Monday

This morning, Sarah & Greg were up and at'em and off to work before anyone realized. That should be a test of our nanny skills. The girls were fine.


I'm not sure what this project entails with spatula and knife, but they kept themselves busy.

Quiet time turned into nap time for Julie (on sofa) and Emma (on floor). Who needs beds ?

Restless Rebecca, meanwhile, was invited to the guest room to avoid waking her sisters. On one occasion, she helped Grandma with laundry by folding all the washcloths.

I reclined for a bit to relax before dinner when three kids decided I looked too comfortable. One hundred pounds [+/-] of grandkids will straighten out the back in a hurry.

Pumpkins

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Greg started his day by cooking pancakes for all of us. A bit later, we got into some flash card drill.

In the afternoon, we headed out to a pumpkin patch we visited last Fall. The trip to the patch seems to put Julie to sleep - just like last year.

The girls had a great time tearing around the patch although it took a bit to convince them to find a pumpkin they wanted.

There they go ...

and back they come.

There's gotta be the right pumpkin here somewhere.

Next we headed to the [mini] corn maze.

Rebecca and Julie pose while Emma heads off exploring.

Then we checked out some farm animals. The girls have had mixed feelings about some encounters with animals, but they were interested in the goats, cow, pigs, and chickens we found today.

Worked up a thirst

I rode in the van in the third row. On the way home, Emma joined me in the back. She's a little dreamy here and nodded off soon after along with her sisters.

Saturday Triplet's outing

Sarah & Greg are involved with some families-of-multiples support groups. This day, the  triplet's organization met at a local farm for hay rides, apple buying (picking seemed to be over), jumping, and other farm activities.

I find myself often looking at families with similar sized kids wondering if they're multiples. This day, triplets abounded.
 
With us grandparents in tow, we improved the kid-to-adult ratio. The girls were fairly comfortable in that setting to charge off by themselves. They had been there a few weeks earlier and were more adventuresome than in a strange setting.  There were times we used sign language across the farm yard to indicate who had whom, or how many, when the herd gang got separated.

Sarah & Greg rarely dress the girls alike, but this was an occasion when their brand-new identical polka-dot jackets were most handy to count 3 when scanning the crowd.

Greg scored some adult-sized sandwiches from the supermarket for lunch. The girls did great with the grinders. They are very good with adult foods.

One incredible family.

Boo in the Zoo

Friday night, we all went to the Greenville Zoo for their Halloween trick-or-treat fest. This year the girls were a quarter-dozen (said Greg) of cupcakes.

  

Rebecca, Emma, Julie cupcakes

Friday, solo

Our visit gave an opportunity to try our hands as nannies for a few days. Greg joined us Thursday to get us up to speed with current practices. Friday, Monday, & Tuesday we soloed. The girls were a great help to the grandfolks by being delightful.

Breakfast was always fun.          (E,J,R [l-r])

But sometimes a few crumbs escape. No problem, the under-table cleaning crew takes charge.    

(R,E,J [l-r])

Julie

'Becca

Emma

After-lunch nap time has been re-named quiet time reflecting the reality that naps don't always happen. On our watch, usually at least 2 got some sleep.
This day, after quiet time, all 3 girls picked out books on their own and read quietly on the living room floor ... for a while.

Thursday, hanging out with Dad, too

Emma
















 





Julie

















Rebecca

Fall 2011 visit - arrival day

The girls are now at home with a nanny rather than in day care. We coordinated with Greg who in turn alerted them that we would arrive after nap time. The girls had been forewarned that we were coming and were urged to take good naps in anticipation of having company.

We had wondered how long it would take them to recognize and warm up to us. They were pre-warmed. When we knocked on their front door, there was a great clamor as the girls rushed the side light windows. We got a royal welcome.

The girls ... or nanny ... suggested 'flash cards', so they lined up at the coffee table and took turns responding to questions.

Julie, Emma, Rebecca [l-r]

Their first visit to Vermont

July 4th, Sarah, Greg, Rebecca, Julie, & Emma came to visit for a few days. What a great way to celebrate. They had traveled to Sarah's parents a few days earlier, then set off on another 'venture to come visit here.

We had a blast. What a great bunch. We had some 'ventures (as the girls say) and did a lot of playing in the house and yard.





We went to Oakledge Park in Burlington which has a great treehouse.

We played a bit there,










































then set off to find some swings and playground,









then headed back to the treehouse for lunch, enjoying the breeze in the trees.











Rebecca on the march.











Emma peering through the railing.

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At home, we took turns in great-great-grandma Denney's [now that I think of it, it would have been Edna May Van Tassel's, at the time] rocking chair - Julie's turn with 'Raffe the giraffe and her new pink bear from Sarah's parents.












We spent a lot of time on the porch, having meals, and being silly.










Gramma had 3 mesh laundry baskets for holding toys, but they made great hats, helmets, whatever, for the girls to roar around in.



Greg's Aunt Mary & Uncle Pete stopped for lunch on their way home from camp. It was the first time they got to meet.

We also got to do 'show & tell', as Greg put it, with some neighbors. Usually there was a brief shy period, but they quickly warmed up to their new friends.

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We all headed into Burlington Thursday to check out a fountain (not as impressive as hoped) and Ben & Jerry's ice cream (more impressive). While there, we ran into a friend of Greg's since the age of 2. I see JP quite often at the bike shop, usually show him the latest pictures, and give him the news from Mauldin. What a great coincidence to bump into him and his wife on Church St.










The Ben & Jerry's chocolate ice cream taste test.

Before ...

...and after. They seemed to like it.

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We played with bubble stuff in the yard. Their gym sessions end with the teacher blowing lots of small bubbles, and the kids chase around to stomp on them, pop them, rub them in their hair, etc. We had big bubbles to chase around, and it was almost as much fun as playing with the screen doors on the porch.































They left a little artwork.



Thanks to The Mauldin 5 for visiting! Come again any time!
Gramma and Papa.