A Day With the Boys

Summer has hit in Arizona and finding ways to keep the kids busy during the hottest part of the day is in full swing. Yesterday I volunteered to have two of my grandsons for the day while their mom took their big brother to his week long Invention Day Camp. The camp is an hour drive each way with a 6 1/2 hour wait in town until it is time to pick him up. The 8 1/2 hour days away from home with her two young boys are difficult for my daughter. It is truly a week long financial and time consuming sacrifice for their family. The camp is perfect for this grandson who hungers for learning beyond his years and who has been blessed with a very inventive mind.

So, yesterday it was my responsibility to fill the 8 1/2 hour hot summer day with grandchildren #4 and #7 who are very active five and almost 8 year old boys.

Here's how it went down.

We spent an hour or so outdoors before it got too terribly warm playing tetherball and watering the plants in the courtyard.

We went indoors and cubed up an ice cold cantaloupe for a mid morning snack. At grandma's house we  use colorful toothpicks instead of a fork to eat cubed cantaloupe. A tradition the boys will not let me forget.

Craft time: We went to my box of invention craft supplies and found two empty 32 oz. orange juice cartons.  I suggested that we could make bird feeders. "Do you have bird seed?" they asked. Yep!

My dining room table turned into a bird feeder craft center. Construction papers, glue sticks, scissors, paper cutter, rope, juice cartons, heavy wooden skewers, and a sharp knife (for grandma to use).

After crafting I decided to take the boys to our local ChickFilet for lunch. It was no ordinary ride to the restaurant. I was having some silly fun with the boys that made them laugh and laugh. I was morphing between myself and what they called a "crazy lady".  The crazy lady talked very loud, made silly comments, and spoke with an unknown accent. I of course had no idea what they were talking about when they told me about the crazy lady. All I know is that the crazy lady with the really bad accent made the 12 minute ride to the restaurant one of memory making silly fun between I and my grandsons. 

Lunch and the indoor play land burned lots of energy and nearly three hours of our day. The boys could not get over that they could stay and play for as long as they wanted.  Being a grandma is so much fun!

When they had their fill of play I asked if they would like to go for ice cream?  Once we got the drive thru cold stuff for the boys I headed for a nearby Michael's store.  We sat and talked in the car while they were finishing their treats. I knew the boys would have just as much fun checking out Michael's as I would. 

In the baskets out front we found a fun indoor game that was marked down to well to pass up. It was a door size embroidered toss game. You hang the colorful and well made game from the top of the door frame and stand back and toss balls through the holes for scoring. Originally $10 bucks for just $2.99!

As we were walking through the store checking out all of the fun crafting stuff the boys had no idea what was going on in my mind as I was tossing some great finds at great prices in my basket. (ssshhhh, it was fun crafting supplies to do with my grandkids for pennies on the dollar  that was on my mind.)

When we checked out of Michael's we only had an hour left before mom would be back. The boys groaned with the news that our fun filled day was almost over. Once home the new toss game was put up and our play began. I had told the boys that we could look at the pictures from our recent trip to  Alaska too .

When we gathered around the computer to check out the photo's of Alaska and our cruise ship I was preempted by a bunny that was spotted just outside my office window.

The boys quietly ran from window to window for a closer look.

Really, could this day have been any better?

The bunny kept their minds busy until daddy's work truck rolled up 

(beating mommy there) and scared the bunny away.

When I didn't think the day could get any better it did!

Papa arrived home in time to see the boys too. 

Papa was greeted with BIG excited hugs and the details of the day.

Mom later reported that when she arrived home she was flooded 

with chatter with the boys barely breathing between details.

It is amazing how simple and ordinary things can turn

 magical when they are shared between a

grandma and her very loved grands!