Crazy, Calm (not) and Cute Weekend

Gary and I have been with the grandkids since Thursday night. What a full three days.

Friday, November 13th

We began the morning by going to gymnastics.


Anna Claire kept an eye on me the whole time. She would wave at me and I would wave back. Then she would point me out to her friend Ella and Ella would wave. I would wave back. I really think she was proud to have me there. She kept a grin on her face the entire time.

Anna Claire doing gymnastics


After gymnastics we went to Chick Fil A for lunch. While we were at Chick Fil A's Anna Claire saw her friend, Meghan. She walked up to Meghan and whispered to her that she was with Ma. After lunch then we headed to Barnes and Noble. That is where we came up with the nickname for Bennett "Tornado Bennett." Everything in his path was moved and I walked behind him putting books back up.

Then, after Barnes and Noble we (Gary, me, kids) headed to Andy Alligator. Anna Claire got cold and about the last 20 minutes all she wanted to do was snuggle with Granddad. It was so sweet! We spent a lot of time just watching Bennett dance. Jessica and Brent...if you don't get him Guitar Hero for Christmas we are! That's all he wanted to do.

Anna Claire snuggling with Granddad.

Anna Claire and Granddad waiting on Bennett to quit dancing.





Bowling at Andy Alligator's will never be the same again. Bennett would not let Gary show him how to bowl. He was determined to do his own thing. Even if it meant running down the lane to get the balls. Anna Claire is a very good bowler. I felt sorry for her. She eventually quit. Gary asked her why she wasn't bowling anymore and she said "It's just too hard with Bennett, Granddad."


Playing with the balls at Andy Alligator's.


Dancing at Andy Alligator's.

Saturday, November 14th
Saturday morning Gary and Mark came in from hunting. Mark wanted to show the kids the "dead" ducks. I said Anna Claire could not go see them but he and Gary wanted to show them to Bennett. I told Mark that if they traumatized Bennett I would never forgive them. That Bennett. He LOVED the "dead" ducks. He wanted to touch them and play with them. I was not happy.




Bennett playing with the ducks. CAUTION: This video is not for everyone.


Random Yard Fun



Bennett in yard talking to Ma. Listen carefully...he talks about hitting Anna Claire.

Sunday morning, November 15th
When Bennett wakes up he likes to be held about the first 30 minutes. I was holding Bennett and Anna Claire wakes up. She wants to snuggle. As she would get closer to me snuggling, Bennett would get "more" in my lap. Once, Anna Claire slung her leg over mine and Bennett moved from facing out to putting his arms around my neck and laying his head on my chest. If I wasn't so crazy, I would have thought they were "one upping" each other with Ma. Priceless...even if I haven't brushed my hair, put on makeup or even clothes yet.


Academy Sports. After breakfast we headed to Academy Sports. Since "Tornado" Bennett was true to his name Gary had to carry him on his shoulders so that he could not reach anything.

While here Anna Claire spotted pink boots. She wanted those pink boots so bad and she asked Granddad for them. He told her that maybe she could get them for Christmas. She started crying so he decided that maybe pink boots need to be bought. She tried on about three pair trying to find some to fit and then all of a sudden she said "Granddad, let's go to Bass Pro to look at the fish." He said "I thought you wanted pink boots." She said "No...I want to go to Bass Pro." This man that was looking at something else but near us just started laughing. So, off to Bass Pro. But, before leaving Academy Sports Gary made the mistake of putting Bennett down. He was eye level with a Dallas Cowboy's nerf football. He yelled "Ootba...ootba." He wouldn't let go. You would have to get pliers to loosen his fingers from that ball. Yes, Granddad bought the football. The sales clerk put the football in a bag and Bennett had a fit. I guess he thought she was throwing it away. He started screaming "ootba...ootba." The sales clerk took it out of the bag and handed it to him. He kept a tight grip on it for the longest time.

Bass Pro.
We did look at fish at Bass Pro. Since Granddad bought Bennett something earlier he told Anna Claire he would buy her something. She immediately knew what she wanted. She named it "Snakealina" while we were driving home.

Making Brownies. As soon as Bennett saw me get the brownie mix from the cabinet he immediately started trying to drag a chair to the cabinet. Anna Claire climbed up on her chair and opened the kitchen drawer to get all the utensils. I think she's made brownies a lot. She knew exactly what to do.

I guess it was the chocolate from making brownies but both kids got pretty wild jumping off the couch.


I think the kids are on a chocolate high in this video. The reason Anna Claire has on mismatched clothes is her afternoon nap was from 3:30 - 6:30. When she woke up at 6:30 she was convinced it was morning and the sun would come out "in a minute." I could not convince her to take and bath and put on pajamas since in her mind it was morning. I did finally convince her to put on Dora pajama bottoms.

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Anna Claire is really into the questions now. These are some of her questions to me. Do you know the answers?

Anna Claire: "Ma, why do some leaves fall off the trees but other's don't?"

Anna Claire: "Ma, why do they call the stage a set?"

Anna Claire: "Ma, do you know what is prettier than rainbows?" She answers her own question. She says "My heart for God."

Anna Claire: "Ma, why are school busses yellow?"

Anna Claire: "Ma, can you pray for my hurt hand?" She holds her hand out to me and then Bennett runs up and does the same thing. We pray that Anna Claire's hand will heal. (She was playing on the carpet and a piece of glass got in her hand. She was fine until she saw blood. She freaked out. She was screaming "My hand...my hand" Granddad took her to the bathroom, cleaned it and put a bandaid on it. Then, Bennett started crying and pointing to his perfectly fine hand and was saying "hand..hurt...hand..hurt." So, we had to clean Bennett's hand also and put a bandaid on his perfectly fine hand.)
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Bennett and his paci. I was getting dressed and I told Bennett that he isn't supposed to have his paci except for naps and bed time. I asked "Bennett, why don't you give me your paci to put in your crib for later?" He said "No" and went running to the bathroom. He stood with his face facing the wall so that I could not take his paci. Another time when I asked for it he covered his eyes so that I couldn't find him. Have I mentioned that Jessica and Brent have their hands full with him?

Bennett would make these funny sounds with his mouth. Then, very proudly, he would yell "I toot....I toot!"

I told Anna Claire that she was sleeping in the same bed her Daddy slept in when he was three-years old. She replied "Oh Ma! Daddy would sleep in a bed with flowers!" (Anna Claire's bedspread has flowers on it.)

Once Bennett put his hand up like he was going to hit me. I said "Don't even think about it." He stopped, looked at me confused, and then put his hand down. Later he walked up to Anna Claire and did the same thing. She looked at him and said "Don't even think about it Bennett." He didn't hit her. Anna Claire sure picks up on everything around her. She is very alert to what people say and do.