Grandma Stories» Family

Gaylord Texan Mother’s Day Brunch at Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel in Grapevine TX

Grandma — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:46:55 +0000

The Gaylord Texan Mother’s Day Brunch is being held again at the Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel in Grapevine TX on Easter Sunday, May 8th 2011 from 10am to 2pm and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Mother’s Day brunch at Gaylord Texan includes a spectacular menu fit for a queen. Having attended and enjoyed the extravagant brunch at Gaylord last year, located in Grapevine Texas, it only makes sense to plan to go again this year.

The Mother’s Day brunch at Gaylord is by far the best buffet brunch in all of Texas. Champagne, mimosas, breakfast foods, seafood, salads and pastas of all kinds, a meats carving station and incredible entrees, a kids brunch buffet for little kiddos, cheeses and desserts the whole family can enjoy.

Gaylord Texan brunches are held in the beautiful Texas Ballroom at Gaylord, with spectacular brunch food, champagne/mimosa drinks, ice sculptures, a yellow rose as a gift for each mother, grandmother or mom-to-be.

Gaylord Texan Mother’s Day Breakfast/Brunch Complete Menu list

Breakfast Buffet Menu:

Omelets Made to Order: condiment choices include smoked ham, green onions, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and fresh herbs.

Classic Eggs Benedict; poached eggs on toasted English muffins topped with hollandaise sauce.

French Toast with cinnamon crusted pecans – whipped butter and Vermont maple syrup

Country style bacon and sage breakfast sausages

Southwest style breakfast potatoes

Scrambled eggs

Seasonal fresh fruit and berries

Assorted breakfast pastries, croissants, danishes, muffins, breads, biscuits and coffee cakes

Salad Bar and Pasta Buffet Options:

Classic Caesar salad with homemade Caesar dressing, breaded chicken tenderloins, shaved parmesan cheese and garlic croutons

Sante Fe style mixed spring greens with roasted corn, zucchini & squash, julienne carrots and tequila marinated walnuts, colored tortilla chips and cilantro ranch dressing

Asian Shu Feng Salad with marinated beef and chicken strips, nappa cabbage, rice noodles, water chestnuts, fire roasted baby corn, marinated bell peppers and sweet Asian chili dressing.

Etruscan pasta salad with saffron ziti pasta, Italian sausage, baby spinach, sundried tomatoes, asparagus, gorgonzola cheese, basil and honey vinaigrette dressing.

Peel to eat shrimp and king crab legs, with cocktail sauce, remoulade sauce and other condiments.

Smoked Salmon with assorted cream cheese flavors, apple and horseradish sauce and other condiments

Assorted International cheeses, grapes, nuts and dried fruits

Antipasto display with grilled veggies, cured meats served with delicious marinated olives, cornichons and pickeled onions.

Assorted sushi display: ahi tuna, smoked eel, shrimp, sushi rolls with Japanese mustard, soy sauce and pickeled sweet ginger

Italian pasta dishes: cream cheese Mezzaluna, wild fennel, saffron risotto and penne pasta sautéed to order, herbs, grilled chicken and rock shrimp, alfredo sauce, arrabiata sauce, grated parmesan cheese and fresh seasonal vegetables

Brunch Carving Station and Entrees Menu

Raisin pineapple rum glazed ham

Cinnamon apple compote

Herb crusted beef tenderloin

Miso marinated grilled tilapia

Chicken saltimbocca

Lemon herb pork loin with dried fruit relish

Fresh seasonal spring vegetables

French Juliennes Mirepoix of vegetable with ponzu plum sauce

Creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes

Indian wild rice medley

Adult Dessert Buffet Items

Apple caramel tortes

Lemon meringue tarts

Chocolate truffle torte

Herringbone Frangipan torte

Fruited cheesecake varieties

Italian rum cakes

Royal Hawaiian bundt cake

Hazelnut and cinnamon Bavarian torte

Parfait assortments including crème caramel and mixed berries

White and Dark Chocolate Fountains with marshmallows, pretzels, strawberries, apple slices and pineapple chunks

Cherries jubilee with vanilla ice cream

Kids Brunch Buffet and Kids Desserts

Macaroni and cheese

Fried chicken

Pigs in a blanket

Peas and carrots

PB&J sandwiches

Mini pizzas

Double chocolate brownies

Texas cookies

Cupcakes

Jello

Assorted puddings in a cup

The price is the same as last year’s ballroom brunch, which costs $65.00 for adults, $25.00 for children 6-12 years old, and children 5 years old and under are FREE. The price includes food, champagne, yellow rose for Mom, self-parking, service charge and tax.

The Gaylord Texan website listed seating times for the brunch as occurring every half hour from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., however, reservations are not being accepted for the 12:30 p.m. time slot. Pre-registration and pre-payment for the Mother’s Day Brunch at Gaylord Texan resort hotel is required.

To make a reservation for the Gaylord brunch for Mother’s Day, call 817-778-1000 or buy tickets online at the Gaylord Texans website events page (gaylordhotels.com) before tickets are all sold out. Maybe we’ll see you there.

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Mexican Christmas Traditions – Christmas Mexican Food For Christmas Eve Dinner

Grandma — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:34:17 +0000

We’ve been serving traditional Mexican food for Christmas Eve dinner for many years now, and Christmas this year is no different. Christmas Mexican-style, at least for the Christmas Eve meal, is one of our favorite things to do rather than the traditional foods we’ve all enjoyed over the Thanksgiving holiday.

By the time Christmas comes around, we’ve had all the turkey, ham, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, corn, deviled eggs, peas and carrots, bread rolls, cornbread, hot and cold salads, pumpkin and pecan pies etc that we can stand from a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Since we actually had two separate Thanksgiving’s this year, on the same day, switching over to some authentic Mexican foods for Christmas is a welcome alternative.

Traditional Mexican Christmas Foods

We won’t be including some of the Hispanic Christmas traditions from Mexico, like the nine-day observance of Las Posadas. Posada is the Spanish word for “lodging” or “accommodation”, and posadas (plural) is the Mexican celebration honoring Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem and their search for lodgings, in time for the birth of Jesus.

Reading the historical origin of Las Posadas and its meaning to the Mexican culture includes the start and end dates of December 16 to Christmas Eve on December 24th for a traditional Mexican Christmas and how Las Posadas is reenacted throughout the Mexican holiday. The special Christmas celebration of Las Posadas focuses on the celebration of the birth of Jesus, being together as close-knit family and friends, as well as genuine hospitality shown towards neighbors and people who have no family in the area to celebrate Christmas with, and plenty of food and drink to go around.

A Christmas candy and sweets-filled piñata is broken during the celebration, along with joyous celebratory readings and singing, and lots of authentic Mexican foods for all to enjoy. Authentic Mexican Christmas foods for Christmas Las Posadas include bacalao a la vizcaina (dried, salted cod fish, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, olives, red bell peppers and capers), menudo or tripe soup, tamales, buñeulos de navidad (sweet fritters), chocolate caliente (hot chocolate), ponche navideno (punch), ponche con piquete (hot punch with wine or spirits added for adults) served with a cinnamon stick.

Feliz Navidad Christmas Mexican Style Foods and Recipes

Serving Christmas Mexican food for everyone on Christmas Eve at our house includes a variety of authentic Mexican Christmas recipes, mixed with a few dishes that are really Mexican-American Christmas recipes that are simply called Mexican cuisine. While I know how to make authentic tamales, and made homemade beef, pork and chicken tamales for years, I don’t have the time or desire to make homemade tamales anymore.

Making homemade tamales takes a lot of time to prepare and cook, and I have fortunately found a great place to buy authentic Mexican tamales at a very reasonable price locally. I much prefer to spend the Christmas holiday preparing and making Mexican foods that are quick, easy and cheap to make, added to the various Mexican dishes and desserts each of our guests will be bringing for a so-called Mexican Christmas smorgasbord.

Besides the delicious and handmade beef and pork tamales, our Christmas Eve dinner would not be complete without enchiladas, pozole (pork and hominy stew), Chiles Rellenos, Chicken tortilla soup, Mexican rice and beans, spicy hot salsas, avocado/guacamole, Tamales de Dulce, Sopapilla cheesecake, Mexican cookies (Mexican Wedding Cakes) and flan, and so much more.

Mexican Cookies for Christmas

Mexican wedding cake cookies are called by many different names (Russian Tea Cakes, Pecan Sandies, Italian Butter Nut, Southern Pecan Butterball, Snowdrop, Viennese Sugar Ball and a Snowball), but these Mexican cookies are a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie rolled in powdered sugar after baking and are very popular at weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, christenings and at many other festive celebrations.

The real secret to making great tasting Mexican wedding cakes is to use high quality butter and pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla. The Mexican wedding cakes recipe for these cookies is one that kids and grandchildren can make, with help from mom or grandma when it’s time to put the cookies in the oven to bake or when finished baking. I’m asked quite often for my recipe for Mexican wedding cakes, so I usually have a few pre-written recipe cards made whenever these cookies are made and brought to gatherings.

Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe

Ingredients list:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup powdered confectioners sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup finely chopped or crushed pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

(Powdered sugar for rolling cookies after baking)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy in a medium to large size bowl (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts. Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1-3 hours (the longer the better). Shape cooled cookie dough into balls or crescents. Place shaped cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in the oven 15-20 minutes until tops and bottoms are light brown (oven temperatures vary).

Remove from oven, and while still hot from the oven, using soup-size spoons (to prevent your hands from getting burned), begin gently rolling the cookies in powdered sugar. Allow to cool completely on wax paper, parchment or aluminum foil, then re-roll in powdered sugar one more time.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes about 3 dozen Mexican wedding cookies, depending on the size of rolled balls or crescent shapes. I usually double or triple the recipe because these cookies are eaten and gone so fast that I like to make a “secret stash” of these Mexican cookies for Grandpa and I to enjoy ourselves. Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah to you and yours!

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Best Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas of Last Minute Gifts to Make or Buy

Grandma — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:00:42 +0000

No one can accuse me of being a procrastinator, waiting until the last minute to buy Christmas gifts for everyone on our list. Shopping for Christmas gifts at the last minute, within days, hours or minutes of Christmas gift-giving exchanges would make this Grandma stressed out and unable to enjoy the fun festivities of the holiday season. Christmas Eve gift shopping? Yikes!

Even though our Christmas shopping is often finished well ahead of time, gift-wrapped and ready for Christmas gatherings with family and friends, sometimes there is a need to buy or make a last minute Christmas gift for an unexpected guest. It isn’t much fun watching or participating in opening Christmas gifts when someone is invited at the last minute to a Christmas dinner party when there is not a single present for him or her to open. Awkward is putting it mildly.

I like to keep a list of a few last minute gift ideas for those “just in case” moments at Christmastime, gifts that are inexpensive but still thoughtful, and certainly something the child, teen or adult would actually like and enjoy receiving. If I were as crafty as I’d like to be, I’d have a few pre-made, homemade knitted or crocheted hats, scarves, mittens etc in a nicely decorated Christmas-themed box for those surprise moments when a last minute gift is needed.

Since I don’t know how to sew very well yet, and I certainly have no experience with knitting or crocheting or making other handmade crafts to give as gifts, I have to stick with quick and easy cheap gifts from a retail store or homemade gift ideas of things that can be quickly made and given from my kitchen. Homemade Christmas sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles, brownies, fudge, Pecan Sandies tea cookies, soup mixes in a mason jar, my pecan pie muffins with a recipe card attached etc.

Homemade Christmas food gifts like: rum cake, coffee cake, pumpkin bread, popcorn or granola mixes, caramel corn clusters, chocolate bark with or without nuts, homemade biscotti cookie samplers, canned jams and jellies, chocolate-dipped peppermint sticks, homemade hot chocolate mixes presented in a holiday-themed coffee cup or mug, all make easy last minute Christmas gifts to make and enjoyed by the recipient.

Last minute gift ideas for wine drinkers isn’t hard either; just make a small homemade gift basket out of a good quality bottle of wine, add some cheese and cracker selections along with a new bottle opener, wrap it all up in a pretty basket or box with some colorful cellophane and ribbon and you’re all set to go.

A last minute trip to our local grocery store or pharmacy offers some quick and inexpensive gift ideas of fruit and nut gift basket selections, varieties of bubble bath or novelty soaps, great smelling candles, gift cards for restaurants or movie theaters or electronics stores etc, gourmet coffee and tea gift sets, women’s perfumes or men’s cologne’s, just to name a few of some of the best things that can be found last minute.

Shopping last minute for Secret Santa Christmas parties at work with co-workers can sometimes be a challenge, especially when the maximum price for a gift is no more than five, ten or twenty dollars. We found a cheap webcam within the required price range and it was one of the gifts everyone was fighting over. Inexpensive tools for men or women, small electronic gadgets, digital photo frames, barbeque/grill tool sets, books from a top-notch author, movies, CD’s, magazine subscriptions all make excellent, quick and easy to find last minute gifts.

Last minute Christmas gifts for kids or grandchildren might include a couple of the most popular board games for kids, building blocks, jigsaw puzzles, stuffed toys, high-bounce balls, toy cars or trucks, etc. The possibilities are endless if you really put your mind to it. Gift shopping at the last minute before Christmas still means putting some thought into what the gift recipient likes and enjoys, specifically needs or wants for Christmas.

Even though we’re finished with all of our Christmas shopping and ready for just about anything, there is always the possibility that an additional guest or two will be added last minute to our dinner guest list. We’re not worried at all though, as we’ve got lots of ideas for gifts we can make at home, in the kitchen, or quickly run to a local store and buy a small gift for our house guest just in case.

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Decorative Christmas Boxes as Christmas Decorations to Decorate Your Home for Christmas

Grandma — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:49:59 +0000

I get a real kick out of decorating our home for Christmas. I love everything about Christmas. The Christmas music, lights, holiday-themed movies, parties, gatherings of close friends and family for a meal and presents on Christmas Eve, and especially the joking and laughter that goes with spending time with people you love and who love you.

Buying Christmas decorations to decorate for Christmas can get very expensive, so I’m always looking for great ideas on how to decorate for Christmas inexpensively, on a budget. While I’m definitely going to be working hard to make my own Christmas decorations with my new sewing machine, homemade decorations that look good and presentable, I can’t help but smile and laugh at some of the ideas I’ve come across lately. When I say that I laugh, I mean that in a very good way. I’m often amazed at the craftiness some people have.

When I approached Grandpa a few weeks ago to ask him how he felt about possibly giving Christmas gifts to some of the people we stopped buying for a couple of years ago, I expressed my desire to give Christmas gifts not only to the very young grandchildren but also some of the adults as well, and I was happy to hear that Grandpa was in agreement with me. I knew then that I needed to come up with pretty unique ways to decorate, at least inside the house, otherwise it wasn’t going to look much like Christmas around here.

Since I really didn’t have the time or money needed to go and buy Christmas decorations this year, I began looking for some alternative decorating ideas online that are easy on the wallet. That’s when I heard about decorative Christmas boxes, and how you can make your home look beautifully decorated for Christmas just by using small, medium and large boxes that you might already have in your home to decorate with.

There are different kinds of decorative Christmas boxes, with completely different uses. Some people buy decorative Christmas boxes to put Christmas presents in rather than using wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, etc. That’s not the kind of Christmas boxes I’m referring to though. The type of Christmas boxes I’m talking about comes from the long list of holiday decorating ideas found right here and on other sites that might be referred to by some as “dollar store” Christmas decorations.

Decorating with boxes means gathering up empty boxes in various sizes, from very small, to medium, to large boxes and wrapping each box with Christmas wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, and maybe even slap a nametag on the top and place the empty wrapped boxes in groups around your Christmas tree, livingroom, or other rooms in your home as a cheap and inexpensive decorating idea. My favorite thing to do with empty boxes as Christmas decoration is to use oddly shaped boxes, cylinder/tube shaped boxes etc along with the regular square or rectangle-shaped boxes.

What had not occurred to me until a friend mentioned it, is that wrapping empty boxes (or a few lightly packed boxes with non-perishable junk inside) with old, unused Christmas wrap and faulty bows (where the sticky tab doesn’t stick anymore) works very well to thwart off pesky thieves. Place empty, Christmas wrapped boxes under and around your Christmas tree and wherever else you want to use boxes as decoration pieces, until just before the Christmas Eve or Christmas Day gift-unwrapping foray begins.

My friend even suggested putting old, to-be-thrown-away shoes, boots, shirts, broken electronics etc inside the boxes that will be wrapped and saved for next year’s Christmas decorating, to give the added illusion of there being real Christmas presents inside the boxes (in case your home is ever broken to). That was when I started laughing. Some people are so crafty it makes me smile.

Another friend of mine knows how to make glass block Christmas decorations out of real glass blocks that are drilled into from one side and decorated all sorts of unique and special ways. She made a 3-piece handmade set of decorated glass blocks with cut-out nativity scenes and fancy lettering designs and twinkling lights for Grandpa and I, wrapped them all in beautiful red and golden ribbon and gave it to us recently as one of the most thoughtful gifts we could have ever received.

Even if my own craft projects of making homemade decorations, gifts and crafts don’t turn out as nicely as some of those I’ve seen lately, I won’t mind at all because I know I’m in the company of many good friends who will teach me how to make homemade crafts like the professionals they are. The cheap decoration of wrapped empty boxes…, now that’s a decorative idea I can do on my own.

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Grandfather Birthday Gift Ideas For Grandpa’s Birthday

Grandma — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:05:36 +0000

Grandpa’s birthday is coming up soon so I’ve been trying to come up with some really good ideas of what to get him for his birthday. Even though Grandpa’s birthday isn’t one of the so-called milestone birthdays, like if he were turning 50, 60, 70 or 80, his birthday is an important occasion and I want to make sure his gifts are things he would want and enjoy having.

As always, I pay very close attention to what Grandpa says, and by being thoughtful about gifts for people, I can usually come up with some great gifts for his birthday or as Christmas gifts etc. There isn’t much that Grandpa “needs”, so whenever I’ve asked him directly what he might want for his birthday, the usual answer is something like getting him a new bottle of his favorite cologne.

This year for his birthday, I want to get him something really special, something I know he would really like and be very happy to receive as a birthday gift. A couple of years ago, he had mentioned in passing conversation how someone he knows was talking about a new GPS Navigation System the guy had received as a birthday gift, and sure enough Grandpa thought the GPS was a really cool gadget and said he might like to get one ‘one of these days’. Grandpa does love his gadget gifts, that’s for sure, and I’ve found some very unique gadgets over the years that he really enjoys.

Well, either for a previous birthday present or as a Christmas gift a couple of year ago, I surprised Grandpa with the same exact GPS gadget that the other guy has and boy oh boy was Grandpa excited about getting that as a gift. That’s what thoughtful gift giving is all about and it’s a lot of fun for me as the gift giver. Grandpa hasn’t talked about any particular gadget gifts on the market that he would like to have, but he has talked about how having just network television has become increasingly boring, especially during weekends when sports games are being shown on cable television channels and we haven’t had cable television for years.

Grandpa had fun recently playing with an iPad someone else owns, and I’ve seen him checking out the Kindle ereader too, so either or both of those may become gift ideas for him at some point in the future. Of course, considering how much Grandpa enjoys doing fun things like fishing, hunting, golf etc, sports-themed gifts for Grandpa are always a good idea. I’ve noticed there are some new/newer sports type electronic games that can be played on the tv that just might be a hit for Grandpa when he’s feeling bored or wants to engage in game playing.

Having said that, I thought well.., maybe it’s time things change and we start looking into bundle packages for cable tv by DirectTv or some other cable provider company that serves our area. Grandpa and I had researched options for cable television, satellite tv and HDTV’s etc quite awhile back, but for the timebeing we decided to get a couple digital converter boxes and continue to use our non-digital tv’s. We’ve focused our energies and money on getting out of debt as fast as possible, and we’ve managed to accomplish quite a lot of that since we curtailed most of our spending on gifts for Christmas, birthdays and other special occasions.

Apparently, a local network television station is battling to be able to continue airing sports on their network station, which is the channel Grandpa usually turns on when he’s wanting to watch sports. Grandpa couldn’t watch the Rangers play and win the game against Tampa because we don’t have cable television, and “watching” the baseball game on an internet animated play-by-play simulator showed me how much Grandpa would enjoy having cable tv and be able to watch his favorite sports shows and movies.

Grandpa’s birthday this year is going to be a very special one, and he deserves every one of the gifts he’s going to receive, including finally getting digital cable tv hooked up and happily handing him the remote so he can relax and watch his favorite shows and sports games. Grandpa isn’t having just a one-day birthday party this year; Grandpa’s going to be enjoying a long weekend of fun and games for his birthday this year. His birthday this year will include what are commonly referred to as “experience gifts”, rather than gifting Grandpa with a lot of ‘stuff’ he doesn’t want or need.

Coming up with gift ideas for this particular man, husband, father and grandfather is pretty easy for me. Grandpa doesn’t ask for anything, nor does he want for anything. Whenever there are things he or I really want or need, we just go ahead and buy them for ourselves because we can and these sort of gifts or gadgets aren’t things that would be appropriate to ask for as gifts because they’re a bit higher priced than what would be considered reasonable.

I can hardly wait for Grandpa’s birthday to arrive because he is going to have the biggest smile on his face when he sees what very special and unique ideas I have planned for his birthday celebration. Birthday parties are fun, with delicious favorite foods and birthday cake, birthday cards and gifts made especially for the birthday boy. Grandpa’s birthday this year just might turn out to be his favorite birthday celebration thus far, and I’ll be camera ready to capture each activity and every happy smile and fun experience as they occur.

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I’m Going To Be a Grandma Again! More Grandma Stories to Tell!

Grandma — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:28:27 +0000

Yep, I’m going to be a grandma again, and I’m so happy and excited since hearing the news, I can’t help but make an announcement on Grandma Stories! I still consider myself a new grandma, since my two grandchildren are still so young, but now we’re having grandchild number three! Grandpa and I are both beside ourselves with excitement at the upcoming birth of my third grandchild (his fourth), and I’m doing my best to control my desire to rush off to the baby stores and shop till I drop!

Even though I don’t have an official grandma name or nickname quite yet, it really does not matter if I chose a name for myself or not, because the grandchildren are going to ultimately decide on my/our nicknames. My grandchildren are so young, but starting to talk more at this point, so there is plenty of time for choosing grandma and grandpa nicknames. I can think of a whole variety of grandparent names to choose from for my/our grandchildren to call us that we would prefer, but when it’s all said and done, the grandkids will make the decision and I’m fine with that.

Calling me Grandma is just fine of course, but I’d prefer not to be called Nana because one of the other grandmothers is already called Nana and the baby’s are going to get confused figuring out who Nana 1 is and who Nana 2 is. One of my sons and his lady love are expecting our new grandchild sometime in May of next year, so there’s plenty of time to prepare and plan for the day of his or her birth. I’ve already seen sonogram pictures of the growing baby, but it’s still very early into the pregnancy, so more sonograms are sure to be taken.

Oh the fun we will have holding, loving, playing with, rocking in the rocking chair, singing lullabies and playing peek-a-boo, buying toys and gifts for this new little baby. Oh yeah, and spoiling him or her is on the top of my list, just like my other grandchildren, that’s for sure! Okay, spoiling within reason, but not over the top extravagant, where the parents might feel the need to tell me to pull back the reins a bit. Grandparenting is awesome!

Over the Christmas holiday this year, the pregnancy will most likely be far enough along where the happy parents will find out whether we’re having a healthy baby boy or girl. I already have a grandson and a granddaughter, so we have no particular wish for a boy vs. a girl baby, even though the parents are hoping to have a baby boy. Seeing my son holding and cradling my granddaughter when she was first born tells me it won’t matter at all if the baby is a girl or a boy, because he is going to be an excellent father either way.

It is very important to me as a Grandmother to be careful to respect boundaries and give the parents their rightful space to make their personal decisions together, and not over-step. That is not to say that as grandparents we won’t offer suggestions, recommendations and guidance when desired, but the ideas we share are just that, ideas and suggestions. The fact that I am a mother of six children myself, and Grandpa is a father of two, we both know a few things about pregnancy, childbirth, babies, two o’clock in the morning feedings, parenting etc, so any advice or suggestions we may give is always with the purest intentions.

I understand all too well the sometimes overwhelming thoughts, fears, concerns, feelings and emotions that run through the minds and hearts of new parents. First-time parents often experience a flood of self-doubt, as to whether they will be good mothers and fathers, and that is one area that Grandpa and I can be of help. As a matter of fact, I’ve already ordered my son Armin Brott’s book The Expectant Father, as it provides a lot of great information for brand new fathers to help answer all of the questions new dad’s ask and wonder about.

Of course, the baby’s mother also receives the very popular What to Expect When You’re Expecting book by Heidi Murkoff, with excellent information and pictures of each stage of pregnancy and more. Quick, someone hold me back from rushing off to Babies R Us and Toys R Us and buying up a bunch of baby stuff already! Oh my gosh! I’m going to be a Grandma again! I couldn’t be more excited and neither could Grandpa.

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50 Grandparents Day Gift Ideas in Celebration of Grandparents Day

Grandma — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:05:15 +0000

Getting ideas for Grandparents Day gifts for Grandma and Grandpa for National Grandparents Day this year can be easy if you simply ask the grandparents what they would like or need. Of course, the common response to the “What do grandparents want for Grandparents Day?” question is often answered with “a visit would be nice”.

Grandparents certainly love spending time with their grandchildren as often as possible, but many grandparents live out of state, or even far away in another country, which makes visiting regularly nearly impossible.

Even though “a visit” would be the most popular answer of what to give grandparents on their special holiday, the second favorite gift would usually be a recent photograph of the grandchild(ren) in a nice frame. Being grandparents ourselves, Grandpa and I have discovered the benefits and pleasure of having a couple electronic digital frames with hundreds of family pictures around the house. Not only do we enjoy seeing our kids and grandkids automatically rotate with the frames, but we also included vacation photos and a variety of family-related events and special memories captured on camera.

Grandparents Day Gifts

Grandparents living in an assisted living facility or nursing home often requires a little extra thought in what to give as a gift, as these places have their own sets of rules and guidelines due to limited or lack of space. Before deciding on what to buy a grandparent in a nursing home or assisted living environment, talk to the staff who take care of the grandparent to see what items would be most needed or desired.

Homemade gifts for Grandparents Day are especially enjoyed by many grandparents, made by the little hands of young kids making something unique just for Grandma and Grandpa. Not all grandparents are made the same, meaning that some grandma’s and grandpa’s are thrilled to receive just about anything made by a grandchild, while other grandparents won’t find a homemade macaroni on a string necklace or a spray painted coffee can very attractive.

Grandpa and I are amongst the first group: we’d be happy to receive just about anything made by our grandchildren, perhaps a personalized gift with a message or card that says “I love you”, or a small handmade clay handprint of grandchildren’s little hands. Most grandparents agree that things a grandparent does not want or need for Grandparents Day, Birthdays or Christmas etc, are gifts that require dusting and cleaning like knickknacks, or silly gag gifts that inevitably find its way into the trash.

50 Grandparents Day Gift Ideas

Digital Photo Frame
Books
Candies or Chocolates
Gourmet specialty coffee or tea
Board games or puzzles
Crossword puzzles, word search, sudoku
Craft kits
Classic movies on DVD
Personalized afghan or throw for Grandma/Grandpa
Pandora jewelry, Pandora bracelet or charms
Grandma’s Memory Book
Gardening tools and supplies
Cooking/grilling gadgets
Victorian silhouette picture of grandchild in black and white, mounted and framed
Hand painted flowerpot or vase
Tickets to a play or special event
Gift card to grandma and grandpa’s favorite restaurant
Homemade cake or cookies
Personalized calendar with birthdays, anniversaries, holidays already written
Gift cards for gas or groceries
Gift card for favorite department store or clothing store
IOU notes for landscaping, housecleaning, carpet cleaning, car washing
Phone cards for long distance
Pharmacy gift cards
Quilt or Afghan, new flannel bed sheets,
Electric blanket or electric throw for winter
Floral or herbal sachets to hang on doorknobs or in drawers
Audio books on tape, CD’s of favorite performers from their era
Beauty salon or nail salon gift certificates
Magazine subscriptions are especially appreciated by nursing home/assisted living residents
Gift baskets or homemade treat baskets
Homemade jar mixes with instruction card
Fragrant soaps and body lotions
Scrapbook photo collage of family and grandchildren
Portable CD player or iPod
New bathrobe and slippers
Homemade baked goods, desserts, jams and jellies
Aftershave, cologne
Personalized stationary with envelopes, pens, Stamps
Personal care essentials, nail clippers, etc
Ice cream toppings and nuts to pour on favorite ice cream flavors
Flavored popcorn
Relaxation spa treatment at local Spa
Easy-to-care for household plants
Sports fan gifts: golf, fishing, hunting, football, baseball etc
Take Grandpa to a football or hockey game
A year’s pass to national or state parks
Digital camera
Homemade “all about your life” book, including photos, memories and stories from the past
Webcam – Grandma’s, grandpa’s and great grandparents who are computer users LOVE having a webcam to see and speak to their kids and grandkids on interactive online video chat.

Get a little creative in your thought processes while trying to find grandparent gifts for new and older grandmas and grandpas, or over 70 year old grandparents and great grandparents. Gifts don’t need to be expensive at all, and most grandparents would not want their children or grandchildren over-spending on gifts. Remember, your time or “a visit” is the number one gift on most grandparents wish list.

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National Grandparents Day Quotes, Poems, Gifts, Famous Sayings Celebrating Grandparents

Grandma — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 16:23:29 +0000

National Grandparents Day this year falls on Sunday, September 12, 2010, the first Sunday after Labor Day. Celebrating Grandparents Day with kids and grandchildren is a special September holiday celebrated primarily in the U.S and Canada.

Grandparents Day poems about grandmas and grandpa sayings, kind and thoughtful gift giving, sharing humorous quotes and eating a meal together, are just some ways kids and families celebrate this special holiday for grandparents. Playing cards games or board games, enjoying fun indoor or outdoor activities together at a park, are some popular things to do on Grandparents Day.

“If I knew it was going to be this much fun, I would have become a grandparent first.” Willard Scott

Grandparents Day poems, handmade crafts by kids, photographs, and printable cards that grandchildren have made themselves at home or on the computer are all genuinely appreciated by grandparents on their special day.

Grandpa and I enjoy printing our own cards for any or all special occasions, birthdays and anniversaries etc, and having the computer card studio software by Hallmark makes creating homemade cards cheap and easy for kids, adults, parents and grandparents.

Kids Grandparents Day Poems, Quotes and Famous Sayings

“Grandparents And Children”

Grandparents and grandchildren,
Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past,
With the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part.
(Unknown Author)

“Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” – Alex Haley

“A Poem”

From early in the morning,
Until I go to sleep each day,
I know my grandparents love me,
In a very special way.
Sometimes it’s tea and crackers,
Sometimes a walk in the park,
Sometimes it’s just a hug when I’m scared and in the dark.
I love to hear their stories,
About the past and where they’re from,
And I know their hearts are filled for me,
With never ending love.
(Unknown Author)

“Something magical happens when parents turns into grandparents. Their attitude changes from “money-doesn’t-grow-on-trees” to spending it like it does.” – Paul Linden

“Grandparents and Grandchildren”

Grandparents and grandchildren,
Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past,
With the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part.
(Unknown Author)

“Grandparents are a delightful blend of laughter, caring deeds, wonderful stories and love.” (Author Unknown)

“Grandparents”

Few can bring the warmth
We can find in their embrace,
And little more is needed to bring love.
Than the smile on their face.

They’ve a supply of precious stories,
Yet they’ve time to wipe a tear,
Or give us reasons to make us laugh,
They grow more precious through the years.

I believe that God sent us Grandparents
As our legacy from above,
To share the moments of our life,
As extra measures of His love.
(Unknown Author)

“Few things are more delightful than grandchildren fighting over your lap”. – Doug Larson

“Grandfathers Are Fathers Who Are Grand”

Grandfathers are fathers who are grand,
Restoring the sense that our most precious things
Are those that do not change much over time.
No love of childhood is more sublime,
Demanding little, giving on demand,
Far more inclined than most to grant the wings
Allowing us to reach enchanted lands.
Though grandfathers must serve as second fathers,
Helping out with young and restless hearts,
Each has all the patience wisdom brings,
Remembering our passions more than others,
Soothing us with old and well-honed arts.
(Unknown Author)

“They say genes skip generations. Maybe that’s why grandparents find their grandchildren so likeable. “ – Joan McIntosh

“Grandma’s Hugs”

Grandma’s Hugs are Made of Love
Everything my grandma does
is something special made with love.
She take time to add the extra touch
that says, “I love you very much.”

She fixes hurts with a kiss and smile
and tell good stories grandma-style.
It’s warm and cozy on her lap
for secret telling or a nap.

And when I say my prayer at night,
I ask God to bless and hold her tight.
Cause when it comes to giving hugs
my grandma’s arms are filled with love!
(Unknown Author)

“On the seventh day God rested. His grandchildren must have been out of town.” – Gene Perret

50 Best Grandparent Quotes & Sayings about Grandmothers and Grandfathers

“Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting.”
“Grandmothers are just antique little girls.”
“Grandfathers are just antique little boys.”
“A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television.”
“There’s no place like home except Grandma’s.”
“A married daughter with children puts you in danger of being catalogued as a first edition.”
“Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies.”
“Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.”
“A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart.”
“Grandfathers are for loving and fixing things.”
“It’s such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother — that’s why the world calls her grandmother.”
“You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.”
“Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love.”
“The best place to be when you’re sad is Grandpa’s lap.”
“I have a warm feeling after playing with my grandchildren. It’s the liniment working.”
“Grandmother — a wonderful mother with lots of practice.”
“A grandparent is old on the outside but young on the inside.”
“It’s amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one.”
“A garden of Love grows in a Grandmother’s heart.”
“A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”
“Grandparents are similar to a piece of string — handy to have around and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren.”
“A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance.”
“No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.”
“My granddaughter came to spend a few weeks with me, and I decided to teach her to sew. After I had gone through a lengthy explanation of how to thread the machine, she stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and said in disbelief, ‘You mean you can do all that, but you can’t play my Game Boy?’”
“My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, ‘Gramma, do you know how you and God are alike?’ I mentally polished my halo while I asked, ‘No, how are we alike?’ ‘You’re both old,’ he replied.”
“Truth be told, there’s nothing better than being a grandparent. All our elders know this and it is evidenced by that twinkle in their eyes. Of course, they know more than they let on — life’s secrets have come to them through time, experience, and patience.”
“Grandparents are a family’s greatest treasure, the founders of a loving legacy, The greatest storytellers, the keepers of traditions that linger on in cherished memory. Grandparents are the family’s strong foundation. Their very special love sets them apart. Through happiness and sorrow, through their special love and caring, grandparents keep a family close at heart.”
“Grandparents are the footsteps to the future generations.”
“Grandparents are a delightful blend of laughter, caring deeds, wonderful stories and Love.”
“Grandparents bring about a side that you probably wish that’s how your parents dealt with you while you were a child. Abundance of indulgence and unwavering love.
“Grandparents make the world … a little softer, a little kinder, a little warmer.
“Unconditional positive regard is rarely given by anyone except a grandparent.”
“A zest for life is one of the most important examples a grandparent can pass on to their grandchildren.”
“Grandchildren give us a second chance to do things better because they bring out the best in us.”
“Although you’ve raised children of your own, now you don’t have to worry about all the responsibilities that come with parenting. You’ve earned the right to enjoy being a grandparent.”
“Blessed be the ties that bind generations.”
“A Grandmother is a special person who causes a joyful happening in the heart of a child.”
“Grandma’s kitchen … kids eat free.”
“Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies.”
“I’m the twinkle in my Grandpa’s eye….”
“The handwriting on the wall means the grandchildren found the crayons.”
“Grandpas always have time for you when everyone else is too busy.”
“Grandpas have the patience and time to teach you how to sail a model boat or take you to a football match.”
“Only your granddad and your granny can be relied on never to get angry with you, even when you’ve been really, really naughty.”
“Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven’t thought of yet.”
“The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.”
“Do you know why grandchildren are always so full of energy? They suck it out of their grandparents.”
“Grandchildren: the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS.”
“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.”
“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.” – Rudolph Giuliani

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Maya Angelou Quotes – Love and Inspirational Famous Life Quotes

Grandma — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:27 +0000

“Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time” – Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou’s famous quotes on love, courage, success, attitude, achievement and life are amongst the most popular inspirational quotes today. Angelou is a strong and inspiring woman, poet, author, actress and civil rights activist. Maya Angelou’s quotes, poems and famous sayings provide women and girls inspiring words of wisdom to live by.

Born Marguerite Ann Johnson in 1928, Maya Angelou is best known for her portrayals of strong African American women in her numerous writings. Angelou published her first widely-acclaimed autobiographical book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” in 1970.

In the following year, 1971, she published her first volume of poetry entitled “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Die”, which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. At Bill Clinton’s request, Angelou read her poem “On the Pulse of the Morning” at his presidential inauguration in 1993. Besides Maya Angelou’s famous poem Still I Rise and the poem wrongly attributed to Angelou A Woman Should Have, here is a collection of famous quotes and sayings by Maya Angelou to inspire and uplift women of all ages.

45 Best Maya Angelou Quotes

If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die. – Maya Angelou
Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at it destination full of hope. – Maya Angelou
If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don’t be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning ‘Good morning’ at total strangers. – Maya Angelou
If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded. – Maya Angelou
Love is like a virus. It can happen to anybody at any time. – Maya Angelou
The honorary duty of a human being is to love. – Maya Angelou
Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage. – Maya Angelou
I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass. – Maya Angelou
My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return. – Maya Angelou
One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. – Maya Angelou
The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. – Maya Angelou
The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart. – Maya Angelou
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. – Maya Angelou
I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it. – Maya Angelou
I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. – Maya Angelou
Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. – Maya Angelou
My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. – Maya Angelou
You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you. All the other tangible rewards will come as a result. – Maya Angelou
A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her. – Maya Angelou
I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. – Maya Angelou
Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud. – Maya Angelou (Letter to My Daughter)
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. – Maya Angelou
You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody. – Maya Angelou
Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean. – Maya Angelou
The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise. – Maya Angelou
Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet. – Maya Angelou
You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise! – Maya Angelou
I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. – Maya Angelou
Nothing can dim the light which shines from within. – Maya Angelou
I sustain myself with the love of family. – Maya Angelou
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. – Maya Angelou
A Woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself. – Maya Angelou
The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my existence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed. – Maya Angelou
The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don’t know my story… – Maya Angelou
A woman who is convinced that she deserves to accept only the best, challenges herself to give the best. Then she is living phenomenally. – Maya Angelou
The sisters and brothers that you meet give you the materials which your character uses to build itself. It is said that some people are born great, others achieve it, some have it thrust upon them. In truth, the ways in which your character is built have to do with all three of those. Those around you, those you choose, and those who choose you. – Maya Angelou
Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings and assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift. – Maya Angelou
Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option. – Maya Angelou
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. – Maya Angelou
We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives. – Maya Angelou
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed. – Maya Angelou
This is my life. It is my one time to be me. I want to experience every good thing. – Maya Angelou
I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver. – Maya Angelou
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color. – Maya Angelou
You rose into my life like a promised sunrise, brightening my days with the light in your eyes. I’ve never been so strong. Now I’m where I belong. – Maya Angelou

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Easy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie – Easy Yummy Quick Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Grandma — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:00:04 +0000

Making a homemade chicken pot pie is quick and easy, if not downright simple. Chicken and turkey pot pie recipes are so easy that even a beginner cook can easily make any kind of pot pie and quickly realize it’s not impossible at all.

The Bisquick chicken pot pie is quick and easy too, but Pillsbury and Betty Crocker also have their own recipe for chicken pot pie, and both recipes are easy, yummy and super fast. Marie Callender’s chicken pot pie tastes a lot better than the Banquet chicken pot pies in the grocery store, but beef or turkey pot pies are nowhere as good as the chicken.

Banquet recalled all of their frozen turkey pot pies and chicken pot pies a couple of years ago, after a salmonella outbreak caused 100 people to get sick, so Grandma’s Kitchen hasn’t had Banquet brand pot pies for awhile now. After reading the Marie Callender and Banquet chicken pot pie nutritional chart and seeing the astounding amount of sodium, fat and other unhealthy facts in both, the decision to make our own turkey or chicken pot pies was easy.

Some might say that this homemade chicken pot pie recipe isn’t really homemade because it calls for a ready-made pie crust vs. a pie crust make from scratch with dough, but to each his own on that regard. Quick and easy is best for our schedule, so a ready-to-bake crust fits perfectly with our busy schedule, but if you have the time and desire to make your own pie crust, by all means go for it. Just follow these easy instructions and you’ll be enjoying homemade chicken pot pie in no time flat.

Easy Yummy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, boiled

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Line a 9 inch pie dish with pastry.

Blanch frozen mixed vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain.

Dice chicken and place in a large bowl. Add vegetables, thyme, celery soup and potato soup. Stir together.

Pour filling into pastry lined pie dish. Arrange top layer of pie crust, seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the top of the crust to allow for steam to escape.

Place pie on cookie sheet. Put aluminum foil around the pie crust edges to help prevent burning.

Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes and then serve. Quick, easy, homemade chicken pot pie that is yummy too!

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