Pictures for Mom and Big

New shoes!

Krispy Peanut Butter Brownies

Or something like that.

It's what happens when you combine all of this

in some manner.

I baked the brownies in a 9x13 pan

to within about 10 minutes of being done then

topped them with cut up peanut butter cups

and finished baking. 

Then I put some globs of peanut butter 

around on top and smoothed them around.

Then I melted a bag of semi sweet 

and butterscotch chips

together and mixed in a couple cups of 

rice crispy-esqe cereal

and dumped that on top of the brownie

peanut butter cup

peanut butter

concoction

and let it set up.

And I wound up with this:

Yum.

Pineapple Tree

 I saw this on line and was just waiting for

an opportunity to make one.

Carol's birthday was just my chance!

Val threw the party and was gracious enough to let 

me have my fun.

It was surprisingly easy to make.

This was all it took. 

A dowel rod slightly thinner than an apple corer,

a block of wood and aforementioned

apple corer.

I used three pineapples but the one I saw

on-line used 5, so you can adjust

it to meet your needs.

I cut tops and bottoms off two of 

the pineapples but only the bottom

off the top one.

The corer was a pretty good fit top 

to bottom on each pineapple, 

I guess I just lucked out in getting pineapples

that weren't terribly tall, next time I will

be more aware of that requirement.

I was able to borrow some palm fronds, 

an eclectic circle of friends helps, 

but if I am going to make this a habit I may

invest in some of my own.

Possibly shorter ones.

LOL

Now for a reason to do this!

(ps, not my photo)

Summer Bucket List

I made one for Ava.

It's got about 25 items on it.

You've already seen one of them:

I thought this would be good for rainy days. 

This week may be pretty rainy so

we will most likely see more progress.

I have other items that involve money like,

movies and Chicago. 

There are some that are more

a time commitment like a

nature scavenger hunt.

There are arts and crafts like,

create a Monopoly board, 

make play dough.

Some that having a friend along

will be the most fun like,

water balloons.

And some stuff that we

can do any day/every day like,

the pool or the library.

I have made my life a bit easier by collecting

all the supplies for each of the projects

so that once we choose an activity or

project it's ready to go, 

like lots of salt for salt painting,

and t-shirts waiting to be decorated.

Today it's 

VBS, 

a movie, 

and

mural painting.

Like I said, it's going to be a rainy week. 

Way to put a bucket list to the test!

A Little Maddie For Your Consideration

 Great Grandma grabbed her before Meme got her

request in.

 Todays best smile.

 My first walker.

Meme shares.

 Checking out the bell.

What happens if I put my feet up here?

I Like To Put Things On Maddie's Head

But, sadly, she has developed an opinion.

You win.

But, I'll keep trying!

This Is Why I Throw Nothing Away

These paint brushes Michael used 

twenty five plus years ago are the same

paint brushes Ava is using today to 

paint her mural. 

Vindication is sweet.

Mural Update

It's coming along.

Sharing Babies

I was looking through old photos of

Shanna because it's her birthday. 

I came across this one:

 And this one:

Those would be birthdays one and two.

I had the first baby in the family.

That would be my sister holding Shanna

in each photo.

And then it occurred to me,

I had the first grandbaby.

 This is what we do.

We share babies. 

It's My First Baby's Birthday

Look at those babies!

I was barely 21, not quite

16 and pregnant, 

but by today's standards pretty young.

I look at Shanna's little face,

and remember that she was just as 

brand new and dependent on me

as all the babies my young friends are

birthing these days.

There are so many questions.

Am I doing "it" right?

Looks like she survived me.

and in the process she 

grew me up too.

Whipped Cream

So, this wasn't on our bucket list

but the kid thought this:

 was "real" whipped cream

with this:

as a close second.

I had to school her. 

 Done

and done.

The Mural

Progress report.

Meme and Maddie

 Big loves to hold Maddie.

 Each visit she asks someone to put Maddie on her lap.

 And we oblige.

 It will be sweet the first time Maddie climbs 

up there on her own.

But till then 

this is pretty sweet too.

 See my mom back there?

I don't pop Maddie in her lap because she can grab

her anytime she wants.

But she looks pretty happy just watching the joy

that is Maddie.

Ava's Summer Bucket List

It's long.

I created it.

I think that was a smart move on my part. 

It's full of 

Merry Approved

activities.

(read; stuff I'm willing to do)

On the list is a garage mural.

We started it yesterday.

Here's day 2:

 I thought she could work on it all summer.

At this rate, maybe a week?