Flat Stanley goes swimming

Hello my raviolis.  The thunderstorms have finally settled down this evening and the LifeTime Fitness pool was open for grandma-ma and Flat Stanley to go swimming.  The pool always closes when their is thunder and lightning for safety reasons.

There are four pools at Life Time Fitness.  Two large outdoor pools with lots of play and swimming areas and two inside pools.  The two inside pools are a lap pool, which grandma-ma swims in, and a huge play pool for children with water slides and a walk in play area.  They are always lots of fun.

Here is Flat Stanley waiting for grandma-ma to get her swim goggles, her lap timer and her bathing cap out of her swim bag.  He is standing at the edge of the lap pool.

There are five lanes in the lap pool. Grandma-ma and Flat Stanley are in the middle lane.  Grandma-ma swims 16-32 laps when she swims.  A lap is when you swim from one end (or length) of the pool and then back again.  So 16 laps would be 32 lengths. 

Flat Stanley thought it was a very long way from the edge.

Flat Stanley finally took a jump into the water and floated over to the lane dividers and said the water was fine.

 Here is a video of Flat Stanley swimming with Grandma-ma.  I think he liked swimming, don't you?   

Flat Stanley got a little wet, can you see where his hair is wet and his clothes are wet?  He will dry off soon.  Flat Stanley had lots of fun swimming today and watching grandma-ma swim back and forth down the lap pool lane.  He counted 16 laps that grandma-ma swam today.  That is a half mile swim.  I'm glad that Flat Stanley came to swim with me today.

Flat Stanley visits Mizuno

Hello my raviolis.  Today Flat Stanley went with Aunt Renee to her work place.  Aunt Renee works for Mizuno USA where they make sporting equipment for baseball, golf, running and vollyball. 

Flat Stanley is very excited about this visit to Aunt Renee's place of work.   There is a giant baseball glove chair in the main lobby. 

It is so big that Flat Stanley feels like a tiny baseball in it.  Aunt Renee says it is the favorite chair in the lobby and everyone likes to sit in it.

Look!  Flat Stanley is "President of Mizuno" for a day.   He is sitting in the chair of the company's president.  Flat Stanley feels very important.  Now let's go visit the baseball division.

Mizuno makes lots of different kinds of ball gloves.  Softball, baseball, little league and big league gloves.  Gloves for children and gloves for adults.  Gloves for the left hand and gloves for the right hand.  Look, I fit in a black glove very nicely.

Flat Stanley jumped in shoes made for Chipper Jones, the Braves baseball player. 

Chipper Jones plays third base and left field and is baseball's best switch hitter. A switch hitter is someone who can bat both right handed or left handed. Kaitlyn's daddy was a switch hitter when he played little league.

Look, Flat Stanley had his picture taken with the league jersey belonging to Braves player, John Smoltz.   

Can you guess what Flat Stanley is doing now?  He is learning to assemble golf clubs in the manufacturing warehouse. 

 This has been a very busy morning for Flat Stanley so he stopped for lunch with Maureen, a Mizuno friend of Aunt Renee's. 

Mizuno makes lots of running shoes.  Flat Stanley is testing these running shoes and decided that they are very good for running in.

Flat Stanley is running with Antonio Vega, a marathoner.  A marathoner is a long distance runner and runs many, many miles.

Flat Stanley had a wonderful visit to Mizuno with Aunt Renee.  Thank you Aunt Renee for taking me all around and showing me where you work.

Weekend with Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley had a very busy weekend.  Grandma- ma made him new clothes out of beautiful rice papers from South Korea.  Aunt Maura and Uncle Brian lived in South Korea, teaching English, and used these pretty papers on gifts they sent to Grampy and me. 

I think Flat Stanley looks very  handsome in his new clothes, don't you?  Now that he has new clothes, it was time for a new adventure.

On Saturday mornings, Grandma-ma goes antiquing.  She likes to look for unique and interesting items to sell in her antique booths.  So Flat Stanley is driving in the rain with Grandma-ma to her favorite spot to find treasure.

Grandma-ma and Flat Stanley found this neat old wooden ironing board, the pretty stained glass window pane and two large gold leaf frames.

We found these two pretty glass Easter bunnies with egg candles.  Flat Stanley liked finding the bunnies.

Flat Stanley came with grandma-ma to Queen of Hearts Antique Store where grandma-ma has her two booths.  He liked standing on the white display table next to the glass Easter bunnies.

Can you find Flat Stanley?  He is waving to you.

Grandma-ma took Flat Stanley to a popular Atlanta restaurant, "The Varsity."  They serve hot dogs and hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. They also have the best french fries and onion rings and icy cold coca cola.  When you come into the Varsity, the counter staff are very busy and they yell out to you, "what'ell ya have?".  It's lots of fun to visit the Varsity.

Flat Stanley is on the counter waiting for his order.

Flat Stanley received a Varsity paper hat from the counter staff.  He likes the cold Coke and hot fries.

On Sunday, Flat Stanley came with grandma-ma to the local nail salon for a manicure and pedicure.

Flat Stanley is picking out a color for grandma-ma's toes.  What color do you think he will pick?

Flat Stanley is sitting in the pedicure chair where grandma-ma will have her toes pampered.  Don't fall into the foot bath Flat Stanley.

Grandma-ma's toes all polished up.  Did you guess the color that Flat Stanley picked for me?  It was Princess Pink because that is the color that Kit Kat loves best.

Flat Stanley had a lot of fun this weekend.  Tomorrow he goes for a swim with grandma-ma. 

Flat Stanley visits Cisco

Hello my raviolis. Today, grandma-ma took Flat Stanley to work.  Grandma-ma works at Cisco for the Video Center of Excellence with lots of engineers who make sure that you receive the video stream that brings you your favorite shows on TV.  Flat Stanley got to see lots of technology. 

His first stop was in front of my computer screens with your blog showing Flat Stanley and next to that is grandma-ma's iphone displaying the Flat Stanley app.  Yes, there is an app for Flat Stanley!

Flat Stanley is standing in front of motherboards that decorate grandma-ma's office.  A motherboard can be found inside of everyone's computer or laptop. It makes your computer run.

Flat Stanley recognized Kaitlyn's daddy on my cube wall.

Flat Stanley is in Mr. Bouchard's pocket.  Mr. B is an engineer who is chatting on his computer with another engineer on a customer site. Flat Stanley likes all of these different ways to communicate.

Flat Stanley is ready to visit the Digital Video Lab.  He waited for Grandma-ma by the roadcase that grandma-ma uses to ship tools to engineers on different customer sites all around the world.  

Flat Stanley is getting ready to enter the Digital Video Lab.  The door is always locked and you must have the key to enter.  There is no eating or drinking in here because it is filled with very expensive equipment.  We use the lab to teach engineers how to fix breakdowns and ensure all of the shows you like to watch continue to come into your living room or laptops. 

Flat Stanley is standing on top of a test monitor.  He is surrounded by lots of equipment.  It is very hot in the lab so we didn't stay too long.

Flat Stanley jumped on top of another roadcase.   This roadcase contains tools and equipment that engineers will use in the test lab.

I think Flat Stanley liked visiting Cisco.  I know we enjoyed having him.  

Stop by tomorrow to see where Flat Stanley goes next.

Flat Stanley is here!

Hello my raviolis.  Guess who came in grandma-ma's and grampy's mailbox.  The answer...flat Stanley.

My little five cheese ravioli sent Flat Stanley to visit with Grandma-ma and Grampy.  We are going to take Flat Stanley all around with us to different places and to participate in different activities.  We will take pictures and write about his adventures.  Flat Stanley will even visit with Aunt Renee. What fun this will  be.

Look at me Kaitlyn, I'm hiding in a big bull helmet shell on grandma-ma's deck.  Grandma-ma has two of these big sea shells on her deck and I decided to hide in one.

This is like a  big sleeping bag for Flat Stanley.

I also met Kota today.  He gave me doggie/coyote kisses and didn't eat me.  He prefers to chew his doggie bones instead.  Look, he let me hold his paw.  I like Kota.  My first day at Grandma-ma and Grampy's house was fun.  I know we will have lots of fun adventures together. 

Thank you Kaitlyn for sending Flat Stanley to us. We are going to have a good time.  Love and kisses to you.  Grandma-ma

Peanut Butter Cup minis

Hello my raviolis.  Grandma-ma has a new favorite candy.  They are tiny and tasty and they are the newest peanut  butter cup size too. 

The are small enough to pop in your mouth and they are unwrapped.

They come in neat little pouches that you can put in your lunch box or back pack.  When I come to visit you next, I will bring you a packet of them.  Have a wonderful day my raviolis.  Love Grandma-ma

One month with braces

Hello my raviolis. On Friday, Grandma- ma had her braces 31 days and it was time for her first adjustment.  This means the doctor will reset the wires and replace the bands with new ones so they are tighter and move grandma-ma's teeth where he wants them to move.

Here is the first picture of when I had my  braces first put on.

The wires are very crooked and the part between the two lower teeth are wide.

If you compare the top picture to today's picture you will see that the space between the two  bottom teeth has begun to close up.  However if you look very close you will see that the wires on the top and  bottom are much straighter then when they first put on.

I am excited to see how everything will move over the next 30 days and I will post a new photo so we can see what my teeth look like then.  Have a wonderful week my raviolis. Love Grandma-ma