Entertaining grandkids: 3 sure things

Entertaining grandkids: 3 sure things

As a long-distance grandma with visits being few and far between, I feel obligated to provide memorable merriment for my three grandsons each time I see them. I put careful consideration into packing my grandma bag with goodies and games and crafty ideas galore.

Sometimes the magical makings I lug 800 miles to my grandsons' door elicit exactly the enjoyment I'd hoped. Sometimes they fail. Especially if picking a Pinterest activity to try together without trying it first myself.

When I visited Bubby, Mac, and Jak last month, I failed at more than a few things. On the other hand, there were a few that surpassed my expectations in terms of the enjoyment factor for the boys. Three in particular were a huge success, and these will likely have a spot in my grandma bag each visit going forward.

Following are those three sure things because if they entertain my grandkids, I'm willing to bet they'll entertain most. Consider them as go-to options for your grandma bag — or to have on hand if you're one of those fortunate grandmas whose grandkiddos live nearby.

FREAKY FACES APPLE SNACK

Now, this one didn't require me packing much in my grandma bag, just a quick trip to the grocery store upon my arrival for the fixings: apples, strawberries, chocolate chips, and peanut butter, plus anything not stocked in Megan's pantry that I needed for this recipe for the freaky eyes (which needs to be made at least 24 hours before snack assembly as the eyes need to dry).

freaky face apple snacks

They're pretty simple: Just quarter an apple; remove...

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More than grandkids: What else I found in the desert

When I visit my grandsons in the desert, I take lots and lots of photos of them.

Bubby, Mac, and Jak may be my primary focus, but the flora and fauna of the relatively foreign land in which my grandkiddos live get my camera (iPhone and otherwise) clicking now and again, too.

Here are a few of my non-grandchild shots from my recent desert visit, all taken in my daughter's front and back yards, all things I've never found in my own front or back yards... or anywhere in Colorado, for that matter:

desert flower

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Final countdown! Plus, GRAND Social No. 204 link party for grandparents

Final Countdown

With mere hours remaining in my desert visit, I'm soaking up as much fun in the sun with my grandkiddos as I can.

Shooting as many photos as I can, too. Here are a few I especially love:

toddler and book
Jak enjoys a book break.

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Muggin' it up

My grandsons get plenty of goodies from the Easter Bunny at their house at Easter time, so I didn't dare attempt competing with Mr. EB when considering what to send Bubby, Mac, and Jak for the holiday. I had to send them something, though, as a simple token of love from Gramma and PawDad on special occasions is a must.

So I sent them silly little mugs with straws in the handles from the dollar store, filled with enough sour worms, sour jelly beans, and other soury sweetness to last them a week or so.

Or an afternoon. Depending.

I thought the boys would appreciate the unusual mugs labeled with their names... and the sour candy. The pics Megan...

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What's been missing! Plus, GRAND Social No. 197 link party for grandparents

What's been missing!

Grandma's Briefs is all about the lifestyle of a grandma. Though I've recenty shared things part and parcel of this grandma's lifestyle, such as travel pieces and movie reviews, I've been remiss in sharing what makes this grandma, well, a grandma.

Meaning, my grandsons, who've been missing from Grandma's Briefs lately as other things have been all consuming.

So today I remedy that — right here, right now — with two videos of the munchkins.

First, the early morning greeting Bubby and Mac sent to Jim (aka PawDad) on his birthday last Wednesday:

Next, a video of Jak displaying his newfound skill of...

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My grandsons aren't normal

"My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."

~ Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic

I love that quote. I do believe, though, it applies not only to "darling" girls, but darling boys, too.

Particularly when those darling boys are my darling grandsons.

My abnormal grandsons.

See, my grandsons aren't normal. It doesn't take long scrolling through my photos of Bubby, Mac, and Jak to find evidence of their abnormalness.

weird kids wait in line for IT'S TOUGH TO BE A BUG 

...

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