Oo is for Ocean

Oh, what fun I had going to Oregon on vacation

with our whole entire family

. . . and being there when all eight boys saw

the ocean for the very first time!

Besides some seashells, salt water taffy, and a Christmas ornament;

this is the picture book I brought home as a souvenir.
It is a cute story about a Mom and her baby's

adventure just getting to the beach.

Maybe you can look for it at the library sometime or . . .

better yet, I could read my book to you the next time I see you.

In the meantime, find your Oo puzzle pieces

for your Alpha-Book . . .or make an

"ocean" in Chapter Oo of your book by painting one page

blue and gluing on pictures of fishes, whales, octopus, etc. . .

or you could make a vacation memory jar

with the seashells you collected!

Have an Ooooutstanding day!

Love, Grandma

Vv is for Vacation

I love to go on vacations. I also love to bring home a souvenir or two as a reminder of interesting places and good times. Sometimes it is just a postcard or Christmas ornament. Sometimes it has been a birdcage or teapot. Great-Grandma Hawkes liked to collect mugs from every state and country she visited. She had a big collection she kept all together on shelves in her home. Recently, I started a vacation collection, too . . . picture books from the places I've visited. One of my favorite books is pictured above. I got it last fall from guess where?

"Counting Our Way to Maine" is about a family going on a vacation to Maine with babies, dogs and bicyles to pack; bathrooms to stop at and ice cream cones to eat; sandcastles to build, blueberries to pick, and clams to dig up . . . and a lot of counting on the way!

Guess what?! Very soon you'll be going on vacation, too

so maybe you should pack up a few of your favorite books to look at on the way.

Have a Vvvvvery fun vacation!

Love, Grandma

Ss is for Summer

Winter . . . spring . . . summer . . . fall
There are seasons . . . four in all.
Weather changes . . . sun and rain and snow
Leaves fall down . . . and flowers grow!

Last week it snowed one day. This weekend it rained. And later this week it will get hot! It's like we've had three seasons in just one week.

But since most of you are out of school now, and already starting your summer activities . . . let's pretend today is the first day of summer.

Sing a song of summer! (see "Oo is for Oh" post) then look at four seasons books like the cute picture books shown here. They are by the same author and illustrator as "Mouse's First Valentine" . . . "Mouses' First Halloween" . . . and "Mouse's First Christmas" which are board books some of you boys have at home.

Don't forget to glue the Ss puzzle pieces in Chapter Ss of your Alpha-Book, too. (I'm sorry, Jack, I'm so slow sending you your puzzle pieces . . . but I'll see you this weekend with them!)

Have a Ssssssuper summer!
Love, Grandma

Pp is for Puzzles

Grandpa and I love to do puzzles. We did our first puzzle together just before the Christmas we got engaged. Now we have a colorful collection of over 70 puzzles in the top of our closet. But they don't just sit there collecting dust. We have put together most of our puzzles at least twice . . . and some puzzles, like the Christmas ones, many times.

Once upon a time 1,000 pieces ended up on the floor after an unexpected little person visited. But so far, we haven't lost many pieces.

Just for fun I have a puzzle project for you this summer.
The next time I see you I will give you a little present with 52 puzzle pieces inside. Each time I post an alphabet activity this summer, look for the puzzle piece with the same letter and the matching picture puzzle piece. Color and glue the puzzle pieces in the matching chapter of your Alpha-Book.

Happy puzzle piecing!
Love, Grandma

Oo is for Oh!

Oh, no! It snowed this morning and I wanted to do a

"summer is coming" post.

Oh, well . . . here it is anyway.

Oh, and by the way, you can read or sing along with the song

on page 245 of the Children's Songbook

Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?

Do you fish in a stream, or lazily dream

on the banks as the clouds go by?

Is that what you do? . . . so do I!

Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?

Do you swim in a pool, to keep yourself cool,

or swing in a tree up high?

Is that what you do? . . . So do I!

Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?

Do you march/watch parades, or drink lemonades,

or count all the stars in the sky?

Is that what you do? . . . So do I!

Actually this is my real summer to do list:

1. Go to Oregon to see the ocean

2. Go to Alaska to see the Land of the Midnight Sun

3. Go to Cedar City to see some plays

4. Eat lots of watermelon, cantaloupe, and ice cream

5. Try to post one picture book title/and or activity idea for each letter of the alphabet

Tell me five things you want to do this summer and obviously, then I will have to give you a fabulous prize!

Oh, what a fun summer I hope we all have!

Love, Grandma

Nn is for Numbers

Let's play name that number!

How many hats is cute Luke wearing?

How many Wades are in this picture?

How many cute cousins are chillin' on Grandma's floor?

How many crazy cousins are horsing around on Grandpa's grass?

How many counting books are on Grandma's blue table?

How many numbers on are Jack's blue closet?

How many colors are in Eddy's paint box?

How many numbers are on Grandpa's refrigerator?

Here are a number of other things you can do today

. . . tomorrow . . . or whenever:

Find 1 number notebook I gave you

on your 3rd birthday and look at it just for fun.

Eat 2 treats afterwards then sing

the 4 seasons song or

5 little monkies jumping on the bed.

Take a 6 second nap then pick up and put away

7 toys and do 8 jumping jacks. Next find 9 numbers

to put in Chapter Nn of your alpha-book.

Color pictures, stick stickers, or cut items from a

magazine to match each number.

Then give me 1 good reason to give you a fabulous prize.

Happy counting,

Love Grandma

Mm is for Middle

Did you know that Mm is in the middle of the alphabet! We made it there sooner than the middle of May! Are you midway through your alpha-book, too?

In honor of this momentous occasion, would you mind answering this question for me . . .

Does Grandma's Alpha-Blog need more or less:

pictures?

poems?

stories?

general chatter?

recipes?

book suggestions?

activity ideas?

fabulous prizes?

and/or professional technical support from your smarter-than-me-mothers?

Happy halfway to Z!

Love, Grandma

Mm is for Moms

Sing (or read) this post to the tune of

"A Happy Family"

(Children's Songbook page 198)

I love this Mommy

she loves Luke, Brody and Zach. We love this Mommy, yes sir-ree! She loves Ryan and Jack, so you see, They are both happy families. I love this Mommy, she loves Eddy (and the baby girl in her belly) We love this Mommy, yes sir-ree! She loves baby Wade, so you see, They are all happy families! Remember Mommy this Sunday! Maybe you could make her a meal (and clean up the mess afterwards) . . . or give her a gift, card, hug and kiss! Maybe you could also draw a picture of your Mom in Chapter Mm of your alpha-book. Happy Mothers' Day!

Love, the mom of your moms

Ll is for Library

This is the place where I go to work a few times each week.

It may look rather weird and old from the outside, but inside it is filled with amazing things!

Alphabet books . . . Board books . . .

Cookbooks and Computers . . .

CDs and DVDs . . . a giant Dictionary . . .

Encyclopedias . . . Fairy tales . . .

Good things to read Galore . . .

Holiday books . . . the Internet . . . Joke books . . .

Kind Librarians. . . .

Magazines . . . Newspapers . . .

books about the Ocean . . .

Poetry and Picture books. . .

Quiet corners to Read . . . Storytimes . . .

Travel books about everywhere in the U.S.A.

and places to Visit all over the World.

Xciting isn't it!

You must Zip on over to a library near you

because libraries are everywhere and free!

When you visit your local library, here is a list of things to look for:

1. A board book for your little brother

2. A cookbook or craft book for your Mom

3. A picture book (or 2 or more) for you!

4. A read-along book

(it comes with a CD that tells the story

as you look at the book)

5. And last, but not least, the time

of the next storytime or special activity

Let me know what you find on your next library visit

and perhaps you will be lucky enough to win a fabulous prize.

Happy looking at the library!

Love, Grandma

Kk is for Kids in the Kitchen

Recently there were some kids in my kitchen . . .

. . . looking for something to nibble on . . . . . . while their cousins and . . . . . . big brothers were . . . . . . frosting and decorating . . . . . . and eating their names!
Here are some treats you might like to create in your own kitchen:

Fruit Smiles
Cupcake Garden
Heart-shaped Pretzels
Ice Cream Cookie Cups
Kabobers and Shake-a-Pudding Dip

Happy kitchen kapers!
Love, Grandma

Jj is for Jellybeans and Jello

Spring has sprung.

Easter has come.

Just in case you have any jellybeans left over

from your Easter basket, try this fun project:

Write you name in big letters on a piece of paper first.

Lay jellybeans (or M&Ms, fruit loops, or any other tiny treat)

onto the letters to "spell" a sweet name

or:

Sprinkle jello powder onto a plate or shallow pan.

With your finger, write your name in the powder.

Lick your fingers when you're finished of course.

Have a jolly good "Jj" day!

Love, Grandma

Ii is for I Spy

I was wandering through my house on an alphabet hunt

and I spied with my little eye:

A delicious red fruit that starts with Aa

Something to look at or read that starts with Bb

A time-telling device hanging on the wall that starts with Cc

Something to put food on or in that starts with Dd

Something to crack and cook . . .

or decorate for Easter that starts with Ee

Beautiful growing things in our garden that start with Ff

(or Dd is you want to get technical)

A cute tin animal decoration sitting on the table that starts with Gg

Something to put clothes on inside the closet that starts with Hh

And a glass of cold, frosty cubes that start with Ii

What did I spy?

Now it's your turn to go on an alphabet hunt in your house.

Tell me what you find and I just might give you an

incredibily fabulous prize.

Happy "I spying"!

Love, Grandma