Halloween - What Do You Do?

 When we were little and still lived in the country, our Mom and Dad would dress us in anything they found around the house, from old blankets, feed sacks from our grandfather's barn, old dresses from our grandmother's, to old coats and hat's of our grandfather's.  We'd pile in the car and go Trick or
Treating at the neighbors houses. They'd invite us in and even if they knew the car, would pretend to not know us, and guess until someone gave up and told them. There was always good treats to be had and lots of fun.

In those days there was usually a few  tricks pulled by the local folks, too. Things such as overturned lawn chairs, upended dog houses, toilet papered trees or even once there was a toilet papered covered bridge.

Then later when we moved to the city, we still used home made costumes. Brothers dressing like sisters, old clothes and our faces painted to be a hobo, complete with a handkerchief hanging from a broken branch over our shoulder. Sometimes we'd be the sheet ghost, or a doll with pigtails made from braided nylons.

Then we'd walk in groups around the neighborhood. But we always had to stay on our own street. And there was never any fear of strange or dangerous things being placed in our candy. We carried pillow cases and had to come home when they got too heavy to carry or we were tired, whichever came first.

My own children usually wore home made costumes put together from things collected over the years, old jewelery, wigs, faux furs from older coats, dresses saved that didn't fit anyone or things found at a local Frenchy's  store.

Since we were back in the country again, we had to drive the children around. Usually that was my job. I loved the little packages of  rockets and would take them from the children's bags to snack on as I waited for them to go door to door.The children would always come home tired and ready for bed. After such a busy evneing Mom and Dad were usually pretty tired, too.

Now days, Grammie and Grampy have to go to visit the little ones on Halloween or rely on their parents to take photographs for us to see later. The costumes are usually bought from a store, but are combined with make-up and home made item to make the costume unique.

What is your Halloween like?

Wordless Wednesday - Oct 26, 2011

 Brooke & little brother Barrett, planning their next move in a friendly family soccer game.

Wordless Wednesday - October 19, 2011

Bringing Home the Christmas Tree 
Taken in 1991,this is one of my favorites of my 4 girls.

On Being a Grandma Oct 17, 2011

I’ve been a little negligent in my blogging lately. So here goes...back at it again. We had all the family out for Thanksgiving dinner. There were 14 of us in all. Getting a meal to the table and hot, all at the same time can be a challenge. But we all managed to get some, apple cider/wine, turkey, ham, potatoes, squash, vegetables, rolls, pickles, and a   slice of pie (lemon meringue, pumpkin with whipped cream, hot apple with ice cream) along with tea and coffee.

I was so busy trying to spend time with them all, that I only managed one picture of a few of the youngest family members there.

Cole, Barrett, Logan at their little table for Thanksgiving dinner. (Dads and brother at big table)

    

Then, I was asked by one daughter to take school type photos, of her two boys. (She thought I had more patience than the school photographer.) I don’t know, but that too, was a challenge with the youngest one. He’ll sit for only a few minutes, then, he’s done. So we ended up doing several sessions with him to even get him to look in the direction of the camera. Here’s a sample of the finished products.

Blake

Logan

 My other daughter had some meetings on Sunday, so I was able to spend some time with her two youngest that day. They are little tumble bunnies, too. The little guy wants to see himself in the camera, almost before I get in a second shot. So that is a challenge. But I did manage to get a couple of them in between their antics.

Barrett

Brooke

I love having a grandson I can call to our rescue! But being 18 years old, he, no doubt, had better things to do that day, but was kind enough to come out, when Grammie's call sounded so desperate. He was a great help for his grandfather to get the job done. I did not get any photographs of that. I was more than happy to have him help, so, I was not about to put a camera on him.

And, as a Grandma, some weeks are just like that.

Catherine

On Being a Grandma - A Series - Sept 4, 2011


"...there is no such thing as a charmed life, not for any of us, no matter where we live or how mindfully we attend to the tasks at hand. But there are charmed moments, all the time, in every life and in every day, if we are only awake enough to experience them when they come and wise enough to appreciate them."
— Katrina Kenison (The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother's Memoir)


These are a few of my 'ordinary' days from behind the lens of my camera, as a Grandma.

Our oldest grandchild, Brandon, holding our youngest grandchild, and his goddaughter, Bella.

Blake, giving some loving to our old dog, Zazu.

Logan, 'striking a pose', while aunt Karen watches.

Brooke, snuggled in, while aunt Krista reads her a new story.

Cousins, Cole and Barrett, just 6 months apart in age, are becoming great playmates.

Zazu loves chocolate chip cookies. No children or animals were harmed in the taking of this photo.

Baby Bella, getting a hand to practice walking, from her Aunt Kimberley.

This is one of my 'memory' shots, of everyone lost in their own thoughts.

Aunt Kerry taking video of the little ones enjoying Bella's 'First Birthday' cupcakes.

Brother and sister, Barrett and Brooke, clowning around.

Doing a little shopping at 'The Freak Lunchbox', a local candy store.

Catching the daughters, Karen & Kerry, checking in, with the hubbies.

Zazu, being 'motherly', with baby Bella.

Catching all four daughters together without being posed...priceless!!

Wordless Wednesday

My husband and daughters all together during our daughter's visit home from Alberta.
The smiles show how glad we are to be together again.

On Being A Grandma- A Series: August 7, 2011

Another good use of a Grandma, is as a temporary babysitter. This is what happened when our youngest grandson, Cole, took a tumble from his cousin's bed, fracturing a bone in his tiny wrist, requiring a cast. Around here doctors don't let little ones go to daycare with a cast.


They said it is heavy and would throw him off balance, possibly leading to another fall.(We don't want that!!) Not to mention, to a little boy  of 22 months,who doesn't know his own strength, a fiberglass cast makes a very handy weapon to anyone who disagrees, doesn't share, or otherwise gets on his nerves!


So I was offered the job of keeping this very active  little guy, busy for several days. The following pictures pretty much tell the story!

He tried hitting the nail, very fast, with his good hand.

Holding on very carefully, with his 'free' fingers, so he can dig in and get the snack with his other one.

Bouncing the ball, using a baseball bat.

Hiding the ball in Mommy's flowers. (Don't look Mom)

"Mommy says I have to wear this funny glove when I eat messy lunches"

Sharing a snuggle with Grandma.

"Mmm, this doesn't look too high, with one good arm, and Grandma's there to catch me."

Watching the excavator roll, loudly, out of the yard, from the safety of his deck.

Where there's an excavator, there's usually a dump truck, and this one's VERY BIG!!

"Grampy's sandals are SO big & mine are so small"

Sharing a secret with Grampy.

"Here Grampy, you try this snack, too"

"Or sometimes, I just have to sit down and hold my poor little arm"