Wild Johnny Jump-Ups

Do you know what they look like?  They are tiny, but oh so pretty.

Sydney enjoyed scouring the roadside to find them hidden amongst the grass and weeds.

Then she'd skip and hop back to the stroller to deposit them in the pocket hanging from the back of the stroller to take them home.

Only to stoop and hunt some more.

Then she'd announce "Okay, Gramie we have enough".

But then she'd spy another one and she'd have to stop and pick that one too.

"Aren't they beautiful, Gramie?"

They sure made a lovely arrangement that lasted for days and Mommy was pleased as can be with her new flowers.

Getting the Picture

There are times that getting the picture you want is just not that easy.  Case in point - little girl who just had surgery.  She still cries in the night, because her throat hurts and refuses to eat certain foods.   And the most terrible symptom of all is an aversion to picture taking.

In all honesty, I suppose it could just be her age or a stage she is going through, but many times I picked up my camera this is what I got.  If she had the energy she ran away, if not she covered her face or closed her eyes, therefore I couldn't see her.

Gramie LaLa stayed for a whole week, so she had to get crafty and come up with new techniques like hiding behind brother.  But never fear I managed to get plenty of great photos.

  I took Sydney for a walk to pick flowers and she loved having the time to stop and pick as she pleased, walking a few feet and stopping again.  Gramie was clicking away on the camera, but she was oblivious most of the time.

  On Monday, when the golf course was closed we skipped down hill to our favorite bridge for a photo session to play.  It was cool and windy, so we ran back and forth across the bridge to warm up, then found a long stick to fish out some pond scum and later threw in a few rocks.

The last day of "Day Care Gramie" I planned a tea party for three (Baby Jockah, her dolly joined us) and took a few pictures with my old Kodak camera. 

Luckily this little guy let me take as many pictures as my heart desired.

Way Back When #2 - Big and Little!

We have always referred to our girls as the Big Girls and the Little Girls.

Here's the Big Girls when they were little.  This was taken in Taylor, MI where we lived in a rental house for 2 years. 

 

The little girls in their Osh Kosh's.  Cuter than cute!

Today I flew home and promptly took a nap, those grandkids have a way of wearing me out.  I will share photos of the grand-kiddos I went to visit tomorrow.  Stay tuned!

Just like her Mama

This little munchkin is just like her Mama, when she was a little girl.  Meghan had a huge vocabulary and talked incessantly.  Although, Sydney had been talking much less since she had her tonsils out, yesterday she seemed to back to normal in that area.  Sydney just like her Mama likes to use big words.

At breakfast she told me she was going to "Slither like a snake under the table".  Later in the day she commented about someone having trouble doing something, "because there were to many distractions!"  And this morning she asked her Daddy to...."Please, put the cereal container on the table".  She was referring to the box of Frosted Flakes, which she calls "Frosted Snow Flakes".

My little granddaughter just turned three in November, but she tells the most amazing tales.  She does little demonstrations...like what her teacher does when she's unhappy with her behavoir at school.  What a crack-up that was.  She had her arms crossed over her chest and a very stern look on her face. 

I'll be listening for more big words as we spend out last day together.

First Day of Spring in North Carolina

We are celebrating the first day of spring by going to Burlington Park for a picnic.  It is a great place to take kids and Grandma's (It has a popcorn stand).  They have a carousel there and other kiddie rides including a train.  Friends of Meghan and Bill are meeting us there with their two boys, Sam and Charlie.  I will take my camera and be sure to capture as many moments as digitally possible.

Yesterday, Sydney and I took a long walk and she picked wild Johnny Jump Ups, while I took photos of her prancing around as happy as a lark.  She also collected a bunch of pretty pebbles and when we returned to the house we put both colorful pebbles and the pretty mini flowers in a crystal bowl for Mommy.  It was very Fung Shwae (sp?)  However you spell it.  We filled the bird feeder and Sydney rode her bike around the cul-de-sac.  It did require me helping a little as it is not level.  (This would translate---pushing the bike bent over around in circles getting all hot and sweatty.)

Griffin has not acted strange wtih me at all, he's very smilie and cuddlie and so much fun.  He has been going to Day Care as Sydney is a bit needy at the moment, but this weekend we will have ample opportunities to enjoy each others company. 

Cranberry scones are calling me with their delicious scent.....Meghan loves to cook and bake and I love to eat.  There goes the buzzer. Yummmy!

Way Back When Wednesday - #1

This is the first official Way Back When Wednesday!  I thought it was very appropriate to feature my first born.  The story behind this picture is:  An Aunt of mine took two of her kids to have their picture taken straight from bed in their pj's looking as though they'd just woken up.  It is a picture-perfect picture, I wish I had a copy of it to share.  Many,  many years later I can still remember that the jammies were baby blue and matched.  Although this picture turned out looking much more posed and she's definetly wide awake, it did turn out pretty darn cute.  What do you think?

Don't be afraid to be a bit unconventional.  Hey! who said you have to show up with your kid spit polished and in their best clothes?  Just think how cute it will look years later when you have a photo of them all dirty and sweaty with their hair sticking up in the air or their pigtails falling out.

And just because I love black and white.....   One of these days, when I actually get to take the photo shop class (who knew you have to call immediately, because it's the first class to fill every time?) I will learn how to make this picture look really old, won't that be awesome.

Danan the Traveling Dog

I couldn't believe my eyes when I down loaded this picture of Danan from my camera.  It was taken weeks ago and I'd forgotten all about what was on the camera.  What an awesome shot.  I didn't crop it or anything, this is straight out of the camera.  What do you notice most about the photo?  The magnificent mountain range behind her, or perhaps the very blue sky with the fluffy clouds?  I asked my husband, Corky to look at the picture and those are things that he pointed out.   Our dog has not left Michigan or even Howell since Christmas time and this is most definitely a picture of our dog.  Can you figure out how I took this shot?. It took me awhile to figure it out myself.

And then I looked at the rest of the pictures I down loaded and finally was able to put two and two together and see just what I was looking at it the first photo.  I was out in my own side yard playing with the dog and taking pictures of her.

She loves the snow.  I hid the frisbee in this snow pile and encouraged her to find it.  It was way to easy for her.

Back to the mystery photo.  Here is the answer:  Danan is sitting on our paved driveway, with dirt exposed behind her and that beautiful sky is really a snow drift with shadows cast across it.  Isn't that amazing?  I bet you thought it was a fake backdrop.