It's all childs play...

I feel like I've been slacking off by not getting my project photos up to share.  In a funny sort of way I actually feel a little guilty.  What's up with that?!  Anyway, here's what you missed the last couple of weeks while I was planning/having/remembering fun with my grandsons!

Steve won tickets on The Train so we wondered if our 5 yr old grandson would like to go.  Of course he did!

It was a magical day, and he told us several times about how much fun he was having - the ultimate grandparent moment.

On the way to the Grand Canyon, we had a lot of fun playing games and telling stories... and we even got to walk on the train to the cafe car for train shaped cinnamon graham crackers and chocolate milk!  (Does it get any better?!)

Don't tell anyone, but one of my favorite moments was this quiet one just watching the condors fly over the canyon.  That is serious trust, to feel ok hanging your feet over the edge cause 'Grampa's got you'.

One of the things Topher enjoyed the most was the Junior Ranger program.  If you complete the workbook for your age group, and attend a program (like this story time adventure about condors), you can earn a Junior Ranger badge.

He even got picked to wear the condor costume, but I have to figure out how to convert the cell phone video format before I can share that (boo!  hiss!)

If you look closely at the robot on the tshirt, he's wearing the gold Junior Ranger badge like a holster on his hip just above Grampa's hand.  :oP  Topher is also sporting a new Junior Ranger cap.  Sadly, I did not get a photo of his Raven patch, which will hopefully end up on that hat as well.  A great day that we will all remember for a long time.
What's that?  Where's the crochet?  Well, these two nuts also have a running joke between them when they randomly yell 'squirrel!' and look around frantically like Dug in the movie "Up!".

You can imagine how funny it was when we actually had a squirrel stop and yell 'boy!' while visiting the Canyon.  Which explains crochet project number one... matching Grampa and Grandson squirrel hats!

The funny part is that little brother Freddy really loved this hat, and refused to take it off... he even slept in it!

So, back to the drawing board for another hat.  Asking Topher what he'd like, he said pirate skulls.

But, thinking that Freddy might decide he likes that hat too, I made a dinosaur one to distract him... and hope that Topher will get to keep the one he specifically asked for!

I also had fun with some other kid related patterns, like this wizard's cape (what kid doesn't enjoy a wizard's cape now and again?)

And, some general monkeying around...

Lastly, I was touched by the story of the two new pigs at the local zoo.  It seems siblings who raised these two for a 4H project just couldn't bear to sell them for slaughter once they were grown.

It sounded so much like Wilbur's story in *Charlotte's Web* that I just had to crochet a web.  I haven't been back to the zoo to check, but the keepers tell me they will find a place for it!  I can't want to see it all stretched out and spider web looking!

But that's not even the half of it... I'll be back soon with my latest round of colorwork hats!