A LITTLE GIRL ON THE NEXT STREET

I was walking our dog, Doc. He is a big white Sammy. He has long beautiful hair that sways when he walks.

I reached a street where a little girl (about 6 or 7) ran out and asked if she could pet my dog.

Doc is a sweetheart with children and so I said; yes.

She petted him while she talked a blue streak.

She said, You know, I saw some other OLD people yesterday and they were walking a snow dog!!!!!!!

It was my husband and me!

And ...sigh...I thought that I looked so young and cute with my hair in a ponytail and wearing my short golf skirt!!

Bama   aka  Mary Louise

SOMEONE'S ELSES GRANDCHILDREN

I was in a clothing store trying on clothes this morning.

In the next dressing room, I heard this conversation between a brother and sister. The boy was about 5 and the girl around 9.

Boy, How did you get boobies?

Girl, I got them when I was born.

Boy, well how did you know that you needed boobbies?

Girl, I needed them because I am a Lady!

Boy, O K

 

Bama  aka  Mary Louise

MOVING

WE GOT THE NEWS LAST NIGHT. MELISSA, MIKE, MICHAEL AND LAUREN ARE MOVING!!!!   RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE AN HOUR AWAY.... THEY WILL MOVE IN AUGUST AND BE 7 HOURS AWAY!   I AM PROUD OF MIKES'S PROMOTION BUT SO SAD THEY THEY WILL NOT BE AS CLOSE ANY LONGER.   I WILL MISS THEM SO MUCH.   BAMA  AKA   MARY LOUISE

FATHERS DAY COOKOUT-SWIM

We had a nice afternoon Father's Day.

We only had a few minor, awful moments.

Michael pushed Lauren under the water causing hysterics.

Caleb (3) fell down and cut his finger. More hysterics as we tried to clean and bandage it.

Jordan almost fell in the pond while naming the new fish. Only a few rocks fell into the water.

Cameron had a drop in blood sugar and got a bit testy. After his shot and something to eat...He was fine.

Christopher made it through the afternoon with blue lips from the cold water and wind.

There was a brew Ha Ha  among the whole gang about who would hold the swimming Koi fish that glides through the water using double A batteries

The hot dogs were good.

The Father's had a good time.

They finally left for home around 6:30 pm. If they hadn't left...

John and I might have gone into hysterics.

A Fun day.... a happy tired.

Fun to see the whole group come and fun to see the whole group leave... until next Sunday afternoon and swim time.

Bama   aka  Mary Louise

LAUREN AND HER MISSING TEETH

I got this E-mail from my daughter this morning!

Bama   aka   Mary Louise

 

Lauren & Michael bumped heads this morning… and Lauren lost two teeth!

Found one… still looking for the other!  Tan carpet hides teeth very well!  J

 

She was horrified… and wanted them back in… crying hysterically….

but I think she is getting used to it… She FINALLY let me take these pictures!

 

CALEB

Caleb is 3 years old.

He has just found lighting bugs!!!!!

Cameron and Caleb were in the yard and Cameron was catching lighting bugs and putting them in a jar.

Caleb got into the action but was swatting them like his hand was a tennis racket. When they fell to the ground, he would smash them with his feet.

Their Mom, disturbed by this, explained to Caleb that you had to be gentle with the bugs.

He still didn't understand the fine art of catching lighting bugs, putting them in a jar and letting them go! He was into swatting and stomping!

 

Bama    aka    Mary Louise

CHRISTOPHER'S QUESTION

The family was driving to a town about 10 miles away.

As they traveled, Christopher's Mom and Dad were talking about getting Jordan a bunny to raise and show at the county  4 H  fair.

Christopher piped up from the back seat and said that he wanted a bunny too.

His Mom told him that he couldn't show a bunny at 4 H because he would have to be in the 4th grade like Jordan to be in 4 H.

Christopher though for a moment and said....

Don't they have a..............3 H ????????

Bama   aka  Mary Louise

JORDAN CALLED YESTERDAY

Jordan called and left a message on the phone yesterday.

She said; Bama, this is Jordan.

I wanted to call and tell you that I will not be able to come to your house next Sunday afternoon to swim.

I will be at church camp.

I just didn't want you to be dissapointed when Sunday came and I wasn't there.

Bye.

The call was so sweet and it made me smile!

Bama  aka  Mary Louise

SWIM DAY A SUCCESS

We have a "NO PUSH IN" and "NO RUNNING" rule at our pool.

Watching the children swim and have fun was nice and then....

Michael pushed an unsuspecting Jordan in the pool. I was storming out to Michael ( hearing his Mom say...Go get'em Mom).

I got Michael's attention and with my most serious.. I mean it voice. I said; Michael, if I see you push anyone in the pool again.. You will get out of the pool for the day and have to watch as everyone else swims! Is that clear???

Michael said yes and all of a sudden Christopher, 8 is at my side and giving me the low-down on the incident.

Bama, he said; I saw the whole thing. Michael came up behind Jordan and pushed her in real hard. I was worried...He pushed so hard that I was afraid that Jordan was drownded!

Attention....all people in the pool, I said.

Anymore running OR pushing will End swim day...Understand?

5 wet heads nodded yes and the rest of the afternoon was great!

The only other incident was when Caled, 3 attached his self to the fence vowing to never leave Bama's house! We pried him off and gently put him in the car!

John and I waved goodbye from the front porch as they drove away. We walked in the house and collapsed on the couch!

A nice swim day over and we have a week to recover!!!!!

Bama aka   Mary Louise

SWIM DAY

Every Sunday afternoon during the summer is swim day.

The girls and their families come over so the Grandchildren can swim.

They bring whatever their families want to grill and we spend the afternoon together.

Making memories!!!

Bama  aka  Mary Louise

WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?

I Had to put this in my journal today!  Mary Louise  aka  Bama
              WHAT IS A GRANDPARENT?
(taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)


Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of her own. They like other people's.

A grandfather is a man grandmother.

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the store and have lots of quarters for us.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the color of the flowers and also Why we shouldn't step on "cracks."

They don't say, "Hurry up."

Usually grandmothers are fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes.

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

They can take their teeth and gums out.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like "why isn't God married?" and "How come dogs chase cats?".

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

Everybody should try to have a grandmother, especially if you don't have television, because they are the only grown ups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack-time before bedtime and they say prayers with us every time, and kiss us even when we've acted bad.


A 6 YEAR OLD WAS ASKED WHERE HIS GRANDMA LIVED. ''OH,'' HE SAID, ''SHE LIVES AT THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN WEWANT HER WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WERE DONE HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''
 

THE " MAKE A WISH" POND

I made a little pond under the arbor.

I call it the "Make a Wish" pond.

When the grandchildren come over, they bring some money with them.

Then, we go up to the pond and they make a wish and throw the money into the water. The wish is a big decision as you can see by the picture!

In September or after swimming season, I will take all the money out, add some and send it to the Make a Wish Foundation for sick and dying children. The donation will include each of the grandchildrens names. 

"Make a Wish" uses all money donated to send critically ill children on the trip of their lifetime.

All of the grandchildren love doing this each time they visit.

They are having fun and helping other children.

Bama   aka  Mary Louise

LAUREN...MY ALABAMA CHEERLEADER

Lauren is our Girly-Girl grandaughter.

She loves lace and ribbons and anything pretty.

She wore her Bama cheerleader outfit on cookout day and graced us with all of her cheers.

The cheer she is doing in the pictures is......

YEA, ALABAMA....

ROLL TIDE ROLL....

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!

A..L..A..B..A..M..A..!

I taught her that cheer and bought the outfit.

Jordan wore it  and when she outgrew it ...Lauren became the proud owner!!!

I have to keep the Bama spirit alive in my house because all of the rest of the family  is solid...TENNESSEE!  Go Vol's

SO...ROLL TIDE....GO ALABAMA!

Bama    aka   Mary Louise

JORDAN AND THE CICADA'S

Jordan (9) is our future veterinarian. She loves anything that crawls, barks or meeows. She saves ants from drowning in our pool.

When she came over yesterday she was carrying a special clear bug box with about 6 or 7 Cicadas that she had captured in her yard.

She loves them and would take them out and let them crawl on her arms and shoulders. YUCCCCKKKK!  She had even named them!

Her Aunt Melissa was talking with her about the Cicadas and asked if she was going to let them go.

Jordan said no. She wanted to watch them.

Melissa reminded her that they had been in the ground for 17 years and when they finally got out.... she had captured them and put them in her bug box.  She asked Jordan how she thought the Cicadas felt about that! How they felt about losing their freedon after 17 years of trying to get free.

Jordan looked at the captured bugs and started for the back yard yelling....... OUT of My Way! Coming Through.

I have Cicadas to SET FREE!!!!!

She carefully took them from their prison and placed them on a tree.

I asked her how she felt about setting her bugs free. She said that she was happy-sad. Happy to set them free again but sad to see them go.

Jordan experienced her first taste of Parenthood!!!

Bama   aka   Mary Louise