34+ Years..... and Still Learning

My husband who is recently retired is very used to me doing such projects. He is however more used to coming home from work and seeing the completed projects. This time he was very aware of the amount of time, energy, and resources I use to get such a task done. I love doing this sort of thing so I am very willing to invest my time, my resources, my energy, and OUR dining room table for days into creating what I have already imagined in my head.

It all started with me volunteering to do a promotional poster at a recent planning meeting for an upcoming church activity. The theme "Spring is in the Air". I always seem to volunteer or be volunteered for this sort of thing. (Which is a good thing!)

We drove into the Valley which is about forty miles away. Between what my husband had on his mind to do I and I wanting to weasel in stops to look for exactly what I want for the posters I knew there was going to have to be some negotiating. I thought for sure I would find what I wanted in Hobby Lobby while my not so happy to be there husband waited in the car. I came out with a purchase of course (Valentine's clearance items for the grandkids) but empty handed of any supplies for the posters. A few more miles away I roped him into a stop at a Michael's store.... now an even less happy hubby waited in the car. Again, I came out without the needed supplies. He is wondering how I could come out of such big stores without poster supplies. That's because only I had a very clear picture of what I wanted/had to have in my brain! I knew there was one more store that I wanted to stop at. How was I going to get him to stop again when he just wanted to get back home? After all, we were still at least forty miles from home.

"We need bread" I said! We better stop at Costco to get bread. (Knowing there was a JoAnn's Crafts Superstore right by Costco). I suggested that he run into Costco and get the bread and a few other items I requested while I run into JoAnn's. He loves being efficient and this was a very efficient idea. I also said; (strictly in his behalf of course.) "Take your time is Costco, I know how much you like to check out what's new.

The plan worked perfectly. He was happy and I was super happy. JoAnn's had exactly what I needed and at 40 and 50% off! Can you believe it .... a poster board of clouds. PERFECT!!!! I came out with bags in hand (with items I actually needed this time) and now I too was anxious to get home to start my project.

Anyways, after several hand cut scrapbook paper letters, multiple fonts and ink colors tested, two glue sticks, trial layouts, lot's and lot's of tweaking, and three days later the project is complete. No wait, I still have to make one more just like it!

My hubby has always wondered how I have kept myself busy all of these years. So, after 34+ years he's getting a glimpse into what kinds of very simple things have given me such a full and enriched stay at home life!

Unexpected Dinner Guests in one Hour?

This is something that I had only heard of happening to others. I had never experienced it first hand. I came home from a late afternoon meeting and I was met at the door with a frantic "We have dinner guests coming in one hour!" My husband (first time ever) had forgotten to tell me. I did not panic, I rather, took a quick look in the pantry and decided what could be pulled together in that amount of time.

Red potatoes, jiffy cornbread mix, applesauce, a brownie mix, and BBQ sauce. A quick look in the freezer netted two packages of chicken tenders, and a couple bags of frozen corn. The frozen chicken was put in warm water to thaw while the doctored up jiffy mix went into the oven. Hubby mixed up the brownie mix and got it in the oven too. Red potatoes were put on to boil and hubby was put in charge of shining the silverware, the glasses, and setting the table.

The red potatoes got a drizzle of melted butter, some chopped parsley, and a nice sprinkling of sea salt, The corn was cooked in the microwave, the applesauce dumped in a bowl, and the chicken roasted quickly in the oven (when the brownies came out) with a glaze of doctored up BBQ sauce. The cornbread was served with butter and honey. The brownies were left on the kitchen counter to cool for dessert.

It was a very busy hour but the results were ample, quite yummy, and most importantly on time!

What a Deal!

Hitting the Christmas Clearance rack in Penney's in February was like hitting the jackpot for me! I am on the lookout throughout the year for things that can be used for my Grandkid's Christmas Day Camp. These snow globes were originally priced at $7.99 each. You would probably agree that they were originally priced way too high. As you can see they had names imprinted on them which must have clearly added to their value. They had been marked down to just .10 cents each. I picked up eleven of them with a plan.

I teased the cashier that I was lucky to find all ten of my grandchildren's names! Truthfully, I had not found a single one. I was choosing short names that I knew I could easily cover with my my handy dandy label maker that I had at home. I made all of the changes making a personalized snow globe for each of my grandchildren for a grand total of $1.20 and one extra to be used as an example of whatever I create to use them. That was a savings of $86.79!!!

You will have to stay tuned.... next Christmas Day Camp the snow globes will be transformed into a super cute craft of some sort or maybe they will be used as a prize in our annual Candy Walk Game.

One on One at Grandma's House

With just one grandson at the house I felt it was safe to play in the water in the house. This little guy had so much fun speeding the toy boats in the bathroom sink. A very simple thing but he was in absolute heaven!

Showing Off My Wild Side!

Well, here I am all bundled up and hanging on for dear life. I'm not one for taking risks so this ride in my daughter's Ranger is really showing off my wild side! My three daughters, my oldest granddaughter and myself romped over a lot of snow covered territory while we enjoyed the sometimes slippery ride, the beautiful scenery, some really fun girl time, and one another's laughter and squeals of delight.

A Very Excited Thank You

This picture was snapped just minutes after the boys had discovered our Valentine's Heart Attack on their shared bathroom. The Valentine surprise was waiting for them after school. They headed straight down to our house after their discovery to let us know that they had found it and to tell us thank you. With their Valentine's suckers still in hand they grinned with excitement as they described all of the silly places they found hearts.

Their mom tells me that they have used the hearts over and over again. Once to heart attack their little brothers bedroom, another time to decorate the breakfast nook on Valentine's morning where their mommy had made them heart shaped pancakes, and then again later in the formal dining room for their Valentine's dinner.

Down Right Adorable!

My youngest of three granddaughters is an adorable little girl just like her two older sisters. She is as cute as a button and she has a very outgoing personality to match. She is a little chatterbox (with a nice strong voice) who always has an opinion on what is going on. She has a very precious gift of seeing the best in others. She is also very, very complimentary to everyone, an amazing trait for her age. Did you know that I am the "best..est" grandma at crafts, at cooking, at coloring, at....? I'm not sure about that but I do know for sure that I am the luckiest grandma!

Could it Possibly Be?

Could it possibly be? It sure is..... the same little girl! Talk about being well rounded. This little girl (my second of three granddaughters) is perfectly balanced between being a sweet little girly girl and an adorable tomboy that will not be out done by her little brother or any of her six boy cousins.

She loves the glamour of dance recitals, frilly dresses, and trips to the spa to have her toes and nails done. She also loves the thrill of amusement park rides that are hard to get any adults to ride with her on. She is a natural at gymnastic lessons, she can climb a tree like a squirrel, rip around on a quad, run like a jackrabbit, and she would never shy away from a mud puddle!

Her excitement for life, for experiencing new things, and her can do attitude is really fun to see.

An Unexpected Hug to My Heart

My almost ten year old granddaughter was visiting me one day after school last week. She had brought her homework and she was sitting at the kitchen island working on her assignments while I was prepping dinner. Once she had written all of her spelling words three times I offered to give her a practice quiz to see if she was ready for her spelling test the next day.

She was breezing through the spelling of the words so I was adding questions here and there to also quiz her correct use of the words. When we got to the spelling word "Happiest" I asked her "Where is the happiest place on earth?" I was expecting the answer of "Disneyland" but without hesitation her response was "Right here!"

Grandma Camp's a Growing Trend?

I was recently contacted by the Los Angeles Times about the Grand kid Camps that I host for my grandchildren each year. I was happy to learn that grand kid camps are a growing trend among grandparents. I was even happier to share my grand kid camp experiences with the Los Angeles Times.

I am currently the grandma to ten amazing grandchildren. It is our tradition to do two camps a year for our grandchildren. We have a twelve hour Christmas Day Camp soon after Thanksgiving to kick off the Christmas season or what we call the Ho...Ho...Holidays. In the early summer we have an overnight "Grandkid's Camp Out" for those grandchildren who are potty trained and older.

At the birth of this wonderful family tradition we only had two little campers. They were three and four years old. Last summer we had grown to seven campers at our overnight camp out. The campers were between the ages of three and nine. We had nine campers at our Christmas Day Camp in 2009. The kids were between the ages of eighteen months and nine years. The grand kids look forward to the camps all year long. I, as the organizer "The Camp Director" begin brainstorming for the next camp as soon as the current one ends.

My website www.grandmaslittlepearls.com shares several ideas for things to do at both camps. The camps are fully scheduled from the time the kids arrive until they go home. The activities are varied including a wide variety of crafts, group games and activities, learning workshops, music time, baking, hiking, sports, outdoor cooking, camping skills, and lots of eating!

I have learned over the years that ample pre-planning, over the top organization, a posted schedule, and prepping as much as possible for the planned activities, snacks, and meals are key to the success of the camp. With the number of campers growing so has my need for extra adult hands and eyes to help keep everyone safe and on task. My husband and I manage the overnight camp out together. The Christmas Day Camp has grown into needing even more help to watch the little ones. The children's great grandma who is in her mid seventies has helped us for the last few years.

My goals for the camps include providing a fun and enriching experience for the children, to strengthen family bonds between the generations, to create memories, and to help build love, friendships, family bonds, and special memories between the siblings and cousins.

I am a strong believer in the importance of and the blessings of having family traditions. Our family has many traditions that we look forward to throughout the year. Some traditions are just for the adults and most others are for young and old. The grand kids camps where it is "just for the kids" are priceless opportunities for Papa and I to create lasting memories with our grandchildren. Grand kid camps are an absolute keeper in our family!

Valentine's Sweet Treats

There's been some baking going on in Grandma Shelley's kitchen this Valentine's Day. Chocolate Eclairs and home baked chocolate chip cookies topped with fudge icing and a fun heart of pink and red sprinkles stenciled on the top to make them extra special for this Valentine's Day.

Chocolate Eclairs are so good and no one should ever be afraid of making them. They are really very easy to make. They are perfect for so many occasions. The ingredients are inexpensive and ones that you probably have in your pantry right now. I plan to do a "how to" posting with pictures and step by step instructions to show you just how easily you can impress your friends!

A Valentine's "Heart Attack"

These are pictures from the Valentine's Heart Attack that we made on our grandchildren. It ended up being quite the project to do three attacks in one day. Fun stuff for Papa and I!

Time to Launch the Attack!

Today is the day. It is time to launch our attack. Our mission: to bring smiles to our ten little Valentine's faces. All of our materials are organized and are ready for a quick and speedy attack. Our accomplices in the field (a mommy, an auntie, and a daddy) plan to let us sneak into their homes.

Mission accomplished! Our plan was executed with precision. We were able to retreat without being caught. Our surprise attacks are sure to bring smiles to our little Valentine's faces!

Tasty Potato Dish

This is a really yummy potato dish that I created one time for a large dinner party I was having. It was a huge hit and it was really very simple to make.

You first boil red potatoes (with peels) until tender, drain and roughly chop into cubes. Place back in cooking pot. Add sour cream, butter, chopped green onions, and chopped parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your taste.

My son told me they tasted like a loaded baked potato which inspired adding some crispy crumbled bacon, and some grated cheese for a variation!

More Heart Attack Preparations

It is almost time for Papa and I to make our "Heart Attack" on our grandchildren for Valentine's Day. To personalize it a bit for each child we have made them each a heart garland of sorts with their name on it as part of our plan of attack! We have also made two cookie sheets full of rolled low stick painters tape. We are good to go!

Yesterday one of my younger grandsons walked into the house while I was working on the first heart garland. He asked; "Is that for my house?" Luckily, it wasn't and I said no. He asked "Do you got another of those?" At the time I didn't and I could honestly tell him no again. I then asked him if he would like one? With a huge smile he shook his head yes. I was thrilled to know that I was on the right track with our Valentine's surprise. I think they are going to love it!

Freshen' Up that Garbaged Disposal for Free

I love using orange peels (or any other citrus) to freshen my garbage disposal. I throw the peels in the disposal and give it just one very quick grind. I leave the peels in there for a few hours or overnight. Give it a try. I know you will love the fresh orange scent too!

A Sun Kissed Memory

Every late Fall and early winter I think of the Navel oranges that I used to eat growing up. We had our own citrus trees, an entire orchard of them. I grew up smelling the orange blossoms in the spring and anxiously awaiting the oranges to ripen on the trees. Every year as an adult I long for the sweet, juicy navel oranges that are a vivid memory in my mind. I have made several attempts over the years to find fresh picked oranges that were as good as I remember them being.

Yesterday one of my daughters gave us a bag of oranges that they had picked. When I peeked in the bag they looked like they should be really good. The peels were nice and orange in color, and they felt nice and thick to the touch. The oranges were firm and boy did they smell sweet!

I made my selection from the bag and I peeled it using the same technique I grew up with. The peels came off very easy, just as they should from a navel orange. I had finally found a match to the juiciness, texture, sweetness, and pure orange flavor of my childhood memory. What a treat to eat and it was so much fun to enjoy a sun kissed memory!

Prepping for a Massive Heart Attack this Valentine's Day!!!

Papa and I are prepping for a massive Heart Attack this Valentine's Day. A while back we returned from a trip to our entire bedroom and bathroom being "heart attacked" by all of our grandchildren. Hearts of all sizes and colors had been cut out, loving messages had been hand written, and each heart was lovingly placed by the hands of our grandchildren. It was hard to find a surface without a heart!

Well, this Valentine's Day is going to be pay back time in a very good way. We loved the surprise and we know our grandchildren will too. We have gotten permission from all of the parents to "heart attack" our grandchildren. We have been gathering our supplies, writing our messages of love, and cutting out hundreds of hearts. I have made cookie sheets full of rolled low stick painters tape to attach our hearts to the surfaces so not to cause any damage.

Instead of doing all of the bedrooms we are going to do their shared bathrooms. So, we will only be doing three much smaller rooms instead of their seven big bedrooms! I am also very excited about the big mirrors in the bathrooms ..... they will easily give us twice the love. We have gathered some fun supplies and Papa and I are very anxious to make our attack!

See more photos and ideas here of the actual heart attacks:

http://www.grandmaslittlepearls.com/2011/01/massive-heart-attack-for-valentines-day.html

http://www.grandmaslittlepearls.com/2010/02/valentines-heart-attack.html

http://www.grandmaslittlepearls.com/2010/02/more-heart-attack-preparations.html

http://www.grandmaslittlepearls.com/2009/02/heart-attack-someone-for-valentine-day.html

Living in the Snow

It was such a treat for me to experience living in the snow. Being a desert girl I had only visited the snow on family snow outings. I loved the experience of seeing it snow....and snow....and snow. Seeing the Pine trees and the roof tops perfectly iced with the white stuff made me feel like I was living in a picture perfect post card. The carriage house looked like an adorable snow capped gingerbread house.

We got so much snow that our TV dish became covered in snow on the roof and the not so fun part of snow became a reality. With ladder and shovel in hand Papa climbed the snow covered roof to clear the snow while I stayed indoors and prayed for his safety. Thankfully, my prayers were answered!

Big Brother and Bigger Brother

After being at grandma's house for a week it is finally time to go home and meet their new baby brother. The boys were not allowed to go the hospital to meet their brother due to hospital restrictions for children under the age of twelve. Their parents however, used today's technology and sent the boys pictures and videos via the internet within a few short hours of their baby brothers birth. A couple of days later mommy and daddy sent a very personal video to the boys of their mommy introducing them to their new baby brother. The boys loved watching the video over and over.

A Christmas Eve Tradition

This Christmas tradition brings my heart more joy than any other. Bringing our entire family together for a shared meal at one big dining table makes my heart swell with gratitude for the wonderful family that I have.

I use three tables to create one table big enough for all nineteen of us to sit around. I used table linens to cover the tables to create the look of one big table. A table this size requires a huge centerpiece. I pull from my holiday home decor to create a fun and festive centerpiece to run the length of the table. This year I used a strand of Christmas lights in the table decor.

I use my glass Christmas plates, real silverware, and my best drinking glasses for this special occasion. Yes, that means a full dishwasher after dinner.

Our menu is also a tradition. Roasted Prime Rib, salad, potatoes, bread, and a dessert. I provide the prime rib and my kids bring the sides and desserts. The meal is always extra yummy and a real holiday treat.

Activities to entertain the kids are always planned for after dinner. This year I gave the kids some new hand puppets and sent them to the toy room to create some puppet shows. This allowed some quiet time for the adults and then some fun entertainment when the kids were ready to present the show. This Christmas Eve tradition is an absolute keeper for our family!

Building a Tent at Grandma's House

This simple and free activity offered hours of fun while special memories were created with their Papa. The boys were with us for a week when their new baby brother was born. Building the tent over and over was a favorite activity.

So....Hang on to some old sheets and blankets and although clothes pins are not something we use often any more having a tub of them comes in really handy when it is time to build a tent over the dining room table and chairs with the grandkids. Chip clips work really well too!

Annual Bonfire ... Always a Roaring Hit!

Our annual bonfire was once again a well supervised hit with the grandkids. We had three Christmas trees to burn this year. We burn them one at a time and it turns into a competition of sorts to see who's tree creates the biggest flames.

It is a good reminder to be as safe as you can be with a cut Christmas tree in your home when you see just how flammable they are (despite some still feeling fresh) just hours and days from taking them out of your home!

Our traditional donuts and hot chocolate were served for refreshments and the grandkids had a great time playing hide and seek in the darkness while the adults visited around the fire.

Ten Perfect Little Toes

How cute is this picture? My precious new grandson and his ten perfect little toes!

Grandma Times Ten = Ten Little Pearls

Happy New Year is right for this grandma. I am now a grandma to ten little pearls! Which will one day be ten little campers. This healthy, adorable, and very happy little guy is my seventh grandson. He and his two brothers will play a vital role in keeping our family name on the family tree. His daddy, our only son, is the only male left in our line with sons to carry on the family name.

I have been having way too much fun making up songs for my grandkids to the tune of Ten Little Indians. I'm saving the new songs for the upcoming grandkid's camp out. They will be perfect to learn around our campfire!