Some swear by "Wally World"--Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Others, like this little miss, prefer marine parks like Sea World or zoos, where they can have close encounters with walruses and other amazing creatures. Another group prefers the unspoiled beauty of beaches or mountains....Read Full Post
Grandparenting
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Most Topular Stories
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Grand Photo of the Week: Walrus World
About.com Grandparents15 May 2012 | 10:29 pm -
{Closed!} Prenatal Vitamins just got easier to take
Mark it with a B3 May 2012 | 10:56 amThanks everyone for entering! The winner is: Kayleigh Seelen! Your 30 day stash of Premama is on it's way. We were very recently excited to learn that our daughter is expecting another GIRL to join their family. A boy would have been fine too - and we would have been just as excited of course, but girls are fun. I know girls. lol. Little one is expected in late September/Early October. :)Speaking of new tiny people... my daughter has had a really difficult time with morning/all day sickness again this time around and I don't know who decided that prenatal vitamins had to be so huge but... -
Who do grandparents talk to when they are upset?
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren11 May 2012 | 5:46 pmKaren Best Wright, B.S. M.A. Health Educator and Holistic Wellness Coach www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com www.TheWellnessWay.org Most of the emails I get from grandparents are filled with frustration and sometimes despair. They don't have anyone who understands. I know. I felt the same way, and in the most part it is true. What I also learned by my own mistakes was to be careful about talking about frustrations and hurts with your other children (unless in unusual circumstances). Letting the family know what is going on is probably a good idea. But letting them be your sounding… -
Looking back on Mother's Day ... grateful for today
Grand Connection15 May 2012 | 6:00 amSubscribe to Grand Connection by Email Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought by Mary May Larmoyeux Hope that you had a special Mother's Day. The older I get the more I realize that when it comes to being remembered on Mother's Day, it really is the thought that counts. My dear mother always told me that and now I understand. A phone call ... handwritten note ... or homegrown bouquet from a child or grandchild mean so much. Looking back on all of my Mother's Days, I can't remember a favorite gift from my kids or grandkids. But I do remember generations of… -
Technology for Grandma and Grandchildren
Grandma Ideas: Fun Activities to do with Grandchildren15 May 2012 | 11:15 amA while back, I told my readers about Picnik — an online photo editing site. In 2010, Google bought the company. Alas, as of April 19, 2012, the Picnik is over. It is gone – never to return. So what’s a person to do who wants simple photo editing tools but doesn’t want to pay an arm and a leg and give up their first born to purchase Photoshop? Ah! I’ve just recently stumbled across a fabulous answer that I want to share here. Get Paint. Paint is a free software (for Windows based machines) that started out as an undergraduate design project for college seniors…
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About.com Grandparents
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Grand Photo of the Week: Walrus World
15 May 2012 | 10:29 pmSome swear by "Wally World"--Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Others, like this little miss, prefer marine parks like Sea World or zoos, where they can have close encounters with walruses and other amazing creatures. Another group prefers the unspoiled beauty of beaches or mountains....Read Full Post -
Miss Manners to Mother-to-Be: Have the Party
15 May 2012 | 3:03 pmI don't always agree with Miss Manners. She can be a stickler for following the rules. But her reply to a young mother-to-be deserves a round of applause. The young woman's ...Read Full Post -
Some Parents Pay for Chance to Be Grandparents
14 May 2012 | 6:13 amThose in the fertility business have noticed a new trend, according to an article in the New York Times. When a woman decides to freeze her eggs, her parents are increasingly likely to be a part of the process. The parents are, of course, interested in someday becoming grandparents....Read Full Post -
Give in Small Bites With Sparked.com
14 May 2012 | 1:21 amWhen I was putting together my piece about volunteering with grandchildren, I included a suggestion that older grandchildren put their online skills to work to help non-profits. Since then I've learned about Sparked.com, which is a website that matches non-profits needing online help with volunteers. Tasks can typically be done in small "bites" of time. Sparked.com is not the only platform for this type of micro-volunteerism, but it is probably the best known....Read Full Post -
A Solemn Look at Mother's Day
13 May 2012 | 12:14 amIf you're looking for a totally upbeat Mother's Day post, you've come to the wrong place. Mother's Day always makes me a little melancholy. This year will be extra poignant, as last week was the 10th anniversary of my mom's death. Since my husband's parents are both dead and I lost my dad last June, my husband and I have become the oldest generation. Being the family matriarch still doesn't feel entirely comfortable....Read Full Post
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Mark it with a B
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{Closed!} Prenatal Vitamins just got easier to take
3 May 2012 | 10:56 amThanks everyone for entering! The winner is: Kayleigh Seelen! Your 30 day stash of Premama is on it's way. We were very recently excited to learn that our daughter is expecting another GIRL to join their family. A boy would have been fine too - and we would have been just as excited of course, but girls are fun. I know girls. lol. Little one is expected in late September/Early October. :)Speaking of new tiny people... my daughter has had a really difficult time with morning/all day sickness again this time around and I don't know who decided that prenatal vitamins had to be so huge but... -
Postcards & Soup Winners!
12 Mar 2012 | 5:49 pmI want to thank my sponsors for the two recent giveaways: Progresso Soup and MyBlogSpark and PrintRunner! AND, I know these two giveaways were of a shorter duration than normal but thanks to those of you who made it over to enter to win!And our winners are...Lauren Ayer is the winner of the Progresso Soup Package - confirmedand...Jeni Monroe is the winner of the Postcards from PrintRunner!Congrats to them!I've emailed the winners, so check your emails. {If the prizes are not claimed new winners will be chosen.}Thanks everyone for playing! -
{GIVEAWAY} PrintRunner Postcards
7 Mar 2012 | 10:34 amRecently I was contacted by a very kind rep for PrintRunner... never heard of them? Let me get you up to speed: PrintRunner is your convenient online printing services resource. Check out their site and print postcards .PrintRunner, Inc. was established with little more than a small press and a dream. Ten years later PrintRunner.com is one of the foremost quality printers in Southern California and occupies over 25,000 sq ft. Our growth is due to our commitment to providing the best value in high quality full color printing at an affordable price. Whatever your promotional needs, from… -
Progresso - Souper YOU + a giveaway!
2 Mar 2012 | 9:05 pm... and I'm back! And with a giveaway - and another one coming on the heels of this one so stay tuned and read on!How has everyone's New Year's Resolutions been coming along? Need some help in the managing your weight part of your resolution? I think resolutions pertaining to weight are probably the #1 resolution made for a new year and Progresso may be able to help! With 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving, Progresso Soup has a variety of offerings that help you beat diet boredom and satisfy your taste cravings, while helping you stick to your weight management calorie… -
Winter Driving - A few tips
25 Jan 2012 | 8:02 pmMany parts of the US have virtually been without a winter so far - including MO where we live. And in the meantime many states that usually don't have much of a winter have been hit pretty hard with snow and ice storms recently. I'm sure that makes for unsure drivers on the road so here's a few tips when faced with winter storms.If the weather is bad or you are unsure - stay home if at all possible. If you must go out...Make an effort to be prepared. I know this is hard in an area that might get hit with a sudden storm, especially if you live in an area that doesn't see much in the way of…
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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
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Who do grandparents talk to when they are upset?
11 May 2012 | 5:46 pmKaren Best Wright, B.S. M.A. Health Educator and Holistic Wellness Coach www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com www.TheWellnessWay.org Most of the emails I get from grandparents are filled with frustration and sometimes despair. They don't have anyone who understands. I know. I felt the same way, and in the most part it is true. What I also learned by my own mistakes was to be careful about talking about frustrations and hurts with your other children (unless in unusual circumstances). Letting the family know what is going on is probably a good idea. But letting them be your sounding… -
When and when not to have social services get involved with your grandchildren
9 May 2012 | 9:33 amKaren Best Wright, B.S., M.A. Health Educator and Holistic Wellness Coach www.RaisingYourGrandchcildren.com www.TheWellnessWay.org I receive so many emails from grandparents about whether or not they should let social services get involved before they attempt to get custody of their grandchildren. Here are some thoughts on the issue. 1. Many grandparents face the fact that social services are already involved and grandparents need to work with them as much as possible. When the state as taken custody of a child, they may place the child informally with a relative or they may have the relative… -
A Field Trip Around the Block with Grandchildren
2 May 2012 | 7:52 pmBy Karen Best Wright, B.S., M.A., Health Educator & Holistic Wellness Coach www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com www.TheWellnessWay.org Today, I turned my cell phone off when I went to the dentist. That's what most people do, don't they? Anyway, after getting back in the car to drive home, I turned my phone back on. Within minutes a daughter called, "You turned your phone off!" Sounding slightly frantic. "Yes, I did. I was at the dentist. What's up?" In short, her babysitter had fallen through and she had a final exam in her night class. Hence, the need for a… -
Making ends meet while raising grandchildren
16 Apr 2012 | 11:49 pmBy Karen Best Wright, B.S., M.A. www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com I receive a mountain of emails from grandparents who are struggling financially to make ends meet while raising their grandchildren. According to my survey, of the 2919 people who answered a question about their biggest issues, 63.9% wrote that financial issues were their biggest probelm. Often I receive emails from mostly grandmothers wanting to know where they can get financial assistance. There is some help out there for most grandparents, but sometimes the amount is so minimal, it might only cover the cost to… -
Types of family members raising a relative's children (usually grandchildren)
11 Apr 2012 | 2:14 pmBy Karen Best Wright, B.S., M.A Health & Wellness www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com A few weeks ago I added a question to my grandparents survey. I was wanting to know which family members are raising their relative's child. Because of my own experiences, I tended to think most about the maternal grandmother doing the raising. Actually, it was another grandmother (a paternal grandmother) who put the idea into my head to add the question in my survey. If you have not filled in the grandparent raising grandchildren survey, please click here if you wish to do so. Out of the 191…
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Grand Connection
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Looking back on Mother's Day ... grateful for today
15 May 2012 | 6:00 amSubscribe to Grand Connection by Email Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought by Mary May Larmoyeux Hope that you had a special Mother's Day. The older I get the more I realize that when it comes to being remembered on Mother's Day, it really is the thought that counts. My dear mother always told me that and now I understand. A phone call ... handwritten note ... or homegrown bouquet from a child or grandchild mean so much. Looking back on all of my Mother's Days, I can't remember a favorite gift from my kids or grandkids. But I do remember generations of… -
Happy Mother's Day
11 May 2012 | 6:00 amSubscribe to The Grand Connection by Email Friday's Grand Connection Fun by Mary May Larmoyeux As Mother's Day approaches, I am reminded of the importance of a mom. She teaches the next generation about faith, and values, and love. No job could be more important. You may want to ask you grandchildren to draw a picture of what mom and home mean to them. It might be fun for you to help them frame the picture, for a special gift to their mom on Mother's Day. And, perhaps you'd like to share the words below with a mom you love. They were written… -
A birthday surprise
8 May 2012 | 6:00 amSubscribe to Grand Connection by Email Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought by Mary May Larmoyeux Heart-to-heart celebrations and making memories go hand in hand. I was reminded of this after I posted last Friday's Grand Connection, "A teaparty keepsake." After reading it, my dear friend Rita sent me an e-mail that I just have to share with you. "On my 80th birthday," she began, my four daughters decided to come for a birthday surprise." Rita's husband told her to wear something nice, but she had no idea what her daughters were cooking up for mom. After driving to… -
A tea party keepsake
5 May 2012 | 6:00 amSubscribe to Grand Connection by Email Friday's Grand Connection Fun by Mary May Larmoyeux There is something special about little girls and tea parties. Our granddaughters love them! I've had some informal tea parties with the girls, but never a really planned-out event. Family Fun magazine had a wonderful article once called "Our Grandmothers' Tea." The author, Shannon Mills, tells about hosting an annual tea party for her children's grandmothers. She said that she surprised her daughters with a keepsake album about the women in their family. She asked each grandmother to write a short… -
A Big Mess
1 May 2012 | 6:00 amSubscribe to Grand Connection by Email Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought by Mary May Larmoyeux Not too long ago when Pops and I babysat for two of our grands, our granddaughter decided to go through the toy cabinet. She was really excited about all that she found there. Before I knew it, she had dumped out the puzzles—I think there were about twenty. What a mess! And there was no way that she could put all of the puzzles back together without some help. After a prayer for patience and a reminder that God can work out everything for good, I assured her that I would help. My…
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Grandma Ideas: Fun Activities to do with Grandchildren
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Technology for Grandma and Grandchildren
15 May 2012 | 11:15 amA while back, I told my readers about Picnik — an online photo editing site. In 2010, Google bought the company. Alas, as of April 19, 2012, the Picnik is over. It is gone – never to return. So what’s a person to do who wants simple photo editing tools but doesn’t want to pay an arm and a leg and give up their first born to purchase Photoshop? Ah! I’ve just recently stumbled across a fabulous answer that I want to share here. Get Paint. Paint is a free software (for Windows based machines) that started out as an undergraduate design project for college seniors… -
Bubbles for Grandchildren
9 May 2012 | 10:00 amSaturday I held a Bubble Bash for my grandchildren. I sure had fun! One of my son’s college professors did a fun bubble activity for his daughter’s birthday. He cut a dryer vent hose in half, duct taped the ends together so it made a circle, and filled it with bubble solution. He wrapped yarn around a hula hoop. His daughter stood inside the circle that the dryer vent made. He dipped the hula hoop in the solution and pulled it up so his daughter was standing in a bubble. I wanted to do that. Really bad. I talked to the professor to find out exactly how he did it. One thing he said… -
Make an I Spy Bottle with Grandkids
7 May 2012 | 9:04 pmOn the Internet, I have seen where others have made I Spy bottles with their children. I thought that was a splendid idea — one that could easily be done with grandchildren. (Blessed be the Internet. How in the world did we ever survive before it came along?) It was also an activity that my spectacular non-crafty skills could handle. So, I stopped at a local craft store and bought a fancy plastic bottle for each of my grandchildren. I bought several smallish gizmos that would fit inside the bottle that I thought would be fun for the grandkids to find. It was rather challenging… -
Cake In A Cup Variation
1 May 2012 | 9:48 pmDo you remember 2 years ago when I wrote about making a cake in a cup? My student employees absolutely loved making these fun little cakes. I did, too. (And we all loved EATING them, too!) Well, the other day in the newspaper, there was an article about coffee cup cooking. The article had 3 recipes that I knew I just had to share here. One was for a coffee cake, one was a quiche, and the last one was a chilaquiles. Yum, yum, yum. What the heck is a chilaquiles? you ask. Well, I didn’t know either so I checked the mother-lode of all knowledge — Wikipedia. Come to find out, this…
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Christian Grandparents
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Too soon olt
7 May 2012 | 2:48 pmAn old Mennonite saying that my parents liked to quote was, "Too soon olt; too late shmart." We still quote it, usually with a laugh, but when it comes right down to it, for us grandparents, these words hold a sad reality.As grandparents, we've already made some horrific mistakes that ended in years of anguish. We were smart back in our youth, at least we thought we were; much smarter than our concerned parents. We had it all together. We were the parents of young children, and we reserved the right raise them ourselves and make our own mistakes. And we did, thinking all the… -
God fulfills the desires of grandparents and grandchildren
25 Mar 2012 | 4:19 pmAgain, I am overwhelmed at the leading of the Lord, and His tenderness in answering the prayers of a Grandma for her Grandchildren.I have been praying that God would do something special for my granddaughter to show her how much He cared for her. He had already, many times, but the young, just as the old, need constant reminders.Noelia had been looking forward to doing homeschool on our new property. She was almost as excited about the land as I was. There would be less textbook stuff and more hands on learning. And she would be able to feed chickens and pet the lambs,… -
The generous heart of a grandchild
10 Dec 2011 | 8:32 pmHow refreshing it is to be the benefactor of a grandchild's innocent generosity! There is nothing quite like it.It happened to me the other day, and it will always be one of my treasured memories. We had been running into road blocks trying to buy a certain piece of land, and I think our grandchildren must have sensed our discouragement. I must have been saying "if we get the land" instead of "when we get it".Noelia looked up at me with innocent sweetness mixed with underlying determination. "Grandma, you can have my money to buy the land." I was touched; how could I gently refuse her… -
Old fashioned Grandparents in an old fashioned setting
27 Nov 2011 | 7:31 pmHave you ever done something "crazy", but deep down you knew it actually made good sense, especially when you thought of it in terms of your grandchildren?To most of the world we are considered at the retirement stage of life: Sit back, pick up your knitting needles, and enjoy doing very little. The problem is that inactivity is neither healthy, nor fun, nor is it very productive. Yes, knitting may be a useful way to spend an evening, and the grandchildren will enjoy the socks or sweater, but is it enough?For us, even though my husband has just gone through a major health… -
A Poem for Grandparent's day
10 Sep 2011 | 6:14 pmGrandparents, We Love YouWe're blessed to know that we are lovedBy someone wise and true,Someone who loves us as we areThat someone, of course is you.You listen not just when we smile,But even when we grumble,Although you sometimes have to sayWe shouldn't always mumble.We want you to know we love you too; We really do adore you. We appreciate the things you do,And thank God daily for you.Happy Grandparent DayDedicated to each of my dedicated grandparent friends who follow this blog.
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Mimi's Toes
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Mother's Day 2012
14 May 2012 | 6:15 amMother's Day started for me on Thursday night, May 10 with LTYM show my daughter, Steph directed and produced. What a fun night it was, listening to the AMAZING ladies share their unique stories to a Sold Out Opera House. I have never been so proud of my daughter. Her stage presence is just jaw dropping amazing to me. She commands an audience. The Mother's Day celebration continued the next night at grandson, Carter's baseball game with a Birthday Celebration for son-in-law Jeff afterwards at Valpo Velvet ice cream parlor. I was given my gift that… -
Battlefield of the Mind
7 May 2012 | 12:00 pmI admit I am not an avid reader. I received this book from my co-worker (my bosses wife) who is also my prayer partner. She knows the struggles I have had in the past with some family issues. I started reading and it has been my therapy. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has gone thru or is going thru a head war. For years I have been trying to figure out how I can fix certain issues, but I learned that if I just give them to God and step back, he will fix them in his time. The more I tried to fix them, the more it would… -
Happy 3rd Birthday Jack Jack
2 May 2012 | 6:40 amSpecial Birthday Wishes to my Sweet, comical grandson, Jackson Kent. He celebrated with his sister, mom & dad on his Birthday. We will celebrate with the whole family on Saturday with a backyard cookout at his house. Jack Jack has brought so much Joy to our family. When he and his sister spent the night last Saturday night, he woke up with a frown on his face and said "mimi, I dreamed that a dinosaur was chasing me" I told him it was only a dream and I would ask Jesus to take that memory away from him. He smiled real big and said "ok, thank you… -
Jolly Rancher
30 Apr 2012 | 3:31 pmI had the best weekend that started Friday eve. with a pizza / babysitting party at my moms. I do a lot of babysitting at her house for Steph's kids because of dog allergies that Gray has when he stays too long at my house, and it gives my mom company and she gets to be with the kids and enjoy the festivities without leaving her lazy boy chair. After dinner, Noah & Ivy went with me to Dairy Dip to pick up dessert. When we got in the van, on the way, Noah, all smiles asked me if I liked Jolly Rancher candies. Of course I said yes. He pulled one out of his… -
Missing my sister
24 Apr 2012 | 9:22 amLast week was such a Blurr, but one thing I won't forget is how my sister became my nurse and with her tender loving care, brought me thru a storm. She ended up flying with my mom to bring her back home when I had to cancel my flight plans due to a colon infection and ulcerative colitis flare up. My moms house was my hospital and Diane was my nurse. I wasn't able to eat much and was trying to find foods that I could tolerate. Diane made me a pot of her homemade chicken & dumplins and that was just what the dr. ordered. After eating the first few bites, I felt…
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Pammie's Place
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Prom Night!
11 May 2012 | 5:10 pmTonight is Prom Night for our youngest son; he and his friends went there via a ‘party bus’ – here’s a photo of the entire ‘bus’ group: Not sure just how many kids are attending prom. Here is our son, in a friend’s borrowed ‘fancy coat’, and with his date: They were going to a country club park for more pictures, then on to the prom at a very nice establishment. I’m guessing we won’t see him until the wee hours. Just wanted to share the photos! Hugs; Pammie (aka: “Proud Mama”) -
Just Because . . .
10 May 2012 | 5:12 pmJust because it’s been such a nice day today – I decided to write a blog. Been amusing myself on the Kraft Foods site, going through many vegetable recipes and thought: “Hey! I could post today – there are SO many good-sounding recipes here!” (So – here I am!) It seems that, among the many various recipe sites I belong to, there are lots & lots of main dish recipes and tons of desserts, but very few recipes for vegetables. (If you’re ever in a pinch on vegetables – go to the Kraft foods site – they’ve got 78 PAGES of recipes,… -
SO Thankful!
9 May 2012 | 9:53 amThere are times in life when you really don’t realize just HOW grateful you are until you come to that realization. (Yes, I understand – that last sentence really was obtuse – sorry, I’ll explain). Just called the OB/GYN’s office for the results of the last pap test (sorry, hope this doesn’t gross anyone out). I went to the doctor’s a week + 1 day ago after (goofing up) waiting 2 years between check ups. I know – I’ve been a firm advocate of getting check ups for ‘lady parts’ for years and then I go and goof it up. Anyway, even… -
Wet, Wet Weather . . . sigh
7 May 2012 | 8:36 amGuess I should expect that since we really didn’t get very many rainy days in April, those “April Showers” would come in May – who knew? It’s a grey, dreary day today, 50 degrees – just the kind of day to make you want to grab your flannel pajamas and crawl back in bed! Oh well, let’s not let a few rain drops darken our day, shall we? (Not that I have any ‘pressing’ commitments to do today, just have to make a quick trip to the drug store for milk and a few sundries). Not much new around here, it’s been a quiet weekend-YAY! This is… -
Thoughts on a Thursday
3 May 2012 | 9:15 amGood Day! Hope you are having a great, sunny Thursday – it’s another kind of grey day, but the weather’s improving in the ‘warmth’ area – yesterday it got up to 83 degrees by around 5 p.m. – quite amazing! We’re supposed to get rain just about all week – that’s OK – the flowers & plants will need it. Went for a check up to my Ob/Gyn Tues. and discovered I’d shrunk another 1/2 inch – (I have Scoliosis in my upper back) s0 now I’m a ‘towering’ 5′ 4 1/2 inchs (used to be 5′ 6″…
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Super Granny
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“THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL”
1 May 2012 | 10:02 amWhat a delight! I was recently privileged to be invited to a pre-release screening of this delightful new movie from Great Britain featuring some of our favorite grandparent-aged actors: Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, and other luminaries of British film. They played their roles without vanity – with wrinkles and wattles in full view, which didn't take anything away from their good looks. The story is about a group of retired people with limited means, none of whom know each other (except for the one married couple), who respond to a brochure offering an inexpensive… -
DELIGHTFUL PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT GRANDPARENTS
28 Mar 2012 | 4:05 pmI have recently come across four charming picture books about grandmothers and grandfathers, and the only negative thing I have to say is that I no longer have grandchildren in the picture-book stage!All four of these books are published by a small firm, FlashLight Press, and all are written and illustrated by different and equally talented author/artist teams. The stories are entertaining and even thought-provoking, the pictures are delightful, and I think they will bear the test of your having to read them over and over and over again. I haven’t been able to choose a favorite, so I’ll… -
Books That Impacted My Life
16 Mar 2012 | 4:40 pmRecently, in connection with the 120th anniversary of the magnificent Port Washington (NY) Public Library, where I spent so many valuable hours and received so much good help, I was asked to name some of the books that have made a big difference in my life. Since I’m sure that my fellow grandmothers have read some of these – and if not, would like to read them - I’m copying here the choices I sent to the library."The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan and "The Second Sex" by Simone de Beauvoir. I read both of these books during the summer of 1963. I was a young mother with three small… -
HOW I MET YOUR FATHER
11 Feb 2012 | 12:02 pmFor this Valentine's Day week my colleague Bob Brody has been featuring several posts from parents writing letters to their children about how their mother and father met. My post in which I wrote to my children and my five grandchildren, went online yesterday, Friday, Feb. 10. Just go to http://letterstomykids.org/valentines-day-guest-columnist-sally-wendkos. Bob is also releasing the results of a survey he took asking parents how many had told their children about the parents' first meeting. You can get the survey findings at… -
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
25 Jan 2012 | 1:50 pmAs mothers we try to keep our children safe and free from harm, and then when the next generation comes along we try to provide the same kind of protection to our grandchildren. We even want to shield them from some of life’s emotional blows. But at some point we are often made painfully aware that our love and our best efforts are not always enough. They get hurt physically and they get hurt emotionally. When we – and they – are lucky, they recover and use those difficult times to learn from and to grow.But as was made clear to me anew by the publication of my daughter Dorri’s…
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Grandma Marilyn's
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Thinking of Mom
12 May 2012 | 1:07 pmMother’s Day is tomorrow. This got me to thinking about my mother, who passed away back on April 19, 2001 of Pancreatic Cancer. Mom and her friend, Gladys April 24, 1950, I turned 18. I had understood my mother to tell me that when I turned 18 that I had to move out of her [...] -
Nora Roberts Book Reviews
15 Feb 2012 | 3:11 pmI decided to write some reviews of the books I have been reading by Nora Roberts. Stop on by Nora Roberts Book Reviews. I have added some YouTube videos created by Nora Roberts and some with book reviews by other creators. To liven up this article, I have added a voting module on your favorite [...] -
New Patterns Uploaded 1-29-12
30 Jan 2012 | 12:04 amThe newest bead pattern to uploaded to Grandma Marilyn at the Boutique is a cutie. This business card sleeve was a joy to create. The Floral Pony Business Card Sleeve is a fantasy pony. I loved decorating her up. My Bead Angel, Candys McCulley (who is a bead pattern designer in her own right), beaded [...] -
What’s New 1-28-12
28 Jan 2012 | 10:19 pmOk, before I show you what I have uploaded recently in my Grandma Marilyn at the Boutique, I am going to tease you with a picture of a pattern that my Bead Angel, Ellen Roskopp, is working on. This pattern is the “Filet Rose Bracelet In Peyote – Color” that I told you I had [...] -
I’m On A Roll
22 Jan 2012 | 11:39 amI am still creating and uploading bead patterns into my Patterns In The Rough Category of my Grandma Marilyn At the Boutique bead pattern shop. I am so thrilled that my Muse is back. I have been procrastinating on my bead pattern designs for so long. I have so many that I need to show [...]
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Frugal New England Kitchen
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Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore | Easy Freezer Meal Recipes for Slow Cooker
29 Apr 2012 | 2:34 pmBy using your crockpot or slow cooker more often, take advantage of sales on beef and chicken, and try making several cheap crock pot recipes such as this Freezer Crockpot Chicken Cacciatora. Meal Planning Helps Lower The Grocery Bill I’ve been trying to take advantage of B1G1 grocery sales on meat and chicken lately to make ahead using easy freezer meal recipes. Usually I cook dinner for two at night, but even though my family is grown, our grocery bill expenses haven’t gone down since when the kids lived at home. I still prepare most of my large meals on the weekends,… -
Crockpot Freezer Meals | Beef Stew Slow Cooker Recipe | Home Organization
22 Apr 2012 | 2:38 pmNow that I’ve transferred to a new city for my full-time job, I don’t have the convenience of being able to stop by a grocery store during lunchtime to pick up a few things for that evening’s dinner. Since I like to use my crockpot, I’m taking advantage of cooking in a crockpot by planning ahead and putting together some crockpot freezer meals such as this recipe for Freezer Crockpot Beef Stew. Crockpot Freezer Meals Beef prices have risen recently because of the high cost of gas and transportation. Rather than buy sirloin tips for my stew, Shoulder… -
Layered Spinach Salad | Get Together Goodies | Party Food
7 Apr 2012 | 11:46 amHere’s an easy and simple Layered Spinach Salad recipe that sits overnight in the refrigerator and will have your guests asking you where you got the recipe! Whether you’re planning a Holiday breakfast brunch, birthday, anniversary or graduation party, sports banquet, PTA meeting, or backyard BBQ, What’s a party without food? Back by popular demand, as promised, I said I’d have some ideas for a brunch buffet, wine and libations set out and waiting for you! Layered Spinach Salad This is one of my favorites from when I belonged to the Junior Woman’s Club, where… -
Sweet Raspberry Tea Cakes | Hood Sour Cream | Bundt Cake
1 Apr 2012 | 8:05 amWho doesn’t love cake? They’re one of the most popular desserts for birthdays, weddings, and the holidays. We eat cake for all types of parties. Easter is just around the corner, and Spring is a busy month for my family as we celebrate 3 special occasions, so I’ll be busy in the kitchen baking several birthday cakes! Tea Cakes Hood is celebrating the upcoming holidays with their Sweet Raspberry Tea Cakes recipe using Hood Sour Cream and Hood Half & Half and raspberry jam that you can save and bookmark to your collection. Sweet Raspberry Tea Cakes Sweet Raspberry Tea…
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Toy Queen | Educational Toys and Games | Babies | Toddlers | Preschoolers | Kids
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Worst Mother’s Day Gift Ever
13 May 2012 | 5:48 amI just woke up from the weirdest dream ever. I raced across New York City through cabs and elevators to return to the hotel for Gavin’s left over chicken fingers prior to going to Wagamama for dinner. In my dream state, it took 2 hours to get those chicken fingers to Wagamama. Where, in my conscious opinion, we’ve been served some of the best chicken fingers ever. Maybe it’s because today is Mother’s Day. Even in our subconscious we are sacrificing and thinking about caring for our children. Though I personally don’t think we should need a Hallmark holiday to… -
Lifeproof iPhone Case Review
11 May 2012 | 3:27 am©Lifeproof As a multi-tasking adult, my iPhone 4S is the biggest and most expensive toy that I have. Given that I have a 2-year-old and work with kids throughout the school day, often handing over my iPhone to access educational apps, many parents have cringed as I have freely passed over this expensive device without any worries. Initially my iPhone was covered by the Apple warranty. Now my iPhone is protected by the Lifeproof iPhone case. Lifeproof states, “This is a waterproof, shockproof, dustproof, and snowproof case. It gives individuals complete freedom to use their iPhone in… -
AllerMates: Allergy Bracelets for Kids
7 May 2012 | 12:28 pm©AllerMates Professionally I have seen a HUGE increase in children with life threatening allergies to foods and the environment. My son’s daycare is peanut free, as well as many of the schools that I work in. Signs in the buildings everywhere caution teachers, parents and visitors about peanut allergies, but not all people notice them or are sensitive to the severity of this issue. It is a serious source of stress for the parents of these children because some kids don’t just go into anaphylactic shock from eating this food, others can be so allergic they react from touching a… -
Kids Sunscreen & Sun Safety
7 May 2012 | 5:00 amI was recently picked to be one of the Coopertone Water MOMS! This program enlists parents and bloggers nationwide to not only spread the name of the Coppertone brand,but learn and share some basic fasts about sun safety. Though it hasn’t been all that warm here in the NorthEast to apply much sunscreen yet, no matter which brand of kids sunscreen you are loyal to, here are some facts and ideas provided to me in a brochure by Coppertone that may be helpful to your family. 1. Follow the Numbers Choose a Broad Spectrum sunscreen SPF 15 or higher whenever you’re outdoors 2. Select… -
Alphabet Smart Blocks
5 May 2012 | 6:03 am©Kristins Gifts Learning the letters of the alphabet can be difficult for some and easy for others. Some kids love letters, while others want nothing to do with them, leaving their parents angered and frustrated on how they are going to master this critical life skill for reading and writing. Many parents often tell me how their children don’t like to sit with them and work on pencil and paper tasks but they will with their teachers and other professionals. So my little nugget of information in this area is to find a tool that is not always pencil and paper and combine it with…
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Grandma's Briefs
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Grandma guilt strikes again
15 May 2012 | 6:01 amThrough the 20+ years I spent raising my three daughters, guilt was an emotion I wore reluctantly yet often. Daily, in fact. Obsessively. The list of things I—and other mothers, surely—had to feel guilty about was endless. Did I nurse long enough? Too long? Eat correctly to make the best breastmilk I could? Oh, I should not have had that beer...or the second one. Did I start them in school too early? Too late? Help them enough with their homework? Or too much? And the clothes, the cool and expensive clothes I couldn't afford! I surely damaaged their self esteem making them wear… -
Introducing GRAND Social — A linky for grandparent bloggers
14 May 2012 | 1:00 amMy friend and fellow grandma blogger Connie recently started a linky called Say It Saturday on her Family Home and Life blog. For those who don't know what a linky is, it's a feature that invites other bloggers to add blog post links related to a particular topic, and Connie's chosen topic is anything related to grandparenting. Connie's hope with the SIS feature is to help create a network for fellow grandparent bloggers. Right away Connie had several grandma bloggers posting their links, myself included. Funny thing is, although I've been a grandma blogger for nearly three years and pretty… -
Happy Mother's Day
13 May 2012 | 5:00 am -
The Saturday Post: Historical misconceptions edition
12 May 2012 | 6:00 amA few things to consider, courtesy of Open Culture. As I've said before, we're never too old to learn. Today's question: Which debunking surprised you? (Me? The vomitorium explanation.) -
Friday field trip: Children's Museum of Phoenix
11 May 2012 | 6:00 amOn the final day of my recent stay with Bubby and Baby Mac, we went to the Children's Museum of Phoenix. The museum is located less than 10 minutes from the airport, so it was a great way to end the visit—and gave us a spot to play in case my flight was delayed. The Children's Museum of Phoenix is three floors of fun and one of Bubby's favorite places to play. It was Baby Mac's first time there, and he found plenty of fun himself. We started on the top floor, with the plan to work our way down. The "Noodle Forest" is the highlight there and something Bubby couldn't wait to show Gramma.
