Reese and the pumpkins

New Mini-blog

Because I've been so far behind in posting here,I set up a new blog primarily for iPhone pix:
Ron and Mike and all

Grand Birthdays

From June 15 to August 15, all four of our grandchildren have birthdays.  With birthdays come parties.


Parker Rose started the season.

In one of her first modeling turns for print media, Parker Rose is featured on the invitation to her first birthday party.

PR watches as the guests pour in.

As the house fills, Nana provides the security only a grandmother can.

 Parker Rose's dad, Nate, chats with her great-grandmother, Grammer.

Pleased with the selection of gifts, Parker Rose leads a round of applause.

Finnley came next, hosting a party at Jump Zone, an indoor "Party Play Center." 

Finnley flew down the slides.

Finnley appears to pause for a rare contemplative moment in the midst of hilarity.

Finnley, his cousins Cole and Max, and schoolmates and neighbors gather for a photo op.

Back home, opening gifts, Finnley enjoys a birthday card.

With MeMike looking on fondly, Finnley explains the significance of this particular Ben 10 figure.

Just over a month later, Reese continued the party season with her own party at Jump Zone.

Reese stops running and bouncing for a second to watch partygoers arrive. 

The jumping stops again long enough to get a group photo of Reese and her sweaty brother and neighbors and friends.

Things turned serious at the party when the pizza appeared.

MeMike enjoys helping Reese with a package while Reese enjoys MeMike and Reese's daddy enjoys watching her enjoyment.

This is what a Happy Birthday looks like.

Max finished out the season with his pirate-themed party in Athens.

Notorious pirate Captain Maxwell Arden Johnson welcomes party guests.

Max moved through an impressive pile of gifts with a little technical help from his mommy and clerical assistance from MeMike.

During a lull in the happy pandemonium, Max's mommy, Anna, chats with celebrity guest David St. James, best man at MeMike and Pops' wedding almost 42 years ago, now better known for his recurring role as Mr. Howard on iCarly.

Max's dad watches as Max's mom mediates a disagreement involving toys.

A happy pirate captain prepares to devour his ship.

Finnley's Baseball 2010

Finnley played baseball this year at Newtown Park in Alpharetta.  The coaches pitched to the batters and most of the players had a parent with them when they took the field.

Here is Finnley showing his form as a hitter -- a solid double this time.

Gabe (first base coach) congratulates Finnley on a single.

A determined look on his face, Finnley heads home from third base.

Finnley rears back for a throw from center field.

This view of filial appreciation was too good to resist.

Finnley gets his trophy at the end of the season.

The team and the coaches.

A Picnic with Parker Rose

On a lovely Friday afternoon, we went to Smyrna and whisked PR away for a picnic in the park near her home.  She entertained us with athletic performances and with discourse in what appears to be a new language.

First, though, a snack.

Parker Rose and MeMike play quietly for a while.

Toys are examined.

Then the sport begins ....

In the course of adventuring, PR examines Pops's iPhone as he uses it to record her.

Slightly fatigued from the adventuring, PR looks for her future in the crystal ball.

Back at the house, it appears all the exercise has left PR famished.

Grammer's new apartment

Here are some pictures from my phone of Grammer's new apartment.

Here is the entertainment section of the living room.  To the right, out of frame, is a door out to the patio, and farther to the right, inexplicably omitted from this photo shoot, is a couch with end tables and lamps.

This is the view from the living room -- the sunflowers came with the place.

The dining room.

Entrance hallway; entrance on left.

One side of the kitchen.

The other side of the kitchen.

The bedroom.

The bathroom.

The bedroom patio.

View from the bedroom  patio.

Family Picnic 4/17/10
It's not so easy for all the Johnsons to get together, with busy lives our norm, but it's always fun! We met Saturday after Finn's soccer game and had a Pizza Picnic complete with a river view and playground entertainment. It was such a treat for MeMike and Pops to have all four grandkids with us at once!!! Their parents are fun to hang with, too.