Halloween at Grama Polly's

We had some rather scary visitors tonight! 

A Headless Man, a Vampire, Minnie Mouse, Dorothy and her Lion

 and the Witch!!!

...and a little boy who just wanted to carve a pumpkin.

Lucky I have a

really

scary

spook

alley

 right in my garden. 

 

There are witches and ghosts and spiders, oh my!, and is that a big bat behind that tree???

And...lucky there are some pumpkin carvers around,

because.. there were four little jack-o-lanterns just waiting to get some faces. 

 

Have a Happy and Scary Halloween!!!!

"God Governs the Affairs of Men

I love this picture by Andy Thomas

 of these guys just hanging out, laughing and telling jokes...

And this one..having a grand old time!

Look at Ronald Reagan's face,

and President Lincoln. 

Wouldn't it be fun to be there with them..

listening to them joke and tell all the stories that they know!

I wish the artist would paint one big picture with all of them, democrat and republican, sitting around joking and laughing. That would be one occasion I'd like to sit in on!

They probably all have enough perspective and appreciation of what it takes to run the country that they could sit down and really visit.  There would most likely be disagreements, and some "I would have done this or that," comments.  But I'll bet for the most part there would be respect for each other, regardless of their party. 

painting by Andy Thomas

I often wonder what past President's would think of us today.   Abraham Lincoln said,

"We have forgotten God.  We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.  Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."

On Doug Wright's radio show the other day, he was talking about

some people organizing a prayer and fast day for Mitt Romney, so he( Mitt) will win the election. Doug's view on this was that he would feel more comfortable praying for God to watch out for our country as a whole.   Not us telling Him what we think is best.  I am voting for Mitt Romney, yet I agree with Doug Wright.  I have always felt that we should pray to God to lead us and direct us as a people, having faith that He will.  I always pray for and respect our country's leaders, whether I vote for them or not.  They all need our prayers.  As Abraham Lincoln said, "do we think we have a superior wisdom of our own?"  It is God who has preserved us, strengthened us and enriched us, and He will continue to do so..if we are humble. 

"God governs the affairs of men. 

And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,

is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"

Benjamin Franklin

My Week...

This week...

 

 

we celebrated Jake's 5th birthday.

Wren went to her first Halloween Party, as Minnie!

It turned from fall into...

winter, with our first snowfall.

Witches, Polly and Pat made our final appearance at Gardner Village.  We flew home only to return next year when witches are out and about!

Books and Gardens

Jake's Birthday

It's Jake's Birthday. 

Can't believe he's five years old.  He's growing up so fast.  He's such a smart boy, with such a funny sense of humor.  I love to listen to all the things his little mind comes up with.  He can remember everything,  sounds out songs he likes on his keyboard, imagine and build anything,

 and he helps me with...

these two guys!

  As we say to each other everyday, 

 "Couldn't do it without you!"

He's my right hand man!  Have a great year,

 Love, grama polly

"Train Yourself to Listen to that Small Voice..."

"Train yourself to listen to that small voice that tells us what's important and what's not."

 

Sue Grafton

 

Today that small voice came in the form of my grandson Jake.  We were outside playing, he laid down on the trampoline, in the sun and said, "I love the sun on my face, I love the fall leaves."  We continued to play and he later said, "grama, I love you, and Sam and Dylan.  Sometimes we fight, but we still love each other, don't we?"  I laughed and hugged him.  "of course, we always love each other, we just need to learn not to push when we get frustrated."  Jake said, "I know."  These three are learning how to get along, how to show love to each other, how to appreciate each day.  They make me realize how grateful I am to be apart of their lives.  It's their simplicity and joy that makes me realize how grateful I am for the blessings in my life.

"Small events and choices determine the direction of our lives, just as small helms determine the directions of great ships."

 

M. Russell Ballard

 

Each day as I watch them play and grow I learn as well.

 

 

  I learn to have more patience, more understanding, and more love.  I learn to appreciate the small things. 

 

Things like...

 Jim's smile when watching his grandkids..

 

 

 

getting a picture of Grandson #1, Taylor,  as he goes off to Homecoming...

 

 emails, from Jack, reports about sports from Hogan and Luke, and visits from Whitney and Wren. 

 

I am a blessed woman...

 

"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

 

~Alma the Younger (Book of Mormon) Alma 37:6

Cousins Carnival

 

Last night was our first ever

Cousins Carnival!!

 

 

Hosted by my most talented, creative, hard working daughter, Abby - who would rather stay behind the scenes .  She's a full time mom and has a full time job, plus quilts for people on the side.  Then decides to throw a Carnival for her kids and their cousins!  She decorated her yard with lights, prizes and games for all the kids. 

 

 

The helpers  Marta and Whitney (and their helpers)
Together, these three girls could be event planners.

 

 

Can't have a carnival without the kids!  They came and had tons of fun.  Love getting this group and their moms together. 

 

 

Marty told the story of  "The Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly"  The kids loved it. 

 

They even had the Fly and the horse and the cow to feed to the old woman!

 

Thank you Abby for giving your home, your time, and most of all your love to our family.

Gardner Village and some Silly Witches

When pumpkins start appearing everywhere,

 there's nothing left to do...

but,

 become a witch!!!!! 

 Isn't that what everyone does at this time of year??

But of course.

So my other witchy friend, Pat and I flew out to Gardner Village,

 found our favorite shop

 (Vintage Chic, it's where all fashionable witches go, you know). 

 There, we found other witches,

 Pat danced,

 and we tried to keep warm! 

And then, because we were exhausted,
because we are grandma's and very old
witches...
we

FLEW HOME!!!

 

Come see us tonight

i'll be there with another

witch at

Vintage Chic

Discussions with my Granddaughter

The other night I got to spend time with my little Wren.  We chatted about girl stuff.  None of that rough and tumble that goes on everyday with the boys.  We discussed fashion, hair, accessories, shopping.  She told me how she wanted to decorate her room.  We dreamed about her future....  friends, school, careers, and you know...boyfriends (don't tell her mom, and especially, don't tell  her dad!!!!)   There are some things that are kept between a grama and her granddaughter.  I never knew having a little girl around would be so much fun.

...And she can drive a boat with her eyes closed!!!

It's my daughter in law, Becky's birthday.  What an amazing woman!  She runs faster than the wind! She's a baseball mom to four amazing boys, and her husband, she's the best camp cook...and she can also drive a boat with her eyes closed!!!  She balances work, church, kids, husband, house with a smile.  Always ready for anything. 

 

Plus...

She's beautiful. 

 Sure glad grama and grampa stopped by Cowboy Grub after golf all those years ago.

(with James)

 Love you Becky. 

Luke at Ten

Yesterday Luke turned ten years old.  Can't believe my son's youngest is ten! Time flies.  Luke is a determined little guy who loves sports, keeps his older brothers on their toes, and loves pizza.  Especially when his favorite restaurteur, John makes it just for him.  We love to visit him and watch him play baseball.  He turned out to be one of the few who caught a fish this year.  Hope you have a great year.  Love always, grama polly

October

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

 

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

"TRIBUTE TO FALL"

When I first feel that cool fall air in the morning and see the leaves change and pumpkins start showing up everywhere, I always think back to the fall when "Tribute" was born. It was many years ago, because my son Nick, who is now 33 was about 10. According to my journal, this is how it went.

"When I was a younger mom I decorated my home for each holiday

- even St. Patrick's day took a day of my time to make everything green.

 But Fall and Christmas took days.

Of course my friends were all engaged in these same activities,

 making their homes look festive for the season.

 One year when my son was about ten or eleven, I had just finished a masterpiece on my mantel for fall.

 I called my friend Pat right over to admire my handy work... and admire we did.

Nick, just in from school joked as Pat came in,

 " You have to see my moms Tribute to Fall".

Ever since any decoration for a season has become known as

"Tribute" to Christmas, Fall or whatever season we are in.

Well, a few years back I was in bed, sick. I just didn't have it in me to get "Tribute" out.

I had a phone call from Sue, the most concerned of neighbors.

Her first sentence was "I hear you might not get your Tribute up!"

It almost sounded like our country was being invaded or some such disaster.

She was that upset!

 I found out that if I was not well enough by the first week of October that Sue, Colleen and Pat would be over here making sure my tribute was up in all its glory,

because it just can not happen one year.

It seems a small and very unimportant thing when you look at the state of the world.

Wars, hurricanes, tornadoes that take peoples lives and homes.

 But what if all neighborhoods were like mine, where people were so concerned that they would come and put some fall leaves up just to see a smile?

 Somehow, when I look at it that way it seems as big as world events.

 It seems more important. Friends loving friends, looking out for each other.

We are all so different yet because of love we are the same. "

We have put up "Tribute" for others when they didn't feel well. We take each other to the hospital,

we sit with each other, comfort each other, laugh and talk and have fun together.

 

Each fall as I put my leaves and pumpkins out,

I am ever grateful for the beautiful world I live in, for the friends I am surrounded by,

 for a son who still has a funny sense of humor, who makes me laugh,

 for traditions, for those who continue to care,

 no matter what comes our way.