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

My youngest long-distance grandson, Declan — who will be 9 years old in June — had has tonsils removed last Thursday. Last Friday, he looked like this, well on the road to recovery. He’d actually felt so well that not long before Mom took this photo to share with me, he shot a few hoops and lifted light weights for a bit.     Declan was scheduled to return to school a week after surgery, that being yesterday. Unfortunately his initial rapid healing hit a speed bump, and now Monday should find that happy face I adore back in class ..read more

Benjamin surveys the mini donuts he and I made for him and Robert to give Mommy and Daddy for Valentine’s Day.     ..read more

Good things have been going on for me, I must say. The top good thing of late has been my recent trip to see my desert-dwelling grandsons. I’m amazed by the plethora of changes in Brayden, Camden, and Declan since we were last together in October. For one thing, Brayden was my height in October; now he’s a couple inches taller than me. And that’s just the start! I plan to blog soon about my visit, and I promise there will be oodles of photos. Spoiler alert: I attended—and photographed—two baseball games, one basketball game, and one flag football game featuring my all-star grandsons during th ..read more

Happy April! Spring is springing up all around my yard and making me smile. Trees are budding, plants are popping, and—best of all—my daffodils are blooming!     This is the first year I’ve had daffodils, and I’m absolutely delighted they bloomed, because I wasn’t sure they would. These aren’t just any daffodils, they’re from bulbs I planted from a beautiful vase of daffodils I received as a gift last spring from my youngest daughter, Andrea. She had presented them to me in celebration of the publication of my very first book, a lovely acknowledgement of my accomplishment. Thank you ..read more

I keep a paper calendar above my desk. It’s a smidgen more cutesy than I typically get but I appreciate the inspirational messages at the bottom of each month’s page. This is the message for March:     A nice message. We all would do well to welcome the magical more often. Considering the state of our world, though, each time I glance at those words above my monitor, I rephrase it, reminding myself to keep some room in my heart for the miracles — then pray (again) for miracles for Ukraine. My hope is that by the time I flip my calendar to April, continual prayers for miraculous help ..read more