Fun on the Fourth / Memories

We had such a good time on the fourth of July this year! The BIG happening was Aunts Ninni and Kimbo's new pool! It has a beautiful waterfall and jets all around it -VERY NICE! Kylie really loves it and had a great time swimming all over the pool. Riley was very cranky and didn't partake in the swimming activities but we had a fun time anyway. We had food, family, and fun and couldn't ask for more. Then it started to rain. Good thing that we started early because we were ready to go home once the storm hit. We all took baths and were in bed by eight o'clock. No fireworks for the kids but we tivoed them on Channel 11 and Kylie got to see them this morning. She was a little upset but I told her that we might see them at Sea World when we go on Saturday. Do they even do fireworks there? I know that Disneyworld has fireworks after dark. Oh well, there's always next year!

Back to Monday, we were all feeling better and Kylie and I started the day out by attending a birthday party at Pump it Up. What a great place for a kids' party! So much fun but getting to a party in Frisco at 9:15 am is quite a challenge. I dropped Riley off for Poppy to watch and tried to go the back way but a street was blocked off and I ended up going a long way to get there. Needless to say, Kylie had a great time and Mommy got to visit with one of my good friends, Stephanie.

After the party, we went back to Nana and Poppy's and brought Poppy and Riley lunch. They met us outside where Poppy was pushing Riley around the block in his new little car. I think he had been pushing him for hours! I wish I had a picture.

Riley has really bonded with Poppy- it's amazing to watch those two together. I am so thankful that my dad takes time out to help me with the kids. It reminds me of how much his dad, Paw-Paw did for us. He would play with us outside for hours on end. It's funny to think about me playing cheerleader and Paw-Paw throwing a wiffle ball for Jeff to hit. Jeff would hit the ball all the way down the street and Paw-Paw would chase it over and over. I have so many memories of my grandparents.

I loved having both sets of grandparents in the same city. We would get to spend so much time with them. They were our babysitters and schoolbuses. I remember how my dad's mom, Nanny taught me to hand sew and make cookies. She was such a good baker and she really loved to read. There was always a Readers Digest on their coffee table and I would always read the Drama in Real Life stories. In the summer, she would make lunch for us quite a bit and my dad would walk with us down to their house.

The thing that would make us so mad is how we would all have to go to TG&Y together and we would get there about 30 minutes before the store would open. Paw-Paw would pace up and down the sidewalk until they opened the doors for us. Sitting in a hot car was always something that we would do. Nanny couldn't drive so Paw-Paw would take her to the beauty shop and we would sit out in the car and wait for her, hours on end. (I have books that have places for me to write down memories but this seems more fun!)

I loved, loved, loved staying with my mom's mom and dad, Beady and Paw. They also lived close by and sometimes the boys would stay at Nanny and Paw-Paw's and I would get to stay with Beady and Paw. Beady was a GREAT cook and I loved anything that she would make. Paw was always very sick and he would sit at the kitchen table where he could see the living room tv. I can't remember any toys over there that I would play with, I just loved being there with them! Beady would always take me to night church, too. I loved going to church with her because she kept gum in her purse and I loved the singing. Beady is the only one that remains today but has Alzheimers and is in an assisted living home in Mckinney. She always remembers us when we go to see her but is not the same Beady that I used to know. She has alot of bad days and I miss that quick wit that she had and the sparkle in her eye.

I loved my grandparents and cherish all the memories that I hold dear to my heart. I know that my kids have an opportunity to make just as many memories with their grandparents. Even though Keith and Nancy are not around the corner, Riley knows them and will only eat off a fork for Pee-Paw. He cuddles with him and KNOWS that that is his namesake, I can tell. Kylie loves the time that she spends with Nancy, too. I can see Nancy teaching her to make cookies the way that Nanny taught me. I can see her sparking her interest in reading, too. Kylie loves it when Mee-Maw comes into her room and pretends with her. Mee-Maw has a way of getting in the floor and playing with both kids and that is so important to both of them.

Now on to Nana. Nana is such an important person in Kylie's life. Nana can teach Kylie something that I have been trying for weeks to do. She takes such an interest in each child and wants to teach them all about the world and God. I love that loving, spiritual part of her that wants everyone to know how much she loves God and her family.

I asked Kylie what each granparent does that is special and here is what she said:

Meemaw- She plays games with me. I like it when she cooks.
Peepaw- He makes shapes with me on the computer. He gives me big hugs.
Nana- She is just my best friend. She takes me shopping.
Poppy- He plays hide and seek with me. He takes me to the beach to swim.

She loves her grandparents and I know that there are many fun times ahead and memories that she can blog about when she gets older. Even though she is very much a Mommy's girl right now, I am sure that I will lose the war of "well, grandma lets me do it" in the very near future. I just can't wait!