March gladness

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March gladness

Ordinary moments — dare I say, mundane moments — marked March 2023 for me. Ordinary moments for which I’m all the more grateful and glad to have had in light of this month’s heartbreak and loss for so many in the west, in the south, and, especially, in Nashville.

Moments like these:

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And the unboxing ...

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And the unboxing ...

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, #unboxing posts are a given for authors upon receipt of their printed books. And I gotta tell ya, it’s not a thing reserved for first-time authors. The exhilaration of unpacking such a shipment runs just as high for the second book as it did for the first.

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How to Be Present: a 'First-Time Grandmother's Journal' excerpt

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How to Be Present: a 'First-Time Grandmother's Journal' excerpt

In my book, The First-Time Grandmother’s Journal, I offer writing prompts to help new grandmothers dig deep then capture their thoughts on matters that matter in the months leading up to a first grandchild’s birth and the child’s first year.

I also provide bits of advice to help new grandmas navigate their new role—advice even seasoned grandmas can appreciate and apply—such as the following two-page spread on being present.

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Publication Day ... and giveaway day, too!

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Publication Day ... and giveaway day, too!

Hooray! It’s publication day—and GIVEAWAY day—for my new book, The First-Time Grandmother’s Journal, the work that thankfully kept me busy and focused on something positive during our Covid Summer of 2020.

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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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Saturday movie review: A Family Affair

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The documentary A FAMILY AFFAIR is one of those films I'm glad I watched but certainly wouldn't say I enjoyed it. Or liked it. In fact, I didn't like the subject — a grandmother, no less — one single bit.

A Family Affair movie

Yet I couldn't stop watching this film by Danish documentarian Tom Fassaert, who filmed a fascinating attempt to figure out his grandmother, a famous model in the '50s. Primarily, Fassaert hoped to...

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Final prep for our Disney Grand Adventure

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Our Disney Grand Adventure officially begins today! Early this morning, Bubby, Mac, Megan and I boarded the plane for Orlando and will be at Walt Disney World this afternoon.

In addition to packing our bags yesterday, a priority for the prep was making a wish list on the My Disney Experience site of all the must-do activities. So Bubby, Mac, and I sat down to peruse the offerings and mark those on the list the boys had already started with Megan — then added a few more.

disney grand adventure prep 

disney grand adventure prep

The boys checked their height...

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