The magic in little gifts from grandkids… My desk sits in front of a window that overlooks my little town with all of its swirling sights, sounds, scents… And magically changing seasons. I have my own little window to the world. In winter, I can see the masts of the sailboats in our harbor just down the hill a bit.  [...]

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, 20 inches orange hemp, 1 [...]

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my grandson Ben and a little stuffed animal he “won” in one of those Claw Toy Machines… aka (in my  household) The Loser Machine. I think I totally caved into The Loser Machine hype when I wrote:  I now think all of those stuffed animals in the enticingly shiny, mirrored quarter-gobbling machine [...]

One day last week, I was watching all 4 of Audrey and Matt’s boys in their back yard. 6-year old William was climbing over a rather formidable pile of to-be-discarded tree trunks. 5-year old Alex was climbing all over a rock that’s about 5′ tall. 3-year old Henry was demanding asking that I please push him way harder than medium…. [...]

Last week, I wrote about the Button Tin that had belonged to my late mother-in-law Flo. I know she was sifting through those buttons with me… because I had a special little project going on for her precious great-grandchildren. NanaFlo’s love for her great-grandchildren was, and still is, bigger than all the button tins on earth and in heaven combined. [...]

I remember loving May 16th (Faye Lerish’s birthday – one of my best friend’s from childhood) throughout my childhood. I love May 16th because I knew… in 7 days… it would be my birthday. May 23rd. I have always loved my birthday. I’m one of those people who has literally spent the last 30 something years counting down from May [...]

Just before Thanksgiving, when still in the food shopping, preparation and house cleaning mode, I wrote about being drawn to the special drawer where I still keep many of my late mother-in-law’s special things. This drawer is the bottom right drawer of a white wicker 7-drawer bureau that belonged to Flo.  Barry and I bought the wicker bedroom set for [...]

Doggies, it’s your turn. And when I say Jane’s doggies are my grand-babies, they are! Enjoy this as some of my other grandchildren joined in on the FUN! Featured: FURminator Bathing Essentials Kit from PetSmart BioBag Biodegradable Dog Waste Bags from PupLife.com Orbee-Tuff® Bulb with Treat Spot™ from Planet Dog Ruff-N-Tuff Reindeer from West Paw Design Sojos Grain-Free Dog Treats [...]

WIN our Holiday must-haves for KIDS! KIDS! KIDS! Featured Products: Olive Kids’ Personalized Floor Pillow VTech’s Create-A-Story Reading System Sea Pals World ThinkFun’s 36 Cube Hasbro’s NERF N-Strike Vulcan Hasbro’s Tooth Tunes Pull-Ups Cool Alert Playskool’s Clipo Basic Figure Set Wowwee’s FlyTech Tinker Bell CONGRATS TO JOANNA S.!!

I am having a rather feisty debate with a very good friend about the concept of “The Wish List”… and I need your help.  Here’s the deal… My friend gives her husband, her children, her mom and her family a LIST of things that she WISHES for as holiday gifts.  She has been doing this for as long as I’ve [...]