Ah-choo: Grandson under attack

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When my girls were little — even when they were big — they never experienced allergy issues of any sort. Never. So I don't know what it's like to have a child with allergies. I don't ever really even consider allergies and such.

Well, I didn't consider allergies and such... until my bonus grandson Bud entered our world. Bud is allergic to gluten, nuts, animals, and all sorts of other stuff. So I am a bit more cognizant of the issue than pre-Bud.

Bud is not a blood relative, though, so perhaps allergies run in his family.

Bubby, on the other hand, is a blood relative, and allergies do not run in our family. So getting a text from Megan with the following photo — noting "allergy attack" as the explanation for my eldest grandson's miserable condition — floored me:

boy with allergies

So sad!

That's just the way it is for most kids in...

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Grilled Grandma wisdom: Leaving a legacy

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Grandmothers strive to be a positive force in their families, make a difference in the lives of their loved ones in the (relatively little) time we have to spend with them here on earth.

Grandmothers also, perhaps even more so, hope to make a difference in the loved ones themselves — their character, personality, person — a legacy that lives on long after Grandma's gone.

I always ask Grilled Grandmas What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? Following are some of their answers.

grandma legacy 

Respect for all things, creatures and people, a love of learning, and a sense of adventure. — Gail

I want most to teach them that life is change; that change is not...

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A grand St. Patrick's Day performance: Get Your Green On!

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st. patrick's day jibjab

In preparation for St. Patrick's Day, my grandsons, Jim, and I have been putting in long hours of practice on a special performance for our Grandma's Briefs friends.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Bubby, Mac, Jak, PawDad and Gramma in Get Your Green...

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Dublin over: 16 St. Patrick's Day jokes for kids

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Dublin over: 16 St. Patrick's Day jokes for kids

Time for another round of seasonal silly stuff for kids and their keepers, be they grandmothers or others. This go-round the subject is St. Patrick and his special day.

st. patrick's day jokes for kids 

What do you call a big Irish spider?

A Paddy long legs

 

What does Ireland have more than any other country?...

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Summer vacation: Four must-do multigenerational trips

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Summer vacation: Four must-do multigenerational trips

summer vacation ideas

Now that we're well into March, planning summer trips tops the to-do list of many a mama, grand or otherwise.

For your consideration, here are four of my favorite trips of the past couple years — all ideal for enjoying with multiple generations. Meaning, they're perfect places to gather together loved ones young and not-so-young plus everyone in between for an unforgettable summertime celebration.

The following trips cover far-reaching regions of the country — California, Colorado, Michigan, Florida — so there's surely one...

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Drafted!

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Springtime means baseball time once again, and Bubby has been drafted to the big leagues! Well, a league with big guys.

AAA youth baseball player 

My lefty grandson Bubby, who first showed promise on the field back in his T-ball days, was invited to try out for a local AAA league — and made it!

The difference between AA and...

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