After traveling by plane, train and automobile to see Bubby (the train being the underground one at the airport; I've not reached Amtrak-traveling grandma status yet!), I've decided it may be better that he lives 819 miles away from me. Little kids just take so much out of ya.

For example:

When Megan and I took Bubby to the outlet mall for a little shopping, he wanted to stop and check out the water fountain and the Christmas decorations.

Who needs that? We were trying to get some shopping done.

And little boys require Grandma to be in better shape ... for playing chase in the backyard or pushing him on the ride toy 327 times, shouting "put your feet up, keep your feet up" over and over along the way.

Who needs that?

And when it comes to settling in for a quiet evening of watching television, little kids do things like giggle and grin and make a ruckus when their dog wants attention or they want to read their favorite Elmo Christmas book again and again and again.

Who needs that?

And who needs to take time out of the day to watch Mommy run around the house giving Bubby rides on her shoulders or put everything down to snap shots of a little boy enjoying a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or listen to him babble on about his best buddies, whose photo he's got in his favorite photo book?

Really, who needs that?

And who needs a little boy's fingers reaching under the bathroom door as Grandma's trying to get in the shower, with his giggling and laughing as Grandma reaches down to grab his fingers interrupting an otherwise peaceful morning routine?

Or who needs a little boy to spontaneously lean in and grab Grandma around the waist to give her "love-love" as she pushes him around the crazy aisles of Walmart?

And who needs to have the serving of dinner at the restaurant be put on hold as the server plops the plate in front of the grandbaby and Mom and Dad begin -- without a single word exchanged! -- a gracefully choreographed routine in which Dad grabs the watermelon and begins cutting it into bite-size pieces as Mom nabs the bowl of macaroni and blows and blows to cool it, with Bubby all the while sitting in between the two, swinging his legs and smiling as he patiently waits for the signal to dig in.

C'mon now. Really, who needs that?

I, for one, certainly don't need that.

But ... I want that.

I want to witness those tiny mundane moments that make up a happy home, a happy family. I want to be part of that, especially when it comes to the home and family of my daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

And I did this past weekend. And I'm oh-so thankful to Megan, Preston and Bubby for letting me and Jim join them.

And to show my appreciation, I'll work really hard at being just as patient as Bubby was while waiting for his dinner, as I wait for the next 36 days to pass until my January visit with my favorite little family.

Today's question from "The Christmas Conversation Piece":

If fallen snow had a scent, what scent would you want it to have?

My answer: The smell of sugar cookies baking in the oven. (It would make the shoveling of the darn stuff a little more pleasant, that's for sure!)