Playground? They call it "Recess"

I picked RJ up at school today (well, he got into the car). He didn't know it was going to be me picking him up so I was rather tickled when he saw me from afar and came running, yelling, "Nana!!!" Okay, so I was rather proud he was so pleased to see me!

I asked him how his day was and if he was hungry. He told me his day was good and then said, "We had 'playground' today. But they call it Recess! All in the terminology -- I grew up with "Recess". It was interesting that I had listened to a radio talk show this week where they discussed the lack of "Recesses" in the schools and non-activity in kids' lives and how it has an impact on their health -- physical and emotional. So I was rather intrigued when he told me that they had "Recess" although he preferred to call it "Playground".

After he shared that, he informed me that he would like to go to McDonalds but his request was a little interesting -- a plain cheeseburger, apple dippers and chocolate milk. A Happy Meal but not the typical one with french fries and a coke! Apple dippers and chocolate milk!! The gal working the window at McDonalds seemed to know exactly what I needed so RJ was quite pleased when we got back to our house. He was even more pleased when he saw they had given him two toys rather than just one!!

I find it intriguing that while babies will respond to us (adults), they seem to really respond to other children. Ava was wide awake so sat on my lap for a little while as RJ talked to her. She tried to talk back to him -- but mostly smiled at him!

The photos are from the area where I picked up the kids at Keswick. The classes have their own 'parking places' .. yes, the classes actually stay within the lines of a parking place! All at once I heard a voice on the loud speaker that said, "RJ Keeling, go to #5!" I was the fifth car in line -- it didn't take him long to recognize me and that's when he came running! The gal who was monitoring the area said, "He obviously knows you!" No question that a stranger was picking him up!!!

Just gotta love those grandkids!!

Is it winter yet???

I was in Atlanta for about 10 days and during that time, it went from a low of about 28 degrees at night to the upper 60's one day -- maybe even into the 70's. I am home now and it is supposed to be about 79 degrees today. I'm not sure if winter is going to skip us here in Florida or if it is delaying its arrival and will arrive with a vengeance. I will be traveling to Indiana at the end of the month and I'm afraid I will get my 'winter' fix in about five minutes! Some think we are crazy for living in Florida in 'all that heat'!! Well ... I can assure you that I will take a little warmer weather in the summer in exchange for all that cold winter weather, snow, sleet, ice, etc., of the north country! I just don't like driving in the snow nor having to clean the ice off of windows.

I usually have to hang my coat on the front door whenever I am traveling north as I would forget it if I didn't. We wear coats in Florida, too -- like when the temperature gets down below 60 and we think we are freezing to death! Not quite that bad but almost!!!

By the way, I have almost retired my cane!! I guess when I realized I had left it a few places along the way and had to go retrieve it, it was time to let it go. It was sort of a 'crutch' but not a crutch! So, now I just have to try to get the limp out of the walk which may be hard to do since I am 'off' about a half inch anyway -- no comments please! I carried kids on my hip since I was about 7 years old which seemed to have caused me to have one hip 'higher' than the other one. Whether that's the reason or not, it sounds like a good excuse!!

I guess I'll enjoy my warm weather today and try to remember that it is truly January!!

Resolutions

Resolutions ... I'm not sure that I've heard as much about resolutions this year as I have in years before. Maybe it is that I haven't paid as much attention to it .. however, I did enjoy reading Sandi's blog about her discussion with Kamen and Tyler about New Year's Resolutions. Leave it to little boys to keep you humble!!!

It seems that I repeat the same resolutions each year .... I'm not sure if that means I am constantly working on issues and hopefully making headway or that I am spinning my wheels! Hopefully, I am gaining ground -- but not gaining weight -- one of my never ending resolutions!!!

Speaking the language of ...

a dog. Okay, so that's a little crazy, I know. But I am convinced that I can have a pretty decent conversation with Tim and Susan's dog, Keelan. If he wants something, he knows exactly how to 'say' it! First, he comes and sits and stares at you. If you don't get the message, the next thing to do is for his nose to come up underneath your arm and if you aren't careful, he may sling your arm up over your head with his strength. (Might be stretching it a little but not much!)

Okay ... so I haven't gotten the message yet. He throws his head around a little and then I hear him talking! He talks in sort of a growl but adds all kinds of inflections which lets you know he wants something NOW!! If I ask "What" ... and he wants to go out -- he gestures with his entire body towards the door and if I'm not up quickly, he will repeat the entire process again.

This morning, I didn't realize the gate was open -- I let him out and he truly got out. Yikes! I thought, "I have lost the dog!!" But, after a little bit of calling (frantically, I might add), he came running up and into the house.

I asked him if he knew he was not supposed to go out of the gate -- he dropped his head and went under the kitchen table. Maybe he does understand human conversations!!

Interesting perspective on Christmas ...

Well .... maybe not. Ava's hat sort of slipped down ... she was unaffected and patiently waited for her mom to take it off since it obviously didn't fit quite yet.

But the wording on her outfit says it all!!

A "Silent Night" for Ava

We attended a Christmas Eve service last night at the Clearwater Church of the Nazarene. Since Roxanne had to sing and Kamen was to play Joseph, we had to get there early. Kasi and I sat in the back with Ava. Ava is getting so responsive now so, of course, I pulled out the trusty "Flip Video" camera and voila! Here she is .. and you can hear her mommy singing along. (This was during the practice time prior to the service.)

Smilebox Christmas Greetings

Below, you will see two Christmas Greeting 'cards' which the two oldest girls created through Smilebox. It will take just a moment to load and then pages will turn automatically. Or, you may click on the arrow at the bottom of each page.

The Herrington Family

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Sharing my family ...

The following photo album is of Roxanne's family. I promised I wouldn't share it until she had a chance to share it with her friends and our family. I checked with Chris tonight and he was certain that I was clear to go ... however, if this disappears tomorrow, you'll know that I had to abort the upload .. or the download .. or whatever it is!! Sandi will be sending me hers tonight .. and hopefully we'll get the rest of the family shared shortly!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

What if my brain gets too full?

Tyler was looking at something and wanted Sandi to take a picture. She told him she didn't have her camera so he should take a picture with his brain. She told him that it was like photographic memory. So, they walked outside and he turned around to Sandi and asked, "What happens when your brain gets full?"

Sandi told him that she was certain his brain would never get full!

I think he was relating that to the memory card in her camera which must be dumped once it gets full.