Special Visitors!

These guys are a week apart in their birthdays....they played cute together sometimes, fought like cats and dogs other times.

All my kiddos around the table.

All my children...and they barely fit on that big couch.

Sit and Spin- his daddy had one.

Rick plays alligator with the hat and puppet...Caleb was so cute, he knew exactly what to do.
 

The alligator was eating his dad's foot then went for his own mouth!

The picture I was going for was a phone on each ear...then he almost attacked me with them!

Great Grandmama and Deda with Joseph and Caleb.

I couldn't get a good picture of these guys....the two Joseph's playing with Caleb.

We had a special visit from our "Utah boys" last month.  We crammed as much as we could in that week.  We would talk about the moon, especially if I had him without his dad.  This boy loved airplanes and cars.  He would sit and play with my garage and my cars, especially the two blue Sally cars for hours.  Loved, loved, loved having Caleb and his dad.  It still trips me out to see pictures of Joseph with no hair and so skinny.  Navy boot camp here he comes :(

Riding the "tractor" with his daddy.

Papa was so excited to get out the riding lawnmower, but Caleb would NOT ride with him.  His dad got on and he was all smiles to ride!  Love these boys (and the girls they left at home).

Busy Life of a Yaya - take 2

May is always a crazy time when you teach preschool and have children in school.  It seems everything that you can possibly think of happens weekly and sometimes daily.  I teach at a great preschool and forgot that we get a nice end-of-year bonus.....until the beginning of May.  The light bulb went off and I booked my ticket for Utah to see that new grandbaby (and her siblings, and her parents).  During those last few weeks of May our sweet Zoë was having some health issues.  It started with a lump on the side of her neck and ended with a diagnosis of a different kind of TB (usually found in 3rd world countries and comes from eating dirt - so Zoë).  Surgery was needed but the doctors were waiting for "just the right time"- which meant MANY trips to the ER by the daddy (mommy had a new baby).  Surgery was finally scheduled for the last day of preschool and the day before I was to leave for Utah.  I couldn't take the last day off or not easily.  Longer story short, she had the surgery (they had to scrape it and couldn't remove it because of where is was located on her neck)- things went great and she didn't have to stay and they were able to come home by lunch.  Zoë drugged was hiliarious - but that is a whole different post/story.  Anyway, it made for a hectic and worrisome last few days/hours before boarding my plane.

Here are a few pictures from my visit to see my Utah Brewer's:

Evalyn Jayne Brewer

                     

Cheese Master "Bubba"

Princess Claire

Really cool trampoline/bounce place

I was there on Memorial Day and Joseph and Katie's Church leader manages this cool trampoline/bounce place.  He let 5 or 6 families come before it opened.  It was so much fun to watch.  My Joseph has always loved to bounce and he has always loved heights.  He didn't disappoint me with his "tricks".

They had a promotion there in Utah in the Spring where Joseph and Katie were able to get these passes for like $10 a piece and had unlimited access to several parks.  There kids were free.  We visited one of the places while I was there.  One of the things we did while there was play miniature golf.  Bubba would hit for awhile and then go and put his ball in the hole - golf Bubba style!

They were so excited to ride this- especially Caleb.  He would get away from us and find his way back there.

Daddy Daughter team versus

Mommy/son team.  They all got wet.

Another huge favorite.

Golf - Bubba style

I had so much fun this week just hanging out and playing with the kids.  We played outside and met their friends.  We even had a marshmallow roast one night - a Church party another night.  It made my summer to go spend some time with them.  I just don't get to see them enough.





Painting early one morning....I am still not sure who painted Bubba.

The Cheese group - the first day of the pool being open.

I have always loved being a Mom - even when everything is "my fault" and no one is getting along....but being a Yaya is the absolute best!  What a wonderful way to start my summer!

The Busy Life of a Yaya!

I was in a good swing of blogging there for a while....but not lately!  This spring has been crazy busy, teaching preschool, sewing, playing with children, playing Yaya, and meeting new babies.  It was all fun!  Here are a few pictures!  I was able to hang out with these guys during Spring break when Declan Jacob Bell arrived!  The day before Evalyn Jayne Brewer arrived.  Her newborn picture is here.  I must say that playing with my grandbabies (even the ones that aren't babies anymore), is the highlight of any day/week/month/year.  I love my children, but I just don't think they were this much fun.
I have been busy sewing as well.  Two new babies means two new quilts, and sadly neither are finished as of this writing, though one is pieced and 1/2 way quilted!

Evie's quilt

Made these cute flags to go along with the new babies!  Just added them to my Etsy site and I have things for sale in Lewisville at a new cool shop called: a.l.o.e.  You should stop by!

Valentine Party

The treats

Waiting for party!

Bingo....love Daniel's excitement!

Tic-tac-toe

Boys!  They spent 30 minutes playing with this.

The art!

More art!

The girls were busy!

Love bugs!

Today we had a great Valentine party. Daniel decided he wanted to be at this one, and though he was a little bored, he did a great job playing with the kids.  We played Valentine Bingo that I found here (thank you Pinterest).  It was perfect for my 3-6 year olds.  We then played Tic-Tac-Toe that I found here.  The girls moved on to our art projects while the boys kept playing their version.  Daniel made it challenging by going way far away from the board.  I really didn't pay too much attention to exactly what they were playing....all I know is they had a good time and Jamison was having fun.  A co-worker had given me a container of Love Bug stickers.  I had used the die cut machine at work and cut out a bunch of hearts from some of my stash of scrap book paper (making sure I had a few sparkles in there).  I had the idea for them to make creatures (thinking Jamison would like that) from the heart shapes, but the girls were more interested in just making pictures.  I printed off this for the kids to use the Love Bug stickers.  We are going to do this for preschool too.  The last art project was painting with a mixture of shaving cream/school glue/red paint.  It makes it puffy.  Jamison did do a little art project using the hearts and making monsters with lots of googlie eyes and large mounds of glue for the nose and mouth. 
We came upstairs and had grilled cheese sandwiches on heart plants, their choice of chips and special soda.  I bought the half size Wal-mart brand lemon-lime soda, opened it and put one drop of food coloring in it and it made it pink.  They thought that was cool. 
Yesterday I made some treats.  I took a double heart cookie cutter, made rice krispie treats, adding some pink food coloring and molded them.  I used this idea, though I didn't use strawberry marshmallows, for marshmallow pops.  The favorite was the pretzel/Hershey Kiss/M&M treat.  Everyone went home with a ballon, marshmallow pops, their plates and cups.  It is so much fun being Yaya.  It is always a little bitter sweet.....I don't get to do these things with my Utah Brewers.  I think a "Party in a Box" needs to head their way this week.  Daniel was upset the littlest Bell didn't come but I made sure she had a ballon, plate and cup.  We will include her in our Easter party.  Happy Saturday!