If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise every one of you straight away to become one. There is no fun for old people like it! ~Hannah Whithall Smith
After spending the morning at the nearby wildlife refuge, grandchildren Robert and Laurel ( two uppermost tree climbers, striped shirt girl and tow head boy), stopped by with their friends and mothers. I’m telling you, grandchildren are SO MUCH FUN!!!
After a quick lunch which their mothers had packed, the first activity was decorating cupcakes I had baked for their dessert. It was just like Cupcake Wars on tv!
With bags of buttercream frosting, tubs of sprinkles, cans of whipped cream and bowls of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, they had all the fixin’s for prize winning cupcakes. Laurel’s design philosophy is “too much is seldom enough.”
Brett was of the same persuasion. How can more not be better?
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
As the ultimate Gator fan, Robert showered his cupcake with orange colored sugar, sprinkled a restrained amount nonpariels and added a side of whipped cream.
Ultimately, they declared a 6 way tie and ate the spoils of the cupcake war.
Then they were off for a golf cart ride.
After touring the yard and checking out the tree house along the way , Granddad took them into the “forest” across the street, which has a short bike path. Robert and Laurel have always called out the imaginary animals as they spot them lurking in the forest/jungle. They’ve “seen” purple hippos, yellow elephants, pink giraffes, green gorillas, striped alligators and more.
When they returned from the wilderness, I asked what they had seen.  The descriptions were vivid. But 5 year old Matthew said nothing. When I asked him if he saw any pink monkeys, he replied, wide-eyed, disappointed and clearly confused, “I didn’t see ANY animals!” An honest kid like that has no future in politics.
They played in the tree house, enjoying treats and juice boxes from the snack box stored up there and then climbed the big cedar tree in the front yard.
I am not a great photographer–not even a mediocre one, but I love these pictures. Laurel, at the top of the tree was cut out of most shots.  Little Matthew on the bottom branch was cut out of some and looking away in others. So this is the best I have.
When they left to go home, Bob and I just grinned at them and then at one another, equally thankful to be involved in these precious, busy little lives. We were thankful that they live close enough to visit often. We were thankful that they are so happy and healthy. And we were a little bit thankful that they were on their way home. We were exhausted.
An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly. ~Gene Perret
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