Eden's first birthday in heaven ~

Happy 1st Birthday in Heaven Eden Rain ~

Happy birthday to you in heaven
Our precious granddaughter Eden Rain
We heard the angels are throwing a party
To celebrate your birth and beautiful name.

They must be very excited
I'm sure they have baked a cake
And strewn flower petals all around
Getting ready to celebrate.

They have some presents to give you
That we just know you will love
We sent all your gifts to heaven
On the wings of a pure, white dove.

There's a box filled with love from your mama
All tied up with glittery strings
Inside there are one million kisses
And a new pair of soft angel wings.

There's a box of hugs from your daddy
He misses his little girl so
He's added some dreams and a rainbow
Along with pretty ribbons and bows.

Your sisters gifts are so special
They had to be just right
They worked so very hard on them
Sometimes even into the night.

Their box is the one that sparkles,
Because girls love nice, pretty things
They've included some stardust and wishes
 And lullabies for the angels to sing.

They also put in several handfuls

Of soft feathers for your bed

Then they included something so special

It's a new crown for your sweet little head.

Grandpa and I sent a simple gift

A sweet pair of new dancing shoes

You know how practical we are

To send something you can use.

So when you take those first little steps

Up there on the streets of gold

You can feel us all sending our love

Since you can't be here to hold.

We pray your birthday is very special

And that you know just how loved you are

You're our beautiful and precious angel

Dwelling in heaven among the stars.

Long distance grand-parenting

It is a rare day when all the grands are here at gma and gpas house at the same time so we tried to get
a few pics while they were here for the holidays.  There was NO snow {which I REALLY wanted for pics}
 and it was cold and rainy.  I had visions of many different poses and it just didn't work. We were lucky to
get the ones we did.

Underneath all the kiddos there is a gorgeous white bench, but didn't get any of that showing
either. I still dream of the pics I wanted to take...hopefully someday. 

We got all the kiddos in the pic except the little guy in the front.  His daddy would stick him
in the picture time after time... just as we were getting ready to snap the photo. lol

Too cute and so amusing. We got numbers 6 and 7 mixed up so they will probably be traumatized
  for the rest of their lives every time they look at these pictures! ha! 

1.Allysha   2.Jon    3.Annika   4.Keira   5.Joshua   6.Ainsley    7.Kanaan   8.Daniel

and baby 9 is missing. Her mama was sick so they stayed home. 

What a CUTE bunch of kiddos we have in our family!! I love them all and miss them terribly already.

Do you grandparent long distance? Our oldest son and his family live about 2 hours from us, our daughter and
family live 3 hours from us, but our youngest son who did live about 20 minutes away now lives in North
Carolina. 13 or 14 hour drive straight through. It has been a hard adjustment, but we are surviving.

PaPa swooped up Ainsley as soon as she got here!

 The night we said our goodbyes to them was heartbreaking. We had just finished Christmas at my moms and
Ainsley was eating more salad {what child eats more salad??} and I was sitting beside her. She looked at me and
said in a shaky voice, "Grandma I won't see you for a long time"...I replied, "I know , but we can write and we can
 call"... yea ,that didn't work.

Again, in a shaky little voice "Grandma, I won't see you for a long time"...I picked her up and she started crying.

That was it for this grandma. I cried right along with her! She has never done this before so she must be getting
old enough to realize exactly what is going on. I held her for awhile and she and I cried together. {in front of lots
of other family members}. I finally handed her off to grandpa and she cried some more. She was still crying
when they left and when she got to her other grandmas house.

Oh the hard knocks of childhood and life. We miss those two little gals to much. We used to be able
to just drive over and visit them on the spur of the moment, but not anymore...and life goes on.

 How do you grandparent long distance? Do you do anything special? I would love to hear about it.

Blessings and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Fall fun with Family

Our son and his family came from North Dakota to visit us for a few days and we made the most
 of the time we had together with our two precious granddaughters. We miss them very much
since they moved away, so it was great to spend some time together.

One day the girls and I made Halloween cupcakes together and I tried to capture the process.
I took a few more a LOT MORE photos, but I realized that you don't want to see 500 photos
of my grandchildren. Although I just can't understand why not! ha!

LOVE this one of Ainsley and her little bare feet. 

They took turns putting the batter into the cupcake liners...

Then they started frosting them...

 ...and they added sprinkles.

There was a lot of laughing and licking going on. Too fun and great memories!

We also visited a corn maze one day that is a few miles from our home and Ainsley hopped up here
to have her picture taken.

Grandpa took them a wagon ride. They always love to do this. I think he enjoys it as much as they do.

What little child doesn't like to pick up stones and leaves and all kinds of treasures?
I haven't met one yet. 

This is our family in the middle of the corn maze. 

The girls also love to play dress up whenever they come and it did not take them long
to pick out some dresses and put them on.  I keep a stash of them just for times like
these. 

Sisters Annika and Ainsley.
{Annika is wearing my sunglasses}

There was a petting zoo and the girls loved the animals!
A calf, pigs, goats and sheep. They really were cute little creatures!

This girl is limber! I remember those days...very faintly. ha!

This little gal is such a hoot! Her daddy told her to tell him which way to go and
she did pretty good, but this time she didn't tell him so he kept on walking
right into the corn. She thought that was pretty funny.

We love these witty, spunky, beautiful granddaughters of ours and we are so thankful that
they were able to spend a few days with us. They have moved on to North Carolina now and
we miss them already.  Annika will be going to another new school and their parents will
 be getting new jobs.

 Hubby and I are adjusting to a "new normal"with them so far away,
 and we are surviving...barely. lol

Prayers appreciated for them all.

Blessings~

Two of our precious granddaughters...

If you are facebook friends with me, you know by now that these  two  little sweeties of ours along with
 their mommy and daddy moved to North Dakota a few weeks ago. That is a LONGGGG way from
Michigan!  We miss them sooooooo much! They are the only ones of our grandchildren that lived
real close so now they are all spread out. {not sure how long they will be gone}

Grandpa and I took them on a walk to the park a few weeks ago and I snapped a few photos that
I wanted to share with you.

Don't you just love the way they dress? They love to wear pretty, sparkly dresses!
I didn't ask Annika to pose for me, but she sure did a good job.

Sweet little Ainsley.
We walked uptown to the BBQ place for lunch and they were closed.
The girls were disappointed...This sweet little face says it all!
She wanted BEANS! HA!

Beautiful little sisters.

HELP Grandpa!! HAHA!!

I was right in front of her getting ready to grab her.

I just LOVE the expression on Ainsley's face. She sure is tickled about something.

They loved sliding down this bar...with a little help of course.
I think Grandpa enjoyed it as much as they did.

They love to swing...and swing...and swing. It was hard to move on to something else
for little Ms. Ainsley, but we did. Notice her eyes are closed? lol

"Grandpa, this is the way it is..."

Even snuck a photo of yours truly in here.

The girls brought their kitty's up to stay at our house while they are gone and they are doing
pretty well finally! We didn't see them for days initially, but they are adjusting nicely.
This is Maive. I haven't gotten a photo of Merida yet , but they look a lot alike as they are
sisters.

Hand in hand with Grandpa.

I just wanted to share these photos today as I am sure missing these little gals.
Love them so much!!!

Flowers, flowers, flowers!

I am so so thankful that warm weather is FINALLY here in Michigan!! How about you?
Spring is one of my very favorite seasons. I love the new life and going to the garden center
 and seeing what I can find to bring home with me each year.

We visited my daughter and her family last weekend and her and I attended a
Faire Festival. It was a beautiful time and a fun day. Our first time ever , but we
 decided that next year I need to take my three little granddaughters along.
They would have loved it!! {more on that another day}

I purchased the above basket at the festival and I love it. Hope I can keep it alive. 

My daughter gave me this beautiful plant for Mothers Day. I believe it is "Stock"
and I also hope I can keep this one alive. I just love the color, don't you?

Gorgeous close up of the flowers...just amazing!

I gave my mom this watering can planter for Mothers Day this year and she
loved it. I think it is gorgeous also. 

I mowed our large lawn again today and afterwards took a couple photos
of what is growing in my yard right now.

I thought I would include a photo of my little sweetie granddaughter Annika and yours truly. Her
school had grandparents day this past Tuesday and she invited me. I loved every moment of it.
We got to sit in her class and listen to them read a story and sing some songs. Then I went to lunch
 with her and took her to the book fair. I think they hit the nail on the head to have the book
 fair on grandparents day. After all ,what grandparent is going to tell their grandchild that
they won't buy them anything??? ha!! Then it was on to recess. A fun, fun day and she didn't
 want me to leave. After recess it was hugs and kisses and off she went back into the school.

What is growing at your place? I would love to know!! :)