Opening Playdate

 Well, here we are, year seventeen of Playdates.  So much has changed in these 17 years.  Many former playdaters have moved on to more grown up ventures.

 I had a few things on my mind when I started this adventure.  Number one was for the visiting Gramerlings and friends to notice what was around them and to be screen free and mostly free for a day in the week. I think that happened. 

I think I thought it would surely forge strong bonds between friends and cousins, Gramerly and Gramerlings.  I'm not sure that has always worked as planned, but I sure gave it a herculean effort. 

It has also at times been an opportunity for the Mom's to visit. Even more so now that I have a couple of older ones still hanging in with me and helping out eyeballing the littles. 

If you know me at all, you know if I love you and you love me, I am going want to see your face. Playdate is where that can happen. 

I pulled out the last remaining Playdate tee shirt to wear today, and was wondering just how old it is. 

These were the first Playdaters. I'm not sure where Nick and Syd were at that day.   The youngest one here is 16 months old. She is now 15. I believe I had that shirt before this, but I don't have any digital Playdate pictures before this summer. I look at this and could seriously burst into sobs. I cannot believe they are so grown. 

Same long fuzzy hair, same shirt. 

It was a perfect day to dye tee shirts. We've painted shirts with fabric paint.

Regular sort of tie-dye.

Then we started using found nature objects and spray paint. 

We've kind of fallen in love with indigo dye, so we got that done first thing. 





Gideon prepared an archery lesson for any interested parties. 


Pap supervised.

A handsome tree climber. 


I made flexagons with the girls.





Next we headed to the creek with some cool body markers I found on clearance at Sam's. 

Some did art on each other. Annabelle brought her tiny art supplies with her to watercolor and sketch. 

After scrubbing up from the creek we had Haitian beans and rice, tacos and all the trimmings with sundaes for dessert. 

I rinsed and dyed our shirts and we took the group picture because so many kiddos going so many directions, this is likely the only date we'll all be together. 

I think it was a good opening day!  And at the end of every Playdate, I am grateful for answered prayers of sending everyone home safe and sound! Thank you Lord!