Fun at Grandma J's

Friday night Mercedes got to come play with Grandma and Grandpa J while her mommy and daddy went somewhere. I wanted to make it fun for her, but before I could do anything, her mommy made me sign a contract which forbade me from piercing her ears, tattooing any part of her body, applying makeup or feeding her anything out of the ordinary. I was somewhat taken aback that I, Mercedes' caring grandma, would be placed under such constraints when it came to what I could and couldn't do with Mercedes!


So, when Mercedes' played at my house, she got to play in the toilet paper. I bet she'll never get to do that at her house!


Mercedes liked to play dress up.



She liked to play with hats and things she could put on her head.



She didn't like to leave them on her head very long, but she loves jewelry! I've discovered how important it is to have a very fast camera, or I am just getting old and my reflexes that push the button are way too slow!



She loved all the girlie stuff!



Mercedes liked to read books with Grandma J. However, she was quite interested in the taste rather than the story line.


Mercedes wanted to try some ice cream, but I think she was starting to feel a bit under the weather. I swear, according to the signed contract, Mercedes didn't have even the slightest taste of ice cream. I know she's been quite sick the entire weekend, but I swear, I didn't give her any to eat!


Finally, after having so much fun at Grandma J's, she pooped out and went to sleep. As soon as her mommy and daddy came to get her, Mercedes was just SICK at the idea she had to go home and started to throw up. Poor girl!

On Saturday night, Aryn, Alyza, Adam and Austen got to come play at Grandma and Grandpa J's house while their mommy and daddy went somewhere. Now, I was not placed under any signed contract with these guys, but I knew enough in advance to make sure to ask that they come in old clothes. We were going to get dirty!

We planted a garden. When the kids got here, the flip flops went flying and the kids were in the dirt faster than I could believe. It's amazing how we, as adults, are soooo uptight about a garden. Don't walk here! Don't walk there! Watch out for the peas! Watch out for the tomatoes! But, a twenty-one-month old has no cares at all! How would it be?


The kids planted.


Adam pounded the stakes.


They raked, hoed and one played.


Adam spilled the beans - I mean the corn - all over the ground and in the chair. But that's okay. At Grandma J's you don't get in trouble for doing silly things like that.



Austen liked playing with the little shovel.



Austen liked raking with the big rake.


And, Austen liked getting his face dirty.



Aryn and Alyza liked being barefoot in the cool dirt.


They liked it so much that they buried their feet in the dirt and wanted me to water them. I guess they thought they would grow tall.


Of course, water attracts kids.


Austen came close more than twice at falling in the mud. I was worried about his shoes. They didn't look like workin' shoes to me.


Alyza was worried about getting the mud off of her.


We ran some relay races. Even I ran. However, nothing like playing games to find out what your family is really like! Alyza is fast - she won. Aryn cheats. She turned around half way and went back to the finish line. I kept running. Adam came up in the rear and just stopped, dropped and laid on the ground.


Time to squirt off the dirt from the feet. After all the digging and working and running, we all smelled like wanna-be farmers!


We sure had fun!

And, then when everyone was beat and tired and it was dark, we went inside to watch a movie until mommy and daddy came to get them. I bet those kids slept like bugs in a rug, ‘cause I sure did!