people

Yeah, people who are in Florida when it's 3 degrees F here.  That would be my parents and Kirby.

That's okay.

Have a wonderful week, you guys.

love always,   The rest of us

oh, laughing

I came across this on Instagram tonight.  That's p.j. in the middle, her dad on the right, his little brother--her uncle on the left.

(The uncle has been Jay's trusty plumbing side-kick the last few weeks.  Jay wishes he had enough work to keep him helping every day.  He's wiry and capable, has a good sense of humor.)

Oh, I laughed though.  Hair brushes driving the roads?

Monday Alicia texted me early.  b.g. had a stomachache and his little brother had a class and could I keep care of him for a couple hours?

Yes.

Apparently he gobbled down his breakfast and then was complaining and holding his stomach and what do you do with a guy like that?  Take him to preschool in that state?

No. Take him to Grandma's.

He rolled around on the big, red couch for about fifteen minutes.  I asked him if he thought a popsicle might help?

He thought it would, so I carried in the milkman food and found the popsicles, and he ate one and was well.

He woke up his aunt and uncle, and felt better.

Voila.

I love miracle cures.

Alicia and I had a fine lunch of tuna sandwiches, even though I ran out of mayonnaise and the Miracle Whip was expired.

We persevered and survived.

Tonight, late, I drove home after the snow, and the sky was that thing it does after a snowstorm, the huge pink dome of sky, bright as day.  Over the pines, there was a little slice that was a perfect baby blue.

And I came in this house and found one sleeping man, and a couple sweet kids, and now it's actually tomorrow.

Love you all so, Val

making the most of this saturday

The first picture is two girls who picked out dresses at Costco yesterday.  We roamed around, ate samples, had fun.

The picture below is Desi's bearded dragon Little Jay bought her for her birthday.   We went over there to see him today, and is he ever cool--and very, very adorable.

Heidi asked this morning if we wanted to go along to soccer and see the kids play.  p.j. is playing and also Dan and  Alicia's guys.

It was pretty cute, and fairly hilarious.

Okay, plus this:  Dan and Alicia's littlest guy gets nervous, so he wants Dan to hold his hand while he plays soccer.  I laughed my head off watching this, the kid kicking a ball while dragging his father along by the hand.

Yeah, memorable. We'll be bringing this up to the kid later, "Remember when?"

The coach kept things moving--activities only three or four minutes long, lots of running and chasing, and there were also tears.  One tiny (minute little peanut) kid didn't get a pink soccer ball, and that was upsetting. When we left, p.j. was all in a bad mood.  I asked Heidi what was wrong?  "She's disappointed in her performance."

???

Alicia said b.g. said the same thing one other week.  He was upset because he isn't good at it.   Well, soccer is a little complicated.   No doubt it's harder than it looks.  I can tell you that right now about hockey.

They race around, gliding on ice, and talk about adding to the hazard.  Alicia's brother and his wife were soccer players in college, and they are still fairly serious athletes.

I would know nothing about that personally.

 After we hung out at Little Jay's a while, we went over to John and Dannell''s to see them and the kids.   Tim and t.c. grabbed ipads and were gone playing games the whole time.

 She's growing!  Her eyes were open more, so sweet.

 John put pizzas in the oven.

And now it's the end of Saturday night, and February has been completely amazing so far.

Onward.   love always, Val, aka Grandma

oh, babies

 It's been a number of days since Dannell and I have been able to be together.

Life conspires.

Today she was here though, and we ate tuna salad sandwiches for lunch, and cuddled that little baby, and we laughed more than we have in a long time.

(The kids were ridiculously ridiculous and energetic. We were not.)

Oh, what a fine Thursday this was.

I love you all.

Do you realize how much?

Do you have the slightest clue how crazy I am for you people, you crazy people, of every age?

Well, I am here to tell you:  I LOVE YOU.  (I always have. It wasn't even ever an option not to.)

Thanks for being mine.

Aww.  love, MOM, aka GRANDMA, aka VAL

just kind of needed this

 Kind of needed this today.  It's dark and overcast, starting to snow.

Looking at July kind of helped.

Summer will be back soon enough.  The days are already noticeably longer, and once we get to March, winter's winding down fast.

A few more weeks.

Another new baby will be here, and we can do it.

Onward to Tuesday.

love, Val

baby pictures

 It's been a wonderful week, welcoming this child, so happy to have her with us.

 When they arrived the other day, Dannell told me to pluck her from the carseat.   I asked her if she was sure?  Yes, she needs to be waked up to eat.

So, that's enough for me.  But then p.j. was right there on the bench beside me, "Oh Gramma, look it!   Look at her little hands!"  She kissed her head.

The displaced brother is actually coping pretty well.  He likes her.  Life has changed, but it's going to be okay.

These are from today--she's a little jaundiced, so its important that she nurse.  But first she had to be unwrapped and undressed from her little cozy cocoon.

 Here she is, all dressed, ready to have her heel pricked again.  Dannell nursed her through this so she never even cried.

I like that method.

 Here they are, working the Etch-A-Sketch.

 And he showed up after work to meet his new niece.

It was a great, baby day.

Nothing but love, Val, aka GRANDMA

fancy

Okay, Julia is fancy.  See these fake fingernails she got at Target yesterday?   I have never had my nails done.   Not one single time.   I might file and buff them, or put on nail polish once in a while, but stick on fingernails?

Never.  Never even thought of it.

Jule has always has been this way, loves fancy things.

I have five daughters--three fancy, two not..

I am not fancy.

 Alicia and I have talked about this because she has a not-fancy mother, and a not-fancy grandma.
And yet Martha, one of her mom's sisters,  is very fancy.  Martha is just all kinds of elegant and beautiful.

Maybe it's genetic.  We don't know.

But one little girl has been born this week into the family, and two more are going to be soon.

We'll are so excited to get to know these people.

Oh my goodness.

love, Val