A Recap of Blogs from May and June

May 22nd Blog-Road Trips with the Grands

This blog included ideas for traveling with your grandchildren--specifically road trips. I gave some ideas for places to visit, and encouraged my readers to take a road trip with their young grandchildren even if it was to the next town. Some readers felt a need for tips on how to SURVIVE such a trip. I listed my tips below:

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• Take plenty of Wet Ones/wipes for the car. There are always going to be spills and sticky fingers.
• Be sure to pack one or two extra outfits for the car. See first tip above. :)
• Pack a first aid kit. You never know when you might need such a kit. Stopping to check out the scenic view and they run, fall, and skin their knee? Get out the first aid kit. Scraped elbow from the pool when you stop at the hotel in the evening? You've got that first aid kit. 
• Have plenty of water, drinks, and appropriate snacks for the car. The little guys get hungry.
• Have a new toy, new stuffed animal, or craft kit for them to work on in the car. 
• Dust off from your memory bank all those ideas for car games. We like car bingo. I don't like the store bought ones so much, so I made my own bingo of things I knew they were sure to see. And I learned a new game from my 4-year-old granddaughter: "Spot the Flag!" You'd be surprised how many flags are flying along the highways and byways--US flags as well as flags used for advertisements.
• Bring their favorite pillows and blankets. If they're some of the few of today's generation who don't have such a thing, bring plenty of your own pillows and blankets for the car.
• Check with their parents (and the kid too) about their food likes and dislikes. Adhere to that.
• Get a copy of the child's schedule. You may not be able to observe it precisely, but grandparents should try. It's just always good to know--you can often avoid a tantrum or meltdown when you know that it's nap time or meal time.
• And don't forget their lovey. Most kids have a favorite stuffed animal or blankie. 

My granddaughter made that crown in the car. It was a press-and-stick mosaic kit that I purchased for the car. No mess, no fuss.

Granddaughter with her sweet bear; she carried her everywhere.

We were warned about sugar. Wished we'd listened.

My version of car bingo. You can use wax markers to mark out the ones you see; or you can buy non-toxic dry erase markers for the same purpose. Use my contact page to request a copy of the bingo card.

May 31st blog--Fun Questionnaire for Father's Day

A teacher friend shared the questionnaire, and I thought it would be great for Father's Day. I used it to interview my grands and then I used their answers and favorite family photos to make their dad a book. But you realize the questionnaire can be used for ANYONE--fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, and other family members. A friend even suggested doing it like a Family Feud game. Read out the questions and everyone writes their response privately. Give them a few seconds to respond, and then everyone shows their answer--even Dad. Perhaps you could get two points if you matched Dad and one point for matching someone else in the group. 

Here's that questionnaire again. And don't forget you can write me for a copy. Just use my contact page. 

June 8th blog-Gardening with the Grandkids

My husband wrote this blog. He's an avid gardener. Some of my readers may not be so aggressive in that pursuit. A friend shared that she had started "straw bale" gardening. Much easier (I'm guessing) than regular, full-blown gardening. 

Here's a website about it: www.gardeners.com/how-to/straw-bale-gardens/8882.html

Our grandkids love Poppa's garden. Oldest grandson still checks the garden for bell peppers and eats them raw--like an apple! He's done that since he was small.

June 12th blog-Balloon Surprise for Dad (or Granddad)

This was a good one from a young friend. She and her siblings had done if for her father. Yesterday was Father's Day, and my family did it for their Poppa.

Just a reminder that this balloon fun can be for anyone--mothers, grandmothers, dads and grandfathers, friends and family. And not just for Father's Day or Mother's Day, but birthdays and anniversaries as well. How fun for a young couple celebrating their 25th for one of them to have 25 balloons with a memory inside for their wife or husband. I think it's a very fun idea, and want to thank Lizzy once again for sharing. 

Checking each memory or sweet thought in every balloon. Great anniversary idea too!

So that's a recap of the past few weeks. I like to do that occasionally as my readers add their ideas, or else need clarification. And don't forget the Fourth of July holiday happening in a couple of weeks. Would love to hear your ideas on how you celebrate the day. Also share any crafts you do with your grands, and recipes that are family favorites. 

​Until next week. . . 

​Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds. Regina Brett