A Week-end at Grandma's

I have had the three grandsons for the past four days.  That's eleven meals (so far) and an unknown number of snacks.  I think the little boys are on self-feeders, since no matter where I hide the snacks they find them and polish them off.  The house has been filled with laughter, fights, whines, shouts, screams and giggles.  (The shouts and screams often came from the hubby when the uproar threatened to block out his ballgames.) It's also been filled with dirty coveralls, boots, gloves, hats, jeans, shirts, socks, and toys. We have played games, watched movies, munched on popcorn, and helped with the farm chores. 

The two little boys spent the whole of Saturday afternoon, a warm 50 degree day, helping to carry in wood for the upcoming cold snap.  The six year old was very concerned that I would be cold, without enough wood.  Hubby had brought up the farm Polaris ranger to carry the wood from the woodpile by the barn to the back porch.  The boys helped by loading and unloading the wood.  When the chore was finished to hubby's satisfaction he and the older grandson left with the ranger to go check his cattle.  I left to go fix snacks (and discover another cache empty.)

I looked out the kitchen window to check on the little scamps and started to chuckle.  They had decided that I didn't have enough wood, so they were continuing the hauling.  They had brought up their toy ranger, a battery operated vehicle large enough to carry both kids, and had placed about three pieces of wood in the back.  They had just unloaded and were starting back for another load.  Unfortunately, their battery was dead, so one pushed the little ranger while the other steered from the drivers seat.  Laughing, I went out to join them and help with the pushing.  After about four more trips they declared that I probably had enough for a while.  (I wish I could bottle that energy--I think it could replace fossil fuel.)

This morning in the effort to be a responsible adult, I shut down all the electronics and demanded that the boys come watch the Inaugural festivities.  You would have thought that I had just announced they were to receive capital punishment.  Whining and pouting they gathered on the couch with complaints and groans.  After their initial resistance the fascination of the activities caught their attention.  The questions were wide ranged and enlightening.  "Why do the President's girls have to come in by themselves?", "Why don't the wives come in with their husbands?",  "Do you think the soldier's guns are real and loaded?","What would happen if terrorists planted a bomb?", "Who is in charge if everyone is killed?", "Why is he using two Bibles?", "What is an invocation?" answer, a prayer. "Well, don't you think someone should have told that lady not to deliver a speech?". 

What were they most fascinated by?  The armored limousine.  They were fascinated by the thickness of the doors, the little square windows, and the sight of the President being sealed into the car.  They're right, it was awesome.

Their questions gave me an opportunity to tell them about the history of this event and some of the interesting events of earlier inaugurations. The older grandson spent some time looking up answers to more detailed questions about elections, qualifications for president, and background on the President using my ipad. 

I managed to hold them captive until after the oath, but then I lost them to a peanut butter sandwich.  Sorry, Mr. President.