Our last week of April

 This update about our last week of April will be long with lots of fun pictures.

Monday, April 24, was my first day of "Grandma Daycare."  As I've mentioned before, due to staff shortage, St. Paul's Christian Preschool has cut back the numbers of children for a month until they have time to train new staff.  

I made Jamaican Rice & Peas and curried chicken while Elizer napped in the afternoon.  After he woke up we took some of the food over to Anthony and Lori's, then we checked out Rural King at the mall.  I had heard they have baby chicks there, but I had never been there.  To my surprise they also had FREE freshly-popped popcorn!  We had the greatest time looking at the chicks and munching on the warm, salty popcorn.  

In the evening I attended a women's meeting at church while Dick kept Elizer occupied.  Destiny works till 11 pm on Mondays.

On Tuesday morning I put him in underpants for the first time.  Just taking things slowly.  I'm not one who has ever potty "trained."  He has definitely had some successes and some misses.  

We had brought his little shark vacuum cleaner here with us that day, and when I saw him vacuuming and dancing with the "Baby Shark" in his underwear I had to get a video, lol!  

It was a GORGEOUS sunny day, even though chilly.  We went for a walk around the block and spent some time at the playground below our house.  He never tires of swinging. 

The tulips in my flowerbed along the street have been showing off!  How about that yellow one that looks like a rose?

That afternoon I watched Sophie's district meet.  She ran four events and came in first in all but one, in which she came in second.  

Wednesday was another gorgeous sunny, but chilly day.  I took Elizer to the township park at the entrance to our community.  We had the greatest time!!  Sometimes the best places are right under your nose!

Best of all was standing on this bridge and listening to the rippling water underneath, looking for fish with Elizer, and looking around at the beauty of Spring.  

We also ran around the bases on the ball diamond as we pretended we were trying to get to each base before we were tagged.  

Back at home we picked some dandelions and put them in a vase.

While he napped in the afternoon I made beef stirfry.  After he woke up we took some of it over to Anthony and Lori.  

It was still so sunny and beautiful, and I knew that Dick was going to be going over to mow at Anthony and Lori's after work and Destiny was going to be doing some Doordash deliveries to make some extra money, so I took Elizer to the Penn State Arboretum.  

It was not as thrilling as a park with rides, but Elizer did love watching the fish in one of the ponds.  Can you see them?

And of course, playing the chimes is always fun.

On Thursday morning I took him up to the University Park Airport just a few miles from here.  We see so many airplanes overhead and he's always so excited about them.  So I was hoping we could see one take off or land.  I found out that all the major airlines (there are three) had already left by the time we arrived.  However we did see some smaller airplanes come and go.  There were lots of nice benches to sit on to watch, and the weather was so beautiful and warm.

During his nap I got all my choir prep done, then after his nap we took a walk around the block and spent a bit of time at the playground below our house again.  I always sing "Ride a ride a tiger" when he's on it.

When Dick got home from work he mowed our lawn and then took Elizer for a ride around the neighborhood.  No smile on this picture because the ride was finished and he was not happy about that. 

 

Destiny got to our house after work to pick him up just as we were ready to leave for choir practice. 

Friday was Destiny's day off work, but she wanted to try delivering for Instacart in the afternoon.  So she brought Elizer here for his nap.  I made hamburgers and cut up veggies.  We took some of them over to Anthony's after he woke up, then went for groceries.  Dick met us in the grocery story parking lot, pulled up right beside us.  Elizer was so excited!  I was GLAD, because it was raining.  

When we got home Dick and Elizer had time to play until Destiny got here, and they had so much fun.

Monkey see, monkey do!

He said he was building churches!

Dick and I had a slow Saturday morning at home.  We got some necessary things done around here.  It was raining again.  

Lori was in Phoenix on a work trip and had Austin with her.  I thought maybe Hunter could come to our house, but I found out he had a birthday party to attend.  Then I found out that Sammy and Bianca's weekend games were cancelled due to rain, and they could come up overnight.  

Destiny was going to bring Elizer here for his nap again while she delivered for Instacart, but instead we just loaded him into the van and he took his nap while we went to pick up Sammy and Bianca.

He was so happy to wake up an hour-and-a-half later at Jenn's house and find that Sammy and Bianca were getting in the van with us!

Even more fun was having Bianca to play with in his little kitchen after we got here.  They had the greatest time.  

Sammy wasn't sure about the fact that we had thrown out the old play kitchen.  He said, "What?  All the memories of playing with it and you just threw it away?"  He was kidding sort of, but not completely.  I assured him we still have pictures.

After eating hot dogs and baked beans for a quick dinner we went to Get Air, our local trampoline park. It is so expensive, so I just paid for one hour.  But apparently they don't keep track.  We were there for an hour-and-a-half.   What FUN!! 

Elizer was in his glory!!  He has no idea he's only two!  He is so sure-footed and fast!  

Destiny met us there.  The kids were asking for snacks and ice cream, but you know how expensive things are at places like that!  I told them we'd go up the road to Burger King for ice cream afterward. Much cheaper and much better eating environment.  

We had so much fun with the crowns!

And look at this Spring tree in the corner!   I think this is the nicest Burger King around.

We kept Elizer overnight since Destiny had to go to work Sunday morning while we had church.  It was great to have Sammy and Bianca with us at church to help entertain Elizer during parts of the service. 

It was another rainy day.

This was our after-church photo shoot.

How CUTE is this???

I made burritos for lunch.  The kids were in the mood for balloons.   We blew up a LOT of them!  We turned on the ceiling fan in the living room and they had fun throwing the balloons up at the fan.

Then they took all the balloons to the big tub and took a balloon bath, haha!

While Elizer napped the kids and I play LIFE.

And of course, Sammy and I had to play a duet.  The newest song he had learned for band (he plays marimba) was a simple one called "Morning."  

Then we packed everything up and took the kids to meet Sam and Steph.  We caught up with them a bit in the parking lot in the drizzle.  

Then we headed back home.  Thankfully Elizer is a really good traveler.  We got back just in time to pick Destiny up at work so she wouldn't need to walk in the rain to her car.  We took her to the parking garage and said our goodbyes to them.  

I was ready for bed that night!!

And that's where I'll end this post.  It's still cold and rainy.  UGH!!  But it looks like we'll be getting sun and 70's this weekend.  Hallelujah!!!