This hot off the press from Grammy’s House!
The Bears are as darling as they can be, but I have noticed their manners aren’t quite up to grandma standards. Hence my brilliant idea for today: Manners Camp!
We began with the importance of a firm handshake. These dolls agreed to help out.
Things were going well until a ballerina hopped onto the porch. Like a gentlemen, Bocker stepped forward to greet her with a handshake.
He then shouted, “Grammy, her hand is clammy and she smells like pond water.” I was mortified. The ballerina said, in a sweet voice, “Oh no, little bear. I have just finished dancing Swan Lake and haven’t had a chance to cool down or shower yet. My name is Miss Lilly!” After a quick shower, she felt refreshed and enjoyed chatting with everyone.
The next activity focused on table manners. I wanted the Bears to learn that it’s not polite to start eating until everyone has been served and that you don’t pick up your fork until your hostess/host picks up hers/his. The Bears took turns playing the host and announcing each time what delicious imaginary food was on the plates. Once the host picked up his fork, the others could pick up theirs
The game and lesson went along nicely until I decided to add to the fun by handing out giant forks. Churton forgot the rules and picked up his fork too soon. Beaker (who was playing the host) got so angry that he poked Churton in the neck.
I decided it was best to end the game quickly by collecting all the forks.
The last Manners Camp activity celebrated kindness, especially taking turns. My new netbook is somewhat bear-sized. I suggested they each take a turn selecting a Grammy-approved website, and then all three enjoying what they found there. Bocker was chosen to go first. He said, “Let’s check out KERF and see how Mom and Dad and the bakery are doing.”
“Not KERF,” said Churton. “We’re on a break from KERF!” Churton clobbered Bocker, who then burst into tears.
I put an end to the game due to unnecessary roughness on Bocker and my netbook.
I’m going to suggest to Kath that when the Bears return to Charlottesville, she spends quality time with Churton BEFORE she sits down to blog each time. Matt, too, will need to do some Dad and Bear playing EVERY EVENING when he is finished at the bakery. Churton seems to have some KERF/Bakery jealousy issues. I think he just wants his parents, which is natural.
Miss Lilly has offered to take the Bears swimming in a nearby (very shallow) pond this afternoon. Thanks heavens! I need a break.
We miss you Bears!
Love,
Mom + Dad
[K + M]
Awwww how cute!
Such a cute post 🙂
Kath, your mother is very imaginative. She is going to have great fun with grandkids some day. 😉
Adorable! I especially love how the bears miss their mom & dad, so they’re hanging onto wedding pics! Presh! : )
Made me smile the whole time!
Yikes — nude bears! 🙂
Love these posts — Grammy you are doing your best to keep these bears in line!
SO cute Kath!! 🙂 PS – gorgeous wedding photo. Those bears have some pretty hot looking parents!
This is so cute! 😀
Those are so cute and funny! Made my day 🙂
Love these bears! How cute! We have mischievous lions at my house. They like to hide under the covers before we go to bed at night. Just found your site, I really like it!
Awww
These updates are so funny. Love reading them!
This post made me laugh and smile. They are so cute! 🙂
I cannot be the only person that thinks this is completely nutty!
Nope! I agree!
totally bizarre.
Agreed. really weird
If you are weirded out by the Bears, then skip these posts!!
It IS nutty, bizarre and weird- all things lots of people appreciate 😉
Yes! And that’s what I meant 🙂
Agreed! If you don’t like the post, why would you not only read it, but then go out of your way to comment on it? Now THAT is weird. 🙂
lol Tracey. If the bear posts are weird then I’m weird too because I’ve totally done this before. During college while my roommate was at class I created a whole scenario with our teddy bears and posted it on facebook and tagged her in all the photos. When she finally checked her facebook she had a huge laugh hahaha
JenATX, that is so funny!! 🙂
Completely agree! I personally think they’re adorable!
AGREED
Hahahah LOVE THIS. <3
Lol, loved the part where Beaker pokes Churton in the neck with the fork 🙂
Hey Kath,
I have been putting this off for months, but it is necessary I send you pictures of our kids –
Kiefer, Valentino, Summer, and Sawyer. We thought we were the only ones 🙂
Haa Kath, that is too adorable! made me grin thanks!!
Just a side note, first time commenting 🙂 I went to my first GH bakery this weekend and went nuttier trying everything and bought 7 loaves! You made a customer in me- too bad I couldn’t visit yours! Funny part is – I started counting calories this week in order to slim down a little before my wedding in 7 weeks. just a few little stubborn pounds!!
Not such good timing!! HELP!!!
🙂
hahaha. The bears are cute!
love that gorgeous wedding photo of you!
Nekkid bears! Very cute.
Gah! So cute.
Sorry, but I really don’t get these bear posts.
Love, LOVE the bear posts!!! Keep them coming, please!
🙂
Hahaha, “Not KERF!” This is so silly, glad you have time for this stuff still.
Too cute! Love the bears.
We have penguins at my house… Alexander who is very well-behaved; and Terrence who is quite lewd, and likes to pop up in places he shouldn’t! 😉
Hi Kath –
I’ve just learned that all Eddie Bauer shorts are 50% off today through 5/15 and thought you might be interested to know that too.
Jolene (loyal blog reader in Fort Collins, CO) 🙂
The last picture with the naked bears about to go swimming is too funny!
This is the cuteset thing ever.
Aw too cute! I’m sure they can’t wait to see you and spend some quality time with you 🙂
What an adorable post!!!! I love it!
I was having a terrible Monday morning – reading this put a smile on my face. I think the bears need their own blog, with daily updates 🙂
I like that the bears went skinny dipping 😉
I love how the baby doll in the very back of the group picture looks slightly disturbed…lol! The saga of the bears is always my favorite…I have always loved my bears!!
Ahaha, I didn’t notice that until you pointed it out. Too funny!
I always love the bear posts… keep ’em coming :)!
She’s a bit ornery. I don’t know what they were discussing at the moment, but shortly after that she went up to her room and read Jane Austin for the rest of the day.
I was just wondering yesterday how the summer visit was going for the Bears. So glad to hear of their adventures. Did you and Larbs have manners camp when you were little? I bet your mom had all kinds of creative ways to teach lessons.
So cute! My twin girls cant stop looking at the pics of your bears and saying “Mommy, we want them!”
The Bears say they would like to visit. They think Grammy is being bossy.
I love these. They make me laugh out loud.:)
This post is too cute for words 🙂
Hahahaha, love it. I also love your opensky today! Thanks for such a great deal 🙂
Hahaha! I love the bear updates!
This is hilarious! I love it! My mom’s kindergarten class did this with two bears. One of her student’s and her family were going to be moving around to different places all around the world for the next two years. They decided to send the bears to and from my mom’s classroom. My mom would receive different notes from the bears saying what school was like in Japan, Germany, England, etc. It was so cute!
Fun! I do hope Kath and Matt will consider something like that for their trio. There is nothing like travel to expand a bear’s horizon.
I loved reading this! Your Mom is so talented. 🙂
GAH this is too adorable! Your mom HAS to write a children’s book about the Bears at Grammy’s house!!!!
Ahahaha – i love these posts. My boyfriend and I treated our stuffed dogs like this. It’s good to know we’re not TOO crazy and that other people actually think to do things like this 😉
Wow, Granny is SUCH a great babysitter!
Oh Mom ! Thanks for keeping the grand-bears in check this summer – good idea on the manners sessions – we await your next post.
Love this post. Your mom is a GREAT story teller, I’m anxious to hear what they will do next. I was expecting to see the bears in swim trunks and goggles…guess they get to swim in their “bear suits”. Fun!
or is it “bare suits”?
Great post!! Very clever and funny. Those bears are a handful!
Haha! Your mom is a fun author. I think this would make the perfect children’s book. 😀
Wonderful! This made my day. It makes me want to buy a teddy bear or two (that is, if they would behave)!
Yes, get two. One will get lonely, although then you won’t have some of the incidents I do such as they fork trouble.
LOL, love it! Imagination is wonderful. This would be a great series for children to turn into.
Kath, your mom clearly wants more grandchildren. Summer camp needs a baseball team. Hurry! 🙂
SOooo FUn! I know we shouldn’t laugh at bad behavior, but the fork attack made me chuckle.
best bears post yet! there’s a lot going on with those bears this summer. Jealousy, bear-on-bear violence, KERF resentment…glad the frog (who is kind of a female Kermit peacemaker) is there to give older-sis guidance!
She’s on her way to NYC though, to dance with the New York Ballet. She promises to return. I sure hope so.
Kath, I’m speechless.
That is absolutely adorable 🙂
Did Beaker go in the corner for poking Churton in the neck with a fork? If not, what was his punishment? 🙂
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
We simply had a talk. If he does anything else of a violent nature, I know I’ll need to take a more direct, stronger tactic. I actually think he felt guilty. He’s really a fairly gentle bear.
I love that the bears have a netbook. Start em young. Or furry. With technology. lol
Hope you’re having a great day, Kath 🙂
These bear posts are just too cute. Your mom is so creative with those bears! 🙂
omg. this post just made my day!
i love posts about the bears 🙂
This is pretty much the cutest thing EVER! Your family has amazing story-telling-talent 🙂
Love these posts! I read the captions and the bears really come alive in the process. Writing talent and creativity runs in your family!
The bears sound like they could be the stars of a children’s book some day! 🙂 Love these posts so much!
Ok, so I got a little teary eyed when she wrote about the bears missing mom and dad.
They know that Great Harvest makes loaves (sometimes) in the shape of teddy bears or rabbits, so I think they are a bit worried about being replaced. They needn’t worry, of course, but you know how children can get something in the minds…
I LOVE the bear posts!! I always laugh so hard when I read them!
I’m not going to lie these bear posts weird me out. Itsa little too weird for me.
Too funny!
What a cute post! Kath, I believe you mentioned that your mom writes children’s books. Would you be able to share the titles. Her books sound like a wonderful addition to our children’s library.
Unfortunately she hadn’t had too much success with fun picture books. She had one major picture book published: Purple Mountain Majesties was his the historical story of Katharine Lee Bates writing America The Beautiful. She’s working on some chapter books that are quite clever! All of her other work has been mostly Sunday school related. Mom step in if I’ve missed something!
I’ve done some Christmas pictures books, too. Here’s my website:
http://barbarakyounger.com
and my new literary agent, Erzsi Deak’s website:
http://henandink.com/
and you can follow me on twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/barbarayounger
Thank you all for your sweet comments on my Bear posts!
And just like that, the science of psychology uncovered two new personalities: the Bear-lovers and the Bear-haters.
I love bear posts!! It’s common to be jealous of the new kid, Churton, it’s OK! 🙂
Very cute! Lessons in manners go a long way.
How can anybody not love the bears?? They are so cute and funny!! The part where Beaker poked Churton in the neck made me laugh out loud (and I’m at work!). I say, keep them coming.
Next installment: The Bears Face Their Fears!