HALLOWEEN AT THE WORKPLACE

You may or may not remember, but I already introduced you to a few of my co-workers, Katie, Cindy and Kim, when I posted an item called THE WORKPLACE.

That was a professional portrayal of these people. This is a realistic portrayal.

On behalf of this portion of the group I work with:

Happy Halloween!

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE HALLOWEEN AND . . .

. . . JUDY WAS BORN!

A long, long time ago, on October thirtieth, nineteen-hundred-and-none-of-your-business, a little girl was born into this world to eventually fulfill her calling as my big sister. It took four years of preparation to equip her for this incredible responsibility.

But when the appointed time came, she was ready.

And today is her birthday.

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Judy proudly salutes her little brother, shown here on the lap of their father, as a gesture of respect and honor (1950)

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Judy enjoys helping her little brother learn how to walk (1951)
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Judy is perfectly happy rocking her little brother on the rocking chair (1951)
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Judy makes sure her little brother is safe in the stroller (1951)

Judy, adorned in cowgirl attire, grins from ear to ear because her little brother is sitting beside her on a wicker bench (1951)

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Judy once enjoyed taking baths with her little brother. She doesn’t do that anymore (1952)
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Judy helps her little brother hunt for Easter eggs while mother looks on (1953)
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Having her little brother by her side causes Judy to laugh and smile (1954)
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Judy flashes a smug look, indicating that she is proud of her little brother (1954)

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Judy enjoys feeding the deer, but only if her little brother is by her side (1954)

Judy enjoys swinging the bat at a baseball, but only if her little brother is the pitcher (1954)

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Judy once enjoyed holding hands with her little brother. She doesn’t do that anymore (1955)

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Nonny gets to sit by Judy's little brother, but only if Judy gets to sit by him, too (1955)

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Eventually, Judy fulfills her calling as a big sister to TWO little brothers! Here, they all hang out together during construction of the house on Hartley Drive (1955).

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Now, with two little brothers, Judy casts an adoring look at one of them (1956)

Judy tops the sibling-birth-order totem pole in 1957

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Judy, along with her hoop skirt, pose for this photo of the full family of five (1957)

Judy, with two little brothers, must decide which brother to sit beside. Who is the other big girl and little boy sitting on this bench? (September 1957)

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Judy is all dressed up with mother and brother and other brother in the backyard of the house on Hartley Drive (1961)

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Who are these nine people at Nan’s 100th birthday? (October 1978)

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Judy gives comfort to an unhappy nephew. . .

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. . . and he soon settles down (August 1981)

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Hey! What happened to the bigger little brother? (January 1992)

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Judy snoozes beside a trash can on a bench at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco (January 1992)

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Judy’s calling extends beyond that of “big sister” to include that of “aunt” (January 1992)

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Judy introduces the family for the first time to Rachel outside the Train Museum in Old Sacramento (January 1992)

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Four generations met on that day

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Aunt Judy with Bethany and Belinda at Africa-Marine World USA in Vallejo (January 1992)

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Judy tops the sibling-birth-order totem pole in 1992

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Judy with drink with red lid (1992)

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Outside her home in Colorado, Judy still can’t control her grin when she’s around her bigger little brother (1995)

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Judy and her bigger little brother practice some swing moves at Nonny’s place (1999)

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Judy tops the sibling-birth-order totem pole in 1999

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Judy with Daisy’s Mom (June 2004)

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Judy with newborn Devon (June 2004)

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Judy with Bethany and Debra (June 2004)
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Judy lets her bigger little brother beat her in a game of Set (August 2006)

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Judy forces her bigger little brother to embarrass himself in front of a camera (July 2008)
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Happy Birthday, Big Sister!

This day is all about you!

KID TIME

Our community is fortunate to have a facility which offers an educational discovery experience for children. It’s called “Kid Time!”

It’s also a great place for Debra and I to do the “Papa and Nana” thing with our blended family of blended grandchildren. We have taken Weathersby grandchildren there. We have taken Moffit grandchildren there. Today, we took Vallo grandchildren there.

Since Debra did the driving, I really had nothing to do in the passenger seat but to take photos of her driving. After the first photo, she got annoyed.





After the second photo, she got a little more annoyed. But I couldn’t stop. Especially since her annoyance was coupled with laughter. How can you laugh and be annoyed at the same time? I just had to take more photos!




She lightened up considerably after the third photo. Some people might not think it’s a very good idea for a passenger to stick a camera in the face of the driver, and then snap a photo with the flash temporarily blinding the driver but, hey, I don't see what's the big deal!





As we pulled into the driveway of “Kid Time!” Josie was already there waiting for us with a van containing three grandchildren.







Before entering the building, Makiah spent some brief quality time in a wagon with a pumpkin.




Then Nana took a quick sit-down break on a hay bale with Rylie, Baylee and Makiah. I was pushing buttons on my camera at the time.




Once inside, Makiah exercised her climbing skills,




Rylie demonstrated her talent on the overhead ladder,




and Baylee slid down a long, steep, red tongue of a monkey.



Then we stepped outside into warm and sunny October air. Baylee and Rylie scaled the heights of a geodesic dome,






while Nana helped Makiah with a snack.






Baylee and Rylie both conquered a curved balance beam.






Afterwards, Rylie managed to walk across a few steps on poles,






and Baylee finished up a backhoe job.







Then it was time to go back inside. Baylee and Rylie found a stage to unleash their inner thespians

As the afternoon progressed, Rylie spent some time kicking back in a tube.

Baylee read to Nana.

and Makiah sat on a big chess board with Papa. Sitting on chess boards seems to have a way of making some people feel grumpy and other people feel happy.

As our time at “Kid Time!” began winding down, Baylee found a picture of a scarecrow to color,

Rylie made a mask,

And Makiah rode a, uh, whatever-it-was she rode.

Then we stopped at Dairy Queen for some health food and then we went home.