Grandparents are Great!

I was sorting through pictures today and noticed I had these cute pictures from a couple of weeks ago that I had put into a file but forgotten to post them! I wanted to because this is something I am grateful for....living close to grandpas and grandmas!!!! We have been so blessed to have them take an active role in our children's lives and are grateful for that! Each one of them has something different to offer the kids, and they all love them so much!

Grandpa Baldwin was giving the kids a ride in the bucket of his tractor one day! They were having a blast!

I really appreciate my dad's patience and kindness. He makes every grandkid feel like he/she is his favorite! (I felt that way growing up too with my mom and dad) He is always willing to tell "Tommy Hawk" stories and read horse books to them. He has nicknames for all the kids too, which makes them laugh when he calls them that! [For instance...Carter=Car Seat McKoy=Smitty Addison=Mathy]
He teaches them how to rope and lets them ride horses and encourages them to shoot hoops and throw footballs.

Grandma Baldwin is famous for her chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon rolls. The grandkids all beg for them when they visit, and since we tend to see them about once a week, she is usually so kind to comply and we get to have cookies often. I love the way my mom is a peacemaker, of sorts, like when I'm feeling like putting an add in the Thrifty Nickel for "Free Kids" and she steps in and makes the situation tolerable (no wonder she had nine kids). I think this is one of her best qualities. She is quick to find good things about people, and thinks of others before herself. She is always giving, and helps me so much with my house and family! I love when we have a button pop off a shirt or a worn knee in a pair of levi's and the boys say, "We better take these to Grandma!" (p.s. I do know how to sew a button...although I tend to utilize my mom's talents more often than not)So I am really embarrassed about my lack of picture taking when it comes to Grandpa Smith and Tammie....I am going to start bringing my camera to Sunday Dinner and times when we just hang out. These guys are so great! I can't say enough good stuff about these two! They are so good to our family. They are always willing to help me out with the kids, even though they have a 11 yr. old (Cody) and a 5 yr. old (Colter) of their own, plus each of them work full time, they always make us feel welcome in their home. I so appreciate the time Mike spends with his sons and grandsons. He has instilled in them a love for the outdoors, and spends time with them fishing, hunting, camping, etc...I love this about him because it is not something I grew up doing, and I feel like it is a great "family activity" and can teach a boy (and girls for that matter) good qualities that I would want them to have. I enjoy the summer camping trips and the winter ice fishing trips that we don't do often enough! :) Tammie has been a big blessing to us! She is so loving to our kids and is sure to give them lots of hugs and kisses. My favorite times of going to my in-laws include Sunday Dinners [especially when they are cooking dutch oven :) ] and then afterwards just sitting around talking about "nothing". Sometimes Tammie and I just roll our eyes and smile as we listen to Damien and Mike either "one up" each other, "lovingly" argue about who's job is harder, or wrestle around the floor as Mike proves to Damien that he can still "take him." (Believe me, he can...Damien refuses to believe this fact...but seriously, Mike is still pretty tough) Usually this ends up being a huge wrestling match with all the boys, while Tammie, Me,and Adds willingly watch from the safety (and sometimes not so safe) of the couch. Tammie is a great cook too and I am always willing to have dinner at their place! :)

Even though we don't live close to Karen, she is so good about sending the kids packages for their birthdays full of fun stuff for them. It is now something the kids look forward to each time their special day rolls around. Karen's parents, Great Grandpa and Grandma Spence, are always good to call every so often and check up on us to make sure things are good and the family is healthy. We wish we could see them all more, but with gas so cheap now a days, we understand why!