Reading With Isabella

I am blessed that I had a mother who read to me daily and I read to our children regularly as well.  One of my favorite classes in college at both BYU and MSCW was my 'Kiddie Lit' class.  It was a pleasure to reacquaint myself with some of my childhood favorites while also being introduced to many new books.  I distinctly remember rereading Charlotte's Web while sitting on the lawn outside the McKay building and crying.  

A few weeks ago, I got the great idea to share my love of reading with Isabella through nightly FaceTime chats.  I bought two copies of Charlotte's Web - one for me and one for Isabella.  Every night I call her and we take turns reading paragraphs until we complete a chapter.

If she looks a little glum in this photo it is because this is the chapter just after Charlotte's death.  I had been kind of worried because a couple of days before this I had asked her what she thought was going to happen and she joyfully said, "I think Charlotte and Wilbur are going to be friends forever."  

She got really quiet when we read about Charlotte's lonely death but she bounced right back with joy at the 514 spider babies hatching in the barn!

And this from a girl who before now HATED spiders with a passion.

I asked her to pick our next book and she wanted a Junie B Jones book.  I looked on Amazon and discovered that there are lots of books in this series.  28 to be exact.  Isabella had read all of them up to #25.  The title of #26 caught my eye and she agreed that would be our next pick. 

Quite a stark contrast from Charlotte's web!

But it should be highly entertaining and bring back memories of our trip to Hawaii a few years ago.

When she is over at our house we snuggle up on the bed with a few animals so they can enjoy the story too!

Grandma brag moment here!

Isabella is a first grader and Charlotte's web is considered 4th grade reading level. 

She reads quickly and so expressively.

I am loving every minute of this precious time spent with our darling girl.

Van Gogh

 Most of my time in West Virginia was spent totally enjoying playing with Jackson.  I love being that fun little boy's grandma!  

Mary and I did slip away one night to go down to Washington DC to immerse ourselves in Van Gogh.  

Chances are you have seen or heard about the 'Immersive Van Gogh Experiences'.  The highlight is when images or videos of his works are projected onto walls, ceilings and floors in a large room. 

But first we learned more about Vincent and his early life and paintings in a more traditional gallery.

Traditional except that his works were animated.

This was one of my favorites.

His  bedroom in Arles, depicted in one of his famous paintings, was recreated.  Mary and I have good memories of our trip to Arles, France when we were living in Barcelona. 

Next we went into a large gym sized room and were totally immersed with his art all around us.

Starry night

Self portraits

You can see that the art works are animated and change from one painting to another.  Doors and windows open, stars shine, lights come on and off.  Appropriate music plays.  It was quite mesmerizing. Some people just stretch out on the floor but we were thankful for the lounge chairs. 

The last part of the evening was a walk through the French countryside that Van Gogh painted so often. 

The 'walk' was accomplished by putting on virtual reality headsets.  I loved the feeling of walking around and looking behind and from side to side. Birds were singing!  Clouds moving across the sky!  Wheat blowing in the breeze!  A storm on the horizon! Thankfully just as my motion sickness was starting to affect me, I arrived at the end of the walk. 

Here are a few of his paintings that I 'walked' through.

I am so glad that Mary heard about this and got us tickets.  It has been something I've wanted to do for a long time.  Thanks daughter!

Random Fun in West Virginia

 Just a few random shots of fun in West Virginia!

Jackson is a good helper in the grocery store.

Parade time!

As I have said before Jackson has quite the imagination. Here's a fun example. During this parade various participants would get out of line and 'shake their booty'.  I had to make a sign that said, "NO BOOTY SHAKING".  After that when someone would do a little booty dance, Chase, the Paw Patrol Policeman, would arrest them and put them in jail.  This got even crazier when I introduced Jackson to the 1976 KC and the Sunshine Band hit - Shake Your Booty.  After I played that song, the number of animals breaking the law by shaking their booty skyrocketed!

Jackson loves construction vehicles so Good Night Construction Site became a favorite book.

Especially when read on the top bunk!

Jackson is usually not a fan of posing for photos but occasionally you can get him to pose....when HE wants to!

This is in Berkley Springs, West Virginia.  And yes George Washington did bath here. In fact he described the experience this way. 

"We found of both sexes about 250 people at this place, full of all manner of diseases and complaints; some of which are benefited, while others find no relief from the waters two of three doctors are here, but whether attending as physicians or to drink the water I know not. It is thought the springs will soon begin to lose their virtues, and the weather gets too cold for people not well provided to remain here. They are situated very badly on the east side of a steep mountain, and enclosed by hills on all sides, so that the afternoon's sun is hid by 4 o'clock and the fog hangs over us till 9 or 10, like ghosts with occasional great damps and the mornings and the evenings to be cool. 

However, I think my fevers are a good deal abated, though my pains grow rather worse, and my sleep equally disturbed; what effect the waters may have upon me I cannot say at present, as I expect nothing from the air this certainly must be unhealthy. I propose to stay here a fortnight and longer if benefited"

Washington's letter to Reverend Charles Green - August 26, 1761

Mark bought a couple of gallon jugs and we filled them with water from Berkley Springs.  And it tastes great!

On a cold day in April, nothing beats watching cartoons by the fireplace.

Mary and Mark have 4 chickens. One of them is 13 year old Flighty!  She hasn't laid eggs in years but remains the boss lady of the coop. Yes, there really is a 'pecking order'. Can you figure out which one is the geriatric hen? I read on line that well cared for and protected hens can live for as long as 12 years.  Flighty must be very protected and well cared for.

Can't Forget Mark!

Our Jackson hit the jackpot with his parents.  Mark is a great dad for our little guy.

He takes him to breakfast every Saturday morning at Waffle House.  Often they then go on a Home Depot trip.  Mark picks up the kid's DIY kits and then teaches Jackson as they work on completing the project together.

Hammering

Painting

To make a little birdhouse and feeder!

Doesn't he look cute in his Home Depot apron?

Mark is the perfect recipient of my antique toys!

My mother saved this truck for many years and I finally decided to give it to Mark.

He did some research and learned that it is from 1958, when I was 5 years old.

In his research he learned that you could buy a replacement tailgate and the small chains so, of course, he did.

Now my antique truck looks like new.

Thanks Mark.

A couple of years ago, I gave Mark the Marklin train that my mother had saved from my childhood.  Again, he researched, bought the needed parts and now Jackson has a train set.

Mark even bought more cars and enough tracks that they can make a figure 8.

Makes me smile to see my grandson playing with my old train set.

I love thinking of my Daddy in heaven watching his grandson play with the train he gave me so many years ago.

So glad that I got to spend time with this family and participate in their activities.

Super Mom Mary

 Many years ago I completed this needlework and had it framed. I hope my children have some memories of me playing with them. I know for sure that Jackson will have many such memories!

One of the delights of being in Mary's home is listening to the giggles and laughter as she plays with our adorable little grandson.  That boy has an active imagination. He and Mary have adventure after adventure with his cars, trucks and figures.  Paw Patrol makes daring rescues.  Construction vehicles build roads. There are 'masking tape roads' on the floor in every room of the house.

I gave him a doctor's kit and that provided hours and hours of fun!

Mostly we were a vet hospital.

Notice the bandaids on each patient!

Occasionally a human patient with a high fever would slip in.

Jackson's imagination goes a mile a minute and he has definite ideas about how things should happen.  One might say he is a bit bossy!

But he's so adorable, no one cares...at least Mom and Grandma don't.

Mary is infinitely patient with him.  He is quite cautious in new situations, like soccer.  Mary lets him do what he is comfortable doing, with no pushing to do more.  I wasn't like that. She's there when he needs and wants her.  I can see that this approach gives him a solid foundation which gives him confidence while lessening his insecurity.  Her patient love will pay off.

He was also hesitant about being left at preschool.  Mary stayed with him in class on many days until he got comfortable and then gradually developed a ritual so that she can now leave him smiling at the door.

When he wanted to 'help' pour sugar from the big container into smaller ones. she let him.  I know most moms would have balked at the mess (and yes there was a mess, especially when he decided to experiment with adding water to the sugar) but Mary encouraged his interest and them calmly cleaned it up.

She researched on-line to find a children's museum close by and then let him run from activity to activity, knowing they would come back another day for more in depth play.  Today was all about exploring at Jackson's pace.

Feeding dinosarus!

Turning gears!

Watching scarves float!

He loved it all!

When we took a day trip to Berkley Springs, Mary found a 'cat rescue' center.  For a small donation you can go into a Victorian home where 40 cats have free rein.

You can play with them. Jackson had fun dragging the toy and making this kitten run after it.

You can pet them and even adopt one!  Although then we might have had to find a new home for Mark who is not a cat lover!

Mary is never too busy to go to the park.

Or too distracted to play and play!

I am in awe of the kind of mother my daughter is to our little grandson.

Jackson is blessed to call her mommy!

D.C. Cherry Blossoms

 I can check another one off the bucket list.  I have seen the magnificent display of cherry blossoms in Washington DC.  The National Park Service provides a on-line 'Cherry Blossom Watch', which I did 'watch' closely.  The peak bloom was on March 23. I arrived on March 29th and we drove down to DC the next day.  Even a week past 'peak' they were still a sight to behold!

Powder pink buds bloom

Each branch dances in the wind

Touching the blue sky

First we enjoyed lunch with Heather Cooke.  She is a Kenya Keys volunteer and although we have had numerous zoom meetings and phone calls, we had never met.  Since she lives in DC, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.  What an asset to Kenya Keys!  She's articulate, smart, dedicated and hard working! I am glad that she is my friend.

On her recommendation, we drove through the Kenwood neighborhood. It's an upscale neighborhood with quaint and stately homes and a profusion of white blossoms.  

If I had to move to DC, I'd love to live here.

There's a winding creek between tree lined streets.  So picturesque! 

Mary's confidence in driving in DC traffic amazes me.  Because of the Cherry Blossom Festival, there were streets blocked off on the route the GPS had recommended.  Cool as a cucumber, she didn't panic but quickly adjusted.  We even found ourselves in the notorious 'DuPont Circle'  traffic before making it to the tidal basin.

I love this area any time of the year but with the blossom, it was especially beautiful.

And made even more beautiful with this loved faces! 

without you-

the cherry blossoms

just blossoms

The lady who took this photo for us says that she 'almost' got Jackson to smile but at least got a smirk!

Under the cherry blossoms

strangers are not

really strangers

I didn't know that there was also a tulip garden.

I somehow managed to snap a photo with no other people! 

The cherries' only fault:

The crowds that gather 

A fun day and the perfect start to my visit to DC!