The not so fun part

It's still mawmaw stay-cation. Only a few days left. 

It's not all sweet smelling, mawmaw spoiling, ever thing is sugar and spice kind of days. It's no secret things are not always just peachy.

There are 2 year old tantrums from two 2 year olds at one time. 

There are constant dirty stinky diapers from a teething just started walking baby. 

Spilled food and drink at almost every meal by someone. 

Little helpers who mean well and want to help with everything. 

That's ok. There's always something different everyday. 

 

They surely kept me on my toes. I swear I've lost 15 pounds this summer from up and down, up and down, and not stopping to eat much all day. It's actually been a workout. No wonder I was so skinny 30 years ago. And it being 100 degrees everyday probably helped to curb my appetite a whole lot.

 

I'm sure they had as much fun as me.

I'll be looking for a new project next week.

Gin

Happy Birthday Pirate Party

Three year old Cohen celebrated with a pirate party. A perfect theme. 

A double water slide for all ages was the main attraction.

A full day of fun people eating and bringing gifts and sliding. 

Cupcakes and gifts were not to be spared.

Blessed with abundance of gifts from room packed full of guests.

Happy Birthday Cohen!

Three Years

You Happy Birthday Cohen!! 

Three years have flown by and we have enjoyed every moment. 

We are thankful you are healthy, smart, cute, and all boy. 

I know God has great things in store for you.

Happy Birthday. We love you!

Expo-tastic

A funtastic weekend at Southern States Pageant Expo. Eighty-eight girls dressed in casual wear competing 1 time on stage for 5 pageant systems to win gifts and awards. 

Behind the scenes we take time to play with the phone. 

You get whatever a baby hands out. Either happy-ness or as the case with us a little bit fussy.  Pageant in the morning time and doctor appointment In the afternoon with a diagnosis of the onset of strep. Which last week big sister had. 

Still the show went on since we didn't know she felt so bad. 

The cute little casual wear that won her best fashion from 2 of the 5 pageants. 

And the long awaited results were in with baby Brynlee in 9-17 months awarded prettiest eyes.

And the 2 year old placed Queen in 1 of the 5 pageants, the Rocking Expo Pageant,  and fashion winner in 2 of the 5 pageants. 

We gladly take our wins and are thrilled to have placed in several titles with so many girls competing. 

Gin

End of last week

Another week at MawMaw's stay-cation came to an end. Noon time has almost become my favorite time. My break during the day. Because it's quiet. It's still. Memories from 30 years ago when my three were little comes back fast. I finally know what Silence is Golden means. 

Molly - Dog is playing along very well. She's a good sport when she has to play dress up and wear wings. 

Seems she will do anything for all the attention and food droppings she's been getting for the last 6 weeks. 

One of the accomplishments so far is "we have a walker"! Yes!! I taught her to walk. 

And one failure of the summer stay-cation is somehow I left the door a-jar,, on a Thursday last week. I got a phone call on a Sunday that I left the door un-closed and the blowing wind and rain blew it open and flooded the foyer.

Ok. So. 

#1 - you called me 3 days after I left to tell me.

#2 - as your father said "do you not check your doors every day or every night?"

#3 - seems there was no wet wall or flood damage to repair. 

#5 - the adult kids are cray-cray and a little dramatic.

I inspected it when I returned and it looks fine to me. 

Gin

End of the week review

Finishing up the first third of the month at MawMaw's summer stay-cation.  And we're doing a lot. 

This week was a lot of book reading. The favorite books this week are The Christmas Story and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Reading everyday they know the complete stories as I turn the page without me reading. 

This week was role playing. From nurses to patients to I-pad tech and everything in between.

Cohen knows all about the I-pad. At age 3 they are geniuses.

Brookky and Brynlee playing nurse and patient. She knew all the procedures to do, then wanted a bandaid. 

A little yard work can be fun. 

It's bye till next week. 

Gin

31 Days of July - How's it going you ask?

It's day 7 of July. It's a Monday. That should explain it all. 

July 4th they actually went to the Dr's office.

Strep throat for the week end. By Monday morning when I arrived for the week, she was much better. 

With rain, rain, and more rain all you could do was have a little fun mud riding.

Then with teething, not sleeping, trying to walk, and constant screaming it should make the week fly by. 

Gin

31 Days of July - 2

Do you need to know how to entertain grandkids for 31 days in July? I made it thru June already. It's down hill from here.  

Today was me and 3 under 3 years old. So we learned about same and different. Which was a repeat from June. But it takes repetition. And a lot of Simon Says today. 

We spent a lot of time on selfies today. A LOT. Cause you know I wanted the perfect selfie of all 4 people at one time. 

There were duck faces with hugs. 

The "you're pulling my hair" face.

And "enough with the pictures, please".

The only thing I'm really missing is my sewing projects. I have things envisioned I can't wait to sew up.

Gin

Dear June

My 30 days of June was spent keeping the little ones for the first part of summer. 

That's twelve hour days filled with remembering how it was 30 years ago with my own 3 under 5 years old. That would be breakfast, playtime/learning, snack time, lunch time, cleanup, naptime, playtime, snack again, wait for mommies to get home. And yes with meltdowns thrown in all day long. And sometimes spilt milk. 

But busy is the key. No time for being fussy-pants. 

Whether all together or separate we made good use of the summer days. 

Of course I have to show their parents that it's not all play and there is structural learning while the MawMaw's in charge. 

 

Flash cards were my choice of learning. And it was a huge success. A lot can be learned from flash cards. This was actually a Crazy 8's card game. We learned matching, same, different, counting, and choosing. And it never got old. Just had to distract the baby from all the fun. 

Tomorrow starts the second half of summer for me and them. I've got to up my strategy to keep things going smoothly. 

Gin

Pageant Talk

As a guest, spectator, and wardrobe manager, I attended Sunburst Tri-State Pageant in Gulfport.  Of course my main job was wardrobe manager, coordinator, fitting, and last minute outfit fixing. 

It was a full weekend of non-stop competing fun with 2 little ones in tow with 5 stage appearances with 5 outfit changes. 

Of course we, as the mom and mawmaw, were the most interested in it all, but the 2 little ones did extremely well being in the hustle and bustle of 121 other contestants. 

No personal cell or camera pictures were allowed in the ball room. So I only have quick snapshots of the fun. 

First, hotel room snack time with fruit loops in bed. 

There was time for an evening pool swim. 

There's always time for a selfie. 

The 5 areas of competion were swimsuit, casual wear/school/daycare wear, event t-shirt and blue jean shorts, lunch break, t-shirt and blue jean shorts again, and formal/beauty dress, all on Saturday, then awards day Sunday. 

Brynlee in her swimwear. (Made by me.)

Brooklyn in her swimwear. (Made by me.)

Brynlee's casual wear. (Made by me.)

Brooklyn's casual wear. (This was a purchased outfit, but I added the lace sleeve undershirt and changed out the color of the lace on the skirt. So half made/altered by me.)

Both in their event t-shirt and shorts. 

All t-shirts were too big for the little contestants. But they were meant for everyone to be dressed alike for meeting judges and interviews, with no scoring on attire. 

And then Brynlee in her formal dress at awards. And it's naptime, obviously.

And Brooklyn in her formal dress at awards time. 

The hit it good with a lot of awards.

Brynlee's awards in the 0-15 months division: 

model search - 2nd runner up 

Swimwear - Queen

Composite - Queen 

Portfolio - 1st runner up 

Photogenic A - 1st runner up 

photogenic B - 1st runner up 

Best formal attire -  Queen 

Best personality- Queen 

Beauty Louisiana- 4th runner up princess

Brooklyn's awards in the 2 year division: 

Model search - 2nd runner up 

Swimwear - 1st runner up

Daycare wear - 2nd runner up

Composite - 1st runner up

Portfolio - 1st runner up 

Photo A - 2nd runner up

Photo B - 2nd runner up 

Beauty Louisiana - Queen 

A lot of sweet girls participated. Just as in any competition or sport everyone is a winner when you put forth your best and believe in yourself. 

Gin