Lilly & Sibling

Miss Lilly, Master Jacob

Miss Lilly, 9 y.o.

Condado's was lunch, the groups choice after church.  Sitting there at the wooden table on metal chairs, Miss Lilly thought the establishments name was funny.  She spied it in the murals on the walls and laughed telling her father, "Condado's.  Dad!"  and she giggled, "Your name is in Con- DAD-o!"  And she giggled some more, "Dad."

Speaking of a snow bank, we were, weren't we?  Well, I am, LOL.  Parking.  I couldn't pull-in-park into that big snow bank.  Not like Clinton did.  He backed into that snow bank, very nicely.  I didn't do a very good job, though.  So I thought I'll just back up and re-align myself to pull forward more properly.  Note that I am still getting used to the back-up line indicators on my truck's rear view mirror.  It's different than the centerscreen in my Honda.  When I turned to look, durned if I didn't bump into a lady's car!  Oh, my lands!  Well, Pamela, you're just going to have to accept your fate.  You did it.  I'll have to admit to the car owner.  So, I went ahead and finished parking.  Before I could finish taking my truck out of gear, Lilly had unbuckled, got down out of her seat, and ran to her Daddy's driver's door, "Dad!  GrammyPam hit that ladies car; she did!" 

 I thought, "You little booger.  You tattler.  You tattled to him before I could get my keys out of the ignition!" and I laughed to myself.

I did hit that car.  There were no backup beeps since I was in an older truck. But I felt it.  I knew.

The other driver was on her cellphone and didn't know.  She didn't know a thing.  Actually, I saw her jump when I tapped on her driver's window.  She was oblivious.  Then, we all checked....all!...me, lady driver, daddy, Jacob and "the stinker" Lilly!

There was no damage and the other driver wasn't concerned so we left it at that, but I can still hear that little girl squealer with her skirt tails flying as she ran from me to him, "Daddy, daddy, GrammyPam hit that car!"

Master Jacob, 6 y.o.

Jacob declared he was full, we left Condado's with him and Miss Lilly saying they were full.  Yet, they wanted dessert, chuckle.  But before I could get behind the wheel of my vehicle he'd already gotten in the back seat and ... spied something in the front.  He quizzed me, "You know, that blue bag with the stuff in it.  I want some." Little Eagle Eye wanted some but didn't even know what the "some" was he wanted!  Actually, they were under my purse and I had to cogitate for a second what he was talking about.  How'd he see them that fast? What an eagle eye!  And room for food?  I just shake my head cuz inside the restaurant it was, "I'm full."

I guess the grandkids did have room cuz in the words of my baby brother who wanted some jello "it can float on top."

What was in that little blue plastic bag?  

Candied orange slices.  

Now, how did he know?!

Jayden and Siblings

Snow Bunnies!

Alayna, Lilly, Noelle, Ainsley, Jacob, Jayden

Ainsley, 4 y.o. quiet soft-spoken, petite

"Can I have a coloring paper?"

"Sure," I say, "what do you want, kitten, dog, rainbow?

"I want a butterfly."

"Okay," I respond, "I'll print you off a butterfly."

Then she changes her mind and I have to use my grandma-spidey-senses to decipher this one.

"I actually wanna color a lunacorn"

Lunacorn, that's funny, that made me laugh out loud knowing she meant unicorn.

  

Noelle, 6 y.o. loud, look at me-bouncy-kind of girl

"I wanna sit next to my chair twin."

"What?" I asked not understanding this new noun.

"My chair twin," she insists and points to a chair next to Jacob. 

She and Jacob are the same age, cousins, and the two conspire getting into mischief.

"What do you mean "sit by your chair twin"? I asked.

"Remember.  Jacob.  When we were called Chair Twins and we frew rocks in the pond."

"Oh, when you handed him rocks and he threw them into the water fountain and his mother called you two the

TERROR Twins!"

"Yah.  Chair twins."

Jayden, 10 y.o. the oldest, made to be the most responsible

Valentine's Day, temperatures up in the 40's no wind, snow melting, nice day.  

"We want to ride bikes," said Jayden.  And 5 other sets of big brown eyes, and big ears, cousins, gather around him to discern the answer.  They want bikes, too.

"I don't care.  You know the rules, right?  What are they?

"No crashing the bicycle, don't go on the road, and don't run over Alayna."

I busted a gut over that last one; there's got to be a story behind it.

"Don't run over Alayna." 

Jayden, 10 y.o. the oldest, the most responsible 

Jayden rode home with me after everyone ate at Panera Bread.  Everybody had been treated to a cookie; he dreamed of a cup of coffee and a cookie.   

I agreed, "When we get home you can make us a pot of coffee and we'll sit down and dunk our cookies."

He asked, "And watch Alf, too."  

"Yep." I acquiesced.  I showed him where all the fixin's were for the coffee.

"And creamer, too?" He couldn't stop the conversating. 

But the little stinker couldn't help himself in another area, as well.

"Yes," and then I asked, "Where's your cookie?"  

I knew he'd nibbled on it in the car but the atrocity must've occurred when I stepped out of the car to get the mail. 

He replied with a cheeky grin and twinkling eyes, the little booger, 

 

"Oh, I ate it in the car."  

 

3 Men and A Purse

Gotta tell ya, we have this new guy coming to church, he's a fiancé to my 3rd cousin who's younger than Ian but, boy, is he a tall drink of water - if tall, dark, and handsome ever applied to any fellow it would be him.  And, he's sweet.  He's got very kind eyes.

 

Clinton, here at the house, rushing out the door in the cold, snowy weather, carrying his wife's purse reminded me of this fellow at church.  Clinton's wife's purse holds the keys to their car, and he was going out to warm it up, holding said purse out and away from his body.  It's the body lauguage, you know.  

 

So, this 6' 2" fellow's walking around with finacé's purse, and I teased him, "That looks good on you."  

Eyes met, both crinkled with good humor, and he laughed.  This medium-sized pinkish purse has firm sides and sits on its own.  We laughed, he and I always speak, every Sunday, we exit our pews practically at the same time.  

Then I thought of my dad and how he said, "I never stick my hand in your mother's purse."  

Even after mom passed, dad didn't stick his hands in my mother's purse.  He picked it up by two bottom corners and dumped it on the quilted bed. 

 

At church, when I next turned around to look, I saw that purse sitting on the foor near the door, lonely, and "tall, dark and handsome" was 3 feet away!  

I laughed and laughed.  How like a man.

Grandkid Memories May 2023

They all showed up here, after we lunched at Los Maguelles Mexican Restaurant.  Daughter-in-law sat and crocheted, other daughter-in-law sat with earbuds plugged in, I laughed my head off at the kids.

It's March of 2023

First time for Lilly & Jacob in weeks, and first time for all grandkids to be together in ages and ages.  And did they tear up jack!  All toys came out and were reacquainted.  Lilly wrote a love message on the board.  Jayden put together an erector set kit.  Alayna locked two in the outhouse.  Jacob cried until a riding toy was brought in the house from the garage.  Noelle licked mud off a stick.  Ainsley pushed 2 dolls in one stroller. I stood at the stairs to watch out the window and it was like a silent film -- hilarious!  At one point all you could see was Jayden in the tree and a Ty baby bear flying up, falling down, flying up, falling down....at least 4 times.

And boy, did the outdoor air make them hungry, they had go-gurts, ice cream, spaghetti two times -- once darling hubby fixed a batch and once I fixed a batch.  They dived for the pickles, too.  

We were out of shape.  Darling hubby hid upstairs for a bit to recoup.  And I volunteered to hide during Mean Grandma, a hide and seek game where they end up scared, chuckle.  After they left we relaxed with a couple episodes of a tv comedy.  

Hopefully, the day will be repeated soon and frequently.

What Fun I Had In Walmart

 Not My Photo - just reminiscent     

What fun I had in Walmart.

 

This man with his little bitty girls, one walking around, the other in the cart, similar in age, cute as a Rockwell painitng were right where I needed to be to get a flat rubber plug for my tub.  I asked him if he could just hand me one, and I'd get out of his way.

The little daughter in the cart, we were eye level, looked at me and very articulately said, "You're grandma!"

 

I laughed my head off.  All these years I've kept my hair brown because that's the way John, hubby, liked it.  When he passed away I didn't care, didn't care about anything really, and quit coloring it.  It's white.  Well, ombré, the last bit is brown.  

Her words just hit me!  I laughed my head off.  I forget what I look like sometimes, until I catch a glimpse in a mirror, that is.  And I laughed more when I looked up at the dad who had big round eyes, and had slapped his hand over his mouth!  He immediately got on to the little one and looked at me apologetically, "Maddie!  We don't say that!" 

I wasn't offended.  I thought it was a hoot!

 

What I wouldn't give to give her a big ol' hug!

She was standing in the basket of the shopping cart, so I leaned in a bit, looked her in the eye, and laughed.

"Yes, I am, and my name is GrammyPam."

Noelle and Ainsley "Arms & Wolf & Sad"

Rusty, using spinner, 

educates his kids in playing Twister, 

Jayden, Noelle, Ainsley, Alayna

Dec. 15, 2025

I had to laugh out loud, Noelle's only 6, where does she get such thoughts!?

Noelle, kindergartener, helped me load the dishwasher, she was intrigued never having done it before, but after awhile she said, 

"I'm tired.  I have little arms." 

Dec. 23, 2025

Ainsley and Jayden were playing catch with an awful ball.  It was medium sized, blue, and squishy, it needed aired up.  But they were having fun.  He'd toss, then tell her to throw it up high.  She'd catch, but sometimes she'd end up with crossed arms because she didn't catch and it rolled through.  He'd throw easy and right at her and she'd be so excited to "WIN!"

Then she got tired and started wallowing around on the couch, so he engaged me.  We tossed back and forth with him calling for a high one.

Ainsley, is only 4, thin boned, short, shy, and you can barely hear her when she talks.  

About this time she decides to join in when "WHAM!" the ball hits her on the left side of her face, chin area and side of the neck.  I cringed, "Oh, Ainsley, I'm so sorry."

She never cried.

She just turned to me with big eyes, shocked, and hand to face.

"That didn't hurt.  Cause I'm alpha-wolf"

Well, if that doesn't beat all.  Come to find out, her and her siblings watch something on YouTube called Alpha and Omega.  She identifies with the alpha wolf girl Kate.  So, we're in the garage, garage door's open, Rusty's putting salt in the water softener for me, Jayden's putting wood in the woodstove, and we all hear ....

"Ow-ooooo....."

"OW-OOOOO...."

"Did you hear that?"  It was a quiet sound, almost like a howling cat.  Then again.

"OW-OOOOO!"

Then we laughed.  In the house, from the family room, Ainsley had opened the sliding glass door and was howling to the moon.

She affirmed stating.  "I'm were-alpha-wolf."

Jan. 5, 2026

Ainsley was visiting with me in the family room while her family loaded up in Rusty's truck.

I told her, "I will be alone cuz Daddy and Alayna are loading up the truck."

"When you all leave out the driveway, I will be all alone."

She, leaning against the couch, very soberly and quietly said, "Well, that's sad."

Rusty, her dad, came in, "Daddy, when we leave GrammyPam will be sad."

Hum, sympathy?  Empathy?  Either way she showed intelligence giving it deep thought.

Snippets - John, Jeani, Carolyn

 

 Carolyn Webb, will be 91 years old in March 2026.

She and my father, David L. Leeman, were cousins growing up together.

John

It was 5 o'clock in the afternoon and our rooster crowed!

John's quick quip to the rooster was, "You don't get out much."

Jeani

Jeani took a ride (and maybe drove a bit) in Calvin's new blue Mustang.  You should know she has a CDL & teamed with her husband driving a big truck, a semi.

Jumping out of Calvin's Mach 1, "This is not a truck!  It's so much better!"

Carolyn Webb, 90 year old 2nd cousin

She stated she was watching the hulu dancer, prancing around with coconuts for bras.  Then thinking of the end of time, she said, 

"Oh, god, please don't come after me and David right now."