What a catch

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My oldest and youngest daughters, Brianna and Andrea, flew to the desert with Jim and me for Jak's baptism a little over a week ago.

One of the days we were there, I gave Andrea my camera to snap pictures while Brianna and I swam with Mac and Bubby at the community water park. Upon returning home and going through my photos, I was pleasantly surprised by the following photo Andrea took of Mac practicing his swim moves.

bird at swimming pool

What a catch — for Andrea and for the Cheetos-nabbing blackbird.

Today's question:

When it comes to Cheetos, do you prefer the puffed ones or the crunchy ones?

Beyond grandparenting: 9 things I learned while in the desert

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I am a grandma. But as all grandparents know, far more goes into who we are and what we do than just those things related to our grandchildren.

With that in mind, here are tidbits I learned while visiting the desert for Jak's baptism, lessons that have nothing to do with my primary focus of the trip (that being those awesome little critters I call my grandsons).

learned while in the desert 

1. I can still...

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So happy together

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"At some point, you gotta let go, and sit still, and allow contentment to come to you."
—Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

I received several fabulous gifts from my loved ones on Mother's Day, one of which was seeing my eldest daughter more happy and content than I have ever seen her.

happy couple

Today's question:

When do you feel most content?

8 types of mothers-in-law kept out of the loop by their children (Guest post)

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Dear readers: Please enjoy this guest post from Miriam Hendeles of Bubby Joys and Oys, who offered to share her thoughts (and photos) while I'm away at the Life@50+ conference in Boston.
Thank you, Miriam! ~Lisa

Miriam's grandsons

You're a well-meaning grandmother, not a demanding bully who gives your adult kids...

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Fine lines... worn and walked

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As I scan shelf after shelf of beauty aids at the drugstore in search of the perfect product to combat my age spots and wrinkles, I consider the plethora of inescapable fine lines I encounter in this phase of life. Despite the endless number of serums and creams and BB this and AHA that created to (sort of) soothe away the skin issues, I’ve yet to find a solution to the fine lines that matter most: those encountered in my role as a parent to adult children.

tightrope walker

Most concerning are the fine lines I...

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Precisely perfect: Grandma's 5 awesome moments from the past week

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In the midst of the aggravating there's always some awesome. Following are the exact awesome moments that negated any of my aggravations during the past week:

loving brothers 

Saturday, March 29
10 a.m.-11:18 a.m.

I was invited to screen Disney's THE PIRATE FAIRY last Saturday in the theater before...

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9 things I wish were still around

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9 things I wish were still around

I recently saw an advertisement for Jiffy Pop popcorn, and I thought to myself, THAT is something I need to pack in my grandma bag to share with my grandsons next time.

Considering their delight in watching air-popped popcorn pop — and attempting to sing the Too Pooped to Pop song while we watch — I imagine Bubby and Mac would get quite a thrill out of watching the Jiffy Pop foil top grow as kernels pop and puff up inside.

watching popcorn pop 

Jiffy Pop has been around forever, it seems...

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Crafts with kids, 1986 and 2014

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Throwback Thursday

October 1986 —
Craft time with my two-year-old daughter, Megan:

child doing crafts

February 2014 —
Craft time with Megan's two- and five-year-old sons, Mac and Bubby:

boys doing crafts

Today's question:

What do you do with your grandchildren that you fondly recall doing with their parent(s)?