Spring has sprung in Pueblo –so early and with such gusto.  We are expecting high 80’s today.  I have never thought about the swamp cooler so early in the spring, but we could have used it a couple of days already.

Since January we have been all over the I-25 corridor visiting the grandchildren.  They aren’t grandbabies any more, even Molly! 

In March we went to see Becky, Devin, Laila and Logan.  The trip was great.  Logan had teacher conferences, so he and Laila and I got to hang out for the day.  We visited the bomb museum, Subway for lunch and the library.  Every place we went, Logan introduced me to his classmates and parents.  Even the Subway clerks knew him.  All of the librarians knew the kids, and one even showed Logan a new Star Wars book that had just arrived.  I had a great time reading the Star Wars books to Logan, but I still can’t keep the characters straight.    Logan has loved his first year of school – kindergarten agrees with him.   He is reading every day at home – oh how they grow up!  We played with legos and did a few art projects.  Logan had fun with basketball and is on to soccer this spring.   I always get a lot of refrigerator art to bring home.  Laila played the princess most if the visit.  Her outfits change every half hour or so-complete with tiaras & shoes.  Laila and I have fun with big words.  She will repeat anything and master the meaning.  March was pretty cold, but Becky had found her a swim suit and she wore it one day in the house while I had on a sweater!   She still reads to her animals and dolls-which she enjoys as much as being read to.  When she visits she loves the big monkey and has asked about it on the phone. The two kids are such great buddies and so affectionate with each other and Nana & Papa.  We had a great time at the community activities that seem to be ongoing during every visit.  The food co-op had a great open house, so we enjoyed good food and met more friends – Laila particularly enjoyed the 10 day old goats.  What a fun visit and the weather cooperated nicely.  Devin & Becky are both enjoying their jobs and stay busy with work, training for running events and skiing (before the snow melted).  Both children are skiing now as you can see on their blog.  Devin can even ski on his lunch hour, because the slope is so close.  I am anxious for another visit in May for Mother’s Day.  Look at the Close blog to the right to see current pictures!  More to come after my visit for Mother's Day.

Owen Turns 6

Molly & Mom

Wyatt's smile is way too cute!

Owen turned 6 in March – can you believe it?  We had such a great time at his birthday party with the other grandparents (Ted & Phoebe) and friends of Owen’s.  We met a couple of new parents and enjoyed visiting them while the kids went crazy!  Bree had some great activities including capes to customize and Josh made an obstacle course in the yard – pretty fun and a great way to run off some energy.  Kindergarten has been an awesome experience for him, and first grade (full days) will be a new challenge next year.  His soccer games are really fun for him-we get to see one in May.  He has read books to me and has a great grasp of math.  He seemed so grown up with the boys at the party!  Wyatt is Mr. Talkative – he is a constant conversationalist with tidbits about whatever is going on in his little mind!   He can identify all of Josh’s plants in the garden and some of mine, too.  One visit in March, he was talking in detail about the Halloween decorations and candy and all of the activities.  With a big brother, he joins right in with the light saber wars and never misses a beat.  He has the greatest belly laugh, and has an awesome sense of humor.  It is just awesome to watch his body language – what a variety of moves he has.  Molly – well she is the fastest runner of all!  That girl walked and took off running immediately.  She has a special gleam in her eye – watch out Mom and Dad.  It is fun just to watch her run around and be crazy.  She can keep up with the boys, which is hard to watch, because she is such a petite little thing!  She is quite the climber, loving to jump off of the stool and climb on the kitchen chairs! Her personality really lights up the room.  Josh is busy with school, winding down the school year.  We met him at CSU-Pueblo for our annual lunch – he interviewed teacher candidates at the University Job Fair to hire in his district.  Bree has been helping in Owen’s class, so I get to sit for the other two fairly often.  Bree has been really busy watching little Molly – what a handful. Josh and Bree have been busy this spring putting in wicking beds – flower/vegetable gardens that have a water supply under the soil.  We went to CS one day to help haul rock down the steep slope to the garden beds. 

We have been to visit Ben, Brenda, Amelia & Cavan during nice winter weather this year.  It is always a touch-and-go situation missing storms.  Amelia and I have to read the minute I walk in the door, first thing in the morning, and at bedtime.  I really think she could probably read the books on her own – she must have them memorized by now.   She has learned to color in the lines and creates great paintings for Nana to bring home.   Her dance classes are going well, and she has all the right moves.  I hope we get a video posted below.   When they left last Sunday, she cried and said she wanted to stay here – oh how that flattered me, but she was really upset! Cavan is just like Wyatt – talks all the time.  I have seldom seen a two year old who could play by himself for long periods of time.  He is narrating a story the entire time he plays and collects his goodies, putting them into piles or in sacks.  Amelia speaks pretty fast and has a great vocabulary, and in contrast Cavan is very methodical and has a hundred facial expressions to go with his words.  When he got ready to leave this trip, he kept saying he wanted to go home to see his mama. Ben brought the kids for the weekend while he did a mountain bike race in Pueblo called Voodoo Fire.  We took the kids to the race, but missed Ben going by, but had fun anyway.  Ben brought two guys with him in a pop-up camper in the driveway.  We enjoyed a dinner and after race recap the next day. Brenda had a book show and could not come.  She is busy with a job as coordinator for the Bailey Hundo in July.  It is the 100 mile mountain bike race that Ben does every year.  She gets to do all of the detail work before and during the event.  She is already busy – I will sit for the kids the weekend of the event.  Ben is busy with work and building his computer desk and tower for the computer.  He should post pictures soon of the finished product.  Pretty cool. 

Amelia at Ben's race in Pueblo

Cavan helping Dad

Shep and I have been busy with household projects, dinner and wine with neighbors, trips to Colorado Springs, Bailey and Los Alamos.  In May I will go to see Becky & Devin & sit for Josh & Bree.  The families are all meeting the first week in June for a camping trip to Sand Dunes.  I have never been to the Dunes (shame on me!), so I am anxious to go.  Some of us are also meeting up for the Westcliffe Blue Grass Festival and the Bailey Hundo in July.  In between will be birthdays for Brenda, Cavan, Laila & and Logan. 

My trip to Grand Junction with Cindy Jobe was great in March.  The time is always too short, but I did get in a few visits.  It is great to get caught up on all my friends and their lives.  Cindy and I always enjoy getting trapped in a car for long hours.  Where do we find so much to talk about?

Newly decorated spare bedroom.

The kitchen is mostly finished - check out the picture    I’ve decided that installing ceramic tile is great fun.  We are trying to get a vent hood installed, but we keep running into problems.  It stinks to get old and not be able to climb around the attic and on top of the roof like I used to do.  The thought of hiring someone to do the work makes me cringe.  It is so hard to find someone competent! 

I spent several days on the spare bedroom with a quilt and fabric I bought at the Goodwill Store in Colorado Springs.  Had much fun, and it only cost $25.  The white bed frame is one that belonged to Mom (Eenie) and spent a few years in Ben & Brenda's house.  They have new furniture for their rooms, so I took it, sanded and painted it and now have a headboard and it looks like a real guest room.  Let me know when you need to use it - we love having company.





The yard is my favorite place to be these days.  My neighbor Carol and I enjoy wine, coffee and plants!  She is thinning plants, so I get her cast offs and have had so much fun this spring with the flowerbeds I made last year.  It certainly doesn’t do much for my manicure, but there is something really good about dirt under the fingernails.  I am happiest outside this time of year.  Although our winter was short, I realized why people move to warmer climates as they age.

Shep and I are looking forward to some local trips this summer to places we have not visited yet.  I hope we can go to Carlsbad Caverns again, but who knows.  Time does fly when you are having fun.  I have found a great recipe for the kids – Goop.  It is ½ c water and 1 c cornstarch.  Mix with your hands as you add water slowly.  It is great.  Owen and Amelia particularly enjoyed it!  Squeeze it and it gets hard, then let go and it becomes liquid.  FUN