What a break!

     It's been a bit of an emotional roller coaster with everything going on with my G-Pa. He's still in ICU, and it doesn't look good. I am going to write more about him soon. He is an incredible man, and I wish I was with him right now, but at the same time, I am glad I am not because I know I couldn't handle the situation he is in right now.
     I decided to make the best of this break, and so my step-daughter and I have been rather busy.
     We planted out garden inside (72 little pods of various goodies). She wrote all the markers, and pretty much did everything with just a little assistance here and there. I can't wait until we can transplant everything outside. I think we are going to try the apple bin gardening to keep out all of the marmits.
     The other HUGE thing we did these last couple of days is that I broke out the MAGIC shoe box. This is a tradition in my family.
     What was so cute about this is what my step-daughter thought might happen. She imagined that she would put her shoe in the box and magically it would tie it for her! LOL!
     Instead it's a simple shoe box with a shoe string set up through the top, and I taught her how to tie her shoe!!! I did the same thing with both my boys when they were the same age, and they, too, had immediate success.
     You should've seen how stinking proud she was of herself! Then it becomes kind of a game, and she practices and practices, so the tying even becomes more tight.
     She asked me if she could take her magic shoe box to school, so she can teach all her friends how to tie their shoes!
     It's so much fun to watch kids traverse milestones of independence, and especially to see just how proud they are of themselves! She has shown pretty much everybody and anybody her new skill.
     Then yesterday we went to have our pedicures. I had a gift certificate, and so I decided to head in. This was my step-daughter's first pedicure, and BOY she loved it!! She told me that she can't wait to go again, and wanted to know if we go as soon as the nail polish disappears on her little toes...UH-oh! I may have created a DIVA in the making! LOL!
     Well, it's definitely been nice to spend quality mom and daughter time over this week. It certainly has been healing for my sad heart.
     I look forward to going to Leavenworth today and bringing Jordie back tomorrow, and my step-daughter returning tomorrow afternoon, and all of us having a nice family weekend ahead.