On Wednesday of this week, my daughter Leanna and her children, Maddie and Xavier will be coming for a visit. I am so excited, I can hardly contain myself.
When one of your children leaves the nest, it's not such a bad thing; but when their new nest is 1,500 miles away, it makes their return (even for a visit) that much more special.
I missed a lot of the "firsts" with these particular grandchildren and I can never get them back. What I can do though, is make some memories when I am with them. I have some plans of things I want to do with them over the next couple of weeks. I don't know if we will get them all in, but I'm going to try my darndest. It probably doesn't hurt that since I'm unemployed I will have more time to spend with them.
Even as an adult I get excited for events to happen. As a child, I always looked forward to going to Excelsior Amusement Park for the annual picnic for the company where my aunts worked. going to the lake each weekend with my grandparents was always exciting as well. When I travel, I can't hardly sleep the night before leaving for vacation, the national bowling tournament or just time away with Bruce. Now, it is counting down the days until Leanna's arrival. I don't think I will ever grow up.
Having the excitement build waiting for your child to return to the nest (even for a visit) is a wonderful feeling. I probably won't sleep much over the next couple of days but I will be keeping the daytime hours busy as I clean up the house and get ready for their arrival.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
A DAY TO MYSELF
Do you ever have one of those days when you don't feel like doing a darn thing except take some time for yourself? I had one of those today. After making breakfast for Bruce, I called Jenny to see if she and the kids wanted to go to the waterpark with me. She said she had better clean the house if John was coming home for a visit. I was sad but at the same time I thought to myself it would be a good thing just to go by myself.
I did decide I needed to accomplish one thing, finish stuffing envelopes for mailing on Monday. I did that in record time and then planned my escape. On went the bathing suit and coverup. I threw a book, sunscreen, noseplugs, brush, drivers license, and money into my bag. Put together some snacks and put bottled water in a smaller cooler. Grabbed my keys and towels, kissed Bruce goodbye and I was outta here!
The park opens at 11 AM and there is usually a long line to get in; and, if you aren't there early enough, you don't get a chair. I was third in line. In fact there wasn't even a line right at 11 AM. it was pretty quiet. I chalked it up to all the others being good Christians and attending church (which I usually don't do in the summer). Anyway, I was able to walk over to the new area of the park where they have built two new slides and a lazy river. I got a chair next to the light pole. Why is that significant? I use the pole to hang unto when I get up from the chair. The hips get below the knees and I'm in trouble.
After settling my things, removing my cover up and putting on sunscreen, I headed to the mouth of the lazy river. The lifeguard who helps you get started held the tube for me as I jumped on. Then he pushed me into the current and away I went. There was no one else in the river. What a joy!
After going around several times (I lost track of how many), the guard at the exit asked if I was getting out, Nope I said, I'm going to just keep going around if that's okay with you. And on I went. Again, I lost track of how many times I went around and every time managing not to have the bucket drop its' full force of water on me. I went to my chair and decided to read for a while, I took a short nap, then decided to head to the regular pool. It was still pretty empty so I was able to do a couple of laps back and forth, rested and then did it again. I talked to a mom who had older kids there and I told her how much I enjoyed not having to be responsible for any children today. She agreed to the point of hers being old enough to manage on their own.
Then it was back to the chair. A snack, a little reading, back to the water. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The next thing I know, it's 3 PM. I better get me home so I can now be responsible again and get my mom's groceries she's been waiting for. So, I pack up and watch to see which vulture is waiting to swoop up my chair because now it has gotten just a bit more crowded and I'm glad I'm heading home.
Don't let any one kid you about having a day to yourself. To do the one thing you enjoy most. Just a few hours to yourself. I've been missing being by the water. With our boat gone and not going to the lake for vacation anymore, having just those few hours by the pool made a world of difference. That's not to say I won't be going there again, especially if the weather cooperates. You see, I'm going to have a lot of days to myself as I am now unemployed.
I did decide I needed to accomplish one thing, finish stuffing envelopes for mailing on Monday. I did that in record time and then planned my escape. On went the bathing suit and coverup. I threw a book, sunscreen, noseplugs, brush, drivers license, and money into my bag. Put together some snacks and put bottled water in a smaller cooler. Grabbed my keys and towels, kissed Bruce goodbye and I was outta here!
The park opens at 11 AM and there is usually a long line to get in; and, if you aren't there early enough, you don't get a chair. I was third in line. In fact there wasn't even a line right at 11 AM. it was pretty quiet. I chalked it up to all the others being good Christians and attending church (which I usually don't do in the summer). Anyway, I was able to walk over to the new area of the park where they have built two new slides and a lazy river. I got a chair next to the light pole. Why is that significant? I use the pole to hang unto when I get up from the chair. The hips get below the knees and I'm in trouble.
After settling my things, removing my cover up and putting on sunscreen, I headed to the mouth of the lazy river. The lifeguard who helps you get started held the tube for me as I jumped on. Then he pushed me into the current and away I went. There was no one else in the river. What a joy!
After going around several times (I lost track of how many), the guard at the exit asked if I was getting out, Nope I said, I'm going to just keep going around if that's okay with you. And on I went. Again, I lost track of how many times I went around and every time managing not to have the bucket drop its' full force of water on me. I went to my chair and decided to read for a while, I took a short nap, then decided to head to the regular pool. It was still pretty empty so I was able to do a couple of laps back and forth, rested and then did it again. I talked to a mom who had older kids there and I told her how much I enjoyed not having to be responsible for any children today. She agreed to the point of hers being old enough to manage on their own.
Then it was back to the chair. A snack, a little reading, back to the water. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The next thing I know, it's 3 PM. I better get me home so I can now be responsible again and get my mom's groceries she's been waiting for. So, I pack up and watch to see which vulture is waiting to swoop up my chair because now it has gotten just a bit more crowded and I'm glad I'm heading home.
Don't let any one kid you about having a day to yourself. To do the one thing you enjoy most. Just a few hours to yourself. I've been missing being by the water. With our boat gone and not going to the lake for vacation anymore, having just those few hours by the pool made a world of difference. That's not to say I won't be going there again, especially if the weather cooperates. You see, I'm going to have a lot of days to myself as I am now unemployed.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
THE OL' WATER HOLE
There is a new meaning to "the ol' water hole". It's called a waterpark. Last Friday I spent 4 hours and 45 minutes (not that I was counting) with my grandchildren floating around the lazy river, watching Max come down the slide, kind of forcing Colby to go in the lazy river and seeing Sarah giggle and smile all the way around.
This was my kind of day. I got to do two of the things I love the best. Spend time with my grandchildren and be at the pool! The kids were rewarded with this day because they were so good when we were in Willmar. They had spent 5 days cooped up in the hotel, went swimming only twice and sat through numberous lunches and banquets. They deserved a fun event.
Jenny dropped the kids off at 7 AM but they didn't know they were going anywhere special. they just thought Nana was going to babysit since their normal daycare was closed. They watch Ghostbusters and at 10 AM I told them it was time to get ready to go out, "come put your swimsuits on!" "What?" "Where are we going". I told them the surprise and told them to hurry up so we could get there to be in line for when it opened (I figured it would be busy with it being the "official" holiday for the 4th). all I could go was laugh when Sarah came down tugging on her suit. It was too small and she had a just a bit too much showing that shouldn't have been showing. Well, I guess we were going to make a stop at Target on the way. In the car we piled, made the quick stop and headed to Apple Valley.
I was right it was crowded with a capital C. There was no way we were going to get a chair to sit on so we spread the towels out on the lawn along with a hundred more or so people. After a dousing of sunscreen for the kids (oops, forgot me), we hit the water. In and out, have a snack, go to the lazy river, back to the big pool, Colby swimming underwater, Max scaring the begebees out of me and Sarah just giggling , smiling and trying to put her face in the water, then back for a snack and so the afternoon went. I lost sight of Max for a little bit but figured he was probably in the lazy river since he loves doing that - sure enough that's where he emerged from.
When it was time to go, no one really wanted to but Nana had had enough "sun" (it was actually cloudy) but you wouldn't have known there was no sun. Nana got extremely sunburned. Oh well, wasn't the first and probably won't be the last. Then it was on to Sonic for Corn Dogs and Ice Cream. I ordered and the kids thought it was pretty cool that the lady brought the food out to us. They started on the corn dogs and then asked when they could have their ice cream. Sarah gave me back her corn dog and said she didn't want it. Oh well, no ice cream for her. I ordered and when it came handed it back to Max and Colby. Sarah says "Where's mine?" I told her since she didn't eat, she couldn't have ice cream. You should have seen how quickly she wanted her corn dog back. She gobbled it up just about the time Max said he had had enough ice cream. Well, I saved some money there because Sarah ate the rest of Max's!
We pulled out of the drive-in and headed to Jordan. Three very tired kids and a Nana who figured she better get the kids home fast so she could get home and REST!! Compared to the mucky lake I used to swim in as a kid, this ol' water hole was GREAT!!
This was my kind of day. I got to do two of the things I love the best. Spend time with my grandchildren and be at the pool! The kids were rewarded with this day because they were so good when we were in Willmar. They had spent 5 days cooped up in the hotel, went swimming only twice and sat through numberous lunches and banquets. They deserved a fun event.
Jenny dropped the kids off at 7 AM but they didn't know they were going anywhere special. they just thought Nana was going to babysit since their normal daycare was closed. They watch Ghostbusters and at 10 AM I told them it was time to get ready to go out, "come put your swimsuits on!" "What?" "Where are we going". I told them the surprise and told them to hurry up so we could get there to be in line for when it opened (I figured it would be busy with it being the "official" holiday for the 4th). all I could go was laugh when Sarah came down tugging on her suit. It was too small and she had a just a bit too much showing that shouldn't have been showing. Well, I guess we were going to make a stop at Target on the way. In the car we piled, made the quick stop and headed to Apple Valley.
I was right it was crowded with a capital C. There was no way we were going to get a chair to sit on so we spread the towels out on the lawn along with a hundred more or so people. After a dousing of sunscreen for the kids (oops, forgot me), we hit the water. In and out, have a snack, go to the lazy river, back to the big pool, Colby swimming underwater, Max scaring the begebees out of me and Sarah just giggling , smiling and trying to put her face in the water, then back for a snack and so the afternoon went. I lost sight of Max for a little bit but figured he was probably in the lazy river since he loves doing that - sure enough that's where he emerged from.
When it was time to go, no one really wanted to but Nana had had enough "sun" (it was actually cloudy) but you wouldn't have known there was no sun. Nana got extremely sunburned. Oh well, wasn't the first and probably won't be the last. Then it was on to Sonic for Corn Dogs and Ice Cream. I ordered and the kids thought it was pretty cool that the lady brought the food out to us. They started on the corn dogs and then asked when they could have their ice cream. Sarah gave me back her corn dog and said she didn't want it. Oh well, no ice cream for her. I ordered and when it came handed it back to Max and Colby. Sarah says "Where's mine?" I told her since she didn't eat, she couldn't have ice cream. You should have seen how quickly she wanted her corn dog back. She gobbled it up just about the time Max said he had had enough ice cream. Well, I saved some money there because Sarah ate the rest of Max's!
We pulled out of the drive-in and headed to Jordan. Three very tired kids and a Nana who figured she better get the kids home fast so she could get home and REST!! Compared to the mucky lake I used to swim in as a kid, this ol' water hole was GREAT!!
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