I love doing art projects with our grandchildren. I especially enjoy adorning mugs with their masterpieces for our morning coffee enjoyment.
This year, they each drew a full body self-portrait along with the rest of their household. This little beauty became a wrap around mug with each of our little ones contributing their part.
Tim and I enjoy our morning coffee time…and having their art as a part of our morning ritual is bliss indeed.
Family Portrait by our grandkids.
An awesome start to the day – pure bliss! – Thanks to my wonderful family for these treasured birthday wishes!
Camera shy people never cease to amaze me. The lengths they go through to avoid the lens are impressive. As is the case with our daughter-in-law, Amanda. Most attempts to capture her on film end like these two shots.
However, if we are sneaky and distract her with finger painting or puppies, we can catch her in a moment.
The finger paints were for our grand-daughter. Much to our surprise and delight…Amanda and Stephen enjoyed them the most. photo MLivingston
Puppies serve as a perfect distraction to capture her beautiful smile. Along with our grand-daughter, she enjoys the pups. The one she is petting will grow up to be the sire to her dog. – photo MLivingston
If an official shot is required and she will gladly be in the frame with someone she loves. She is all smiles.
This is perhaps one of my favorites. I was so surprised how easy it was to take her picture for their wedding invitation. – photo by MLivingston
The most interesting thing about camera shy people is they are often the ones behind the lens. I think Amanda’s awareness of the discomfort the lens brings to others gives her sensitivity when she shoots portraits. Amanda is a gifted photographer. No, it is not her day job, but a visit to her Lightly Spiced Photography by A Adams Facebook page reveals her eye for composition, lighting and attention to a shot’s emotion. I hope you visit and see what she is up to.
I enjoy the portraits she takes. My favorites, of course, are the ones of our GrandThings.
Keep smiling and keep shooting –
Happy Birthday, Amanda
We Love You!
GrandThing 3 sets out to find dirt.
There are defining moments that burn themselves onto our internal processors. I remember vividly four years ago, today, the moment he popped into this world all wet and shiny new. But in my mind’s eye, he will forever be the little boy in search of dirt.
When he visits, he inevitably is drawn to his daddy’s old Tonka toys. So it was, one spring day. With a lot of rain, the wild grasses and weeds had taken over the fields. What this little boy really needed was dirt.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Just dirt.
He spent the better part of the afternoon dragging the backhoe and tractor around, looking for a proper place to put them to work. Alas, he spies a pile of decomposed granite.
Bliss.
Happy Birthday GrandThing Three!
Bliss! perfect dirt for play.
Fishing with Grandpa – The Forester Artist
Showing off his catch. This one went back after the photo.
GrandThing 3 tells Grandma all about his painting. “He caught grasshoppers with Grandpa and they caught a fish.”
“Our animals shepherd us through certain eras of our lives. When we are ready to turn the corner and make it our own…they let us go.” Author Unknown
Tom dog came home to a young 11 year old boy. Now 26, Tom’s “boy” misses him the most.
We knew this day was coming. The average lifespan of a retriever is 10 years. Tom-dog was 14 years, 8 months when we said good-bye today.
He came home to our youngest son many years ago and was the grand-pup of our first retriever. In the learning hands of a growing boy he was trained into an outstanding hunter and companion.
Stephen and Tom with Tim and Blaze following successful Senior Hunter Qualifiers.
When his boy grew to manhood, left for college, got married and started his family, Tom stayed with us. In the years that have followed, this magnificent family member has been greeted by 3 rowdy grandkids that he loved dearly.
Tom-dog always loved kids. It is only fitting that Tom-dog’s grand-pup, Jake, now resides with Tom-dog’s first person and family.
Tom dog (R) walks with GrandThing 3 and Jake (L) Jake is Tom dog’s grand-pup.
Work in Progress…girl on horse for T1. She loves horses. This is a start to a Christmas painting for her. What do you think so far?
One soppy morning, on our way to the hen house to gather chicken eggs, my oldest granddaughter was just the right height to spot movement in the tall stasis near the duck pen.
“Grandma, what’s that? Something moved.”
It caught my attention about the time she finished speaking. A newly hatched duckling was attempting to get back into the duck pen. On the other side, floating lifeless in the water was another newly hatched duckling. The pen was not a safe place for the hatchlings. I quickly rescued the living duckling and wrapped it in my top against my belly to keep it warm.
“Is it okay? Is the duckel’ing okay?” GrandThing1 was very worried.
We hurried back to the house where we gathered a storage bin, some rags and a heat lamp. When the makeshift brood box was ready, I slipped the little bird from under my top. 
My granddaughter’s eyes widened as she raised her delicate little hands in an open cup to receive the tiny baby.
“Oh, Grandma, it’s so cute. Hello, baby duckel’ing.” Reassured by her soft little voice, the duckling settled in. She cuddled it close.
“What will it eat?” She leaned over and whispered into her hands, “Are you hungry? Grandma, the duckel’ing is hungry.”
I dialed Grandpa’s cell and held the phone to her so she could leave a message.
“Grandpa, we need food for the baby duckel’ing.”
We placed the feathered baby into its brood box. GrandThing1 announced, “The duckel’ing needs a nap.” Off she rushed to where she napped during her visits.
I heard rustling, a little bit of grumbling, then, “Here it is!” Back she came with her favorite nap time storybook. She seated herself so the duckling could hear. Her little voice did not miss a beat retelling her memorized tale.
“Brown bear, brown bear…”
The Duckel’ing by GrandThing1. Of course now she says “duckling” it has been many birthdays since this event. We will always remember the “duckel’ing.”
Happy Birthday GrandThing1
Love,
Grandma
GrandThing1 and Grandma draw pictures together in a hangout.
Gazing in the gift shop at the nutcrackers and dancers following the performance of “The Nutcracker.”
© 2012 MaryALivingston
Photo reference provided by
Lightly Spiced Photography by A. Adams
The holiday season is upon us. Adults worldwide look for ways to gift and treat the children in their lives.
Last year, I witnessed a most precious Christmas gift. One of our granddaughters loves ballet. Since she could stand she has twirled. Don’t know from where this comes. No one in the family dances other than for casual fun. So, her Papa and Nana took her, her older sister and their mom to a ballet performance of “The Nutcracker.” Little brother was too young to attend and Daddy was deployed half a world away.
We, Grandma and Grandpa, arrived for our visit the night before the ballet. Papa let us know his plans ahead of time, so we also procured tickets for the event.
Our two young granddaughters, ages 4 & 7, were in lovely dresses and shiny shoes. Their hair hung in beautiful locks. They were clearly prepared to attend an elegant event.
Being of small stature, it was hard for the littlest to see over the heads in front of her. She climbed in my lap for a better view.
The curtains opened and when the first ballerina twirled on her toes, the little one in my lap quivered and proclaimed, “I can do that!”
There were a few looks and even a “Shhhhh.”
Doesn’t everyone know the ballet requires silence?
She paid the naysayers no heed, for they did not register through her eagerness. As the show progressed, “I can do that,” would sound every now and again interspersed with an, “I can SO do that.”
This child’s love of ballet was coming to life before our eyes. With every pas de chat and arabesque she became more engaged.
She will remember this forever. Nana, Papa, Mama, Grandpa and Grandma will as well.
During a season when many overindulge, what mattered most to these little girls was spending time with their family at an event they treasured. Papa and Nana hit a home run with this gift, I am thankful we were there to share in the joy.
Some believe the expanse of lavish and numerous presents thrusts upon the little ones is a direct measure of love. Quite the opposite. I never for a moment doubted the love of my grandparents. Yet, over the years, I received not even one wrapped gift for a birthday or holiday from these two people who represented clear and abundant love. This was not because of culture or religious belief. They were poor. They barely had provisions for food and shelter. Sometimes not even that. Their gift everyday was love. The kind of love that reaches to your core. The kind of love that garners respect and delivers clear discipline. The kind of love that has the power to stay in a heart through times of joy and sorrow.
In this season, when it is all too easy to overindulge, take the time to build memories of love your children will treasure. We will all remember the ballet with Nana and Papa.
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Our grandchildren love for us to carry them to bed after story time. Such was the case on this particular visit.
T2, our second granddaughter, wanted me to carry her this time, instead of Grandpa.
She says, “Grandma, carry me.”
Pleased to have the honor, I approach with arms out.
“Grandma, carry me,” she repeats. “Carry me like a princess.”
Princess? Really? Princess? Anyone who has read my posts, especially Wedded Bliss, can ascertain – I don’t do princess.
I gently leaned down and tenderly said, “Grandma doesn’t do princess.”
Well, she stood very tall, placed her hands on her hips, cocked her tiny head to the side, peered at me through her brow and in a pleasant, encouraging voice not matching her stern posture said, “Grandma, you can try.”
Princess it is.
One of Thing2’s art pieces displayed on The Repository of Bliss.
Happy Birthday GrandThing2
Love,
Grandma
I would like to introduce you to Horses for Heroes. This organization does wonderful work for those who serve; be they firefighters, police officers, military or other public service personnel putting their lives on the line for us.
The littlest heroes, the children of these men and women, also benefit from the healing and therapeutic power of horses.
“Touch”
© 2012 Mary Livingston
Photo reference provided by Lightly Spiced Photography by A. Adams
Sneaking Bliss 