Trucking

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

Kien found a pillowcase today and wanted to try a potato sack race! He probably would have won if he had an opponent!

We had more potty success today at his initiation. Mommy bought M&Ms yesterday to be prepared.
I saw the mail truck coming, so we ran outside to watch it! I told the mailman that Kien loves trucks. He said, "Well, he wouldn't want to be a mailman today and ride in a hot truck." It was in the high 90s today.
Kien had some creative fun on his dump truck.

Jeremy read his nighttime stories to him tonight. Daisy enjoyed storytime too.

The only pictures today are of Jeremy and Kien, but the rest of the family has an exciting life too! Mommy is feeling better and better and is coming out of the bedroom more with little Gabe. Daddy was looking forward to the "Lazy Day Lasagne" of his childhood, then complained that the noodles weren't cooked! WHAT?! Brandy's swim team was introduced at the Round Up, along with all the other sports teams, at her high school tonight while her band played in the stands. So she had double duty. Greg got pictures -- http://walshnews.blogspot.com/ (He rode his motorcycle there; I drove and sat in the wrong place to see her.) Gabe did a nice job of spitting up on Daddy tonight, but we didn't take a picture of that. ha!

After the Band Performance

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

I took Brandy, Jeremy, and Kien out for ice cream. Brandy took a shower as soon as we were home, then volunteered to give Kien a bath.

I have doggie grandchildren too! Duke sleeps on top of me every night when I am here. This trip, Daisy is staying on another section of the sofa. She probably isn't too happy with me, because she developed a red eye while Cathi was in the hospital. Grant and I took Daisy to the vet. She has an ulcer on her eyeball. So I am giving her medications everyday throughout the day. Tomorrow the med routine will end. Not sure the eye is back to normal, but it does look better.

Rough Rider Roundup

This is a pep rally right before school starts for introducing all the kids in the athletic programs. The band preformed a couple songs as well.
Brandy is on the swim team and in band this year.

Daddy and son...

Banner Day

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

1) Kien!
This morning, Kien asked to go potty. He has used the toilet for #2 ever since I have been here except maybe once or twice! I assumed that was why he wanted the potty, but he tinkled!!!! WOW!!! We assumed there would be no potty training with him once Baby Gabe was here, but he is doing it on his own! So he earned a special treat: strawberries and yogurt.

2) Grandma babysat! :) And Mommy had a break.
This afternoon, Cathi took Brandy and Jeremy shopping for school supplies while I babysat Kien and Gabe. Kien slept almost the whole afternoon. Gabe did everything that newborns do -- slept, cried, ate, and messed his pants. Soooo cute!!!! I took this picture myself.

3) Tonight was Parents' Night after 3 weeks of Band Camp for Brandy.
It was so exciting to see her strutting around on the field. I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes! I am so proud of her!
She is a French horn player. French horns play Mellophones in the Marching Band. She is wearing black knee-length shorts and white T-shirt.


Their theme this year is "Romeo and Juliet" using music from various composers on that theme. Here are some movie clips showing how awesome they are! Watch for the black shorts about in the center of each clip.

More Band Videos

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH





AND Greg has more pictures on his blog -- http://walshnews.blogspot.com/

Parent's Night for Brandy's Band

Brandy has been at band camp for the last three weeks. 8am-5pm practicing for the 1st two week and 6pm-10pm for the 3rd week. That have been practicing for the big marching band performance they work on during the school year.

This is the night that the parents get to come and see what their kids have learned.
Then a parent, or in this case a grandparent, gets to hold the student's instrument and see how hard it really is.











Maybe we'll just call her Bandy.

Busy Day

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

This morning, Kien read a book to himself. Notice his crossed legs!

We had a lot of running around today. First, Cathi had an appointment with her doctor, then Kien needed a test done in the lab at the hospital. Those two appointments took the entire morning. After lunch, we met the flooring man, they have chosen, at a tile store to select the products. I entertained Kien by pushing him around the store showing him interesting flooring products and having him point out colors. He is showing me the red tiles in this picture.

Cathi will kill me for including this, but it was to show that Gabe was there (under the blanket). ha!

And here is the chosen tile for the kitchen and laminate flooring (darkest) for the living room.

Hopefully, this will be done next week while I am here to help. The final stop of the day was at a battery store to buy a new battery for their home security system which keeps going off 2 or 3 times every day due to a low battery. ugh!
This afternoon, Jeremy called to me to see Kien engrossed in watching Max & Ruby on TV.

Before dinner, we went outside to play. Kien is doing fairly well at making his little 4-wheeler go.

Jeremy giving Kien a push.

An Average Day with a Sting

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

This morning, I threw a load of white socks on the sofa to sort out. Before that happened, Kien had some fun with them.

These boots were made for walkin'!

Loving Daisy.

Duke caught a bunny in the backyard, but let it go when Brandy yelled at him.

After my scary event yesterday, Greg had a far scarier event today: the dry cleaner next door was robbed and shot!!!! Plus there was a robbery at the Wells Fargo Bank across the street recently. Pray for Greg's safety!!! The view from Greg's desk --

What a day... what a day....

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

Kien came in Mommy's bedroom to say "Good morning!"

Kevin made this sun, earth, and moon mobile with Jeremy and left it behind for us to enjoy. BTW, Kien mentioned Kevin many times today! He must miss him!

A friend of Brandy's made her a wallhanging with several friend scripture verses!

As I was holding Baby Gabe, Kien gave him a brotherly kiss on the head.

Brandy and I went to Walmart to grocery shop and buy her a pair of shoes that she had seen and liked. We had to stop for a train. This is Texas! There are huge grain elevators near their house, and we have to cross THREE train tracks between their house and Walmart. It can be very frustrating... Today we were stopped for a long, slow one. Once it was gone, the cars in the lane to our right started moving, but our lane had not. Then we felt a huge jolt because someone hit us from behind. A 20 year military veteran kept saying he didn't know how it happened, but his 2001 Daewoo rammed a 1999 Chevy truck which put a good dent in Greg's Odyssey bumper. The cop kept joking, "I don't understand why she backed into you guys." Oh, my...

Here are the shoes which caused the problems...

"Problems?" you say? Yes! Brandy helped carry the groceries in the house and took the bag with the shoes to her room. After I had emptied the bags, I realized that the chicken noodle soup I had bought to cure Jeremy's sick stomach was missing. Brandy didn't know where it was. A guest was in the house this evening, so the two dogs were shut into Brandy's bedroom. When we released them, they had food packaging ripped all over the floor including an empty butter box, but the soup cans were intact. Well, I knew the dogs wouldn't be sleeping with me in the living room tonight (They always sleep with me when I am here.). Before we went to bed, we found a huge pile of regurgitation on the hallway tile (thankfully). Brandy had the privilege of cleaning it up!
Here are the culprits:

Kien wearing big boy socks!

Uncle Steve and Kevin Leave

POSTED BY GRANDMA WALSH

This morning, Kevin made one more "fort" for Kien out of Kien's large family room toys, then he volunteered to read a story to Kien.

"Uncle" Steve was naturally drawn to this darling little boy whom he rescued from a life of poverty and abandonment.

Then he cradled Gabe; his first time to hold a newborn ever! :)

On the way to the airport, Kevin asked, "Grandma, do you ever live at your house?"
You know... Grandpa is asking the SAME question!!!

The rest of the day had ups and downs. The worst down is that Jeremy is sick. :\ the best ups are that Gabe and mommy are beginning to enjoy nursing, and Grandma held a wide awake baby! Also another thoughtful church family brought in dinner!!! Yum!

Swimmingly Sunsational

POSTED BY GRANDMA WA:SH

Last evening, I realized that Kien's little high pitched voice sounds just like Elmo! I must try to catch a video! Also last night, Greg asked Kien why he was so grumpy. Kien replied, "Grumpy? What mean?" Greg looked at us; "Did he say what I think he said?"

As we scanned Kien's bookshelves for a story to read to him before his naptime, Kevin said, "I have that book, and that book, and that book..." Ha! These ARE your books, Kevin! ;-) Kevin read/sang "Skinamarinky Dinky Dink" to Kien!


After Kien's nap, we went swimming at the neighborhood pool. Brandy and Jeremy are fish. Kevin is learning to be a fish. Everyone had lots of fun!!!

When we first arrived, I was playing with Kien, and Kevin was hanging on me too. Steve was reading a book, but took some pictures of our fun.





Then Greg and Brandy arrived. Greg took Kien, and Kevin wanted to play with Brandy, leaving the camera to me.
Yes, that is Steve reading in the background.