Where did April go???

Hello, Hello Friends! Oh my gosh - I've gotten SO FAR BEHIND on blogging. So sorry to any of you who try to check in and read up on what's going on. I don't know what my problem is . . . I guess I've had a serious case of writer's block. I promise (again) I'll try to do better and will attempt to add in some posts about our quick Spring Break trip to Disney soon. The castle never disappoints!

But first, since I have a few photos from Easter, that's what we're doing. We had brunch at my son's house. I made 2 quiches and blueberry muffins! I am the designated Quiche Queen! Although the blueberry muffins were a big hit, I really love chocolate chip muffins more. But it's true, they can be messy especially with little hands, so I saved all the chocolate chip muffins for Maddie to take back to her dorm. Ok, I admit it, I kept a couple chocolate chip muffins at home for me!

Look at how adorable my own kiddos are -- they are really not kiddos anymore and even Maddie is out of the teen years! All three are so sweet and helpful - I just love them so.

AND -- look at the whole fam. Rickster was home recovering from surgery, so missed the photo op. He's feeling much better. Look at Philip's tribe! And now there are 6 kiddos. I guess I can't really call them The Littles anymore. Jane is almost as tall as me. Some say she's taller and that I was on my tiptoes, but there is no proof, so let's say I'm still taller. She is 12 and the oldest and little baby Helen will turn 1 at the end of May. They are so much fun! Dorothy (now 6) attempted to teach me how to play chess. Total fail on my part. I suggested checkers instead -- that's more my speed! No matter, we were so happy to get to spend a chilly and windy Easter with them! Hope yours was special too!

5 on Friday!

Greetings Al!  

 It's time for 5 ON FRIDAY -
provided on Thursday for your reading enjoyment!

 5 things I've been thinking about lately and may or may not interest you.

1.  New Senior Photos.  I thought I really liked Maddie's senior photos from last summer -- until we did a "redo" of  senior photos that I'm calling - Part 2 - the Graduate. The new ones really look more like her and capture her beautiful smile and spirit, so I'm including a few spread through this post!  Maddie had a change in plans and is attending our local community college now. 

2.  Traffic Around Here Lately.   I think I got used to very little traffic during the big shutdown.  You know,  I've always been a bit of a nervous driver, but now I find myself going out of my way to avoid making left-turns at certain intersections!  

Yes, it's true -- I'm that little old lady who goes slow and stops at yellow lights. 

 Hey people behind me - - deal with it!

3.  The Littles.  Oh my goodness, the littles are getting so big!  Jane is 10!!  

What the heck??  The baby, Gloria, is 1-1/2 and I believe she inherited my curly hair.
Well, both her mom and dad  have kinda curly hair too,
but let's say it's from me.

 Of course, it looks adorable on her. 

4.  Flamingo.  Have you heard of that Flamingo product for self-waxing???  

I bought some ages ago (before the pandemic) and  was afraid to use it. 

 Don't be afraid if you have some too and haven't tried it. 

 It doesn't hurt and it also doesn't do a very good job.  

Note to self - make real waxing appointment soon!

5.  The New Blogger.  What the heck is going on with Blogger?  

Makes me sad that it is tricky to do blog posts.  

Thanks to Laurie L for pointing out how to "Revert to Legacy Blogger" but it appears

 that  we will continue to have to revert until they take the legacy blogger away entirely.  

Happy Friday Friends!!

It's Invisible!

Last Friday, Maddie and I had the opportunity to spend the evenings with the Littles! 

We had so much fun!

Warning - that Incredibles 2 movie is strange (at least M and I think it is).

The kids always go to bed like little angels!

Jane (8 years old) had a rather complicated good-night

ritual for the boys and Dorothy consisting of

playing and singing an original song on her harp, playing another song, 

making up a story and then praying together.

That took a while!

Photo from Jane's First Communion in April

However, Jane and Harry (5 years old) had a little trouble getting to sleep.
Both missed their Mom and Dad and felt very sad.
One time when Harry was crying and I went to see what the problem was,
there was a bucket next to his bed [it hadn't been there before].
He said he was sad and he threw up!!! 
Oh No I thought - yuck!
But . . . there was nothing in the bucket.
I told Philip about it later, he said that has
happened before. 
When asked why the bucket is empty, Harry responded
"It's invisible throw-up!" 

Meanwhile, Jane was up a few times because she was cold
and her comforter "was not very comforting!"

Those kiddos are such a hoot!
We love them to pieces!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!
 

Getting ready!

 This year we had our feast a few days early!
It was so fun and mostly yummy -- the turkey turned
out very, very dry!  Yikes!
Oh well -- the sides were delish - so who cares
about turkey anyway!

Maddy, Grace and Grace's roomie - Nevaeh!

Bonus -- this year, my sweet and adorable

niece, Grace, is at the University here.

Grace and one of her roommates also joined us and

it was great to have them with us!

I mentioned a couple of family favorite foods. . . 

strawberry jello with strawberries and cool whip marshmallow fruit salad

(both very healthy options) that we always had as kids.

Shock -- my sister has not kept up that tradition at 

her house, but she will now that Grace has 

tasted those wonderful traditional

Thanksgiving foods.

Baby Dorothy - 1-1/2 years old!

The big kids (Philip & Catherine and Connor) also joined us
with the littles!  So much fun with those 4! 
Somehow, we missed getting the oldest Jane in a photo -- sorry sweetheart!

3 of 4 of the grandkids!  Such cuties!

Maddy and I are now devising our shopping plans!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

xoxo

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!

Weekend Update

Hello Friends!

Wow -- the month of May is going fast already, isn't it!

Last weekend was the marathon here in Lincoln as it is

in many cities.  

No, I didn't run.  My training (ha - what training!) is not sufficient for me

to attempt to run a marathon, but my son, Philip, ran the half-marathon.

The route goes about a block away from my house so I ran up to watch 

the runners and look for him. 

 Out of the the 10,000 runners, I wasn't

too sure I'd see him. 

 But after about 10 minutes of scanning each runner who went by,

 I spied him running along at a good pace!

Later, his family found him at another spot in the marathon.

I think it was his 4th half-marathon

and he got a personal best time.

Congrats PTB!

Too adorable that Janie dressed up as a kitty and Walt as Darth Vader!

Later, Catherine and the kids came over for muffins and chocolate milk!

After that healthy snack, Mr. Tennis gave them all a lesson in 

flower planting and watering!

Such a fun start to Sunday!

The Littles aka The Grands!

This is a post all about "the Littles" also known

as The Grands!!

They are a darling trio and we had some family photos

taken in July, so I wanted to share

their adorable cuteness with you!

Miss Janie - the oldest is now 5 years old and in kindergarten!

She loves seeing her teacher and friends every day,

learning to read and having chocolate milk at lunch!

Mr. Walt is 4 and going to preschool 3 days a week!

He was so happy to start school again and be reunited

with his preschool teacher from last year and all his buddies.

His only wish . . . that he would be able to have chocolate milk every day!

Little Mr. Harry turned 2 in August.  He is cuteness+

with a sweet and snugly personality.

And he operates pretty much at one speed - fast!

He plays big, runs fast, has never met a fence, stair or barricade

that he can't climb or take down.

Since Janie and Walt are in school at the same

time 3 days a week, Harry gets some 

fun one-on-one time with his Mom

and is attending an itty-bitty 

music/dance/jump class!

Here's the whole family  -- with big news -
a new little grand expected at the end of March, 2016!
Congrats to Philip and Catherine!