July & August 2018--"Special Times"

Cheering at Granny's

Granny's feet at bathtime

Arranging "Babybug" Books!

First Day of School Fall 2018



Resting on Granny Towels at Mt. Laurel Park

Not taking a nap at school



Bird in a tree in Mobile at Great-Grandmother's



Moanna (? spelling) Costume



Favorite foods with Granny at Jimbo's

 This time period included a few times Lyla spent the night at my house. As she has gotten older and more busy, there are fewer times she spends the night. But when she does it includes staying up and waking up late and activities which may involve shakers!  Willow is still a great sleeper who goes to her baby bed around 7 pm and sleeps until the next morning so it’s best not to disrupt her routine with a night at Granny’s. Maybe she will in the future. July included a trip to Mobile to visit my 98-year-old Mother where I took the bird in the tree picture). And a special 4^th of July night with Willow. Angela, Brock and Lyla had met friends to watch the fireworks downtown. Soon after I put Willow to bed loud fireworks began which seemed very close. Willow got very upset and I had the pleasure of calming her down by rocking her and singing to her the same songs over and over with my terrible voice for quite a long time. It was very special to me. Several times since then she has asked me when I would put her to bed if there were going to be loud noises. I had several days taking Lyla to soccer camp at the Jewish Community Center and taking the girls to Jimbo’s for breakfast or ice cream. Lyla went to Florida to visit Nitza. While she was gone I had several special days and nights with Willow while Angela worked and continued with Nurse Practitioner school and Brock went out of town and then both of them went to Helen, Georgia to celebrate their 9^th Wedding Anniversary. The new Piggly Wiggly grocery and a gas station opened in their neighborhood; both are very convenient! And then the summer was over and school started! Lyla is in the 2^nd grade and Willow is in Ms. Shelley and Ms. Mary’s class for 3, 4 and 5 year olds--the same teachers at Hilltop Montessori School Lyla had and that age. And Aretha Franklin died.(If you haven't seen her performance at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors check it out on YouTube.) And I won’t even mention everything going on with the Trump administration except to say at times it’s overwhelming! I treasure my time with Lyla and Willow. I get a lot of hugs. They grow up so quickly! And they're so cute and funny and smart...