August 12, 2015

Climbing the wall

August 12, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

My grandsons and their parents are pretty much fully moved into their new home. Their backyard, though, is undergoing a mega-makeover (a pool and more!), which means the boys are unable to play outside in the yard for a few months.

Good thing they have a park right across the street.

Despite the nearby park, though, Bubby and Mac were already climbing the walls soon into the relocation. So when PawDad and I were there a week or so ago, Preston took Bubby, Mac, and PawDad to the local community center to burn off some energy playing basketball. And to, literally, climb the walls.

Mac was too tiny for the wall-climbing venture, but Bubby was a pro in no time. He quickly mastered the small wall...

rock climbing kid

Then Bubby moved on to the medium wall...

August 10, 2015

Super zuke! Plus, GRAND Social No. 167 link party for grandparents

August 10, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

Super zuke!

I'm not the greatest at gardening, but before I left to visit Bubby, Mac, and Jak nearly two weeks ago, I did notice I had a few zucchini growing in my garden. They weren't all that big, so I decided to just let them grow while I was away.

From the looks of this one, I probably should have pulled it before I left:

large zucchini

Bud held up the super zuke for me to photograph before he, Brianna, and...

August 08, 2015

Saturday movie review: Goats

August 08, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

Coming-of-age films tend to be character-driven stories with minimal action. GOATS is no exception. The comedic tale of one young man's coming into his own and realizing that loved ones are still worth loving despite their flaws and failings has nearly no drama. It has lots of characters, though. As in, What a character! kinds of characters.

Goats movie

The main—and least wacky—character is Ellis (Graham Phillips), a 15-year-old kid soon departing for prep school, leaving his Tucson home where his...

August 06, 2015

Team with grandkids and National Wildlife Federation to create a wildlife habitat

August 06, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

certified wildlife habitat

Grandma and Grandpa's house is a magical place for a grandchild. Having your yard certified as a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation can increase the magical factor tenfold and more.

Certifying your yard, no matter how big or how small, is much easier than...

August 05, 2015

This is war! Card fun with grandkids

August 05, 2015/ Lisa Carpenter

I put a lot of thought, time, and energy—and sometimes money, too—into coming up with creative and enjoyable crafts, games, and activities to pack into my grandma bag for visits with my grandsons.

It's not necessary. At least not all ways, it seems. Bubby taught me that when I visited him and his brothers in mid-July.

"Wanna play war, Gramma?" Bubby asked while holding a deck of cards. I considered the crafting supplies in my grandma bag, the games I wanted to review with him and the books I hoped to read.

"Sure," I said.

war card game