ELEANOR MEETS GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

Well I can't sleep so here I am...thought I would share a few pictures of Ellie meeting my parents. All her great-grandparents have passed except for mine so it was really nice she got to go to Washington and meet them, as well as other relatives. My son wishes he could still live there, as do I, but for now we are here in Minnesota. He would like for Ellie to know more of her cousins and have the same kind of life he had but as we all know life brings many changes. Out here he has one sister with one child and his wifes family is several hours away . He grew up with lots of family, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents and would like the same for his children(ok child for now) We hope they have more but what ever God has planned for them is ok with me. I know for some of us we miss what we had as children but life goes on and we can make new memories for our children and grandchildren. I have 5 brothers and sisters but my son has only two sisters so there are not going to be as many little ones to share his life with. Sometimes it is just hard growing up and accepting change. That is where trusting in GOD really helps me, knowing he has a plan and I don't have to worry about it.

Great-grandpa Burnson, Michael and Eleanor, Great-grandma Burnson

She is pretty happy with women

I think she liked her great-grandma

Now for the menfolk she dosen't know well....

She gives these very same looks to her grandpa who she sees almost every day.

I love you mom and dad hope you hang in there a few more years so Hunter can meet you also.

VACATION DAY WITH HUNTER

We have been on vacation this week and although we are not traveling away from home we are enjoying our time on short day trips. We decided to spend one day with our grandson Hunter who is a ball of energy,he has one speed run. It is so much fun to watch him toddle down the path arms swinging and little legs trying to keep up. Our plan was to take him to Mall Of America to the Underwater World Adventure. The exhibit was focusing on Jellyfish, although there would have been other fish too, I didn't think his attention span would hold for jellyfish. So we took a tour through the gardens. The fountain had the water running.

Hunter was fascinated by this
I was trying to get some pictures when he dedided to go for a swim. Grandpa caught him in time

We stopped to enjoy this fountain and some of the surrounding flowers

We came to visit and feed the ducks. Little did I know that there was a sign that asked us not to. They really should post them closer to the water.

Hunter has quite the arm..he may be a pitcher in the making. His great-grandpa was one

The geese in the back ground were fighting and making all kinds of sounds so Hunter wouldn't turn around for the pictures.

The flowers are blooming in the garden. I was almost to late for the tulips

We had to pull out a fruit snack to get Hunter away from the ducks and geese. He enjoyed that more than the flowers.

He loves fruit snacks. He will pop them in his mouth so fast until there are one or two left and then hang on to those for awhile..it really is funny to watch.
He is very late in getting his teeth..just like his mother. I think he is working on a molar.

We found places for him to climb up and down

one last visit to the fountain and then it was time to go swimming at Grandmas

Grandpa has made him very happy..can you see that smile?

Swimming lessons with his Grandpa

Now it is time for lunch and a long nap for Hunter and his Grandparents:)

CULTIVATING GRANDKIDS

I have no garden this year and boy do I miss it. How can I fill the void that downsizing has left in my life? How can God use me? I have a small garden of grandchildren growing around me. I could help cultivate them in Gods garden of life. They are like precious tender plants who will need food and water and tender care. Eleanor is leaving today for Washington State to visit our family there. She is shy and a bit fearful of people she does not know but I hope she has a great time meeting all her cousins, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great uncles, great-grandma and great-grandpa. I will miss her but I will enjoy this time to refresh and renew. She is still petite but growing fast. She likes the basket filled with little people.

She chose a sheep with fuzzy hair, Oh...grandma...did you want to take my picture? This little sheep is very tasty. The fuzzy hair is great for teething. We have one tooth.

Hmmmm...let me see what else I can find in here.
(I love to sit back and watch her to see what she will choose.)
I will pray for a safe journey for her and her family

Hunter stopped by after his doctors visit. He wanted me to put on my shoes to go outside and when I didn't he put them on. I wasn't quick enough with my camera, he had both shoes on and was trying to walk in them. Later after his nap he couldn't walk at all...3 shots in both legs was the reason. It was adorable and sad at the same time. Hunter has really developed a vocabulary in the past three weeks. I was amazed. When he left he said "wove you gamma" , Yes..it brought a tear to my eye.

So...here are my two, tender little plants and if God wishes we may have a few more in the next few years but for now I will do my best to cultivate a godly garden for them to grow in.

COOKBOOK AND ELLIE

Well...our little Ellie ended up in the ER late last night. We have been putting her on solid foods and it has been a slow journey because she just was not interested. Her mother is also weaning her to formula for the feeding while she is at work, so about half breast milk and half formula. This week she was having trouble pooping. She was crying every time she had to go and the last one last night would not come out. Her parents tried all the things the doctor said but nothing worked so they ended up at the hospital where they were able to help her relieve herself. My son said she is back to her happy self this morning.

I was thinking...maybe we should just listen to her body signals and go more slowly. When I was having babies, which by the way were all premies, I listened to my mother and others who were experienced at having children. It seems if I offer advice to any of my girls they are offended. After contemplating all night I think it is the mixed grain cereal. She is getting it twice a day starting last week, before that it was rice. I suggested to go back to rice cereal , applesauce and prunes. It seems our babies now are sensitive to so many foods and dairy is the worst. I never thought there would be a generation gap with my children but I guess there is. We grew up knowing that older adults had wisdom and knowledge that we could learn from. My girls think I am old school... such is life.

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I am trying to decide whether or not to have an appetizer section in my cookbook. This book is not a how-to or learning how to cook book. It is a collection of recipes for each season. It will be four books in all, one for each season. I guess I could add the ones I would use for the holiday in each season...what do you think?

It is very slow going but will keep me busy for awhile and that is a good thing. The hardest part for me is trying to decide how many sections and what to put in each. I am not a writer...this is a little dream I have and am trying to make it come to life.

VACATION AT HOME

My son has the week off so I do to. My hubby still has to work so I am on my own at home thinking of all I will get done while having some time to myself. I will miss Ellie but I know I will enjoy getting some things done around here like working on my cookbook.

Here is Cadence,

the only picture I was able to take with my camera before the battery went to low. He is my nephew's dog and they all were visiting us this weekend on their move to California.

We had to go and check on my sister-in-laws house Sunday and mow her lawn. She will be moving here to Minnesota this summer from California. (retiring) While in the area we went to Wal-mart and look what I found on clearance, not one but two pair of rainboots. The sandals were not on clearance but I wanted to share them anyway:):)

I also wanted to share a couple of pictures of my grand-daughters Easter pictures I just recieved but should have enlarged them first. You might have to use a magnifying glass

Alyssa is the older more composed girl and Madelyn is just like her mother.(and grandmother)

I would have been the same way, shy but over joyed with a beautiful Easter basket.

I am hoping for some nice weather so I may share some of the blooms that are now arriving here. I have been enjoying all the wonderful blooms from other blogs and finally Spring has sprung here in Wobegon. Looking forward to a week filled with lots of things to do.

HAPPY MONDAY!!

VISITORS AT WOBEGON COTTAGE

We had our first visitors her in Wobegon. My nephew and his family. He is a Marine and is being moved from Illinois to California. They will be closer to his wifes family who all live there. Once again I forgot to charge my camera and the only picture I got was their dog. I am sorry the pitures are a bit fuzzy but it is hubbys i-phone. He was doing the pics. This group in on the patio, Brad, Michael, Ellie, Karla and Olivia

Michael, a former Marine and Brad a lifetime Marine

(cousins)

Olivia and Carson, their children played very nicely. My only regret is Hunter couldn't be there to meet his relatives. The boys would have got along great, I am sure:)

Carson took a liking to Ellie, his sister is a month younger.

Here are the dads introducing the girls to each other

Michael and Ellie

Brad and Olivia

This is Michael showing his cousin Brad the Marine Corp room.
They have 4 bedrooms in their home one room is for his honors, certificates and pictures of his travels and all the marine corp stuff. That is a flag chest behind the men where he stores his dress blues and uniforms I think.

I realized we didn't have a picture of Jessica, Brads wife, so when we went to my sons house I got one with Olivia, her daughter

And me with Olivia

We had the best visit, I wish it could have been longer. We started at our home for chili and cornbread, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate-peanut butter muffins for a snack. After visiting their for awhile we went over to Michael and Karlas house. We took the tour and visited for awhile longer. We all left tired but had a great time.
Safe travels to Brad and Jessica!

CARTER STUMBO OUR GRANDSON

I don't have a current photo of Carter because he lives in Washington and we see him only once a year. These are mostly from last summer when he visited. We would like anyone who feels lead to pray for him. last week he went in for a reconstrution surgery for his circumcision which had grown back. He has been home and doing well but then developed croup. My daughter called yesterday and he had to be admitted to the hospital his chest was caving in and he couldn't breathe. He is 15 months old, our second grandson. A friend of my sons just lost her baby to a respirtory illness after being sent home from the hospital. They told her everything was fine. The baby died in her arms a few hours later, at home. So when we are faced with challenges of life , for me any way, there is only one place to go and that is on my knees in prayer because GOD is the only one who can make a difference if one lives or dies.

He is breathing without oxygen now but he is still in the hospital. I will find out more later today. Thank-you for your prayer support