Sunday, July 17, 2016

King Buffet, Gardening and Shifting Gears!

The three quarters of a Quad Squad was picked up shortly after noon today.
Would you believe I did not take one.single.photo?
Our night and morning was not without adventure, however.
Louis Dean put the kids to bed in the guest room last night and left just as they were drifting off to sleep. We THOUGHT we were home free until 4:00 AM when Logan came into our room and went over to Louis Dean's side of the bed and said, "Granddad, I just can't sleep without YOU!"
So, what did we do? Logan took my place in our bed and I went to the guest room and spent the rest of the night on the floor. I was so tired that I slept just fine!

Granddad fixed a good breakfast of fried eggs, sausage patties and biscuits and jelly.
The kids don't eat jelly. ??? I know, right??
They nibbled at the biscuit and admired the fried egg. Logan was really excited about it and said, "Try it, guys!! It's good!" She had a great time cutting it up into pieces but she did not eat but one tiny bite. It kind of reminded me when Amber and Benjamin were young. I would cook a meal, serve it and then throw most of it away. Once I said I should just skip the middle man and cook it then promptly throw it all in the trash and be done! Still, I wasn't too worried about the kids eating. I had left them a fruit wrap and breakfast bar on the dresser for when they woke up this morning.
We all watched Zootopia together before they left and then I suggested to Louis Dean that we go out to lunch - and then to Lowe's. I wanted a couple of outdoor rugs for the upper decks. I sweetened the deal by saying how about King Buffet??? He has been wanting to eat there for MONTHS!!! He has been watching the commercials with the anticipation of a child! I am so happy to say that it was as good as he hoped it would be. We went to the one in Grapevine and there was a Lowe's right next door. Win! WIN!!!


See how cute he looks???
Do you notice his overalls?
The strap on the left is twisted and backwards.
Bless his heart! His wife should take better care of him!!

We came home to an empty house and I went straight to bed!
It was after 6:00 when I woke up.


I never did get the yard in shape for the spring what with the gazebo being destroyed and all the extra work that required. Then I had my toe surgery and couldn't get down on my knees to work in the gardens. The honeysuckle and lantana and MINT were threatening the rose bushes and this evening I finally cut them all back!


I weeded and watered and the more I did, the more I saw that I need to do.


By trial and error I have discovered the plants that grow well here.
This Mexican Heather is one of them. Hardy and drought tolerant, it is thriving and comes back from year to year.


I am so close to getting down all my sunflower decorations I can hardly stand it!!
This was a recent thrift store buy so I could NOT resist putting it out.


The summer hasn't been too brutal yet, although the forecast for this week is 100+.


I cleaned up the porch and enjoyed the feeling of satisfaction that came from getting something DONE!!!
Just two hours or so and I accomplished a good bit. I only need around 24 more 'working hours' to get a handle on all the flower beds and then I can sit back and wait for Fall.
Only 45 days until September 1st - if you are counting, and I AM!!!

I will be switching gears tomorrow evening.
While I have become fairly confident in entertaining 4 year olds......
I will be picking up two of my oldest grandchildren.
Faith is 11 and Levi is 9. Sam is 13 and on a Boy Scout Camping trip.
When they were little like the quads I did a week long MiMi Camp for each one of them.
One whole week per child.
Our last MiMi Camp was 2014 when I took all three of them to the camper down at the ranch.
I may have forgotten how to entertain older grandchildren!
Let's hope I think of some good ideas before I pick them up.
Perhaps I will simply ask them what THEY want to do!
Novel idea.

13 comments:

Linda said...

Yes, yard work is never done. Since most of our days are still in the 70s we've not had enough hot weather to make me long for September. My birthday is Sept 1. It just occurred to me I've been telling people I was 74 for months but that's not true. I won't be 74 until Sept. 1. I have no doubt you'll do fine entertaining your older grandchildren. If there's an iPad on the premises you won't have to entertain them. I threaten to paint our grandson's face on the backside of his iPad. All I ever see is his body with the backside of an iPad for a face.

Linda Reeder said...

My grandchildren are now 11 and 13, and I do have to remind myself that they are not little anymore, and will want to do more grown up things. I am just not always sure that that is, and frankly, neither are they. :-)

Penny said...

I love that you know how many more hours you need to work in your garden Linda! You are so right that the more you do, the more you see needs done. I am sure you will quickly slip in to 'older grandchild' mode with ease X

Hootin Anni said...

Enjoy the 'older' grandkids! I know you will.

Nah....that twisted strap on his overalls gives him all the more charm dear Linda.

Nita said...

I'm so thankful you're able to work in your flowerbed's now. What a great feeling to come home and take a nap to recharge then get up and feel like doing something.

Arlene G said...

Linda, I am sure the big kids will show up with their iPads.lol One thing Kendall and Landon love to do is paint....pictures that is as well as cooking! Things you and LD excel at!!

Debbie said...

Well I have my nine year old grandson sleeping in the other room as I type this. I try to have as many grandkids as I can come and spend a couple of days [sometimes as many as 3] with us during the summertime. The older grandchild is easier for me, lol. Especially the teenaged girls which I know is kind of weird, but they are easy. Food, phones, shopping, movies, more food and lots of conversations. Where I have trouble is the boys in the nine to twelve or so age group, lol. Teenage boys don't "do" grandma's for a while, haha. Way too cool for that. But back to today. I have the nine year old. We are picking up a twelve year old boy as well later on and a 7 year old and are heading out for burger and fries somewhere for lunch. Then...we are headed to the movies. After that I will go back to the other boys houses and they will all spend the next couple of hours swimming. My oldest son will be there or that would be out. Don't think my 61 year old arthertic body can work them all in a pool though they all swim very well. The cousins LOVE getting together, and don't get to very often, and when they do it can be kind of wild,lol. After that we will leave the 7 year old home and take the twelve year old back to our house where I will no doubt collapse in a heap and hubby who is coming home from work early will take over. He is taking the boys for pizza and they are going to go ride go carts. The boys LOVE that. Then the 12 year old will go back home [it's not his turn and I only do singles if I can help it...more one on one conversations that way too] Last night we did a marathon Sorry game. He loves that too. And when in doubt sooo many video games on phones keep them all happy, lol. I've got 3 more over night guests coming up not counting my 3 little ones who are coming with their parents for a week in August. I have to pace myself because it's all very exhausting lol, but I cherish and love every minute of it. I have often admired you taking on 4 little ones as often as you do. As much as I love mine don't know if I could handle that on a weekly basis, lol. ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY...how blessed we are that these are our days.

Carol said...

There is never enough time to get housework,yardwork,etc. done. I guess we just learn to live with the issue that is pressing at the moment. Enjoy your grandkids and heck with the rest.

Wanda said...

Wonderful post. Enjoyed it very much. My older grandchildren entertain me now. Two of them play me music on their guitars. The girls share make up tips,
We play table games. It is quite different that the sand box and craft time. HaHa. You will be great at anything you do. Hugs.

Ginny Hartzler said...

I am like YOU. So good at entertaining the little ones. But it can be a challenge when they get nine or ten. I find they tend to still love crafts, jewelry making kits, Pie Face game is hilarious and wonderful! Shreiks of joy will ensue, I will be posting pictures of us playing it. All age groups love it. They also like jigsaws, especially the 3-D kind. OH NO, your gazebo is destroyed!!!! I did not know, was it when I was on break?? It was so beautiful! AND...do you have a stone house? I see the side of it, and I thought it was a fancy restaurant or bed & breakfast. It must be beautiful. I love heather! Logan gets big points for trying.

Nonnie said...

I look forward to reading your tips on entertaining the older kids. I seem to do much better with babies and toddlers, but am learning as I go.
The scenario of kids moving in the bed and you going to the guest room happens all the time at our house. I do like the mattress in the guest room, though. And food? Yes, they are quite picky. I like LD's brown overalls.
Take care of yourself working out in the heat.

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

You love your family well, Linda!

Carla said...

You always do such a great time of entertaining the kids of all ages. Man that food LD had looked so goo I didn't notice the overall strap. LOL