She is my CUPCAKE & I am her NANNIE ~

Today ~ January 3, 2014 my #2 granddaughter, Mia is 3!!! 

{You're not imagining things ~ yes, it is her sister Aly who turned 4 just 2 days ago!}

As many of you know our family has gone through some very rough waters over the past 3 + years and alot of healing and restoration has taken place in many relationships over the past few months. One of the greatest blessings I've experienced is having such a wonderful relationship with my granddaughters. I was able to fly and see them in September before their dad {my son}, Tyler was deployed. That was such a life changing trip. I have a very dear friend to thank for making that possible. Words can never express my gratitude to her for gifting me my plane ticket. 

I arrived in North Carolina very late on a Tuesday night in September and went in the girls bedroom and looked {in awe} at them sleeping ~ I could hardly wait for them to wake up. I was a bit nervous because they didn't really know me due to difficult circumstances and distance. My nerves were put at ease early the next morning when I heard a little knock at my bedroom door. It was 2 very beautiful girls ~ one with  blond curly {like her dads} hair & big blue eyes and the other with straight dark brown hair & big brown eyes. At that very moment, I MELTED. I told them to come in...they excitedly squealed..."Hi Nana" and the rest as they say is history...

In those few days we had together, Mia and I absolutely fell in love ~ as I did with her big sister Aly & baby sister Liza. We played, we read books, we crafted, we washi-taped, we glued {she LOVES glue}, we visited, we went at the park,  and just enjoyed being together. My son, Tyler is deployed right now so my daughter in law and 3 granddaughters came home {Davenport} for about 3 months. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy having the girls in the area. Sometimes they stop in and see me at the COOP and I'm of course very impressed with their love of crafting! Mia especially loves to put "pretties" {rhinestones} on her art projects! 

My other grandchildren call me Nana however Mia for whatever reason calls me Nannie! I.just. love. that! One of the times I talked with the girls on the phone before they came to visit, Aly told me she thought it was funny that Mia called me Nannie and she {Aly} calls me Nana. I told her it's fun having two names~ her name is Alynnah yet we call her Aly ~ she agreed it is pretty nifty having more than one name! :)

Love this little family!!!

I appreciate and admire her parents ~ Tyler and Natalie and the amazing job they are doing in raising this sweet girl and her 2 sisters to be the incredible people they are.

SOOOOOOO.......HAPPY HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY
Ameleigha Lydian Craft
My Mia-girl

To my Cupcake....your Nannie loves you VERY much!!!

It's GRANDStime (no, it's not about biscuits)

This past week I had a little gathering for my grandchildren. I refer to them as my GRANDS so it seemed fitting to call it "GRANDStime"...when I sent a message regarding this to my daughter in law, Mrs. Natalie she happened to be skypeing with Tyler and she asked him why I would be having a get together about biscuits. He reminded her that I call my grandchildren "GRANDS" ... we have had a good laugh about that.

The girls arrived and played together, we made a craft project (reindeer ornaments for my tree), each made our own pizza and played some more. I also wanted the girls to come over to see my Christmas decorations. 

Aly & Mia both told me right away how absolutely beautiful the decorations were and they LOVED

that the Christmas tree spins around! :)

{{{Both girls after this Nana's own heart!!!}}}

I love their pretty matching Gymboree dalmatian outfits!!!

Precious baby Liza ~

Aly & Mia enjoyed another Craft favorite for an appetizer ~ Chili dip! YUM!!!

Making ornaments for Nana's tree ~

That's my girls ~ adding Washi tape to reindeer!

Love these 3 little darlings!!!

Saylah had so excited and had so much fun being {as she said} a pizza cooker with Mia & Aly!!!

My favorite part was when Mia said she would like to have macaroni & marshmallows on her pizza... we figured out she meant peppersoni & mushrooms!!!

Granddad had the best time too at GRANDStime!!!

I will say we do love GRANDS biscuits in the Craft home...
We love GRANDStime a million times more!!!

4 years ago today ~ the day I became a NANA

It has been almost a year since I blogged! Yikes!!!

 Today ~ January 1, 2014 is the perfect day to begin blogging again and what better day to start than on my oldest grandchild's birthday.

 Alynnah JoEle Craft turned 4 today and I hardly think that can be real.

Time goes by so quickly.

I will never forget the moment she was placed in my arms. I loved her immediately with a love that was definitely like nothing I ever felt before. When my children were born I remember feeling such a love that I was sure my heart would explode. Then to have a grandchild is beyond anything I ever anticipated.

My firstborn is a dad to his firstborn. Priceless.

Happy little family of 3!!!

I am a NANA...be still my heart.

Precious love between daddy & daughter.

Love these 3 ~

I am not entirely sure how she has gone from this....

to this...IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE...

However, I am sure of how very much this little girl is loved by me ~ her Nana and how proud I am of her and the sweet person she is. 

Happy Happy 4th Birthday Aly Jo ~ my Punkin' Pie!