Spring Time Adventure for the Memory Books

Dear Reader:

When you head into the “frontier of grandchildren” you know it will be crazy, fun, and utterly exhausting…AND you look forward to the next adventure in their lives…the memories being left behind and the stories to accompany them. That is what grandmothers are all about…creating and making stories for the ages.

Friday night I kept Eva Cate and Jakie while John and Mandy grabbed some supper and got some Easter Bunny errands accomplished! So glad the timing all worked out with the Boo Boo Rutledge/Eva Cate Special Day.

“Old Gray” the heron was posing for me Friday evening while the children danced for me.

 

I gave Jakie a miniature flashlight as a little surcie and at 6:00 am I got the full benefits of that gift…Jakie flashing the lights in my face wanting to know if I was awake…we sat on the sofa and watched the sun come up together…as Jakie summed it up…”Boo-ti-ful!” It was.

Walsh took a picture of Rutledge and Eva Cate planting their magical “kind deeds” lollipop seeds. I will call later this week and the grandchildren must tell me what kind deeds they have done for others…and then we will see if a lollipop pops up on Easter morning.

(*Later in the day I told Rutledge and Eva Cate that one quarter they were given must remain behind in the gum/toy machines so another child could get a surprise when they turned the knob at Groucho’s where we went for lunch.)

The cousins were so excited to be together again….They wanted to go to my house first before the scavenger hunt and they made the most of the short visit…tree house climb, checking out their Japanese Maples to see how tall both themselves and the trees had grown, looking through scrapbooks of their parents growing up, trophies…just having fun!

Then onto Hutchinson Square where they discovered the first “bird” on the bird sculpture scavenger hunt…duck statues…and a quick splash in the fountain.

We took side trips into a railroad shop which we all loved as the owner/conductor ran the trains for us…and a gentleman from the Blue Ridge mountains entertained us with Amazing Grace on the sidewalks. They also got to climb up on the largest “Sweetest Tea” in the world…broke the record for the number of gallons.

We found 12 bird statues…and then Aunt Kaitlyn joined us for lunch…It was only after this that  we realized the musical started at  3 instead of 2…so …we did a little shopping/looking and ice cream at Guerin’s Pharmacy.

The children’s musical was fabulous and Ady was, in our opinion, the star of the show! A real natural! The children were mesmerized and saw lots of family there since it was the last performance. Fun, fun, fun!

 

I was hoping we would have time to take pictures of the family after the show but it was packed and  Ady was being pulled in many directions by family and friends congratulating her. I know Eva Cate and Rutledge were sure proud of her…as we all were! A star is born!

So until tomorrow….a hot shower, a recliner,  a good book and Boo will be back in the saddle tomorrow….with sweet dreams of a perfect spring day .

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

 

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”
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2 Responses to Spring Time Adventure for the Memory Books

  1. bcparkison says:

    Sounds like a packed weekend of fun. I had a feeling Ady would be a hit. Now we have to wonder who will follow in her steps.

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