Quad Monday and Valentine Tuesday

Harrison spent the night on Sunday so he was all bright eyed and bushy tailed come Monday morning in anticipation of his girls coming. That's what he calls his sisters. His 'girls!'

He helped me bake some lemon poppy seed muffins for our tea time snack.

Granddad and Harrison worked on some 'learning.'

While cursive is a bit advanced for a nearly five year old, Harrison was eating it up.

Louis Dean is putting his teacher skills back to work these days.

He's ordered a whole slew of books and work books plus some tools for teaching writing.

He spends a little time every Monday with the kids as a group and individually.

Harrison told his Granddad, "I like learning with you!"

Amber stayed for a short visit after she brought the girls over.

I think we have been having the kids over one day a week for going on three years now.

I remember they were in diapers when they first started coming so they are actually growing up in this house!

Time just flew by and before I knew it we were eating lunch and reading 'On the Banks of Plum Creek.' I had read the chapter about grasshoppers eating Pa's wheat field to Harrison so he repeated the story to the girls and boy, oh, BOY! Did he ever have it down even to telling that the grasshoppers ate every single green thing and how Ma and Pa had try to smoke them out to save the wheat but it didn't work. He didn't miss a single detail in recounting the story. I then read the next chapter and they were ready for naps.

So was I! For some reason I was really tired and Louis Dean suggested I go to the bedroom and nap in my own bed and he would stay in the den with the kids. I did just that and when I got up, everyone was still asleep including Granddad!

Trystan was the first one to wake up and she loves it when that happens.

That means we get to spend some special time just the two of us.

We played a little tic tac toe in the gazebo for a few minutes.

On Sunday, Harrison had helped me sew buttonholes on the ball bath liner I made to replace the torn nylon one they had. My Bernia has an automatic program that you just turn the dial and it makes the buttonhole for you. Well, I let Harrison push the foot pedal and we wiped those things out in no time.

He wondered how the sewing machine worked and when he saw the electric cord, he said, "Ah! Now I understand how it gets its power!"

Trystan pushed the pedal to sew on the buttons after she woke up.

Then Logan came in and watched us. All she could see was Trystan standing beside me and I would say, "Go.......now STOP." and repeat and repeat.....

Logan looked at me and said, "Can the sewing machine HEAR you?" Hahaha!

She understood when it was HER turn to 'sew.'

Next to my sewing machine is an old library card catalog file desk filled with scissors, glue, pencils, markers, colors and such. On my desk is a tray with stapler and tape dispenser and other office tools.

This is one of the kids favorite places to make things. Add the fabric squares in the stand at the end of the sewing machine, they have all the ingredients for making stuff.

Their craft that day was making brown paper Gingerbread People like the ones Amber and Benjamin made when they were little. I cut the paper shapes out as well as a layer of batting for each one. then we pinned them together and I let each child sew their own by pushing the pedal while I sat in control of the machine.

I was late in getting down the Valentine decorations this year.

I let the kids decorate the little tree in the den and they had a ball!

I had fun watching THEM have fun!

They were pretty proud of their Gingerbread People.

They decorated them and added ribbons and then wrote their names and year on the back.

Dinner was easy peasy Little Caesars Pizza!

Our last activity was #2 Rules of the House.

I am so glad they are enjoying learning them!

There are 21 Rules.

I like to see the way they illustrate them.

On the original one, Amber had drawn a family of stick figure people.

The upper left hand corner is Kailey's and the photo doesn't show it very well, but she drew some straight lines and said they were the people and then use pretty colors all over the rest of the paper.

Logan drew hearts on hers and Trystan made several little scenes on hers. Harrison's is the lower right one and he said all over the paper was the world and the circle down at the bottom is the Holy Spirit.

Pretty deep thinking for one so young.

They are ALL loving the easel my friend, Debbie, brought us.

Kailey was exceptionally precious on Monday.

Once again, no one got in trouble, they all worked out their little differences agreeably and it was another good Quad Monday!

You gotta love a Granddad that loves Paw Patrol!!!

The day ran long but the kids seemed to be every bit as energetic when they left as when they arrived.

We were tired and lingered in the gazebo with our wine.

Rain had moved in and we closed and zipped up the rain curtains making it nice and cozy inside.

A good way to end our day.

The rain went on all night and today (Tuesday) was cold and wet.

Ruth Ann decided to stay in so I was on my own!

My hair had reached that awful state when it was a bad hair day every day!

That called for a visit to my favorite stylist!

She works her magic every single time.

For years and years - like 15 years! - I had been keeping my hair super short,

Then all of a sudden last summer and fall, I let it grow and it didn't bother me.

I still don't like it on my neck some days and I never want it in my eyes but I don't HAVE to have it short any more. Now I'm wanting to grow it out long enough to wear it up this summer.

Yulisa gave me fuller bangs and put my hair back to rights. I'm so happy to have her!!

After my hair cut, I hit up THREE thrift stores in a row on Beltline. 

First, the new Texas Thrift where I bought the following:

Curtain tie backs for the den and two necklaces plus a small purse/wallet which I will be using this weekend. The other two stores - Goodwill and Thrift Giant - I walked in, strolled around the stores and walked back out without buying a single thing!!

Louis Dean and I exchanged Valentine cards this morning. I'm not a big romantic so cards are enough as far as I;m concerned. Louis Dean really IS more romantic and does not want us to fall into the habit of not observing the holidays and that includes gifts and cards. He agreed to us having a celebration next week when he will bring me flowers so I can enjoy them for several days. I'm about to go out of town for our annual Siblings Getaway. This time our brother is coming too!!!

THIS is my most precious Valentine and it was from my sister, Nita, over 50 years ago.

Nita was probably about 10 years old.

I have one from Deanie, too, but I can't find it. I know I have it.

I keep this one in a drawer in the dining room and when I find Deanie's, I am going to put the two together!

Tuesday is ART day and today was no exception.

I try to paint every week even if it is only for a little while.

Tonight I thought I would do a fun project.

I based in this small canvas and will most likely finish it up next week.

I touched up the truck and am calling the truck painting DONE!

Just need to glaze it next week.

I will use Liquin to coat it and it seems to really bring out the details.

I took a nap late this afternoon but I am still tired and since it's already late, I'm off to bed.

It's after midnight so my greeting is late......

Hope it was a good one!