Grandson Weekend

So this weekend we had Knox, our seven-year-old grandson, from Thursday night until Monday night. What fun! And much of the time we had three-year-old Finn also. Neither ever cried when they were with us, but played together beautifully. Their parents arrived and all that changed. Steve and I found it very entertaining.We stayed busy.  Knox had quite a bit of homework, including three tests, to do. He was easily distracted because he’s interested in so many different things and we had some good discussions. One test was spelling. Are these typical of your second grade spelling words? Not mine.

Colonel, billowy, poise, grimace, vertices, suede, seize, milliliters, heavy, adhere, dislocate, surface, alternative, contrast, constellation. He made 100% on that one, even writing meanings for the last five.

The only thing that hasn’t changed about spelling tests is that they are still on Fridays.

In the car I pointed out that the street turns were right angles since he’d had that in his math assignment. Instead of saying “vertex” in the conversation, I accidentally said “vortex,” and he immediately corrected me and explained the difference!

Knox and I learned a piano duet that we performed for the family on Monday. In fact, we practiced so much his grandfather still has the tune imbedded in his brain. Knox has only taken lessons for a few weeks, but he loves playing the piano.

(I’d practiced a couple of pieces that I played and sang to Steve on Valentine’s Day. When I told him I was ready to sing to him, Knox asked if he needed to leave! So sweet.)

We played games: Qwirkle, Uno, Zingo, chess. We each played pinball with him and he always won. Those younger reflexes are significant.

Steve read to him just as when he hadn’t learned to read. There’s something special about the cuddling and the familiar voice. At times, Knox read to Finn, equally sweet.

We all read our own books in the living room for extended periods of time together. (One of my favorite things to do.) I was reading The Invisible Girls, an advance copy, so it doesn’t come out till April. Knox was reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and Steve was reading The Boys in the Boat. We’d recommend all three!

Steve, Finn, and Knox worked jigsaw puzzles together. Knox and Finn played with cars and chased each other up and down the stairs. Steve is so protective that he followed them around and got plenty of exercise on his own.

Our first outing was to see “Walking with Dinosaurs” and Knox loved it. Talked about it ad infinitum, identifying favorite lines and scenes. His favorite line: “And minutes turned into hours, and hours into days, and days into weeks and weeks into weekends, and weekends into more weekends, and you know how it goes.”

He was well-behaved at Life Group with us Saturday night. He said he was excited about going to church with us Sunday. He wouldn’t let me look in his suitcase so his “look” would be a surprise. He wore his shirt with French cuffs and his new sport coat. Quite spiffy!

Later trips were to McDonald’s, Dollar Tree, and the Children’s Museum. At home, we watched two movies, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.”

Bedtime is always sweet. One night as he went to bed, I started singing “Good Night, Irene.” Then I changed the words to “good night, dear Knox.” When I hugged him and ended “I’ll see you in my dreams,” he laughed and said, “Or in the morning!”

Our last activity together was making homemade noodles for Monday night’s dinner with the whole family. Knox was an integral part of the process as he spread them out to dry.

What a weekend! And we especially enjoyed our evening devotionals. The first night Steve read the Bible story but after that Knox wanted to read. We talked a lot about dreams in the Bible and how important interpretations were.

That wasn’t the only time we talked about Bible stories, either. We did a pretty good job of carrying out Deuteronomy 6:6-7: These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Easy to do with such precious and pleasant grandsons!

 

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