Family Times

Last weekend was a special treat as we enjoyed great

times with Bri, Hunter, Amanda, and Stephen.

Shortly after their arrival we visited Granny and Granddaddy,

where Bri received some birthday presents. The most highly 

acclaimed was SLIME, which Bri has developed into an art form.

I  must admit, the amazing colors, texture, and other properties of slime are fascinating.

It seems to be a major improvement over Silly Putty, Gak, and other similar products.

Isn't it irresistible?

I think Bri has Granny hooked on this.

Slime is for the young at heart.

The Talberts all visited the Sandhills Farm Life Nature Trail

and witnessed the widespread results of last spring's strong

storms.  

Hunter's hands and Bri's foot.

Who is Queen of the Forest?

Bri enjoys this perch on a tree that fell all the way across the stream

near Big Rock.  I sawed off the rotten part and will eventually have

to remove the rest.  But for now, it still has some "bounce."

Bri gets ready for a free fall into strong Dad's arms.

Bri and Hunter have as much bounce as the trees do!

You can't visit the nature trail without a stop at

Jack, Will, and Tom, the triple trunk poplar.

Bri and Hunter have known this tree since they were pre-schoolers.

The skyward view is always awe-inspiring.

These are the three straightest trunks on the trail.

Old Man Poplar is a different story.

Each year he leans a little further.

Hunter does what he can to lend a little support.

Back at home, Amanda and Bri find an arboreal

retreat for some reading and relaxing down time.

Both kids are light years ahead of me and Judy on

technology, but we still have some fun things on our computer

that they enjoy on their visits. Even Christmas activities in July!

Hunter returned to an "I Spy Haunted Mansion" game that he started way

back in February. While here, he completed the solving of 26 riddles in

13 rooms and solving a puzzle to escape from the mansion.  Only Ryan

had completed this challenge until now.

Even with the tremendous heat, who can resist a new

tetherball set.  Amanda and the kids got quite a workout.

Here's Bri in a dogwood tree that Judy climbed when she was young.

In fact, I think Judy can still climb it!

Sunday evening the whole Kirby family joined us for a Family Night.

It had been all the way back to Thanksgiving since we had the

whole crowd at our house for a meal.  What a time!

I took this picture threw a bedroom window. I'm not sure where

Ryan was, but this tire swing drew the others like a magnet.

The four older ones remember riding it back at our old house

when they were teeny.

This week I saw homemade water slides in "The Family Circus" and

"Dennis the Menace." But we thought of it first (doubtful). A Playschool

slide, a tarp, and a hose.  What more could you ask.

Oh yes: COUSINS!

That was the recipe for the fun pictured below.

Evan loves the raw power that belongs to the holder of the hose!

Evan's my name, torture's my game.

Evan and Hunter had a great time indoors as well.

They quite pleased with their "balancing act."

One careless move and this tower would tumble.

But they were oh, so careful!

A treasure of a picture.

Amanda, Judy, and Jennifer.

My "Steel Magnolias."

Another picture we will always cherish.

We love our family and every moment we share together.

Who knows when we will all gather together again?

Maybe Thanksgiving, maybe Christmas. But in these times

we're more thankful than ever for social media.

One way or another, we're going to stay CLOSE!

Trailers from the latest Video Kids

One problem with posting videos of the

grandkids is that I always intend to point

out things to look for-- then I can't remember

what they were.  Well in this video, young

Hunter goes for his first "drive" around our

house.  He encounters a little traffic, a couple

of fender benders, and speed bumps.  Stick

with it to the end to see a cameo by Kitty Cat,

much to Hunter's delight.  And then that big

smile celebrating his successful drive.

(For much of this one, I was literally a "trailer.")

Brianna has always loved the song "The Wheels

on theBus." In Grandma's rocker (which Grandma

is obviously off) Bri sings her way through the book

of the same title.  She had sung through the better

part of it before I could sneak away to get the

camera. Back I came to hear "The babies on the

bus go "wah-wah-wah" and "the mamas on the

bus go shh-shh-shh."  I was very impressed

with Bri's attention span-- it was the end of a

long day for her.  And by the way, she is gentler

on pop-up books than some 3rd graders I taught!

Judy and I were amazed at how Claire can get

around on the tricycle she got for her birthday

back in July.  Here, she negotiates her fairly level

front sidewalk with no help.  She ends up showing

off her mastery of "reverse."  And don't miss the

obligatory "cheese" at the end.

Claire is versatile (if I told her that she'd be

saying it next time I saw her).  Her song-and-dance

routines seem strikingly similar except for the words.

This one is "Oh, Be Careful, Little Eyes."

I would be totally out of breath if I tried to do these

double-time bounces while trying to sing.  What a

workout!  And at the end, the obligatory "cheese."

Why does that sound so familiar?

Well the only grandchild you haven't seen

in action is Evan, and here he is, to close out

this video fest.  There were SO many times that

I wished I had my camera in hand to film him

(what's "film"?).  And when I did have my camera

in hand you'll see what happens.  Not content to be

taped, he wants to HAVE that camera.  I hold him

at bay as long as I can, but he will not be denied.

I don't know how many of my readers will

persevere to the end, but as I've said before,

I think I'd blog if I were the only person who

viewed it.  After all, in the sense that a Weblog

is like a diary, it's not for everybody.  That said,

I hope these lovable kids brightened your day.

Action All Around

These pictures were not all taken on the same day,

but they're all recent.  And today is CATCH UP

DAY on the blog!

Hunter: "Did somebody say KETCHUP?"

Brianna loves for Grandma to share a book.

And she likes chewing on Grandpa's whistle

and bird-caller.

Hunter: "I'm just goin' for a spin. 

I'll be back soon."

Obviously, fear of snakes is a learned response.

Well, Hunter won't learn it around here.

Bri loves playing with this little Ferris Wheel

bank.  It was actually the first gift I ever gave

Judy, way back in 1975.  It plays "A Spoonful of

Sugar" when you drop in a penny.

But we make up all kinds of other games

when we drag out the pennies.  Like "Hide

the Hand."  Hmm.  Where is it this time?

Evan thinks this sofa is just the right size.

Evan: "And for my next trick, watch what

this train does when I tug the string."

Grandma discovers that Hunter does like

bananas, after all!

"But I'll still share," says Hunter. 

(He finished it, every bite)

I had to set the camera speed on "Sport"

to catch Claire dancing without blurring.

She dances to every song she sings, but

they all resemble an Iron Man workout.

Grandpa introduces Claire to a new video,

"Wheels, Wings, and Moving Things."

Claire loves anything that GOES, but

especially airplanes.  School buses, trains,

boats, and trucks are also well-liked.

Evan: "Grandma is SO huggable!"

Grandma: "Evan is SO huggable!"

Grandma: "Evan, I LOVE you!"

Evan: "Gramma, I WUV U 2!"

Evan: "Y'all are so suspicious.  What makes

you think I want to open this cabinet just

because I'm leaning on it?"

"Besides, I haven't cracked the combination yet."

As much fun as it is to play with all these

children, it's also wonderful to watch the

countless ways they entertain themselves.

Play is the work of a child.

"Now if I could just learn to set the

self-timer, I could take a picture of

my own cuteness."

Claire can really cruise on the tricycle she

got for her birthday last July.  When supervised

she's got a nice level road.  Her front walk is

a nice practice area, too.  (Soon-to-be Drag Strip!)

"Who says trains have to have tracks?

Is it just another silly grown-up rule?"

"Hmm . . . . What next?"

The wheels are always turning.

Happy Trails until next time!

And next time may well include 3 or 4

well-chosen videos of these lovable rascals.