Rock Ball

I picked up Grant from school on Tuesday and he was super excited to show me the map of the United States and tell me all the states he had learned. So I took a picture of that. See:

Once we arrived home, Grant headed outside to play. I busied myself with the usual dinner cooking and laundry and paid no attention to what he was doing out in the front yard. I had an eye on him, though. When I called him for dinner he was chatting with our next door neighbor. She informed me she was just watching Grant play "rock ball".

Rock ball?

Yes, rock ball. Grant tends to make up things and created a game in which one throws a rock as far across the yard as possible in an attempt to hit the neighbor's drive way.

I have no idea on this game. When Grant gets bored and there are no kids on the block home to play with, he comes up with all sorts of things to do. I sometimes wonder if people think we're crazy when they drive by and see Grant fighting imaginary ninjas or zombies in the front yard.


I found ALL of these rocks in his pocket. He collects them
wherever he goes. I usually find out about them once they
hit the dryer. Makes an awful loud noise.



And, here's a random picture he brought home from
school. I just love it, but know it won't last long. Glued items
never make it very far before they fall off.

The Traveling Cowboy

Grant and I ventured south this weekend to attend Forrest's first birthday party.  We had a great time....once we actually got there. Oklahoma had some terrible weather this weekend and our flight was delayed. Which resulted in Grant and I running to our connecting flight in Dallas. We had to hop on a tram to another terminal, take escalator after escalator to  make the flight.




Watching and waiting as the storms started in OKC



Grant's first plane trip he remembers and he gets a
window seat with a view of the engine....

Did I mention I thought it would be smart to NOT check bags? And wear heels?

You can imagine the scene. I'm running with a purse, a duffel bag, Grant's backpack, Grant's hand and trying not to break an ankle with my heels. It was tough.

But, once we arrived J met us with a hugs and helpful arms to carry the debacle of items I had. He had a soccer ball waiting for Grant in the back seat and a rose for me in the front. So sweet.

We met Candy and Chuck for dinner at my most favorite restaurant in San Antonio, Alamo Cafe. We sat outside and a bunch of kids were chasing frogs in the outdoor pond. Grant had a blast, made new friends, screamed like a little girl when he was supposed to hold a frog  and enjoyed a hamburger for dinner at a MEXICAN restaurant. I give up!

The next day we slept late (very odd for us) and got ready for Forrest's birthday. And when I say got ready, I mean I went and got a manicure/pedicure while J and Grant went to the park and played soccer. J spoils us when we come and visit, as do his parents.

Grant woke up and got to feed the deer with Chuck. Their back yard is amazing and deer come every morning for breakfast.

Harvey, Grant and Chuck feeding the deer.

See. All the deer. I told you.

We had so much fun at Forrest's birthday party. There were ponies, piglets, chickens and a goat. Kids ran around and played and I got all caught up with people I hadn't seen in years.

Grant rode the brown pony several times, but the
white one was his favorite. (The brown one had pink bows
tied to it, which I think had something to do with it).

Sunday morning started leisurely. We enjoyed coffee and breakfast on the back porch, worked on a few plants and then Grant and J blew off the leaves with the giant loud blower.

We stopped by Courtney and Phil's on the way out of town and then the long, annoying, tiring day began. We arrived at the airport at "original check-in time", however we had no seats and our flight was delayed. Over and over again. Instead of leaving at 2:10, we left at 4:15. Keep in mind we arrived at the airport at 1:12.

That's 3 hours. Of waiting. And, for additional annoyance to me, the airport security people decide my 6 year old is harboring something dangerous in his backpack. They x-rayed his stick horse's head for I don't know what and then took apart his backpack, swabbed it, re-ran it through x-ray, and took out the DVD.

Then. They said thanks. You're all good.

This amped my irritability up considerably.

We continued on to our gate only for me to stand in line for an eternity to get "assigned" our seats. I got up there and the lady handed me my tickets like she knew me. She said she had been paging us for awhile....

Really? Umm, because I had been at the airport for 2.5 hours at this point and had not heard my name once. I had been texted five hundred times about the delayed flight status, though.

This is us killing time while waiting for flight 670.

We made it to Dallas only to run even faster than we did trying to get to San Antonio ( I wore different shoes this time, but still heels, you know me). We jumped on a tram and hauled you know what to the LAST gate in our terminal. I still can't believe we made it. We arrived at the gate at the exact same time the plane was to depart. It was very Hollywood.

Needless to say, the trip was great. The traveling was not. American Airlines will no longer be a part of our flying family.

The traveling cowboy.

Blue Haired Boy

Wednesday was crazy hair day at school. This year I remembered the actual night before, so we had time to plan our hair style.

This year Grant decided on Blue spikes. We ran to Walgreen's and found some temporary hair color. He looked great and was very proud of himself.

Crazy hair boy

That's Sunni on the left of Grant. They've been classmates since
they were babies.

Grant and Jacob, one of his best buds at school and his little sister Sarah

Grant has been reading like a maniac lately. He's really come along and is reading full books. Clearly he enjoys eating desert while reading....that's carrot cake in the background.

Grant read this to me the other night, cover to cover.
I used to read it to him every night when he was a baby. It was
pretty amazing to hear him read it to me. I'm a proud Momma.

Easter Bonanza

Easter came and went and I'm tired, y'all.

Tired.

As the bunny's assistant, I was a busy lady. Aiding with baskets, egg dying, cake baking, egg hunting, and candy eating.

Grant and I went to Dallas on Good Friday. We spent the entire at the afternoon at the pool (exhausting, I know) followed by dinner.

Dallas driving makes me a little  irritable





Umm, this is a long story. His new friend Tony
was teaching him a few things...Tony is a grown up. I'll
leave it at that.

 Jason had an apparent bunny visit his house as well and created a spectacular scavenger hunt. At the end of the clues Grant found his most desired present.

An umbrella. A Spider man umbrella.

I wish the bunny knew about that the night before when he swung by my house with an entire basket of games, markers, Lead Pad accessories, candy and other goodies.

 We woke up sort of early and came home. To rain. And cold. And yuck weather.

Somewhere near Purcell. Crumby weather.

I realized after a few minutes of re-organizing that I had indeed forgotten something. Important.

Like coloring Easter Eggs.

This is the part when Grant left. After coloring 6 egg, he bailed.

Hr did show up later and say he was hungry. His only choice-
Boiled eggs.

Once I *started* that project, "we" decided we should make a carrot cake as well. I'm not really sure why I thought it was a good idea to start two major messy projects at the same time. This is very out of character for me. I do NOT like stuff everywhere in the kitchen and we had stuff all over. The place. Even on the stove for space, not cooking.

Anyway, after we I finished that project it was time to get ready for Church. I had everything all laid out, ready for an easy morning of getting ready.

Right. Uh, huh. Do ya think that happened?

No.

Grant and I got into our usual argument on the amount of time it actually takes to get ready and he ended up getting everything he owns taken away from him.

All of it. I meant it. I did. He is able to read books and play in his room. For now. Until he can learn to listen....and I can learn better parenting. On occasion, I'm slightly overwhelmed.

Anyway, church was awesome and our hunts were so much fun. Nannie had a ton of eggs hidden and lots and lots of candy in each and every egg. THANKS, Nannie. Especially those golden chocolate Wonka eggs. They are so much fun to be around after your child has eaten an entire one in 3 bites. I think he's still on that sugar high....

We ended the night at Auntie Lauren and Janie's family's log cabin for a giant egg hunt. Giant. Over 300 eggs. With candy and money. And...Luke was there. Grant's Easter was complete.

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful Easter!!! We love you!

The "Chicken Place"

Grant ran into my room a few days ago and asked, "Can we go to the chicken place so I could get a pie".

"What?"

"A chicken pie. You know, the chicken place. I leery want a chicken pie".

"Okay. We can get one tomorrow after Tae Kwon Do practice"

After a few more questions I realized he wanted a chicken pot pie from Kentucky Fried Chicken. Grant's in a new phase of really absorbing what commercials are selling. I've never served him a chicken pot pie. I don't like them and have never bought one, so I though it would be fair to let him try one out.

A few months ago he ran into to tell me I had to call some long number to save animals from dying. Today. Right now. It's only pennies a day.

Thanks, Sarah McLaughlin. My child thinks I am responsible for not saving the abused animals.

Why does Cartoon Network run these ads? They should run commercials for laundry detergent, Swiffers, Windex, things that would motivate him to help keep the house clean, instead of every toy made on the planet made to look like it's the only toy any child should ever have. And then those sad, animal commercials and child sponsors (we sponsor a kiddo through World Vision, so he actually doesn't bug me about those..anymore). They even convinced him he needed a My Little Pony......

Anyway, enough of that little rant. Here's some pics, as usual, of our pot pie evening.

The "chicken pie"

Apparently, when eating a chicken pot pie, you need to
only wear underwear.

And you just leave your clothes right in the middle of the kitchen
floor because you're so excited to eat.

Post pie. How sweet is this? He fell asleep like this. My little angel.

***A note. Grant did not really like his pot pie. In fact, all he ate out of it was the chicken and peas. That's IT.       

Awesome, Grant. I love you. To the moon. And to the unfound planets, not including Pluto, as you so elequently pointed out to Mommy that it was no longer considered a planet, and back again.

Just a another fabulous weekend

This weekend was filled with minimal obligations. Grant and I took it easy and spent most of the time outside. Picnics, side walk chalking, scooter riding, Easter Egg hunting and Palm Sunday. I photographed, as usual.

One story worth noting this weekend is Grant's explanation of electricity. We were driving to go "hike" at the park and Grant asked me if I knew what those poles with the grey cords were for. I looked outside and realized he was referring to the electric poles. He told me this long story of how "electric" runs through those wires that comes from electric eels in the ocean, who actually are underground below the poles supplying them with the "electric" (I corrected him at the end of the story, now he says electricity). Quite the imagination he has. And really, if you think about it based on what he's learned thus far, it's pretty impressive critical thinking. Of course electricity comes from eels, why else would they need that kind of power?




Friday was spent eating pizza and side walk chalk drawing





Cookie decorating at the church Easter Egg Hunt



In the moon bounce....

I painted a "super hero" eye mask for him...sort of....

This was my view on Saturday at the park. Grant played and I looked
at the sky.

See. This is me looking at the sky. Doing absolutely nothing.

Grant carrying the palm on Palm Sunday

He was "embarrassed". He does NOT like being at the front of
the church for people to see him. Although he broad casted to everyone
we talked to on Sunday that he would be on TV on channel 9 at 10:00am next week...

Our view from the gazebo at the park

Grant pretended to be an army captain the entire hike.
He threw lots of grenades and told me stand down numerous times.
What? I just wanted to watch the butterflies. He wanted to capture them. Boys!