Tea with Grandma

May 30, 2009 at 8:31 am (Family)

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We had a tea lunch on Thursday.  We actually opted for iced tea because the day was hot and muggy.  The girls helped me make lots of goodies:  cucumber sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chocolate chip scones, cantelope, strawberries, and yummy rhubarb bars for dessert.

The girls did all the decorating, and they also prepared other fun things.  They performed a dance show, and Ruthie made a game for us to play.  Lastly, we made an easy craft – sachets for in clothes drawers.  

It was a fun day with Grandma.  I especially enjoyed hearing a bit about her childhood over lunch.  Prompted by questions that we had printed out and placed in a bowl for everyone to answer, she told us a bit about her kindergarten days and her memories of her family’s first television set.  

I am glad you could share lunch with us, Charlene.  How nice it is that we live close enough to do special days like this one!

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Memorial Day Weekend

May 26, 2009 at 8:36 pm (Family)

We spent the long holiday weekend in PA with Grandma and Pappy.  Aunt Kelly even came up from Baltimore.

We celebrated Ruthie’s birthday – again!  

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One of the favorite activities is riding on Pappy’s golf cart.  The girls have steered before, but this weekend the three older girls learned to drive all by themselves!  

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And all of this activity was just too much for some people!  Suzie and Pappy both fell asleep in front of the TV.  (I must admit that Pappy is actually faking it in this picture, but you all know that his acting is very good for it is well-rehearsed!)

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We’re Done – pretty much!

May 14, 2009 at 4:02 pm (Homeschool)

This week we finished up almost all of our schooling for this year.  We still have a little bit of history to complete.  Plus, Rachel has to finish up grammar and a book that she is writing.  

The most exciting moment was when the girls finished their math tests!  Summer has begun!!

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That means more playtime for the girls and the start of planning in earnest for next school year for Mommy.  Oh, and ripping down some wallpaper, painting, working in the garden, etc.  I think we can keep ourselves busy!

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Cleveland Zoo – by Rachel

May 13, 2009 at 8:23 am (Homeschool)

Ben and the ladies

Ben and the ladies

Yesterday we went to the zoo.  We met Mrs. Washburn [my friend Janette] and her youngest son, Ben.   

We saw sea lions, a pack of wolves, camels, grizzly bears, and rhinos.  

One of my favorite parts was the Primate, Cat, and Aquatics section.  The primate part was different kinds of monkeys.  There were gorillas!  The aquatics part had an octopus and other fish, like Gill from Nemo.  In the cat part, there were cheetahs.  

Another one of my favorite parts was the place where they treated the sick animals.  There were telephones where we could hear what to do if a certain kind of animal was sick.  There was also an x-ray of an animal that had swallowed money!

Rachel and Ruthie

Rachel and Ruthie

Suzie was chatting with the elephant

Suzie was chatting with the elephant

We had a beautiful day at the zoo!  Thanks for going with us, Janette and Ben! 

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Welcome Home, Maggie Violet!

May 9, 2009 at 11:22 pm (The Girls)

Today, we added a new “baby” to the family.  Meet Maggie Violet.

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Ruthie adopted a baby at Hartville Kitchen, a large restaurant with a gift shop that is just as large.  They have these baby dolls in a nursery similar to a hospital nursery.  You look at them through a window, lying in hospital bassinets.  Each one is up for “adoption.”  

Ruthie has been longing to mother one of these dolls for a few months now, and today she was finally able to adopt a baby girl, using her birthday money plus other money that she has been carefully saving (Thank you, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, and uncles, for blessing Ruthie with money to buy this baby!).

For those of you who are not familiar with these dolls, there is quite an extensive process that goes along with the adoption.  Ruthie got to carefully choose the perfect baby. She chose a brown-haired, blue-eyed baby. 

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 After that, we all got to go into the baby nursery, where Ruthie was put into a hospital gown.  

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She had to assure the nurse that she would care for her little girl, hold her a lot, read to her, etc.  Then they put baby powder on the baby to make her smell “real.”  She was also given tips on caring for the baby, such as how to comb her hair and check her diaper.  

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Lastly, she got a special picture taken with the baby.  

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Ruthie was so excited.  I thought she would jump out of her skin!  It was a blast to watch.  And it is neat to see how much fun the other girls are having as they help Ruthie care for her new baby.

The other girls are now anxious for their birthdays, hoping that they can also adopt a baby.

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A New Skill

May 6, 2009 at 7:48 am (Homemaking)

Look what I am learning to do!

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I made the scarf that Ellie is wearing – just in time for summer!  So I have completed the typical initiation project for knitting.  Rachel and Ruthie are learning how to knit from Grandma Tyrrell, so I thought that I should also learn so that I can help them at home.  I learned from Gigi (a kid’s book from the library!).  

I am not sure whether or not I really like knitting, but I do like that it is something that I can do while riding in the car or sitting around talking.  One project I look forward to trying is leg warmers for the girls, since their little legs get so cold during ballet in the wintertime.  Any suggestions on patterns?

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Happy Birthday, Ruthie Olivia!

May 5, 2009 at 8:17 am (The Girls)

dscf0071_2  Ruthie turns 7 today.  She will celebrate her birthday with a few special treats:  no math lesson for the day, lunch and the afternoon with Grandma Tyrrell, and a family dinner including Grandma and Grandpa Tyrrell and Nana (Jake’s grandma).  And, for some reason, she chose soft tacos and refried bean soup as the menu (perhaps it has something to do with her being our Cinco de Mayo baby!).  

 

 

  Ruthie, you are so much fun, and we are excited about the young lady you are becoming.  We especially love your tender heart for others.  We pray that God continues to reveal Himself to you over this coming year, and that you continue to grow in your understanding of your need of a Savior and His great provision for you.  We love you, Ruthie!  Happy Birthday!

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