Nana Visits

We had Christmas in March with Nana. The kids were excited to see her. She introduced them to squinkies. She gave them to Ellery, but Bryson thinks they are his. It is always a joy watching the kids with her.

Time with Nana

We met up with Nana while we were back for the wedding. The kids enjoyed seeing her, well for the most part. Ellery sure isn't showing the love in this photo, but she loved seeing Nana! They especially loved the special treats they got!

Christmas with Nana

We had Christmas with Nana again in Omaha this year. We had Grandma Gray over, but I never broke out the camera. She witnessed the shredding of paper and the kids playing with toys. Nana gave the kids winged PJ's again this year and they are a huge hit and yet again I never broke out the camera.

Another huge hit was the baby doll Nana gave Ellery. It jumps up and down and giggles. Ellery and Bryson really enjoyed playing with the new doll.

Uncle Todd and Aunt Jill gave Mason Buzz wings. I don't think I need to elaborate anymore on how thrilled he was with this new toy.

Lastly we had some fun on the Wii. Nana brought up Wii Dance and oh boy was it fun. Isabella gets the gold star on dance moves and improvising. I was impressed with my kids dance skills as well. Rob refused to even try, bah hum bug!

Smile

We were talking on the phone with Nana and she was teasing the kids and telling them to smile really big. She was telling them she could see them and to smile bigger. I grabbed the camera to snap the photo so Nana can see just how hard they were smiling for her. We are lucky she didn't tell them to smile harder, they had their smiles pulled pretty tight!

Time with Nana

While we were enjoying ourselves at the game, Nana and Papa George were left alone with the kids. Everyone survived, but were a bit tired from all the fun chaos. We really appreciate Nana's help with the kids. It was the longest I had been away from Bryson and it was easy and comforting knowing he was in good hands. She did raise me and look how well I turned out!
She did come away with a funny story. I wish I could have been present to witness it, but I can picture the face Mason gave her. She was getting ready to feed Bryson and said something to the effect that it was time to feed him. Mason gave her a quick look and said "You feed him too?" He was insinuating that she was going to breastfeed him too. She tells it with much more flare and it is funnier to hear her tell it, but a story worth sharing.

Mason Asks Nana a Question

Mason asks Nana a memorable question one morning while visiting. I was sleeping in so I missed the event. You snooze you lose in this house of funnies. I hear it was a doozy and the conversation went something like this.
Mason was sitting at the table with Rob and Nana. Rob had his back turned to Mason and Mason blurted out and asked Nana if she had milk in her boobies. Rob's ears perked up and Nana immediately said NO while Rob told Mason that's not a question we ask people. Nana then tried some damage control by saying that she didn't have a baby and just moms that have babies have milk including animals.
I am not sure if Mason was satisfied with all the responses, but he hasn't asked anyone else to date if they have milk in their boobies.

Fun with Nana

Nana came up for a visit over the holiday weekend. We had a great visit with Grandma Gray.
She had a great time playing with the kids. I am not sure who wore who out more?
She got plenty of holding and snuggle time with Bryson.

The big highlight of the weekend for the kids is she brought a hamburger and french fries cake. They of course loved dipping it all in the ketchup provided aka red frosting. When she first disclosed the cake she told them if they ate their dinner good she would give them some hamburger, they both looked at her funny until they realized it was a cake and then mass excitement broke lose along with clean happy dinner plates.

Nana Leaves Us

We can't thank Nana enough for all of her help this past week! She even took time to help potty train Ellery. No success with going #2, but she will go #1 and that is a big bonus. We had a great time with her and so did the kids. We are all just looking forward to getting to hold Bryson and not have to share him with baby hog Nana. We can't wait for her to come back and visit.

Nana's Love

I would love to have my mom live closer, but then I would end up with spoiled children. Luckily Bryson is the 3rd and I am willing to share more, which it good because Nana wasn't really into sharing him. We are very thankful that she came up to help with the kids at home, they gave her a run for her money and wore her out, but it was a huge help to us. Thank you Nana for all your help, love, and support!

Bows Bows Bows

I wish we could have taken a picture of Ellery's face when she saw all of her bows hanging in her closet. She was excited. Rob just gave a oh my goodness, you've got to be kidding me. I am very thankful to Nana's creative ability, and all the money she has saved me in buying bows. Although I think it might have cost her more because I don't think I would have bought this many. Needless to say we love them!
Look out, this is the first bow I made. It isn't as easy as Nana makes it seem, but I was able to master her technique. I think we will still have to rely on Nana for our bows, but at least I can now say I could make them if I wanted to.

Generations

We took Nana and Great Grandma Gray out for dinner for her birthday. I am not sure who enjoyed themselves more. Nana got ear balloons and ice cream from the restaurant along with two little helpers to eat it. She was a good sport and wore them for the happy birthday serenade and then passed them quickly off to the kids. The restaurant was a bit loud so it was hard to chat with everyone, but it was good company.

Happy Birthday Nana

I bet this cake makes everyone wish they had one. It has a lot of endearments from the kids and frosting smoothing due to darting fingers coming in for a taste. The darting fingers stopped when they got their own baggie of colored frosting to help decorate with. It isn't rocket science to figure out who choose blue and who chose pink. The hardest part was waiting until morning to eat it with Nana. She was able to come straight from work and arrived at bedtime and I nixed the cake eating quickly, but not without rumbles and grumbles. The kids were thrilled to see her, but also thrilled it was her birthday and to them that means eating cake. We were happy we were able to celebrate with her.

Visit to Nana's

Mason had a few days off from pre school so we packed up and headed south to Nana's. I didn't think heading 5 hours south would be that different, but it was a wonderful sight not to see snow covering everything. Plus it was an added bonus we had a few days of high 30 deg weather, it was so nice not having to zip up coats. The things this cold weather has me thinking and the things I didn't take time to enjoy before this long winter set in are miserable thoughts. I have to remember the weather we are enjoying now will soon be our weather in Omaha, I just wish it sooner rather than later. We also had a great visit with Nana and Papa George. The kids got spoiled, for instance instead of just getting one cupcake she would give them two. She also hid a Buzz Lightyear space gun in with her toys for Mason to find and he was really excited to find it. Ellery came home with more bows, I know shocking, custom ones made for outfits Nana picked out for her. Nana has a gift and we defiantly don't need more bows, but I want them because they are so adorable and made with love. I really shouldn't make fun of my child, but sometimes when Mason smiles he looks like a ventriloquist doll. The picture of him and Papa George is no exception and we had Papa George put his arm behind his neck for fun and ham it up himself. Ohhh, the joys and horrors of visiting grandparents.

Happy Birthday Elvis

While Nana was visiting over the holidays she made the girls matching PJ's with wings that mirrored Mason's favorite Buzz Lightyear PJ's. The kids love them and loved running around and pretending to fly. As they were all standing together someone mentioned they looked like little Elvis impersonators. Since today is the King's b-day I thought I would dedicate this picture to him. We are very impressed by Nana's creativity.

Christmas with Nana

Who do you think spoils these children? Nana made it up without any more ditch excursions. The kids loved seeing her, I don't think it had anything to do with the cookies she was holding in her hand for them or all the presents that were coming in. She of course came with more bows and we put them out and let Ellery and Isabella pick and that was hard for me. I tried to persuade Ellery, but I wasn't too successful. Lots of fun presents for the kids, but the hot item that everyone loves is the nerf dart guns. Sure it says for 8+ ages, but what Nana looks at age requirements on toys. The kids and adults have had a great time shooting them at walls and doors with the goal of not shooting each other.

Lowe's Build and Grow Ball Toss

Nana and Papa George happened to be visiting when the next Lowe's Build and Grow clinic was happening. Nana was brave enough to work the hammer with Mason this time, Rob worked with Ellery. I felt useless just standing around, I felt like the paparazzi taking pictures of them. Papa Jim got the short end of the stick when he did the clinic fire truck he made with Mason. It had multiple smaller parts, over 10 nails to hammer in, and short and long nails along with longer directions to follow. Nana had only 3 pieces to work with that took 6 nails and she didn't have long and short nails and you didn't even have to read the directions to put it together. Bottom line the kids love it, and I need to get busy and sew the patches on the aprons.

Nana and Papaw George Visit

Nana and Papa George came up for the weekend. I think they had a fabulous time, but were ready to go. Something about watching kids move non stop for a few days seems to wear them out, I don't know why, I am never tired. I wish!
A big thank you to Papa George for bringing his tools and helping us change the outlets from white to black. They look fabulous and I think we all were secretly proud to be honorary electricians for the afternoon.
Nana brought all sorts of trinkets for the kids and they love every bit of it. She brought glow in the dark sticks that are going to be very useful for Halloween night if we have any left by then. She also brought KU outfits for the kids and has inspired me to take a family photo in KU fan attire. We are very thankful for all that they brought and did for us.
I am not so sure we are thankful for everything they did. Nana treats Mason like the big boy he is, but he just doesn't know he is that big of a boy because his mom doesn't let him in on the secret. We try to live by the rule, let's not start something we aren't ready to do every time. We know Mason is very coordinated but he never knew he was coordinated enough to use a real camera, but Nana let him in on that secret. He was pretty adorable taking pictures and surprisingly took really good ones, but now every time the camera comes out he wants to take a picture. I know they have to grow up eventually but between how fast they grow on their own and with Nana making me realize they are capable of doing things I don't think they are, really puts it all into perspective. Needless to say the kids had a great time bonding with them and we really enjoyed their company.

Nana Visits

Nana came up for the weekend and boy was it a welcomed visit. I know we wore her out, but I was worn out from my late night toasting and jumping so I was in heaven when she took the kids in the morning and let me sleep in. She came bearing gifts and the kids are in heaven. I might have to start intercepting items at the door and save them for Christmas, they are that good of toys. She came with a talking robot that sings and teaches all sorts of things and a discovery view finder that also doubles as binoculars. Nana was even brave enough to venture to the store with Mason alone. She learned that you need to put him in the cart quick because he tends to latch onto items and repeat over and over that he either needs it or wants it. She came home with a Lightning McQueen pillow case that he talked her into. I am sure he said he needed it rather than wanted it. You have to watch those Nana's. She did also come home with a cake and fed it to Mason right before dinner. We attempted to feed him dinner and then Rob and I took off and left Nana to deal with the children sugared up. The sad part is that I don't think she learned not to do it again.

Bows Bows and more Bows

I am going to have to make Ellery another bow holder if Nana sends us anymore. Nana sure filled it up fast and we wear a bow everyday. You know we wear them often because people are starting to remember us from Ellery's bows!
Thanks for all the pretty bows Nana.

Nana and Papaw George Visit

Our whirl wind travelers just got back from an Alaskan trip and then headed up to see us for Mason's birthday. It is a nice thing having young children, we can lure people in to come visit a bit more easier than we could prior to. Ellery just keeps getting better and better around men. She didn't go to Papa George, but she liked to flirt and make faces and attempt to walk in his direction. The kids love playing with Nana, and Mason has asked repeatedly for everyone to come back and visit. We know it isn't because of the wonderful gifts he received from them, so we could go out on a stretch, but he just might enjoy every one's company as well.