Category Archives: Grandparents
Katie and Gramma Jean’s Big Birthday Adventure
I told Gramma that for Katie’s birthday, instead of giving her stuff, to take her on an adventure. So she did.
In Gramma’s words:
For Katie’s 5th birthday this year, we went on an adventure! (Yes, in Grayling.) We played at three parks, went wading in the river (along some of the racers practicing), went to the grocery store for picnic lunch supplies [where Katie could pick anything she wanted—she got a Lunchable, strawberry yogurt covered pretzels, strawberries, cashews, and chocolate milk], threw stones in the river for a half hour, went for a 3-mile bike ride (yes, I fell), and had an ice cream cone at Wimpy’s. We were gone 7 hours and mom and dad were starting to worry! What great fun we had! Happy birthday Katie Bug!
Gramma says Katie could have pedaled for hours!
Gramma says: I am so glad Katie didn’t fall. We were too close to each other and her back wheel caught my front wheel.
Owen’s first time shooting!
Owen was so excited to go shooting! He’s doing pretty well with remembering the three rules (generally speaking he knows them but had trouble repeating them) so we’ll keep working on that. (If he can remember 632 things about Pokémon, he can remember the three rules about gun safety.)
His shots were all in the black!
Cupcakes!
We brought cupcakes and frosting for Gramma to do with the kids… Grauntie Marge ended up helping as well, and then I got stuck frosting them and Katie did the sprinkles.
We had them as birthday dessert for Katie after the Wednesday night group dinner when everyone came back to the house to visit. We even sang Happy Birthday to Katie and she loved it!
AuSable River Festival Kids Day
We specifically came up to Grayling Monday night we we could take the kids to the kids fest day since they had so much fun last year! Unfortunately, this year they didn’t have the canoeing with the pro, which is what we had really hoped to do again. 🙁 So this was as close as we got—and Owen refused to stick his head in so I did instead.
Family photo booth!
Within an hour of arriving…
Owen was brave enough to swing this year!
Happy 5th birthday, Katie!
The day started by opening a present from papa and Grannie (that has been in our closet for probably two years now)—doll bunk beds. She was over the moon!
Picture with the birthday girl!
Opening her birthday cards—the same card from two people and the zebras matched her outfit! What are the odds?!
The official picture.
10# of lobster
As a thank you to the grandparents for watching the kids, we bought four lobster—two insanely huge ones (probably 3.5# each) and two regular-sized ones.
We don’t have official lobster implements…but these worked fine.
Katie’s attempts at getting a picture of our huge lobster tails.
The lobsters were so huge that one claw was the size of a regular lobster’s tail! Neither of us could finish the whole thing.
Throwback to 2003:
What can be better than a treat from the ice cream truck!
Gramma sure is spoiling them! This is what came across my Facebook feed as we were driving home! 🙂
Pool Opening: Grandparent Edition
Since we were away house hunting, it was up to Gramma Jean and Grandpa David to take the kids to opening day of our community pool.
Just chillin’ with Gramma
Katie wanted Gramma to curl her hair!
The first picture is the back of her hair BEFORE curling. Right. Mission accomplished!
Gramma giving Katie a butt massage.
At least that’s what Katie called it. 🙂
Playing Suspend with Gramma
They got ALL the bars on without anything falling off! So much fun!
Gramma brought a puzzle!
Screeching flying worms!
So, Gramma Jean had these many years ago when Owen was maybe 2-3 and he hated them! She kept them all this time and brought them down. The first one busted as she was blowing it up. The second one made no noise whatsoever. Then one finally worked.
Reading to Gramma
Of course I got grief first about having to treat but once he got started he enjoyed it.
Waiting to scare Gramma!
I came upstairs to see Katie laying in the hall like this. I asked her what she was doing. Then I noticed the bathroom door was closed and the light was on.
Gramma was in there and she was waiting to scare her when she came out!!
Baseball game with Gramma and Grandpa!
Gramma Jean and Grandpa David came down to watch the kids while we did house hunting stuff… And they arrived in time to go to baseball with us!
Easter gifts from Gramma Jean
Katie put her skirt on right away (it actually even matched what she was wearing) and they LOVED the candy in the bunny egg.
Purple pearls!
After all these years I finally have the perfect outfit to wear with my Grandma Smith’s purple pearls. She loved her costume jewelry…
Bunny Head
Granny Lin sent the kids some Easter treats… These are chair covers that Owen immediately co-opted for a hat.
Boosterthon Fun Run Success, Year 2
Owen’s school participated in the Boosterthon Fun Run again this year and once again Owen ran all 35 possible laps! The weather was unseasonably cold (with the first snow day and two 2-hour delays this very week!) so the run had to move inside. They turned it into a “glow run” which was cool…but made for a horrible time taking pictures.
But first, as we were waiting to enter the gym (each grade level ran at a different time), Owen came by doing his weekly chore: delivering lunch boxes to the cafeteria! As soon as he saw me, he hid behind the door (as seen in the second photo). What a stink!
Each classroom was announced and took a lap around the course and then lined up.
Staff ready to mark each lap!
Katie ready to make some noise and cheer!
The boys’ cheering section.
Getting ready to run!
This year they just got a sticker on their shirt instead of writing on the shirt itself. Owen actually ran more than the 35 laps, but a lot of kids did—the laps were much shorter this year because it was just one loop around the gym.
Overall, Owen earned $266.50 for technology for his school!! YAY OWEN!
This is looooooong overdue.
I hate doing it. I always feel like I’m ruining them…or not sharpening them enough. 😆 My stepdad usually does it for me but he hasn’t been here and it was getting dire.
Kidisms 37
Owen: Katie why are you reading my book?
Katie: I’M NOT! I’m just looking at it. I don’t know how to read yet.
Gramma was teaching Owen and Katie a new card game that involved matching suits and counting.
Katie: Let’s play plain. Without construction.
Gramma Jean was coloring with Owen and Katie. Owen was complimenting Katie.
Owen: Wow, Katie. You’re doing such a good job. You’re staying inside the lines. I’ve never seen a 4yo color so good.
Katie: I know, right?
At the airport, I told Katie that dad got her chicken fingers because that’s all they had.
Katie: Are you serious? I can’t handle chicken fingers.
Dolphins! Gramma Selfie!
The kids finally got to see some dolphins while Tom and I were out running an errand!
A thank you dinner for the grandparents!
We always take the grandparents out to dinner to thank them for letting us stay with them…and this time, we went to McGuires Irish Pub just down the road in Destin. We happened to be sitting right at a Pokémon gym so of course we had to take it over. 🙂
The tradition at this place is to leave a signed/decorated $1 bill stapled to the wall. They have over $1 million hanging throughout the place (see lots of great pictures from RoadTrippers). This was the wall behind us (in the natural restaurant lighting):
And the same picture with a flash:
This is the bill we did. Gramma drew the heart with the year and signer her name; Owen wrote his name on the very left, going up from the O; Katie die her KAtie on three lines; Grandpa David did his GD between Owen and Katie; Major Tom left his mark; and since no one took good ol’ George, I did that plus left our JTOK.
Gramma stapled it to the wall.
Can you see it?
Look here!
Now that’s a big chair.
Florida tradition: Fudpucker’s
Read about the last time we were there (2015).
Later when we checked the other pictures, we saw that Owen had his Halley shirt on again! Totally unplanned!
We had to visit Owen and Tom’s names on the wall…which happened to be right about where we were seated.
Katie adding her name!
Gramma Jean 2017
Time with Grauntie and Gruntie
Grauntie Rose and Gruntie Jim also stay down here during the winter, so they came over for lunch. We had hoped to be able to take the kids to the pool or the beach but it was cold and rainy…so there were a few games of Katie’s new favorite: Go Fish!
