It's the Grammy's

There are two weeks of the year when it is awesome to count down the ages of our grandchildren and it's always during the Grammy Awards.  I just love it and couldn't resist sharing with you this week. As of January 26th, I have 8 nominations for the Grammy Awards.  Here they go in order of age....

My Six Year old Brooklyn is nominated for Best birthday Party girl. She will turn Seven tomorrow and had her friend party on Saturday at the Dallas Zoo.  It was a Wild Kratts Party.  AWESOME in every way.  Way to go Becky and Ricky!

My Five year old Keelie is winning the First Grandchild to loose a tooth.  Earlier this week, her first tooth to come in, fell out. Thankfully, she has a trusting tooth fairy who paid up even though she swallowed her tooth by mistake.  Oops!

My Four year old Addison is nominated as the Friendly Girl.  She attended Brooklyn's party and made everyone feel welcome and happy and was a great sport when all the presents were for Brooklyn.

My Three year old Callum is nominated for being the youngest Jeep driver in the family.  All of his uncles and his Grandpa and his dad have loved driving Jeeps and now, Callum joins the fame of being a Jeeper. Jeepers Creepers, three years old is young to drive!

My Two year old Penny is being nominated for being the most cheerful sick little girl this week.  She has a yucky runny  nose and a crummy cough and a little fever, but is still cheerful and nice.  Go Miss Penny!

My One year old Harper is being nominated for being so happy that her Nana and Papa Jensen are in town.  Becky's parents arrived in time for Brooklyn's birthday and Harper hasn't quit smiling.  She is a delightful One  year old for sure.

My 9 month old Maxwell earned the nomination for kamikaze pilot of the week.  While swinging downstairs in the laundry room, he managed to propel himself out of the swing onto his noodle. OUCH! Don't forget your seatbelt Mr. Max!

My 7 month old Adelaide is being nominated for the prettiest beach baby.  She is a true California girl in the very nicest sense of the word.  We love your styling sunglasses Adelaide!  We love you all.

SLY Robynn

Grammy is my favorite name

Brooklyn, my lunch date

Our Mansfield Thiots
Wednesday was a fun day in  Mansfield.  Becky had been wanting to sew a new valance for her kitchen window since repainting a few months ago.  I found some fun chevron fabric while at the fabric store a week ago and we made a plan to get together to sew sew sew.  I came early enough to have lunch with Brooklyn, my favorite first grader at Martha Reid Elementary.  What fun it was to see Brooklyn's face when she saw me.  Becky had kept it a surprise, just in case it didn't work, and it was delightful to spend 30 minutes with her.  She is so much fun and I can hardly wait to do it again.  Graypa wants to come with me next time.  The valance turned out fun and we even found a fun bird painting to add to their family room. What a fun day.  Thanks Becky, Brooklyn, Addison and Harper for a great Wednesday!

Maxwell,  Gwenny and Penny watching Daniel Tiger together

Our Charlottesville Granges
This was a tough week in Charlottesville.  Maxwell caught Roseola some where and was feeling yucky.  He's a good sport even not feeling his best.  Friday, Jake's cousin delivered her first baby and the baby was still born.  So very very sad.  That same day, Jake's sister delivered her sweet little baby girl, Capri.  I just keep thinking how those two little spirits must have come to earth holding hands but little Bella didn't need to stay long, she returned to our Heavenly Father right away.  My heart hurts for that sweet family and celebrates for Jakes sister Jessie with her new little one. There are hard things in this life that is for sure. Dick and I had a fun 30 minutes on Saturday morning playing Hide and Go Seek with Miss Penny.  We hid in her closet and giggled a LOT.  She is so fun.

Keelie with Callum's bubble blower and Callum tightening lug nuts

Our  Carmichael Thiots
Turning 3 is one of the greatest birthdays.  Callum is such a fun little boy and enjoyed his multiple days of celebrations.  Charlie sent a few quick videos of him driving his blue jeep, just like his daddy's and that sure put a smile on my face.  His play rug arrived one day after his birthday and that might have been even better, another day to celebrate and from what we've heard, he loves it and has already spent time playing with his little cars, trucks, trains, and tractors on it.  Happy Day!  Keelie's been a great big sister to help him play with his  new things too.

Seven month old Adelaide Elizabeth

Our L.A. Thiots
Our Little Lady celebrated her 7 month old birthday this week.  She is doing so well and is eating solids and is just a happy little Lady for sure.  She loves to go to the beach and watch her daddy go surfing and Stacy is enjoying every minute being her mommy.  Pierce is heading to Utah on Thursday for a recruitng event at BYU.  He is hoping to have dinner with Dick on Thursday night as Dick will be in SLC for work this week too.  What a great time that will be.

Sunrise on the Golden Gate Bridge

Our San Fran Thiots
The job hunt continues for Skyler in San Fran.  He's heard lots of promising things, but so far nothing set.  I keep thinking about the scripture where sometimes we have to wait on the 4th watch, to test our strength and our faith in the Lord.  I just know something good is going to be just around the corner.  Keep those prayers heading heavenward.  Saturday morning they woke up early and headed to the Golden Gate bridge.  They wanted to see the sun rise over the bridge.  It did not disappoint.  They loved it and sent some great photos.  Thanks Sky and Kara!

Rocky, Addison, Brooklyn, Adelaide, Harper and Grammy

We Empty Nesters
Pierce sent me this picture this week that he took when he was here last week.  Oh it put a smile on this Grammy's face.  How I love being a Grammy.  It's my very favorite name to be called.  I Love these four little girls and two more little girls and boys.  Eight truly is Gr-8!

Saturday morning I had a few honey doo's for Dick and offered him breakfast at The House of Waffles as Penny calls it.  They make really good eggs and grits there which Dick loves.  It was delicious then latter in the day Ricky's family called and invited us to join them for Lunch, it was a lot of eating out day.  Yummy! We got to take dinner to a family with a brand new baby girl who was born on Callum's birthday on Wednesday.  I LOVED getting to take a sneak peak at Miss Brinley.  She is beautiful.
I hope you have had a good week and that you have had a minute or two to reflect on the many blessings in your lives too.  SLY Robynn
Funny things I don't want to forget
At lunch on Wednesday, Brooklyn lifted up my bangs, which revealed some very white roots and she commented, "Grammy, your hair is white, are you getting old?"
When it was time to leave Mansfield on Wednesday, Harper came out in the bunny coat I had let her borrow to go home on Sunday when it had cooled off.  At first I thought, oh she is bringing me back my bunny coat but then when I took it off and she cried, I think she wanted to come home with me.  I LOVED that!  I love you Miss Harper Grace!
At lunch on Saturday, Addison came and climbed up on my lap and whispered in my ear, "I wish every day was Grammy Camp."  I told her I did too.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

Our Mansfield Thiots
Once a month in Mansfield, Ricky has a Daddy Daughter Date with one of his Darling Daughters.  To start off the new year, Brooklyn got to go first.  She had a great week at school and brought home a 100% on her first Spelling Test for the new year so it was a really good thing to celebrate.  She wanted to play mini golf and have ice cream so that is just what they did.  She is really a great little left handed golfer and hit two hole in ones.  Ricky couldn't have been prouder and we know Mom Mom must have been watching from heaven above and was smiling big too.

Our Charlottesville Granges
This week might have been called bumps and scrapes at Tatia and Jakes.  Mister Maxwell is getting very brave at pulling up to EVERYTHIng and trying to walk around EVERYTHIng.  Some things he chooses are not very stable and even with Tatia and Jake keeping a close eye, he got his first and I'm sure not his last bump on his head.  Even a little chair can make a big bump.  Miss Penny cut her finger and scraped her knee on a hike.  They are quick healers with a doctor in the house and hopefully, this week will be a little less painful. On a brighter note, some friends of theirs got married on Friday afternoon and then were baptitze members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints on Saturday. What a great weekend for them.

Our Carmichael Thiots
I am not sure if I have bragged recently about Callum Jay being on the potty train.  He is doing a good job and we are all so proud of him.  He's been on for a few months and Char and Kenz are loving it too. This is Birthday Week at their house.  January 15th is a wonderful day.  Callum will turn 3 on Wednesday.  We have loved every day of these 3 years of having him in our family.  I remember when I went to visit when he was born, Kenzie would tell Keelie that Callum would be her best friend in all the world.  At the time when he couldn't do much in the playing department, I think she was un sure of that, but now she knows just what her mom meant.  He is a great little buddy to have at your side.  Happy Birthday Week Callum Jay!

Our L.A. Thiots
Last Tuesday, Pierce, Stacy and Adelaide went back home.  I loved having them in town and close by.  Stacys mom told me at the airport that she didn't mind so much Stacy and Pierce going home, but she was REALLY going to miss, Miss Adelaide.  She is a lovely little baby and we all adore her.  I had a dream Monday night that I had got up early and made cinnamon rolls and taken them to the airport.  When I woke up it was 2:45, I thought Oh my, if I jump up right now, I could do it and they would be ready by 5:30 to take to the airport and surprise Pierce who loves them.  We loved getting to say goodbye one more time.

Our San Fran Thiots
Sky and Kara are doing well and had a great time at the Oakland Temple this weekend.  The temple will be closed for a few weeks for cleaning and so it was extra nice to be there.  What a beautiful house of the Lord.  Sky also told me that their new home teacher came for a visit and he was a familiar face.  In the movie Napolian Dynamite that was made many years ago,  Napolian had a brother who was a bit nutty in the movie.  Well guess what?  He is Sky and Kara's home teacher.  That is a pretty good claim to fame having a famous home teacher, he he he.

Eric, Rhonda, Hannah, Jetta  & David Godwin

We Empty Nesters
Dick and I had an extra nice Saturday night having dinner with Dick's cousin Eric and his wife Rhonda.  It's been on our wish list of things to do and we decided 2014 was time to take action on our list and do it.  They had a sitter so it we didn't get to meet their 3 children yet, but hope to do that soon when Ricky and Becky can join us too. I loved hearing the family stories and loved catching up.  Rhonda is very interested in Family History and Genealogy Work.  She has found lots of information about Dick's mom's side of the family.  It was so fun to learn more.  What a fun night.  We can't wait to do it again.

One of my other favorite parts of the week was working on a Play Rug for Callum's birthday gift.  Callum, I hope you aren't reading this. he he he.  When Ricky turned 3, my mom made a play rug for him and my kids all loved it growing up.  We still get it out when little ones come over to play.  Last summer, my mom and Sisters and I made one for my brothers grandson and it reminded me of how I wanted to make Callum one.  Mom let me copy her patterns and I came home in June all excited to start.  Then life got in the way and I decided that his birthday in January would be a good deadline.  I decided that a light box would make all the tracing easier and so I got one, and what fun that is.  It takes a lot of time, but as Tatia reminded me, it's loving time when you think about the one you are making it for.  I did love making it for Callum and I hope he will enjoy playing with it for years to come too.  Happy Birthday tomorrow Mr. C!  Have a great week everybody!  SLY Robynn

Happy New Years Week

The Mansfield House of Thiots
Monday afternoon, I met Becky and the girls at the Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine.  I'm not sure what was happening there on Monday, but the parking lot was packed with pick up trucks and SUV's.  I think every red neck in north Texas was there.  I found a parking spot and Becky and the girls arrived and we switched the big girls car seats into my car and headed back home for a Polar Bear Grammy Camp to begin.  Cute Kinsley beat us to Grammy camp and we were sure glad Sky and Kara were there to let her in.  We sure had a fun time with the girls.  Our first activity was to head to the pool for the Polar Bear Swim.  Oh my goodness did we have fun.  The lazy river is my favorite and the girls loved the slides, oh my goodness, what fun.  We stopped for a tasty dinner at McDonalds and playground play afterwards.  We watched Mary Poppins and loved dancing with the chimney sweeps.   I'm still humming chim chiminey chim chim cherooo!

The Charlottesville House of Granges
Miss Penny is such a fun girl.  She has a new thing that everything is named "The House of..."  For example, the Waffle House is known as The House of Waffles.  When I started typing the 1st Edition of Our Thiot Times for 2014, I thought, let's try it out and see how it goes with The House of....  Here goes.  Penny and Maxwell have had an extra nice week with some extra attention from Jakes Aunt Linda.  She is staying with a friend in Charlottesville and has had some time to come over and let Tatia and Jake have a "DATE Night" and even let Tatia have an adventure to the Fabric Store all by HERSELF.  Tatia started an alphablet wall about six months ago.  She and Penny would paint the letter of the week and then she wanted to figure out a way to hang them on the wall.  She was missing a few key letters and now with her Christmas money was able to finish the alphabet and now I can hardly wait to see them on the wall.

The Carmichael House of Thiots 
A fun package arrived in the mail this week with Christmas gifts from The Carmichael Thiots.  Graypa got a sweet new baseball cap and I got a darling canvus with Keelie's hands and Callums feet and it spells LOVE. Oh how I love it.  What a sweet thoughtful gift.  Thank you Keelie and Callum and Kenzie and Charlie.  We love you and Love our gifts. We had a fun night on Sunday night.  We had a talent show and Keelie got to participate by doing some fine dance moves for us.  We all loved it.  I was sad it was dinner time and Callum didn't get to do his talent.  Next time Callum, Next time.  We loved having face time with Char's family.  We were sorry the time in Charlottesville was too late for Penny to participate.  Next time we will plan better.

The Los Angeles House of Thiots 
Pierce, Stacy and Adelaide have been in town this week.  Stacy's little sister Katy had her wedding open house on Saturday night and they had a week of celebrating this week with the Brinkerhoffs.  They didn't meet us on New Years Morning to join us for Breakfast at the Original Pancake House in Grapevine.  We had 60% of the Thiots in attendance. Twelve of us.  It's funny how having so many of us together, makes me so lonesome for the ones that were so far away. I wish Char and Tatia and their families had been with us too.  We had lots of fun together.  I wanted to tell you about Pierce's talent in the talent show and I'm so hoping I have a photo to share with you too.  Pierce asked for some pens, pencils and even a half broken pair of scissors.  Then he proceeded to tuck them into his bushy beard.  Oh my, 15 pens or pencils and 1/2 pair of scissors. It was AWESOME! Adelaide did her trick of standing up in her daddy's hands high in the air.  Oh my goodness.  Adelaide, you are BRAVE!

The  San Francisco House of Thiots
Sky and Kara celebrated their 2nd anniversary on Monday.  What fun that was 2 years ago.  That was the last time all of us Thiots have been together.  We hope to end that this summer.  That is too long. I want to tell you about the Christmas Miracle for Sky and Kara.  Last week I asked for your prayers in helping them find a place to live and Sky sent an e-mail to his Bishop at church asking if he might know of a place they could stay.  He sent an e-mail to his ward and one of the ward members asked his neighbor who had a guest house in their back yard and they were willing to let Sky and Kara have a HOME for the next few weeks while they continue job hunting.  Prayers answered and you'll have to read Kara's cute blog post about their new tiny home.   So sweet.  We  miss you Sky and Kara but are excited for you and your new adventure where ever it will lead you. I LOVED making cinnamon rolls for them before they left on Tuesday.  We miss you!

The Plano House of Thiots
This has been a very Happy Week of  our New Year 2014!  Grammy Camp was a fun start to it and having Pierce and Stacy come for a sleep over on Sunday night was a great finisher of our week.  The only bad part of the week was when Dick's phone was taken from the Swimming Pool at Polar Bear Grammy Camp.  I wish everyone in this world had been better learners when they were taught to not steal and to be honest in all they do.  What a sad thing this world is.  I'm glad to report that Dick has replaced his phone and he's back in business taking and making lots of calls.
Our Ward Elders came and had dinner on New Years Eve.  I loved the greeting the girls wrote on our chalk board to welcome in the new year.  What fun it was to have them here.
This morning when Pierce, Stacy and Adelaide left, I started taking down  my Christmas decorations.  Some years I am so ready to get it boxed up and put away.  This year, I have just enjoyed it and am going to miss our pretty tree and all the things that make me happy that are so  memory filled.  I hope you've had a Happy First Week of our New Year.  SLY Robynn 

Happy New Year!