What happens at grandma's doesn't stay at grandma's

Last week ended with some great times with the grandchildren. My health issues in February forced me to cancel the scheduled "grand kids sleepovers." Fortunately I'm up for sleepovers again and we had lots of fun.

The fun began for me when I went to Heather's last softball game of the season on Thursday evening and watched her receive her medal as well as get some great hits.

Friday night was Toby's graduation from pre-school. Next year he will be a kindergartner at the "big" school. True to "Jensen form," it looks like he will be the biggest in his class. That's him at the end of the line waiting to march.

Their cute T-shirts had the hand prints and names of all the other class members.

The graduates were adorable as they came forward to tell us what they want to be when they grow up. Toby wants to be a builder!

They sang us several songs including, "It's a Small World." TJ and Heather quickly plugged their ears because "this song is contagious!"

Sally, Ruby, and Sadie joined us for graduation. Then there was the big parking lot switch as all the grandchildren piled into grandpa's car (boys) and grandma's car (girls) along with their overnight bags. The boys went for pizzas and the girls went to the grocery store for supplies.

Luckily, after pizza and playing, they were more than ready to go to bed. I pointed out that the best time to play outside would be early morning when it would be cool. Ruby was the first one up. Ruby is never the first one up, but she told me that, "My brain said it was time to wake up and go outside and my eyes just popped open!"

Our cul de sac was in the midst of hosting a several family garage sale, so Grandpa was soon leading the troops down the sidewalk, the girls still in their nightgowns. at 6:30 am. They came back with lots of goodies which I am sure their parents were thrilled to see upon their return home. Grandpa was thrilled to show off his CUTE grandchildren to the neighbors!

I hung the net curtains leftover from Ryan and Emilia's wedding on the patio.


They spent some time creating fairy bowers while I baked cinnamon rolls for their breakfast. I also made cookies for Nate's birthday. Toby went with Grandpa Glen on his Saturday Home Depot run. After Home Depot, they went on to Lowe's. While walking through Lowe's with many other customers around Toby blurted out, "This place smells just like Home Depot!"


While they were eating breakfast, we also cooked a few purple beans. I planted two different kinds this year. The purple seed packet said that the beans would turn green when cooked. We popped them in the microwave for 1 minute and viola, green beans!

We packed everyone up and took the cookies and helium tank with balloons and drove over to wish Nate a happy birthday. See more HERE.


On the way back home, we included an art appreciation lesson. We stopped in downtown Mesa to see the "God Bless America" statue based on the above painting "American Gothic" by Grant Wood.

On the way, the children browsed through this book I found about Grant Wood. Heather read them important facts. We also learned who he used for his models for "American Gothic." You'll have to borrow the book to find out!

They all agreed that this art installation was pretty impressive! Poor Sadie is sitting with Grandpa on the bench in the background. She had just cut her finger on Grandma's car door handle (another reason to be upset at Toyota - the fake chrome is peeling off and it was sharp!)

All four of them would have fit in that suitcase!

And they could have lived with Old Mother Hubbard in this shoe!


Finally, they found somebody taller than they are!

Before going home, we made the obligatory trip to MacDonald's for lunch at University and Val Vista. Great place to go to "the park" when it's mid-day and too hot to be at the actual park.

Heather and TJ joined me later in the afternoon on a trek to the Tempe Center for the Arts. We very much enjoyed Childsplay's version of the "The BFG." These are the scary giants and part of the reason I wasn't sure that the younger ones should tag along. The play was most enjoyable and Heather was fascinated with the costuming, scenery changes, and puppets in addition to the story. TJ had already read the book but Heather had not. I had picked up a copy of the book for them to have and Heather finished it by Sunday morning.

We also had fun exploring the building.

By coincidence, Emilia was photographing a wedding at the same time we were viewing the play. If you look carefully you can see that Heather is waving to her on the far side of the guests. The bride is already late for her ceremony! The guests are looking across the negative edge pool toward Tempe Town Lake. It appears that the water flows together and the view is very beautiful with the bridges and mountains in the background.

Gila Valley Celestial Room

Heather and TJ spent a second night with us so that they could attend the dedication of the Gila Valley Temple via satellite at the stake center with us the next morning. Eric has been very ill, and he and Susan were unable to take them. Later in the day, Dave and Sally dropped off Ruby and Sadie while they went to the second dedication ceremony

The girls spent time in the grand kids room with the playhouse they had created. (I had been instructed to save boxes before the sleepover.)

Heather had brought the nucleus for the mansion with her. No wonder she was so intrigued with the scenery and props at the play.

TJ hung out in the living room where there was a battle going on. These are the bad guys.

Who seem to be taking out the good guys.

TJ tells me that it actually ended with neither side having a clear victory.

I think that I won! I loved having the little ones about again. But it made me tired! I'm writing this post instead of cleaning house :)