Three Weeks At Nana Camp

Two little girls and one big ocean.

My grandchildren stayed with me for three weeks this summer, the first time they've visited my house for an extended period.  I loved every minute, even hearing "Nana, Nana, Nana" every two minutes with demands for juice, or a snack, or a play dough carton opened, or one more book read.  My son threatened to record their voices and make it my ring tone.  He knows I respond instantly to their cries.

While they were here our whole world revolved around them and they basked in the attention.  We had a long list of activities we wanted to do with them, but we didn't get to half of them. 



Practice camping and fishing in the backyard.

They camped in the mountains and both caught their first fish, after first practice camping and learning to cast a fishing line in our backyard. 



Hunter's first fish.  What?  You can't see it?  Look in her hand.



Megan's first fish.

They swam in the local pool, in our hot tub, and in the Pacific Ocean. 


The last day of swimming lessons.

We spent a glorious three days in the RV at the Oregon coast. They dug in the sand, touched anemones and starfish, and made smores over a campfire.




On the road in the RV

Hunter made friends with a family of Old Believers

Searching for starfish.



Megan at Newport

Lot's of interesting things on the beach.  Nana is still finding them in the washing machine.

A contrast of cultures

Most of all they enjoyed playing in the backyard, digging in the dirt, and harvesting the garden.





Hunter digging potatoes in the garden with Grandpa Paul.

Where's Hunter?

Oh, there she is!

So many precious moments.  We're still laughing at some of the things they did and said.  Our vocabulary is forever changed.

One day Hunter was cuddling with me as we read a book.  She poked at my neck and said "Nana, you're squishy." 

After a moment she asks "Nana, why do you have lines?" 
I explained that people get lines when they get older.  Later I see her showing her arm to her sister and proudly pointing out lines at her elbow.  "See, Megan, I'm getting older.  See these lines." 

She celebrated her fifth birthday while she was with us.  She's got a lot of years ahead to accumulate lines.


Last night the spouse and I were watching the Olympics.  Matt Lauer and a female news personality were recapping the day's events.  The spouse says "Boy, she sure got squishy."  Yep, our vocabulary is permanently changed.