Must be a generational thing ...

I have rocked all of my eight grandkids to sleep one time or another to the tune of a silly song, "Said the Thousand Legged Worm ...." Okay, I know it sounds crazy but it worked. And before too long, they would be comfortably snoozing on my shoulder or in my arms.

However, I now have a great-grandchild who has decided she will have nothing of it at all. Today, she was really tired but was fighting sleep. I told Kasi I would rock her and was certain that if I sang her my favorite tune, surely she would be asleep in a jiffy!

Not!! She listened for about 15 seconds and burst into wails!! Not just wails but real tears pouring out of her eyes. Kasi came flying wondering what in the world I had done to her little girl! I assured her that everything was fine and that I figured it was a 'fluke' .. that she must have been in some pain which simultaneously hit at the same time I broke into song.

So, Kasi said, "Try it again, Nana." So I did ... and she did .. again. She listened and then promptly burst into tears again.

So, it's either the voice or the song -- although I did try a few words of a different song and she seemed somewhat open to listening to it for at least a moment ...

I may have to put my silly "1000 Legged Worm" song to rest! I think I'll grieve for a while! Then again, I have better things to do than that!

Oh, by the way, she did go to sleep in my arms but it wasn't to any of my singing!! The photo above was taken a few days ago but Ava's expression wasn't one of pure joy at the moment. Oh, well!!

The Holiday Season ..

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Cookie time!!

It's that "cookie time" of year ... Sandi and Tyler were working on them at their house and Teri's girls were trying to get them decorated at their house provided that Teri got them out of the oven before they were too done!

I didn't ask if they were making them for themselves or if they would be delivered to school for teachers and friends.

Regan, 11, Bailey, 9, Marley, 12

More Christmas programs ...

RJ attends Keswick Christian School here in St. Pete. He's in kindergarten and as usual, Christmas programs are always cute when it involves little kids!! So, here is a video of one of the songs last evening. RJ is on the front row in the green shirt and beige pants. You can see he is well aware of where his mother (Shonna) is!

"I think I'll pass on Christmas shopping ...."

Teri sent me this photo by picture mail today -- she had taken Rudy shopping at Walmart and Rudy decided he had just had enough and went to sleep. Teri said she thought the cart bar might be a little hard so picked up this purple boa to make it a little softer. It appears that Rudy wasn't too taken by that either! He was just plain tuckered out!!

Kamen's Christmas Program

This was the last song the combined choir sang -- 4th and 5th graders of Northside Christian School. They let go and sang with all their hearts! There was a little mixup in the music but there was illness in one of the teacher's families so there was some improvisation involved! Nevertheless, they sang their best!!

Kamen's Christmas Concert

Last Thursday evening was the Christmas Concert for the 4th through 6th grades of Northside Christian School. It was held at Northside Baptist Church. Kamen played the trumpet in the band and also was a part of the choir. They sang and played their hearts out!

One piece of music given to the band they had never seen before. The title of the music was, "You're Never Seen This Before" ... which was rather funny to say the least.

The band director had them clap the song and then sing it by shaped notes (which doesn't happen much anymore -- anywhere except in the deep south). Once they did that, they played the song together -- and hardly missed a note! It was quite impressive. Oh, what was the song? The first half of "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee"!

So, here is Kamen and his concert ...

Below is our friend, Marci, whose daughter, Rebecca, was in the 6th grade band/choir. She enjoyed holding Ava during the concert.

Kamen is a very proud uncle and takes role quite seriously!!

Finally -- the end of a great evening -- Chris, Kasi, Ava and Kamen -- Roxanne was obviously taking the photo!

Okay, so they don't serve hot chocolate ...

... they serve ice cream products in Largo Park. The park is decorated beautifully for Christmas. You can park and walk and so we did -- Roxanne, Kamen, Tim, Sandi, Tyler and me. We had a great time to the backdrop of Christmas music. It was a little on the cool side but not enough to bring out any hot chocolate vendors -- oh, no! Just the ice cream truck! For this transplanted northerner, I found that quite amusing!

Tyler, Kamen and Tim enjoying their ice cream. Tyler enjoyed it so much, his lips have turned the color of his ice cream!! And then we were on to a neighborhood who raises money for Hospice. Most of the homes in a large area are decorated to the max. Along the way, you will find folks like the lady below. They give away candy canes and, of course, we donated some to the Hospice Fund.

I was taking pictures of the house behind her and Tim assured her that her house would be on my blog -- and maybe she would end up in the news. Okay, that's stretching it! She said, "I appreciate the compliment on the house -- but it's not mine! I'm just here collecting money for Hospice!" Too funny ... We were really glad we chose a night early in December. We will probably go again on Christmas Eve which is a long time tradition -- but chances are, it will take much longer to get through. A lot of other people have the same tradition!! By the way, do you see the snow in the photo below -- well, artificial snow and people get quite creative in Florida to provide the atmosphere of the Christmas season!

Life's Most Embarrassing Moments ... another one!

Last evening was one of those times when you could classify something as very embarrassing -- but I'm not sure if it was more embarrassing for me or the other person.I was attending Carols, Candlelight and Communion at Clearwater First Church of the Nazarene. They had it in their Fireside Room and the place filled up quickly.

I sat at the end of a row of seats since I had my cane and didn't want to stumble over myself since I already do that quite handily. A couple (who I later found out are long-time Nazarenes) wanted to sit in the same row and asked if they could come by me. I told them, of course. I decided that the best thing to do with my cane was to pull it back towards me and out of the 'traffic area' in front of my seat. The wife got by just fine but the husband had not seen my cane there. As you can see in the photo, it has one of those sort of foam grip handles so when he passed, it sort of grabbed the back of his pants. (I know, you get the picture and it's not pretty!)

I didn't even realize what had really happened until he got beyond me. He looked at me sort of strangely -- like he couldn't believe what I may have done, then noticed the cane and mumbled, "Oh, I didn't see your cane." I guess he thought I had been a little too personal but I assured him that there was no harm done other than some embarrassment. I started to say that I undersood how he could have misunderstood and that got to sounding worse so I just stopped while I was ahead. I have no idea who was more embarrassed but it just struck me funny! Oh, well ...

You can only post ONE ....

... You can only post ONE photo that is .... that was the order I received from Roxanne last night after she and Kamen made Christmas cookies. I wasn't sure what was going on other than the smell of freshly baked cookies so decided to stay clear of kitchen until I heard, "Mom, can you come help with the icing?" I wasn't sure what to expect and it's always a challenge using a mixer with confectioners sugar. We may not have snow down here -- but we can surely create some artificial snow of sorts! So ... I helped get it whipped into shape and they did the rest. I then escaped to another part of the house for the time being so as not to be in the way right then.

It wasn't long before Kamen found me in the office with, "Nana, would you like a cookie?" He was so proud of what they had done and he should be!

Within the next couple weeks, I'll have a visit by two other little guys as we do our annual Christmas cookie baking/decorating project. Kamen joins us sometimes but as he is growing up, he is reaching a new level. It's different to see him holding his little niece and feeding her or just holding her. He's quite the doting uncle ... although that desciption is usually kept for old people and Kamen is definitely not old at 10 years old!

Funny things happen in our house and last night was one of those after the cookies were all iced and settled for the night. I had seen Kamen and he usually says, "Hi, Nana" as he passes, which he did. I headed toward the kitchen and just as I did, he ran from the kitchen across the dining room and towards the bathroom. He didn't realize that I was heading his way. He passed me and since it was rather dim, he was about scared out of his wits. He yelled and then stood in front of the bathroom door for a few minutes with his hand over his heart trying to settle himself. I reminded him that I had just talked to him about 30 seconds before but he assumed I had gone into my room! Poor thing -- he'll just never be the same since his grandmother almost scared him to death!!

I don't think Roxanne will be too upset with me for posting these -- after all, she's had them on her facebook site for maybe an hour or so ... lol!