Pure fun! Baseball's back!

Here's 33 seconds of unbridled fun watching my grandson, Wyatt at the plate!

Check it out now, right here!

Fun and games: highlights from the first season

Watching grandchildren do whatever it is they choose to do is one of the great, amazing blessings of being a grandparent.  If one of my four grandchildren is anywhere, doing anything and I can get there--or, am allowed to be present!--I am there!

What follows in the video is a highlight reel from Wyatt's first season to play tackle football.  You'll see him as #20 for the purple and gold Vikings.  He's a great blocker, really steady on defense in the secondary or sometimes at linebacker, a hard driving runner at fullback (at times you'll note a pile of boys moving down the field at about 5 yards at a whack--usually Wyatt is under that file with the ball!), and, on several occasions this year, he breaks with the ball for long runs to the end zone.

I'll admit it is hard to determine who is doing what on parts of the video.  Maybe it takes a granddad's eyes to catch it all.  Watching helps me remember the fun of this season.  At the same time, it causes me to remember and anticipate basketball (Wyatt and Owen), volleyball (Gracie), dance (Gracie), soccer (Wyatt, Owen and soon Henry), grandparent days and lots of other school related events! 

Nothing better!

Enjoy!

Blessed by grandchildren!

Gracie sings!

Henry enjoys a fresh haircut (though his dad may be in a bit of trouble!).

What a blessing, and I have two other grandsons, Wyatt and Owen, who'll be featured in coming days!

Just humor me.

Little Hen

To a proud granddad, this is pure genius and delight!

 Henry loves to sing!

 I love to hear him.

 Enjoy!

Gracie speaks up for CitySquare!

Last week, my Granddaughter, Gracie Toombs made a presentation to her REACH class on CitySquare. 

The assignment involved students studying and researching selected non-profit organizations and reporting to their classmates on what they learned.

 I was lucky enough to be present to hear and capture Gracie's presentation on video.

 Of course, I was proud of her, and grateful for her reporting on CitySquare!


 

Gracie loves to dance!

Gracie Toombs, my beautiful granddaughter, loves to dance!

 I captured the video clips here at the recent Lake Highlands Oktoberfest celebration. Gracie will be mid-frame for me most of the time.

The Hip-Hop may be harder to follow! Just watch for the black outfit with lime green trim and the red Converse All-Stars! Gracie is pure class!

Wyatt and the self-discovery that is a game!

My oldest grandson, Wyatt Toombs finds his greatest contentment in anything related to a ball or sports. Recently, a parent of one of his flag football teammates caught Wyatt in motion on the field. Watching Wyatt provides a real time primer in self-discovery. I love my grandchildren!

Kids and trees. . .

What is it about kids and trees? 

You know, climbing trees almost instinctively? 

And, what is it about little brothers trying to come behind big brothers no matter what the subject or assignment?

What is it about kids anyway? 

Sadly, some inner city neighborhoods make it very difficult for children to play outside or to climb in the trees. 

Homes stand abandoned.

Community code standards regulating health and safety go unenforced.

Criminal activity seems out of control. 

In some cases regular, dependable nutrition presents very real health challenges to children and their parents. 

Still, kids try to climb trees!  Little brothers and sisters try their best to keep up with their older siblings. 

I have this theory that the more kids you observe climbing trees the healthier the neighborhood! 

[Pictured here at the top, Owen and little brother, Henry!  Amazing boys, if I do say so myself!]

Humor me. . .

Humor me, I'm an aging grandfather! Pictured below you'll find real treasure. 

Gracie cheers on one of her school's football clubs.

Owen mixes it up on the soccer field.

Henry clowns and makes everyone smile.

Wyatt scores a touchdown after a long run during a flag football game.

Pure treasure, I tell you, pure treasure!

God, bless the children; these and all the rest.  Priceless, priceless. 

Owen

My second grandson, Owen Frazer blows me away on a regular basis! 

I do believe that he knows more about Star Wars than George Lucas!  Every time we are together he gives me a seminar on the various layers of the saga, especially as the complex storyline relates to the innumerable figures and vehicles that he has amassed in his growing collection! 

When it comes to Star Wars, Owen's encyclopedic knowledge is spurred along by his dad's childhood experience and his vintage collection of figures and implements of war and conquest! 

It is just a real hoot playing Star Wars with Owen!  He possesses great imagination and demonstrates quite a proclivity for organization and order. 

Star Wars leads inevitably to Legos! 

He loves assembling Lego kits, especially of Star Wars Clone Wars!  We've enjoyed many an hour of putting block upon block until something almost magical appeared.

Recently, Owen broke his mother's heart, quite a feat at the ripe old age of 5! 

Conspiring with his dad--anyone else see a pattern here???--and the local barber, Owen shed his golden locks and replaced them with a genuine buzz cut!  The photos here reveal the interesting transformation.  I'm told that when he walked up to his mom in the grocery store with his new cut, she didn't recognize him at first! 

The new hair style also coincided with a neighborhood block party, thus the Spider Man pose. 

What a joy is this boy!  He makes me smile. . .all  the time!

Hill Sawyers

My family tree, back three or four genera-tions, and I am sure much further, is populated by extremely poor dirt farmers.  My grandparents and parents worked as sharecroppers for much of their lives.  West Texas is where the family rooted for a long, long time.

Recently, my cousin brought me this photo of my grandfather, Hill Sawyers.  Taken in the mid to late 1920s out in Stonewall County near Old Glory, Granddad worked farm land to provide a meager existence for his family that included my mother. 

Our family emerged from the deep poverty of its past thanks to a combination of white privilege; various forms of government assistance, including help with education, tax policy, health care and homeownership; and hard work.  Not rich today by any means, all of us who survive are doing much, much better than Granddad and Grandmother. 

Hill Sawyers was a special person in my life. 

He took me all over the canyons and "breaks" back of his old clapboard house on many memorable occasions.  I remember how much I loved to make the trip to "West Texas." I remember being fascinated by his high-top, lace-up shoes, so soft and worn, much like his well-worn overalls.  He chewed Brown Mule tobacco by the plug.  He covered his toothless mouth with his arthritic hand when he laughed out loud.  He was a character. 

I loved the old man.

He loved me.

Recalling just now an old Randy Travis song, I guess I did think that he walked on water. 

To hear Randy Travis' song about a man like Hill Sawyers, He Walked on Water, click here.

Or, watch this rather rough video of Travis performing the song. 

An indescribable Easter blessing

My third grandson, Henry Folsom Frazer arrived, as I've already reported, on March 29, 2010.  He decided to enter our world about 5-6 weeks early, causing quite a stir with his family. 

But, what a blessing!

On this Easter morning, I am so grateful for little "Hank."  I've already had a talk with him, part of my granddad bonding ritual that already has tied me to his big brother, Owen and his bigger cousin, Wyatt.

For me, today, these pictures represent hope and peace.