Easy homemade suckers

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Once upon a time, I pinned on Pinterest a pin for making homemade suckers using Jolly Rancher candies. When you clicked on that pin, it didn't lead to the actual directions (as I've found the case to be with many a Pinterest pin), but the photos made it seem simple enough that further directions weren't necesary.

The photos also made it seem like a sweet and simple project Bubby would enjoy. So we tried it.

Bubby and Mac both enjoyed it. Well, Mac mostly sampled the Jolly Ranchers while Bubby and I did the work. Here are the directions—which will be here for a long time to come, just in case you choose to pin them on Pinterest for returning to later.

What you need:

  • Jolly Rancher hard candies

  • sucker sticks

  • parchment paper

What you do:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place candies in sets of three in spots on the parchment paper that will allow for a sucker stick to extend from the candy grouping once candies are melted in the oven.

Bake for about 5 minutes or until the candies are melted.

Remove from oven and immediately press sucker sticks into each candy puddle.

Cool completely and remove from parchment paper.

Two notes: 1. Use parchment paper, not wax paper for lining the baking sheet. I used wax paper and much of it stuck to the suckers. Then I made a smaller batch using parchment paper and the suckers came off the paper beautifully. 2. Bubby and I decided three Jolly Ranchers per sucker made for a large-size sucker requiring lots of sucking, so we plan to use only two Jolly Ranchers per sucker going forward.

Today's question:

What is your favorite candy?

Unexpected reminder, plus the GRAND Social

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Most grandmas are just as dedicated to making the most of our grandmother role as we were to our role as mother when raising our kids. We want to be outstanding at the job and continually strive to build lasting memories and magical moments.

I admit to it. For instance, I always pack my Grandma Bag full of creative, crafty and fun things I hope will have a profound impact on Bubby and Mac when I visit them—at least as profound as arts and crafts for toddlers can be. Which is why I found it so interesting that of all the things we've done together so far during my current visit with my grandsons, it's been the making of popcorn in the air popper, for a movie night, that Mac found most pleasing. No, he found it downright hilarious. The anticipation of the popping and movie snack to follow elicited the greatest grins and loudest giggles I've so far witnessed in my youngest grandson during this stay.

Those over-the-top giggles and grins reminded me that it's the little things that matter most, the unplanned moments and the simplest of things that can best touch hearts—and funny bones—often far beyond what my jam-packed bag of tricks may be capable of. I'm going to do my best to remember that during the three full days I have left with my grandsons as well as long after my return home. In terms of being a grandma, in terms of life in general.

And in other news, welcome to this week's GRAND Social. Thank you for joining me!

How it works:

  • All grandparent bloggers are invited to add a link. You don't have to blog specifically about grandparenting, but you must be a grandparent who blogs.
  • Posts shared can be an old one or a recent one, your choice.
  • To link up, copy the direct link to the specific post you want to share, not the link to your blog's home page. Then click the blue "Click here to enter" text below and follow the directions to add your post to the list.
  • You can add up to three posts, but no duplicates, please, and none you have promoted on a previous GRAND Social linky.
  • No contests, giveaways, or Etsy sites, please.
  • Adding a mention at the bottom of your linked posts, such as This post has been linked to the GRAND Social linky, is appreciated. Or, you can post the GRAND Social button using the following code:

Grandma’sBriefs.com

<a href="/" target="_blank"><img src="http://grandmasbriefs.squarespace.com/storage/GRANDsocialbutton.jpg " alt="Grandma’sBriefs.com" width="125" height="125" /></a>

 

  • The GRAND Social linky is open for new posts through Wednesday evening, so please come back to see those added after your first visit.
  • If you're not a blogger, you have the pleasure of being a reader. All bloggers who link up would be honored to have you—bloggers and readers—click, visit, read and comment.

READERS and PARTICIPATING BLOGGERS: Please visit the posts others have linked to by clicking on the thumbnail photos. Comments are always appreciated by the bloggers whose links you visit, even if it's simply "Hey, stopping by from GRAND Social."

Thank you for participating in the GRAND Social!


5 thoughts upon my return to the desert

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Bubby may be feeling better, but he's clearly not yet over the flu and back to being himself.

 

The dollar snakes I bought at Walmart and gave Bubby and Mac when they picked me up at the airport were worth every penny (despite them not getting the reference when I told them there were snakes on the plane but a man named Samuel grabbed them all and let me have two for my grandsons).

 

Mac likes to be front and center when watching television.

 

Bunnies are to the desert what squirrels are to the mountains.

 

There's no place better than an indoor fort for enjoying an afternoon snack.

 

Today's question:

What is your usual afternoon snack? And for bonus points: Where do you usually eat it?

Introducing Grilled Grandma Janie

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 I'd like to introduce you to Janie. Ever since meeting Janie online, I've been continually impressed and inspired by her work ethic, her writing credits, and her cheerful heart. Oh, and her hair. I do love Janie's hair! And that was all before I even knew she was a grandma. That she is, though, and today she is a grilled grandma.

What's a Grilled Grandma? A Grilled Grandma is a grandma whom I've grilled with some grandma-related questions, and she's graciously responded with answers and photos. Here is Grilled Grandma Janie:

How many children do you have? One daughter. And a step daughter and step son who both live in Michigan.
 
How many grandchildren? What are their ages? Three from my daughter  2 Boys and a girl. The baby, Enzo, is 19 months.  Joey 8 years old & Dylan is 10 years old.
Three from my step daughter - 5, 8 & 11
One from my step son - 8
 
What do your grandchildren call you? Grandma or Grams and sometimes J-Gram.

 After the initial elation, what was your first concern upon hearing you would soon be a grandmother? That my daughter's wedding dress was going to have to be altered!
Then about month before my granddaughter was born, I broke my foot and I was on crutches during her birth and for several months afterwards. What I hated the most was that I couldn't carry her around.

How often do you get to see your grandchildren? I see the ones who live near me almost every day.
 
What is the best thing about being a grandma? Being able to play with them. Having them confide in me. Tucking them in at night. And then going home. And being able to share being a "grandma" with my mother who is now a great grandmother. It's an unbelievable feeling, one that I'm so glad I get to experience.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma? Hmm. This is hard to answer because I just love it all. I guess sometimes watching my granddaughter act with my daughter in the same rebellious way that my daughter used to act toward me.
 
Describe a recent time that one (or more) of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud. Well, the youngest has a language of his own that always makes me laugh.  My granddaughter does impressions that crack me up. And my eight-year-old grandson tells the most amazing stories about his skateboarding adventures.  
 
What is your favorite thing to do with grandchildren who visit your house? Snuggle with them on the couch and read books. I also make up stories for them and they in turn make up stories of their own.

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting grandchildren at their house? Read books and play games. They have very vivid imaginations and like to play made up games such as Dry Cleaners ( who knew such a place could inspire a game) or restaurant. And we dance and put on shows. I'm pretty exhausted when I get home.

How do you maintain the bond between yourself and your grandchildren between visits? I text my granddaughter. We talk on the phone. Sadly, I don't have as much communication with the grandchildren that live in Michigan.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? Creativity and imagination, whether it's writing or drawing or dancing. And I want them to believe in themselves and know that they can be anything they want to be. That they are the rulers of their own destiny.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Fun. But I do know they call me "Funny, unusual & funky." And I have to add that they also think of me as "Big Haired." In fact, I'm working a picture book titled "My big-haired, funky Grandma."

What has most surprised you about being a grandma? How much I love it and them.

What is one thing you wish you had learned earlier as a grandparent? I can't really think of anything.

What one bit of advice would you give a new grandma? Don't be afraid of acting silly.

Do you have a website, book or project to promote? My recent release is a book for tween girls titled MERCURY IN RETRO LOVE. It is a sweet story about crushes, conflicts and astrological confusion.

I write a weekly column for women - http://www.inthepowderroom.com/search/keyword/Janie+Emaus
My website is: www.janieemaus.com
And I blog at www.theboomerrants.com - Anatomy of Baby Boomer - Life in Retrograde

This grilling will now be permanently placed in the Grilled Grandmas Hall of Fame—AKA the Grilled Grandma Archives—under Grilled Grandma: Janie.

Dear Readers: If you'd like to nominate a grandma for grilling—yourself or any other grandma—please e-mail me her first name and e-mail address and I'll take care of the rest. Thank you!