Planning Grandma's Playground

When my new Granddaughter came to visit with her Mom she was 5 months old, I was so excited. I bought a pack and play ( she needed a place to sleep), a highchair, a car seat base, and assorted toys. Then it was time to go shop for clothes, Mom, Crystal and I hit the mall with abandon.

Our two weeks flew by in a flash and before we knew it, we were back at the airport and they were headed home. Later that evening while sitting on our back porch swing with my Mom we began to talk about how the children would enjoy all the squirrels, chipmunks, birds, butterflies, deer, bunnies and ducks that visit our yard on their future visits. Soon we began to taking stock of the lovely green ½ acre backyard we both loved so much, and we wondered what we could do to make it more fun for our little ones.

We started by planning to expand the gnome garden we already had below our magnificent maple tree, we would add some new friends and plants. We needed some more yard art to add fun points of interest around our deck. The deck really needed a paint job, and Mom decided we could use some new patio furniture, a kiddie pool, some outside toys, maybe a swing set. We began dreaming of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries bushes, maybe even a cherry and plum tree.

Each year we make a few new additions, we are always on the lookout for fun things to add to the "Playground" ( Grandpa has already enlarged the swing set) and our pool in now a large 24 ft. x12 ft. that is 54 inches deep. We have toy boxes for each child and pull them down from the attic when the kids are here. I own more playdoh, crayons, paints, paper, kids' games and craft supplies than any of my friends, but that’s okay the kids always have something to do at Grandma’s house.

My bonus daughter and granddaughter moved to Washington and we have grown very close, they own a piece of my heart . Lia spends her most of her summer and days off at our house and we enjoy planning fun things to do with her, she brings such joy to our home. When she starts school each year we all lament how quiet the house is, or when we pass Dairy Queen we remember how Lia would say "Grandma Polly, I hear DQ calling my name."

Our lives were greatly blessed when my daughter married and enlarged our family, and I could not imagine my life without them. I look forward to watching all three of my grandchildren grow up sharing special memories at Grandma’s house.