My North Carolina Grandkids

Carson shows off what he bought with his Birthday gift money -- the newest DXI XL.  He received money from several people to make it enough.  Carson claims he is the last kid in his class at school to get a DXI.  And Ava shows off what she picked our with her Valentine gift card from Cracker Barrel.

Devin and Hailey's Birthday Celebration

 Seems we have not celebrated family gatherings with Devin and Hailey on their birthday for a long time.  So for the last 3 or 4 years, we have planned a little grandparent/grandkid outing with them sometime in the  season of birthdays.  Hailey turned eleven years old on February 8th and Devin turned fourteen on January 23rd.  (Same day as Lily.)    So today was the day.  We picked them up and took them for a small shopping trip and lunch.  Their Mother had said they needed shoes so shoes was the plan...We started out at the Shoe Carnival.    Devin insisted that he did not need shoes but Mama said different.  The first shoes Papa found, Devin selected.   I will admit that under some persuasion, he tried on a couple other pair of  shoes.  But returned to that first pair.  Good Choice!  Yet, can you imagine a grandson of the Papa does not like to shop for shoes, when the Papa would have spent half a day looking around.

 

On the contrary, Hailey is quiet the shopper.   She was very delighted to learn that she wears a size seven in ladies.  However the pair she choose were kid size  fives.    The rest of the time while her indecisive brother, Devin was 'not wanting to shop,'  Hailey was eagerly finding more shoes she would love to have in ladies seven.  Sadly however, we needed to limit the shopping trip to one pair today.  More will come with time.

 Shopping completed, it was time for lunch and the kids voted on Cheddars.   Cheddars is also one of Papa's favorite places.  He always gets the Chicken Salad with Honey Pecans and that wonderful honey Crousant.


I choose the same thing.

And then Hailey decided she wanted to eat healthy, so all three of us ordered the Chicken Salad. 

And Devin chose the Three Cheese Hickory Hamburger -- which he could not eat -- he took it home to Mama.

Carson turns SIX years old today!

Come To My House For Cookies

Posted this invite a week ago and it has been a week......so I ate all the cookies up.  Sorry, nobody wanted to come share my cookies.     Maybe for Easter I'll send out another invite and I'll try a new cookie?

Lily's Party Slide Show

Lily's Cat and Mouse Birthday Party

Dear sweet Lily Angelica.   I remember the day you were born.  I kept baby Elijah until time to come up to the hospital.   There  you were in your mother's arms .... so pink and pretty ... a beautiful gift from God.  Now you are eleven years old.  And time will fly by faster and faster.   Enjoy every moment of it, Lily.  Before long you will be experiencing the world in a whole new way...the grown up way.  Enjoy your young life every single day!

Lily's Mouse and the Cheese Cake.

Sixteen girls at a party.   Wheeew!  Here is Hailey your cousin.

And Cousin Kayla.

And your sister, Rosemary.

How many of these can I name?  Kristina, Jordan, Rosie, Lyssa, Sarah, Kasidy, Kayla, Makayla, YOU LILY, Roberta, Hailey, Katie, Blythe..... the list is tooooo long.  There is Angel, Lyssa, Lilly... who did I miss?

A Contribution of Gingerbread Houses From Asheville

Aunt Sommer sent me these photos from Ava and Carson making Gingerbread Houses at school -- without gingerbread.    Asheville is where the great Gingerbread House contest is displayed ever year.  It is something to see!

Devin & Hailey Complete Their Gingerbread House

I found another Gingerbread House

When we came to Plano, Sydney had made a gingerbread house also.

And the"Mondo Monkey" stories never end.

Sydney insist on Papa's stories every night. 

But then Blakely has her own story hour. 

Highly Select Party Group

Four Girls invited to Nana's New Years Eve Sleepover

Balloon Games

Blakely's special sleeping Bag.

Bracelet  Making.

Lily made two bracelets

Everyone made foam art but they took theirs home...this is some of their work put into a bBby Jesus in manger scene.

Blakely had her hand on the foam art as well.

By noon New Years Day, the party ended with a trip to Braums...filled with lots of giggles. 

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Early in December, Nana gave the Scharpf kids and the Scriv kids kits to make a Gingerbread House for Christmas. The plan was that when they had their house complete, I would come visit them and take photos of their work. This is the handiwork of Elijah, Lily and Rosie. They brought their house to the Christmas Eve festivities and invited the other children to eat it up. I'm still waiting for Devin and Hailey to create their master piece so that I can go photograph their creation and visit their home.