Scary Happenings in Mississippi

My grandparents live in Vicksburg where a huge storm blew through last week. A tree fell on their house and pretty much damaged the whole thing. Thankfully, Grandma was gone and Paw-Paw was on the other side of the house. I didn't realize how bad it really was until they sent pictures this morning. I've been thinking all day how thankful I am that they weren't on the side of the house where the tree fell. They would surely have been killed. Mixed with my relief is a sadness at the loss of a home with many memories. I can't imagine the memories they have from their over 30 years in the house. For most of my life (until I got married) we traveled to Vicksburg at least twice a year. During the summers my sister and I would spend time without our parents there. Most of my memories are outside the house - exploring in the woods, playing Tarzan with the vines, making mud pies, riding the tractor with Paw-Paw, and swinging on the wooden swing he had made. However, the house was special too. It's where we gathered for big family meals, where my sister and I played dress up in Aunt Carol's old dance costumes and Grandma's wedding dress (I know! Can you imagine her letting us do that??) It's also where we opened presents together by the tree that once fell over. It's where you could hide in the hall closet that connected to the hamper in the bathroom and scare someone (I don't appreciate this aspect of the house quite as much since becoming an adult). It's where scary Grandma Mendrop's picture hung glaring at us as we slept in the spare bedroom giving us nightmares. More recently I have memories of my cousins wrestling with my own kids on the living room floor. I'll admit I'm being a bit nostalgic, but that house is part of my childhood and I may never see it again. So all you Mendrops out there, feel free to share in my nostalgia and comment with your own memories.

Day Five of Eight Days of Springtime Fun

Okay, I know all of the pictures are starting to look the same everyday, but bear with me for a few more days. I want to chronicle all of the activities for Mom since she worked so hard on putting them together. Also, I've had a few people tell me they would like to do the activities with their kids or grandkids. Today we read the book Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. This book is the one that gave Mom the idea and has all of the activities in it through today.

After reading, Sophie colored a picture of parts of a face to tape onto a flower pot.

I thought the pot turned out really cute. We added soil and then she planted grass seeds. We sat it in her windowsill and will wait and see if it grows.

Day Four of Eight Days of Springtime Fun

The activity for Day 4 was a craft project. The kids decorated picture frames and Sophie got a Corduroy sticker book.

Sophie worked hard gluing beans and sticking stickers on her frame.

John Curtis hard at work.

Sophie's sticker bookSophie's completed frame.

John Curtis's completed frame.

Literacy Festival

San Angelo had a Literacy Festival downtown today. They had booths set up where authors were signing books, lots of books for sale, a jumping house for the little ones, and chalk drawing. We made a family masterpiece!

John Curtis's contribution!

Taylor took this picture to show what a true artist Sophie is covered in her art work. Notice the chalk covered pants.
One of the tents had a local police officer reading a children's book. Sophie wasn't quite sure of him, but she did get a free book. Last night Taylor was telling her the story of Goldilocks, which I was shocked to find she didn't have a copy of in her overflowing book shelf. She found a copy here, though and was so excited.

When we left the festival we went to a park downtown on the river for a picnic. The kids played and Sophie rode her bike along the river. We took this picture from our blanket during lunch. Sophie saw a wide open field and an opportunity to be in her own world. Who knows what she was pretending here, but I'm sure it involved a princess.

Day Three of Eight Days of Springtime Fun

The bag for Day 3 was full of yummy sunflower seeds for us to eat and bird seed for the bird to eat. John Curtis thought they were fun to shake.We read the book Spring by Nuria Roca. Our book collection is growing daily - one of the perks of having a librarian for a grandmother.
Then Daddy hung the new bird feeder and filled it up with seed. We've had one out in the yard for a while and the most beautiful birds come to eat - cardinals and blue jays and sparrows. John Curtis loves watching them while he eats. This one is right on the window so he'll have a front row seat.

Of course we had to eat some sunflower seeds. YUM!

Day Two of Eight Days of Springtime Fun

We were SO excited to see what the bag for Day 2 held. We started out reading the book How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan. It described the life cycle of a bean plant. Then Sophie put cards with pictures of the bean life cycle in order. She did really well with that once I helped her get started.

In the bag was also a greenhouse kit. There were six little pots, soil, and seeds for three different flowers. It came in a little plastic greenhouse so after the seeds were planted, we spritzed them with water and closed them up in the greenhouse. This activity was a hit and Sophie said she wants to plant more tomorrow. I just hope we can remember to water the pots. We (I) don't always do well with plants! Thanks Grammy! We're having fun!!!!!

Day One of Eight Days of Springtime Fun

Yesterday a package arrived in the mail for the kids from my Mom. It was called Eight Days of Fun. In the box, Mom had 8 bags labeled Days 1-8 and one bag labeled Extra Activity. We are supposed to open one bag each day for the next 8 days so the kids (mainly Sophie) can do a fun Springtime activity. Sophie couldn't wait to open the first one.
Inside the bag for Day 1 was the book The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. Then there was a tiny bag of 4 different kinds of seeds and a sheet with labels for the different seeds. The directions said to sort and count the different seeds and glue them under their correct labels. There was also an apple and an orange in the bag so we can add to the sheet as we eat fruit with seeds during the week.

Very cute and Sophie had fun with it. She said, "I'm so excited to see what is in the next bag!" She'll have to wait until tomorrow!