"Let's Go See Augie!"

Sunday was fun, with a rare treat.

 

Though the kids got reprimanded, it was funny.  They asked if they could go next door to my sister's to see her dog Augie, a labradoodle.

So, Jayden and Noelle were here, nice.  And Clint's kids Lilly and Jacob were here.  Boy!  Do they play hard!  They tore up jack in the back bedroom, made notes as Red Riding Hood in the other bedroom.  Went upstairs to make letters and address envelopes of "I love you" at hubbys desk.  

Later, they were sent outside and they get out the croquet set and the golf clubs and the riding toys, then insisted on the diggers and shovels and started digging where the pile of dirt USED to be!!!!  

Came in for jello and cereal and breakfast sticks while cutting paper and making glitter glue art and declaring one was an Easter egg and the other one made of toilet paper roll was Bumble Butt!  ROFL

 

Bumble Butt!  What the heck is a bumble butt???

 

So, referring to their wishes of seeing Augie the doggie, we asked them "Is the dog outside, have you seen it?"  "No," was the answer.

"Well, let me call sis, make sure she's home."

Next thing I know, there's a rainbow of kids in the valley climbing the hill to sister's!  Jayden in sky blue jacket, Noelle in pink polka dotted coat, Lilly in puffy fuschia coat, and Jacob in orange jacket...undulating rainbow. 

 

So, Clint calls sis, "Send them home!  They didn't wait for permission!"

Sadly, rightly, they had to stand in a corner for 5 minutes then they could go back.  It  was entertainging to see who chose which corner.  And ... how Noelle didn't stand in hers too long -- she had to use the restroom, of course!

5 minutes over, and they went to sisters to see Augie doggie.  Like the witch in Hansel and Gretal the house ate 'em, never to be seen again, well, for at least a couple hours, anyway!  ROFL

 

I'm sure they went home tired.  

Lilly and Jacob

"I'm a hunter," says Jacob.

He had playfully nabbed my dustbuster after we vacuumed crumbs from the brownies we'd made earlier in the afternoon.  These two kids had been sitting and feasting on the stairs.

He points and teases Lilly, "Careful, we sucked a stink bug in here!"

Lilly lets out a girly squeal.  Jacob chases. 

"That is it with you!" she runs, "Lilly!  Attack!"  Hunted became the hunted and she became the huntress.  And off they go, full of thrills and giggles. 

March 2025

Lilly & Jacob, she's 8 and Jacob's 5, have spent the night.   I've had them throwing dirty clothess down the laundry chute.  The chute is fascinating to them especially since their father Clint, my 4th son, told them he once went down the chute as a toddler.  

Lilly loves to draw, loves to write letters, and loves grandpa John's stash of envelopes.  

"One more letter for me-e-ee?" squeaks Jacob, as he opens the laundry chute.

Lilly's using it for a mail drop box.  She's excited upstairs, he's beyond thrilled downstairs.  I'm teaching him how to safely open the chute.  

She's claimed to have sent him a beautiful colored picture of a kitty in a box.  He opens the envelope.  He's so happy, "Is this a masterpiece?"

Jacob unfolds the paper, "I have to say thank you to the mail person."

Play transfer to the kitchen where she's busy coloring a kitten with a birthdy cake and pretend cursive scribbling 6 personal letters.  I don't know why 6, but it's 6.

Jacob comes in still happy to be part of this play, but she's got other plans.

With 6 letters, she has 6 envelopes, and she's very studiously folding papers and filling them.

"Jacob!  I have a very busy morning today.  So please get out.  This IS the post office."

Well, okay, I guess it's time to go.

Jacob and Lilly - Hiding, Buggy, and Ears (2022)

Jacob - 2 1/2 years old 

(December  2022) 

Jacob, who's noticed his mom has pierced ears,  climbed up in the seat next to me, fingered my ears and said, "Yours not broken."

Lilly and Jacob

 (May 2022)

After Ainsley's first birthday party, Clint's family came over.  They "planted" my yard ornaments, stick flowers, all in one spot, added some resin animals and said "Come see my flower garden, GrammyPam!"  

When time to go home from here, "Pajamas everyone!"  They ran to hide.  One of the photos above is Lilly in 2019.  The other is Jacob.  Who's who?  They all think if they get behind my couch cushions, they are hid.  So, hilarious!

Now, at the party, here's little Jacob.  He caught me trying to take his picture and he took off running.  Around the staircase and closet we went, him just a'laughing until I turned back to face him and caught this photo.  "Oh!  GrammyPam!"

 Lilly 5 1/2

(January 2022)

The kids played hard!  Lilly found post-it notes, lavender colored, and stuck happy faces and hearts all over the house!  The table and chairs got hearts, the lamp and piano got smiley faces, the front door and stairs got stick people.  Even the Cozy Coup got tagged!  

Then they played stink bug.  Do you get them?  Last year we were inundated.  This year not so much.  Lilly has an aversion to all things buggy, not so with Jacob.

Jacob blows on it, Lilly says, "Get the bug, Jacob!" Jacob starts to touch it, and it moves, Lilly says, "Jacob!  Buggy!  Get it!"  

Mother's Day and The Phone! (with grandkids)

MOTHER'S  DAY  - 2022

GRANDKIDS CAME!  YAY!

In the ABOVE photo: 
First left, Noelle - she buried her toy figurines deep into the potting soil, then planted her flower!

Second left, Lilly - arrived first and played with all the figurines in a fairy circle, as seen in the LAST PHOTO

First right, Alayna - I held the dirt back and she pushed in the flower "Deeper, more, GrammyPam!"

Second right, Jayden - he knew exactly which marigold he wanted, surprisingly it wasn't especially tall or lush

Third right, Jacob - he's only there to play digger, and more diggers MIDDLE PHOTO

That's my boiler pot of herbs Jacob's digging in to fill his blue bucket!

  

Lilly & Jacob, Feb. 2022

Called Clint, he put me on speaker phone 'cause he was having technical troubles.

The kids, Lilly and Jacob, heard. It became happy sounds of excitement there, and pandemonium in my ears here ...

"GrammyPam!"
"Hi-i-i-i-i"
"Hello GrammyPam".
"I made a lego skid steer."
"GrammyPam! GrammyPam! Hi-i-i-i..."
"It has a black bucket!"
Giggles
"Bi-i-i-i!"
"I love youuuu..."
"....luv ew"

Jacob, Dec 2020, 1.5 y.o.

Clint helped us take down the tree, so I can decorate it today.  Never have I ever put up a tree this late.  Matter of fact, it's so late I'm seriously considering not putting it up at all.  I mean, Christmas is FRIDAY!!!!!  And, Jacob scares me.  Will he take down my tree????  I think I told you he tore down 2 stockings and their holders, then later in the afternoon, took down another.  

He finds things and weilds them like swords but without control and 4 times the height of himself!  He pulled a toy tote WITH LILLY IN IT out of his way 2 feet!  This guy is barely a year old!  A year and 3 months!!!

Ainsely and Driving and Biting

This photo is at Christmas time, 2024.

This story is in February of 2025.

I should tell you this story that Jayden and Alayna told on Ainsley last weekend when 

they were all here.

Ainsley isn't quite 3 y.o.  She loves Home Depot.  

Jayden said Ainsley told him, "Drive the car.  To Home Depot." 

Alayna was nodding her head in a "yes" agreement with his story telling.

Jayden told Ainsley, "I can't drive a car."  

Ainsley countered, "Then drive the van."  

Back in May of 2023

Rusty had come over with 2 little girls. 

Noelle found my stash of quarters and used them as pennies in the gumball machine!!!!  Oh, my, the little imp!

But Ainsley wanted some of my sandwich so I fed her bits of chicken every time she'd drift by -- she'd go play, chew, swallow, come back, repeat -- like a little opened mouth bird begging for tidbits!

Jayden Alayna Noelle

Jayden - 2017 - 2 1/2 y.o. 

Guess what?  This is amazing to me.  

Actually, I didn't know if he was too young to grasp it or not.  Chuckle, I was impressed.

I taught the 2 1/2 year old to ride a tricycle.  Once in awhile I'd catch him trying to walk it, such as over a bump or around a tough corner and I'd say, "Put your feet on the pedals, we don't walk tricycles."  And he'd go back at it.  He got so good, going so fast, it was eye-bugging.  

And such a streak of independence, "My cycle!"  

          Jayden, Alayna, Noelle - 2021 - 6, 4, 2 y.o.

We gave each of Rusty's kids a new toothbrush.  Mom used to put one in our stockings every year, it's just a way to make sure the old gets changed for the new, so I do it, too.  Well, who knew.  Who knew what would happen!  

They all, everyone of them, ripped open those packages, pushed the bathroom stools (I have two in the bathroom, one is a black bear upside down, the other is orange, up to the sink, turned the water on full blast, it always has to be full blast, you know, and yelled "Grandpa John!", who being a softy at heart, went in and gave them each a squirt of paste!  

ROFL, then they'd come out with white lips, "We need more...."

Alayna - 2022 - 4 y.o.

Rusty came over and we had a long visit.  

He tells us of Alayna coming into their room all sleepy, and after going to the bathroom, she climbs up into the bed between them, turns around and slides her feet under the covers, puts her head on the pillow, pulls covers up to her chin and grins. 

 She looks at her dad, rises a bit, and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, Daddy," and scooches back under the covers.  

He grins during the whole story, and hearing it is just as much fun. 

Alayna - 4 y.o.

I called Amanda to see if she'd like copies of some photos. 

"Yep, but would you like to watch Alayna? I've got a [scheduled visitor] coming".

I did, and as always we played many things like give the baby dolls a bath. 

Throughout she wanted a popsicle which I kept putting off 'cause I wanted her to be hungry for lunch. Finally, she'd had enough. 

She said, "My belly is full, but my brain wants a popsicle."

Post Office "Ar-riba! Ar-riba!"

I hope to entertain you.  I sure entertained them!

Headed to the local post office, I did, to tell them the carrier hasn't picked up my mail in 2 days!!! 

 

"Put up your flag"

"Lean the letters up against the insides of the mailbox"

Grrrr, I did do both!

 

So, in the post office there's a huge line.  4 tellers.  3 tellers are doing passports!  One a family of fussing boys.

Line has at least 12 people and didn't move for over 20 minutes.  And more were coming in.  I'm not kidding.

One gentleman was sent twice to a supply display to get an envelope....well, me and guy next to me could see there weren't any appropriate envelopes resting there, what a rude teller.  Gentleman goes back.  He's running out of time, he's a bus driver and nervous.  Finally, he let's out an expletive.  The teller, one window over, says, "Hey, watch your language!'

 

I chuckled, I'd be cussing, too.  Matter of fact, I'd like to cuss right now!

 

I'm next.  Heading to the window my phone rings.  You should hear it.  It's an Hispanic woman "Ar-riba, ar-riba, it's your telephone!" 

 

Go here, and please, listen until the end for the final gasp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvM7M5UVX2I

 

I scramble through my purse. I fumble.  I drop the phone; I'm nervous and embarrassesd.  I swipe the phone, it doesn't take, I swipe it again.  I'm next in line - what a mess!!!!  Everyone around me is laughing.  Except the teller.

"Ma'am.  What can I do for you?  Ma'am!"

 

It's Jeani calling.  I hit the "screen call" option.

 

Would you believe before the teller can tell me "You probably forgot to put up the flag"  and I could utter the scream in my head "I DID NOT!"  that that phone rang again with the Crazy Mexican ringtone!

 

This time it was the United States Post Office!  What?!  

"Hello, is this Pamela Bays?  This is the post master from the Noblesville branch and I'm calling in response to your complaint."

 

OH.  MY.  WORD.  I'm listening to the postmaster who's probably just behind that wall over there, while handing the teller 73 cents, he wanted 78!  

"I thought it was 73 cents, let me dig down in my purse", my head's cocked pressing the phone against my shoulder and knowing with further reddened cheeks that the laughter filtering down the line is because of that voice yelling "Pic it up, pic it up...ah ah haaaaa, gasp"!

 

"Yes, Mr. Postmaster, your carrier is skipping my mailbox."

I had lodged an online complaint, and I guess he'd just now gotten it, and was giving me a call back.

"And do you know what's going on in your own lobby, we're in line and your teller is reprimanding us, it's rude, especially when we pay as much as we do in postage and, BTW, tell your own manager, or powers that be, that we want a drive thru for stamps only.  Everybody has drive throughs, fast food places, dry cleaners, pharmacies...  The post office could have one, too!"

 

"You're right," he was very concillatory and polite and said he'd look into my mail box problem.

 

Then.

And, then...

And, then the phone rings for the third time.  "Ar-riba, ar-riba, it's your tel-ee-pho-o-o-ne!"  

 

Holy guacamole, HOLY NACHOS!!!!!  I gotta get out of here!