Everything old is new again

It seems like yesterday that Jon Christian was running around "being" spiderman; and in love with anything spiderman. Fast forward 30+ yr. and the next generation takes the baton. Here is
Matty in his new spiderman sneakers and he is off and running with his old fat gramma trying to keep up. Jon never had spiderman sneakers like these......Matty's have lights!
No sooner did I mention how he hates shoes than he has proved me wrong.
"Dogs and kids will prove you wrong every time"

Productive weekend

Weekend started off very well with Wm. coming home from work early. We took Matty to see Wm.'s mother. She will be moving to the "HOME" sometime next week. (this was her choice). It is not as bad as it sounds as Wm. sister, Karen, started working there as the bookkeeper so they will be able to visit everyday.

Saturday, we met Susan and Matty at the mall so we could go to Sears. We got a stackable washer/dryer. I had one when we lived in Canton and loved it. We have our washer and dryer in the basement here. Since it is extremely hard on me to go up and down the steps with the laundry basket, poor Wm. has been carrying it down for me and most of the time he just feels it is easier to do the laundry. Anyway, because we will be putting it in the linen closet just outside the bathroom, we had to find a new place for everything that was in there. This afternoon, we decided to move the contents of the hall closet to the empty closet in the guest room/nursery and put shelves in the hall closet and make that the linen closet. OK, that is done now and the old linen closet is empty awaiting the washer/dryer which we are getting next Saturday.

The washer/dryer was not the only thing we got. OK, that I got. Wm. bought me the stand mixer (stainless steel) that I have been asking for, for as long as I can remember.

Today on the way home from church, we stopped at Marshall's Mega store to see if we could find something for Susan's birthday. I found a few small things and I also found something for Alyssa's birthday ( which is not for another few months, but my DH suggested I get it now while they still had it.)

Yesterday in Sears, Susan got Matthew some spiderman sneakers, complete with lights. At first, he didn't like them but has managed to get used to them and is walking and running better than ever.......look out Gramma!

worth a thousand words?

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words....if that is true all I would really need to do would be share these pictures.

I felt the need to put in both pictures with the dog and her boy (and Grampa). In the first Zoe turned her head, in the second, Matty did. Poor Zoe is really beginning to show her age. Lots of gray around her mouth. Not bad for almost 8 though, I guess She still can't get enough walking time.

In the picture of Matty alone, he had goulash for lunch. He didn't care for the plate but once he dumped it on the tray, he ate all he didn't end up wearing.

the latest from matthew.com

Matthew is walking all over now, running when outside and trying to outsmart Gramma at every turn: He loves it when Grampa takes both him and Zoe for a walk, before and after work. He was trying to pull himself up on the window seat this morning. I told him no and sat down with a pouty look and then the wheels began turning again. In no time he pushed the barn over to the window seat, stepped on the barn and easily climbed onto the window seat. Then he stood up and looked down at me with that grin of his, as much as to say, "how do you like me now, Gramma".

I was eating a piece of zucchini bread for breakfast yesterday. He wanted some so I let him try it. After he sucked off the butter, he ate it and was back for more. This morning for breakfast I made a piece of cinnamon bread toast. I broke a bite off one half and handed it to him. He reached past it and helped himself to the half piece.

He hates shoes (just like his Gramma). He takes off his sandals but actually sits down and cries when Susan puts regular shoes on him. Hope he has a change of heart before winter!

I did make Amanda's raspberry oatmeal bars yesterday. Wm. took some to work as did Susan and I gave some to Uncle Roy. They were delicious. Honestly, everyone who tried them loved them as well. I enjoy baking when the weather is not too warm but I am especially grateful to send things off to work with Wm. and Susan. I like making chocolate chip cookies because I don't eat them.

just more ramblings

* Well, Matthew is on the run now. I have had to make his area smaller in order to stay on top of things. We put a gate between the kitchen and living room and now another between the living room and hall. He loves to go down the hall to the office and get under the desk, jiggle the cords until the screen saver comes on. The screen saver is a picture of him. All of my grandchildren have had their turn as the screen saver. He loves seeing himself on the screen almost as much as he does in the mirror.

* On Friday he was trying to get a little travel clock off the table in the LR. He could not reach it; so he sat back down on the floor and you could almost see the wheels turning. He got up went over to the couch, got a pillow and brought it back and put it on the floor in front of the table. Do I need to tell you he got the clock and gave me one of his huge grins.

* Susan was gone to set up the retail store and warehouse in Rochester on Thurs. and Fri. Tom brought Matty and picked him up both days. On Fri. Tom had his own car checked as it was having a hard time starting. The consensus was that he needed a new battery. He got one and put it in. Susan, Matty and I took Tom's car to Kohl's this afternoon. When we came out after
snagging up some wonderful deals, the car would not start and we ended up calling Tom for assistance. He could not get it started either, so we all loaded in the other car and came home. I feel the need to share the deals at Kohl's with you.......everything was on sale; clearance items had another 70% off the clearance price and because Susan has a Kohl's charge, she got another 30% off the entire total. When she got out her charge card, a gift card from Kohl's fell out and it was more than all the purchases. Definitely worth the trip.

*I just made 5 loaves of zucchini bread and this is the first time I can ever remember having to buy the zucchini. :-( Wm. and I went to the vegetable market yesterday when we were out getting groceries. Tomorrow I am planning to make Amanda's Raspberry Oatmeal bars!

"The infamous sneakers"

OK, here are the infamous sneakers. Lael's are "big girl" sneakers that have to be tied (no velcro here) Black Skeechers with hot pink trim and laces! If that is not enough they came with an extra pair of laces and a watch!!! Alyssa's are Dora sneakers, but not just Dora, Princess Dora and Knight Boots, velcro for little hands and did I mention they light up? And the best part???? We found them on the clearance table. Don't you just love a bargain?

edit: forgot to mention Lael's sneakers also had zippered pockets!

Home again.....home again, jiggity jig

Back from our weekend in Canton with the sweet little girls. Sorry that Jackie's mom could not babysit, but glad we could help out.
We had a good time with the girls. Played, went to gas station for ice cream and slushies (Grampa and the girls special time) shopping at the mall, ate at Ponderosa (both Lael's request). Caught some sales at Sears and got new sneakers.
OK, I had a picture of the fantastic sneakers we got but for some reason, it will not show up on the blog.....it goes through the entire process but even though it says done, it never posts on the blog....bummer!

Matty is walking all over now, rarely does he crawl....what a difference 3 days has made. Grampa thinks I am really in for it now. :-)

On the move

::Tomorrow afternoon we leave for Canton for the weekend. Josh and Jackie are doing an Axis retreat and we are staying with the girls, Tom's mother is watching Matty tomorrow so we can go. Wm. asked for time off, but they are giving him a hard time. He has worked over the last few days and is going in early tomorrow and staying until noon. I have had a headache for past few days and am praying it will be gone by tomorrow.

::Enjoyed being with the family last weekend but it seems we never have enough time. Wonder what it is the girls have in store for us this weekend. I guess Susan will keep Zoe as she and Maxwell feel the need to struggle for the alpha position. Zoe is extremely laid back except when it comes to showing she is the alpha dog, she is old and doesn't want to play and Max loves too. (Zoe never played when she was a puppy either though)

:: Betsy and Kenny, as well as Bub and Deb, are camping up at Higley. They want us to go up with the girls to help celebrate Kenny's birthday. Not sure how that will play out......the girls get car sick, especially on the roads like in Higley and Alyssa can hardly eat anything, not sure I want to take the chance. (better see what J&J think about it first I guess)

:: OK, probably won't get a chance to see anyone while we are up there. We will be going to church in Ogdensburg on Sunday though when we take the girls to meet their parents who are returning from the retreat then.

Playing with Grampa

The kids had one last chance to play with Grampa just before the girls had to take off for the north country. Josh, Jackie and girls as well as Susan and Matty went to church with us yesterday, then we went to eat at Country Buffet . (the glazed shrimp were fantastic)

My beautiful grand-babies

The first picture is of the 2 beautiful Princesses. We went to the Christmas Tree Shop after the party to stock up on princess essentials :-)

The next is of Matty and Anthony in the wagon Gramma and Grampa got him for his birthday. The kids all had a wonderful time riding and pulling each other in the wagon. Even Anthony was pulling.....He pulled Alyssa around. This was all done under the expert direction of Lael.

Has it really been a year?

:Yes, it was just one year ago today that we closed on this house and it was also the day that our sweet little Matthew was born. Where does the time go?

:I find it hard to believe we have been in this house for a year but even harder to think that Matty has been a big part of our lives for a year too.

:Thank you Lord for this wonderful little blessing who was so long waited for.

Blessed

Feeling incredibly blessed: this week I am very blessed to have central air.
Blessed: to have 4 healthy, beautiful grandchildren with two more on the way (due within a month of each other) Guess it is OK to say that now that she has told you all on her blog.
Blessed: to spend the weekend with 3 of my 4 grandchildren. Matty's birthday party is on Saturday so Josh and Jackie are bringing the girls down for the weekend.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love being a gramma?

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Wm. and I both had to go for blood work this morning. On the way back home we stopped at a Dunkin Donuts (come on; it was fasting) and got some donut holes. We gave Matty one; when I looked back a couple of minutes later, he had jelly all over his face and a huge grin. (Yes, he often has a huge grin on his face; he is a very happy baby) This afternoon at lunch I gave him his cheese and bologna........I then was cutting his potato into bite size pieces and when I turned back around, he had a piece of bologna sticking out of his ear. Yep, he was grinning again!

I am sure there are those of you who do not feel this stuff is blog worthy, but......