Sandy, I believe I've enjoyed the great grands more than I did my grands.... probably because I still had 2 teenage boys when the first grand came along.  I am amazed how much my sons & grandsons do for their kids, probably changed as many diapers as the mothers. My husband change diapers one time... for the youngest, when I was gone to the doctor.  I got home to a bath tub full of diapers that he kept letting a foot drop into a stinky diaper before he could get it pinned on (remember those days before we had disposable ones?)  The baby had not finished his job & Cas didn't know what to do..... No wonder my kids were potty trained early.  Times change, but I loved every minute of raising them but nary a tear when they flew the nest.

Jackie, other than getting to go on business trips or conventions when the kids were older, the only vacations we had were taking the kids to visit their grandparents once a year.  My parents lived closer so I would visit them several times a year, but at both houses I did all the cleaning up & some of the cooking.  I didn't mind, but it wasn't a vacation!   

Patricia, I take any food scraps down to the river bank & it is gone next morning.  I know some people don't like it but we've taken away food sources for these animals & I figure what ever I have for them will save them eating a cat or bird or whatever else they can catch. We've paid to have 4 cats "fixed" & the original shots & not going to take in any more, but it still breaks my heart to see a hungry animal come to my door.  We see one lately that looks like the one that used to live down the street.  I have no idea where those people moved to, but could be their cat ran away & found it's way back.  I have a cousin that lives on a mountain top in that little part of West Virginia that is not far from "all the historical part of the east".... and they've had bears come onto their back porch to get at their grills.  No bird feeders or anything safe. 

Posting for Mary Ann Tock

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1 - Johanna (Jo)
2 - Eleanor (Ellie)
3 - Both with me

4 - Ellie with Dot
5 - Girls with Mom and Dad
6 - Jo (L), Ellie (R)

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7 - Kendrick

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Bubble, thank you for posting these. What a pair of sweethearts!!! Love the mess of the cake, perfect way to let them enjoy it.
MaryAnn, beautiful babies, thank you for sharing!

I just love those photos... what little darlings, and to see the loving with warmth smiles on their parents faces are a blessing...

Great Pictures Mary Ann ......  whole
lot of red heads there,  including the cat!!!

Mary Ann,  you are such a young looking lady....
You have been fooling us all along about being
in your nineties???    Can't be true!!!! 

Great Pictures!! 

Sandy

Thank you, Bubble, for posting the pictures and thank you Amy, Jackie and Sandy.  The pictures look much better on the computer screen than on my camera.  They are a very happy family and James and Alicia are very good parents.  I don't see them often enough because they live 40 miles from here.

I would have preferred that the girls did not wear the bows because I don't like them.  The bows covered up their pretty red hair.  Jo has waves and Ellie's hair is quite straight.  At birth there was about a pound of difference in their weights.  Ellie is catching up with Jo, but still is smaller.  Even though they are not identical, they look surprisingly alike.  The girls hardly ever cry unless they are hungry or wet. 

Sandy, if I make it through April, I will have made 94 years, which amazes me.  I had a cousin die at 97 and I'm not aspiring to pass him, but if I do - my next long-term relative was my 3rd great grandfather who was almost 107.  I'm not interested.

Gloria de has a birthday in a few days and she'll be 94.

Thanks again, Bubble, for posting the pictures.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann what a wonderful group of family photos, can see your pride.  Kendrick even posed.   Bubble thanks.

Such family pictures warm my heart.

Mary Ann. I love those pictures of you and your family.  What precious little girls.  They seem to be quite happy sitting in your lap.

MaryAnn, I agree with all the sentiments expressed by everyone here! What a bright, loving family!

It was nice to see photos of you again and of Dot. You certainly do not look your age! And Kendrick fits right in with his bright red coat.

What struck me about viewing the photos of Johanna and Eleanor was the looks on their faces. They were both paying attention, and you almost see the thoughts on their faces, less babyish and more childlike.

MaryAnn, I am joining with all the others, what beautiful photos, the loving family shows through.  You should have the picture with you enlarged, and in your living room so everyone can see it. I never thought of it. till Sandy mention you also have a red haired cat. He is also a beauty.

Thanks you Bubble for posting for us.

Thanks to everyone for your comments on the girls.  They are jewels.  I'm sorry Norm didn't live long enough to enjoy any of his greats because he now has four - Avery Michelle was just two last week, then the girls will be one tomorrow and Isaiah in California will be one on March 4.  Unless his parents move back to Michigan, we won't see him often; he is Terry and Jan's grandson.  Avery is Tim's granddaughter and he did not get to see her, either.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, those little girls are precious!  Thank you for sharing the pictures.  You are fortunate to have great grandchildren.  My 3 grandsons are 19, 21, and 26 and none of them seem ready for marriage and children!  The 2 youngest are still in College.

Sue

SCFSue, I also have 3 grands 2 boys and a girl 34,33,30 One grandson said he still owes to much money for college to get married. I do not think I will ever live to see ggrands.

Sue, thanks, but the girls are not my great-grandchildren; they're Norm's.  He had four greats but unfortunately, died before any of them were born.  While Dot is not their actual great-grandmother, she relishes the role and she has five greats of her own. 

Mary Ann

MARYANN, I love the pictures of the twins on their first birthday.  They are precious and I ðŸ'• the big blue eyes❣️ You look marvelous and  I agree, you do not look like a lady that is about to turn 94❣️ Oh, and Kendrick is a pretty boy too.

Thank you, BUBBLE for posting the nice pictures.  Did I miss the pictures of the Javalena’s that I asked you to post for me?  I resent them after you accidentally deleted the first one? 

SANDY, the bird dog is a good looking dog.  How many does Kirk raise?

I always enjoy the pictures that everyone shares.

Jenny

Well, Mary Ann, I think the twins look just like you!  Have you compared photos with yours?  They are darling & very sharp for only a year old.  I have 7 greats so far, 3 grands married & 4 not married, so expect more "down the line".  I even have 2 red head greats & a cat that looks a lot like Kendrick.    I agree about those bows, my grands & greats all had to wear them.   

I especially love the photo of you holding the girls, can't believe how much y'all look alike. Shame Norm never got to see the babies, bet he would have been downright silly over them!  Thinking back over all the men I've know (brothers, etc), the most up-tight with their own kids the more fun they had with grands but especially great-grands.  I guess because they didn't feel responsible for them & could relax & enjoy.

Thanks Bubble for posting & holding the place together.  Kansas is super cold, wind & cloudy but no snow here.  Can't come up with any spectacular photos, no surfing or even pretty clouds. 

Jenny and Shirley, thanks for your comments.  Of course, we think the girls are wonderful!

I cannot find a picture of me that I want to use for a comparison, but I really want it to compare with the girl who is now two.  My ears protrude and so do hers and I wanted to see what mine looked like at about six months. 

I feel both girls favor their mother, not me.  Sue (Tom's former wife) sent me a slew of pictures, some dating back to when Annie was young and my, how she has changed!  Annie is now 22 years old.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, sorry, I'd forgotten that you were the great-aunt, Norm's sister.  But I think you must be a very loved Auntie all the same!

Sue

Kirk has just moved into a
new home in South West Maine, down
near the New Hampshire border.   

So he has just started raising and training
hunting dogs.   He has between 12 and 15 now. 
We shall she what the future brings.

He is going to be building some Kennels. 
As I intimamated   those dogs live cleaner
then I do ....     Amazing how our kids
grow up to be so different then they
were as children! 

I think that Kirk became so clean and neat
while he was in the Coast Guard.   
He truly amazes me. 

Am ready for Spring.   Have been nursing a cold for almost 2 weeks. Mix of ice and snow this morning, no problem since not going anywhere.   I did go out for my camera and Mimi ran wild for a few minutes.  Know she is tired of being indoors except for her time in the yard.   The Sparrows are still visiting my barberry bush, but I am  not going out for photos.   Took one of the ice coating this morning.

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Ah, Jack, that does look cold!  Sorry you've had a cold for so long, hope you get rid of it soon & don't catch that flu bug while your body is not up to par.  This is one scary year for flu.  Thanks for getting that shot, we haven't had anything but cold wind & that doesn't show up in a photo.  

Goodness,how those babies have grown in just a year. Enjoyed joshing in that cake. Good to see a photo of you and Dot Mary Ann. Both lookin well and enjoying those little ones .all my grands and great grands so far away. Maybe see them this summer.

Got 3 ins. Snow on ground hear and saying lot more tonight. Ian trying to stay away from public places as th flu is raging around here.

Think I have my cough  problem much better .Take care of yours Jack.
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Jack, that is a pretty photo.  Take care of yourself.

Not much of a change in the weather.   See the Sparrows are back, despite the ice.

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Sparrows get so fat. Makes one wonder where they get the food from with all the snow on the grounds and bushes.  I put lots of stale bread and different things over on the land next to me. Don't know why because they drive me crazy in Spring. Keep nesting in my gutters. I keep hoping to bring the cardinals back but they don't come.

We finally had a couple of robins in my yard this morning.  I have been thinking that they decided to spend the spring down at the beach near Fla Jean!  We had a colder winter than usual, with snow several times, so that may be why they are late getting a start to the north.

Sue

Sue, we always had lots of Robins come thru when we lived in Ocala.  They loved our bird bath.  We haven’t seen any fly thru here yet.