Snow Days Yaaawwwnn

Another winter is upon us and for the second year in a row we're actually having one. Since we have lived in Maryland, ten tears now, this is only the third year we have had serious snow. After last year I thought we were due for a dry winter and when the winter started we had threats of snow and even closings due to THREATS of snow but it looks like we'll have a snowy winter after all. This is all getting boring though. We get snow, it stops, it gets shoveled and it snows again. Just enough to slow everybody down here. School has been closed for three days after being closed for two days for teacher in service days. Now it's snowing again. Yawn!
We have had some excitement but not good excitement. In the midst of the worst of it our little Lily bean had a slight seizure and a high fever and her mommy had to drive her to the ER. Tom had his coat on before I could finish telling him what was going on. He was determined to get to his "girls" no matter what. Thank goodness she was treated swiftly and they were home safe within a couple of hours. SEE HERE

Ella needed some new snow boots and after going to two Target's, WalMart and the entire mall before we found a pair ! Bathing suits and shorts, no problem.
She also broke the zipper on her snow coat but thank goodness it's really not that cold.

It's a wet snow and great for snowballs and snowmen

Couldn't stop Tom from getting outside and shoveling. At least he wore his brace. Thomas hurt his shoulder the first day so Natalie was shoveling the second day AND she made chocolate chip scones, what a woman!"Brutus what are you looking at?"It's just Hercules, our 20 pound outdoor (most of the time) catNothing better than some nice warm noodles (Ella calls them BaBa noodles because her other grandma, BaBa, was the first one to make them for her. Something her health consencious grandma is not proud of I'm sure.) Tom just recently got addicted to these. The only time we ever bought them before was when he was active duty and would be "in the field"and he'd take a case with him because the MER's (Meals Ready to Eat )were so nasty. Never thought he'd be eating them in his retirement. LOL Ella was impressed that we buy them by the case.Of course PaPa shared his lunch with Sami Then Sami topped it off with a Clementine.

They ALL can't seem to get enough of these right now.

Not a bad way to spend a snow day.

Papa Bear

The title of my blog is The Most Important Things in Life Aren't Things at All. Our daughter-in-law, Natalie proved this to us one more time by writing this poem along with Ella for Tom's birthday. It's better than anything they could have bought him. We love you Natalie! Papa Bear

I Have a Papa Bear

His arms are warm and strong

And when they're wrapped around me

I know I can't be harmed

He's never ever cross

(even when I cry)

He just scoops me in his arms

And dries my teary eyes

I know he's really tough

And he's never ever scared

But with me he's sweet as honey

And tickles me with his beard

And if the storm clouds come

And the thunder's rolling in

I can curl up in his lap

And know I am safe with him

I have a Papa Bear;

The best Papa in the world

And no matter how the years pass

I will always be his bear-cub girl.

Happy Birthday

Love,

Ella & Samantha

Jan 2011

A Trip to Ohio

Monday Holiday so it must mean a trip to Ohio! We decided to take Ella with us this time, she has been traveling with Tom and I since she was a year old. We've taken Jack on a few trips too and next time it will be his turn. We stayed at a Holiday Inn 2 minutes from Charlie's house just to make it seem more like a vacation. We swam in the pool a few times and even took Piper for her first swim. We got a chance to spend a few hours with my brothers & sisters and their spouses which sounds easier than it is. Thanks Mark & Sue for having us all in and we love your new bar. Wyatt also enjoyed their air hockey table and Ella was our waitress, earning money to go in her new wallet. I wish I would have remembered to take the camera in :( We also took them to a mall that has a huge play area with bouncy houses and obstacle courses and of course Ella made friends wherever she went. While they were doing all that Charlie & Michele took Piper to get her ears pierced. Not sure how I feel about it but I wasn't going to be involved. No pictures again, just too busy to remember I guess. Charlie took a picture of Wyatt on the train in the play area and some when we were at the pool on his phone and sent it to me though.

Piper was worn out after her swimming.

This was on the bed in the hotel. She just passed out. I did remember to take the camera to the 'big event" of the week end, Toy Story on Ice. The tickets were only $20 but all the fees doubled the cost, so frustrating. I remember taking our kids and that would have prevented us from going. This time we were able to buy whatever they wanted although our kids don't ever remember ever being denied I was glad we could get the grandkids what they wanted without worrying where the money was going to come from.

Wyatt looked like this the entire time. He was amazed and even at Intermission he got a panicked look and asked for more.

These snow cones were HUGE. Wyatt got the alien and Ella of course got Jessie.

Ella with her stash. She just wanted a program which she has from all the shows she's been to and loves to read them and retell the story. For an extra $5 they threw in a coloring book. Michele said we could have gone to the dollar store and gotten one but they made it sound like a good deal, oh ya, I almost forgot they also threw in a fake flower that Jessie uses in the show for FREE. look at that face.

When the other kids around us were getting antsy I looked over at Wyatt and he still looked like this. He even wore his new Woody hat the entire time.

We got back to Wyatt's house and I just had to take a picture of the cousins.

We stopped and brought dinner back to the house and Wyatt wanted to use his new cup.

Still the hat is on. This cracks me up although it shouldn't. Looks like papa Bear & Momma Bear with Michele sitting in Wyatt's little recliner and Charlie filling up his so well.

She enjoyed getting into some new toys but she was just too big for most of them.

Wyatt finally took off his hat but just to give it along with a kiss to his baby sister.

"I love you, Uncle Chuckles!"

Wyatt can't get enough of Toy Story Look at our littlest Sweetie. She's not so little any more.

We love hotel breakfast and Ella had to take her new cup to breakfast because she said it was perfect for cereal (She sees me eat cereal out of a coffee cup.).

When we got home we found this big girl soo happy to see us.

This was the first time she greeted us like she missed us.

Jack came to visit us too. As a matter of fact Lily and Jack stayed with me for the afternoon and when she was napping he made a tower and wanted me to take a picture.

I LOVE THESE KIDS!

This and That-PRICELESS

Today was a very strange day. Tom's usual day to take Ella to school, stop off at Jack & Lily's to play and meet Ella at school for Reading Club. Tuesday is usually a quiet day for me.

Sami got up early this morning so Mommy said she would probably take a morning nap. After a bath I put her in the crib and heard her talk for a half an hour before I gave in and let her get up. So much for computer time for Grams. We played for a while and then I picked up the computer and she learned how to get herself a cup of water, so after showing her where to get a towel and how to clean up the floor (which she enjoyed enough to do again and again) it was lunch time and then nap time.

Then Tom came home and brought Ella with him since there was going to be early dismissal because of a snow storm coming through (which didn't hit until 6 hours later). After enjoying a couple of one on one hours with Ella and then a couple of hours of Ella & I chasing down Sami, Natalie picked them up early (because of early work release for her because of the impending snow).

Then I got some unexpected computer time and came across some pictures from the last couple of weeks that I hadn't posted so it seemed like a great time to share them. Hmmm, I'm thinking I got a bit long winded, oh well . . .

PRICELESS

Hot Chocolate at Waffle House.Front row seats at a Christmas play.One on one time with our Little Man

a Lily Smilea doggy kissA granddaughter fresh out of the tubAt any ageA grandson coloring and sharing his markers with his cousinGrandchildren visiting A sleeping granddaughterA granddaughter learning how to crawland learning how to use a cupFirst smiles from our Little P SMILE for the camera Piper! WE ARE BLESSED