Advent Adventures

Naked Ned needs a bottle and Daddy Nolan is on duty.

Nolan likes to play in Grampa's shower.

He wanted Grampa to come in and play with him,

but Grampa explained he was keeping an eye on Seth,

who was outside the shower.

Nolan opened the door to the shower and said, 

"Come on, Seth."

Seth knows if Nolan wants to be in the shower, he does, too.

I don't know which is brighter,

Grampa's lights or Seth's smile.

Nolan is good at screwing screws into a board.

He observed Grampa carefully and noticed 

he puts his foot on the board to secure it.

 Nolan uses the same technique as Grampa.

They put the board on the footstool, 

because Nolan sometimes screws all the way through the wood.

Grampa and Nolan are making a pizza crust.

Nolan was so excited to have pizza.

Since he eats gluten free, the crust was made from coconut flour.

Nolan ate half a pizza by himself.

Seth likes to check out Gramma's drawers.

She has noisy pots and pans,

and colorful steamers.

He loves the cords on anything.

Nolan helped Gramma set up the Nativity set.

I realized, as I unwrapped the pieces,

 that Nolan was looking for something specific.

I asked him if it was Baby Jesus.

He told me he was looking for the cow.

Apparently, the scene is not complete without the cow.

I showed Nolan that I put Baby Jesus in the drawer until his birthday.

Nolan suggested I put him in the glass door of the buffet.

That way he can keep an eye on Baby Jesus, while he waits.

Nolan set up the figures the way he thought they should be.

Grampa told Nolan they were going to make chocolate fudge.

Chocolate is one of Nolan's favorites, although he doesn't get it often.

It's hard to find fudge with no dairy.

Nolan could not wait to check out the taste.

He thought he could use the spoon and eat the fudge out of the bowl.

Grampa explained one has to put the fudge in a pan and lick what is left in the bowl.

Then the official tasting can begin.

It's hard to lick all the corners.

But you want to get all you can reach 

before Grampa wipes your face.

The final test is actually eating the fudge.

Nolan approves of Grampa's recipe.

Nolan Fudge

1 cup raw cacao

1 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup organic honey

Mix with mixer and put in a parchment lined pan.

Refrigerate and eat.

Nolan is not sure he wants to share his plane with Seth.

But decides it is okay for Seth to push him in the plane.

Seth is happy to do anything with Nolan.

California Gentlemen

Andrew is taking time out from packing.

Or he's talked Mommy into taking time out from packing.

To a child, it seems like it takes forever for Christmas to come.

As we get older, it seems to come faster and faster.

Then we wait for the grandchildren to come,

and we are like children again.

Thanksgiving Here There and Everywhere

My brother is inside the pantry, again.

I've got to figure out how to join him.

I am pretty sure he needs my help.

Gramma made a special berry cobbler that Nolan could also eat.

Unfortunately, Grampa asked if he would prefer one of Grampa's cookies,

or Gramma's dessert.

Nothing rates above Grampa's cookies.

He didn't want to try the cobbler I made.

Seth is ready for the cold weather.

Gramma we need to discuss my meals.

I'd like more finger foods.

Now, you're talking.

More peas, please!

Seth made his first trip to Minnesota.

We stopped to eat at Buffalo Phil's.

They had an indoor amusement park, 

like we've never seen before.

Seth was convinced he could drive the rest of the way to Minnesota.

Nolan loved the arcade area.  

Quarters were not required for his pleasure.

Daddy gives the Native American a High Five.

Nolan used to think Grampa was the biggest man he ever saw.

We drove in two cars.

Seth could rest better alone with Mommy and Daddy.

Nolan was happy to ride with Grampa and Gramma.

I suggested Grampa ride in the back with Nolan.

I was worried he would get a sore neck, 

because Nolan had so much to tell him.

We went to see Dickens' A Christmas Carol while we were in Minneapolis.

I don't know how many times Kevin has seen it.

Perhaps as many times as The Nutcracker.

There was beautiful view of the Minneapolis skyline from the theater.

Nolan hopes Kevin will train him to use his weights properly,

when he gets big enough to lift them.

For now, they make a great climbing toy.

Uncle David was very busy serving turkey and ham to 28 people 

who came for Thanksgiving dinner.  

Nolan likes Aunt Becky's step stool 

and watching the squirrels and birds at the feeder outside.

All God's creatures are thankful for Thanksgiving dinner.

Even on vacation, a guy has to do his work.

Being a big brother has so much responsibility attached.

You have to look out for your little brother.

Being a little brother means striving to follow in the footsteps of your older brother.

It just takes more time than a little brother would like.

Before leaving, the boys enjoyed Uncle David reading a book to them.

This was Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Nolan was introduced to bubble wrap.

He was thrilled with stamping on the bubbles 

and the popping sound it made.

He was a little more worried about popping the bubbles with his fingers,

until Grampa agreed to hold the bubble wrap, while Nolan popped them.

It's easy to be brave if you have Grampa helping you.

Nolan in his pantry.

Grampa suggested he could use a box of broth as a doorstop.

Nolan wanted to be certain the door stayed open.

Grampa brought up the Christmas tree.

Nolan gasped when he put the top on the tree.

He was thrilled when Grampa told him he needed his help 

to find any burned out light bulbs.

Seth wanted to help as well.

Grampa had to replace 150 light bulbs.

They have changed the design of our light bulbs, 

so he had to make 50 of his own, by combining the base of one bulb

with the light of another.

He spent a day working on the lights.

God took a day to create light, too.

Nolan is taking good care of Naked Ned.

He will make a good daddy.

He even remembered to burp the baby and give him a nap.

Gramma was using a scissors to cut some tags.

Nolan couldn't wait to get his own scissors to help.

News from the California Gentlemen

It was Nathan's turn to bring home the animal back pack from school.

Since it was Thanksgiving, the animal was a turkey.

Days like this, teach a child to love school and learning.

Returning to the closeness of the womb.

A trip to Colorado, to enjoy tubing in the mountains 

and scavenging for dinosaur bones.

There's a world to discover.

And they are so eager.

Through them, I discover everthing afresh.

Grampa Blogs

Gramma went to the Illinois State Music Teachers' Conference,

so Grampa and Nolan decided to have a special adventure.

It began at the Prairie Crossing train station.

Nolan came dressed for their adventure.
One sock.

Two socks.

Red socks, blue socks.

Nolan keeps an eye out for the train.

The train captured Nolan's attention.
He could not be distracted.

This is the same train your Daddy takes.

But we're getting off in Deerfield for a surprise.

"What does a train look like on the inside?

It looks much bigger up close."

"Aren't there any seatbelts on the train?

is this safe?"

"I heard the train whistle blow, Grampa."

"I didn't know trains went so fast."

"Who's driving the train, Grampa?"

"Now the engine is pushing the train away."

"The children at this park, don't move much."

"Could I have a turn on the see-saw?"

"She really jumps high."

"How did they get up that high?"

There were three parks by the train station.

Grampa and Nolan tested all of them out.

"This way, Grampa, I can see a slide up ahead."

"I go really fast."

"Aren't you coming in with me?"

"I love this car.  The doors open and it's the perfect color.

"And the steering wheel works well."

"Look, I can be the engineer on this train."

"I love to climb.  You picked the perfect park."

"Everything looks really big in these binoculars."

Grampa and Nolan had the park all to themselves.

"Am I going really fast, Grampa?"

Grampa's job was to put sand in the bucket.

Nolan's job was to raise the bucket.

Grampa had to be careful when it was lowered.

Snack time at the park.

Grampa packed lots of food for Nolan.

Good thing, since Nolan was very hungry.

Why does food taste so good outside?

Another park area to explore.

This has a wiggly-wobbly web bridge.

After this slide, I'm going to climb the tower.

This climbing tower is four stories high.

Grampa was pretty nervous at the top.

This was Nolan's favorite slide.
He went down the slide fifteen times.
Grampa lacked the courage to try it.

This is a neat merry-go-round.

It took Grampa awhile to figure out that it turned.

Merry-go-rounds are fun to ride and

fun to push.

Nolan has his own way to enjoy a merry-go-round.

After he figured out it turned, 

he pushed it from the outside.

If Gramma was here, she would have wanted a ride.

She LOVES merry-go-rounds.:)

"Is Billy Goat Gruff under this bridge?"

This is the look out tower.

"Look out!"

Grampa said it was time to go.

Nolan looked so sad, he told him they could stay 

for a couple more minutes.

When Grampa reminded him it was time to go,

Nolan climbed inside one of the playhouses and hid.

Grampa had to climb inside to retrieve him.

The train that will take us home again, 

whether we're ready or not.

 

"Do we really have to go home?"

We rode home on the upper level of the train.

It's really fun looking down from the upper level.

Maybe I should start taking the train with Daddy.

"Do you think Daddy is on the train?"

"We're back.  Let's go again next week."

News from the California Gentlemen

Playing duets can be twice as difficult.
But it can also be twice the fun.
The hardest thing is staying together.
I think Mommy got tired of being the conductor.
Conductors get little respect.
She got the boys a metronome to be their boss.

July 1989

Ryan Joseph and Matt enjoyed doing duets 25 years ago.
But only half as much as their mother enjoyed hearing them.

July 1990

The following year it was Rebecca's turn.
They're a team right to the final bow.