Grandchildren – Page 5 – Valerie's Voice

Trolls

Trolls made a comeback
The vintage trolls went away
but returned transformed.

Before we left on our road trip to Colorado I was going through a closet and found a bag of old trolls. They were the ones from the 1960’s that I used to play with when I was a little girl. I decided I would bring them to Colorado to see if my grandchildren would be interested in playing with them… Zoey was.

The vintage trolls were a big hit. Inside the bag were three “regular-sized” troll dolls, approximately 3” tall with wild hair (well, one troll had thinning hair!), two baby troll dolls, and a lot of trolls-size clothes.

Troll with thinning hair, and a baby troll doll.

I sat down with Zoey to look through the clothes and surprised myself with all the clothes I had made for my trolls, mostly from felt material. I do remember my neighborhood friend, Diane, and I playing with our troll dolls for hours on end when we were growing up, but I did not remember making all the clothes until I saw them again.

Some of the clothes I made for my trolls in the 60’s.

Most of the clothes were cuts in the felt fabric but there were also a couple of outfits that I had stitched together and/or trimmed with sequins and such.

It was very fun for me to look at these pieces of clothing I made for my trolls. I remember the fun we had dressing them up and then changing their outfits. I left my trolls behind in Colorado knowing Zoey was enjoying the trolls too…dressing them up and then changing the outfits.

I know trolls have made a comeback and look a bit different these days. I wonder what The Troll movie is about? I may watch it now that I’ve been reintroduced to my trolls. According to Wikipedia, “The dolls were first created in 1959 and became one of the United States’ biggest toy fads in the early 1960s.”

Comfortable?

We have returned from a road trip to Colorado, to visit our youngest son and his family. We had a great time and good weather (hot but dry).

We were happy to watch the kids while our son and his wife took off for a few days. The first day of our time alone with the grandkids, we planned to go to Rocky Mountain National Park. Because of COVID-19 one has to make reservations to drive into the park, which we did long before we left for Colorado. This made the park less crowded than normal. What a perk!

Our time for entering the park was 10 am (with a grace period). It would take an hour from our son’s home to get to Estes Park, the entrance to RMNP. That morning, we were on our own to get the kids ready. After packing a picnic lunch, finding jackets, getting shoes and sunscreen, loading up the car and getting the kids settled in their car seats, our first stop was at the neighborhood gas station. We pulled up to the pump and stopped. After the busy morning I turned to the kids in the back seat and asked, “OK, how are you guys doing? Are you comfortable?”

Zoey (5) said, “yes” and Ezra (4) said – in all seriousness – “yes, but I’d be more comfortable with a donut!” It made us laugh out loud and we went into the station and bought some donuts!

The Old Fall River Road…one-way, gravel, narrow, *along* the edge, nine miles long.

The day went well. It was sunny with spectacular views. We drove on the Old Fall River Road, a one-way, gravel road which twists and turns its way up through the mountains.

At the top we stopped at the visitor’s center and hiked the remaining Alpine Ridge Trail to 12,005’. We had brought some children’s binoculars for the kids and they were a big hit.

On our way down the mountain we drove along the Trail Ridge Road, a two-way, paved road. We stopped for lunch in a picnic area, and hiked on another trail along a river.

We had a lot of fun playing in Rocky Mountain National Park with our grandchildren.

It was a “comfortable” sort of day.

The Nineties

I had a delightful visit with my cousin and our 99-year-old aunt. She’s not really our aunt…but she’s been a part of the family since before my cousin or I were born so that makes her an aunt in our eyes.

My cousin picked up some Chow Mein and I brought flowers and we set her table – she still lives in her own home – and we enjoyed a meal together and visited. We had a great time. As I was leaving she asked me if I could mail something for her. She handed me an envelope and said it’s to the Publisher’s Clearing House. She’s been trying to win the jackpot for 47 years! So I dutifully put her letter in the mailbox, smiling all the way.

Her longevity reminded me of my grandfather, Charlie. He was 98 when he died. We would go visit him in the nursing home (he became blind so he had to live in a nursing home). We would bring him his favorite…M&M’s. I remember the nurses telling us M&M’s are not good for him because they spoil his appetite. I thought, he’s 98-years-old, if he wants M&M’s I’m happy to bring him some and let him enjoy them!

Grandpa Charlie and four great-grandchildren.

I wonder what I’ll be like when I’m in my 90’s?

A New Grandson is Here!

“A baby is God’s opinion that life should go on.” Carl Sandburg

Our son and his wife had their baby boy yesterday and everyone is healthy and doing fine. This is good news!

The spring equinox was at 10:59pm on March 19 but some places were still calling March 20 as the first day of spring but I still think our newest grandson gets to have the honor of being born the first day of spring in 2020.

His name Luca means “bringer of light” and it seems so appropriate during these difficult days. He is 8 lb 3 oz and 20.5 inches long.

We are so excited to welcome Luca Abram to our family. What joy!

Slow, Leisurely Walks

Over the weekend we were with my 92-year-old uncle. Uncle Bob is my dad’s youngest brother. He’s never been in the hospital; he’s never been in a car accident. He lives with his wife of almost 70 years (August 2020) in their own home near Brainerd, MN. My Auntie Joyce will be 90 in April. Bob sometimes gets his dates confused but Joyce will chime in with the correct ones. They have had their share of hardships over the years but they have weathered them well together. What a joy to be with them…in their beautiful home up north.

Trees line the driveway up to Uncle Bob’s home.

Gary and I went for a walk with Uncle Bob (Joyce stayed back). It was a slow, leisurely walk. As we walked I thought about leisurely walks with our two-year-old granddaughter up north last fall. Those walks with grandchildren are precious in a different way…they are slow walks because of their curiosity and exuberance.

92…2: opposite ends of the spectrum…both slow, leisurely walks but for different reasons.

Uncle Bob and Gary stop on our walk to clarify something.

Although Bob is in good health he has slowed down a lot (but he’s happy he doesn’t need a walker). We really enjoyed slowing down and walking with him, and visiting as we walked. My father died at age 55 and Uncle Bob tells us stories of their childhood and a lot of the kindnesses my dad showed his brother and others (and also about a few pranks he played too). Gary never met my father and has told Bob he thinks of him as the father-in-law he never had.

I am so grateful for these times together. Uncle Bob wanted us to come to visit them and talk about our upcoming trip to Norway and the family ties. Now they want us to come back after our trip to hear all the stories we’ll have. We certainly will. It’s such a gift to have Uncle Bob and Auntie Joyce in our lives.

A beautiful sky over the snow covered field on Uncle Bob’s property.

Reading Time

Some people my age tell their fond memories of reading the afternoon away when they were children. I do not have those memories. However, I do have good childhood memories…we lived in a close neighborhood full of kids. After chores in the morning we’d go outside to play until lunch. After lunch we’d go outside and play until suppertime. After supper we’d go outside and play until dark. At least, that’s the gist of it. But back to reading…

I don’t remember when I first started to like to read but I am grateful for the people and teachers in my life who taught me to read. In elementary school I remember reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or was it Tom Sawyer?) and also Trixie Belden mysteries.

Now I love to read, and I read daily, and have for most of my adult life. I continue to enjoy adventure stories, mysteries and biographies.

I also love children’s books. I loved reading books to my own two sons when they were young and now I enjoy reading to my grandchildren. All three of them like to be read to. (I have been known to read children’s books to adults too.)

When Zoey and Ezra were here for ten days we read multiple books multiple times. How is it they want to read the same story over and over and over again? It’s so fun!

It was a blessing to sit on the loveseat, between the two children snuggled in blankets while they were engaged in looking at the pictures as I read the story. I treasure those precious moments, and all moments when I can read books to any of my three grandchildren. I love the warmth and closeness, and bringing adventures and love to them one book at a time.

Faribo Frosty

A gigantic snowman is fun for any age to see. And this huge snowman, Faribo Frosty, appears each winter in Faribault, MN. It is an annual tradition for this Faribault family to create an enormous snowman with a hat and mittens and scarf, and all other snowman trimmings, including a bucket for his pipe.

We thought it might have melted a little before we got to take the grandchildren to see it this week because of the unusually warm temperatures, but if it did melt any we couldn’t tell…it was still huge, and a big hit with the kids.

The family encourages people to stop by to see FariboFrosty, and to take pictures, and to enjoy their wonderful gift to their community. We are joyful recipients of their labor of love and are thankful for it.

Smiles

This reading came across my email the other day…

The Value of a Smile, author Unknown.

The smile costs nothing, but gives much. It reaches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory can last a lifetime. None is so rich that he can get along without it and none is so poor that he can’t be made richer by it. A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business, and is a mark of true friendship. It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged and sunshine to the sad. It can’t be bought, begged, or stolen, for it is of no value until it’s given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

Finding Jesus

The front cover of the book The Nativity. Illustrated by Julie Vivas.

Last week my 2 ½ year old granddaughter greeted me at her door with the these words,

“Grandma, will you help me find Jesus?”

Apparently when putting up the Advent Calendar, with characters from the nativity, the cloth embroidered Baby Jesus went missing and she had been looking all over the house for it.

My heart fluttered as I heard those sweet words, and my heartfelt response… “Of course Little One, I will help you find Jesus!”

A Tough Job

We went up our son’s house in Minneapolis to babysit our 2 1/2 year- old granddaughter while our son and his wife went out of town for a few days. We had a wonderful time with her.

When our son and his wife returned late on the fourth day they asked us, “Were you worn out by the end of each day?”

Thinking they were talking to her, our little granddaughter immediately said, “Yes!”

We all burst out laughing…

Apparently it’s a lot of work taking care of a grandma and grandpa!