"Why God Made Little Boys" And Adding Another to Our Gang

"Why God Made Little Boys"

 

God made the world out of His dreams

Of magic mountains, oceans and streams,

Prairies and plans and wooded land,

Then paused and thought "I need someone to stand

On top of mountains, to conquer the seas,

Explore the plains and climb the trees.

Someone to start out small and to grow,

Sturdy, strong as a tree.."  And so,

He created boys, full of spirit and fun,

To explore and conquer, to romp and run.

With dirty faces and banged up chins,

With courageous hearts and boyish grins.

When He had completed the task He'd begun

He surely said "A job well done."

 

~Author Unknown

 

 

We've got a houseful of boys in our family. 

They love to climb, explore..they are full of spirit and fun.

They do stand tall, are courageous and I love their boyish grins.

 

We are about to add another boy to this group.  Tyler and Melanie told us this week that Dylan is having a little brother.  He will be well loved by this group.

 

And so.. our beautiful Wren..

remains our little princess.

loved and taken care of by her army of cousins.

 

 

 

God made the world with towering trees,

Majestic mountains and restless seas.

Then paused and said, "it needs one more thing..

Someone to laugh and dance and sing.

To walk in the wood and gather flowers..

To commune with nature in quiet hours."

So God made little girls

With laughing eyes and bouncing curls,

With joyful hearts and infectious smiles,

Enchanting ways and feminine wiles.

And when He'd completed the task He'd begun.

He was pleased and proud of the job He'd done.

For the world, when seen through little girl's eyes

Greatly resembled Paradise.

 

~Author Unknown

Being a Grandmother, Autumn Days, Grandkids

"I loved their home.  Everything smelled older, worn but safe; the food aroma had baked itself into the furniture." 

 

~Susan Strasberg

 

This is how I felt about my grandparents and their homes. 

 Both sets of grandparents lived close by and I visited them often. 

 I loved the feeling I had as I entered their home.  The homes were old and worn,

 but I felt safe and secure there. 

There were delicious smells and certain objects that stand out in my mind. 

 My Grandma Lundgren's old stove and her black phone in the hallway. 

I loved her big front yard with the roses that ran along the sides.

  Grandma Bagley's home had an old hand washing machine in the basement and a laundry shoot.  They had a huge garden and a fish pond. 

 

I am a different kind of grandmother.  I tend three of my grandchildren on a regular basis. 

 I sometimes worry that they will think of me as a babysitter rather than a grama,

 so I try hard to have fun, rather than discipline. 

 Plenty of hugs and loves, but I want them to learn from me as well. 

When we pick up Jake from school, Sam always points out the Temple, so whenever he sees it we start singing

"I love to see the Temple" 

 when he can't see it we stop..then when he sees it again, we start up again. 

 

Yesterday it was Veterans Day. 

 There were lots of flags waving as we drove along.  I explained to my young audience that their great grandfather had fought in a war to keep them free.

 Sam's reaction to this was

 "You've got to be kidding me!!!" 

 I said

"NO, I am not kidding!!!"  

 I told them, " That's why the flags were waving"

so, they started counting the flags. 

 

When we got home Mike had raked up a lovely pile of leaves..

he should have put them in bags and carted them away, because we had a lesson on how the leaves fall during the autumn..

 

Jake said, as he usually does 

"It's a beautiful fall day!"

 

And then the leaves got spread all over the yard!

 

Sam and Dylan love jumping in the leaves!!!

Wren came over..she wasn't so sure.

Jake likes the leaves,

 but would rather climb a tree.

 

 

So whatever kind of grandmother I am, my relationship with all of them is simple. 

 I don't know what they will remember about me, but I will remember days like these. 

The beauty of an autumn day.  Their smiling faces as they play and ask questions, and learn, their arms around my neck,

 and that I love them. 

"Gratitude unlocks the Fullness of Life..."

 

I always try to keep a gratitude journal.  I like to remind myself of the little things that bring me joy. At this time of year when it gets dark earlier.  (something that I do not like, I am a sun lover)  I try and think what makes me happy when the sun goes down. 

Curling up with a blanket to watch my favorite show.  Lately it's been Blacklist on Monday night.  Makes me look forward to the start of the week.
Socks on my feet.
Warm baths.
Extra Quilts on my bed.

As the days get shorter, instead of dwelling on that fact.  I think and am grateful for  the coming holidays.  Loving Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

And of course when it snows.. being able to enjoy it inside from a warm home.

A few thoughts on gratitude as I go into this lovely month.

 

 

And one of my all time favorite songs. 
Love this...

 

Happy November.

 

Happy Birthday Dylan

Dylan turns three years old today! 

What a fun little boy he is. 

He loves Cars and trucks, he loves to climb, run, ride horses,

and play with his cousins. 

He's got the best smile and laugh. 

Had the best time today watching him drive his new tractor around down at the farm! 

 Sure love you Dylan. 

Have a Happy Day. 

love, grama

The DeSpain Gang's Halloween Party

We invited some kids over for a Halloween Party. 

Before we knew it there was a Ninja, Superman, Dash and a little Indian in our pumpkin Patch! 

 They were all looking for just the right pumpkin to carve!

It was the perfect evening to sit around a fire and roast hotdogs.

Then onto carving our pumpkins! 

What a great evening...

wish the eastern gang could have found some brooms to fly out and be with us! 

 Missed you all.

Life Is Measured...

My friend gave me a frame with this saying on it. 
I thought this picture of Jim with Whitney on her wedding day was the perfect image for these beautiful words. 

Jim's face says it all as he hugs his beautiful daughter. 

 

 

 

Lately, as my days go by,

 it seems that I am just taking breaths til I go to bed at night.
 

I forget how many blessings...

 

 

 

 

Take my breath away.

Happy Birthday Jake!

Happy Birthday to Jake!  

 Jake is my helper as I spend my days tending three busy boys. 

We have a saying.  " couldn't do it without you."  I say it to him constantly throughout the day. 

He says it to me with a wink!

 I love his beautiful smile, his thoughtful ways as he plays with his younger brother and cousins. 

 He loves to figure things out, loves to build, play minecraft, and swims like a fish. 

He has a great imagination.

  Can't believe you're six years old! 

Have a happy day. 

 love you tons. 

Grama Polly

Fall Colors, Pumpkins and Crafts!

"I step outside and the chilly air tightens the skin on my bare arms.  Summer has ended all too quickly and some of the leaves on the trees have already started to burn with the colors of fall.  Fall colors..so bright and intense and beautiful.. It's like nature is trying to fill you up with color..."

~Siobhan Vivian

This is how I felt as I walked outside this morning and looked around my garden. 

Beautiful colors everywhere.

  I love the colors that autumn brings.

We've gathered the last of our tomatoes. 

 Never have we had so many as we did this year. 

We also picked our pumpkins!

It's fun to use my own pumpkins to decorate my front porch. 

 Love the white one.

I especially love the color of this pumpkin.  It is really an orangy red. 

 So pretty!

I got a little crafty this year. 

After my friend gave me one of these cute crows, I decided to make a few as well. 

 They only took a few minutes and actually turned out better than I expected. 

 I'm planning to give one away to who ever stops by for a visit!

I've loved growing these ornamental cabbages and kale this summer. 

Now that it's fall they are the perfect home for this little spider. 

I love this beautiful season.  After working so hard in my garden all summer, I can sit back, relax and let nature do its glorious job. 

 (Mother Nature does a much better job than I)  Her color palette is perfect, and each year I wonder..."why didn't I think of that?" 

 There's always next year.

"Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least of him."

~Hal Borland

A Sewing Project

My mother was a talented seamstress. 

 She sewed for herself and we three girls always had beautiful clothes created and sewed by our mother.

  She had a little sewing room right off our family room, so she could sit and sew,

 but still be a part of whatever was going on downstairs with the rest of us. 

I sewed a little bit when my kids where little,

 but haven't even had a sewing machine for years

Jim bought me a new sewing machine a few weeks ago,

so I thought it was time to start creating.

Last night my friend Marcie and her mom Kathy came over and helped me

cut out a dress and a skirt, using a dress I had and just measurements for the skirt. 

We started about 7:00 pm.  

 They left at about nine when the skirt was complete. 

 I stayed up til about eleven and finished the dress.

So this morning I have a new dress and the skirt goes to Abby. 

 I'm really excited to have completed this project so quickly.

  Nothing went wrong as I sewed these up. 

 I even put the sleeves in the dress with no problem! 

 Kathy showed me how to make the yoga band for the skirt.

  I really appreciate her help. 

Kathy is my age,

but it was a little bit like having my mom there helping me along my way. 

Happy Birthday Luke!

Eleven years ago, Jim and Jamey had just taken off elk hunting. 

They kept coming down to Kamas to call and see if Becky had gone into Labor. 

Well, she had

So not too long into the hunt, James was down off the mountain into the Valley to be with Becky.  Soon after, Luke was born. 

He's the best kid, so determined, funny, the best smile,

 and of course those beautiful DeSpain brown eyes

He loves soccer, baseball and basketball and
he plays them all very well. 
I love it when we visit and I get
to watch him play.
The next time we're out there can't come soon enough.

 

Have a great birthday

love you, grama polly