby - she's only 1-1/2.

Jane (now 10) was first and somehow missed the photo op!

Harry (age 7) and Rickster

They had so much fun riding in the convertible with him.  

They each went to some different places including to the zoo, to see a horse and each got lunch or a candy bar!  Those were 4 very successful outings with Poppa and they were only gone for 2 hours.

They are all requesting repeats already.

Dorothy (age 4) and Rickster

  He also gave each one some foreign currency!  

One received Canadian dollars; one got some Filipino cash, one some Chinese Yuan and

 Dorothy got some money from the Bahamas -- 

probably none of it worth more than $1 -- but very, very cool!  

I'm not sure what the next adventures with Poppa will be next time.

Of course, we're now having a warmup in temps so riding

with the top down can continue for a couple more weeks!

Five on Friday

Trying something new  -- here's a

"Five on Friday" list.

1.  The Weather  -- Our Scottie loves the snow -

me, Maddie and the Rickster -- not so much.

By February, we are definitely ready for warmer temps and green

grass!

2.  Super Bowl Food -- Can I get a Yum!

We love Mexican dip for the Super Bowl (but, wasn't that game a snoozefest??)

or a salsa dip from Trader Joe's called Cowboy Caviar -- mix it with

some cream cheese and heat it up! It's so good and

has a real cowboy kick to it!

3.  Trees -- There were (operative word is "were" - they are all gone now)

 some huge evergreen trees behind our fence.  

Last week, the utility company sent some incredibly

brave and talented men to cut those trees down so

the power won't be affected during storms with

tree branches falling.

They did an amazing job!

4.  Jane -- A couple weeks ago, we took Jane (almost 9!)

out for her Xmas gift experience.

We went to Barnes and Noble and then to Scooters!

She picked out a book and then a yummy smoothie and a scone!

The boys' experiences will be coming up in the future.

Each little got a coupon for a special fun time

with me and Maddie!

5.  Cookies!  

M and I bought one of these little bitty cookies in a skillet 

mixes at Christmas.  I bought it as a gift and gave it to myself!

We baked it and maybe we did it wrong

as it turned out really dry! 

 Edible and so cute - but dry!

Ever since then, I've been dreaming of baking chocolate chip

cookies!

Have a fun weekend!!

First Communion

As you may (or not) have noticed from my last post,

my Granddaughter, Jane, recently made her

First Communion.

It was such a special day and so beautiful!

We were so happy to be able to be there and share in

such a wonderful day and celebration!

She was quite lovely and has the sweetest spirit.

We love her so!

The whole adorable family!!

Well, Hello October!

So hard to believe it is October already!

Miss M has the countdown to

Thanksgiving and Christmas on

her iPhone and advises me daily 

on "how many days until . . ."

Yikes!  I already feel unprepared!
But, I'm reading about getting ready early
this year, so there's hope I will actually
be ready!

It's been forever since I posted anything about "The Littles."
So, it's about time, isn't it!

Catherine's brother got married in July and almost everyone was in the wedding!!

Oh my word, they are growing like weeds and
Jane and Walt are not so little!
Jane is in 2nd grade this year,
Walter in first grade,
Harry in preschool
and little Dorothy - 18 months old already!

They are such a joy and so hilarious!
Kids do say the darndest things -
Art Linkletter was right!

Such a fun swing!
Jane really works hard pushing
that swing for her brothers and sometimes
squeezing their adorable little heads together!

Fun With the Littles!



Maddy loved pushing Jane around the zoo!  The goats ran off when we didn't shell out some $ to feed them!



Last weekend, we had some fun with the little ones in the family!  Philip and Catherine brought Janie and Walt to spend the night with us while they went to a football game and had a night out.   If you remember the last time we did that, you might guess that I was a little nervous this time around!  But, I figured there was no way we could possibly have a dreadful storm knocking out power and downing a tree in the yard again when the babies stayed over.  And luckily there were no storms!!

Looking at zoo animals is serious stuff!

We had so much fun with Janie and Walt!  Maddy and I took Jane to the zoo and she loved it. Maddy had a blast pushing her stroller around and pointing out the red panda, the ponies, the new penguins, the smelly goats, the birds and  the screaming lemurs.  Wow -- those things are loud and were a little scary!  From the looks of them when they were screaming, they have very large, sharp teeth!  We also saw this incredibly cute crocodile who gave us that really big smile when he saw us!! :)

Nice to see you too, Mr. Crocodile!

Then we had even more fun and introduced Janie to some delightful cuisine -- McD's!!  She loved it!!  Walt is a bit too young still for fries and nuggets, so he opted for another bottle of formula. 

As sweet as Janie was a baby, I thought there was no way that their second baby would be so sweet and easygoing too.  Wrong!  He is the most mellow little fellow (poetic, aren't I!).  I got him to smile and giggle for me.   Later, we stuck the poor guy in an umbrella stroller to take him for a walk with Janie in another stroller and Muffy tagged along too.   I'm afraid little Walter didn't look too comfy, but he never complained.  He reminds me so much of Philip as a baby, but Philip didn't sleep through the night until he was at least one year old and Walt is already sleeping through the night at 3 months!  Maddy is the best auntie and it was a really fun visit!



Look at that sweet, adorable face!



Sugar and Spice!

Sugar and spice and everything nice,

that's what little girls are made of!

Catherine and Baby Jane -- Don't they look so sweet!?

All is right with my world again!

Yes, I was able to meet my adorable little one-week old granddaughter, sweet baby Jane!

She is simply incredible -- so beautiful and sweet! I can already tell that she is very bright! She has long fingers -- a piano player perhaps . . . a surgeon, maybe? She is really darling! Philip and Catherine are so at ease and naturals with her -- just like I knew they would be. You'll be happy to know that Larry, their dog, seems to be adjusting quite well too. Reports are that he does seem to like her binkies, but otherwise, he is doing great. Jane is sleeping and eating well and charming everyone who meets her! We are so blessed!

Mr. Tennis and Jane

I think we wore her out a little bit and she was getting a little tired and hungry here!

We can't wait to see her again soon!

Love . . . Marriage . . . Baby Carriage

It's a GIRL!!

After a very long day of labor and me waiting by the phone, pacing and wringing my hands, little Baby Boo made her grand entrance in to the world at 11:58 PM on February 11th, weighing in at 8 pounds, 7 ounces! Mom, Baby and Dad all doing great!

Her name is Jane Louise -- don't you just love that name!

Her parents, Philip and Catherine, are over the moon and so are we!

We can't wait to see their little bundle of joy. No photos yet, but hoping to meet my very first granddaughter very soon.