Busy Week of Grandkids!

Whew! Sorry I haven't blogged, but this week done tuckered me out.

Last Sunday we had a special birthday party to go to.  Our oldest grandson Jameson turned 10 and his little sister Whitney turned 3.  Their birthdays are only 4 days apart, so they celebrate them together. 

Our daughter Heather and soninlaw Jesse live up in Oconto, just a half mile down the road from our old house.  We tease them that they waited to buy a house just up the road until AFTER we sold ours and moved away! hahaha   

The kids had blast and all of our kids and grandkids were there, along with Grandpa Pfundtner and some family friends as well.  They recently put up a swimming pool in their yard, so the party became a swimming party for the young ones. It was hot hot hot out, but we found shade under the trees in our lawn chairs with the other older folks.  

After a fun taco bar meal, 

and present openings....

It was time for BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!

(each got their own cake)

here a little You Tube of their song: 

Whitney                                       Jameson

I have no idea where these years have gone,

has it really been TEN years since our first grandchild was born?

~~~~~~~~~

Then on Monday, we had the chance to pick up grandkids Allegra and Mason from their summer school class, as their other auntie wasn't able to make it. These are the two that belong to our son Dan and daugherinlaw Heather. Their class happened to be held at Heritage Hill State Park in Green Bay.  They were sketching wildlife flowers and learning to volunteer and do chores for the park. That place is very special to us because that is where we got married 21 years ago!  

Yes, we were married in the Moravian Church on the historic grounds complete with carriage and horses and a wonderful family ceremony, surrounded by friends and relatives. 

The kids took pics of us on the steps, and then we peeked in all the windows, as the buildings had been closed up for the day.  It was so wonderful to kiss my husband all over again, 21 years later in the same place we had said our vows. 

After that, we had a couple hours to kill before their parents were coming home from work.  Soooo we took a little stop at Kastle Karts in Green Bay.  Mason was not old enough to drive alone, but he could ride along.  Allegra was able to drive, but preferred to let Grandpa drive her.  So Mason and I paired up in another cart. It was sure fun!  We weren't allowed to take a cell phone on the ride, so the workers snapped this pic for us before we took off. 

After that we went over to Bay Beach... It's a city owned amusement park with only 25 cent tickets for the rides!  Some rides take one ticket, some two, some three.  It was fun and we rode for a couple hours on only $10.  I made a video for them of the day.....

We finished off that visit with a stop at A and W for supper.... (we rarely do fast food) but brought them home all fed and full of sugar... there were FREE root beer floats on that day as well!  

~~~~~~~~~~

Then this weekend we just had the littlest grandkid, Claire, for an overnight.  Her parents, our oldest daughter Erin and soninlaw Waylen, went to a concert in Alpine Valley (country music.. ick!)  and we got to keep the wee one, not quite 2 years old yet.  She is such a quiet, inquisitive and gentle little girl.  Here she is playing with my blown glass paperweights.  I allow the grandkids to play with them because although they are glass, they are pretty much unbreakable. Unless they drop one on the foot.. ouch!  But they love the idea of getting to touch and handle GLASS.

She played and played so well with the toys and explored the toy closet now that she is old enough to play with the "big kid toys".  Last time she was here, we only took out the "baby toys" ... she sure is growing up fast too.

It was miserably hot outside, but we did manage a walk around the block with her pulled in the little red wagon by her Grandpa.  I followed with Finney and Binney on leash.  Only one block and we were tuckered out.  This heat and humidity are just too much this summer in Wisconsin.  Our central air is running nonstop to keep the house cool.

But that little stinker wasn't worn out yet... so we let her play in the Big Backyard for a while, fetching frisbee and playing ball.  Here is a cute you tube of her antics:

What fun! 

When I got her in the bathtub, she was slowing down --- and by 8 p.m. she was out like a light!  She even slept in this morning until 7:30 a.m.!  That is amazing, because she usually wakes up between 5 and 6 am.

We played around the house until her parents came to pick her up on their way home from Alpine Valley.  She was a sweetie and even helped to pick up all of her toys! Imagine that!

After hugs and waves, they headed on home, and now Steve and I had a shift to do at the Calumet County Historical Museum.  We volunteer there for Sunday during open hours from 1-4 and we also help with maintenance and serve on the board as well.  It was a hot hot humid icky afternoon again.  

http://www.calumetcountyhistoricalsociety.org/

I am glad we took along a fan and cooler of ice water, we sure needed it.  But even on a hot miserable day, we had 9 visitors. The buildings are not air conditioned and unless there is a breeze, *which there wasn't a lick of wind*  we do the best that we can.

It is a wonderful place with a collection of locally owned and cherished items... with as much provenance and stories attached as possible.  We love the people who come in and tell even more stories about things that their families did or items they owned as well. It is a fun task to help out, and we learn more and more each time we help out.

I was honestly happy to see 4pm roll around so we could lock up and stow the flag and take down the signs.  I had tossed a pork roast with sauerkraut in the slow cooker before we left, so supper was ready when we got home.  We are now spending the evening sitting on our butts in the livingroom, watching How The West Was Won and being two total slugs! 

I promise to write about PART THREE of It All Started with a Facebook Marketplace Ad....  I just haven't gotten around to it yet.  But it deals with some interesting light fixtures added to Our Old House. 

Gonna meet a fellow RV Blogger tomorrow

Looking forward to meeting with a fellow RV blogger tomorrow. It's GYPSY!   (actually Martha) from http://gypsy97.blogspot.com   I have been following her blog for years.  Admiring her get up an go power.. maneuvering a big fifth wheel and pickup truck, then later a pickup camper.  Now she did a hop skip and jump across the United States to visit with family in her SUV with her dog, Lady.  On her way back, she is going to stop by here and visit with us on Friday! 

Otherwise, news update on the home selling front.... 

We are doing the two required state tests: our well water and having our septic/mound system inspected.   The septic inspection was done yesterday and passed with flying  colors (we knew it would)   and I send off the sanitized bottle of well water sample to the lab next Monday.  They want it sent on a Monday to prevent it getting "stale" if setting in a post office all weekend.  That should come back just fine too, as nobody in our area ever had well water troubles of any kind. 

The kids are coming on Saturday and we are going to start loading up the smaller things that they are taking home with them... then as we get closer to the DDD-Day  (Delicious Delightful De-Mortgaging Day.... is that a word?)    the kids will load up all the larger things that are going out the door too.  

In the meantime, I am sorting and packing up yarns.. cones... balls... skeins... and wool roving waiting to be spun into yarn~   I am making packages and clearly marking each one as to it's contents.  Then when stashed at our kids houses, I know what I have squirreled away where when I want it. 

I have a few rugs that need to be woven over the next few weeks, and then I can dismantle the last rug loom for stowing away.  The table loom rides right in the livingroom of the motorhome, or can sit out under our awning when camped somewhere, and be stashed into the back of our toad for easy storage too.  My spinning wheel and sock machine are always in the closet of the motorhome.

Next step is that we rented a P.O. Box in Oconto.  Soon I will start changing over all our mail and billing addresses and accounts to the P.O address.  Most of our bill-paying is done on line, but things like vehicle registrations and insurance renewals will come in the regular mail.  Erin will check our mail box once a week while we are on the road, and she can open anything that looks important or scan it in for us... and the last resort is to actually mail it to us wherever we are at c/o General Delivery so we can pick up. 

Sunday or early next week sometime my parents are coming down from Michigan.  Lowell (my step dad but we don't use the word "step" in my family) is going to do some body work to our Tracker!   He loves to piddle with that stuff, and I will take lots of pics as he does the job.  It has some rusted spots around the wheel wells that could be filling in and touched up.  I ordered the matching paint already from Carquest.  Did you know they can put auto paint they mix into spray cans?   And make primer paint to match the car too?   And of course I ordered a can of clear coat for topping it off.  Should be fun to see him do his "thing" 

That will give me and Mom a few days to catch up, do crafts, go shopping or just hang out and be together.  They have been down in Florida all winter, and just came back up to Michigan in their RV for the summer. 

As you blog readers know, last weekend we took our motorhome up north for a wedding.  It was very comfortable to have the rig nearby for our family to come and hang out in between the meal and the dancing.  Plus, we kept the three grandkids overnight so their parents (and Steve) could party well into the night.  I was the Chief Babysitter in Charge. .. Like I really minded that, eh? 

Here are some pics from the kids in the motorhome and how cozy and comfortable it was.  At one point we had 9 people and 2 dogs inside to hang out in our Rolling Home! 

Jameson in my co-pilot seat                 Chelsea in Granfaddah's recliner

 Clayton (only 2 months old )          Jameson and Chelsea playing with my Tablet

Everyone hanging out in our motorhome! 

Chelsea getting the giggles with her Auntie Heather     

Jameson taking care of his face without a washcloth while Great Grandma Rita watches

 Me and my Mom... sharing my grandtots! 

Portable cribs are fantastic for RV's  -  Just ask Clayton!

(I made that quilt 30 years ago before Erin was born and now her children are using it) 

The next morning after we put away the blowup queen mattress, both Jameson and Chelsea were enjoying their treat of those little snack size cereal boxes!  That has become a tradition for us to stock up with them for the grandtots sleep over.

They love playing with the flash cards and alphabet games on my Galaxy Tablet, while they ate their breakfast fruit from Granmuddah.  See?  I don't give them ALL suger all of the time, do I ???

Granfaddah Pfun took the two off for a nice long walk around the fair grounds, and to wear them out a bit before their parents came to pick them up.  They are both looking tired and each needed another nap on the long ride home again (120-150 miles for them)

So our rolling home will be more than adequate for visits from grandtots over the upcoming years.  We are soooo looking forward to living in our motorhome full-time.  It's just a matter of 2 months or so and we will be starting our dream!   It will be a bit before Steve can retire, (May 2013) but we have some vacation time coming up and long weekends too.  

RVing in our BIG Backyard is coming TRUE! 

.

Can You Tell Me How To Get.. How To Get To Sesame Street?

Oh my, what a busy weekend we had!

Our son Dan turns 29 on the 8th and he wanted to have a party at his house on Saturday... so Granmuddah and Granfaddah to the rescue to babysit little Allegra so the grown-ups could party!   (like they REALLY had to twist our arm and beg, huh?)

Saturday afternoon this Granmuddah hopped in the car while Granfaddah decided to stay home and hold down the fort.  He cleaned windows, cut the lawn, moved some furniture and put the ladder up to the 18 ft tall cathedral ceiling and washed the ceiling fan fins and all the light fixture glass at the same time!  My oh my, he was busy.  But I got to PLAY!

I picked up Allegra at her house, and then headed over to join up with daugthers Erin and Heather, and son-in-law Jesse, and our other two grandkiddos Chelsea and Jameson!

We went out for a nice dinner at Fazolis restaurant (kinda fast food italian with lots of FREE breadsticks!)   We had a nice quiet part of the restaurant, and we had a wonderful time.

I am quite proud to say all three of our grandchildren are well-behaved and comfortable with sitting quietly in a sit-down restaurant and know how to act.  No wild hollering, food-throwing, whiny brats for us!  I HATE that in a restaurant, or anywhere else, where people can not control their children.  It's not the child's fault, it's the parents fault for never teaching them how to act accordingly or how to have a simple meal out without it becoming a disaster.   From baby on, we have taken our children to nice places and sit-down meals without a problem.   And if my child WERE to even think of trying to act up, OUT the door we go for a stern talking to in the parking lot and return with a whole new attitude.

Our three grandkids were happily coloring until the food arrived, and with a ratio of four adults to three kids, we had a nice conversation with all of them.

I am so glad to see our grown children are implementing the same expectations on their children when out in public.  It makes life most pleasant, to enjoy the company of the grandkiddos and have a nice dining experience with them.

Off the soapbox, on to the next event.

We piled back into the cars, snapping all the wee ones in their respective car seats and drove over to the Brown County Arena.  We were looking for ELMO!!!   He was supposed to be singing songs at a Sesame Street Live production.   The kids had NO idea what was up, and when we got in the foyer, there was a little Elmo in a plastic case on display.  They were just happy seeing THAT and wanting to keep pressing the buttons to make him sing.  LOL  ...

Okay, NOW what should we do?   haha!  We handed over the tickets (ouch, they were $20 each for the prepaid seats ordered online in advance a few weeks ago)  and found our way to our seats.  The kids had NO idea what was coming next.  

Auntie Heather had brought along some glowinthedark items from the dollar store, thus eliminating the whining cries from our kids for the high priced items from the vendors wandering up and down the aisles.  She even had extra ones she gave to some of the kids seated around us too.    The kids were happily playing and looking around and not sure what was next.   

Well...   the voice of Big Bird came over the loudspeaker... telling us the show was ready to start and we told our wee ones that ELMO was coming on the stage.. to look over there and the music started.  I was video taping our grandkids and it was just amazing.  I was aiming at their little faces as the curtains opened and all these kids were screaming like teenagers at a rock concert!!!  Ours chimed right in-----  "ELMO! ELMO! ELMO!"     It was HILARIOUS!!!     The show started and our kids were transported to a wonderful land of Sesame Street=====

All of their heroes were there!  Ernie and Bert, Elmo, Big Bird and the whole gang.  

The kids screamed in delight as each of their favorites took over the stage.  

It was a rock star concert for the Toddler Set! 

And I think we grownups enjoyed the show as much as the kiddos did. 

Right before intermission, we managed to complete diaper changes one at a time, as the bathrooms were nearby.  So we avoided the hustle and rush and long lines at the bathroom that would take place in a few minutes.  

At intermission, Erin was thinking ahead again and had smuggled three stuffed Elmo toys along in the diaper bags, compared to the high priced ones being hawked by the vendors.  She bought them for $5 each in advance at one of her stores.  She manages a large district of Family Dollar stores in the NE Wisconsin area.  She is One Smart Cookie!   I also brought them each a little Sesame Street popup book to read and keep as a treat to remember this night.  Allegra was in love with the big boy in front of us, and kept flirting with him.  She would tap him with her glowinthedark magic wand to get his attention!  My oh my, don't these girls start early chasing boys?!

Erin bought some buckets of popcorn and a big cotton candy to share among the kiddos.  I think Chelsea ate half of a box all on her own!  Their own sippee cups were brought along, saving our ears from having the little ones begging for a drink when the only thing that was available was soda at the venue.   They don't get soda, so we were glad we had along juice and water. 

The second half of the show started, and the kids were transfixed by the light show, and at times the lights made little stars all over the domed ceiling of the arena.  I think Jameson liked the lights the most.  We rotated kids on our laps from time to time, so nobody got too bored sitting on one lap all the while.  Jameson clung to his daddy most of the time, and I think his daddy loved the show as much as his little boy did!   

It was an hour and half show, with a grand finale of all the characters. Complete with fireworks that shot out streamers and confetti over the audience.  What fun!!!   But soon it was over.   Not too long to bore the kids, and not too short, so we got our money's worth.   Yes, we found the way to Sesame Street! 

All three kids were fast asleep before we got to Heather and Jesse's nearby apartment...  I think we wore them out!   We split up and re-sorted toys and diaper bags and books and sippee cups.  Now it was a 40 mile drive back home through a lot of construction for me, in the dark.  I hate driving at night, my eyes hurt when oncoming lights come on and then pass by, then I have to almost squeeze them to make them feel better again.  I don't drive at night often at all, but this was for a special purpose, so I put up with it.  Once we get beyond the major highway, it gets better as I get more rural.  I had Precious Cargo along (Allegra)  who was fast asleep....

Granfaddah came out to the car when we got home, and carried the sleeping tot up to bed.  A quick diaper change and pajamas on a sleepy rag doll and she was out in an instant.  Too funny! 

She woke up about 2 a.m. and crying, so I popped her in bed with us.  She is a very active sleeper, and kept tossing and flopping and flipping all over us.  We have a king sized bed, but even that was not enough room for her and us!  haha....  about 4 am she flung her arm wide so fast and hard in her sleep, and whapped Granfaddah right in the nose!   I don't think we slept more than 10 minutes at a time before the little flip-flopper was waking us up again. 

But wowowowwww was she up early!  at 6:30 by the natural clock, which was 5:30 on the real clocks due to the time change.  Up and at em!   Raring to go and play play play with the toys and the dogs and whatever else she could find to play with!   We finally had to put Duchess out on the deck to get them to slow down a bit!   Even Elmo got to ride on Duchess's back. 

Once she wore out both doggies, poor Duke was exhausted and laying on the couch.  The little stinker was thrilled to have Duke wear her socks on his nose!   Then Granfaddah convinced her to put them back on her feet again.  What a little goofy girl....  

I popped her in a bubble bath for a while, mainly to contain her to one spot!  She played and splashed and swam like a fishie in our big tub, and Granfaddah got in a nap on the couch.  I was on duty, so no nap for me!  

Ahhhh, the little one was going strong till noon.  I worked on making DVD's for each grandchild from my videotaping before, during and after the concert, and created a slideshow of pics for them too.  Once I got all three copies burned onto DVD's, we loaded up the little gal and hauled her back to Green Bay to her Mommy and a hung-over Daddy.  LOL   Then we went home and took naps ourselves before the Packer game came on tv at 3:15.

We hope she played her DVD over and over again and snuggled up with her tired out Daddy... singing:

"Come and play.... 

everything's AAAA okay...

 friendly neighbors there.... 

that's where we meet... 

can you tell me how to get... 

how to get to Sesame Street?"