slime

 These kids were excited about ordering Slime on Amazon.  They both got theirs in the mail today.

Exciting!!

Well, then see that little one on the slide in the blue shirt?  

Yeah.

It was discovered that if you stick the slime on your toes and run around, all the dog hair in the world will stick to your feet, and then it has to be scrubbed off which isn't easy.

Good to know.

And a fine Thursday it was.

Love you kids, Grandma

storm clouds

 This was taken at the lake this weekend.

These were taken in the city while we were driving home last night.

 The clouds were so intense as we were driving near Dan and Alicia's neighborhood I texted Alicia to look at the clouds--quick, before the sun was totally down.

 Alicia texted me back, and I laughed.  Apparently she got the text, took me seriously and got herself where she could see the clouds.

She snickered, "So random."

Yah.

She'd run out to the yard so she could see--too many trees near the windows.

Love, Val

heidi's birthday

Was spent at the lake in the rain, worked hard to keep this baby under control.

Not.

This is the baby who runs us around.  She's helping with dishes here.  After a little while she tried to drink the dishwater, which Grandpa did not allow.

James made it up to the lake, which was a very nice surprise.

Saturday morning I searched all around for the hairbrush.  I bought a new one for $2.19 at the grocery store a few weeks ago because the old brush at the cabin is lost.

Well, I couldn't find it, ended up using Heidi's brush.

The hairbrush was found later out in another room--the child had been using it to brush this guy's hair.

Of course.

Maria amusing the child in the rain, looking for toads.

 Happy Birthday, Beautiful girl.

This whole family is who it is because you are here

We hope it's a wonderful year.

Love, Mom, Dad, and Everybody

dan's thirty-seven

 It's your birthday in 45 minutes.

Even though you said yourself you need nothing, Maria and I bought you a few gifts last night and I wrapped them up to send with her in the morning, where she mentioned tomorrow is the birthday for several of your co-workers.

Weird.  But that's okay.  Who knew?

Tonight I went looking for pictures of you and found so many.

 You've been a good friend to Dad and me for many years now.

 And these little squirrels are going to grow up to be some of the dearest friends your life will ever hold.

Thank you for all the happiness you have brought us.

Thank you for being such an excellent brother, father, husband, uncle, nephew, and grandson too.

In this whole world, you're the only you.

Happy Birthday, Son.

Thanks for being ours.

Love forever, Mom and Dad and Everybody

eclipse

 Julia made this eclipse viewer out of a fruit snacks box and tin foil.  She googled how to do this. It actually worked. The eclipse was seen inside this box.

 And then the clouds came out and that was the end of it.

Love, Val

coffee cake and the diving dock

 Alicia's parents bought the cabin next to John and Dannell's so we've been having a fun summer.

We loved the neighbors who were there before and miss them.  They were just lovely.

But this has been a good answer to that--them having sold the cabin to Mike and Theresa.

 So Alicia's mom brought over a blueberry coffee cake and these two girls were so pleased about it. They accepted their big pieces of cake, took a nibble off the edge and left the whole thing.

That's okay. It's toddlers.

 Alicia's mom found this diving dock on Craig's List for a great price, and it was quite popular.

 t.c. wanted to take the Little Tykes slide out there, but if it went in water it'd fill up and weigh a ton, be hard to get it back onto the diving dock.   We had him float it out there on that tube--worked perfectly.

Anyway, all kinds of fun.

Love, Val