I am really really looking forward to better weather though. Spring arrived, and we've had some nice sunny days, but then this morning it was cold and snowing. The daffodils and forsythia are blooming, and the cherry trees are beautiful. The new house has a cherry tree in the front yard, so we get to look at that every morning - even though the blossoms are usually wet. I do have a thunderstorm to look forward to tonight, I hear. People are being asked on the weather stations to be prepared for that possible clap of thunder we might have tonight. I sure do miss a good storm that doesn't involve snow or sleet!
So much has happened since I last wrote. It's going to take awhile to catch up. Nothing has been nicer than getting a haircut this morning though. I waited too long and then Leslie had a skiing trip, so I was breaking out the barrettes last week. Now that I got it cut, she tells me she is moving to Oregon to be near a new grandbaby. Not that I blame her but who else is going to put up with me!
These are the things that have happened that I need to record if I can get time and don't get bored.
Graysen's 5th birthday and bowling alley party.
Valentine's Day.
Moving into the new house.
Katherine's bout of pneumonia.
A little (very little) sewing.
Cookie making, gymnastics, eating at Nick-Donald's. A couple of sleepovers for Graysen.
Typing that made me think of those words that get mixed up by toddlers, and they're so cute you hate to correct them. I love to hear Nick-Donald's for McDonald's, and now we just call it Nick's. Katherine says Nail-box for mailbox and thinks that's where Ryan keeps his nails. Rester-naut for restaurant is still ongoing, but I think we'd better correct it before school starts.
Teaching past and all the other tenses is so hard. Katherine told me one morning that she digged in the flower bed the day before. While I admired her work, I said, "DUG. Dug in the flower bed." She looked at me pityingly and said, "Digged, Mimi. I'ts digged."
I'll have to see what pictures I can find from all these activities. I guess I'd better mention Graysen's birthday. It was supposed to be a fairy party at a bouncy house, but it ended up being at the bowling alley (because of bouncy houses being full that weekend). She shared the party with her friend Brooklyn who is 2 days younger, and they invited the whole school, so it was a big deal! I think only 2 people out of 20 didn't make it, and then when you add a parent apiece and sometimes a sibling, it was a crazy time. The cake went from being rainbow cupcakes to a fairy cake to a mermaid cake to being just what Costco decided to send - yellow roses suitable for a 90th birthday party - but delicious!
The two birthday girls. We were pretty surprised that Graysen not only allowed this birthday hat to be placed on her head but that she actually wore it the whole day.
Rylan had never before bowled, but she seems to have the right moves.
Once Katherine discovered the driving booth, it was hard to tear her away.
Except for cake!
That cake! Not even yellow roses but white ones.
I think this was the big party that will do for awhile. She has just as much fun at all the other parties that are popping up lately - one Saturday at her gymnastics place. Katherine doesn't yet have enough friends for a party, so maybe her third birthday in May will be a quiet one.
As if a birthday on the 13th of February isn't exciting enough, the very next day is Valentine's Day. Both girls spent lots of happy times learning to draw hearts and playing with the cards and stickers and things Aunt Kathy and Uncle Alan sent as well as grandparents. Unfortunately, Graysen had a fever on Valentine's Day and missed school, but she got to enjoy all her treats the next day. Fun times.
The girls love their fairy villages that came with the new house, so for Graysen's birthday gift, I gave her 2 new fairies and a nest of baby bluebirds. She loved them, of course, and couldn't wait to put them with the others. It was too cold for me, so the pictures were taken from inside the house!
Sleepovers are always special for Graysen, Mimi, and Aunt CeCe. We do a little extra spoiling on those nights. Katherine has not yet decided she likes spending whole nights here yet.
Grandma Bindert gave the girls a whole set of luggage that she once upon a time. The sizes are perfect for packing clothes plus Hop-Hop and Yellow. They were forgotten last time, and it was not a happy time.
Chutes and Ladders with Aunt CeCe who has the patience to play game after game.
Time's up for today. More memories later.
