Spring Break Grand Finale

Izzy and Clare as happy as two frogs on a lily pad.

For those who are new at the art of grandparenting, I will let you in on a secret. There is a quick path to grandmother sainthood, and it's as simple as revealing a willingness to tote your beloved grandchildren to and from theme parks. This will make you instantly adored, and paying for season's passes will enthrone you in the holy spot in your grandchildren's hearts.

Lucky for me, Busch Gardens is nearby, so the drive is brief. Not only that, it's a place that can make everyone in your group happy--roller coasters for the kids, flowers for the women, and beer for the men! Oh, and Clydesdales. Some true marketing genius thought of that and I thank him for it.

I like the flowers.

This here is a sacred moment. Isabel is finally, finally tall enough for the rides!!! After years of being turned away at the gates, and many attempts to speed things up with high-soled tennis shoes and high ponytails, she is finally legitimately sizeable enough for the roller coasters. No longer condemned to the gulag of kiddie rides, she is out there with the big people waiting in the long lines!

Here all the girls lock themselves in place for the Mother of all Roller Coasters, the Griffon. Isabel needed some moral support for her first ride, and the girlfriends came through for her. You'll notice I am quite content to stand on terra firma and shoot the pictures.

Here they are at the tip-tip, on the front row, about to make the 90 degree drop.

Note that Isabel is the 4th set of legs from the left--the short ones... with the short head attached. She looks way too small to be on a roller coaster of these proportions, but don't tell her

I said so.

ugh.

Aaaauuuueeeee.

Ya know, I just don't like that feeling in my stomach.

Here they are coming off the ride, just like they do it every single day.

And that reminds me that come summer, they probably will be doing it every single day, or as close as they can make it to that mark--

since Nana is such a saint.

Nana Makes the Rounds for the First Day of School

Here comes the bus! Are we ready?

New clothes! School supplies! The Moms have stimulated the economy to the max!

Clare's the first to go. She takes the early bus to school and the late bus home and she always does it with a smile. Her backpack is big and fully loaded for the acquisition of knowledge!

Izzy takes a slightly later bus, and carries a slightly bigger backpack--in fact, it looks so heavy, it's drooping!

But she's got a smile, too!

Aidan is a proud first grader and he's got the biggest smile of all! He's excited this morning because he gets to go to school ALL day and eat lunch in the cafeteria, too!

(I give that zeal one week!)

On the other hand, his mom's all emotional today--excited for her first full day at home alone in years, yet so sad to send off her precious baby boy.

Bailey's on the last bus and she's the big middle schooler with the enormous backpack. It's so heavy, she's tipping over!

And that's the story of life...the backpack just keeps getting bigger!

Chase is the lucky zombie on the couch. His school doesn't start till tomorrow-- his first day of high school. As his Nana, I feel obligated to protest the hideously large and burdensome backpack he will be forced to carry this year; one that will surely crimp his spine and give him pain in middle age, and should truly be against the law...but, that's tomorrow...

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven...

Defying Gravity

Aidan flies through the sky

Chase leaps for the ball

Aidan leaps too

Chase's one-handed catch.

Wordless Wednesday--How Do YOU Measure Up?

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