More than a decade ago, a clever grandma shared with me a recipe for bacon and eggs she assured me all kids — and most grownups — would gobble right up. One they’d enjoy helping prepare, too. I first tried that recipe in 2011 with my eldest grandson, Brayden, who was 3 at the time (and nicknamed Bubby here on the blog).     Sure enough, the ‘bacon and eggs’ were a hit, as you can see in the post I published way back then. Fast forward to now — 12 years after Brayden enjoyed the faux-breakfast fun. I recently set out to see if Benjamin and Robert (and PawDad) might be equally enamore ..read more

The recent warmer days are likely to have grandparents and grandkids eager to dive into outdoor activities. As you set out to set up this year’s garden, find ways to get grands in on the action, too. Not only is gardening an activity you can enjoy together, there are numerous ways to incorporate age-appropriate, teachable moments from counting and colors to responsible care of living things.   Creating a positive first experience with gardening can start with this simple advice: Dedicate a spot for a junior garden, which allows you to instill a sense of pride and ownership in the littl ..read more

Jim and I enjoyed our Easter holiday to the fullest. We began the day with breakfast then Easter church service and ended with traditional ham dinner with Andrea, Allen, Brianna, Patrick, Benjamin and Robert. Sandwiched in between was the highlight of the day: the annual Easter egg hunt for Benjamin and Robert in Gramma and PawDad’s backyard (thank heavens for mild weather). We couldn’t have asked for a sweeter spring celebration ..read more

Add a side of silly to your holiday happenings with these Easter goodies guaranteed to crack up kids … and kids at heart. Why did the Easter egg hide? He was a little chicken. How does the Easter Bunny travel? By hare plane. How do you catch the Easter Bunny? Hide in a bush and make a noise like a carrot. Why couldn’t the Easter Bunny sleep on Easter eve? He was too egg-cited. Why are people tired in April? Because they just finished a march. What does the Easter Bunny get for making a basket? Two points, just like the other basketball players. How many Easter eggs can you put in an empty bas ..read more

Ordinary moments — dare I say, mundane moments — marked March 2023 for me. Ordinary moments for which I’m all the more grateful and glad to have had in light of this month’s heartbreak and loss for so many in the west, in the south, and, especially, in Nashville. Moments like these: Celebrating Jim’s birthday on three special occasions: First, just the two of us at home; next, a rousing Red Robin meal with Benjamin, Robert, James, Brianna and Patrick; ending with a home-cooked meal made by Andrea and Allen for both of their dads’ birthdays (for which, unfortunately, no photos were taken). &n ..read more

I haven’t seen my Arizona-living grandsons — Declan (8), Camden (11), and Brayden (14) — since last July. I miss their faces. Their voices. Their, well, everything.     Unfortunately, I’m unsure when I will see their faces again. Which makes me miss them even more ..read more

Temps at my place this past week have been downright frigid. “Below freezing” doesn’t begin to describe it, with many mornings registering a feels like hovering near -20. Callie does not do cold. Hence, her favorite way to hunker down through much of those soul-shivering day ..read more

We all have great fun when Robert and Benjamin spend the day at Gramma’s house. And when our day of fun is done, everyone — Callie included — keeps close tabs on Mommy’s bittersweet arrival to take the boys home.     ..read more

With weeks (and weeks) of wintery weather remaining in many parts of the country, many a grandma may be racking her brain for ways to keep grandkids engaged indoors during visits. This easy, peasy penguin activity requiring minimal prep* may cut down on the cabin fever. For a little while, anyway. *I do recommend you make one yourself first, though, if you’re doing this with toddlers. It provides a sample of the finished product. More importantly, it cuts down on the time the little one must wait and watch … and lose interest while you’re cutting out beaks, feet, and flippers. Which, I must ad ..read more

My two-year old grandson, Robert, feels everything deeply. Anger, joy, pain, frustration, delight, there’s never any doubt about how the kid feels. Which can be fun to witness — when the emotion leans toward the positive, that is. To wit: Robert’s enthusiastic roars of laughter while watching his current fave film, Hotel Transylvania 2 ..read more