A few more pictures ...

The Jones kiddos were here for just a few brief hours this morning. We have a couple more photos to show you ... with just a very few comments.

Nia and I enjoying a cuddle and a good story book.
Nathan putting ALL of the engines
"nighty-night" in the round house ...

Grandpa Jones got to entertain Nia
with our many finger puppets.
She likes to try each of them on her tiny fingers.

Mmmm ... love those springtime Oreo's!

Lottie's tummy was feeling better today
so we saw lots of pretty smiles from her ...

Nathan STILL hates our train clock ...
he's asking if we can make it stop that noise!

"Big ball. Little ball.
Big ball. Little ball," said Nathan
showing us how this ball collapses and expands.

We had hoped to see these little ones again in about two weeks at their apartment in San Antonio, but Rachel is uncertain of their scheduled trip back to Texas at this point in time. Well, we can hope at least! :)

the joy of packing ...

Three days from now we leave for our spring Texas trip. I've actually been kind of packing for ... weeks! I've been throwing things into one of the spare rooms ... things I mustn't forget to bring with me!
It's all quite a mess right now ... but it's starting to come together. I have a "toy and game bag" all packed and ready to go complete with Checkers, puzzles, and various other favorite games from our stockpile around this house. I have a "book bag" almost completely packed, with our most favorite-loved children's books (lots and lots of piggy stories, our favorite children's Bible storybook, Frog and Toad, etc.). And I have an "art bag" full to the brim with stickers, crayons, water-color paints and brushes, coloring books, construction and other assorted paper, markers, stencils, ink and stampers, punches ... and you name it!

Lots and lots of warm weather clothing is ready to be folded into my suitcase ... but I have to include a little of everything for every kind of temperature we may possibly encounter ... for just because it might possibly be "spring" in Texas, and even though the spring equinox will occur while we are away, we will most assuredly are traveling north to Minnesota before coming home to Michigan and ... who knows ... more winter?

This crate is full to the brim with new cans of playdough and nice toys that go with it. When I had talked to Christopher on the phone a little over a week ago, I asked what he would like me to bring with me to El Paso ~ and without hesitation he requested "ALL of your playdough toys."

I love packing for a long trip. I'm finding that I'm just a bit obsessive/compulsive ... I like all of my ducks in a row I guess; but more than that, is the joy of anticipation of reunion with folks we love and miss so much. Back to packing ...

"Great" Granny ... he can't possibly mean ME!

Rachel and the kiddos came over for a little play time today. Rachel said that she thought she heard Nathan refer to me as "Great-Granny" a few times over at her folks' house. No, no, no. Great-grandmothers have white hair and are old, Nathan! Last year there was a time when Nathan referred to me as "old granny" but that is a long story ... and I did forgive him!

Nathan and I went "down, down, down" to the basement to play cars. Nathan wanted lots of tunnels built ~ "big" ones for the trucks and "fat" tunnels for the school bus ...

We made lots of block tunnels and Nathan was very pleased ...

But Boo was lonely, so we gathered all of the bear friends to the couch to keep him company. I pointed out to Nathan that we had a Mother Bear. Was Boo the Daddy bear?

Nathan: "No. Boo is not the daddy. Boo is the baby."

Nathan, looking at the poster on our basement wall: "That's me kissing Karis."

Me: "Yes, I can see that Nathan."

Nathan: "I will kiss Karis again, Great-Granny, and I will hug her too."

Me: (To myself ... "Yikes! Did he just call me Great-Granny??!!")

Grandpa Jones enjoyed Princess Lottie ...

... who had quite a gassy tummy today and felt somewhat miserable ...

Rachel decorated Queenie Nia with our little bells. She liked this very much. We could hear her jingling as she walked all over the house.

Nathan and I built a "block train" which Rachel had to tell me meant putting all of the blocks in a nice, neat row ... one after the other. We also built a "circle house" out of the ABC blocks.

Nathan, after turning the switch on the lighthouse: "Look. Look! Christmas lights, Great-Granny. This has Christmas lights!"

Me: ("Great-Granny?!!" I'm going to have to have a talk with this boy ... !)

Grandpa Jones taunted me mercilessly about my new granny name after the kiddos left; but then put his own spin on the Great-Granny designation ~ perhaps Nathan means I am a "super" granny ... as in "really good" ... not an old decrepit grandma. Well, I can pretend this is what he means if it helps me feel better! :)

such a nice time ...

Grandpa Jones and I took over 100 pictures while we played today with Rachel and the grandchildren. It was tough to narrow it down to just 14 to show you ... but I've finally managed to do it!
There are times when I find it somewhat overwhelming to be with three very small children ... but today, happily, there was one adult for each little one ~ and we had such a nice time!

It's really really easy to connect with Nathan. He's interested in most everything that is going on and he has such a very engaging personality. We like each other!

Nathan and I were playing a little game with my camera. He would choose a toy, pose with it, and wait to see the result. "Ohhh ..." "Nice!" "Awww ..." he would say as I showed him each picture.

Nathan and I paired up for most of our playtime. Nia was pretty intent on NOT leaving Rachel's side. And you know who Grandpa Jones was buddies with! Nathan and I went all over the house examining each room for interesting objects. He really liked the music boxes in the living room. He tried his hand at the piano ... future maestro ... doesn't he look like he is actually reading and making beautiful music?

Nia is 18 months. Grandpa Jones says I can't call her a baby anymore because she is a big sister. NONSENSE! Look at those chubby cheeks and that precious little face ... she is still a baby!

Nia was really happy to be in any room Rachel was. She has the cutest giggle!

Baby Lottie enjoyed Grandpa Jones's company very much. He gave her a bottle and she took a little nap.

After our lunch, I showed Nathan the present I bought Grandpa Jones for Christmas. This Train Book is so much fun. Nathan really enjoyed winding up the little train and watching it zoom around the tracks.

Lottie got to be with her mom while Nia was eating lunch. Nia tolerated this because she really enjoys eating ... and Rachel was in plain view!

"Grandparents somehow sprinkle a sense of stardust

over grandchilren."

Alex Haley

Hey, Lottie!

Talk about surprises! Grandpa Jones and I were hanging around the house this afternoon when we looked outside to see a van drive into the driveway and a young lady get out, pick up a baby, and then proceed to walk up our walkway ...

I thought certainly she must have the wrong house! I wasn't wearing my glasses ... so I didn't even SEE that it was our Rachel and our newest and not-yet-met granddaughter! When Grandpa Jones announced who they were ... I thought he was kidding me!

Look at Grandpa Jones do his "magic" with this precious little bundle! They laughed, and talked, and acted like they had known each other ... forever! Babies absolutely love him. I think it's because his body is SO warm ... plus, he just really gets a bang out of newborns in general; extra specially so if they are his grandchild!

Here's the story ~ Rachel and the three kiddos left San Antonio very late Monday evening and drove straight through, with just little tiny breaks, and arrived here in Grand Rapids at about midnight Tuesday. Wow. That's a really really really LONG drive. They plan to stay in town for about two weeks! Nick is busy training for his new managerial job at Chili's, so Rachel came solo!

Nia and Nathan were resting at the McNeil's this afternoon when Rachel and Lottie came over here. We're going to see all of them Saturday and have a playtime together. It was so nice to finally meet Lottie Caroline today!

We celebrate Nana's birthday ...

It was Nana's birthday Sunday, but we didn't get together to celebrate it until last night. We didn't throw a party for her or anything ... she would not have liked that.
My sister and her husband (Ruthanne and Terry) drove over from Detroit yesterday afternoon and mom's Roy took all of us out to dinner. He's such a sweet man.

I had intended to take a bunch of nice pictures of everyone together, and I had taken these few photos and a couple more that really really did not turn out of anyone (so I've decided NOT to share them) ... and then I just gave up! None of us really were in the mood to pose for pictures anyway, and since we rarely see each other and wanted to talk, I put my camera away!

We had a really nice time together yesterday. Nana doesn't like to be fussed over about her birthday, and birthdays are not her favorite thing, but she certainly had a pile of beautiful cards from friends and family ... and Roy fusses over her no matter what! Happy birthday, Mom!