What's so great about a Disney Grand Adventure: Multiple generations weigh in

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My daughter, grandsons, and I all agree that Walt Disney World just may be the most magical place on the planet. We all have different reasons for believing so, though, especially as it relates to our recent visit there together.

disney grand adventure

Here, a quick — and far from complete — list of what each of us thought most made our Disney Grand Adventure as magical, memorable, and grand as could possibly be:

Mac, age 4

  • The not-too-scary rides, especially The...
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Perfectly natural, plus GRAND Social No. 189 link party for grandparents

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Perfectly natural

My daughter, Megan, mother to my three grandsons, arranges for an annual family portrait with a professional photographer. Though the photos always look super to me from my biased grandma perspective, try as they might — photographer, Mom, and Dad — one or another of the boys (or parents) are looking away or blinking or being unhappy or uncooperative in each and every shot.

The same happens when I attempt photos of all three boys together (as a trio or with me). Even more so when Megan and Preston pose with their boys. The results tend to be far from perfect when seeking perfection.

family at beach

Megan and Preston visited San Diego over the weekend, the boys in tow as

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The makings of a Grand Adventure

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Last week I revealed the signs that 2016 would surely be my year. Already, it's shaping up to be exactly that thanks to an upcoming, all-new experience I recently added to the last week of my January 2016 calendar.

I've known for a couple weeks now, but I've been a little leery of sharing publicly as it seemed a wee bit too good to be true. I'm still a little leery — despite plans officially in place — so I shall present it to you piecemeal in hopes of not jinxing anything.

My big reveal, a little at a time:

What do you get when you take an adorable seven-year-old...

seven year old 

plus a wacky four-year-old...

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The hero of the holidays: 4 ways to bring family together

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Dear readers: I've flown to the desert to be with my grandsons for a few days! As I play hooky, I'd like to share with you this helpful holiday-themed guest post from author and speaker Margery Leveen Sher.

heart ornament

The hero of the holidays: 4 ways to bring family together

Ah, the holidays are upon us. What does it bring to your mind? Catching up with relatives you haven’t seen for a while? Gorging on turkey and treasured, old family recipes? Enjoying...

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An evil weevil repeat

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Dear readers: Several years ago I shared the following story as part of a paid campaign. Here I share it again (modified) simply because weevils and their evils are on my mind once more as I prepare to host Thanksgiving dinner.

indian corn
photo: stock.xchng

Many years ago I established a tradition of spreading Indian-corn kernels on the Thanksgiving dinner table. Friends and family are invited to place kernels symbolizing their personal blessings in the special "gratitude" dish at any time during the meal.

It’s a kinder, gentler, and less intrusive way of getting all around the table to give thanks without shining an invasive spotlight on folks not used to spotlights or  expressing gratitude out loud, be it to friends or to family.

I could never explain the tradition to newcomers to our Thanksgiving table. Each time I'd begin the explanation, I would get...

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16 spots I want to take my grandkids on Michigan's sunrise coast

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16 spots I want to take my grandkids on Michigan's sunrise coast

michigan attractions for kids 

I live in the mountains and my grandsons live in the desert. Which means neither they nor I have much opportunity to enjoy natural water features—lakes, rivers, and so forth—and the outdoor adventures related to them. It's so very dry here, so very dry there.

Because of our similarly parched home states, when I recently toured gems of communities on the "sunrise coast" of Michigan—primarily the Tawases and Alpena (thanks, Pure Michigan!)—I couldn't help but consider how much my landlocked grandsons would be thrilled by ocean-like Lake Huron as well as...

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Fall visits the desert

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My daughter Megan loves living in the desert. The only time she misses the seasons of Colorado is in the fall. Fall simply isn't the same where saguaros grow tall and javelinas roam wild.

four-year-old at park

Earlier this week Megan texted some pictures to Jim and me. The weather was uncharacteristically fall-like in the desert, she said, so she took Mac and Jak—while Bubby was in school—to...

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