A handmade Crocodile prop, a poem & a grandson combine for a “cheerful grin”!

How to delight a child with a poem and a bit of imagination… Yesterday afternoon, my 3-year old grandson Henry asked, “Grandma, do you have any new poems?” (Since January 1st, I’ve been doing some posts about poems & kids… and I have some built-in grandkids around to experiment with.  I call it Take 2 [...]

The Biggest Miracles come from Giving…

Awhile ago, on the day my family celebrated NanaFlo’s 91st birthday… even though NanaFlo was already an Angel… my oldest granddaughter, Taylor, came to the party with a gift for Barry and me. It was a gift of a small glass egg and a lovely note… What amazed me on that evening is that Taylor [...]

Grandchildren and a Magic Christmas Decorating Touch

Magic begins with Grandchildren. The library. And a hunt for Pine Cones and Winterberries. Then you’ve got yourself not only Magic… but Magic Christmas Decorations! I have never had more Magical Christmas Decorations in my entire life… And memories to last a lifetime!    

A “Captured” Grandson Birthday Wish

If you could reach out and capture a Grandson’s Birthday Wish as it melted into the candles, wrapped itself in the blanket of smoke and floated into the universe… would you? 9-year old Andrew is deep in thought and concentration, making perhaps the most important wish of all. … then the most perfect wish of [...]

How-to (eek!) amend a mother-in-law’s Clam Dip recipe

When I met my husband Barry all those decades ago, I had never heard of something called Clam Dip. And when I visited Barry’s Mom, Flo, for the first time, I didn’t particularly feel that I wanted to taste something called Clam Dip. But I did.  Because that’s what you do when you meet your [...]

How-to Have Grandchildren Fun Without Spending a Dime

There’s a little verse by Robert Louis Stevenson that goes something like this… The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings. I grew up in a simpler time.  I know.  I know.  You’ve all heard this from your parents & grandparents… But it’s [...]

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY, ANDREW!

Today, my mind wanders back to that joyous November day 9 years ago when a whole bunch of us spent a day much like today… sunny, warm, gloriously happy… waiting for a little baby to be born. It was a Saturday. We didn’t know if this little baby was a boy or a girl.  I [...]

How To Make a Grandma Happy

I have a little 4-year old grandson, Ben, who knows all the ingredients to HAPPINESS… 1.  One cup of leaves (“For your leaf collection, Grandma.”): I didn’t know I had a leaf collection until I received this beautiful gift.  I do now!  I keep my HAPPINESS Cup of Leaves on my desk… 2.  12 Rigatonis, [...]

A grandson, a “secret bathroom” and a temperamental lock. Uh, oh.

Barry and I are taking care of our grandchildren Taylor (10) and Andrew (8) while their Mom and Dad and several friends are in Baltimore participating in all the festivities of the Baltimore Running Festival and running the Baltimore Marathon tomorrow. Godspeed, guys! We planned for this months ago, long before my Mom’s surgery date [...]

My beautiful grandson ALEXANDER turns 6!

It was Jane’s dog Ryder’s 3rd birthday.  January 30, 2005.  I was standing in Jane’s kitchen in Rhode Island and we were singing Happy Birthday to Rydie while circling her with a little cake. My cell phone rang… showing a call from Audrey who was living in New York City with Matt and 4-month old [...]

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