4x4

Friday evening Grant and I went to Nene and Mike's for Thanksgiving celebration. All the kids were there and they had a ball.

Grant and Connor on the 4x4

Bryan. You're welcome for posting this online.



Auntie Jessica and Connor



Grant, Nathan and Edie Jane (You're also welcome Nathan for posting
this one online)

And finally, the best part of all, the video of Grant and Connor on the 4x4.

Turkey Patrol

Grant was with his Dad most of Thanksgiving, but I got him back that evening and we spent time with Jane and Auntie Lauren. Grant dressed for the occasion in a cowboy hat, fireman boots and two guns. He waited and waited for his sidekick, Luke, to come play. And play they did. I hardly even saw him the entire evening, as they were "getting the bad guys in the back yard". Luckily Grant remembered to bring an extra set of guns, so Luke was fully armed as well.

Waiting for Luke. He shot all cars that passed by
 and then saluted them.

Of course we put up our annual tree on Friday. We went to Lowe's and Grant picked one out. Yes. I get a real tree. I love the smell. And, for you "green people", I plant one every year too. So there.

Faker, Leery

Grant's school called me on Monday and informed me he was complaining of a very bad earache. Hmmm. So I called our doctor and got a late afternoon appointment. My instinct was telling me he wasn't sick. I called later on and apparently he had a *miraculous* recovery. I kept the appointment anyway, as I wanted to follow up with any illness, as Thanksgiving is soon.

I picked up Grant from school and he was playing.

Playing. With a crown on. When he saw me he smiled and ran over, excited to tell me about his books that arrived. I looked at him and said "You do NOT look sick to me".

He grinned and said, "but Mommy, it leery did hurt this morning".

His teachers were cracking up while this conversation took place.

I was not.

We went to Doc Thompson's and he checked out Grant. He had did have a little temp, but ears checked out fine.  I suppose I should just be grateful that he is healthy, but I was a little put out with his "faking".

He still maintains it leery did hurt and he was NOT lying.

Patinetly waiting for the doctor reading the his new
"Lego Ninjago"

Not sick Photo

The Heart Says It All

Last night Grant had his favorite, CHEESE PIZZA, for dinner. He called me into see his plate when he was finished. Usually this part of the routine is where we start to have a disagreement on what it actually means to be finished with our meal. Grant is not known for being a good eater. Sometimes we'll sit there forever until he's eaten enough just to sustain him.

Last night he surprised me by not only eating his salad, but his entire pizza as well. He was very creative with his leftover crusts.

He made a heart and said, "Mommy, I love you!"

I love you too, sweet little boy

She's Ninety!

A few weeks ago we celebrated Juanita's 90th Birthday! How I forgot to post such a special occasion is beyond me. We are so lucky  to continue to have her in our lives. Words cannot express the wonderful impact she's had on my life and my family's, friends and acquaintances along the way. I've never met one person who didn't instantly just love her.  Happy Birthday to "My Nita"!

Of course Grant has to be a ham. And, Juanita would kill
me for posting this because she doesn't have her hair
colored or a wig on.

Here's her favorite Chapter from the Bible, which sums up her up life's journey perfectly:

Psalm 71

 ¹ In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
   let me never be put to shame.
² In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
   turn your ear to me and save me.
³ Be my rock of refuge,
   to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
   for you are my rock and my fortress.
⁴ Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
   from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

 ⁵ For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD,
   my confidence since my youth.
⁶ From birth I have relied on you;
   you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
   I will ever praise you.
⁷ I have become a sign to many;
   you are my strong refuge.
⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise,
   declaring your splendor all day long.

 ⁹ Do not cast me away when I am old;
   do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
¹⁰ For my enemies speak against me;
   those who wait to kill me conspire together.
¹¹ They say, “God has forsaken him;
   pursue him and seize him,
   for no one will rescue him.”
¹² Do not be far from me, my God;
   come quickly, God, to help me.
¹³ May my accusers perish in shame;
   may those who want to harm me
   be covered with scorn and disgrace.

 ¹⁴ As for me, I will always have hope;
   I will praise you more and more.

 ¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
   of your saving acts all day long—
   though I know not how to relate them all.
¹⁶ I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
   I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
¹⁷ Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
¹⁸ Even when I am old and gray,
   do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
   your mighty acts to all who are to come.

 ¹⁹ Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
   you who have done great things.
   Who is like you, God?
²⁰ Though you have made me see troubles,
   many and bitter,
   you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
   you will again bring me up.
²¹ You will increase my honor
   and comfort me once more.

 ²² I will praise you with the harp
   for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
   Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will shout for joy
   when I sing praise to you—
   I whom you have delivered.
²⁴ My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
   all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
   have been put to shame and confusion.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.....

Go.....

Grant chose his outfit from head to toe for
the Christmas pictures at school.



Flu Shot

I took Grant to get his flu shot yesterday. He did great. Just one little peep and it was over.

In the waiting room, pre shot

After the shot. we stopped by Sonic and got him

a "PINK" milkshake

This is what Grant decided he'd wear for pajamas
last night. He did it "all by himself".

Injury, Again

I picked up Grant yesterday and once again was handed and "incident report".  This was the second one this week. Grant was playing tag and tagged his sweet little cheek bone into Reagan's head. Poor guy. As usual, he wasn't phased.

The newest event in our household was Grant completing his bath all by himself. He insisted he wanted to surprise me. He washed his own hair and body (questionable) and put on his pj's. He ran into the living room  and SURPRISED me and said he wanted to make his Mommy proud.

I watched him with intent yesterday, as he was telling me all about his new Lego guys. He's become such a sweet little boy. So imaginative and smart. He picks up on everything. As my Dad would say and has said since he was a little baby, he's very intuitive. I had one of those moments yesterday as a parent where you look at your child and feel overwhelmed with the love you have for them.  I'm so thankful to be Grant's Mommy.

I couldn't love anyone more.

Football, Earthquakes, and Shoe Tying

What a Saturday. We woke up and got ready to go to the Science Museum and Grant decided to show me he could really really tie his own shoes now.

Shoe tying action shot

Ta Da!

The Science Museum was fun. Grant ran into a friend from school and we went into the Earthquake exhibit.

Teeter Totter with Halston

Grant was practicing dialing 911 at the Museum

Who knew just a few hours later we would feel our very own quake. Talk about a strange feeling. Grant slept through it.

I had just finished having my nerves totally worked over by the OSU Kansas State game and was frazzled. Suddenly it felt like a jet plane was landing on my house. A loud rumbling sound followed. Everything began to shake.

What did I do, you ask?

Nothing. I laid in bed like a ding dong and reviewed every movie I had seen to determine what exactly I should do. Of course the movie, "Knocked Up" was the last movie I saw and they all ran outside. By the time I decided that's probably what I should do, it was over.

That's right, everyone. A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hits and Ashley lays in bed and mentally reviews movie scenes.

Long Day

Grant had his final allergy tests yesterday. I was instructed to bring our EPI pen in case he has a massive reaction. Wow. That's encouraging. After FOUR very long hours, Grant passed and off we went.

To the parking lot.

Where I had a very low tire. So, we took the car in to have it looked at and maintained.

There was a nail in one tire and surprise, another tire had slices in the side wall and was about to completely fall apart. And more good news, it wasn't covered under warranty.

Excellent. We waited another TWO hours getting that fixed.

On the way home, Grant decided he definitely wanted his hair cut, today, so we had to find something open.

We did. And we waited. For ONE more hour to get a hair cut.

Have you added up all the BOLD numbers? I will help. We spent SEVEN hours of our day waiting.

I am not a good waiter. Sitting around and doing nothing drives me crazy. And, I found out, it also drives my sweet little son crazy. We spiced it up on hour three at the allergist and had dance party USA in our exam room. A little Michael Jackson and Grant's favorite song right now, "Pumped Up Kicks".

http://youtu.be/SDTZ7iX4vTQ

He did a little break dancing and spinning.

Hour ONE of waiting at doctor's,
eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Batman and Batman came with us

Finally, a haircut. He's thrilled.

Lessons

I attempted to get Grant to eat green bean casserole (for the 10th time) and thought maybe if he made it, he'd eat it. I even added green food coloring to it to make it more appealing. I even changed the name to Monster Casserole.

I guess you always need a weapon in case the bad guys
ambush you while cooking.

 

He still did not eat the casserole. I guess I'll give up now.

Later that afternoon Grant was talking with someone from our front door. I assumed it was one of the kids on our block. After a minute I asked who he was talking to.

It was a "stranger" going through our neighbors big junk trash pile. This "stranger" had asked if Grant would watch some boxes he set aside so he could pick them up later. Of course, Grant politely agreed.

What?  

We had a little discussion about stranger danger and appropriate behaviour. He wasn't getting the message, so I helped him understand.

Halloween

Monday was our annual trick or treat venture with the neighbors. This year we had a pot luck dinner and everyone came over before we ventured out. The kids were great and I'm so very glad to be in such a wonderful neighborhood filled with so many kind and fun people.

Grant decided last minute to be a Ninja, like Jack and Matt. Our neighbor Mike was kind enough to put some Ninja make up on Grant.  Grant added a cape last minute, apparently making him a flying Ninja.

Grant wasn't feeling "photogenic". I couldn't get him to cooperate.

Back at home looking through the loot.