Hi Ho Cherry-O and other Hits I remember

On the porch with Maylee

We eat ice cream cones just about every evening on the porch after dinner.    

Here I am in Houston 10 days now and I am enjoying the grandkids and the exhausting cycle of a preschooler's day.  Hi Ho Cherry-O is a hit with Emma Kate, but Maylee just likes to mix up the fruit into the baskets.  I remember my Hi Ho Cherry-O had wooden cherries that were much bigger than these tiny plastic pieces of fruit.  Things just aren't what they used to be.......
 Other fun stuff I introduced to the girls: "Mother May I?" and Slap Jack.  I remember liking both of those, but not so much now.  Slap Jack is ......just so....boring.  But Emma Kate gets such a kick out of it, it is hard to say no when she wants to play the millionth time. And I totally forgot that you are completely at the whim of the "Mother" in MMI.  It is she and she alone who determines if you are a winner or a loser.  Emma Kate caught on to that pretty quickly.  

I have noticed that the family dynamic has changed since I was a parent of small kids.  Here is what I see:
1. not as much TV around here as I exposed my kids to--we watched "Today's Special", "Bozo the Clown", "The Electric Company", "Sesame Street", "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" and anything else I thought was worth viewing.  Hmmmmm......maybe I overdid it on the TV watching???
2. Almost everybody is "plugged in" to the computer or iphone at one time or another for very long periods of time.  Sometimes at night I stare at FB or google something random, because everyone else is googling, reading, working, or watching a movie on the computer.  So what I see is the internet is taking the place of TV BIG TIME.  at this house anyway.  Even the 2 year old and the 4 year old enjoy the family videos and games that the iphone or computer offer.  
This is by no means a criticism.  Just an observation.   
One thing, however, seems to have remained constant:
The kids rule.
So, some things never change.  

Hold the Onions

G.K., a longtime friend of mine, posted on my FB page that she was thinking of me in the "sandwich" season I am in right now.  A couple of days after Mama's surgery, Katie, who is 19 weeks pregnant, called me from California where she and Adam and the girls were attending Adam's cousin's wedding.  She said she had some complications, so they went to an ER close to where they were staying.  She consulted an OB and they were cleared to fly a day after they were scheduled to come home.  She is now home and on bed rest until further notice.  I am headed out there this week, after Mama goes home on Tuesday.  
It is a huge blessing to have my parents and my children and grandchildren.  I am so glad that I am able to help on both ends.  I haven't experienced wanting to be two places at once, though,  and it is frustrating.  Mama goes home Tuesday, and after that, I will head to Texas to help Katie with the girls.  I am praying that everyone will be just fine---it will just take time for both of these girls that are so important to me.  I will go to Texas armed with Hi Ho Cherry-O and a few princess surprises.  Mama is going home with terrific ladies who have been helping us in the  hospital and at Rehab. ......  and I wondered what I would be doing once I got to Memphis!  The house renovation has taken a back seat but I have a great contractor and Clark to fill in the gaps.  I did make a huge boo boo on one of the paint colors and didn't notice it until the room was painted a gosh awful aqua. 
So as far as the sandwich, I am enjoying it most of the time---just don't want anymore onions, that you.