It’s time to start shopping for Christmas gifts for the grandgirls.  I was thinking about what they like and use the most, and I immediately thought of the personalized duffle bags I bought each of them when they were babies.  Sunshine is 4-years old and Sweet Stuff is 6-years old, and they are still using those personalized duffle bags frequently. 

I’ve always liked personalized gifts.  In the past I’ve bought personalized pencils, name pads, memo cubes, t-shirts and other items for gifts.  My sister gave me a personalized garment bag a few years ago, and I still use it whenever I travel. 

So now I’m looking for Personalized Gifts for Children.  Identity Direct has hundreds of personalized items for children.  There are personalized bean bags, toiletry bags, artist kits, lunch bags, pencils, memo cubes, children’s picture books, Disney character items . . . and so much more.  They even have personalized rain coats. 

Previously I wrote about Sunshine and her concerns about God and death.  Apparently the entire problem was solved today - and we have Sweet Stuff to thank.  My daughter called a few minutes ago to relate the following conversation between Sunshine (4-years old) and Sweet Stuff (6-years old):

Sunshine: (In an uncertain, questioning voice) When I die, I’m going to heaven.

Sweet Stuff:  Sunshine, this is how you get to heaven.  There’s nothing to be scared of.  First you’re a baby, then you’re a big baby.  Then you’re a big, big baby.  Then you’re a big, big big baby.  Then you’re a little kid.  Then you’re a big kid.  Then you’re a big, big kid.  Then you’re a big, big, big kid.  Then you’re a grown-up.  then you’re a big grown-up.  Then you’re a big, big grown-up.  Then you’re a big, big, big grown-up.  Then you’re a mommy.  then you’re a big mommy.  Then you’re a big, big mommy.  Then you’re a grandma.  Then you’re a big grandma.  Then you’re a big, big grandma.  Then you’re a grandma grandma.  Then you’re a big grandma grandma, and THEN you go to heaven.

Sunshine:  Oh.  (big smile and satisfied look on her face)  Okay!

Questions answered and problem solved.  Heaven is just the step after being a big grandma grandma.

Four-year-old Sunshine has been thinking aobut life and death issues lately - literally.  My daughter has been concerned about helping Sunshine understand about heaven and God.   Here’s what she wrote to our family:

Sunshine has been a little obsessed with death recently and very concerned as to when everyone is going to die.   Yesterday I was talking to my dad on the phone and when I hung up she said, “Who was that?”  I told her, “Paw-Paw”.   She said,  ”I miss Paw-Paw.  I don’t want him to die.”   I said, “Baby he isn’t going to die.”  She explained, “Yes he will die next since he is the biggest of us and then Grandma Carol since she is the next biggest.”   I thought it was tender how concerned she was and how matter of fact she was that everyone died in order.

Anyway, a couple of days ago she was also discussing death and how she didn’t want anyone to die and I explained that if someone died they would go to heaven and be with God.  They would still be with us but not physically and that they would watch over us.   Anyway, she then says, “God is a monster then. I don’t like him.”

Shocked I said, “Why?”  She said, “Cause he kills people and takes them away to heaven.”   Anyway, I was lost for words and obviously my explanation of heaven and death was not good enough.   I did slightly convice her it wasn’t God’s fault people died, but anyway I felt completely inadequate to explain it all to her.”

So what do you think?  How do you explain such things to a four-year old?

A few weeks ago, my daughter and her husband were having some work done in their yard.  When the workers came to do the work, they opened the gate to the back yard - not knowing that the family’s Italian greyhound dog was in the yard.  In a flash, Bogie was out of the yard and enjoying his freedom.  Hours passed, and Bogie was nowhere to be found.  The workers offered neighborhood kids $50 if they found him.  Everyone in the neighborhood was looking for him.  My daughter and son-in-law both came home from work early to look for Bogie.  I was given the job of picking up Sunshine from daycare.

When I picked up Sunshine, I explained that the workers had opened the gate and that Bogie had gotten out and nobody could find him.  After lots of talking about what might happen to  Bogie, Sunshine remarked, “The workers did it.  I didn’t did it.”

From then on, every time something happens, RT and I look at each other and declare, “I didn’t did it!”

Note:  Bogie was finally found - over seven hours later - running around a neighborhood over a mile away - and across a very busy highway.  He IS a greyhound, but I never realized a dog could run so fast.  Once we found him, it took another couple hours to finally catch him.  Seven hours of running and he hadn’t slowed down one bit.

Each afternoon when school is out, Sweet Stuff (1st grade) comes to my classroom, and I drive her home.  This afternoon I had a meeting to attend in the classroom next to mine, and so Sweet Stuff waited for a few minutes in my room until her daddy picked her up.  After my meeting when I returned to my room, there was a white board on the front table on which Sweet Stuff had written a message to me with a dry erase marker:  “I love Grandma Carol.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”  Sweet, sweet, sweet!

Sunshine, Sweet Stuff and their mommy (my Stinkeroo) were shopping for fall shoes.  Sunshine tried on a pair of brown shoes with pink flowers on them.

Sunshine:  I LOVE these shoes.

Mommy:  I’m glad you like them so much.

Sunshine:  (very seriously) I wish to marry them.

I think the child has an enormously wonderful sense of humor.

Sweet Stuff and PawPaw are walking around outside the new house.  PawPaw belches.  Sweet Stuff looks up at him - shocked.

“Say ‘excuse me,’ PawPaw,” she chides.

“Excuse me,” replies PawPaw.

“Thank you.”

They continue their walk.

Sweet Stuff and Sunshine went to Sunday School and church with us yesterday.  During the last hymn,  I was aware that Sweet Stuff was looking up at me.   So I smiled at her.  When the song was over, she whispered in my ear, “You’re pretty, Grandma Carol.”

Now I had a boyfriend once whose nickname for me was “Pretty” and I’ve had my share of compliments.  However, there has never been a compliment that touched my heart and made me feel better about myself than those sincere and heartfelt words from Sweet Stuff.   It doesn’t matter what I look like to anyone else.  To my precious Sweet Stuff, I am pretty.

This past Saturday morning RT and I flew in his small Bonanza down to Destin, FL for a few days of R&R with our children.  Our son and his wife left Friday night - drove part way and finished the drive on Saturday.  Our daughter, her husband and the two grandgirls did the same.  We all arrived at the condo within ten minutes of each other.

It was beautiful.  That’s an understatement.  The condo was perfect for our little family.   The kids are staying through Saturday.  RT and I had to come home Monday because there was just too much going on with the new house and school starting next week for us to be gone all week.

So it is strange not having our children in town.   Today RT flew to Indiana on business.  And I’m here in TN without any other family around.  Usually when he’s out of town, our daughter and son are just a few minutes away at their respective homes.  This week, though, they’re still in Florida enjoying the beach.  Strange feeling to have them so far away.

One quick cute story.  No, make that three.  On Sunday morning, Sunshine woke up early and RT asked her if she wanted to go to church.  She looked at him as though he was crazy.  RT said something about God being everywhere, and she replied, “No he’s not.  He’s at church in Nashville, Tennessee!”  Four year olds are very literal.

Later, she was sitting next to RT on the sofa, and she felt his stomach and proceeded to ask him if he was expecting a baby.  When he replied that he wasn’t, she answered as she rubbed his stomach, “Yes, you are.  I can feel the head.”  I hasten to add that while RT might have a little bit of a stomach, he is not overweight at all. 

Third story.  Hmmm - all three stories are about Sunshine!  We visited a shopping area along the beach that had a “Bears on the Beach” store - which is a make-your-own-teddy-bear place (Like “Build A Bear Workshop”).  I let both girls select and dress a teddy bear to keep.  They each named their bears.  Sweet Stuff named hers Gabriella - from “High School Musical.”  Sunshine named her Sarah Grandma Carol.  To her “Grandma” is just part of my name, and she was honoring me.  Such sweetness!

Last night’s AMERICAN IDOL show was a good one.  We TiVo’ed it and then zipped through everything but the singing and evaluations.  Melinda and Jordin were fantastic. 

I just don’t get Blake, and I don’t get why he has such a manic following.   He sounds like thousands of other singers out there - absolutely nothing that sets his voice apart from anyone else’s.  Plus, as I’ve said repeatedly, he just looks weird when he sings - the whole fish-face thing - and what’s with always looking over to his right in between lines?   I would never purchase a CD of Blake’s.  

Melinda has the most unique voice of the three.  Her voice is distinct.  I could hear ten people sing and I could recognize which one was her.  And that’s an important quality for a singer.  She nails each song, and I would buy an album of hers.  I like the way she sounds great no matter what genre of music she sings.

My favorite, though, is Jordin.  Her voice is unique.  She’s young.  She’s incredibly talented, and she has a good personality for being in the public eye.  I feel almost guilty for not being 100% gung-ho for Melinda since she’s practically a neighbor of mine.  However, Jordin just has her beat when it comes to potential.  When Jordin sang “I Who Have Nothing” last night, it was almost magical.  For someone so young to be able to sing with such believable passion - it’s amazing.

So far I’ve had a pretty darn good score selecting which contestants will go home each week.  I’ve nailed it perfectly the past few weeks.

I think Jordin will be in the finals - and then I hope Melinda is there with her.  My only concern is that Blake fans seems a little overly enthusiastic.  One commenter said she voted for him for two hours straight - getting in at least 600 votes.  Is it even possible for one person to clock so many votes?  I thought there was a limit to the number of times a person could vote.  I have to admit that I haven’t cared enough about any of the contestants to vote even once this whole season.  If Blake makes it to the finals, though, I’ll make sure to vote next week.  I think he got some fans by doing the beat-boxing which was unusual - and then people are sticking with him - even with his obvious weaknesses.  Without a doubt, Blake is the least talented and least impressive of the three remaining contestants.  If people are voting on star-quality, then Blake has to go tonight.

As far as the final two:  If it’s between Melinda and Jordin, it will be a close vote, and I doubt I could predict which one would win.  I think Jordin has that indefinable star quality that Melinda doesn’t quite have.  So my bet would be on Jordin.