The New Tradition

It was about 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, May 24, that the phone rang at Adam and Sara Beth's house. It was for me. It was Sarah letting me know that my being in South Carolina was really hard on Davey. You see, Davey and I are the best of friends and he calls me pretty much every day when I am at home. We hang out together on the phone. We watch his shows, play his computer games, go outside, eat and do pretty much anything he is doing. He just likes having me there.

Sarah also let me know that some or all of the family would be meeting us at the airport Sunday night even though we left our car at the airport. Here is the story.......

When Tom and I arrived home from our trip to Ireland in March, Sarah and the rest of the family met us at the airport and then Sarah and Davey drove us home to our house. Well......it seems that we were locked out of our house at 11:00 at night. Not one of us had a key to the house so we called Kara to bring her key in to let us in. Because Kara was coming from Chaska and it would be a half hour or so wait, Tom, Sarah, Davey and I decided to go to Perkins and meet Kara there. We now have the makings of a party going on in the middle of the night and now Davey thinks this is how we do things. When gramma and grandpa go away they pick us up, drive us to our house, we will be locked out and then we go to Perkins!

Below are a few pictures of our trip to Perkins.....the new tradition!

Davey (Punkin to me) and gramma at Perkins

Derek and Punkin with blue tongues from the blue drink they both ordered

Sweet little Jackson having his snack at Perkins. His little eyes are so tired. He is getting over his pink eye

You know something? I think I am going to like this new tradition!

A Few More Pictures From South Carolina May 2009

I will miss the early morning get on gramma's lap, snuggle and watch cartoons routine with the boys

Kallsen, Joseph, me and Parker eating home made ice cream at the festival in Seneca

Adam getting Kallsen into the car following Kallsen's graduation

Kallsen with the photo album he received following his pre-school graduation. It had pictures from his entire year of pre-school. It was just wonderful!

Kallsen sitting in the grass at the

Meet for Three Festival in Seneca.

Sara Beth with Kallsen in his cap and gown

Grandpa with Parker

Joseph

Kallsen

Parker

Pictures Of Kallsen At His Pre-School Graduation 2009

Kallsen at his pre-school graduation

Kallsen age 4 in his cap and gown

Kallsen with his mom, Sara Beth, and his brother, Parker age 3

Kallsen studying his rose

Kallsen's daddy congratulating Kallsen on his graduation

I love you son

Kallsen's Dance Recital

It is Sunday and it is the day we head back to Minnesota. The day looks cloudy and like it is going to rain. What a busy time we have had.

While it might rain today, nothing could rain on Kallsen's performance in the dance recital last night. Kallsen has been taking dance lessons for the last year at the professional dance studio in Seneca. He is the only little boy in his class and he has loved it from the beginning. He takes tap dancing and ballet.

I had no idea what to expect. Adam had said Kallsen sometimes does everything, sometimes just the tap, sometimes the ballet and sometimes neither. He is 4 which helps to explain that last sentence.

Last night Kallsen did it all. He did everything. He stood on stage with the other 3 and 4 year old children in front of an auditorium of maybe 200 - 300 people and did it all. He tapped to The Good Ship Lollipop and did ballet to The Baby Bumblebee. He did all the movements, he knew his dances and there was one row of parents, brothers and a gramma and grampa who were bursting at the seams with pride, smiles, laughter and happiness.

Kallsen honey, you did a fabulous job and I am so glad gramma and grampa were here to see you in your dance recital!

Joseph's Post

Now you must of heard about or read about grandma and I watching Zoolander while everyone else was gone. If you haven't heard about it here's your chance. Well, everyone else was gone to do something and grandma and I were at my house just hanging around. I suggested to watch a movie and grandma said sure and I pulled out Zoolander. Now for the people who don't know what Zoolander is it's about Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) who is a male model trying to become the best model ever. Now he's not happy about his competition Hansel (Owen Wilson).

Now for the people who haven't watched Zoolander won't know anything about the next paragraph. People who have go ahead and read it.

Grandma and I shared tons of laughter about the movie especially when they couldn't figure out how to turn on a computer. They started beating on it and howling like monkeys. And we started busting out laughing when Hansel and the DJ started break dance fighting. Grandma started having hysterics about Derek's phone that's the size of a piece of candy. Grandma thinks she's part of the underground now. Grandma had the best time she's probably ever had watching a movie.

All in all we both had a great time. Who ever said senior citizens couldn't have fun?

Kallsen's Pre-school Graduation

Last night we went to Kallsen's graduation from pre-school. I don't think any of us expected what we experienced.

The ceremony, and I do mean ceremony, was held in the auditorium of the Wallhalla High School. The 25 or so children, ages 4 and 5, performed a wonderful program on stage. They sang and performed little skits to music and their faces were full of smiles and excitement as they entertained parents, brothers, sisters, friends and grandmas and grandpas.

Following the stage production, there were taped interviews of each individual child which were played on a big screen. Each child was spotlighted and asked the question, "If you were President of the United States, what would you do?" The answers were amazing. Each child had some idea of what they would do to help people or help the world and make it a better place if they were President of the United States. Remember, these little ones were 4 and 5 years old.

There was a slideshow of pictures showing each child doing the things they do every day and the slideshow was done to a song that I really have to find. Adam will know or at least he can find out. The words that I kept hearing over and over were "Let Them Be Little." For some reason, pictures of children in all their innocence and joy set to music touches me. I can still see those little faces and hear that music and there is hope for our world. I keep thinking...yes let them be little even when they get big...and they will be the best big they can be. For those that don't understand what I just said...leave me a comment and I will do a post on that.

And, finally, the end of the night came. The children put on their red graduation robes and mortar boards and awards were given and each child's name was called and they walked across the stage to receive their certificates and before they left the stage the owner of the school, Ken, congratulated each student and said "I love you."

No, I don't think any of us expected what we experienced.

Congratulations Kallsen on your graduation!

Love, gramma and grampa.

My South Carolina World This Morning

Tom and I flew to visit our son and family in South Carolina yesterday. We were met at the Atlanta airport by Adam and Parker, who is three.

Kallsen, who is 4, had a field trip at pre-school yesterday and Parker needed a field trip too. So, Parker got to have a field trip with his daddy to go pick up his gramma and grampa at the airport. It was a really good field trip. We got to find and count all the trucks on the road and get some food at Wendy's and go to Walmart to buy some black pants for Kallsen to wear at his two special events this weekend...........which is the reason for our trip.

Tonight, Kallsen is graduating from pre-school and tomorrow night he is in a dance recital.

Both little boys were so excited to see us. Joseph, who is 12, was excited too. Kallsen waited patiently for us to arrive home....that is if you can count his looking out the window and asking Sara Beth ... "When are they coming?" Sara Beth told him, "They will be here at 7:00 tonight." And, from then on Kallsen said, "Is it 7:00 yet? Is it 7:00 yet? Is it 7:00 now?"

And, then it was 7:00 and Kallsen was out the door and in my arms. It was such a nice welcome. Joseph came to greet us too and told me all about the things going on in his world. Joseph is so nice and polite. He said he had to get up for school early and he hoped he wouldn't wake us up getting ready. I told him not to worry about a thing.

I did hear Kallsen and Parker getting up and getting ready though and I got up to see them before they headed off to school. What is it about a gramma being sleepy and coming out to the kitchen and saying hi to little boys and having them say, "Gramma......" and come running into your arms that makes you feel like your world is very, very special? And, them wanting gramma to put their socks and shoes on and tap the bottoms five times when each shoe is on and double tied? And, wanting gramma to read a book before they leave and watch a movie and you have to make plans to do all those things when they get home school? What is it about being wanted and needed because you show up with sleepy eyes and messy hair wearing your flannel nightie and all you want to do is spend those precious minutes with them before you have even one cup of coffee?

Good morning everyone.........Welcome to my world! x x

Arriving In London And The Changing Of The Guard At Buckingham Palace

Tom's and my trip to see our friend, Joe, in Ireland was made even more special by including an all too short trip to London.

On March 12th, Joe, Tom and I boarded a plane on Ryan Air at Shannon Airport. Shannon Airport is only about an hour's drive from Joe's house and Dublin Airport is about two + hours drive from Joe's house. Our good friend, Pat Whelan, drove us to the airport and he included a short trip through Limerick. It was the first time Tom and I had been to Limerick, so that was nice, as we got to see one more part of Ireland.

Our flight was comfortable, smooth and just a hop, skip and jump from Shannon to London Gatwick where we were met by Joe's sister, Peggie, and her daughter, Maria. Tom and I had never met Peggie and Maria before and we were so excited to finally meet them face to face. We had spoken on the phone before which was very nice, but seeing them was just wonderful!

When they spotted us in the airport at London Peggie came hurrying over with arms outstretched and a beautiful welcoming smile. Maria, who is full of personality, nearly galloped over to hug her Uncle Joe and hug Tom and me in turn. It made us feel very welcomed and loved.

We got a good night's rest at Peggie's beautiful home and on Friday, the 13th of March, we visited Buckingham Palace so we could witness the changing of the guard.

Later I will write about why Friday the 13th might not have been the best day of my trip.

The first video was taken as we took our first steps out onto the streets of London and the other videos are of the changing of the guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.

Enjoy the videos and stay tuned for more of our London holiday! x x