Word of the Week Wednesday

Hello my Wednesday raviolis.  Today's Word of the Week Wednesday is given to us by Aunt Renee!  This is a great word that Aunt Renee has a special affection for.  The word is:

 "marshmallow"

and what a wonderfully squishy, three-syllable word it is.

Everyone loves marshmallows.  They are light and airy, they can be molded into different shapes, cooked, melted, baked and eaten!!!

You can toast them,

you can makes smores with them,

and you can find them in peep shapes!

Did you know that Aunt Renee and both Jason and Aaron have a favorite dessert treat?  That treat is a Mallomar.

Grandma-ma does not care for them because they are too sweet.  But Aunt Renee and Aaron and Jason like to stick them in the freezer and eat them on hot days.  They also like to freeze marshmallow peeps and eat them.

Do you recognize this famous fellow?  This is the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.  He was a star in the movie, Ghostbusters.

There is also a wonderful story book about Marshmallow, the bunny.  What a sweet face Marshmallow has. 

So, now my raviolis, be sure to use the word marshmallow in three sentences today.  Here is grandma-ma's first sentence:  I want to squeeze you like a squishy marshmallow with hugs and kisses.  Love to you all.  Grandma-ma

Winter sky

Hello my Tuesday raviolis.  We have been having lots of winter weather February this year.  Snow all over the North Atlantic and the midwest and Plains states.   Today, I looked out my window at work and the sky was grayish white.  Our weatherman has called for snow, yes a little snow in Atlanta.  I took a few pictures of the trees against the sky from my work window.  I work on the 2nd floor so I was able to get good pictures of the tree tops. (click on the photo and it will enlarge)

I like the way the black trunk, limbs and branches look against the light sky.

This tree top has tiny little seed clusters on the branches. 

Have a wonderful Tuesday my raviolis.  Love Grandma-ma

Quiet Monday

It is a quiet Monday my raviolis.  Grandma-ma is busy at work and Grampy is reading a book at home.  Sometimes, the day is a quiet one with not a lot going on.   Sometimes quiet days just call for a nap.

Shhh, don't wake this sweet, sleeping koala.

Ssshhh, here is a sleeping lion  She looks very happy taking her snooze.

Shhh, this seal is having sweet dreams while he sleeps.

Have a quiet Monday my raviolis.  Grandma-ma loves you.

A Major Deal

Hello my raviolis.  Grandma-ma was given some wonderful news this morning from the four cheese ravioli's mommy.  The four cheese ravioli, the sweet sausage ravioli and the spinach pesto ravioli's daddy, Captain Jason,  is now a Major.  Yes, the promotion finally came through and he has traded in silver bars for a golden cluster.

Congratulations Jason and we are all proud of you.  Grandma-ma

Saturday chores

Good morning my raviolis.  It is Saturday and I have a list of Saturday "chores" to do today. 

1.  Make Grampy a nice breakfast of maple smoked bacon, eggs and biscuits.  Hot coffee too.

2.  Clean the guest room and bathroom because Grampy and I have guests coming.

3.  Meet Aunt Renee for a little running around shopping and lunch.

4.  Load Turbo Tax and begin preparations for our taxes.

5.  Watch a movie with Grampy.

You can see I have a busy Saturday.  What will you do today?  Please leave a comment and tell me what you will do today.  Love Grandma-ma

Let's Dance - its Friday

Hello my raviolies. Today is Friday so let's all get up and dance with joy and happiness. Here is a short video of some of my favorites friends dancing becaues they are happy. I think we should all join them and do a little Friday happy dance.

I love the snoopy happy dance.  Let's dance some more.  I know Maura and Brian are doing the Snoopy  happy dance.  I know Aaron and Cristi are doing the happy dance.  Grampy and Grandma-ma and Aunt Renee are doing the happy dance.  You should do the happy dance too! Have a wonderful Friday, my happy raviolis. Grandma-ma

How High Can You Count?

Happy Thursday my raviolis.   When Grandma-ma was a little girl, she loved to do Connect the Dots.  This was a fun way for grandma-ma to color and count.  Here are a few counting and coloring activities that you can do on the blog or print out and count and color.  How high can you count?  Let grandma-ma know with a comment.

Here is a simple "connect the dots" to get you started.  CLICK on this link: On-line connect the dots and it will take you to on line connect the dots fun where you will click on the Connect the Dots button.  To play connect the dots on-line, you will click on the flashing green button and then move your mouse to the next number.

Can you count to 60?  Here is a Connect the Dots that has 60 numbers on it. Can you guess what the picture is?  You will need to print this one out and connect the dots with your crayons.  Click HERE to print it out.

Now, here is a super duper, lots of numbers, connect the dots.  This one can be tricky and you may need help from mom or dad or a friend.  It's fun to ask for help because then you have someone  working together with you.  I wish I was there to help you with these connect the dots.  CLICK HERE for this super duper smurfy connect the dots.

You will find this smurfy connect the dots along with many others to choose from and print out.   Have fun with counting and connecting the dots my raviolis.  Remember, grandma-ma loves you all very much. 

Word of the Week Wednesday

Hello my ravs.  It is Word of the Week Wednesday again. I like Word of the Week Wednesday, it comes around every 7 days and there are so many wonderful words to explore.  If there is a word that you would like to have on Word of the Week Wednesday, send grandma-ma a comment with that word and I will use it on a future post.

Well, today's word of the week is very timely.  This weekend is the biggest sports event in our nation, do you know what sporting event that is?  Well, it is Super Bowl Sunday.  The two best American football teams will play against each other to see who has the best team for this year. So today's word of the week is:

"football"

Now, grampy had a very good observation.  The word "football" has two, very different meanings to different people.   This is an American football:

This is European or South American football or what Americans call a soccer ball:

This is an American football player.  They wear lots of protection like a helmet, pads and special shoes.  Then can run with the ball; they can throw the ball.

This is a soccer player.  They wear shorts and a shirt and special shoes. They cannot run with the ball, in fact they cannot touch it except for the goalie.  They can kick it with their feet and "header it" with their head.

A football is kicked through a tall, goal post on either side of the field.

A soccer ball is kicked into a net on either side of the field.

Did you know that both Jason and Aaron played football?  They played both American and European football and both played very well. Jason and Aaron liked to play soccer in the mud because they would get covered in mud and the other opposing team would be afraid of them. 

Here is another football fact, grandma-ma played soccer and "powder puff football" when she was in Junior High School.  Grampy played soccer for many years and was a good player.  I bet Kevin and Maura and Bryan also played soccer.  Let's see if they leave a comment and tell us.

So, be sure to use the word "football" in three sentences today.  Here is grandma-ma's first sentence.  "Grampy will watch the football game on TV this Sunday and grandma-ma will prepare football food."  I used the word football twice in one sentence.  Here is a picture of football food.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, my football playing raviolis.  Grandma-ma

Groundhog Day - NEWS FLASH UPDATES!!!

Hello my raviolis.  It is February 2nd and that means it is Groundhog Day. 

It is a holiday that is held in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end.

If, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. 

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where as many as 40,000 people gather to celebrate the holiday since 1886.  That groundhog is known as Punxsutawney Phil (Where's Phil?)

Here's Phil!!!

NEWSFLASH - Phil "did" see his shadow so Phil is predicting another 6 weeks of winter.

When Grandma-ma lived near Quarryville in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, they also had a big Groundhog Day celebration.

The Quarryville groundhog, Octoraro Orphie, predicted early spring last year. 

I hope we get another early spring too. 

NEWSFLASH - Octoraro "did NOT" see his shadow so Octoraro is predicting an early spring!!!

In Atlanta, we have General Beauregard Lee, the proud groundhog of the south.  He always roots for the Atlanta Braves.

NEWSFLASH - General Lee "did NOT" see his shadow so General Lee is predicting an early spring!!!

Here is a coloring page of a Groundhog.

If you CLICK HERE you can print out a bigger picture of this groundhog to color for groundhog day.  I love you my raviolis, so let's go outside and check and see if we can see our own shadows (or not) just like the groundhog.  Hugs and groundhog kisses to you all. Grandma-ma

February 1st

Hello my raviolis.  It is Monday,  February 1st today and that means we are entering the shortest month of the year.  28 days, unless it is a leap year and then it would have 29 days.  Our next leap year will in 2012 when an extra day will be added.  It is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon.

It is also the only month of the calendar that once every six years and twice every 11 years, will have only four full 7-day weeks. 

Do you know the famous poem about February?  Here it is:

Thirty days hath September,

April, June, and November;

All the rest have thirty-one,

Excepting February alone

Which hath but twenty-eight, in fine,

Till leap year gives it twenty-nine.

The symbols of February are the flower,Violet

and the gemstone, Amethyst.  Both pretty purple colors.

February may be a short month, but is packed with holiday.  We will learn about them throughout the month.  Look for the most important one tomorrow my February raviolis.  Love  Grandma-ma