Before I forget. . .

When Emily spent the night recently, she was quite taken with the movie: "Free Willy" and watched it repeatedly.

At one point, Pops walked by and heard her say something she had been saying since she first saw, Willy.
He said:

"That is the only age you'll ever hear a woman say that."

He was referring to her saying this:

"I'm a WHALE!"

:)

A small smile. . .

Aunt Laura was holding two month old, Hailey. She was feeding her a bottle and said:
"You are going to town, aren't you, Hailey?"

Emily said:
"No, she's not going to town. She is not a year old and she can't drive yet."

:)

A Scattering of "Stories"

     Trying to keep up with all these little ones so some posts might be hurried. Like this one.

:)

     I missed a post I wanted to share on the local farmer's market. I've just been swamped lately and haven't had much in the way of computer time.

     Anyway, I'll quickly say it was an adorable experience. I started shopping while waiting for Brandy, Emily, Caden, and Hailey to arrive.  They got to the door and  the two oldest had great smiles when they saw me and came running into my arms. They helped me all the way through the market! They handed me apples, lemons, tomatoes, onions, squash, cucumbers, carrots, and more. Actually, Emily (three years old)  handed and helped me weigh things. Caden (almost two years old)  thought it would be much more productive to throw from whereever he was standing towards the cart.
     He is crazy over cucumbers so he grabbed them as fast as his little hands could get them and he was throwing them our way. Some hit the cart, others bounced off and hit the floor, a few we caught and put in the cart and the rest he actually managed to land inside the cart. I laughed when we got home and they were peeled and sliced for a salad;)

     Emily kept lovingly looking at some cherry tomatoes and we realized she wanted them but didn't want to ask. I sent her back to get her own little container and she smiled and literally hugged them all the way to the register.

     We'll have to make another trip and I'll wear tennis shoes so I can run after them better than I managed with flip flops.
     They got a customary little treat just to get one. Pink pretzels.

     Last night, we went over to see them and watch some "On Demand" episodes of "The Office" and the kids were competing with the tv for attention. What a nice Nandy they have --- I was looking around their little heads, playing during breaks, and shushing them during the wedding scenes.
     I don't think they liked it very much. Emily got so wild playing with me at one point I had to make her quit and Caden bit Sierrah (not really biting... more like playing and pretending for the reaction) four times and they both laughed so hard they almost lost their breath over it all.

     We are blessed. . . .

Day at the Park

     Since I “journaled” here last, a lot of activity has been whirling around.


     We had a Wednesday at the park and it was fun!

     Both suburbans parked together and the kids were so excited to see Nandy right next to them. Smiles. We got the kids all out, took our bags, blankets and so on and headed for the sidewalk. We were thinking of how little the kids were last time they came (before Braxton started school and before Hailey Hope was born!) and couldn’t believe how much time has gone by.

     Emily skipped ahead of us and Caden held my hand like and walked just as fast as he could.

     We closed the gate behind us and hoped to catch the swing we like sitting on but someone had their bag on it. The woman and her child or grandchild were all the way across the playground and obviously not using it but we forced ourselves to another place. It was wet mud so we found a bench in full sun since it was cool outside.

     Emily was running all over the place and Brandy had the idea to get a picture of her just in case we needed a most recent shot. Like, in case someone snatched her. Wise thinking, Mama. I didn’t think of that one.

     Right when we started to get settled… a large group of various aged students came in and it was humorously like an ant bed after someone steps on it. There were kids flying everywhere and fast!

     It was fun to watch the different personalities and see the expressions on the teachers as they scanned the kids to keep up with them.

     Before all of our things were unloaded, our bench became not occupied so we jumped up and made a fast walk for it. On the way, Caden was waving at the teachers and telling them “HI!” --- and we kept having to look for Emily. She was in and out of tunnels, down slides, up steps and around bends.

     We had the turkey, tomato, and cheese sandwiches with pickle spears and pickled peppers with Pepsi in cans. With some chips and cookies thrown in… we had food we don’t usually eat and it was simple and easy to clean up! Tasted delicious from the first bite to the last.

     At one point, the kids looked up and had the most darling expressions of excitement on their faces. As soon as it registered WHO they were seeing. . . they yelled, “POPS!” and ran to him as fast as they could. He kneeled down and scooped them up and hugged them and my heart filled just watching them. He has done that in the past . . . found out we had the kids at the park for lunch and joined us.

     We stayed for quite some time and had a very enjoyable day. Brandy and I talked while the kids played and we all left with smiles and full from all the food we ate!

Caden's Birth

Michael Caden

Held by Aunt Lauren

First Photos

With Mama

Josh, Angela, and Jayden: one of Dad's best friends since first grade!

Caden & Nandy

One of our favorite pictures!

Emily's Birth

Emily & Nandy

Only time she ever cried with Nandy (smiles)

My little grandgirl!

Content with Daddy

So loved by Daddy & Mama

Meeting Aunt Lynda

Kitchen Helpers

Quick note:

     The kids not only love helping us with food prep in the kitchen . . .they are getting better and better at it as they go.

     Recently, we were making a dish requiring organic baby spinach leaves to be added so we divided bunches of washed leaves between Braxton and Emily. They were instructed to pull the big stems off and place the de-stemmed leaves in a pile. We washed and spun them dry before giving them their piles of leaves.

Brandy kept noticing a lot of green in the trash can and quickly discovered Braxton tossing more in. We asked why and he said that Emily kept breaking them and messing up. Well, her work was a bit hyper (the leaves looked like a band of fairies danced all night on some of them) but we deduced the real idea might be more along the lines of him not wanting to deal with helping her so he'd just throw any away not perfect.

After awhile of the stem breaking task, Emily said:
"I need more weeds, Nandy!"

I still laugh when I think of it and JUST thought I'd share that. Smile & wink ~

Hailey Hope/Birth . . . Last Post!

Brandy (mama) & best friend, Christy

Uncle Brandon & Aunt Laura

Meeting Hailey Hope

Michael (Hailey's Dad) & Uncle Brandon

Hailey Hope!

Talking to Uncle Matthew

Handing her to Mama...

Beautiful

Uncle Brandon washing his hands to hold his new niece. . .

Meeting Aunt Lynda (Nandy's Sister)

Meeting Aunt Laura (Mommy-to-Be)

Together this time. . .

Uncle Sheldon (Nandy's uncle) and Melissa (Nandy's first cousin)