At The Park

One of my things I loved to do when my kids were small is go to the park... now I've graduated to grammie-duties at the park. Know what? They are still just a fun!

I got to take these littles to the park THIS-day!

Roxie was so good sticking with Jude until he felt comfortable on his own. (Well, HE thought he was on his own... Grammie shadowed him pretty closely!)

They ran, climbed, slid and played on the swings until they were tired and ready to head home.

But before we did Jude showed off his skills with a solo run down the big slide... giggling all the way.

Grammie Date

I had the great pleasure of going on a date with two of my darling granddaughters! What a treat! I've been to Thanksgiving Point gardens many times, but I haven't done much else than one movie and a quick walk-through the Dinosaur Museum. So when Jessica offered I jumped at the chance. This day we went to the Museum of Natural Curiosity- which is a bit like any museum... you have to go back many times to see everything!

Both girls were very excited to introduce Grammie to this new experience. They showed me the little door, which Grammie walked through too with barely a stoop!

They made a beeline to this play area and told me all about the time Sophie plummeted from the top to the bottom all at once- and didn't even cry!!

I love how Roxie's hair is full of static electricity.

They negotiated the rope bridges with Roxie never leaving Sophie behind. I am always so impressed at how kind and loving these children are to each other. (Good home training!) We poked around in a few of the rooms enjoying different experiences.

One was the Cave of Courage. Roxie asked if I wanted to go through and since I could see that it required lots of bending and crawling, I opted out. So off they went. What I didn't know is that they were in the pitch black and had to feel their way through a maze! There were cameras so I could watch their progress. Roxie always had a hold of Sophie. After several minutes I started to panic... Yikes! Then I could hear Sophie's plaintive plea, "Grammie, how do we get out?" Luckily there was a very brave boy who went in, at my request, to help them find the way out. I gave Soph a big hug but there were no tears. Again with the yikes!

They wanted to go outside and since it was a mild day, 45°, we did. They had a dandy time sliding, climbing, teetering and zip-lining! (Grammie even zipped once!)

But after 2 hours Grammie was hungry and tired...

Then it was Grammie's turn to introduce these sweeties to a culinary delight. El Pollo Loco just makes my mouth happy! (We are lucky enough to have one of the two in Utah! That was a happy day for me since they are all over in CA!)

The best part... I don't think these two have ever eaten drumsticks before. But the time Roxie finished the second one she told me she thought she had it figured out!

I can tell you, we need to do this more often!

Use It Up

Many years ago I heard a little poem-

Use it up,

Wear it out,

Make it do,

Or do without!

I think it stuck with me because it spoke to my heart- especially my fabric-loving heart. I have small totes of little, seemingly useless, strips of fabric. I've even giving some away for others to use. It pains me to get rid of what might be useable fabric.

I think this beautiful Moda fabric purchased in 2006 demonstrates the reason why I keep saving fabric. 

This is all that's left of one-honkin'-bunch of fabric.

I bought the first cuts of this delicious fabric at some little quilt shoppe up in the Salt Lake Valley. I don't even remember the name now. I also bought a pattern but when I got home I realized that I wanted the fabric to shine. So I got a pattern from Tawna Witney that was just perfect. She'd made a shower curtain with her fabric.

I ended up enlarging the blocks to 200% and made my wonderful Moda super-king quilt. I needed to add more fabric and went down to Corn Wagon (only 2.2 miles from my front door!.) It is so big that I had to put it on my *then* design wall in 4 pieces! (Go big or go home!) I think that I completed this quilt in early 2007 when this photo was taken.

I had some fabric left. So, several years later, when Miss Sophie was going to join our family, I pulled out my delicious fabric and made her this soft and pretty quilt. March 2010

Yes, there was STILL fabric left. I put all of it into a clear plastic bag to await a future project. That project, which will remain nameless *THIS DAY* was completed this evening and is ready to go live with little baby-Annabelle (whose Mama loves this coral-pink color).

I'll be back in a few days with the photo... but for now y'all have to wait patiently with Deborah!

A New Tradition!

Last week while I was making my gingerbread nativity the thought kept rolling around in my head, "Wouldn't this be an awesome activity with the grandkids?" I knew that the kids needed to be old enough to actually participate so that ruled out the littles. (As it turned out, Jude came to hang in the highchair and eat copious amounts of fruit and beans while Mama went to see if she could get her 2-week migraine under control)

(You know what I love the most about this photo? Yup, that family sign that proclaims- THIS is my family!)

I knew that I needed to have the gingerbread baked and ready when the kids got here to keep this from being an all day affair. My plan was to have the icing ready too... but it wasn't so I had some champion frosting tinters on the job.

Once the frosting was tinted it was time to start decorating. I love how self-sufficient and creative these kids are. I gave them some general instruction and a demonstration and they were good to go.

Well, all except Sophie. It's hard when you have tiny hands.

(I just love her pixie hair!)

I told them about my black sheep and explained how the Savior's atonement cleanses us from all our sins when we repent. I'm so grateful that I can share my testimony with my grandchildren.

When it was time to go home Christian stayed for one last photo op!

(I do love this boy!)

Now can I just say a couple of things?
(Yes, yes I can! This IS MY blog after all!)

I am one of those lucky women who got to live my dream. As a child, when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was, "I want to be a Mommie, just like my Mommie!" I wasn't always able to be a stay-at-home-Mommie (just like my Mommie) but I got to love and enjoy my children. It is the hardest and most fulfilling job I've ever had.

But you know what? This being a Grammie is perhaps even more satisfying. (I am the Grammie-spoiler NOT the Mommie-enforcer) I recognize just how blessed I am that I can be a part of these darling children's lives!

I'm in hopes that next year I will be able to include more of our grandchildren. I do love this new tradition!

October Birthdays

... and, boy, is it crowded!

You know how they say a picture's worth a thousand words? I knew we had a lot of October birthdays... but it wasn't until I turned the page on my calendar that Camille made us for Christmas that I realize JUST HOW MANY!!



Roxie, Camille and Jessica blowing out their birthday candle...



And Uncle Stuey, with help from Roxie and Sophie (Actually Sophie changed her mind when she got up close and personal with the candle. But no worries- Uncle Stuey was there to save the day.)

Cutest Grandkids!

I know that we all think our grandkids are the cutest... but in my case... it's the truth!

Ashton- 12 1/2 (and 5'8")

Christian, almost 10

Roxie 5 1/2

Sophie 2

And, no, I haven't forgotten baby Jude, but he gets his very own post in a day or so!

Baby Jude

I'd like to introduce our newest little angel... Jude McNeil Lewis. He was born, yesterday, May 6 at 4:27 am. He weighs 7lbs 2oz and is 20". He joins a very happy brother, Christian- who's been hoping for a brother! and sisters Ashton, Roxie and Sophie. Doug and Jessica are his proud parents.

When Jess brought out this owl hat I was so pleased and surprised! She'd seen the photos I took of baby Bronx last month and was crazy about this little owl hat (well, all things owl!) So her sweet sister made one for baby Jude. I love it!

As you can see, we didn't let him get more than a few hours old before we had our first photo shoot! I told him to get used the the sound of Grammie's shutter clicking!

You may recognize this fabric from Spencer and Deborah's wedding quilt and my party skirt! When I mentioned that I still had fabric leftover after the skirt Jessica hinted that she really liked green and brown too! (Who doesn't?) I also used the Chenille-It on the quilt. I'm in love with this product...

As I was quilting I saw this perfect 4-patch! And I just happened to know the perfect 4-letter word to go in it... J-U-D-E!

Last evening, after dinner, Doug caught me doing my FAVORITE of all Grammie-duties! Loving my babies.

I'm so blessed to have my family! I love them so much.

"It's All Fun and Games 'Til Somebody Gets Hurt!"

I love our tradition of 3rd Sunday Grammie Dinner. Most of the local children and grandchildren come for a yummy dinner and an evening of fun and visiting. But this week Unca Stuey was in fine form. He took off his tie (on Sunday!!) and went outside with his adoring fan club.



I became aware of the frivolities, grabbed my camera and got outside just in time to see him *airplaning* Kaia around.



But Unca Stuey is always looking for the next fun feat! He got both little girls; Elise and Roxie, each by one leg and started to spin...



Go faster... (At this point mama-Jessica had to look away! Look out of the way!)



Ahhhhh... too fast... Yeah, it's all fun and games 'til somebody gets hurt, or in this case, scare-scare! (But look at Roxie's face! She is totally diverted!)



But that's ok. Unca Stuey can make it all better.



Christian wasn't into the spinning, but he loved the *throw up in the air* routine.



And where is Sophie all this time? Staying safely away from her rowdy Unca Stuey! Showing us the pretty flowers. This little 16-month-old can sure talk! What's up with that?



This little lovely has eyes that are the same color as denim. Uncle Spenny's eyes are like that too. I love it.



Ashton is growing so fast! She is almost as tall as her Mama... she passed up her Grammie years ago! What a lovely girl.



It is one of my greatest joys to be here in Utah with so many of our grandchildren and family. I just wish the rest of them were closer.

Happy time!

330- Sophie Sweetness

This is our littlest and youngest grand-daughter... how cute is this baby?