Wednesday, February 15, 2017

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!

12 comments:

BeachGypsy said...

Your new hair-do is very pretty and I would take those valentines and frame in a frame together with a picture of each sister next to her valentine...and one of you with each sister in the middle.

NanaDiana said...

I like your hair, Linda! I can't wear my hair short because it is curly and frizzes up so I look like I have a brillo pad on my head. lol IF you can get past that 'on the neck' stage I find that my longer hair doesn't bother me at all and I think it is easier to take care of (at least for me).

Looks like you had a great time with the kids -as you always seem to do--and your hubby is just great with those kids. Lucky kids-lucky you! xo Diana

MadSnapper said...

I love the wine glass painting. I laughed out loud at the My Girls and the Can the sewing machine hear you. priceless and precious and preserved here for them to read someday.... love you in the heart....

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I look forward to your quad days! What fun for you all!

I know what you mean about needing a hair cut! I'm going today!

I think LD is right about not letting special days pass by. They don't have to be super fancy or expensive but just a good remembering of the blessing of having each other!

Jackie See said...

Happy Valentines Day! I love when you share quad day with us. They are learning so much and you are so good to teach in everything you do together. LD is great to share his teaching skills, what a blessing to have a teacher for a grandpa. Your truck painting is beautiful, love the colors, and I am sure it will mean a lot to your son in law. You have so many creative talents!

Linda said...

That is a wonderful picture of LD teaching Harrison. You should paint that. LD loooks so energized. He appears to be in teacher mode. From what I read it sounds like teaching cursive hand writing is about to become a thing of the past. That seems a shame. Although I don't know why I say that. Other than signing my name I haven't written anything in cursive in more than 50 years.

Vee said...

Those gingerbreads are adorable! The children have such fun and learn so much at your place. And I love the idea of their being excited about cursive. My grands at 10 and 11 are not being taught cursive and it fries my franny. They are literally taught to scoff at those who think they should learn. "My teacher says..." Yes, well your Nonni says you need to know how to write and read cursive. Period.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Your sewing machine story is so funny! And I can see how Logan thought it was talking to you. Harrison is so smart, and wants to know how things work. I bet he will have mechanical skills. The gingerbread men are so cute! Your hair looks really good!

Susie said...

Linda, I am so impressed with the children. I feel as if I know everyone. It's amazing watching them grow and learn. What a wonderful thing LD is doing in teaching them. That just melted my heart what Harrison said to his granddad about enjoy learning with him. :) You are helping to raise some beautiful young people. Blessings too all of you. Love, xoxo, Susie
p.s. love your hair like that.

Carole said...

Linda, I'm worried about you - you went to an op shop and didn't buy anything!! love that old Valentine. We didn't mark the day really - it has got so commercialised! Have a lovely week. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

Gypsy Heart said...

Harrison's comments are just the best! :) They're all so cute and growing like the proverbial weeds. My favorite grandmother was my mother's mother and everyone called her "Mama". I would have lived with her had I been allowed to. She spent "time" with me...like you & LD do with the quads...and that means the world to a child!

xo
Pat

Penny said...

Belated Valentine wishes to you too dear Linda. I usually bake my Velentine (my husband!) a cake but this year decided to surprise him by ordering red roses to be delivered to work. He was surprised! X