"Hi there this will be a “gramma and grampa entry”.
On Friday it was a bit earlier of an arrival than planned so we got Arby’s sandwiches and bottled water for a quick lunch before going to the gym.
Vanessa ate her entire sandwich, as did the others.
Gym time wasn’t totally trampoline for Calvin this time, and Vanessa avoided it the trampolines altogether, and Violet said bouncing hurt her back. Never the less taught both to do a tummy drop from the “table” hands and knees position and return to feet...put a soft mat on the trampoline to cushion the impact.
So robe swinging and rolling and chasing hoops was explored as well making an obstacle course with ramps and mats and I added two skills in it...a forward roll from a semi handstand and a backward roll down a wedge. Typical of most boys, Calvin doesn’t like to tuck his head either, and if he does, he keeps his mouth wide open so it won’t curl in too far...and wants to do everything too fast without listening to instructions. This is par for the ‘boy coarse’ and I certainly got him “fixed up” without forcing the issue. Violet is totally coachable and listens to details and doesn’t mind “do-overs”. That’s why most gymnastics coaches like to coach girls...but with patience boys “get there”. (There’s a “Rickie” in Doug’s gym that didn’t focus on details until he was 17...now he is great on trampoline, but before he just wanted to flip his own way and didn’t spend time on corrections...by that age most girls are fading out.) Vanessa took to the beams and played with the “donut” and soft soccer balls and ropes creatively...lots of “make believe” scenarios.
When the better team kids came at 4:30 we watched them warm up to music and soon left to meet Jay and Jon at Perkins.
We got served much later than anticipated, so kids were hungry and ate fruit cups while waiting, then a choice of corn or broccoli then Mac n Cheese...oh...and while waiting at the gym they had cherry juice and an oatmeal bar.
Got home (finally!) and Jay came over for a good while too. V&C built with foam blocks, and Vanessa played with the old cabbage patch doll and her many changes of clothes...the ballerina outfit being the favorite with the tutu, tiara, and slippers. Grandpa Jon played with Vanessa and her doll by adding two bears to the story. Vanessa dictated the episodes...non-stop creativity. V&C and Jay played mouse trap. To Calvin’s delight he caught Jay and Violet’s mouse so that was the end of that! Time to get ready for bed. They got right to it.
Teeth, jams, and a story by grandpa Jon about the “Train that Could” and gospel story about “Sinerella” and her need for salvation. (Vanessa remembered the classic train story when she was trudging up a steep hill today at Lime Creek...said “I can do it” and when at the top said “I did it”! )
So kids were in bed by 9:30. And all up at 6 AM. Calvin got out of bed, woke up V&V, and all went downstairs to play. Whatever. Jon’s an early bird and I didn’t really mind.
OK so they did this and that and settled on coloring (and sharpening all of the pencils) while I eventually got the waffles I made the other day in the oven to crisp up. Lots of peanut butter and syrup.
I wanted Calvin to use his knife to cut it up...rather than eating it like a hungry bear...biting off pieces so big it falls and drips on the table, his lap, and the chair cushion. Not a happy Grandma. Anyway, they ate well and then back to playing while I washed dishes. Being Saturday Jon was home and started them on computer games. I’m like “NOT NOW”! Oh well.
Got the girls’ hair braided and ponied and in a half hour they changed into hiking clothes...all the layers, hats, boots and gloves and smooshed into the back seats.
(Cracks us up when Vanessa came down the stairs we was wearing silver slippers and a sparkly purple dress! Jon’s like...”She’s dressed!!!”)
Now the temp was “warm” at 30 degrees and no wind and not warm enough to turn dirt and wet trails into mud...so it was perfect. A layer of soft snow on everything...but leaves and rocks hiding under white snow...so I didn’t want them running through the “woods” because under the snow are holes in the ground, sticks and rocks to trip and fall on and still the burs in the weeds that stick to your knits...but Calvin was a rabbit taking off on sight of anything interesting and certainly tree climbing and rock wall climbing in clunky boots and gloves and slippery snow isn’t a smart idea...so they were like herding cats and I got rather irritated with their irresponsible exuberance. Had to take a “time out” and review the goal. Their displeasure with the limitations were expressed as such: I’m thirsty. I’m tired. How far do we have to go. My legs hurt...etc. etc...and Vanessa’s glove didn’t stay on for anything.
Well we got it going again after some water and encouragement and made it to the bridge and checked out the interesting ice formations.
Going back went much better! Got to the Nature Center and checked out the stuffed animals. A live snake and bees were most interesting.
Hunger was back.
Hunger was back.
Had to pack up and head home I knew the burritos would need time to warm up so had carrots, apples, and nuts while waiting. Believe it or not it was 3 PM by the time we had burritos and OH I forgot they all got in a warm bubble bath (one at a time) before lunch too...after lunch they snuggled under a big blanket and Jon read them Heidi then they split into two computer groups and played George games. I knew they wanted to play Mouse trap one more time and Jon wanted to shop for mittens for Calvin so we played another round but the cage didn’t drop so no one was caught. In between things I got their clothes and snow pants washed and packed their things and loaded the car so we could leave close to 5 PM.
Went SO fast!
I was impressed with Calvin’s progress in reading...and he spells out loud...just last March he was sounding out basic sentences - but now does so well!
Violet is using her match skills (adding and sub-tracking) and Vanessa is a delight all around and such a trooper. She might resist instructions for greater attention...so it’s a deal.
No wet beds and otherwise very well behaved I just had to keep reminding Calvin to not hang on the edge of the table (rather keeping weight in the chair!) and not put hands on all of the glass and displays at the house and Nature Center...needs to learn when it’s “hands off” and just look. Violet read the signs and followed the instructions.
They knocked out about 5 minutes out of Mason City and the full moon was bright."
TO add to that for many personal reasons the Heidi story just gets to my emotions.
ReplyDeletePerhaps is it Grandma Gladys Hardinger being wheel chair bound, perhaps it is the joy of healing in spite of hard knock people. But that story just gets to me. I felt somehow connected with the healing arts too.