Grandbaby Babysitting

Before I get started, I want to remind everyone that this blog is my journal. I'm including the details that I don't want to forget that made this weekend fun, special and unforgettable for me. 

 

Fred and I had our very first over night grandbaby babysitting assignment EVER. Our oldest grandchild Richard will be turning 11 in December and the need or circumstance has never presented itself up to this time. Fred and I felt some trepidation going into this four day weekend.

 

Buddy is extremely headstrong and stubborn. He also has a VERY restricted vocabulary. So we knew communicating with him was going to be very hard for all three of us. In addition to this for some reason he has just been plain mean to Mima. It is the kind of mean that you can't leave them alone or not be within arms reach at all times. Buddy is cute as a bug, smart as a whip and a lot of fun as you can see from just looking at him.



Then there is Mima. She loves her Mama. Well that is kind of a problem.

 

THUS OUR REASONS FOR OUR TREPIDATION

 

I am so happy to report that our babysitting experience was really wonderful. Whoever that other little boy was is gone. Buddy was a wonderful big brother. We still would not leave him alone with Mima in a room yet, but he was giving her tender little kisses, all his touches were gentle and interactions were kind. Mima was happy with me from the first morning. I did let her have her pacifier all day. It was a crutch, but she has been sick and now the first time being left for four days without her parents. I thought it would be okay.

Fred took Buddy to the Air Show on Saturday. They were gone for almost six hours.

For our posterity, Fred James Daly is the best grandpa on the earth.

He is always prepared with toys or activities for the grandkids. He sits on the floor with them even if they are too little to actually play with. But he knows the importance of being with them. He doesn't shy away from doing something that maybe isn't going to be the most fun or enjoyable for himself when it is for them.

It definitely takes two grandparents to take care of grandbabies. I will never do grandparent duty without him. He has the secret combination with Buddy. I admit I am loving this baby girl and acknowledge that right now I love having baby grandbabies. I am looking forward to seeing Henry again too before he grows out of babyhood. No pressure Scott & Jess.

Catching Up

Shannon & Brian brought the babies up for a short weekend.

Just a mile and half down the road is

Staheli Family Farm

"It offers an autumn cornucopia of attractions,

from Spookly's Pumpkin Patch to the Field of Screams"

Mima riding the pony

Buddy playing in the big Sandbox with the "Bobs"

(Bobs = construction machines toys of any kind)

 Buddy wanting to play with ALL the Bobs

 Family Hayride to see the Moos (Cows)

 Fast forward to this weekend. Gravel was delivered.

Fred didn't call for help. Help came when the pile appeared.

That is just how it works in our neighborhood.

We have Fred's Dad, Randy our brother in law

and our home teacher who really

is the best person.

 This is Denny our neighbor who just shows up

every time a pile is delivered.

 Fred supervising.

Our backyard looks like a football field. It is really LONG. 

 The gravel actually has a lot of color to it. A lot of pink.

It really looked colorful after the rain that day.

 This is the future site of our two garden beds and where

we will plant fruit trees.

Henry is One Year Old!

Here is Henry looking quite solemn in many of these photos. 

Henry is actually a very happy baby. 

Very quick to smile.   

Finger first.

Now the hand.

All clean now.

Time for presents. Richard is probably a big help. He is a really good big brother.

Teaching him organizational skills.

We bought him this V Tech toy that he can walk behind. It has a bunch of noise making things and learn type stuff on it, but I understand he pretty much just likes to walk behind it. That's okay with us. That is what we had in mind.

Henry is into eating toast.

There you can see his grin.

He likes to point.

I guess there was Pirate day recently and you could go to Krispy Kreme Donut and get a free dozen.

A pretty good sport I would say.

When we went to visit for Garrett's baptism, it was so nice when Henry had no problems coming right to me. He just smiled and laughed the whole time. He is a really beautiful little boy. Corinne has beautiful babies. They have each been soft and cuddly. 

Happy First Birthday Henry Ensign! 

Happy Birthday Mima

Here is the birthday Girl shopping for her own presents!

Sweet deal.

Doesn't she have the best smile!

 Mima with her daddy at the Mall opening.

This Mall is the big project that Brian has been working on in Las Vegas.

These are some of the photos from the last family shoot taken in Las Vegas.

Their next family shoot will be in their new home in Parker, CO.

 Capturing Mima's cute expressions.

 Her cute little dimple.

 

 Happiest Face on Earth with her Mama!

 Happy First Birthday Mima!

Skydiving

My Dad turned 90 in May. When our family gathered for the Memorial Day weekend here in St. George weekend to celebrate, part of the conversation was about his desire to go skydiving. I did a little research and sent him home with a doctor's release form which he was pretty prompt to approach his doctor with. The response was a negative because of the doctor's concern about his osteoporosis. Dad was very disappointed. Enters good friend Dr. Brad Frandsen who said he had just gone sky diving and he didn't think it would be a problem at all and he would even go with him. 

So here is the rest of the story in pictures.

October 1, 2014

Does it get any better with this man?

Weekend at Shannon's

Fred and I went to Shannon and Brian's for the weekend. I looked at the calendar and we have not been to their house since March. That's a long time. They have been to our house several times though. First thing Saturday morning we took a walk to a park in their neighborhood.

Swings and climby toys for Buddy.

 Mima just hangs our in the stroller and nibbles on snacks.

 Buddy loves to build with our Dublos. We brought them with us. 

 I'm not sure what this expression is about other than letting us enjoy his beautiful blue eyes!

 Sunday morning dresses.

Here we are before we left church to come home. 

This is how happy Mima looks every time she sees her Mommy.

Fast Forward on Corinne's growing Family

It has been a VERY long time since we have had time with 

Corinne's family of Four Boys!

.

First I have to confess that as a Grandmother I have failed miserably...

There is not a single picture of Henry here except lost in the crowd.

I took my camera, but I did not put it in my purse.

It was in my suitcase. 

That is not a good place to put a Grandma's camera.

 In July was Richard's first Pinewood Derby. He and Grandpa started working on his Pinewood Derby car here at our house in May. He and his Dad finished it up.

Here it is.

 Their ward in Provo had a teeny Cub Scout Den so all three boys were able to participate.

Next came Garrett's birthday on August 31st. They celebrated by coming back to Provo from Ogden to spend the weekend with very good friends. 

Here is his birthday cake and Garrett in his new Cub Scout uniform.

Garrett is quite excited to be in Cub Scouts. 

The new ward in Ogden has a very big Cub Scout Den.

Next is Garrett's Baptism weekend. 

Grandpa and Ben took the boys "fishing". 

This is a private fishing pond that is stocked with trout. Poles and "bait" are provided.

Basically they give you food to lure the trout so they come nipping at the food and you hook them.

So it's not technically fishing, but you do go away with fish.

Each boy caught a fish and we ate them for lunch.

While the boys fished, I took Corinne and Henry shopping for new clothes. 

That afternoon we went to the Stake Baptism where Garrett was baptized and confirmed. 

There were only two other children baptized that day. 

Richard, Garrett and Spencer sang "When I Am Baptized" in the opening exercises.

Henry is 11 months old now. Richard is 10, Garrett 8 and Spencer is 5.

 Ben and Garrett.

Here is all the family members who attended the baptism. 

Ben's parents, uncle, brother and sister in-law and nephew, two nieces and younger sister and us.

 It was a very nice weekend. Corinne and family have adjusted to their new surroundings and the boys are all happy in their new school. Their new home should be complete in a couple of months. That will be so exciting for them. Corinne really enjoys working in the Ogden temple. Fred and I were able to drive around the Temple on Sunday before we came home. It is really beautiful and we are happy to know she is able to spend eight hours a day in a sacred building for her job. 

That's a nice way to spend your day and get paid while doing it.