My Oldest Grandson is a Genius

My oldest grandson is on the iPad, working on an app with shapes, letters, numbers and colors (I know it is late, don't judge us) and he's getting them all correct!  Except for when his Grandpa helps him. Grandpa can't hear and he's color blind. If Grandpa were a horse, well.......

It's just so funny to watch because a few months ago he didn't know any of this and now he's getting them all correct. I should probably give a shout out to his Mama.

And it is so cute when he earns a sticker.....he picked the motorcycle and told Grandpa he was picking that one for him. Can you get any cuter? I don't think so!!!!!

30 Years Ago, Our World Changed

It doesn't seems possible that 30 years has gone by since our daughter was born. We were told we would not be able to conceive and carry a baby. Guess what? They were wrong.

I found out that it was not a tumor, but a baby on the very same day that Dave got the call that he could take delivery of the Porsche he had been on a six month waiting list for. He wasn't going to pick it up, but I told him to do it. Somehow it all worked out.

There was just the two us and then three. And now? SEVEN!

Huge thanks to Pete & Teresa for taking MANY photos on Mothers' Day.

Costco Run

Our cupboards are bare. We have been getting through the end of our busy season depleting our reserves. Our list was getting longer and longer and we made the mad dash today. We got there as it opened and Dave may have snagged the best parking spot, ever. We can tell we're old because we're excited about the parking spot. Funny because we were among all the older couples who were shopping. I told Dave we could come here and feel like the youngun's. He said, yeah, that would work only for a few more years.

We go in with a list and just look for our items. We NEVER wander and see what they have. J asked us to look for a swim vest for T so I suggested we wander in to the middle aisle and see what they have and we found the swim vests and bought two. Now, I should explain the importance of this event. My husband HATES (and I do not think I'm exaggerating when I say that) to shop. He is a hunter. He goes for exactly what he needs, buys it, and leaves as quickly as possible. We get back on task and then as we round that last corner, I say "hey, let's see if there's anything that would be useful for the boys". I'm expecting him to, well, I'll say it kindly, not take this suggestion well.  My husband shocks me and keeps me on my feet by saying, YEAH! We found matching PJs (remember, they LOVE to match) and a pair of shorts for E.

The boys came over this afternoon, we showed them the stuff, and they STRIPPED ON THE SPOT and put on those PJs! They wore them all afternoon and wore them back home. I'm pretty sure they slept in them tonight.

Never mind that T only wanted to put one shoe back on, and that G.Pa put Octonauts on the TV and they didn't want to pose for photos, they are still adorable.

Traditions - Easter

I have been remiss in posting. I've been a little busy wrapping up my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad tax season. Here's a little something until I have the time to post a bit more.....

I make Easter baskets...I've tried to break the habit like a few years ago when we were gone on a ride to SoCal so I wasn't around to deliver a basket. I just can't help myself. Here's a quick photo of the 2013 basket.

There were chocolate bunnies for the boys (or their parents if they're the ones who actually ate them), some gummy bunnies from Trader Joe's, and a complete swim wear set from Land's End. We went all out.....swim trunks, rash shirt (all the rage, SPF etc. and to think we all just wore swimsuits, how did we ever survive?), towels, and goggles. Oh, and I should mention that they match because my boys LOVE to match. Ezra did explain to me that they aren't real twins because they were not born at the same time. Thanks, E. And there is a homemade (of course) card with gift cards inside for the big kids.

We had a fabulous dinner with friends and family. A special shout out to Teresa for the delicious scalloped potatoes, and wine from John, along with the ham from Lucille. The dessert was the only disappointment...should have stuck with my first choice and not been sucked in by the lovely looking (yet dry) cake eggs.

We begin the day with worship because, well, it is Easter. This is the one day where I round up everyone and they attend with me. I would like to say it was for something other than what it really is.....our GREAT egg hunt!!! Seriously. It is FABULOUS. I think the boys believe that's how we worship every week. Oh, and the playground is so wonderful too.

We had a wonderful time celebrating the resurrection of our Lord.

Trudging Through March

This is our toughest month of the entire year. We are so close to the end of our busy season, yet so far away. Really people, bring your tax stuff in early because we are zombies by the end of March. Oh, and there is ALWAYS something big that happens in March. Like the straw that broke the camel's back. Many times it is an event that if it occurs after April, we can handle it in stride. When it happens in March, well, it is drama multiplied by a million. Sometimes it is even something good that happens, like a brand new baby girl arriving. We're just so weary and short on margin in our lives for anything extra.

You should be so proud of us since we are continuing our Family Night Dinner. Our oldest grandchild is enamored with Family Night Dinner. He LOVES it. And I get to try out new recipes, most from Pinterest. Last night was Ginger and Cilantro baked Tilapia

So I may have gotten a tad bit carried away with the garlic (Dave disagrees, he says you can NEVER have too much garlic) and it was still delicious. Very healthy too! This most definitely will be seen again on the dinner table. We served this over brown rice (LOVE Trader Joe's frozen rice) along with fresh steamed asparagus. Oh, and as an added bonus, I may have met a new best friend while purchasing the Tilapia at the fish counter.

Again, dessert was a big hit. I think my little boys have a major sweet tooth. We had Angel Food Cake and I cut it open to add sliced fresh strawberries and Cool Whip (yeah, I know, I got lazy and didn't make real whipped cream...can you forgive me?). I covered it with even more CW and fresh berries.

Both boys were "exuberant" last night. Right after bath they took off running around the house buck naked. I'm pretty sure Mama took video of this event. What is it about freshly cleaned babies running around naked? They were careening with reckless abandon, pure joy. They were loving it. Well not so much when E whacked his head against the marble topped island. He's just at the perfect height, which we discussed several days ago and cautioned him. Really though, does a three year old comprehend "caution"?

We trudge on....loving these sweet moments. Well, not the whacking of the head, but the rest of it was spectacular.

Loving Vesper

Big Brother Ezra LOVES to hold his little baby sister. This is extra special since his younger brother is being put to bed and he gets to stay up a little bit later since he's older. So funny how Ezra is so aware that he's the oldest. I can only imagine how this is going to play out over the years. I just don't see Theo going along with this his entire life. Anyway, here is big brother Ezra holding his little baby sister. Doesn't this just melt your heart?

Here are all my grand babies getting clean. Or as we sometimes refer to them, Swenson Version 1.0, 2.0, & now 3.0!

Vesper was very happy in the warm water and didn't mind those two big boys hanging around. Good, because those two big boys are not going away any time soon.

Zero Birthday and Counting

How do you celebrate the birth of your new baby sister? With a Birth Day Party of course!!!!!

Cake? check. Party Hats? check. Candles? check. Oh wait, no candles because she's ZERO!!!!!

Three's the Charm and We are Charmed

We now have THREE grandchildren! So hard to believe. It's just like our daughter to overwhelm us. Everyone is healthy, happy, and exhausted. Dare I saw the exhausted part is the "new normal"?

After two boys we now have a girl. She's fitting the stereotype too, she was due on the 20th and made us all wait...until the following month! She does have a cool birthdate of 3.1.13.

The birth of #1 was filled with drama and #2 was so fast we didn't have time to fret. W & J birth the babies at home. This adds a whole new dimension for us. We think of all the horrible things that can go wrong and require technical medical intervention. Then there's always the fielding of questions and comments from people. We did receive periodic texts and photos as the labor progressed. We were tethered to our phones. We received the text that #3 had arrived while Dave was meeting with a client. Dave's client was as excited as we were when we received the photo and passed around our phones so they could see too.

We brought the boys to meet their new baby sister the next day. W & J had presents for them from their sister. E didn't really understand that and asked questions.

Please pay no attention to the fact that E has not combed his hair and his sweater is hopelessly wrinkled. I think we earn medals since he's alive, clean, and fed. That is my new gold standard.

Here's Ezra filled with glee at the sight of his brand new baby sister

And of course he had to touch her

I'm certain he hasn't washed his hands in the last hour and I have no idea where his hand has been. Forgetting all that, is this not the cutest image of Big Brother's hand, Papa's hand (that looks as if the first finger is half missing), and sweet baby girl's tiny little precious hand?

So now it's Theo's turn to meet his new little sister. It is exactly 18 months and his position as the baby of the family has been usurped. Guess how he's going to take this. Go ahead and guess. He was busy exploring and touching everything while we were all distracted and here's how he looked when we all said "Theo, come meet your new baby sister"

He took one look at her, turned to J and began to cry for his Mama. Actually it was more like wailing. This broke Dave's heart and he swooped in to comfort Theo.

Jessica assures us, she even sent a photo as proof, that after a two hour nap he woke up and cuddled with his new baby sister.

Vesper Wren Swenson has arrived and we will never be the same.

Crazy Grandparents

Our two grandsons ( 3 yrs & 16 mos) spent an afternoon with us at our home. It's freezing cold outside so we're stuck inside. What to do?

Yep, bring the toy inside. That's the Harley Big Wheel, with flashing lights, horns, music, and various loud noises.

We got the motorcycle for Ezra, well he was the only one way back then. He is sharing it with Theo now. At least he's learning to share with Theo. First E rode it, then T got on it...until E sat on it too and squished T and I rescued T by lifting him up and off of it, and then T was miffed that his brother did this, and then I had to snuggle T and kiss him repeatedly on his ears and neck while saying sweet Grandma things about how marvelous he is.

Then they moved on to have T follow E and push him along. Oh, and please notice the cute sweaters. As E likes to "match" with his baby. He told me they bought them at Target.

And what is going on with my camera? I thought it was my lens, but now I'm pretty sure it's the camera.

Hair....don't like it when it gets in the eyes...a bit too Bieber if you ask me. Oh, you didn't ask me?

The boys haul down the hallway and they may have crashed in to the door once or twice. Which is completely crazy if you knew how much we paid for the solid wood doors that go perfectly in our home. Oh, and then there were the times that the wheel dragged along the wall as they were racing....no worries, we'll have that painted in the Spring. See? We are crazy grandparents. This would NEVER have happened when we were simply parents.

Apple Hill Visit, Part Three

For the final stop on our visit, we grabbed a quick bite (good thing we ate as soon as we stopped, we were just ahead of the crowd) and then headed to yet another tractor and petting zoo!

T joined in with the petting zoo this time.....

 I think the John Deere was a bigger hit, but E still had a good time.....

T walked around the tractor and grabbed at everything he could reach

Pretty sure E will be seeing this coon skin hat under the tree next month

The crowds were getting heavy and it was time for the boys to nap...which they did as soon as they were strapped in the van. Dave and I headed home on the bike. We took the long way home. Perfect day for everyone.

Apple Hill Visit, Part Two

The second stop included actually picking apples. Our visit was at the end of the season, so we were left with Golden Delicious. Not bad. I sure hope I get a slice of the promised pie.

Dave and I were not familiar with the cage thingy used to pick the apples from the tree. It was very clever and worked very well. E LOVED the thing and insisted on carrying it.....which was a bit too heavy so we learned the word co-operation, I helped him.

 This little guy is just so cute and adorable.....here are a few more photos to look at.....

The petting zoo was limited to paying $.50 for a little cup of food and reaching through the fence.

 E really got a kick out of the alpaca......

 The big hit was the pony ride....Dave and Jessica were miffed that it was so short for $5, and E didn't care, he was happy....sleepy, but happy. It was near his nap time.

It was really hot so Grandpa removed his sweatshirt and tied it around his waist, and then guess what? Yep, E had to tie his sweater around his waist. That only lasted a few seconds before he just wanted the sweater gone. Still, it was really cute for those few seconds.

Then it was time for the next adventure....the next stop down the road....

Apple Hill Time, Part One

Have you been to Apple Hill? It's quite popular. We've only stopped to eat at a diner while we were riding through. We've never been during the popular time. We've heard plenty about it, know people who visit every year, but we've never been inclined to go during the Fall. You do remember that we don't like crowds? We aren't in to the entire walking about to look at crafty, boutique things with a bunch of people. Here's the big reason we went to Apple Hill....well part of the reason. The other three reasons are on the other side of the camera.

The drive to Apple Hill involved Dave on his motorcycle and me riding in the van with the family. The last hour (or so) was while T was screeching at the top of his lungs. He's done this since birth. It's like nails on the chalk board. Everyone does exactly what should be done under the circumstances....ignore it. Now you'd think T would get tired and fall asleep, but you'd be wrong. It was most definitely his nap time but sleeping was the last thing he was going to do.  Good thing he's so cute. I did seriously consider asking W to pull over so I could hop on the back of the bike with Dave, but I did not wimp out, I soldiered on.

At the first stop they had a John Deere tractor in the field for photo ops and climbing. This was a HUGE HIT for E. Honestly, the little guy would have been happy to just stay there all day.

We wisely started the day early, and we were just ahead of the crowd. We had the tractor all to ourselves.....well, E did. He examined every inch of the thing, asking about every part. He was disappointed that he couldn't start the thing up and drive it away.

His parents were happy too.  Since G.Pa and G.Ma had E covered, they could walk around at leisure (T was happy to ride on W's back). They bought a bag full of apple cider donuts, which they shared. E devoured his quickly....so did G.Ma.

We were ready to blow this joint and carry on to the next stop.....

More Park Time!

Let's begin with a photo of our adorable grandsons in the T-shirts we brought back from Seville, Spain. Please note that although E's is better made and a tad bit more stylish, T's bull is anatomically correct.

A draw back to getting the boys in the afternoon is that if they haven't napped properly (and that would be T), they're exhausted. Which means we really need to watch them because they stumble and don't think clearly, even for a toddler. We really need to talk to his Mama....she needs to have them fully rested so we can have fun. Don't you agree?

Now we're swinging. This is where the boys begin. The swings are first. So funny when E asks to be pushed, and Dave thinks when he asks to "go high", that E means high. No, he means "E high", which is really about half-way high. He's just beginning to enjoy swinging. He'll go high, just before the point where the chains begin to slack. He doesn't like that feeling.

T took off for the play structure. He just went right to climbing.

The slides have plenty of static. Dave was shocked when he picked up T, and you can see what it does to E's hair.

Now please look closely at the photo on the left. this is Baby T taking a dive with a forward roll. It all happened too fast! I gasped and went to grab him, way too late. So this is the last photo at the park. I put the camera away and held T. He had a tiny bump on his head, only cried for a short time, but I wasn't going to put him down. He was just way too tired to be trusted. And what Grandma even lets this happen?

We wisely decided to leave the park and take him to our place. So funny, whenever T gets a bump and cries, or just get whiny from teething, I give him cold juice in a bottle. Today, as he's crying, E says "Grandma, I think the baby needs cold juice". So sweet. And he's watching everything we do.  So yeah, T got cold juice as soon as we walked in the door.

He was feeling better real soon and ready to play.

T is trying to ride the trike. He can't quite reach the pedals yet.  He is very good at pressing the buttons, the thing makes plenty of noise and has flashing lights too. Can you believe that we have these outdoor toys inside? Clearly we are not the same people that raised J.

Park Time

We spend at least one afternoon a week with our grandsons.....without their parents supervising. What are they thinking?

We spend time on the swings. Which is something new. E was never a big fan of swings. He's so grown up now. He likes to be pushed "high" but not too "high". We did have a challenge keeping Theo from walking in front of his brother and getting knocked to the ground.

Theo's favorite is the speaker. This is something added to the playground since their Mama was a young girl. He likes to be lifted up so he can "talk" in to the speaker and hear it back in a loud voice. The little guy likes noise.

 T Boy likes to try climbing up the slide....after he crawls around and gets stuff stuck to his clothes.

This is included just because he's so cute. He was so tired and exhausted, plus it was seriously hot. He could barely lift his head. And he failed to keep his head up on at least one occasion where he smacked his mouth and may have chipped his tooth. Perhaps we do need supervision.

We brought them back to the house and had them take a bubble bath in our big tub....where T hit his mouth again. The bubble bath in the tub just made him extra slippery. He likes to stand up and we just couldn't keep him down. We put a stop to the fun in the big tub. We dressed them and kept them away from hard surfaces until they were reclaimed by their parents.

How Did This Happen So Quickly?????

What a difference one year makes.  The big difference for us is that Ezra can barely fit in the Cozy Coupe and Theo has moved in to the driver's seat.....I thought they'd both ride in it and share, but you can see how that's working out....

The bottom right photo was one year ago....just before Theo was born....a bit over one year...amazing.

Bubble Time

One of the very best things about living so close to our grandchildren is that they can drop by for a quick visit...or a long visit.  We get to see our little dudes a couple times a week.  I was asking Dave if they would talk about their crazy G.Ma that's hugging and kissing on them all the time, or if they'd feel really loved.  He wisely answered that they'd feel very loved.  What a wise man I married.  Lucky me.

When we were in Reno, we saw a group of small children playing with bubbles.  Of course we checked it out and paid $10 for a flimsy bubble wand that will last a few days before breaking, if we're lucky.  We readily admit that we NEVER would have made this purchase when we were merely parents.  There's something about "Grand" being attached to parents that makes you nutty.  Really, for us to drop $10 doesn't sound like much.....unless you know us.....it's a whole new us.  Sounds downright silly when I say it out loud, but that's how we once rolled.

Man Skirt

There are so many things in this world that I do not understand.  One of them is why my SIL would possibly want to purchase, much less actually wear, a man skirt.  He calls it a kilt, but we all know it is really a skirt worn by a man....a man skirt.  I know he has Swedish ancestry, but I was not aware of any Scottish...now I know.  So I guess it isn't that odd, but really....it is odd.  Let's just call it quirky.

We have a HUGE annual Scottish event held right here in town.  Dave and I have never been.  Not that we're against it......it sounds very interesting.  We're just not in to crowds, standing around, and we've been to Scotland, so we'll go do something else over the long weekend.  The kids love this event and try to attend every year.

This year J made matching kilts for the boys.  When she was fitting E, I may have made a comment...something like "oh, you have a boy skirt".  E turned to his mama and told her he didn't like it.  Then his mama gave me a VERY unfriendly look....maybe a growl.  I did say "oh, you'll be like all the others boys and men at the Scottish Games".  I'm pretty sure he picked up on all this, plus his mama's look, and knew he'd be wearing it, so he decided he would remain silent and see how this played out.

All the years that I was praying for a perfect man to marry my daughter, it NEVER crossed my mind that he would dress himself and my grandsons in skirts.  I just mark that up to an over sight on my part and an added benefit to the package.

 This is where I learn that my SIL is in the House of Gordon because his mother was a Crombie. Oh, and that my SIL is introducing my oldest grandson to medieval weaponry.

My littlest grandson slept through this part...I hope....and it was his very first birthday.  Isn't he the sweetest most angelic little baby? Yeah, I think so too....

For many years...and I mean years....my SIL has wanted a Utilikilt.  He's offered to work the booth to earn a discount, etc.  He REALLY wants one of the things.  He's described it to us, but honestly, we really don't get it.  Even if their motto is "for everyday wear".  Because we're crazy and...well, crazy pretty much sums it up....we thought we would give him his Christmas present early.  So after some texts and calls to our daughter, we set it all up.

He was one happy man skirt wearing guy

And here are a few more photos of the day's events

End of Summer Swimming

We've been squeezing out every last summer moment at the pool. E.Boy is gaining confidence in the water, making new friends, and LOVING the snack bar. He tells grandma that he's hungry, we walk to the snack bar, he asks to be lifted up to look at the pictures and tell the attendant that he wants candy. He now knows about candy bars. Snickers are his new favorite and he will share with his mama when asked. Although there was that one time he shoved the last big part in his mouth (it barely fit) and looked at her and tried to say there was nothing left. He couldn't really say it because his mouth was full. So full that you could see the bar in his mouth. How do they know to do that before they're three?!

He's made a new friend.  She's really good with E.Boy and plays games with him.  They found this fish squeeze toy that they fill up with water and squirt in each other's face.  Silly, but hey they enjoy it. This little girl spends her day at the pool.  J was shocked to hear this.  There are lifeguards, so I couldn't see the problem.  Especially since this is how J's father spent his summer.....swimming all day at the Club pool.  He has plenty of stories, most I'm sure he's not telling. When E.Boy was corrected by the lifeguard for running and something else, I turned to J and said "your father would be so proud".  She wasn't really seeing the humor.

Baby T was having some fun too.  Why is it so difficult to get both looking spectacular and cute at the same time? Be impressed when you see a photograph where everyone looks good.

Baby T takes a few dunks in the pool (which is tough, have you tried to hold a slippery baby and keep them from drowning lately?), snacks, and pretty much crawls all over with the two of us watching and keeping him out of trouble.....it takes two of us....while watching is big brother too.  Honestly, I have NO idea how we're going to handle THREE.  We will though.