Text to Gramma: Jak and the Lord

I used to visit my three grandsons in the desert far more often than I have recently. Preston, the boys' dad, used to regularly attend work-related conferences, and Megan usually joined him. Which meant Gramma (that would be me) was flown to the desert to babysit the boys while Mom and Dad were away.

Add in a desert visit initiated by myself — sometimes with PawDad (that would be Jim) in tow — and the time between hugs and face-to-face fun were rather short. Which was fabulous for being aware and awed but not shocked by the growth of Bubby and Mac between visits.

That's not the case with Jak, who is now nearly 2 1/2 years old. Preston attends fewer conferences of late for various reasons; I haven't had the time or money to schedule many trips to see the boys myself. So I don't see Jak as often as I did his brothers during the toddler years.

Because of the limited in-person connecting with Jak, I'm regularly flabbergasted by how much he grows between Facetimes and photos and phone calls. He never fails to advance by leaps and bounds physically, socially, verbally, developmentally in myriad and magical ways.

A text from Megan on Monday demonstrated...

Read More

Wherein Facebook eases Grandma's eyes

I haven't seen my grandsons in two months and nine days, give or take an hour or two.

I miss the goofballs, to say the least.

With no visits currently on the calendar — neither them to my place nor me to theirs — a social media share such as this one that Megan posted yesterday on Facebook is a...

Read More

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...

Read More

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

Read More