Joy to the "Wold"

Thursday I waited with my mother for 3 hours at the hospital to see a surgeon about her back. The news was not good. Evidently the surgery she had several months ago did her more harm than good. She and I were discouraged to realize why her pain is worsening each day.

That evening after a difficult day and a week that seemed like a wild ride in MANY ways, Truitt and I were set to babysit while Clarke and Jennifer went to their small group Bible study. Though we were tired and stressed, we decided to take the kids downtown to see the Christmas lights.

That was the best decision we had made all week! Before we could get out of their own neighborhood Huston was exclaiming excitedly over each lighted house. "Look, Grandpa, look at those lights!" We stopped by "Old McDonalds" to get some cookies to go and headed down Hulen. Each business that had even the most modest Christmas decor or lights was a total joy to Huston. We had the radio on and he really lit up when "Joy the World" filled up the car with its happy Christmas melody. "Joy to the Wold! Joy to the Wold!," he cried in his "can't say my r's" kind of way.".

When we reached Fort Worth's most lighted home in Rivercrest both the kids were glowing with that very special childish Christmas joy. We got out to walk around it and Huston immediately noticed the one our of "zillions" of light bulbs that was out. "Why is that one bunned out, Mimi? Where do the lights plug in?" He wasn't satisfied until he saw at least one plug outlet, then he could relax. Arden's little face glowed brighter than the lights and Huston ran up and down the sidewalk in amazement.

We then drove downtown, walked past "daddy's office building" and found our way to the big city Christmas tree. The whole time Huston was wearing his sunglasses so he looked like "Joe Cool". Everyone who encountered him laughed and told him that he was a very "cool dude".

He really lived out his reputation when we encountered a street jazz musician playing his key board. Huston danced around while Truitt put dollar bills in the talented man's money jar.

Lastly, we drove past the incredibly colored trees around the Pier One building. When we asked Huston what he thought about those he said in an awestruck voice, "They are beautiful!"

He also informed us that the red ones were his "flavorite".

Joy to the Wold, INDEED!

Grand Fun

My fellow grandmother, Karen, had a great idea. She planned a Grand Week-end with Huston and Arden while Clarke and Jennifer had a week-end away in Austin. The kids and I all spent the week-end at her house the last week-end of October. Truitt came during the day. We had four grandparents and two grandkids, a great ratio! We played on the driveway, in the sandbox, on the stairs and everywhere! It was indeed a grand time.

Fall 2010

Jennifer has gone back to work. Clarke is planning a career change. Huston and Arden are blossoming and growing beautifully.

Karen, my fellow grandma and dear friend, watches the children Monday - Thursday while Jennifer teaches. I watch them on Friday, my day off, and it's always a pure delight.
I take Huston to his preschool class at St. Stephens and have been astounded at his ability to adapt to school life. I have developed a real appreciation for mothers who constantly wag toddlers, preschoolers around with all the accompanying bags and paraphenalia, especially since I lost my keys in the car on my first day to pick Huston up. The facility man looked through the car twice, I looked and looked, Clarke came from work and looked and looked. Finally after Clarke gave me his extra key to Jennifer's car (which I drive due to the car seats) I put Huston in his seat and instantly he said, "Here's the keys, Mimi!" They were in the pocket of the door.

I am enjoying getting to spend some time with Arden alone. That precious little girl has a smile that knocks your socks off! And....she started walking at only 10 months. She is easy going and more adaptable than any baby I've ever seen.

Last week I was driving Huston to school when I thanked God out loud for the beautiful day. Then I said, "Thank you, God, for Huston. Thank you God, for Arden."

Huston cried out in the backseat, "Thank you, God, for Mimi. Thank you, God, for traffic lights."

So fun. So fun.

Grandkid Memories...

We love Huston's love for light switches, doors, gates, fans, garage door openers and elevators. The whole world is his own personal Disney Land. Granny had back surgery this April. Huston thought the hospital was an amusement park because he could ride the elevators and pump soap at the sanitizing stations. It is a joy seeing him enjoying these things. He is big into cause and effect. We are predicting that he will be an engineer....

But....he might be a comedian. He loves playing with Uncle Topher. Uncle Topher calls him "Hu-ton" because the "s" is missing on his Huston name wall in his bedroom. He likes to say, "Uncle Topher say Hoooooo-ton" and he makes the most comical face you have ever seen. Recently after a play time with Uncle Topher he told his mom "I play with Uncle Toaster!" He laughed and laughed at his play on words.

Aunt Emmy took Huston on several outings this spring. Each time she ended the time with a trip to Dollar Tree. Each time they went Huston wanted plastic slinkys. He puts the slinkys up and down his arms and loves watching them shoot forward when he grabs things. We call him Slinky Boy.

Arden is sweet as sugar. She has the most precious closed mouth smile that Granny calls her watermelon smile. She puts everything into her mouth and seldom ever fusses unless she is reaching for something to put in her mouth and you take it away. She is calm, gentle and adaptable. And to top it off....she is BEAUTIFUL! She and Huston both get lots of attention wherever they go.

She is crawling now and seems to love stuffed animals. She has the sweetest little voice and is already saying Da Da and Bye Bye. We think she means to say Da Da to Clarke, but the Bye Bye is probably just practicing sounds. Not sure though...she is one smart girl!

Am I a proud Mimi or what? :)

Huston's loves the play dough

Huston always loves playing with the play dough and loves getting various family members to cut out letters with him.

Family Times, Best Times

I'm going back in a time a bit on the blog to post the adorable pictures from Jennifer's 29th birthday dinner. Huston and Arden had a great time being doted on by both sets of grandparents, great Granny and Papaw, and Uncle Topher and Aunt Emmy.

Hi Ho Cherry Oh

We visit the big block at Botanic Gardens.

One day this spring Truitt and I took Huston to "Uncle Donalds" (what he calls McDonalds) after his wee care class. We then went to the Botantic Gardens and had all kinds of fun looking at the water fountains, watching the constructions trucks and seeing the main event, the big flower clock. His joy at the simplest of things brings joy to all of us.

Grandpa buys an electric Thomas the Tank Engine!

Easter brunch.

Easter, like every holiday and every day, is brighter and more joyful with grandkids. We had all our extended families over this year for a pre-Easter Saturday morning brunch and egg hunt. Huston and Arden were joined by their Aunt Emmy and Uncle Topher, both sets of great grandparents, great aunt Janie, great uncle Jay and first cousins-once-removed, Valerie, Kelsey, Summer, Blake and Kendall.

Huston was a little perplexed at first that so many people were in the house where he is usually alone with Mimi and Grandpa and rules as king. But he sooned warmed up and had a marvelous time with all the family. He especially loved playing with Blake and Kendall and repeated everything that Blake said, prefacing it with, "Blake say...." The small children, Lynette and I walked over to the big pond to see the goats. Blake and Huston didn't waste anytime gathering up stones and had much fun throwing them in the water. Such simple things are so very fun to them and that makes them so fun to us.

Arden was her usual calm self, looking at everything around her with her big bright eyes and looking adorable in pastel plaid pants and an easter bunny top. Jennifer changed her into the pink dress and bloomers that we had put in her easter basket and, of course, she looked adorable in that outfit as well.

I read the Easter story to the children from a children's Bible and we released a helium balloon into the sky to remember how Jesus rose again. This is a tradition I would like to continue.

Easter time. Great food. A beautiful day. Great-grandparents, grandparents, Moms, Dads, aunts, uncles, and children. All had a wonderful time.

Huston and Arden are our joy. Huston has spent the night at our house quite a few times lately and, boy, have we had fun! He loves to watch the clock in our entry way strike the hours and he always runs toward it saying, "Clock ringing! Clock ringing!" We hold him up to watch it strike and he is totally mesmerized. We also have a tradition of watching the "Mickey and the Clock Cleaners" video and eating Grandpa's famous Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes in the morning.

He recently spent all day and night with us when Jennifer, Clarke and Arden went to Austin for a basketball game between Baylor and UT. We had been out celebrating Valerie's birthday with the entire Spears side of the family and Huston had a wonderful time, but he was very excited to get back to "MiMi's house". When we walked up onto the porch he sighed and said, "I'm happy." He even used the correct pronoun! He usually gets them mixed up in the most delightful way. Such as when he was imitating me by putting moisturizer dots on his face then grinning up at me and saying "You so crazy, just like MiMi!" Or when Jennifer was asking him too many questions about Wee Care he said, "You no talk it about nursery!"

Arden is absolutely adorable! We still can't believe that her brown eyed parents produced a little girl with the eyes the color of the ocean. She takes in everything around her with a calm studiousness. She reminds me of both Clarke and Jennifer with her peaceful demeanor and adaptability. She is very strong and already seems to be wanting to imitate speech. It's so fun to have our new little girl in the family!