Shopping With Ashlynn

Going shopping is not one of my favorite things to do but having only a couple of weeks before Christmas, it really is necessary. I thought it would be smart to take Ashlynn with me, since she always goes with her mom. No one told me that I should have brought a stroller or used a cart or tied her to my leg. Before we went in I said, "Stay right with NONI" and before I knew it she was running through the clothes racks and laughing up a storm. My phone rings, I'm yelling, "ASHLYNN" come here. All I hear are giggles and her saying "Where Are You" in her singing tone.
I know I should have been mad but her face was priceless. She would poke her head around the corner and take off.
This is how children get kidnapped, I know that so being a grandmother I'm stressing out. I'm running after her, she loses her shoe and keeps laughing.
Since her mother works for DFAC's, it keeps running through my mind that someone is going to call her office to report me! Finally I pull her to the side to have our little talk about you cannot leave Noni's side, you must stay with me, someone is going to take you away from me, etc.
Once I pay for my purchase we go on to the next store where the shopping cart is the first thing I find. It's becoming clearer and clearer why God has young women have babies! You still have to be able to run.

One Fun Day

Today was a day I wasn't really looking forward to. Erin (my middle daughter) needed me to keep Ashlynn all day long because her babysitter couldn't keep her. First of all, I can never get anything done when she is here, she is going through some terrible two's phase and she had a stomach virus! I told her we would decorate for Christmas, but everyone knows how hard that is with a two year old.
Anyway, she got to my house a little after 8:00 am and I had the most fun day, with the most precious little girl. Even though her stomach was not good, she was in a great mood and we had an awesome day. She had so much fun decorating two small Christmas trees, we hung Christmas stockings, played tea party and just enjoyed being together.
Nothing is more important than quality time, and that we did have today together.
I am so blessed to have this wonderful child in my life.

Fun Memories

Every afternoon I pick Ashlynn up from her babysitter (who we have loved and respected for many years) and start our 6 mile ride home. We point out horses, cows (MOOOO) and most of all big yellow school buses. Depending on the time I get her, which is usually between 3 - 4pm, the number of buses we see vary. Whenever we spot a bus we both scream! Don't know how that started, but its pretty funny. Yesterday we saw 7 buses, an overload of horses and cows.

I laugh all the way home at her expressions when we round a corner and see one of these three special things to her.

I know we are making memories in her little mind to last a long time.

One of my favorite memories of my children growing up is the Christmas light game. Whatever side of the car you are sitting on is the side you look for houses with lights on them. You count 1 per house and whoever has the most on their side wins. We still play this, after all these years.