What a fun day for Grandma!

Don and Gaylynne dropped the children off at our home on their way to the Temple. It was about 8:15. The kids had all had pancakes for breakfast so there was no need for me to cook.

They enjoyed reading what the Primary kids from the Branch had written on their paper flowers for Grandpa. Melanie was excited when she found the one from her friend Caleb.

Since it is "always cold at Grandma's house" Courtney wrapped herself in the blanket that Sister Oviatt had made for us many years ago.

I thought this photo was so cute since Courtney has Mr. Spookey with her. Her hands are folded as she looks so concerned by what is happening during a Scooby Doo cartoon. She continually commented on how the mummy wasn't real.

And how the mummy's eyes wouldn't show. And why does the mummy's mouth show because it would be covered up? And mummy's can't walk because their legs would be wrapped together. She's such a hoot.

Gaylynne had all the girls dressed up in their denim dresses for the play that they were all going to attend after Don and Gaylynne returned from their Temple Session.

Melanie likes scary cartoons. I thought that she looked just beautiful in this photo.



She asked for a cup of tea and she reminded me of a little lady as she sipped her lemon tea and munched on the soda crackers that Emma and I prepared with butter and cinnamon for a snack.

After the snack Melanie went upstairs and listened to some of her favorite stories on my computer. The disk I have has about 20 different stories like Henny Penny and the Ugly Duckling.

She likes to listen to them all and doesn't like to be disturbed. She also likes to be the one in charge of choosing which story will be watched.

Sometimes Courtney and Emma join her but most of the time it is just Melanie.





When Stuart was little he had a favorite toy when he came to visit us. It was my steaming rack. He would play with it each time he visited and since I don't really steam vegetables very often I figured it was a good toy.

Dayton was going through my baking drawer and I remembered how each one of the grandkids have loved to do that.

I went to the cupboard to get the steaming rack and I realized that I had really hit on something when I saw this smile on his face.

He would close the rack and run across the room for me to open it and he would laugh and run back to the chair where he would close it again. I don't think I am exaggerating at all when I say he did this a couple of dozen times before something else caught his attention. It wasn't too long and then he would go back to the steamer.


I don't remember what Emma thought was so funny when I took this photograph. But isn't she cute? I knew this picture would bring a smile to Matthew's face, so this one is for you, Matthew!

She was so sweet and mostly just wanted to sit on my lap. She also came to the kitchen to help me with the snacks.

She was just adorable this morning. She begged for a sleepover but their schedules are so full there just doesn't seem to be time.

Don and Gaylynne arrived at about 11:30 and quickly gathered up the girls to take them to see the play. And Mr. Dayton and I put on our jackets and headed out to see what treasures we could find in the neighborhood.

The Fall and the Spring are so lovely in this area and all 6 of our grandkids have enjoyed walking through the neighborhood exploring.

From the beginning of our outing he let me know who was in charge. He led the way and when we got to a corner and I wanted to go one way he let me know that we were going the other way by shaking his head "No".

I, of course, gave in each time. We played walking on the curbs of peoples' landscaping and shaking the rain off of the leaves. He especially liked walking through the leaves and kicking them.

He stopped to watch our neighbor dig a hole and he didn't want to leave. I think we must have been there 2 or 3 minutes.

I worried about him getting too cold so after about a half hour I started heading him toward home. He slowed down and I asked him if he wanted me to carry him. He did.

I carried Dayton for as long as my hip let me and when I asked him if he wanted to get down he shook his head no.

I found a really nice flower and put him down and encouraged him to check it out. He walked the rest of the way home without complaint.

Dayton spied a squirrel when I got this picture of him. We got back to the house and he curled up on the daybed until he was warm again. That, of course, led to him throwing the pillows on the floor and diving in to the pile.

We really had such a fun day together.