Everyone is surrounded with hearts. Hearts float around us in people, in words, in gestures and in things. But not everyone sees them, feels them or acknowledges them. My 6-year old grandson Alex is one of the people who has the gift to find hearts just about everywhere, and in everyone and everything.  Alex loves people.  Audrey has said from [...]

A sudden medical emergency is always trying.  It always rearranges lives.  It’s always frightening and stressful and life-changing. When a medical emergency strikes your son-in-law and leaves your daughter and their 4 children in a blur of whats and what-ifs and what now… well, the grandparents step into their world as quickly as possible to lend their hearts and hands. [...]

I am very blessed to see my 9 grandchildren as often as I want.  They all live within 40 minutes or so from each other, and 30 minutes, max, from Barry and me. We are fortunate enough to be able to attend lots and lots of activities… at their schools, sporting events (swimming, ballet, baseball, softball, running, lacrosse, soccer, hip-hop, [...]

Down came the rains and washed the Snowman out… Can I be heartbroken over a melted Snowman? Yes, when my 3-year old grandson Henry meticulously created the Snowman (on top of my patio table that should have been winter-stored by now) from perfectly packed snow, winter berries, sticks, a carrot, ferns, mittens that no longer fit him and his wonderful [...]

This is The Story of the Birthday Egg. The Little Birthday Egg is a gift from our oldest granddaughter, Taylor.  I wrote about it almost 2 years ago as my family celebrated the Birthday of our beloved NanaFlo. Taylor gave this special gift to Barry and me on the day NanaFlo would have celebrated her 91st Birthday.  It was just [...]

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!    

There are a couple of lines from an old Irving Berlin song that express thanks.  They go something like this: I got the sun in the mornin’ And the moon at night… Well, I’m goin’ on to add grandchildren to the sun and the moon… and when we get all the grandkids in one day, that’s a mighty thankful day. [...]

There is one thing, I think, that should be brought back to every, single school. It’s a simple thing. It’s a signaling thing. It’s a sound thing. It’s The School Bell… The School Bell cuts through the morning silence with the promise of learning, of discovery, of magical lands and thoughts so far, far away. The School Bell signals kids [...]

There’s just something so feel good about pumpkins! Maybe it’s because pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes and even shades… just like people. Or maybe because pumpkins can be carved, cooked, decoupaged, decorated or dazzled with candles and twinkling lights. And how about pumpkins as is, with their sturdy stems that become the definition of fragile when a child comes [...]

At a local family restaurant, there’s this Loser Machine that Audrey’s 4 boys are in love with. Well, it’s sort of a love-hate relationship with the enticingly shiny, mirrored quarter-gobbling machine filled with colorful stuffed animals that you catch with a slippery claw one time in a zillion. That’s why Barry and I started calling the beast a Loser Machine [...]