Nutcracker and Basketball

 The two happenings this weekend were going to see the Nutcracker in Seattle Friday night and Graysen's basketball game on Saturday morning.  I didn't even know about that until I got a text saying their team won and Graysen made 3 baskets!

I love to see the girls meet new people that don't always go to their school.  Graysen has become pretty competitive in soccer and in basketball, but it's hard to make the baskets when you're so little.  My impression anyway!  I think she likes playing defense.  She's tougher than she looks.  Katherine has become the runner of the family.  She cannot stand to come in second when they do their fun runs.

It was so cold this week.  SO cold.  I am glad to get it over with, but it's not going to get better for a long time.  Yesterday afternoon after school - early pickup at 1:30 - I could hardly wait to get inside and get warm, but the girls were tossing their coats off before we got inside.  Their friend from upstairs has been out sick all week, but her dad said she could play if they stayed outside in case she was still contagious.  That suited them all fine, and Wes volunteered to keep an eye on them since he was outside with the baby.  They played hard for two hours.  I checked on them every once in a while, and they had taken off their coats.  I'm not sure how they stand it.  I got them ready to be picked up at 3:30 to get dressed for the Nutcracker.  They stayed surprisingly clean to have been playing in the leaves and bushes.  I brushed their hair as best I could, and they were off! 

I have an album that Emily sent me this morning, and it looks like they had a wonderful time.  The two couples with their children made quite a crowd, and the girls were so cute and dressed up.  I'll see if I can get that album on here.  I always forget how.   It takes so long to place the pictures one by one.  

There are some duplicates, but I'm not going to take the time to delete any.  

Here are some of my favorites:

I'm so glad they're getting to go places and do lots of things.  I'm also glad I got to experience the wonder of seeing the Nutcracker at this big theater once and in Bellevue in a smaller production also, because I'm not sure I will make that trip again.  But maybe I will.  Who knows?

I'm perfectly content hearing all about it and seeing the pictures and just remembering how exciting it was.  This was a good Saturday for me too.  I woke up in the middle of the night again but didn't get up and just waited it out and slept again, so I was ready for some housework this morning.  I got the music on and the candles and tree lights going and made the cats scurry to get away from the vacuum cleaner.  Packages arrived several times and got opened and wrapped, and I'm just waiting for a couple more.  

I had a cup of wassail late in the morning and sat down beside a sleeping Bowie.  Usually he will look at me for a second and then jump down, but today he stayed there and purred nicely beside me.  It's taken long enough, but I think he's decided we belong together.

The family leaves for a few days in Leavenworth where they can enjoy that snow and ice to their hearts' content!  I'll just stay here and enjoy my warm house.  It snowed here for about an hour this morning but didn't stick.  I'm praying there won't be any ice and snow before they get home because I have to feed their kitty, and I don't drive on ice!

This is a picture from last year's visit.

Sleepover and Spirit Week

 The sleepover went very well.  It's amazing to me how the girls just settle into things when they walk in the door.  This was my goal, even though I didn't realize it at the time - to have a place where they could come where they're welcome and comfortable and happy.

I don't really have any toys over here that are very exciting, but they seem to love all the old dolls Elise and Emily had and a big basket full of odds and ends that we collect.  They never know what's going to be in there, and neither do I.  If I pick up something interesting, it goes in the basket.  They usually get out the paper and pens and markers and scissors at some point and then ask if they can turn on the music.  It's almost like not having children any more but little people that can carry on conversations and teach me things on the computer and make me laugh - every single day.

As we were walking home from school yesterday, Katherine was complaining about the ankle she had injured in bowling at PE.  She was a little insulted that her teacher had not sent her to the nurse but had waved it off as a minor injury to tell her parents about.  She was kind of limping along and said, "Mimi, you know when I walk like this, I'm more at your pace."  Pace!  Where do they learn these things.  My pace is slow walking.  Hers is running ahead.  

So, the sleepover.  I can't even remember much about it.  They were left on the front porch with their sleeping bags and little suitcases, all chattery and full of excitement.  They did absolutely nothing different than they do after school, but somehow it was a big deal.  

No one brought any pizza or anything from their house, so we raided the refrigerator and pantry and found mac and cheese (of course!), applesauce, some lettuce and carrots, and Capri Sun.  

I'm sure we read awhile.  We're reading the last Clementine book, and Graysen especially is sad about it.  She asked yesterday when we were getting a new Clementine book, and I had to tell her there might not be any more.  The author, Sara Pennypacker, wrote the last one in 2002 though, so she might have another one coming.  We should write her and demand another one!  When I was checking on the books she had written, I found this list and a nice authobiography.

We got started on them when Noreen loaned us her five she had bought for her boys and told us how funny they were.  Not much can impress these girls as far as reading with all the books at their disposal, but she has a way of making things seem hilarious.  We'll turn a page, see a crazy picture, and look at each other and say, "Oh, no.  What is she going to get into now."  Her best friend is Margaret who lives to organize and be perfect.  Katherine identifies with her more, I think.  We read those five pretty quickly and then found 3 more at the library.  I think that leaves one more and the newer books she's written.  I'll see how quickly I can get some ordered if they look good.

Speaking of organizing, while I was getting their food ready for them to eat Saturday night, Katherine was very quiet.  I went into the bedroom later and saw that she had spread her sleeping bag out along with two pillows from my bed, a favorite "friend," a book just in case, and her blankie Butter - or maybe Chocolate.

Ready to sleep.  Not hardly!  It was neater than that before I put some quilts and blankets underneath the sleeping bag.  As if they were actually going to sleep there.

I complimented her for getting it set up anyway, and she said, "My fingers were itchy to organize, so I organized your side table."  I think it was the one in the living room with just a lamp, a candle and a picture on an easel.  I'm sure it looked neater when she was finished though.

We stayed up pretty late, and I'm not even sure what we did.  Once they got their teeth brushed and into their sleeping bags, I turned on Sparkle Stories, these incredibly boring little stories with a moral of sorts that they listen to and fall asleep.  This one started out with a snowstorm and sledding - and then I don't remember.  I was asleep.  I believe I slept about 10 or 15 minutes until they woke me up saying they were wide awake.  I suggested music, lullabies like I used to play when they were babies.  Graysen said classical music, so we found a 2-hour collection of beautiful music.  Nothing doing.  They could not sleep and were worried about it.  It's such a terrible feeling to want to sleep and can't.  

I invited them into my bed, and they snuggled in, one on each side with their books.  That meant the lamp was on (I'm getting them book lights for Christmas), and I was kind of trapped there with nothing to do and not feeling sleepy any more.  I was glad to see them fall asleep one by one, and then I realized that my sleeping was over, so I maneuvered myself out from between them and went to the living room with my computer.  I ended up sleeping on the loveseat and not having the best night of my life.  We need to work on some sort of solution.  I could get another bed but really don't want one in the second bedroom.  I have it filled with important things, like sewing stuff and drawing things and crafts and ribbons and buttons.  I can't seem to keep an inflatable mattress.  The cats must puncture them, because they pretty quickly start losing air, and I'm not investing in another one.

They wanted pancakes for breakfast, and I was afraid I didn't have any mix or the incentive to make them from scratch, but Elise had left just enough in a box for maybe 4 apiece - and they still wanted more, but I talked them into some grits, which they gobbed down.  No eggs wanted though.  

I got to have a nice nap Sunday afternoon to make up for my squished-up sleeping the night before.  I hope I will do this more often now that they're so self-sufficient.  I need to let Emily and Ryan do some fun things.  I'm just so protective of my weekends.  Not that the weeks are hard, but there's always after school happening, and I like a couple of days where I have nothing scheduled.  Old age privilege, I think.

Not seeing the girls off in the mornings, I miss out on some of the outfits they wore.  I do see them after school, but they're usually a little worse for wear.  Tuesday was Plaid Day, and they wore their cute little pleated skirts and boots, but I only got pictures of them in coats and being silly.  

Those boots should do the trick on keeping Kate's feet warm.  She's lucky enough to profit from all Graysen's hand-me-downs, but she loved that skirt so much that Emily got her one of her own.  Graysen has lost two nice coats already this year and is down to this one - which she says is her favorite anyway.

I have an 8:45 appointment for a follow-up mammogram this morning.  I was dreading the drive, but Emily very generously offered to take me to work with her!  She moved her patients around and is getting done at 11:00 and will bring me home then.  In the meantime, I will probably get a coffee and sit by the big fireplace at the hospital and enjoy myself.  

Good-bye, Snow. Hello, Crazy Wind

 It was a nice ending for the week since I was able to walk to school twice without stepping on any icy or snowy places.  Everyone else seems to just tromp right on over the snow, but I have this fear of hitting just the wrong icy patch and heading back to PT for the Christmas season.  I had enough of that two years ago.

I didn't take even one picture yesterday, but I have a few in the phone from the day before.  The girls were so excited to be able to stand and rearrange the manger residents and make up their own little scenarios and get reacquainted with the Christmas treasures from last year.

 They had to shake and ask questions about the few gifts I have wrapped, but they did get their nutcrackers and took them home with them.

We had very little time then, but yesterday was early pickup, and we had 3-1/2 hours.  We got into the hot chocolate and the cranberry cookies I had baked that morning (without nuts, just for them) and sat down to read as much of our last Clementine book as we could.  Graysen likes to sit and read along with me and look at the pictures, but Katherine prefers to be moving things around on tables or poking around just looking!  We didn't even finish the first chapter until Carly from upstairs came knocking on the door to play.  These three girls get along so great.  I think I've mentioned that before.  They're 7, 8, and 9 and are usually on the same page as far as their crazy ideas.  

I finally took my wassail to my room to read since I felt like an intruder there in the midst of their make-believe.  I could still hear them laughing and giggling and sometimes arguing, but they soon sorted things out.  

I'm not sure why they wanted to be outside in that wind waiting for their parents at 5:00, but they did.

The moon was so bright I had to take a picture.

It was nice to have my peaceful Friday night, but I was too sleepy to stay up long.  I woke up a lot during the night hearing the wind howling and shaking the windows.  I know there are some giant trees around these apartments, but I refused to worry about one falling.  Nothing I can do anyway.  It is a sometimes sad, sometimes scary sound, and I'm glad to know it's calmer this morning.  I still see the trees swaying a little, and I know it's cold, but it's much better.

We're having a sleepover tonight!  First one in quite a while.  Emily and Ryan are going out to eat and to some play or show and will be out late, so we'll give them a date night without having to worry about picking up children.  

I'm not sure what we'll do, but I bet Carly will be down to play for a while - maybe even stay the night - but we haven't asked.  We might have pizza and watch a movie and then whatever they want to do.  They have a hard time falling asleep over here, so we'll have to see what to do about that.  

They're going to be making cookies with their mom today and maybe will get in something active this afternoon.  For myself, I might take an afternoon nap to be better prepared.  

Memorials for Griffin and Jack

 

What I thought was going to be a long-drawn-out process of getting gifts for their parents turned out to be the best afternoon ever for the girls.  I mentioned that since they were getting a new puppy and kitten soon, it would maybe help their parents to remember their first pets with an ornament for the tree.

Their eyes lit up, and they jumped all over that idea.  I went to the web site, and we had the best time picking them out.  They love making choices.  Katherine picked out the one for her dad (since Gray already has him something), and Graysen picked out her mom's.  Their mom's hair had to be PERFECT - color, style, length, etc.  There was even a pretty big discussion on the color of shirt.

We laughed so hard over their choices for their dad.  I've always thought of him as having brown hair, certainly not black, but they both insisted he does.  They cracked up over some of the hairstyles for men but eventually settled on medium short, I think.  I asked once more, "Are you sure your dad has black hair?"  She said, "I guess I should know.  I've lived with him for nearly 10 years." 

 Like I haven't known him for over 20 years.

Another was the body type.  They didn't even listen to the men's choices after I read "dad bod."  They thought that was so funny so insisted on that.  

We found a tuxedo cat easily, but it doesn't do Jack justice.  His beautiful face, his hugeness, his confidence.  They loved it though and wanted the angel wings, although I'm not sure I would have chosen those.  

There was also a discussion over Griffin's color.  I knew he was a dark brown and white because I've also known him all his life, but Graysen was insisting that he was black, brown and white until I showed her a picture.  She said, "I guess I was wrong about that.  The youngest who had hardly known him at all agreed with me, probably gaining her knowledge from pictures.

They used the expressions listed but chose different ones for each.  They were SO SO happy with their choices, and I know that's something Emily and Ryan will treasure.

As soon as I get my photos sorted out, I'll post some sweet pictures of them.

I found some pictures and spent the whole morning doing so, so I'm going to post them just as they are, starting with baby cat and dog through at least one child.  They were loved and had a wonderful life.

More of the Same

 I'm still going nowhere and getting a lot of small things done around the house.  Lots of gifts wrapped and plans for a few more things.  Emily has given me the amazing task of finding a gift for the girls to give their parents.  After school, we're going to sift through our ideas and let them decide on something.  I'm introducing a memorial ornament for Griff and Jack before the new fellows take up residence.  They were two unique animals and so loved.  I've never seen a cat that welcomed babies rolling all over him and pulling him around.  Griff spent most of his time staying out of their way and not getting run over with baby cars.   I should have lots of pictures of them, but right now I have no idea where my pictures are on my phone.

Katherine is very serious about her choice, and it has to be really special.  I hope they like that one, but I'll do what I can to get the ones that THEY choose.  Kate whispered to me after school that she saw a really cute pair of Reeboks for her mom.  So cute.  That's the last thing I thought she would choose.  I'm not sure how much money she has in her piggy bank, but I'll try to keep it less expensive than that.  Gray doesn't have any ideas and will be easy to convince of anything.  Their dad is hard, like all men.  They got Griff and Jack as babies - before they had babies - so I know anything related to them would be welcomed.  Just a Christmas ornament that they decorate and put the date on it would be treasured.  With maybe a few jewels added.

Ryan and I miscommunicated about school pickup, and we both showed up to get them.  I was texting like crazy and trying to call, but I couldn't make calls, and Ryan wasn't seeing my texts.  I really wanted to find out about the sidewalks and see if he would bring them over, but as time got close, I had to make a decision to go.  The sidewalk was clear, but when I got to the corner, the snow was piled up to my knees, and I didn't even know where the curb was.  No way was I going to step blindly into stuff and take a chance on falling.  I felt like crying, but that would do no good, but I hated to think of them at the school waiting for me to get there.  I finally went out the garage door and walked up the alley until I reached the street.  The streets are perfectly clear, so I just avoided the sidewalks and kept to the middle of the street.  I met up with one of Emily's friends walking with her little boy and asked her to keep an eye on me, which she was sweet enough to do.  Going back, I just followed Ryan, but it was a little scary still.  People who are used to it and younger people just don't realize how serious one fall could be.  With my bird bones, I would probably break something more than my shoulder this time!

Just looking out the window, I can't see that much of the snow has melted even though it stayed above freezing last night.  I know what to do this time, even if it's not fun, so I'll report back after we get home and have our hot chocolate and wassail. 

 We have lots to do on our unbusy day!  Graysen started basketball on Mondays, but I think ice-skating lessons are over.  We need some time off to just relax and do Christmas!

Catch-up Monday

My phone is finally here and is almost like the old one, but there is some learning I have to do and organizing.  I just took a break and wiped out my first paragraph.  I had no idea what I just typed.   I certainly didn't do much except for keeping up with the packages arriving - from Amazon mainly and Target.  I opened them and wrapped a couple and hid a few away in the closet so prying eyes won't find them.  Lots of those are for stockings.  I ordered my last thing today, and I'm DONE.  Nothing hanging over my head this year but enjoying life.  

I did drink two cups of wassail and one cup of Peet's Holiday Blend coffee.  These holiday flavors aren't anything different, but subconsciously I think they are because of the packaging.

I didn't see the girls after school.  Graysen is starting basketball on Mondays, and they just picked Katherine up since the roads are still not completely clear.  I don't want to take any chances.

Tomorrow is garbage day - again.  I think it snowed last Monday night, so those cans have been full for two weeks.  I don't think I have room for the extra garbage bag and packing stuff that came.  I might have enough room for recycling the boxes and papers, but for some reason I'm not excited about going out and checking.

I got the stockings hung, so I did take one picture.  I made these a couple of years ago, and they were fun to make.  I think I did an okay job getting them fairly symmetrical, and I'll throw some fake greenery on the mantle to disguise the hooks.  Santa will not be filling them until Christmas Eve so they won't fall down.  The cats won't like it, but we're not going to have a fire this month unless it's just barely on.  It gets really hot in that area.  If I have candles up there, they might melt.  So tree is decorated as well as what I'm going to do in the rest of the apartment, and most of the gifts that have come are wrapped.  

I thought for about 5 minutes about getting a full-sized tree, but I'm glad I didn't.  This one took long enough.  I don't think I have the energy - or the decorations any more to do a big one.  It's just perfect for me.

This is the reflection in the china cabinet door, and it makes it look like a big fancy tree.

Maybe the girls will be over to give the finishing touches to the other things.    

Soon the real world is going to be back, and I won't get to live entirely in my little Christmas state of contentment!  I had music at different times today and always candles that smell like evergreens.  

The real world is a slushy mess, and I's so happy not to have to be out there in it.

I just glanced at the weather app, and I feel like something's wrong.  On the 10-day forecast, I saw SNOW 10 times.  Surely that can't be right.  It's not even going to be freezing for a few days.  I don't want to think about it.  I just want to concentrate of getting all the garbage possible picked up tomorrow and going to the mailbox.  

Snow November 2022

 Emily finally sent me some pictures she took, and I'll just put them all here.  It was a pretty snow and never got really messy until today,   I ventured out, worrying constantly about ice and slipping and falling, but I made it with no problem.  We four girls went to Target to do a little shopping and had a lot of fun.  Then Emily had two or three more side trips where the girls and I sat in the car and waited for her.

The last stop was Snapdoodle, the most amazing toy store.  I had heard about it, but I had to see it to believe it.  I wanted everything, and I can just imagine how the kids felt.  It was packed with the most unusual things, and we spent way too long picking out some gifts for their friends and just looking.  Emily and I picked out a puzzle that I hope we will find time to do - 1500 pieces.  

The girls knew they were not in the store to shop for themselves, but it was hard!  Of all things that Graysen kept coming back to was a Barbie in a wheelchair.  She already has a wheelchair for her AG doll, so I'm not sure what the attraction is for another one.  Wheelchair races?  Katherine zeroed in on a round penguin suitcase, perfect for sleepover, and she rolled it around behind her until Emily had to almost physically separate her from it.  I hope that's one of her gifts!  And Graysen needs the "tiny hands."

I really didn't want to go today, because I do worry - snow, cold, icy sidewalks, breaking arms, driving - you name it, I'm going to worry about it.  But I shouldn't have.  It was one of the best shopping trips ever.  

We stopped at Starbucks, and the girls got Steamers and asked for vegan breakfasts, which they scarfed down like they were starved.  They insisted they were.  I was not really going to get anything since I had already had one cup of coffee, but Emily ordered a grande peppermint something with oat milk, blah blah, extra peppermint.  It sounded so good I told her to get me the same thing except no extra squirt of peppermint.  It was delicious and probably as much sugar as I usually eat in a day - or a week, but I drank every bit of it.  

We separated in the store so we could secretly figure out what gifts the girls wanted to give each other.  Graysen and I went to the toy section right away and Emily and Katherine went to the clothing section.  We went up and down the aisles and picked out several things and made some decisions on what Katherine would like, but they never came back there.  We went all over the store looking for them, and I got my few errands done.  I wanted to buy ingredients for wassail as well as little things like light bulbs and hooks for the stockings.  

We finally got together, finished up, and checked out.  Emily was gathering up a few things for donations and fell in love with a walking dog that she insisted on buying.  Katherine thought an 8-year-old girl would like a gymnastics Barbie instead of that, so they got both.  

I later followed the girls around in the toy store, and they were so sweet and so excited, saying, "This is what I REALLY want."  If I had double the money, I now know what they really want!  We had to pick up something for Ryan at Home Depot, and there was a lot of singing going on - LOTS of singing - on the way home.  The Drifters White Christmas was our favorite.  Emily knew every note and every move, and we all joined in on the background.  I just had a moment of pure happiness at getting to spend this time with my favorite people and have such a good time.  And, as always happens, then I got a little weepy thinking about how much Mike would have loved this day.  Not the shopping part but everything else.  Life just seems so unfair sometimes that we don't have him with us to make things that much more fun.  

So.  We did get home safely, and I got walked to the door with no slips or falls and lots of hugs and god-byes.  I came in and made my wassail, had a cup, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The pictures of the snow and a few of the trip today.

I'm just including her whole album, because all of them are good with maybe a few duplicates.  This is the first time I've done pictures this way, so it might not work.  If not, I'll come back tomorrow and work on them.  Too sleepy now.

Snow Day 2

 While I'm glad I don't have to go out in the cold, it's so nice to enjoy this beautiful white landscape.  Sitting on my couch, I can look out the big front window across to the park where all the trees are perfectly white.  I don't have all the decorations (like almost none) on the little tree, but I can still enjoy the twinkling reflection in the window.  It's also reflected in Mama's china cabinet across the room, and with the fire, it gives the nicest feeling to the room.  The cats can't stay away from the fireplace, no matter how warm it gets.  They will just keep backing up until they're comfortable.  

I wish I could take some pictures but still no phone.  Maybe tomorrow.  Emily sent me only one:  Graysen sitting on her great-grandmother's chest looking at all the beauty.

I sure wish someone would bring them over, but I guess no one wants to get out, and they're getting to play video games at home. 

I was sorry Emily went to work yesterday and today.  She said the roads were clear, but I still worry.  Elise also has to work.  It may be that none of her clients will come in, but she still has to be prepared in case she's needed.  Someone took this scary picture of I-90 Tuesday night.

I also borrowed someone's photo from FB of the Y, which is one street over from mine.

Sometimes I let myself be a little wistful, but I'm not really sad or lonely by myself.  I am more and more glad of being able to do what I want to with no timetable.  I'd like for Mike to be sharing my space with no timetable either.  I wish we had been able to enjoy retirement a little bit more.  Both of us went to school until we started working.  Mike never got a break, and I only got breaks when I added babies.  There were times through the years when we never had enough time to do anything we wanted to, and I'm taking advantage of it.  If I want to just read blogs or the news or watch videos, I can do so without guilt.  My days of hosting and cooking for holidays is over (I hope), and I don't miss it a bit.  I want to spend as much time with the girls as I can, but I realize now that I need to be a grandmother and not spend all my spare time with them.  They are so precious to me, and the time with them is precious.  I feel lucky that I got to spend all this time up here with them.

I'm taking out the Christmas things piece by piece and deciding what I want to do with them.  Lots of memories of past Christmases, but I'm making them happy memories.  If I can get some wassail made and all my presents bought and wrapped, it will be such a peaceful time, and I can have the girls over a lot.  I can't wait to see them stand side by side in front of the manger arranging and re-arranging the figures and using their imaginations.  

I'm going to get a cup of coffee now and see if I wake up a little.  If not, I'll just lie down and take a nap and watch the big clumps of snow fall from the tree branches.