Wednesday a beautiful spring day.

Today seems like the day to catch up a little on my blogging. I think maybe spring fever caught up with me and put me down in the dumps a little bit. Then of course there is the fact that I have house guests for a few weeks, which they really don't keep me from blogging, but I have found that my time is spent more doing little things around the house which I was able to keep done up before with just us here. It is really nice to have someone to talk with during the day, and to help out when I need it, I just have to learn to share the duties, for my cousin is so willing to help with anything, but I just keep saying I got it.

They both got jobs and are working, I hope they are happy staying here. I don't entertain them really, they have accesss to the living room and all it offers, big screen TV, nintendo, they hooked their WII up and they play it. We let them have their privacy, and share visiting when we feel the need to visit. So far their place isn't ready, and they aren't sure how long it will take to get it livable when they do get it. They have to get the nephew moved out of it and into his new place before they can even think of moving in. lol

I am so happy they are going to be so close the us now. For years they have lived far enough away that it made visiting hard, then when we did visit, time wasn't long enough, and we were back on road heading home. Now they will be about 10 minutes away.

This week, the weather moved into our area, bringing with it true spring air. Today alone, it is in the 80's and brings on a good sweat while working outside in it. I had sweat balls in my eyes as I emptied the trailer into the bed of the truck, the wood and limbs and stuff from cleaning out one side of the shed Monday. Dave come over and helped me. We do good work together, he and I. He said he learned some things, and I enjoy teaching him, hands on is the way he is learning from me.

Little Kiley is getting around so good, too good, she's giving Grandma a run for her money here. I can sit her down, and turn my back, and the little thing is gone before I turn back around. lol She likes the bathroom, for she loves a bath. So she is always in front of the tub, and laughs when I find her there. She also is standing up to everthings she can pull herself up to. I look for her to walk early, and if she doesn't I will be totally suprised. She's trying to cut teeth, and the sore gums are really giving her a bad time. I have taken some of the harder toys away from her, for she cried everytime she would bite on one of those. Now she has her softer toys to chew on. Not as many tears. I am seeking teething remedies that might ease her into getting them in with not as much pain.

Well, she's up and about now, so I have to go play.

Freedom of Choice

Spring is definitely here. The nights may get cool from time to time, but watching all the animals and birds return is a sure sign spring has sprung.

Today, I trimmed some low hanging branches off the tree just outside our back door. With the trimmings, I use a pair of pruners to cut down the larger limbs for disposal. As I was cutting up my trimmings, I was noticing how long some of the new sprouts were. It's evident spring has sprung for the trees, and it sprung weeks ago with the length and amount of green budded growth on those limbs.

My, where ever the birds vacationed for winter, was plentiful for food. They have all come back plump determined. I am still welding my broom and chasing those 2 turtle doves out of our shed. They are very persistent, they have decided they will make their nest on the hanging ladder whether I like it or not, and I am determined they won't. The battle is on, and I intend to be the winner, unless one of the neighbors think I should be carted away because I run around with my broom in the air yelling "Shoo, get out of here, no your not nesting here, damn birds anyway", are just a few of the things they may have heard me telling the birds, as my bright yellow broom swings in the air. I have also had an audience of fat robins, crows, sparrows, and squirrels watching me on my quest to run the turtle doves to new area for setting up house for the spring.

Today I planted all the flower bulbs I have purchased so far. I am looking forward to watching them grow and producing lovely flowers for me this summer. I am so enjoying my daffodil blossoms, bright yellow against the vivid green of the leaves. Color is finally back into outside, the gray of winter is long gone. Today was almost "warm" with the sun shining down upon me as I stared up at it contemplating what limbs needed trimming and what ones were going to be left to grow my shade for summer.

The kids are still haggling with lender on the kind of loan they want for their house purchase. I keep throwing out hints of questions to ask, I can only hope they listen and ask and get answers and look ahead into the future before they sign on that dotted line.

Kiley will be here in a couple hours, so I better get myself a little more sleep before the day begins. She is quite the bright child. Today her words of the day were PaPaPa, and Bubub. So Grandpa and bye bye were on her mind. I love teaching her to talk, as she pronounces some letters, she then goes a mile a minute in her babbling baby talk. I agree with her sometimes, others I ask her if that's really true, or if I can change her mind on that thought, she tends to frown when I start to question her. Is it written somewhere that adults aren't suppose to question what babies are talking about? LOL I missed that rule somewhere along the line.

Dear God, I pray you watch over all those I love, keep them safe, walk beside them, and most of all make them feel your presence so they are reminded to live for you, love with all their heart and make you first and last thoughts of the day. In Jesus' name, AMEN

Kiley is moving, Kids will be neighbors with us.

Our little granddaughter is growing up fast. She loves tools and found this tractor to play with. She has all her baby toys just across the room, but she chose to get this one from the corner out of her reach, or so we thought. Grandpa cleans the small wrenches and lets her play with them while he works with the bigger ones. She loves the time "helping" him. She even tries to get the pliers from his pouch when she gets him on the floor.

She is crawling all over now, and won't be long til she will be up walking and running.

Melanie called last night and said she is trying to pull up to stand at boxes as she packs. They are packing things up for their move in a month. They found a house they like, and contracted on it, now the wait for the financing to be done so they can get moved. Don't know how long it will take for present owners to move, but kids are hoping for April 30th, to be able to get moved in. Won't take long to move them, it's just across town. Actually they will be only 3 blocks from us when they get moved. The house is right behind a city park, and just down the street from us. DQ is just across the street from them too, and 2 blocks from us, so I see many lunch dates being spent there. lol Many changes coming this spring, good ones at that.

Kiley Growing so fast

Kiley sure is growing up fast. Here she is just 6 months old. She crawls everywhere now. Has arms like an octopus, into something just as you get her out of the first thing she was into. We have so much fun together playing, and she loves going outside.

I shutter to think that in a few months, she will be walking too. I will really have my hands full then while babysitting her daily. She has a temper when she gets tired, and her Mom and Dad say I am only one who can handle her when she gets like that. I keep telling them, they are her parents, they need to set limits on how much to allow that fit throwing to go on. I have set mine with her, and she knows them. I hope they will get the hang of it before long, Grandma can't always be available to calm her down.

I do love teaching her things, and she is very attentive when I show her something, like hitting the floor with a toy, she will then take the toy and hit the floor also. When I talk to her, she watches my mouth, and some letters she makes the mouth movements of after me, and she has picked up on some words too. She loves music, and has her own little baby singing as I sing to her while she lays her head on my shoulder. For me, it brings back the memories of my own little girls as they were young. But with Grandparenthood, the knowledge that we won't be around forever is ever present, so making those special memories is more important now than when I was a young mother. It's that "wish I knew then, what I know now" eye opener. One of the reasons behind this blog, is to record what I think the family will enjoy reading for years to come, and I really wish I had did this 25 years ago, when those events were happening and fresh in my mind.

Watching Kiley Grow

It's really a little girl under that hat. She is only 5 months old in this picture. Being a hat lover like her Dad, I dug out one of many Papa has collected over the years just for her.

A very active little one, makes Mawmaw tired at the end of the day from chasing her around the rooms while she is here while her parents work. I am having a blast with her, she learns so fast and picks up on things shown to her. Every morning now, she waves her side to side bye bye to her Mom when I tell her to tell Mommy bye bye. I also add that "Mommy is going to work to earn some money to buy her some toys." Gets a smile out of her every time. As she gets bigger, she gets to be more of a handful. I look forward to the mornings when she and I can get outside and play in the dirt. I bought her a small set of garden tools so she can play with me, will I regret that purchase soon? We'll see. For now we get outside in the late afternoons while it's warmest out and walk around the yard and driveway, her in stroller, enjoying the ride. I do tell her, one day she can push Grandma around for outside rides. I just pray that is years and years away.

My whole days have been re-arranged since she is active now. I used to have time for me during the day, now that me time is looking forward to a nap with her on days when I can manage to let things go for a few minutes. She loves her Grandma naps. I do too when she sleeps longer than her required 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

With spring approaching fast, I want to spend more time outside, but leaving her in is out of the equation, so we look out the windows and doors often with longing in our eyes to be out there. I think we will pitch the tent when it's warmer, just to let her play out in, but keep her confined and away from the road while I am busy. Being my luck with this brain child, she will learn too fast how to unzip the tent and be at my side before I know it. lol But I am hoping she will be able to nap out there while I work when she gets tired, yet safe from bugs and sun. It' s not like we use the tent anymore for camping, we upgraded to motels when we travel. So will get some use letting her have a playhouse of sorts.

She's on her way over, so better get posted and off here before she gets here, or else puter will stay on all day waiting for me to return.

March Prayers

March brings impatience to most gardeners. Once the air warms and the grounds start to thaw, a trend emerges when seeing trees budding, lawns starting to turn green, while awakening dorment winter plants, it also nudges the minds hibernation from outside hobbies during winter months.
Days begin with inside chores finished in record time, just to add to the daily chore list the preparations for outside duties. Prayers at night include asking for warmth and sun to aid in readying the soil for planting. Protesting of muscles to come as new activities are added each day. Dreams of bright colors after gray, black and white images for months, along with shedding of layers of clothes to work outside. New life spouts from all living things. Spring is in the air.