February Fun at Attic Grandma's House

 Celebrating Davis' birthday....he's 17 now!

Nikolai, Ava, Aaron, Davis, Eliah & Henry

Katri is at a weaving class and missing out on the  

Xtreme Chocolate Blizzard DQ cake.

What a great day for fighting in the snow.

 Becky's horses always get a work out when Ava comes to town.

 Eliah built a golf course where Nikkels can get a 

"Hole in One"

And here's the reason I have the moniker, "Attic Grandma".

Nikolai, "Down, down!" as the marbles tumble to the bottom.

Somewhere Out There

On New Year's Morning I was talking to David on the phone, it was his night and my morning.  He was walking home and mentioned that moon seemed to be waning so fast.  I said that I had been noticing that too for some reason.  As I hung up, I glanced up above my neighbor's house and I could see that same moon that was rising in China and setting in Minnesota.  It was such a sweet moment, I just wanted to share it.  It reminded me of the song "Somewhere Out There" from the movie "An American Tail".

Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight

Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight.

Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer

That we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there

And even thought I know how very far apart we are

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big star

And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby

It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky

Somewhere out there if love can see us through

Then we'll be together somewhere out there

Where dreams come true

This was such a comfort to me.  

We have a God who cares about us and shows us
His love in such tender ways.

We'll always remember the summer of 2012.

Aaron's family spent most of the summer with us between selling their old house 

and moving into their new house.

   

Ava, the bird lover, studying the Minnesota bird book.

David was home for two of the weeks. 

 Usually he is not, but he calls me twice a day.  

One day Ava said, "What is with Grandpa calling all the time?"  

I said, "He loves me."  

Eliah said, "Grandpa is married to Grandma."  

Ava responds, "That doesn't make any sense."  

We also spent a week at the lake.

 Oh yeah, and Aaron got blood poisoning!  A summer to remember.

The Apple Valley Boys

Brody and his side-kick Soren or was it (Soren and his side-kick Brody) rode into town early Saturday mornin' just a lookin' for trouble.   

Soren started a  loadin' up with firesticks and every other weapon he could find in this here house.





Shucks, Brody was happy to help him out.












But wait, is there such a thang as too many guns?
All those fine weapons slid down his pant legs, but he didn't pay that no never mind.

 










He got out to the fort under the southeast pine and waited for the rain to clear and they could start a whoopin' it up agin.

Alpaca Expo

An Alpaca Expo with my Grands. 

Thankfully, my sister, Cindy rode shotgun to help me out.  

Eliah and friend seem to see things eye to eye.

We were all surprised by the big kiss Lacy gave Nikkels,
especially Nikkels.  But really, who can resist
such a sweet little head.  

Eliah, "Come on Grandma let's go.  They all look the same."

And that my friends, was the end of the Alpaca Expo for us.

What is it?

   When David called us from China on Christmas Eve we informed him that Levi had brought a girl with him for Christmas and we all liked her.  His immediate response was, "What is it?"  As if.....

    But, we did enjoy having his friend Rally's dog, Roxie with us for the evening.  She came right in and acted like she had been coming here for years.  Maybe some day he'll bring a real girl home we all like.  It could happen.

"The boys", even the mean one, helped Rebekah load up her new Ipod with at least six Tony Bennett CDs. There a few hundred CDs at her apartment to add at a later date, but she gets how to do it now.

Eliah kept telling his Mommy, "Thank you."  for his new toy, Beyblades.  He could not get enough of playing it.  I got enough of it pretty quick because I never one a single competition.  I guess I'll have to go find my own special bey to take him on at his birthday party in January.  I have 12 more photos that look "almost" exactly like this one that Ava took for me.  If you want to see some action shots.

This is our Ava, who was a baby for one day and then she was four.  That was what it seemed like.  She really isn't even four yet. When she opened her gift from us, crafting supplies and this messenger bag, she sat right down at the table and got to work.  She is the crafty one.

And this is Nikko listening to the latest message from Attic Grandpa.  Nikko has parents, but they don't always make the cut when it comes to blogging.  

We had a wonderful Christmas together.

Missed you David!

  

S-P-O-O-N-S

It's been a long time since we have had a rousing game of SPOONS at our house.  That all changed on Thanksgiving evening, after the little ones were in bed.  Seems they can sleep through most anything.

Ahh, the memories with this game.

"Becky and her fingernails are vicious."
"I'm not going to sit by Aaron."
"I got this injury when we were playing a Woman Lake."
"Where did we first learn this game?"
"Oh, yeah....the Hansons."
Levi wasn't even going to play because he had a sore back and didn't want to have to take another sick day because of SPOONS.

Getting the right end of the spoon is everything in this game.  Lucky for Levi he had a sore back, Aaron would have never let him off so easy if he was healthy.

This crowd can also be fairly civilized...it must have been the addition of Bonnie that tipped the scales.

I had to have Becky move over a little so I could watch this guy enjoy his first Thanksgiving meal.

Taking a walk after a yummy Thanksgiving Day meal.

Looks simple doesn't it?  It is for Katri.

I am so blessed.  Thank you Lord.