April 2017 - Trip to Tucson, AZ

For the month of April 2017 we had been commissioned to watch our 2 granddaughters in Tucson, AZ for 2 weeks while their parents (our daughter Sarah, and son in law Vince) went to Hawaii for continuing education and a little R & R.  Our days were filled with laughter while spending time with a 4 yr old Evangeline and a 2 yr old Abigail.  Needless to say each night we were in bed within minutes after they fell asleep.  These 65 yr old grandparents are having a hard time keeping up with pre-schoolers.  Each morning after waking we spent some quality time with the girls, making breakfast, enjoying a slow re-entry into a face paced day!  Then off to school each day and a pick up around 3:30 each day (gotta get that nap in)!  Each day was filled with fun events after a good report from their teachers that there were no "brown chairs" and no "time outs"!

Not even one day into the routine, Wayne and I got the crud - yeah, fevers, chills, burning throats, just overall feeling like the cat drug us in from some night brawl.  I ended up at an urgent care facility 10 days into the sickness with acute sinusitis.  Wayne just marched through it.  Every morning after we dropped the girls off at school we came back home to go straight to bed for at least 3 hrs.  It was brutal.  Then Vince and Sarah came back home to the rescue.  Now the girls had gotten sick so we decided to spend the rest of our vacation time in Arizona in a nearby motel so that everyone could sleep in their own beds and get much needed rest for healing.  What a trip, hopefully next time we can stay well so we can enjoy the springtime in the desert.

Painting rocks on the back porch.

G'pa showing

the girls pics on the 

computer.

Every night bath time
of course!

Playing at the

park.

Of course all

monkeys like to 

climb trees!

Making jewelry.

Above: Abigail sporting necklace & bracelet.

Right:  Evangeline sporting hers.

Gorgeous jewels girls!

Can you see Grannie,
Abigail & Evangeline
among the beautiful flowers?

Gotta build

a fort!

Riding bikes, what fun.
Above, Evangeline on her 2 wheeler
with training wheels.
Left, Abigail with her trike!

Bubbles and side walk chalk.

Evangeline's first hair cut.

She sat so still and

what a beauty.

And hiding Easter eggs in the house, what fun!

Do those eggs have treats inside, oh yeah!

Above:  An old fashioned mud pie cook out!

Right:  Painting ceramic animals.

So periodically wildlife passed

by at the apt. complex.  Above, javelins (with babies) and left, mule deer.  One of the perks

being close to the Sabino Canyon Nat'l

Park.

to be continued.

What would a trip to Arizona be without

going to the Gun Show!

These characters know Evangeline & Abigail

on a first name basis!

Popsicles always are a treat.

Sarah & Vince brought the 

girls back real

Hawaiian dresses  and 

necklaces

back as souvenirs.

Gorgeous girls.

And then there is coloring

Easter eggs!

 Top:  Sarah & Evangeline riding the
train.

Right:  Abigail

Top:  Abigail's ride.

Left:  Evangeline wants to

be a herdie gerdie girl!

Top:  Sarah and the girls with
the sheriff at Old Tucson.

Right:  Time to paint the
flower pot!

Helping Grannie make simulated

tombstones for Easter dinner dessert.

Take crescent rolls, wrap around large

marshmallow, dip in melted butter and then

sugar and cinnamon sugar.  Bake for 7-8 min.

till brown.  Marshmallow disappears just like

Jesus did from the tomb.

So our April 2017 project was g'girls in Tucson and Easter.  It was draining but fun.  Evangeline and Abigail are growing up way too fast as all g'kids do.  They wear me out but remind me of how much fun it is to be a kid.