Kylie Bug turns 9

Our Kylie turned 9 on August 14th the day before she started 3rd grade.  This birthday she wanted cowboy boots.  When we took her and Leah to Tennessee in June she saw everyone wearing cowboy boots and really loved seeing all the different kind of boots there were, so she didn't forget that and asked for them for her birthday.  So the week before her birthday, I took her to Chuck's boots.  She was so excited and said she was in cowboy boot heaven.  She had her choice down to 2 boots.  See below.  The brown boots won out.  This was so much fun, I decided that this would be a tradition on taking the kids to pick out their birthday presents.  Kylie is such an awesome young lady.  She wants to please everyone so much and take care of them.  She really watches over her little brother.  Kylie was our first born Granddaughter and showed us how much love we have and can give to our grandchildren.  Like the poster says that I just seen recently saw, "The most precious jewels you will have around your neck are the arms of your grandchildren."

Funnies from my Sissy Girl

These funnies were passed to me from Mary (Sissy's Mom), Mary was spending the whole day with Sissy since Brian took off and went camping with Leah and Charlie on August 8, 2012 a Wednesday and then Mary and Sissy were going to join Brian the next day for a float trip.  So the first thing that happened was Mary took Sissy for a mani/pedi, Sissy's first.  One thing you need to know about Sissy is that she speaks Japanese, that is what she tells all us, so with that knowledge, most of the salons around here are owned by Asian people who regularly speak a foreign language in front of their clients.  While Sissy was being taken care of Mary said she would just stare at these people speaking this foreign language and when there was a break in the action, she turns to Mary and says....."Mom should I speak Japanese to these people??????"  Mary told her "No, that is ok".  Mary then asked Sissy, "Do you know what they are saying?"  Sissy says "Yes, they are talking about how pretty I am".   Mary just laughed to herself.

After the mani/pedi Mary stopped at Steak and Shake and took food home for them to eat and Mary had to take a shower before going to her book club that evening.  As Mary parked the car and they were walking up to the door, Sissy asked Mary "Can you bring food to your book club?"  Mary said "You could but usually the person hosting the book club has food for everyone."   Sissy says "Oh, good because I am pretty sure I have a french fry in my underwear".  I was rolling when Mary told me this and you have to know Sissy, I can just see her seriously walking up the walk and saying this with just a deadpan face, like I think it is going to rain, no big deal.  She just didn't want to get in trouble for bringing food into their house if she wasn't supposed too.  My Sissy girl is a hoot.  Love her to death.

Our Charlie Boy will turn 4, July 17th!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our sweet, lovable, devilish boy will be turning the big 4.  He is my baby boy and the last of my grandchildren.  Nothing will get by him.  He is way too smart for his britches.  He will be starting preschool this fall at Abiding Savior and the teachers are already fighting over him.  For being the last of the grandkids he probably learns the fastest.  Even though he is small in size, his personality is enormous.  He will charm you to death.  I am one of his biggest fans.  I love you Charlie Brown, my baby boy.

Best Vacation Ever with Kylie and Leah - June 2012

 We started our trip on June 3rd, Sunday.  We were going to leave around 4am but the girls woke up around 2:30am, they were anxious to leave, so we started getting ready.  We were out the door around 4:15am, Bob was a little harder getting up.  Our first stop was at Metropolis, Illinois, the home of Superman.

Our next stop Nashville, Tennessee.  Kylie wanted to visit Nashville because she is a big Taylor Swift fan.  We arrived around 11:30am and walked around till about 2:30pm.  We ate at a restaurant called Dick's the girls had fun there the waiter made them hats.



















Then next morning, Monday, June 4th we got up and drove to Pigeon Forge to our cabin.  The girls loved the cabin, it had our own hot tub on the porch and a jacuzzi tub in the bedroom, they loved it.  That night we went to the Comedy Barn we really enjoyed the show.  Then went back to the cabin for the girls to play in the hot tub and jacuzzi.

















Tuesday, June 5th we got up early to go to the Smoky Mountains.  We took a 2.5 mile hike straight up a mountain.  The girls were great troopers and on the way we met Santa.  It was a great hike and a beautiful waterfall at the end.  After that we went into Gatlinburg to shop and take a ride in the sky lift.

Wednesday, June 6th we went to a place that Leah found called WonderWorks.  It was really a fun place to visit.  The outside looks like an upside down building, there were a lot of things to do there, rock climbing, bubbles, bed of nails, space walking and laser tag.  The girls had a blast.

Wednesday afternoon we headed for Dollywood, we spent the rest of Wednesday and then all day Thursday.

Friday, June 8th we headed for home.  This was an awesome vacation that we had with our girls.  Kylie and Leah are our heart.  They are our first granddaughters they are only 4 months a part and our first loves.  We really enjoyed them immensely and hope we made some special memories for them, they did for us.  What a joy these beautiful girls, inside and out, are to us.  They are changing daily and growing into sensitive, smart and kind young girls.  I can't wait to see what they do with all their talents.  They will definitely be gifts to this world like they are to us.  I love them with my whole heart and soul and am a better person being their Grandma.

Happy Mother's Day to my two beautiful Daughters

I am a very lucky Mother, I have two wonderful, beautiful daughters, Julie and Mary.  They are both awesome Moms.  I am very blessed.  We had a wonderful brunch at Julie and Nicholas home today.  Nick made an awesome casserole, bacon, sausage, we had fruit and cinnamon toast, it was great.  Here are my girls and me with my babies.

Leah's First Communion

Our Leah made her First Communion on May 6th, 2012 at St. Gabriels the Archangel.  Mary had Leah's dress made out of Mary's wedding dress, it turned out beautiful.  I loved the idea and so did everyone else.  A new tradition was born.  Leah's veil was given to her by a very special lady, Mary Ann Quinlisk, Mary's Aunt affectionately known as Nanny, who is in heaven now.  Leah looked beautiful.

Kylie's 1st Communion

Kylie made her First Communion on April 28th, 2012 at St. Joseph's in Imperial.  Kylie wore her mom's first communion dress, it fit her like a glove, my mom would have been so proud.  I wonder how many generations we can pass this dress on.  I made Kylie's veil using Julie's veil as a sample.  She looked beautiful.  We are so proud of her.  As you can see in the two pictures, Kylie looks a lot like her beautiful mom.

2011 Summer Vacation - New Orleans and Destin

We left on vacation June 7th for New Orleans with Brian and Mary caravaning. We arrived around 6pm to a homemade dinner of Jambalaya.  It was delicious.  We had the grand tour of the city and the flood areas.  We also took a swamp ride on a boat and saw lots of alligators.  We really enjoyed it.  On June 11th we continued our trip to Destin, Florida where we met Julie, Nick and the kids.  We found our condo which we loved.  We lounged on the beach with the kids playing in the sand.  First time seeing the ocean for Kylie, Dylan, Sissy and Charlie, they loved it.  We really relaxed on this vacation and were treated to special dinner prepared by each family.  We left on June 18th to return home which we did in one day taking 12 hours.  Not a fun ride home but we did it.  Overall it was a very successful family vacation.

My Mom my Hero

I know this blog is for my Grandkids but yesterday was the 10th anniversary of my Mom's passing.  My Mom was the greatest Mom, my best friend, my hero, my inspiration, my everything.  I am so glad my kids got to know their Grandma.  My regret is that my Grandkids have missed that awesome opportunity.  Life was not easy for my Mom but she never complained.  No matter what she endured it with a smile and a regret she was putting people out.  My goal in life is to be just half the person she was and I struggle with that everyday.  I wish everyone could have a Mom like her and the world would be a better place.  I have missed her for 10 years and still cry for her often.  Thank you Mom for all that you still are to me.  I still love you bunches and miss you more.

Sissy is 5 - Our Pretty!

Our Beautiful Sissy Girl turns 5.  She picked Ariel for her themed birthday cake.  She had a great party.  Sissy was born the day before Valentines Day in 2007.  We had an ice storm that year, could hardly make it home after her birth.  Sissy is our peacemaker, she takes such good care of her brother and loves everyone.  She doesn't command the center of attention like her brother and sister but she does love the attention when she can get it.  Even as a baby, when she and Dylan (her cousin) were on the floor playing (just 2 1/2 months a part) Dylan would scream for the attention, I would take care of him and all of a sudden think, Sissy, where is she, and she would just be still playing in her place.  She was the easiest baby of all.  She is still the easiest.  We love you Sissy our pretty.

Dylan our charmer

Yesterday afternoon I was getting ready for a dinner with my girlfriend,  I changed my top and refreshed my make up and combed my hair, trying to look a little presentable.  Dylan had gone with PawPaw to pick up Kylie, I was sitting on the couch when they came in and Dylan looks at me and says "Gammaw, why are you beautiful?"  I started laughing and said I love you Dylan and he is still staring at me and says "No, really, Gammaw why are you beautiful?"  I knew he meant, are you going somewhere, I told him I was going to dinner with my friend, he said oh, and that was it.  Everyone needs a Dylan to make you feel beautiful.

Leah turns 8, how can that be??????????

Leah not only turned 8 but had her first confession in November.  So she turned 8 sin free.  Leah is our blond beauty.  She is extremely sensitive and soft hearted.  Takes after her Grandma.  She still loves art and is very good at it.  She makes excellent grades and is the best Big sister to Sissy and Charlie.  We are better people because of Leah in our lives, she is my heart.

More funnies from my angels

The other day, Leah's guinea pig, Bob died.  Charlie asked Brian, why is Leah crying?  Brian said it was because Bob died.  Brian said to Charlie, why don't you go give Leah a big hug and tell her you are sorry.  Charlie looked at Brian and said Why?????????  I didn't kill him.  He is sooooo funny.  I think I know what his calling is going to be.

 Here is another funny story.  The other day, after quiet time, Dylan, Sissy and Charlie were enjoying their snack at the kitchen table.  I was sitting with them but was kind of off in my own world, listening but not listening when I heard Sissy say to Dylan you have to count backwards and then Dylan said I can't count backwards.  Well, while I was looking at Dylan, I heard a little voice counting to 10, I turned to Charlie who was sitting on the other side of me and saw Charlie turned around in his seat counting, I asked him what he was doing and he said he was counting backwards.  I thought I would fall on the floor laughing.  The three kids just looked at me and was wondering why I was laughing so hard.  Charlie couldn't figure out why Dylan couldn't count backwards.

Me and three of my comedians.  Anytime I sit down, I am never alone.  How can life get any better than this!!!!!!!!!

Kylie is 8 !

Kylie is 8, I cannot believe she is 8.  Our sweet 1st born Granddaughter turned 8.  She asked me for an American Girl doll, because Leah has one and they want to play dolls together.  So we got her an American Girl doll for her birthday and she was very excited about it.  Where have those 8 years gone.  I can't believe my girls will be 8 this year.  Kylie will be in 2nd grade this year at Fox.  She is a caring, thoughtful, bright, beautiful 8 year old.  I love her soooooo much.

Vacation to New Orleans, June 2011

1st day - After driving about 30 minutes Charlie announces to Mom and Dad, I see New Orleans, he was only about 7 hours and 30 minutes early.

1st Rest stop - Charlie calls his private a "trunk", like on a elephant. Charlie went to the potty and then told his dad, I am going to watch you daddy, as Brian is peeing in the urinal. Charlie looks up and says, Daddy why is your trunk so big? Brian laughs and then the urinal flushes and Charlie is upset that he didn't get to flush it, it was an automatic flusher, Brian tells Charlie that there is a monkey in the wall behind the toilet and always flushes it when you are done so now we hear all the time the monkey flushes the toilet. Too funny.

In New Orleans we had connecting rooms with Brian and Mary and the kids, since each room has 2 double beds, I volunteered to have one of the three sleep with me and they would take turns. Everything was good the first night. The 2nd night, Bob's snoring was so loud I couldn't sleep and there was nowhere for me to go, so in desperation I took 3 pillows and some beach towels and slept in the bathroom, finally some peace and quiet.