Recent Ventures with the Grandkids

Joel is Five!

Joel celebrated his fifth birthday last week on June 25. It seems like so much has changed since Joel, our very first grandchild, was born. Jim and I had fun recalling that day . . . Jorie and Mark were living in their townhouse in Grayslake, IL and we had been in Chicago for a couple of days (on business for Jim). I had enjoyed a wonderful lunch with Jorie that day at Egg Harbor Cafe, and she seemed just great. We looked at the nursery, and I took a prego picture of her before we left. I had promised to come back to help out when we received news of their baby's birth. Well, within a couple of hours as we were traveling back to Cedar Rapids, Mark called to say that Jorie was in labor and they were on their way to the hospital! And soon Joel Anders was born - right on the day he was due! That was a very exciting day for us. I think I spent one night at home, then re-packed my suitcase and headed back to meet little Joel.

Joel at 6 months. Joel at 5 years

Special gift from Grandpa

Father's Day

Claire was the first of the kids to arrive on Father's Day, so I snapped a quick picture of her with her Grampy. By the time the other kids arrived, I had become busy with food preparations and never got around to taking any more pictures! It was fun to have Jorie and Mark's family and Annie and Justin and Claire here , though, and to celebrate all of the dads!

Joel and Silas . . .

Joel and Silas just love my little "garden." It is always the first thing they look at, EVERY single time they come over to our house. They make a beeline for the garden and then promptly report to me of the latest developments.

It HAS been fun to see the rapid growth of the plants. Later in the summer I'll have to take another picture of the boys to see how much bigger the plants grow.

I have to add a cute quote from Joel the other day. I guess he was thinking about how Gpa and I recently had celebrated our 60th birthdays. Anyway, out of the blue, he said, "Grandma, I know you're old. I know you really ARE old, but you don't LOOK old!" He certainly knows how to make a grandma feel good! He is so sweet - some girl is gonna be very lucky to meet up with him a few years from now!

Claire . . .

Claire was introduced to popsicles for the first time last weekend while she and Annie were visiting. So far she hasn't refused any of the foods she's been offered. Though she may have been puzzled by how COLD this was, she seemed to take to it right away!

She ended up eating about 1/2 of the popsicle, and then was ready for her REAL lunch. Nothing like giving her dessert first!