October~ Getting Closer

The middle of October each year, our area hosts the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race.  It is usually really neat.  People come from everywhere.  Sometimes, we have as many as 80 balloons in the sky.  This year the wind conditions weren't perfect, so we barely saw a balloon.  :(  We did have a great weekend, though, because two of our daughters came from Arkansas and brought with them two of our sweet granddaughters, Lauren and Becca.  They came to see Stephanie, my middle stepdaughter, after her surgery.  (She did really well.)  Since her little girl Harlee's daddy had National Guard drill, she spent the weekend with Poppa, me and her only girl cousins.  She loves it when they come down.  None of our grandsons were here, so we had a "girls' only" weekend.  They had a ball "camping out" in our living room. 

Left to right Lauren, Harlee (she lives here), and Becca.  

There is also a festival/flea market that comes with the Balloon Race.  Harlee loved the rides.  She was finally big enough to ride.  I love this smile on the carousel.  :)

All three girls rode the little cars together.

We sat on the riverfront for an hour waiting on the balloons to start.  But we gave up and went home.  :(

It was also the weekend after Lauren's 6th birthday, so she opened her "birthday box" from Poppa and me.  To read how that tradition started look HERE.

And another visit from Leon the last weekend in October.  He had a good time.  He's feeding himself very well.  (He was 20 months in these pictures.)

He helped Poppa with the yard work.  ;)

We took him home after Halloween.  Trunk or Treat pictures are coming soon.  (I'm getting caught up~ slowly, but surely.)  I love this picture of him and his Mommie on their porch.  :)

A Spring Visit With Our Arkansas Girls

Debbie, our oldest daughter, came down to visit this weekend and brought our two beautiful granddaughters with her. While Mom (Debbie) made a Wal-Mart run, the girls and I had a little photo shoot in the backyard. I told them not to tell her so we could surprise her with some early Spring pics~ no formal attire required. =) Hope I have time to squeeze in a few of them all dressed up next time they come down in May to attend Aunt Shelbi's graduation!!!

Becca & Lauren together

Becca loves to pose! =)

Lauren actually cooperated! ;)

Totally into the "cheerleader" poses! lol

My favorite one of Becca!

And a natural one of Lauren. =)

I so enjoyed getting to see our girls this weekend! Debbie and these two haven't been down since New Year's weekend. I got to spend time with Leslie, Mallory, & Daniel last weekend in Texas and am looking forward to Sarah and Leon coming next Sunday! Of course, I was glad to spend time with Stephanie and her three this weekend too. Mason's birthday is tomorrow and Steph had his party yesterday. That was the main reason Deb came down this weekend. =)

Looking forward to May, when all six daughters (and grandkids) will be here at the same time! Yay! First time since Christmas 08!

The Last Single Digit Birthday for Becca

Rebecca Ashton is nine today, born on her Poppa's 46th birthday. It's hard to believe that it's been that long since Becca made me "Mimi." I wrote a whole post about my feelings on that HERE.

When she was a baby, her daddy was in the Army, stationed 2 to 3 hours away from us. Her Momma Debbie, and her Aunt Leslie were about the only people Rebecca would let hold her. For the first year of her life, her Poppa and I were resigned to be worshippers from afar. Around 15 months or so, all of that changed. Becca decided she loved us and it was intense! She is such a lovable, loving, compassionate girl. At seven, Becca donated her ponytail to Locks for Love. Becca is beautiful, bright, and extremely funny with an infectious giggle. She keeps us all in stitches. I'm pretty sure she was born to be a performer. Hairbrushes become microphones. She invited herself up on the platform one Sunday in church to sing for us. (Not shy.) She is a lover of all things girly; the color pink, Miley Cyrus, High School Musical, jewelry and accessories. Lately, I've been on Facebook only to see my chat pop up. "Hi, it's me Becca." I have that same message on my answering machine from at least a year ago. Can't bring myself to delete it. :) Becca loves to talk and loves to read. Yep, that's MY granddaughter. lol

Here are some pictures of my favorite FIRST granddaughter.

Becca and Mimi having our first talk just an hour after her birth.

This is one of the sweetest two month pictures ever!

Becca at 1 1/2. One of my all time favorite pictures. Her sweet little personality really shines. :)

Two

At three, she became a big sister to Lauren. She was so excited when Lauren was born and has been such a good big sister.

I love this portrait of her at 4 1/2.

Her first official school portraits. Kindergarten- Fall 5 1/2

Spring- 6
This is typical of her silly side. 7th birthday party.

Second grade spring picture- 8
Becca and Lauren sharing secrets. Becca- 8 1/2 and Lauren- almost 5.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REBECCA ASHTON!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

MIMI, POPPA & AUNT SHELBI

PS Hope to see you soon.

Just To Keep It Interesting!

The last week of July was supposed to be my last child free week of the summer, and ended up being the opposite! Let me explain. I teach kindergarten and teachers start cleaning, organizing and decorating their classrooms for the new school year. Contrary to popular belief, teachers do not get three months off in the summer. We are lucky to get June and July off--- if we don't have any workshops or conventions/conferences over the summer. What to do with that last week off? Well, see all the grandkids, of course. Saturday, the 25th, we met Debbie in Arkansas and picked up these two cuties. We were excited to get to spend some quality time with these two. They live five hours away. :(

Rebecca (8.5) and Lauren (4.5)

We spent Saturday and Sunday with just them. Then Stephanie brought her three Monday morning and we kept them while she worked. (Okay, that's 5 on Monday. Keeping up?)

Noah (7.5), Mason(5), and Harlee (2.5)

Tuesday, Larry and I took Becca and Lauren to see Leon. We ended up bringing him home with us. (That's 3 on Tuesday.)
This is Leon (5 months) enjoying his supper of sweet peas. More on that later. =) WHEN Blogger decides to let me download the video. Tried tonight and two hours later--- nothing.

Wednesday and Thursday, we had Steph's three again. (That makes 6!) We set up the wading pool for the older 5. Then, Leon woke up from his nap and Mimi thought he might want to join in the fun. He liked it on his toes and feet, but this is what happened when he got splashed in the face. Poor baby!

It didn't take him long to come around. I knew he would like it--- he LOVES his bath!

Thursday was the last day we'd have all six together. With all the thunder storms and the unbearable humidity all week, Shelbi and I took the oldest 5 to McDonald's for ice cream and play time. They had a blast!

Mason (aka Curious George) promptly jumped up, grabbed the top net and turned himself upside down. Lauren was amused.

Harlee doesn't get to play with girls often, so she was tickled to spend time with Lauren. They played so well together all week and were so good! (Our baby girls!!!)

Thursday evening, Harlee, Noah, and Mason went to their Dad's. Friday was the first day with no thunderstorms, so Mrs. Betty (a church friend) let me bring the girls and Leon to swim in her pool. Shelbi was babysitting Brayden, so we had the girls and two babies.

Leon LOVED it! Sarah should take him swimming every night. He slept 11 hours after we got home. =)

"Mimi, you're blocking my rays! Can't you see how pasty I am?" LOL

This is the best picture I could get of these six little monkeys! Harlee, who had not cried ONCE all week, was bawling in every group shot. Leon was tired and looked at everybody BUT the photographer. I'll try again. The next time they're all together will probably be Christmas, though! :(
Saturday, I drove back to Arkansas with Becca, Lauren, and Noah. (Noah spent the week there with his other grandparents.) Sunday, Shelbi and I returned Leon to his Momma. Monday, back home. Phew! What a week!

I posted some more "professional looking" portraits of Becca and Lauren on my photography blog. You can click HERE to see those.

The "Birthday Box" Tradition

Every child is excited on their birthday, but my Nan gave us grandchildren something every year that was extra special. For years, she always gave each of us a silver dollar until they became very hard to find. Then she gave us two half-dollars. But the special thing we all remember from those childhood years is our "birthday boxes." She would fill a box with a collection of things, nothing expensive or unusual in and of itself; it mostly contained small things like magic markers or a T-shirt or trinket picked up on one of her many extended stays away from home. Poppa worked away from home sometimes for months on end and she'd travel with him. When she was away and had to miss our big day, the boxes arrived in the mail. She would collect things all year long for those boxes. That's what always made these boxes special--just knowing that we were on her mind year 'round. We couldn't wait to open them and see what treasures awaited us! It was a wonderful way to make each grandchild feel important. That's no easy feat when you have 15!! Because of the sheer number of us, and the expense involved, the birthday boxes ended when we turned 18. I know I took a lot of this for granted at the time, but I have one cousin that said she bawled when she got her last box. When I had grandchildren, I knew as soon as they were old enough to appreciate a "birthday box" this would be one tradition I would carry on. This year I took a picture of the one I just sent Rebecca for her eighth birthday Thursday. Because my next grandbaby could come any day now, and because Becca lives in Arkansas, I mailed her box to her this year. Hope I get to watch her open it in person next year. Becca called to thank us and her momma told me that Becca LOVED it and was SO excited. I hope she knows that much more than a collection of small things was packed into that box!

I LOVE YOU BECCA and HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY!!!!!

PS Thanks for making me a "Mimi." :)

What favorite family traditions are you carrying on, or are planning to carry on, with your children/grandchildren?