A Hard, But Good, Week

This has been a very hard, but good week.  Monday, as I posted, I got to spend with the grandbabies.  Friday I took care of Mom.  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday I cleaned house at Nana and Papaw's.  Ryan went with me three days.  He worked in the garden and hung out with Tim and Papaw.  One day we were there it was very stormy.

They posted a tornado warning, but we never saw anything.

The last day when I finished and was ready to go, I found Ryan and Papaw at the garden.

This picture will be a great memory.

Papaw Garden  (Ryan has a little section)

I enjoyed the view as always.

Nana's knock-out roses were starting to bloom.  This was taken from standing on her front porch.

I finished at Nana's around 3PM Saturday.  Then I went to get groceries and gas for my car.  Ryan texted and asked me to come back and get him at Nana's.  Mark and Tim and gone to the movies and Mark was still at Nana and Papaw's when I left.  Ryan was supposed to ride home with Mark but decided he wanted to stay longer.  I dropped by and picked him up on my way home.  It was a blessing because I made him carry the groceries upstairs.  I was so tired.  

That evening I worked on my Father's Day stuff for my Sunday School class.  I only have one little guy and he is a darling.  Last Sunday Kevin and Martha painted his feet and got footprints for me.  I composed a poem and made a card with the footprints.

It says:
I follow in your footsteps                                                                               as I grow and learn each day.
You teach me how to follow God,                                                                     and kneel to him and pray.
You love me very much, I know,                                                                       from my head down to my toes.
You are the best Dad in the world                                                                   because God's love you show.

I also made a tag for a jar top that said...Daddy, I love you to pieces.  I made a tie for it and put Reeces Pieces in it.  I made one for Andrew too since I had Reeces Pieces left over.

Ryan and I made an ediable Father's Day card for Mark.

Mark loved it!  
It says...Dear Dad,
For Father's Day, I was going to give you a whoppering 100grand, but the money slipped through my butterfingers, and it wasn't payday.  I didn't think a pet kitkat or an orbit  around the milkyway  to see starbursts would be appropriate. I do want to wish you mounds of almondjoy and urge you to take5 extra a day while you eat this card.  I hope it doesn't make you rolover and get sick.  If it does, I promise not to snickers.   Hugs and Kisses,
Your favorite airheads, Susan and Ryan

Mary did this for her Sunday School class and gave us left over candy.  Thanks Mary!!!

Sunday afternoon I came home, changed clothes, rushed to get a bite to eat, and drove down to Andrew and Nikki's.  

It was wonderful to see the babies!!!  I brought some bubbles and we went outside to blow bubbles.

Mason watched intently.

Then he decided he wanted to touch the bubbles.

I love the look on his face when he is concentrating!  His gorgeous blue eyes look so solemn.  He is my little darling!!

I helped Nikki with the house and taking care of the babies while she prepared to wash, pack, etc. to go visit her aunt in Ohio.  I enjoyed so much being with them.  It seems like every time I am there I think, "I could live here." :)  I was very, very tired from such a hard week, but I love being with my grandbabies.  

Nikki had to go to the store, so Haley helped with the grocery list.

It was so cute because Nikki would tell her things to put on the list.  After Haley finished writing and I looked at the list, she had written an H. :)  Nikki and Haley went to the store and brought back Chinese food for supper.  Oh my!  It was delicious!!  I think Chinese food is my very favorite and I hadn't had it in a long time.  It tasted so, so good!!  Mason even liked it.  He is a "good eater" as they say. Haley ate well too which always thrills me.  She sat on my lap while we ate.  She was so funny because I got tea for myself and milk for her in a sippy cup.  She drank the tea and made me drink the milk out of the sippy cup. Hahahaha  I didn't care.  I loved that she got a kick out of it.

After they ate, Nikki put them both in the bath.  

Haley gave her baby a bath too.

This baby boy is such a darling!  He melts my heart!!! 

After their bath, I gave Mason his bottle and layed him in his bed.  Nikki and Andrew packed the car for Nikki's trip and Nikki took Maggie out to potty.  When it was time for Haley to go to bed, I got to rock her.  I cherish that time with her!!!  She is on the go so much, I don't get to spend a lot of one on one time with her.  As I was rocking and singing to her Mason started making noises in his bed.  Haley was going to sleep, but he was getting more awake by the minute.  It was so funny because he was trying to talk to me as I sang.  After I put her to bed, I got him and rocked him.  He closed his eyes and settled down.  I layed him in his bed and he stuck his two little fingers in his mouth and didn't make a noise.  It was such a great ending to the day. 
As I was leaving I felt so tired and exhausted.  I thought, "how am I going to make it home?"  I just started praying and praying as I drove.  After awhile, I felt so peaceful.  It started raining so hard!! 

I mean, it was awful!!  Sometimes I would see a car stopped on the side of the road.  I guess they were trying to wait till the rain let up.  I still felt so peaceful feeling God with me.  I drove very careful.
When I got back to town, the rain was worse than ever.  It would lightening and the whole sky would light up.  There was a car in front of me and they couldn't see the line.  I could see them edging toward a tractor trailer beside them.  I thought Yikes!!  they are going to hit it.  The tractor trailer guy blew his horn and they moved back over.  I felt sorry for them.  I wondered if it was an older driver??  At one time there was so much water on the road it felt like my car hydroplaned for a few seconds.  God took care of me, though.  Praise Him  I got home safely.  

It felt so very wonderful to go to bed last night knowing I didn't have to get up early this morning to go anywhere.  I have had a very lazy day today.  I slept till around 10AM and took an afternoon nap.  I have rested and rested.  I really needed it!

In other news....Mason has decided he likes to play with Maggie.

At first Maggie would put her paw on him and hold him down while she licked his face.  Now he is paying her back. lol

When Andrew has a day off, he lets Nikki sleep in.  The other day he took Maggie out to use the bathroom and then went to get a Starbucks for her.  Haley enjoyed it too. :)

Sometimes Mason likes to take a bath without Haley.  He gets to play with ALL the toys.

Nikki made an awesome welcome sign and also made the post to hang it on.  She is finding all these cool things on pinterest and actually doing them.

I am so very proud of her!!

Ryan took all his schoolwork from last year and shot it to pieces at Papaw's farm.  

I am sure that made him feel so much better.  He had more, really good pictures, but this picture is the only one small enough for his phone to send.

I am so thankful God gave us a wonderful week.  I am hoping this week will be a little slower.  I don't know, though, because I am supposed to take care of Mom Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. It is getting really hard, but she is still a sweetheart.  I love her so much and that is what keeps me going.

Cleaning and Keeping Up With The Grands

This morning Ryan and I got up, got ready, and went to Nana's.  Nana and I got caught up talking :) and I cleaned and cleaned.  I am getting old, I tell ya.  I can't work as I used to.  I get so exhausted.  Anyway, I took this picture from their upstairs window.

Isn't it beautiful??  I absolutely love where they live.  I think they have twenty-four acres.  
The other day, Nikki sent me a picture of Haley's new bathing suit.  (Notice Mason in the background :D)  

Today while I was working, Nikki sent me these sweet pictures of Haley and Mason at the pool at their apartment.

I teared up because I miss the babies.  They are just so precious to me.  

I talked to Nikki on the phone later, and she said they had had a fun day.  She said Mason fell asleep in his little floatie boat and slept for about an hour and a half.  She covered him with a towel so he wouldn't get sunburned.
Tonight they ate dinner at the IHop.  Haley's favorite food is blueberry pancakes at the IHop.  Nikki said they have pancakes with blueberry topping and whipped cream on top.  Yummy!!!  Haley also ate an egg and bacon.  I LOVE when she eats well.  

Mason ate almost a whole pancake!!!  

Isn't he the cutest thing?!!  He is so happy eating his pancake.
Nikki also sent me pictures of them at the store.

I love these pictures (and babies, of course!).  I am so thankful for Nikki sending me pictures and keeping me in touch with them.  
This evening after supper, I got so sleepy.  I fell asleep and slept for around an hour.  I hope it doesn't keep me from sleeping tonight.  I am supposed to take care of Mom tomorrow morning for a little bit for Martha to go with Jared to the doctor.  Did you know you can't start college until you get a physical?  Anyway, I am planning to go to Nana's when Martha gets back.
In other news.... here are some pictures I found on my phone.  

When Haley is at my house, she loves for Ryan to help her ride her tricycle.  She still isn't tall enough for her feet to reach the pedals when she turns the wheel.
Mason played with toys.  

     

One day, Ryan took apart my vacuum cleaner and unclogged the  hose in the base of it.  He is such a blessing to us.  

Ok, I am off to wash dishes and get ready for tomorrow.  I pray everyone has a blessed night and day tomorrow.

Surprise Day With My Grands

Today I was planning to go clean Nana and Papaw's house.  I had talked to Nana on the way home last night and told her I would probably sleep in.  After taking care of Mom the last two days, I was exhausted.  
I woke this morning around 9AM, but I was so sleepy I fell back to sleep.  I woke back up around 10AM.  I got ready, fixed Ryan's breakfast and woke him.  I found him playing his guitar.  I love when he plays...it isn't often.









When we were both almost ready to walk out the door, I got a call from Nikki.  They were in town this weekend and hadn't left yet.  She was going to bring the babies by Nana's for me to see them, but I knew I would get nothing done.  All I would want to do is spend time with the babies.  So, I told her just to come here so I could see them longer.  I called Nana to tell her I would try to start cleaning tomorrow.  

I had a wonderful time with them today.  I had remembered the other day that I had a plastic tote with a lot of hot wheels and other little cars.  Ryan brought it upstairs for me and I washed the cars.  I bet there were at least fifty of them.  I lined them up in rows on a towel on the table to dry.  Haley loved them.  I was hoping she would. 

Ryan and I took turns rolling cars back and forth to Haley on the floor.  I wanted to take a picture of Haley so the only way I could get her to be still was to tell her something.  I honestly cannot remember what I told her, but it worked. :)

We also played with soap bubbles in the sink.

Haley fixed lunch for us too. :)

Mason crawled everywhere.  Oh my!  He is such a darling!!!  When he crawls, he grunts.  It is so cute!!  He got so sleepy, and Nikki got him to sleep in Ryan's bed.  Mason sleeps with his bottom in the air and his two little fingers in his mouth.

How precious!

Haley also hung out with Ryan.

Maggie hung out with everyone. :) 

For lunch I fixed chicken tacos.  Haley loved the taco shell and after she ate part of a taco, she got a shell to eat.  Maggie stole it and hid to eat it. hahaha  

Do you see her on the pillow behind Haley's play kitchen?  She is the sweetest and most lovable little puppy.  They chose well.  She is a little roudy though.

They left right before Mark came home.  It is sad to see them go.  I love them so much!  

Haley ran around in the yard as they were leaving.

I had to get Mason out of bed to go home.  He did not even cry or fuss.  He is such a little darling.  I mistakenly put Haley in Mason's seat and Mason in Haley's pink seat.

Funny thing is...they both fit the other's seat just fine.