When are we ever going to Learn!

It was Katies Baby Shower today. Grandpa took care of the girls for just over an hour. I suggested to Nora that it would be fun to play with the moon sand, or play dough. That the Snappy Dolls really were not Grandpas favorite. So.....

Grandpa decided it would be fun to finger paint....On the glass patio table......without any paper

I thought the girls weren't coming so I planted the plants and fertilized the grass. When they got here, Holly said Grandma suggested messy games. So we did finger paints. They both had fun messing up the table. It had all sorts of colors and was very pretty.

Easter Party Part 2

Our family Easter Party was to be from 10-12, to accommodate Katie's family, and try to work with Holly and Sam's move. Well...........The move took longer than planned, but it would still work. When Katie came we found out the out of town guests weren't coming so the time pressure was off, we could start later. But we weren't able to get hold of Janice and Great Grandma, to let them know they could come later. Mom and Janice arrive on time, only to have mom fall on our front porch, a huge knot on her head, and messed up her knee. Even though she didn't black out, and we iced things, because of her age, Kaiser wanted her to come to Urgent Care and be checked out. Mom didn't want to leave until we had had our Easter Egg Hunt. But Urgent Care closed at 12:00. We told her we would wait. So I alerted those that were moving at Holly and Sam's that they had a lilttle more time. They thought they would be all done by 3:00, since the new owner walk through was at 4:30, it was all hands on deck to help them finish. Before mom left she had a special gift for the Grandchildren. We had found some crocheted chicks that my grandmother, Nora Hansen had made. There were enough for each of moms great grandchildren (and the 2 arriving) to have one. So she had made special cards, and wanted to give these to the girls before they left. They are the kind that uses a plastic Easter egg to fill out the body. Sara thought it was pretty funny to have the chicken lay the egg!!

By 4:00 we had gathered (in the meantime Katie had a baby shower to go to) and Holly and Sam had unloaded the last in the Storage Shed. Mom and Janice were back....... So we had The Hunt.

Sara stopped after 4 eggs, even though we had some practice sessions the day before. Nora on the other hand knew what the game was all about.

This was Dana's first Easter Egg Hunt Anderson style, She was surprised when you didn't necessarily get to keep what you had found...It didn't take long for her to catch on. It really is hard to explain.

Here is Brad and Katie is the Posed Picture! I wanted to make sure I got at least one picture of everyone there.

This picture says it all. Holly and Sam were exhausted. This past month of trying to get moved out of their house, put things in storage, and move in with Sam's dad, until they find a house, on top of having 2 active little girls running around helping.

We did our trade. We had lots of good stuff. The men got socks, the women, slippers, Dana, some creative memories stuff, mom a motab CD. The soon to arrive grandchildren received a large receiving blanket, gown, and toy. The girls got a new outfit each and a couple of toys. We are enjoying the Elmo book. The lacing bear may be to advanced. The clock and the Sara Lynn Fisher Price stuff was a hit. I didn't get pictures of any of that. The shirt to Emily from Sam and Holly was the biggest hit.

I about forgot. I got to play a good trick on my kids. I got some collapsable Easter Baskets this year. Since Andy hides the baskets and they have to find them. In 20 years, in the same house, it as been pretty predicitable where to find them. Especially since we have had the same baskets for the last 20 years. Having ones that collapsed opened up a whole new set of hiding places. What fun.

Easter Festivities Part 1

At the Bubble Fest, they handed out to the children some really great bubbles. If you blow right you get a gazillion small bubbles. They had a good time playing with those.

Then it was time to color the Easter Eggs. We decided to do it with out all the adults. Wes and his girlfriend Dana joined in these festivities. Nora and Sara take it so seriously and are so careful about coloring them. We took their cute shirts off and tied on some plastic aprons.

The only person to get Easter Egg colored hands was grandma!!! Green color under the fingernails. Still there on Easter Sunday.

I didn't get a picture of the finished eggs and they were so beautiful. I love the disposable cups that now come with the egg coloring kits. When I went to use the eggs, they had been boiled to death, the yokes were dark and the whites were a pail yellow. So the potato salad was short eggs, and we didn't have any deviled eggs this year. Holly was going to do them. Sent the eggs home with her dad, he didn't put them in the refrigerator, and Grandma had gone to bed, and didn't see them until morning.All sorts of stuff had shown up in the refrigerator that I didn't recognize. Oh well that was the beginning of a very interesting Family Easter Party........more to come.

Discovery Sceince Center Visit 2

On the Friday before Easter we went to the Science Center again. (We purchased an Annual Pass).This time they were having their Annual bubble fest! We felt that the girls were old enough to see the show by a famous Bubbleologist from China. He was really good, and they seemed to enjoy the show. Of course the best part was when the gazillions of bubbles came out into the audience at the end of the show. I am sure he doesn't use regular bubble solution in his show. (Of course we were not allowed to take pictures) Then we went to some of the kids favorite things in the Center.

The magic school bus exhibit with the weather station that they can dress up in different clothes is a place they really like. The rubber boots rock. It is funny to watch Sara put them on....she can do it her self. Nora likes to change the background, so she can dress up for the different Weather situations. We are lucky to get the correct background with the corresponding dress up clothes.

This was one of the places where the kids could play with bubbles. Nora had a ball. Once Sara got bubble solution on her hands she was finished. So off the the bathroom to wash up, and then to the dino slide, while Nora and Grandpa played with the bubbles, Grandpa was so wet he couldn't take pictures.

We tried real hard to get a picture of the TV when the girls were playing in front of the "Green Screen" That's Sara acting like a fish

And here is Nora making her famous Fish Face!

We went to Pat and Oscars for lunch. Grandma and Grandpa love the bread sticks!! Of course the nap was on the ride home. No nap for Grandma. The girls(and grandma) went to bed at 8:30 that night. I told Nora no getting up until the sun was up. It was barely light when I hear this voice "Grandma I'm awake, and I waited until the Sun was shinning bright", it was overcast and cloudy and threatening rain. As she came down the stairs, I asked if Sara was still asleep..Nora told me that she was, and then I heard another voice..."I'm awake grandma" It was barely 6:30 am. But we were ready for the fun Easter Day ahead.........

Washing Cars with Grandpa

The cars really needed washing. Nora wanted to wash the tires. Both of them were eying the "suds" They put the suds on the car, when they were supposed to, and again when Andy had the car all rinsed off, and he was on the other side drying it.
What great helpers they were. They even washed grandmas car!!!! Yeah, any one want to vacuum it out ?

Thanks, girls you were really good helpers. I think your favorite part might have been when you hosed down each other. Sara came running to Andy "Grandpa, Nora squirted me" Andy just handed the hose to Sara.....Sara knew just what to do...and really got Nora soaked!

Looking forward to a squirt gun duel on Easter Saturday!!

The New City Library

One of the fun things to do when I have the girls for a few hours is go to our new city library. They have these amazing chairs that rock. If there is not 2 people in them they are difficult to get to move. The girls seem to have fun rocking and reading. They also get a good laugh at grandma trying to learn the new "self" check out system. I don't think it likes me. To get around it I let the girls make a purchase at the "Friends of the Library" room. That way when I pay for the purchases I get the librarian to check out my books. The girls don't seem to mind!

Things I never bought my children

I found (on sale) a candy making necklace and bracelet kit. What fun the girls will have making these (I thought). Oh, I was right!!! Sara especially likes to eat hers. The other day, that is the first thing she wanted to do. She had a really runny nose (do you love the visual) and is drooling while trying to eat the candy off the bracelet that was still on her arm. I was ready to throw up!!! So I told her she had to sit in the middle of the kitchen floor until she was all done. Look how obedient she is!

Where's Sara's Flower

About 2 years ago, Andy and Nora planted an Amaryllis bulb in a pot and it has been on the patio table ever since! Nora has faithfully watered and checked on it. The first two years green leaves came up, but no blossoms. Finally this year it was a success, Nora was so excited, we took pictures and enjoyed the flower. Sara wanted her picture taken also...and asked where is Sara's flower. She has not wanted to get her hands dirty at any of the Grandpa plant the flowers with the grandkid days. Maybe next time.