....or it would drive me crazy so I just have to find a date that works for everyone (hopefully everyone, I hate to leave anyone out)....and then be in the right frame of mind and give out a hollar....IT'S TIME FOR THE ANNUAL "CRAZY GRANDMA CAMP"....and I really am crazy for (1) thinking I can have total control over 9 little kids ranging from the age of 3 years old to 11 years old for 24 hours and (2) thinking that I can do it without yelling my lungs out throughout the evening...but I haven't done too badly tonight. The house is a wreck, we didn't get to nearly as many things as we had planned and THEY ARE ALL ASLEEP as I type this. Just trying to make a few memories with the wee ones and I tell them that it's called "Crazy Grandma Camp" because I'm crazy about all of them, which I really am but about 9:00 tonight...I was once again realizing that it's "crazy" and I don't have to do it but I actually do love it. They are all so very different and so very funny. I love how they figure things out. I'll share some pictures and tell you what it is I love about these amazing little kids that belong to my amazing big kids. One of the bigger kids asked me today when I was going to have Grandma Camp and I just said...."I'm working it out". A bit later, little Jack who is only three looked at me with his big blue eyes and said..."Grandma, did you work it out yet?"....and I did work it out and made it happen....and I'm tired, but it's a good tired. (reporting here about 11:51).
So the kids start comin' and they head out to the trampoline and I'm looking out the window and they're rollin' around on the tramp getting their hair all staticky and the next thing I know, they are hookin' on to each other's fingers, making a line then one of them touches the metal part of the tramp and they all start jumpin' around and laughing as the electricity flows from kid to kid. I thought it was pretty cool...I guess that's why I'm telling you about it, whoever you are out there in blog land.
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So, I'm going to give a few tips about having the kids over...or I should say, this is what works for me.
Plan a good song that they can dance too. Last year it was "...apple bottom jeans, boots with a purr...."...not the real words but they didn't have to know and it was a pretty catchy song. This year it was "Hey Soul Sister" and here is Jack getting ready for his ukelele duet...
Make sure ya take a few of the older ones shopping at the dollar store and let them pick out a few cheap things that you can call the "activities". Here we got a little sidewalk chalk...upgraded to the 3D this year. (not necessary but kinda fun)
Let 'em start stakin' out their beds a bit early then it's not so hard when it's finally time to call it quits....and let them be creative about where they will sleep. It's important to get them to bed early too....then the night doesn't seem so long. I made it by 11:51 this year.
A few cheap water balloons can kill about 4 and a half minutes....it's a must have item!!!!!
Shirt decorating is always fun. Just don't think "puff paint" will dry in time for them to wear them to bed.....(they were 2 for 5 dollas at Michaels. I did good)!!!!!
Then the usual trip to Snow Shack (of course wearing their shirts. It makes you look like a really cool grandma. The kicker to my "coolness" was when I reached into my pocket for my 10 bucks, it wasn't there so I had to be really cool....and let Kenny Miller butt in line with his 2 boys to pay for our snow cones. Now that's cool.....NOT!!!!) Don't ya just love this place though.....always someone you know to help you out in hard times. I still can't figure out where the money is that I really did put in my pocket (but I'm sure no one stole it from me Spencer. I just misplaced it in the craziness of it all. Just lettin' you know).
This is my "hard core" gang....in their coolness......
Don't forget to snap a picture with the whole gang....'cause ya know...if you don't have a picture of it and write about it, it's as if it never happened and I'm not about to go to all this trouble only to have it be "AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED' for cryin' out loud.
Make sure ya take a few of the older ones shopping at the dollar store and let them pick out a few cheap things that you can call the "activities". Here we got a little sidewalk chalk...upgraded to the 3D this year. (not necessary but kinda fun)
Let 'em start stakin' out their beds a bit early then it's not so hard when it's finally time to call it quits....and let them be creative about where they will sleep. It's important to get them to bed early too....then the night doesn't seem so long. I made it by 11:51 this year.
A few cheap water balloons can kill about 4 and a half minutes....it's a must have item!!!!!
Shirt decorating is always fun. Just don't think "puff paint" will dry in time for them to wear them to bed.....(they were 2 for 5 dollas at Michaels. I did good)!!!!!
Then the usual trip to Snow Shack (of course wearing their shirts. It makes you look like a really cool grandma. The kicker to my "coolness" was when I reached into my pocket for my 10 bucks, it wasn't there so I had to be really cool....and let Kenny Miller butt in line with his 2 boys to pay for our snow cones. Now that's cool.....NOT!!!!) Don't ya just love this place though.....always someone you know to help you out in hard times. I still can't figure out where the money is that I really did put in my pocket (but I'm sure no one stole it from me Spencer. I just misplaced it in the craziness of it all. Just lettin' you know).
This is my "hard core" gang....in their coolness......
Don't forget to snap a picture with the whole gang....'cause ya know...if you don't have a picture of it and write about it, it's as if it never happened and I'm not about to go to all this trouble only to have it be "AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED' for cryin' out loud.
We missed Scotty and Jakey. Don't know why these pictures wouldn't turn but the kids did a little chalk art for them and I left a place there in the picture above to PhotoShop them in. Next year, Staheli boys, we'll plan "Grandma Camp" around your visit to Utah.
So, there you have it. Whether it's for the right reason or not, I do it and I actually love it. A little like childbirth...when you're going through it, you'll never do it again....but as the year goes on, you forget. Oops, it's 12:50 and George is wandering.....now I know I'm not doing this again!!!!! Actually, I keep thinking I should entertain them until about midnight then drop them off at their own homes. Good idea....think I'll try it next time. We didn't get around to the Pop Rocks and AirHeads. We'll have them for breakfast. Mmmmm....PopRocks in cereal. Fun surprise.....and I forgot to mention the snaps and glow sticks, a few more dollar store gems.
5 comments:
What a cool Grandma. That looked so stinkin' fun, I began to cry when I saw the end where you mentioned Scotty and Jake. Thanks for remembering us back here. I'm proud of you mom, you did it, and all by yourself this year!
Looked like a lot of fun . . . hope you are surviving the morning!
Some of us Grandmas that never had the g-kids around are pretty jealous of all the good memories you and the kids are making and will always have. These are the times they will remember!!
This exhausted me just reading it. Thanks Mom.
You are amazing! You are the best grandma I know. I wish my kids had a grandma close by like you. These are the greatest memories that they will remember forever. I wish I had great memories like these of my grandmas.
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