Enchanting Grandparents part 2

Once a month Xander gets to go to Grandma Thompson's house (my Mom).  In June Xander struggled wanting to go because his preschool was having a lunch at the park that day and he heard there would be face painting.  I told Xander to that Grandma had some face paints and she was really good at it.  Way better then the people at the park and if he asked nicely, she might paint his face.  

I guess he asked really, really nice........and my Mom is crazy good!  

My Mom did make up for years at a children's play. As a kid I remember strange teenager parading in my house in the summer months getting their face casted and then my mom making Masks, pointy ears, big noses, large chins and other extras for the actors.  She could make a 10 year old look 80 and a 4 year old look like a lion - clearly.

 My Mom and Dad meet doing theater in collage. She was the beautiful leads and he was the tech genius backstage.  So before I was born, they dreamed of having a traveling entertaining family.  An american Von Trap family if you will.  My Dad wrote a play and they were building marionette in a back room of our house. We even had our front room turned in to a stage much of my younger years with a curtain separating it from the rest of the house. I remember my brother sleeping on the stage for many years as his room.  I can only imagine only having a curtain separating you from the rest of the house might have made getting sent to your room all day with just bread and water harder then if you had walls......but I digress.  Sadly the reality of having 6 kids in 8 years seem to suck this dream dry and they sold their marionettes when I was 12.  

  My Mom said Xander held still for an hour.  He was serious about getting his face painted and about playing the part of the lion.  He wanted my Mom to sow him up a lion costume right then and there.  If he kept nagging her the whole time I bet she would have done it, but as it was by the time lunch was over, Xander was onto new things.  His little 1 yr old cousin came over and he was worried about scaring him so Xander had his face washed off.  I was sad to have missed it in person, but these pics are great.  

It must be so enchanting to have a grandma like Grandma Thompson.  I know it was to have her as a Mom.  Love you Mom and thanks for everything!

Starting Young

When ever I work out in the shop and the boys catch wind of that, they want me to build them things.  "Mom can you build me a priate ship that my friends and I can sit in?"

"Mom can you build me a toy car?"  

"Mom can you build me a sword?"

"Mom can you build me an axe?"

"Mom can you build me the weapon I designed on this piece of paper?"

I can't tell you how many countless "designs" Soren has given me and requested I get to work.  He usually says something like this.  "Mom, it is really easy.  First you take a piece and you cut it like this (points at a part of the design).  Then nails these two pieces together and then put this piece on but first cut it like this......"ect.  

Sometimes I whip them up a sword or shield because they are quick, but I usually say no. I feel like I don't have enough time.  This has lead to them building things on their own.  But since they aren't allowed to cut anything they scrounge for scraps.  Friday before bed they built these.  

 This is Xander's sword he built and painted.  I didn't even know he could effectively nail wood together.  You might wonder which end you hold as the cross handle part is sort of long, but it is lying on its side.  

 This is lethal pokey thing Soren made and is now dismantled due to is lethal effectiveness.

This is a riffle Soren built and painted.  This actually fits under his arm quite well and it was a bit worrisome that he knew just know what to do with this.  

I don't know why I buy toys.  Scraps of wood, cardboard, tape, glue and some paint can keep the boys busy for a very long time.  Granted it does make a lot of mess.....

Enchanting Grandparents part 1

My boys are so lucky!  They have the most amazing Grandparents that are so close to them.  Ryan's parents are just 25 minutes away in Issaquah and my Mom is 25 minutes away in Bellevue.  Not only that but they are AMAZING Grandparents that love to spend time with my kids are are magical when they do.  

Gandpa Howard - Ryan's Dad - has a great shop and is quite handy.  Saturday, after spending the whole day at Grandma and Grandpa's, the boys came home with these.

A sailboat for Soren and a motor boat for Xander.  The boys were asking me if I would make them a boat in the shop the other day and they were turned down.  Grandpa on the other hand is magical and whips these puppies up per request on the same day.  What an enchanting Grandpa.  Soren has been known to design his own weapons and grandpa goes out in the shop and makes them per his specs.  How cool is that?  The down side was Soren was coming home will many weapons every week.  Grandpa has built awesome castles and pirate ships out of random things - wood, pipes, cans, cardboard ect.  He is so creative.  How lucky my boys are to have such a great Grandpa!!  Thanks for everything Grandpa Howard!  You are the best!!