Grilled Grandma: Lisa

Lisa with AdriannaHow many children do you have? I have a daughter, three sons and two step-daughters and a step-son.  Our oldest is 24 and our youngest is 17.

How many grandchildren? What are their ages?  I currently have three grandchildren.  The middle one, Coltin, is 16 months old and lives with my step-daughter in Missouri so we don’t get to see him near enough.

The oldest, Tristan, will be 3 years old next month, he has a baby sister, Adrianna, who celebrated her first birthday a week before Christmas.  They live with my daughter, here in Wisconsin.

Any great grandchildren? Not yet, lol.  I’m only 42!

What do your grandchildren call you?  Tristan, or Twister as I call him, calls me MaMaw.  Since he has a plethora of grandparents we decided I would be MeMaw, but he still isn’t talking much and I’m happy with him calling me anything!  Coltin wasn’t talking last time I saw him and Addy is still too little to speak.

How often do you get to see your grandchildren?  We see Coltin once or twice a year.  But I get to play with Twister and Addy at least once a week.  When my daughter was pregnant with Addy we set up every Tuesday as my day to have him (now them) for a little bit.  It usually ends up being 1-3 hours.  Twister has spent the night a few times and Addy just spent her first night right before Christmas.Coltin

What is the best thing about being a grandma?  It’s such a hard thing to put my finger on.  There is this joy that fills my heart at the sight of them, or heck just thinking about them.  It’s pretty awesome to be able to love them, play with them, and enjoy them without feeling responsible for them - I realize I need to be a good role model too, but it’s much different, more relaxed, than when my children were small.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma?  I feel like my biggest challenge is making sure I don’t try to take over, stepping back and watching my child raise a child.  Also, that lack of responsibility I mentioned up there, well, with that also comes a lack of control.  It saddens me to think of my grandchildren moving to another state, yet that’s up to their parents.

Describe a recent time that one (or more) of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud.  They bring a smile to my heart daily, but the only thing that is popping into my head is a couple of weeks ago, Tristan, who says only handful of words, said “boob” - I found it hilarious he knows that word but not so many others.

TristanWhat is your favorite thing to do with grandchildren who visit your house?  Be with them.  When they come over I drop everything and they get my full attention for the duration of their visit.  I love when they climb on my lap!

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting grandchildren at their house?  Simply play with them, crawling on the floor, chasing them down the hall, tickling, kissing - loving!

How do you maintain the bond between yourself and your grandchildren between visits?  Well, they are still small so I can’t talk to them on the phone and they wouldn’t know if I sent a card so I guess nothing, except keep in touch with their parents.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren?  I want them to know me.  To know that I loved, love, them!  Time is short and we need to live it up while we can.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Fun!

Do you have a website or blog? Sure do, Lisa’s Chaos at http://lisaschaos.com/ My husband and I also have a photography website, http://newdaephotography.com/, and we’ve started a diet/exercise blog, http://noweighting.wordpress.com/.

Grilled Grandma: Teresa

Teresa and her granddaughterHow many children do you have? 5 children (including a set of identical twin boys)

How many grandchildren? What are their ages? 1 granddaughter. She is four.

Any great grandchildren? nope

What do your grandchildren call you? Nana

How often do you get to see your grandchildren? Once, sometimes twice a week

What is the best thing about being a grandma? Playing with my granddaughter. When my children was small I often felt to “stressed” to play. I always thought I had to get something done. I’ve learned that “something” can wait.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma? Don’t know. I can’t think of any.

Describe a recent time that one (or more) of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud. My granddaughter found a cord that you attach to your glasses and hang around your neck to keep you from losing them. She wanted me to wear it and she crawled up in my lap and started trying to attach it to my glasses while I was wearing them. Her little nose was only inches from mine and suddenly she stopped, looked at me and said, “Nana, am I driving you crazy?”  I burst out laughing!

What is your favorite thing to do with grandchildren who visit your house? In the summer we go to the park and feed the ducks. It’s too cold for that now so we stay inside and play. She loves to take a bath. I’ll fill up the tub and she’ll get in and “play” school. She’s the teacher and I have to sit on the stool next to the tub and be her student. She uses a wooden kitchen spoon as her pointer while she teaches me my letters and numbers.

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting grandchildren at their house? Unfortunately my granddaughter’s parents are divorced and I don’t get to do this.

How do you stay close and in touch with one another between visits? I pray for my granddaughter daily and I take great comfort in knowing God is watching over her.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? Love of church and family and the knowledge that she is loved beyond measure.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Attentive. My grandmother always had time for her grandchildren and she made each of us feel special. I hope I can do that for my grandchildren as well.

Do you have a website or blog? NanaHood and The Nana Blog. NanaHood is the second half of the motherhood journey and The Nana Blogs are something my web designer and I created so that all nanas can blog (at no cost and with help if they need it). I love blogging and I wanted other grandmothers to join in the fun too!

Grilled Grandma: Jane

Jane's sweet grandson, aka The Golden Child.

How many children do you have?  2 daughters

How many grandchildren?   What are their ages?   Just one, so far. He is 16 months.

Any great grandchildren? No

What do your grandchildren call you?  He doesn't talk yet, but it will be Grandma Jane.

How often do you get to see your grandchild?  Once or twice a week.

What is the best thing about being a grandma?  I just always wanted to be one.  I think it's a great calling.  They are here to show us the world goes on...you know, the circle of life.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma?  Keeping up with him!  He's a busy boy!

Describe a recent time that your grandchild made you laugh out loud.  Every time I'm with him. He is so adorable!

What is your favorite thing to do when your grandchild visits your house?  I keep a toy box here, and we play or color together.

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting his house?  Watch him play with his toys.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren?  I just want him to know how much he is loved by his whole family.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you?  Security. I want him to feel safe and loved when he is with me.

Visit Jane on her blog, Life Not Wasted or Lost.

Grilled Grandma: Sherry

Sherry's granddaughter KayleeHow many children do you have? What are their ages? I have two wonderful boys, Rob age 32 and Tim age 28, and a fantastic daughter-in-law, Heather (age intentionally omitted).

 How many grandchildren? What are their ages? Only one granddaughter as of today.  Her name is Kaylee, and she is two.  Rob and Heather are expecting a boy any day now. I can’t wait to have another little person around.

What do your grandchildren call you? Kaylee tries to call me Grandma, but the “gr” is hard for her to pronounce. It sounds like she is saying “Bama”.  My youngest son laughs and says that when she is calling me she often says, “Oh-Bama” (sounding a lot like the president’s last name).

How often do you get to see your grandchildren? I see Kaylee at least once a week.  We try to get the family together for a visit, lunch or dinner as often as our schedules will allow.

What is the best thing about being a grandma? Having a little person to receive hugs and kisses from and to give them to! Being around Kaylee makes me smile.  Tim and I often say that we are having Kaylee withdrawals when we haven’t seen her for a couple days.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma? Forcing myself to try to not monopolize all of Kaylee’s time…I would enjoy having her around more but I suppose her parents need to spend some time with her.

Describe a recent time one or more of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud. On a recent night-time trip to the grocery store there was a Coca Cola semi truck parked outside.  The truck was decorated in Christmas lights, and there was a huge painting of Santa holding a bottle of Coke on the side of the truck. Kaylee must think that soda only comes in cans because when I said, “Look, Kaylee, Santa Claus”, she said, “Yeah, and he has a beer!”

What is your favorite thing to do when your grandchildren visit your house? My favorite thing to do is to relax and spend time with her playing the games she makes up, coloring, dancing and whatever she may want to do at the moment.  Kaylee really is the boss, you know.

What is your favorite thing to do when visiting their house? Kaylee loves to show me her room and any new books or toys that she has gotten. Rob & Heather bought their first home a few months ago, and Kaylee is quite proud of her house.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren? Self confidence and compassion – I want them to be happy with who they are and to care about others. I try to lead by example and want to encourage these qualities in them.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you? Love – I want them to know that they are unconditionally loved by me.

Grilled Grandma: Verna

Grandma VernaHow many children do you have?  Four: two sons, a stepson and a daughter

How many grandchildren? What are their ages?  Eight: one is 9, one is 7, two are 5, one is 4, two are 1 and one is almost 2 months old.

Any great grandchildren? Ages? No, hopefully we have a while before that time.

What do your grandchildren call you? Grandma Verna

How often do you get to see your grandchildren?  At least once a year.  However the 4 that went to Korea a year ago Christmas Eve, it might be 2 years before we see them.  But Nalyssa was just here for 2 weeks, she is the 1 year old, she came home with her mommy to visit her Grandpa when he got sick.

What is the best thing about being a grandma?  Getting to hear about all the things they get to do in the other countries and states they live in.  Their plays and programs.

What is the most challenging part of being a grandma?  Having to live in Colorado Springs and they are in Korea, Japan and Kentucky.

My oldest son Demitrius, his wife Jennifer and their 4 children, Nariah, Nalayah, Awntario and Nalyssa.

Describe a recent time one or more of your grandchildren made you laugh out loud.  The summer of 2008 my husband was sitting in a plastic lawn chair on the front porch getting his fishing poles ready to go fishing the next morning.  Awntario, one of the 5 year old boys, saw the back of the chair bending back and he yelled out "Grandpa, you better get out of that chair before you break it".  Everybody started laughing, he didn't understand what he said was funny, he was a little embarassed and thought we were laughing at him not because of him.

What is your favorite thing to do when your grandchildren visit your house?  I have to do a big BBQ!!!

My daughter, Shakia, her husband Khalil and their children Xaria and Nasir. ( I don't have pictures of my stepson's 2 children, but their names are Treshaun and Addison.)What is your favorite thing to do when visiting their house?  Again a big BBQ!!!  Make crafty things and bake.

What do you most want to pass along to your grandchildren?  My love for Jesus and thankfulness for all He has done.

What is one word you hope your grandkids think of when they think of you?  Laughter!!!!  That was hard to come up with one word.  But I think all the ones I thought of bring laughter.