Evanston revisited: the other 1/5

During my visit in Evanston, my daughter-in-law Stephanie was mostly at a trade show in Chicago, where she exhibited her new company's lunch boxes. [That's partly why I was there: to help out with the kids while she worked!] They are called Bright Bin New Generation Lunchboxes. I think these lunchboxes are quite wonderful! As she explains on her BrightBin, LLC web page, "They are colorful, fun, non-toxic, and eco-friendly. They are waste-free and save time and money."

This is what they look like:

Just in case you might want to buy one [they come in blueberry blue and cherry red], click here to enter her web page, which, I must point out, was designed by my son Brandon. Photos of Skylar and Jordan are everywhere on the web page. There is also a great photo of Stephane [with Maggie and Cody] and another one of the whole family [5/5] on the about us page. Take a look.

And just so you know, I have a blue one.

Thursday morning in Berkeley

3/5 of my Evanston Family

[click to view larger image]

1/5 of my Evanston Family

[click to view larger image]

Back home

Sitting at my desk with my coffee and lots of memories from my trip to see my Evanston family.

Images of little girls giggling; art projects; yogurt snacks [with special k, honey and berries for Jordan and apples for Skylar]; reading books [Where the sidewalks Ends and Ming Lo Moves the Mountain, to name just two, and doing math problems [ 2+0 and 4+4, for example]; ichatting with Shanan; solving dog and cat puzzles from Martha; reading a biology book with Dylan [even though he didn't want to talk to me]; "hanging out" with everyone, as they put it; snowflakes falling outside.

And more images of the ride home from the airport with Shanan and Desie and Goose [my Berkeley family] last night.
Lots of hugs and wags and catching up about Brandon and his family.

2/4 of my Berkeley Family [at Crissy Field while I was away]

[click to view larger image]

It is quiet this morning.

Sunshine abounds.
Desie is in her bed--she is a bit confused about my comings and goings and her place here with me.
She is a reserved happy girl on this morning.

Thinking about family.
And how lovely love and affection can be.

An excerpt from one of last year's Valentines

which seems appropriate to put right here.

Monday morning in Evanston

It's been snowing here in Evanston

Daytime temperature today 32 degrees

I am in Evanston visiting my sweet son Brandon and Stephanie and Skylar and Jordan and Dylan.

Here is a list of some of the things we did Saturday night and yesterday:

1. hugged hello when I arrived from the airport. The girls were hiding but their giggles helped me find them.
2. talked about everything: how much we missed each other and how happy we are to be together; shanan and goose and desiree, cody and maggie and so on.
3. read books after dinner: Frederick by Leo Lionni and the beginning of Spinky Sulks by Williian Steig.
4. made Valentines with a heart stamp and lots of curly letters and xoxox's. Skylar can spell just about every word she wrote and Jordan knows all the sounds of all the letters.
5. practiced addition and subtraction: Skylar and Jordan did worksheets I brought about adding on 0 and 1. jordan learned how to made a beautiful 8!
6. cleaned out the bookcase in Skylar and Jordan's room and chose books for reading tomorrow.
7. had dinner and read books

more later....

Friday

Just back from Evanston.

These sweet grand girls of mine, Jordan on the left and Skylar on the right, must have jumped from this ledge at Millennium Park in Chicago at least 25 times. Such simple joy for them and for me!

click on photo for larger image!

Here is a list of some of the simple and joyful things we [Skylar, Jordan, Dylan, Brandon, Stephanie and I] did together during my visit in Evanston:

1. held hands with S and J in the car on the way home from the airport while they told me stories about their daddy [S and J and B and me]
2. got to see [in person] and hear more about dear Stephanie's new and quite wonderful BrightBin lunch boxes [s and me and everyone]
3. shared Luna bars for breakfast [S and J and me]
4. watched Sesame Street [S and J and me]
5. went to Millennium Park in downtown Chicago where we had lunch [with BrightBin lunch boxes], played with blocks and hoola hoops, watched Jordan on stage juggling and watched Skylar get drenched under the waterfall with the man's face [S and J and B and me]
6. walked and rode bikes to the blue swing park a few blocks from home [S and J and B and D and S and me]
7. walked and rode bikes to the blue swing park a few blocks from home [J and me]
8. visited Skylar's school and played on the equipment --most especially the monkey bars [These two grand girls of mine are strong and determined athletes. [S and J and B and me]
9. went to library in Evanston [S and J and me]
10. taught me/ learned about insects and their legs and antenna at the library [S and J and me]
11. went to Peet's for muffins and coffee: there were no muffins left for us so we had giant oatmeal cookies instead
12. enjoyed watching my sweet son Brandon teach little Dylan and other children at the park about centipedes [S and J and B and D and S and me]
13. organized and used arts and crafts material I brought for S and J in their bedroom [S and J and me]
14. watched Skylar decorate the box of art supplies
15. watched Jordan wrap [via a home made envelop] a present for Shanan and me
16. read chapter 1 of The Trumpet Swan by E.B. White [S and J and me]
17. listened [with great amounts of joy] to Skylar read a book ["with an annoying mouse"on the cover, as she put it] to me.
18. 
    
19. [to be continued]

Brandon's beautiful family

My dear son Brandon just sent me this photo of his beautiful family. [click on the photo to see a larger image!] Just so you know, these are my grand kiddos!

Skylar, Jordan, Stephanie and Dylan