Grandma salutes Shinedown

/

shinedown in Colorado Springs

One of my earliest articles published — in a newspaper, not on a blog — was in the early '90s and was titled Mosh-pit Mom. My husband and I used to go to a lot of concerts back then, most of them the rockin' kind with moshpits on the floor, all of them during the years I was a mom with three fairly young daughters.

It's been a few decades since I've had to protect myself from flailing feet on a concert floor, quite a few years since I've marveled at the moxie of the moshers from afar. Due to lack of funds as well as lack of touring bands we were willing to shell out our pennies to see, my husband and I have...

Read More

5 products and pastimes that BABY boomers

/

My husband recently turned old. Well, older. Old enough that since the birthday celebration, we've marveled in disbelief more than once that we've reached the age we have.

"I'm still working on figuring out what I want to be when I grow up," I told him. To which he high-fived in agreement.

baby boomers 

My husband and I have raised a family, kept our wits about us our nest emptied, become grandparents, managed relatively successful careers (so far), successfully stayed together for more than 35 years (so far). We have a mortgage — and PLUS loans we'll pay on til death closes our account.

Grownup responsibilities. Yet on the inside, my husband and I fail to feel like grownups, fail to...

Read More

Easter treats & eats: Inspiration for your spring celebration

/

Surprise! Easter is right around the corner!

Add some silly to your celebration with these ideas I shared in Easter seasons past:

easter ideas for kids

50 EGGS-TRA SILLY EASTER JOKES

Easter will be here sooner than we think, meaning now is...

Read More

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...

Read More

Saturday movie review: Disney's Zootopia (with printables and other fun stuff!)

/

I like comedies. I like crime capers.

I like bunnies and foxes and sloths.

I definitely like sloths!

I like Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Bonnie Hunt, Tommy Chong, and Shakira, too.

And I like Raymond Persi. As a sloth.

Those are just some of the reasons I liked Disney's ZOOTOPIA. If you like those things, you'll like ZOOTOPIA, too. So will your kids and grandkids — no matter their ages.

zootopia poster

Disney's ZOOTOPIA appeals to all ages, drives home the message for one and all that...

Read More

Here and now: March 3, 2016

/

It's been a while since I've shared what's happening right here, right now in my world. Here goes:

here and now

On my mind...

My dad. The week I found out Lyla had brain cancer, I also found out my dad was diagnosed with a relatively rare form of cancer that's, kind of, a precursor to leukemia, something called...

Read More

Multigenerational travel: Why vacation at the YMCA of the Rockies

/

Until a couple weeks ago, when thinking about the YMCA, my thoughts turned to workout equipment, fitness classes, swimming lessons. I certainly never considered the Y as a destination spot for a family vacation.

A weekend at the YMCA of the Rockies changed all that. I now have countless reasons why YMCA of the Rockies ranks near the top of my list of family getaways. And countless photos confirming those reasons, a mere smidgen of which I'll share here.

why vacation at the ymca of the rockies

The YMCA of the Rockies recently offered me a multigenerational travel opportunity I couldn't refuse: a free weekend in a fully furnished log cabin located on its 850-acre property minutes from downtown Estes Park, Colorado, and bordered on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park has long...

Read More