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Tag Archive for grandkids

Crafting Time at Camp Grandma’s

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Renee Spindle

It’s Summertime here at Camp Grandma and we’ve had a few crafty adventures over the past few weeks I thought I would share today. We’ve been painting, coloring, blowing up lots of balloons, squeezing in some swimming, and eating lots of popsicles and snow cones. It’s been hot and humid here recently, and we all know how popsicles can cool the soul!

The first thing I did to make Camp Grandma a little special this year was I made a box, and each week when the Grand-kiddies come over (they are with me on Thursday’s and Friday’s) there’s some sort of crafty surprise or something fun to-do in that box. This has been a fun way to start the day, as the kids look forward to finding out what’s in their special box.

The first week the box contained paper plates, balloons, big crafting sticks, and some duct tape. We used the contents that week to make and play Balloon Pong – which I had read about at Grandma’s Briefs. I will admit that the grand-kiddies had fun blowing up all the balloons, but they had even more fun ping-ponging the balloons around. They didn’t have a lot of success hitting the balloons to one another, so Evan made a contest of seeing how many times he could “pong” the balloon before it hit the ground.

The next week at Camp I had put balloons, colored paper, scissors, tape, and the pattern to make balloon feet. We were making balloon people. They were so cute. Madison really enjoyed telling me what she wanted me to draw on her balloon. Evan made his into a group of the Avengers, which I did not get a picture of. Boo on Grandma. This crafty project was discovered by yours truly at Grandma’s Ideas. The balloon crafts have been really fun, and just plain blowing up the balloons and using them like volleyballs around the house was a great activity too.

For two of our weeks together we have done some painting. We used tempera paints, sponges brushes, sponges, and I splurged on some thick watercolor paper for my little artists. This is really the first time I’ve had a chance to paint with Madison. She loved putting the colors on paper and painting with everyone’s favorite colors. Madison’s favorite color is pink, and she know mine is purple. She’s always telling anyone who will listen that her Grandma’s favorite color is purple. Evan had fun being a mixologist, and discovering what colors he needed to mix to make other colors. He had a lot of fun being the paint scientist.

I am blessed to be able to have some special time with my grand-kids each week right now. This time together creates memories that will last for a long, long time. As they start to get a little older and as they move on to do their own independent activities, it will be good to know that we’ve had this time with each other.

Have you spent time with your grand-kiddies recently? Did you get in any crafting time with them? I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to this summer.

3 comments Posted in Crafts

FaceTime with the Grandkids

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Renee Spindle

My grand-kiddies can be sooooo entertaining. They will be the generation that takes all of the new fangled technology for granted. They won’t be oohing and aahing over a new computer that’s about to be released, or some other gadget that just came on the market like the rest of us do. We didn’t have all the amazing gadgets that our grand-kids can get their hands on when we were kids. “The cloud” will morph into something completely different by the time they are young adults.

Quite frequently on any given weekday night, around Miss Madison’s bedtime I will receive a “FaceTime” call on my phone. This is the iPhone version of a video call. The call normally starts out with Madison making some sort of silly face into the phone.

This is a typical example of how our video call will start

Then she will finally say “Hi Grandma”. I’ll ask her what she had for dinner, or she’ll have something “important” to tell me about her dog, Daisy. We’ll chat for a few minutes, I mean seconds and then she usually gets distracted or she just hangs up on me with no warning. Madison is an expert at pressing that “red” button to hang up on me.

Evan on the other hand loves to have his Face Time calls all to himself. He really does not like to share this calling time with his baby sister. He loves to talk and say hi to anyone and everyone in our house. We always humor him and pass the phone around so he can talk to all of us. Sometimes he will have something to tell us, maybe a joke or something about his friends he needs to share. Then there are other times when he simply just wants to say “Hi”.

Here’s a few of my favorite Evan “selfies”. I usually find these on my phone or computer after he has gone home.

FaceTime is a great way for the grand-kiddies to stay connected to their Pop-Pop while he’s away on a business trip too. Plus it’s nice for Pop-Pop to chat with them when he can. It always helps him feel more connected to home while he has to be away.

If video chatting is new to your technology world use it often. It’s nice to be able to say hi to long distance relatives, or your husband who travels frequently for his job. In my opinion it’s a great way to stay and feel connected to your love ones.

What’s your favorite video chatting mode-Skype, Google Hangouts, or Facetime?

7 comments Posted in Family, Grandkiddies

Capturing “Madditude”

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Renee Spindle

A few weeks ago I shared a story with you about my granddaughter, Madison, and her attitude. Madison + Attitude = Madditude

Well since that post we have tried unsuccessfully to capture Madditude in a picture that would show you all what I am talking about. My daughter, Naomi, was finally able to capture Madison in action with attitude this week. I present to you all the very face of “Madditude”. I just love her oh so serious smirk. I imagine she’s thinking, “Does my Mom really need to take anymore pictures of me today?, Such a bother.”

Now imagine this face with hands on hips professing her knowledge of the world. Oh and if there is finger pointing involved take cover or run in the opposite direction. She is probably not a happy camper.

It just amazes me that at the ripe old age of 2-1/2 Madison is able to convey so many emotions and expressions. My photography goal for the rest of this year is to try and capture as many Madison expressions as I possibly can. The family calendar will be amazing for 2016! Happy Sunday to everyone. Enjoy your time with family.

2 comments Posted in Family

How’s Your Madditude?

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Renee Spindle

Maddy has attitude. That equals “Madditude”!

Photo Credit-Erica B. (Maddy’s Auntie)

2 years old + Mind of her own + Independent spirit + Solo flyer

I have recently coined a new phrase to start off the beginning of this year. My granddaughter Madison, is just about to turn 28 months old. She stays here at Camp Grandma two days a week. We have fun together blowing bubbles or getting creative with the play dough. She loves to go outside, and just dig in the dirt. Oh the life of a two- year old.

Madison is probably the most independent spirit that I have ever known. She definitely has a mind all her own, and loves to be a solo flyer doing things. And of course I have to watch her like a hawk since there’s so many intriguing things to look at or get into here.

So, now to explain my new phrase; you see when the little person in your house who is only 28 months does not get her way, or has to be emphatically told, NO, that’s when the “Madditude” bubbles to the surface. It mostly comes across in the form of a scream, or instantaneous crying, very loud crying.

So the next time your favorite toddler gets in trouble, and their “Madditiude”” bubbles to the surface, just picture Madison yelling, or crying, or standing in front of you with arms crossed glaring (I’ve been trying to capture a picture of this with no success yet). And if that favorite toddler is your grandchild you have to study them carefully because all their little mannerisms will remind you of your own kids at that age. Precious and priceless!!

2 comments Posted in Family, Grandkiddies

My Phone Cover got a Little Ugly

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Renee Spindle

Earlier this year I ordered two new phone covers for my iPhone from Vistaprint. I wanted to have one cover with a picture of my grand-kids on it. The cool thing about these covers is you pick your layout design and then add your photos into the template that you have selected.

The second cover that I ordered had a picture of my “Renee’s Revelings” logo. I think I must have gotten a buy one get one at a discount or something to that effect.

Of course the first cover I used on my phone was the one with the picture of the grand-kiddies. Evan loved it, he thought it was cool that I could have pictures of him and Madison with me on the outside of my phone at all times.

Now for my dilemma, a few weeks ago the pictures on the cover with the grand-kiddies started to get rubbed off of the back. It was a little frustrating and the cover looked a little creepy with the way the pictures had rubbed off. I had a fleeting thought that I should email Vistaprint, and see how they would be willing to help a dissatisfied Customer. But I did not email them right away. I procrastinated and waited another week to send an email to Vistaprint’s customer service.

So very late one night a week or so ago, I sent an email to the customer service department explaining how disappointed I was with the phone cover. Without hesitating the next morning I woke up to an email from Vistaprint letting me know that they were sending out a replacement cover that same day. The new phone cover arrived for me in the mail the day before yesterday, and I’m a very happy camper.

Now that’s what I call taking care of your Customers. It so refreshing to deal with a company that puts their Customers needs first, and takes care of business with absolutely no questions asked. I would highly recommend using Vistaprint for your home office needs, or if you just want to have a cool phone cover or some fun business cards.

Have you had a great Customer Service experience recently?