Grandchildren at Christmas

It has been three years since all our grandchildren have been together at the same time. What a wonderful Christmas blessing. I say that's an occasion to celebrate. We sure did not want this day to end. We are so thankful to be blessed with such lovely grandchildren. 

It's been a long while since I have been able to do a blog post. We are still working here in South Dakota. I am looking forward to going home for a visit. Perhaps for Easter we will see.  I have got to get back to work. Enjoy the pictures. Catch you later.

Grandma Bonnie

Fun With Our Grandchildren and more.

We have been crazy busy this last few weeks. I have hardly had time to write any posts lately. I decided to squeeze in some time just to let all my readers know I am still out here just busy as can be.
We had some baby goats visit us a few weeks ago. They are Pygmy goats and  such sweet little animals. I would have loved to keep them but they are not milk goats so I could not keep them.

We took a short trip to visit our grandsons. They sure are growing like weeds.

 That's Little Roo. Grandma see my balloon hat! You have just got to love those big brown eyes!

Of course Pooh Bear had to join in the fun with his balloon hat and balloon animal.

Then our grandson came for a visit a few weeks later.

Pooh Bear, Little Roo and Little Bug. "Grandma we are picking you these pretty yellow flowers!"

Just too sweet don't you think? 

Then our granddaughters Pumpkin and Sweet Pea came up from New Mexico for a visit. On their way up the stopped to see Pooh Bear and Little Roo.

Next stop grandma's house. Little Bug stopped over to spend the night with his cousins. We had a happy house full. 

My granddaughters wanted to celebrate their birthday so off we went to the American Girl Doll Store.

 Pumpkin and Marie Grace in their matching nighties.

 Sweet Pea and Ruthie in their matching nighties.

At some point during all the visiting and traveling we found time to drain our Koi pond. It is still sad to think about all the koi we lost. We have since filled the pond and added 4 koi. I shall share some photos later of the new koi.

So what do you think? Have the grandchildren grown like weeds? What have you been up to lately?

Embracing The Season – Winter Walks

The following post was written in collaboration with and brought to you by Pavers.co.uk.

As temperatures begin to plummet and snow starts to fall, we seek shelter and warmth at home. This usually results in a lot of drawn-out evenings where the grandchildren are bored and you’re restless.
To combat this and make the most of the season, get wrapped up in your thickest coat and venture into the great outdoors! Here are just a few ways you can embrace the season:

Snowball fights

As soon as there’s an adequate level of snow on the ground, the kids will be itching to go outside. Before you go, make sure you’re all suitably wrapped up with coats, hats, ear-muffs and gloves. Speaking of which, if you’re going engage in a friendly snowball fight with your grand-kids, you should pick up a pair of gloves that won’t leave your hands wet and numb. A pair of leather gloves like these from Pavers, are perfect.

Sledding

If you know any good hills that are near your home, you should definitely relive your youth by going sledding! There are a variety of sleds available from most toy retailers; choose one that’s sturdy and easy for the kids to fit into. If you can fit into it yourself, that’s an added bonus! Amazon has some excellent sleds you can order in time for the coming snowfall. 
Whizzing down the hill is a hoot, and the trek back up again is an excellent workout for you and the kids. Just remember that some children have seemingly infinite amounts of energy, so schedule regular breaks for less strenuous activities if you start feeling tired.

Snow sculpting

Sledding brings us nicely onto out next activity. Snowmen, snow igloos and snow angles are all excellent laid back winter games. Help the kids create a snowman that will stand tall throughout the season; just make sure you pack the trademark carrot, scarf and hat to complete the look. Building an igloo is a little more involved, but the extra effort goes a long way in creating a magical outdoor experience. This guide on instructables can be followed over the course of a few days until you create a structure even Pingu would be proud to call home!

Treasure hunt

Nothing says fun quite like a treasure hunt! Buy a couple of small Christmas treats and bury them in the garden the night before the kids arrive. Write out some easy to follow clues and give them to the kids, so that they can track down your hidden treasure. Arm them with a small shovel or trowel and they’re ready to start playing Indian Jones!

Health and Safety

In order to have the best time possible, it’s important that you take these necessary precautions. Dress for the weather. Layering your clothing will allow you to remove a layer if you become overheated. Take a watch with you and keep track of how long you’re outdoors. If they start to complain about numbness or aching pains, take them indoors immediately to warm up by the fire. You’ll also want to make sure the kids, and yourself, stay properly hydrated during the time outside. It may seem like madness to take water out with you on a freezing day, but it’s very easy to become dehydrated when you’re running around during the more physically asserting games. Stay safe and have fun out there!

Life Goes On

I have been doing a lot of product reviews lately and thought it was time to just stop and share a few photos of my grandchildren. They are growing so fast. Where did the summer go?


There goes my youngest grandson. He is speed crawling! He sure can crawl fast if he is planning to do something he knows he should not. Lol.

Can you tell Little Roo likes to swing?

Sweet Pea just started ballet classes. She is thrilled. 

 I am one proud Grandma and so excited!

Little Bug enjoying blueberries right off the bush!

Little Bug playing check up with Scooby.  Scooby passed his physical with flying colors! Lol.

Pooh Bear playing dress up at preschool. Can you tell that is a police hat?

Pooh Bear enjoying the last bits of summer before his bike gets put away.

Pumpkin dressed as a Bonbon for the Nutcracker. This was last winter.

Pumpkin turned in her ballet slippers for gymnastics this year. I am so excited. She looks like it comes naturally.

Well, I warned you they are growing like weeds. I am loving every moment of it. Thanks for stopping by.

Quiet Again

You know the saying, "Time flies when your having fun." Well, time sure flew around here while my grandchildren were visiting. I enjoyed every minute of it and wish it could have lasted a little longer but that was not to be. I am now sitting here blogging and looking forward to a long visit on Skype with their little faces.
We took the children to an indoor water park of which we have many in our area.

 Sweet Pea and Pumpkin playing in the water spouts.

 Little Roo having a blast in the baby water spouts.

Pooh Bear in his Puddle Jumper splashing in the water spouts.

 Pumpkin getting ready to go on a water slide.

Sweet Pea taking a break with Grandma.

The last week after my granddaughters left the weather finally co-operated enough for my grandsons to swim in our pool.

 Little Bug getting ready to swim in our pool.

Pooh Bear having a blast in our pool.

The grandchildren also did a lot of swinging. 

 I am not sure what Little Bug is attempting but boys will be boys!

Look at Little Roo! He is trying to be just like his big brother Pooh Bear. He looks so determined to make that swing go!

Of course I have many more pictures but I will end for now before you become terribly bored. How is your summer going? Have you had any visitors this summer? What did you do to keep busy?

As Summer Rolls On By

It sure has been a very busy summer around here. I am watching the days fly by. I sure wish that we could slow down time for just a bit. My granddaughters have come and gone. My grandsons are now here for their weeks vacation. One of the best parts of all my grandchildren visiting for the summer was the weekend when I had four out of five grandchildren here at the same time. We tried really hard to get Little Bug to visit at the same time but that was just not meant to happen this year. Hopefully next year we can get all five together at the same time. I have a picture to share from the weekend. 

From left to right. Pumpkin, Sweet Pea, Pooh Bear and Little Roo!

How is your summer going? Do you wish time would slow down just a little? Or would you rather have summer to be over with real soon?

Off Visiting The Grandchildren

Nothing gives me more pleasure than spending time with my grandchildren. Last week I went off to visit my grandsons. This week my grandsons have come to visit and spend the week with grandma and grandpa. It has been very busy around here but I did stop to take a few photos. I hope you enjoy the photos.

My youngest grandson Roo. He does not mind riding in the car as long as he is going places. He just loves being outside.

You have got to admit he is so adorable. He sure does like shopping. Just don't put groceries in the seat with him. He loves tossing anything he can get his hands on. 

We visited the Kalahari Animal Park with all three grandsons. That is Little Bug trying to reach a feeding tube. Pooh Bear found a lower feeding tube just perfect for his reach. The feeding tubes are used for the animals that are likely to bite. 

Pooh Bear feeding a carrot to a very gentle camel. 

Little Bug feeding a giraffe. The boys liked the giraffes the best.  

Which animal is your favorite? Have you been to Kalahari?

Our Grandchildren Are Growing Up Too Fast

Over the last few months we have traveled back and fourth  to see our grand children. You know I like visiting my grandchildren at any opportunity. From Thanksgiving until New Years we made two trips south to see our granddaughters and two trips west to see our grandsons. In between we visited with Little Bug who lives near us. I just thought I would share with you a few pictures of the grands and our travel photos. They sure are growing up so fast.

Out Christmas shopping with my granddaughters. We had to sit and take a break.

Sweet Pea and Pumpkin

Little Bug on Christmas Eve.

Pooh Bear and Little Roo out shopping with Grandma.

Morning Fog in the Appalachian Mountains.

High speed drive by barns.

I hope you all had a great weekend. Have you traveled any where lately?

Count Down to Christmas Plus Giveaway!

What makes Christmas special for you and your family?

Little family moments make our holiday special. It is the little things like making cookies, decorating the tree, wrapping gifts, a family get together, wish lists from little children and holiday cards. All these little moments wrapped up in a bow make Christmas memories dear to me. 

Our family has created many traditions through out the years. We have had to make some changes in recent years with my children moving away, getting married and starting their own families. Last year we opened gifts while on line with Skype. This year I have had to put up my tree for the first time in my entire life before Thanksgiving. I was just a little reluctant. Had I needed to do this a few years ago I would have refused. Now the new and improved grandma has learned to deal with a changing world and as long as we get to make special Christmas memories with our grandchildren it does not matter when, where and how they are made. This week I have had several opportunities to make memories with and for my grandchildren. Little Bug and I made cookies and decorated the tree. My grandchildren that live in different states received very special Christmas cards to help start creating our holiday memories. Thanks to Hallmark cards it was so easy to create those special moments that can be remembered for a life time. 

The cards I sent to my grandchildren are very special cards. The first is an interactive Countdown card. You can set it to count down the days until Christmas day or to count down the day until grandma arrives. Another card is a recordable greeting card. The idea is to have your child or grandchild record a wish list to be sent to Santa. These cards are very special keepsake cards. 

Not being able to be a part of my grand children's holiday memories would be very hard for me. Thanks to Hallmark I can be a part of the early holiday preparations even when we are far apart. 

Pumpkin

Sweet Pea

With the simple directions I set the count down. If you are from my generation setting the countdown was like setting a digital watch. I mailed the card to my youngest granddaughter Sweet Pea. 

My oldest granddaughter recorded her wish list on her very special card. We have planned a Skype session for later this week so I can hear her recorded wish list. 

I talked to their parents and the grandchildren were thrilled to receive mail and open their cards. They check the count down daily to remember the big day is on the way.

Little Bug

Little Bug enjoyed his card. He pretended to read it for a long while. The card was decorated in glitter. He got a little glitter on his hands and thought that it was snow from Santa.  

My daughter even captured videos of my oldest grandson Pooh Bear and my youngest grandson Little Roo with their Hallmark card. ( Roo is my newest grandchild's nick name. That would be Roo from Winnie The Pooh.)

I will translate Little Roo's video for you. "Hi grandpa and grandma. Thank you for the yummy card. Mommy said I have to play with my ball instead of eating the card. Merry Christmas everyone."

Along with the Signature Collection greeting cards Hallmark also sent me a boxed set of beautiful greeting cards that is just perfect for sending cards to my entire family and friends.

How would you like to have as much fun as I had with these awesome cards?  You grandchildren or children will love every moment of making memories. Just enter the rafflecopter below. You can purchase Hallmark cards on line or at a Hallmark store near you.

Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned cards in exchange for an honest review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway