Meet Our New Grand-dog

Meet Thunder, I mean Flash, I mean...

Well, he'll have a name soon!

Duke meeting the newest member of the family 

Now it's Rascal's turn

This cute little (and I mean LITTLE) guy is joining Katie, Gabe, Sunny, Thunder, and Buster as the newest member of their family. Isn't he adorable? He's eight weeks old and only weights two pounds. 

Buster: "But I didn't ASK for a little brother..."

The kids are so excited to have a new puppy!

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

We were so fortunate as parents, we had two girls and two boys. We had all of the joys and challenges of raising kids of both genders. They are definitely different!

Now we have two granddaughters and two grandsons. What fun it is to have joys and challenges, yet not be responsible!

Last week was basically boys week at our house. I'd like to share some of the fun with you.

Rascal, Dan, and Thunder building the train track

Storm smothered in toys provided by Thunder

He loves to watch those monkeys!

Poor Storm, he can't even see Thunder for all the toys

Chillin' out with Gramps

A New House

One of the best things about being grandparents is being able to provide fun things for your grandkids that you couldn't afford with your own kids.

Ever since we found out we were going to be grandparents back in 2008, we dreamed of having a play house in our backyard for the grandkids. Last weekend our dream came true. We bought this little house at Sam's Club. Dan had it built by the time the kids came over on Sunday to play. They love it! They have played in it virtually all day long each day that they've been over. We're having Family Easter tomorrow, and I know Skye will love it as much as Thunder and Sunny do.

They were so excited to see it

Sunny

Doing what she does best - talking on the phone

My handsome little guy

"Come in!" The doorbell actually rings

Sunny + Rascal = Best Buddies

For some reason they wanted me to tie receiving blankets around them for aprons

The woman of the house

I love this photo - it's just too funny!

After playing house all day, it was fun to play poker with Papi!

Stitching Update - Week 2

This week I continued working on the 2013 Crazy January Challenge. I managed to complete a couple of projects, but haven't decided how to finish them yet. My starts are small, but I figure any time I put needle and thread into fabric counts!

First I'm sharing a photo of Rascal sitting in Dan's chair. This is definitely a no-no and he knows it!

Also, please check out the free patterns I'm giving away by clicking the tab at the top of the page. Thanks!

Excuse the wrinkles - this is a dark pink thread on a light pink fabric

My Big Toe - Cheaper than Therapy started 1/9/13

My Big Toe - A Very Faint Line started 1/10/13

This is a dark purple on a hand dyed fabric. 

I don't know why you can't tell the difference between it and the Easter piece. Please excuse the wrinkles again!

Designs by Jodi Evans - Did I Say That? Dinner started 1/11/13

A Day in the Life at Grammy's House

Yesterday was a great day at Grammy Daycare. Sunny is getting old enough that she can play by herself for long stretches of time. Thunder is enjoying the freedom of walking wherever he wants to go whenever the urge hits him. I just love to eavesdrop on Sunny's play time. She has an active imagination and she talks to and for all of her little animal and dolly friends.

She attended her first movie in the theatre this weekend. So yesterday a lot of her play centered on turning the lights off to have a show. Thunder's big thing is rocking in rocking chairs. He rocks a few times and then starts "singing" as he rocks. I haven't managed to snap a photo yet but I'm hoping to soon.

Is there anything that brings as much joy as grandkids?!

Sunny wore her headband today and thought Rascal would enjoy wearing it as well. Poor dog, he's still wearing the cone from his surgery a few weeks ago. He's such a good sport!

She wanted a picture with Summer. This is as close as Summer will allow her to get. 

This is one of those imaginative play times I love to listen to. She gathered all of her friends and lined them up for a "birthday show". I don't know where she gets her ideas from!

I'm Still Around...

Gee whiz. Just noticed I haven't posted for two weeks. I've been so busy with grandkids, appraisal work, cross-stitching, Pinterest crafts, and planning my birthday party that I just haven't taken the time to blog.

I created a new board on my Pinterest account. It's called "Look What I Did" and I'm going to post the projects that I try on there. I don't want to just pin things... I want to do things! This past weekend I worked on a Pinterest project and as soon as I can get a photo I'll share it.

On Saturday, Katie and I took Sunny to a dance studio for a trial session. Although she was too shy to participate much, she does want to dance. So this fall she'll be starting a weekly dance class. I can't wait for the recital in the spring!

Thunder chatters away in a language all his own. He has a great throwing arm and is even starting to catch the ball occasionally. He crawls in hyper-speed, but still won't let go and walk.

Rascal has had a "hot spot" on his front right leg for over three years. It used to come and go, only showing up every few months. I did take him to a vet to have it checked out a couple of years ago and they pretty much said they didn't know what it was (really?!). We took him to our family vet a year ago and he recommended a home remedy. It has steadily gotten worse so now we have to have surgery. He will be immobilized for over a month after the surgery. I'm apprehensive about him getting around. He's too heavy for me to lift and carry very much. I'm sure he'll figure out how to adjust. I sure hope so!

Here's a few random photos from the past two weeks.

Sunny and her best buddy Rascal

Thunder and his best buddy Gramps

Rascal after a day with the kids

Summer after a day with the kids

Duke after a day with the kids... do you see a pattern here?!

Through the Eyes of a Child: Sparklers

Jessica and Adam brought Sparklers and Poppers to our BBQ on Sunday. Here is Sunny's reaction to the Sparklers:

"This might be fun!"

"Oh my goodness gracious - fire!"

"What are you doing?! Keep that away from me!"

(Notice Rascal is keeping a watchful eye on the situation)

"This is too much for me..."

"You know, it is kind of pretty."

"(Gasp) You expect me to hold it?!"

"Ok, this is fun!"

"Look at me, Grammy and Tio!"

"I can do it all by myself!"

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

We got an unusual text request from Katie on Saturday morning. She asked if Buster could spend the night at Gramps' and Grammy's. Uhhh, sure?! She and Gabe went out with friends in Scottsdale. (Since Gabe works on that side of town and had to be there early Sunday morning they were staying overnight). Sunny and Thunder were spending the night at Papa and Mama Rossi's house (friends). That left Buster with no where to go. Gramps and Grammy to the rescue!

I was under the impression that Buster sleeps in his carrier at night. When I put him in there for bedtime he started to whine. Then he yelped. Then he howled. I texted Katie "I thought he sleeps in his carrier, why is he howling?" She texted back "he sleeps with us". Great. Fortunately he calmed down and went to sleep after a few minutes. He slept without a peep until midnight when the alarm on the clock in the living room went off. Dan went out to turn it off. Buster saw him and commenced howling. Dan got back up, put him out for a potty break, and then dumped him in bed with us.

No big deal... for Dan. For me, however, it led to a mostly sleepless night. I had Buster under the covers pressed up against me on my left side. Duke was on top of the covers, pressed up against my right side. Summer was on top of the covers pressed up against my feet. All that animal heat made for a hot night. All that pressed up against me felt claustrophobic. Thank goodness Rascal is too big to sleep on the bed!

I got some cute pics of Buster. He loved having the "big boys" to play with. It was cute to see him copy their movements. He loved going outside with them.

Little Buster

Emerging from a nap

Rascal, Buster, and Duke with Gramps

I've mentioned before that Sunny is fascinated by cross-stitching. She loves to get in my lap and watch me stitch. Tia Jessica lets her push and pull the needle through the fabric when she stitches. Sunny constantly tells me that she wants to learn to stitch. Yesterday morning I got out the sewing cards. I "sewed" one to show her how to do it. Then I turned her loose on the elephant by herself. She did it! She was so proud of herself. Last night when Katie picked her up, Sunny was standing at the door calling,"I stitched for you, Mommy! I stitched for you." We got out the elephant to show off to Mommy. I can't wait til I can teach her stitch!

"See what I did?!"