The next Grilled Grandma

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I'm continually floored by the precious little kiddos I get to see and read about as part of the Grilled Grandma feature. But I gotta say that this week's Grilled Grandma -- Crystal -- has a granddaughter after my heart. I can say that because I don't have a granddaughter of my own ... yet.

Just listen to this cuteness. In response to my question of "What do you like to do when you visit your grandkids at their house?", Crystal said this:

I enjoy playing pretend and being part of their active imagination play.  Today Helayna served me tea from her Starbucks shop (in her room) and then she had to dash into the closet (her dressing room) and change into hockey clothes!

Cuteness personified, wouldn't you say?

Crystal has five super cute grandkids, courtesy of three (of her four) super cute kids. Read all about them in her grilling, which you can find HERE.

Today's question:

What's your favorite drink from Starbucks ... or any tea or coffee shop?

My answer: I love, love, love the Pumpkin Spice Latte available in the fall and winter.

Flushing Grandma's potty mouth

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I don't swear a lot, but I do swear. Probably more often than I should. Most often of the H-word, S-word, D-word variety.

I never ever use GD, and the F-word only flies in my head ... when I stub my toe, poke my eye with the mascara brush or get really, really, REALLY angry at Jim. But like I said, it's only in my head.

I do try not to swear around Bubby at all, but I'm thinking that I should probably just clean up my language a tad so I don't have to consciously consider what's coming out of my mouth when around him. Yeah, he's 819 miles away, but eventually I'll have grandkids nearby that I see more often and being a potty-mouthed grandma isn't what I aspire to be.

So I've decided I'm going to follow the lead of George Clooney ... as Fantastic Mr. Fox. He cusses all the time ... but he uses the actual word CUSS in place of the cuss words. Take a look:

How cussing cool is that!? I think I even picked up on an F-word replacement here and there. Which means I can actually tell Jim what I'm thinking at those times I'm really, really, REALLY angry and I'll still be a relatively clean-mouthed grandma!

So if I start using the "cuss" word around here, you'll understand, right?

Oh, and if you've not seen "Fantastic Mr. Fox," what the cuss are you waiting for?

Today's question:

What cuss word do you say most often?

My answer: The one most often flying from my mouth is the H-word ... and it's not when I'm reading the Bible.

Grandma tools of the trade

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The other day I bought a few new tops (gotta love JCPenney sales!). When I got home and removed the tags, I took the little packets of extra buttons that came with and added them to my button tin.

That's when it hit me: I really am a grandma. Grandmas have button tins, button jars. Here I am with a button collection all of my very own. Hence, I'm a grandma!

It got me thinking about other grandma tools of the trade, the accoutrements that show a woman has reached grandma status.

As a relative newcomer to the grandparenting game, I've not yet gathered enough of the required goodies to be considered in the Pro-Nana class, but here's what I've got so far, the things that put me firmly on the playing field, striving to move from the Amateur level to Pro:

  • Rocking chair -- I have three, actually, plus two gliders and a rocking recliner

  • The aforementioned tin o' buttons

  • Afghans -- I have too many to count (thanks, Mom!)

  • Jelly jars -- a box leftover from my pomegranate jelly adventure

  • Super-size stock pot -- ideal for making jelly AND crowd-size pots of chili

  • Stock words of wisdom -- My favorites: "The key to patience is finding something to do in the meantime" and "To have a friend you gotta be a friend"

  • Grandfather clock

  • Bobby pins ... lots of them (forget that I never even use them)

  • A cabinet filled with craft options -- colorful paper, paints, crayons, markers, kid-size scissors, various glues, stickers, embroidery thread, fake flowers and floral tape, paper-making supplies, fabric remnants, and lots of pages of ideas torn from magazines yet never executed

  • Enough spare sheets to cover each bed three times over.

  • Enough dish towels to dry each dish with its very own towel.

  • Bi-focals -- I have two pair ... progressive lens, as I claim to be a hip grandma

  • Flannel jammies -- although since recently buying them after years without, I think the flannel jammies should wait until well past the hot-flash, perimenopausal phase. Flannel jammies are definitely for grandmas in the Pro-Nana class

  • A recipe box filled with yellowed clippings from magazines plus handwritten cards from 30+ years ago when my handwriting was a bit easier to read

Yep, I'm an amateur. And I'm not even sure what additional tools of the trade I should be collecting to progress to the next level. I've always been a bit of an overachiever, so having no set list to which I should aspire can be a bit daunting at times. Any suggestions?

Today's question:

What are some tools or traits you associate with grandmas, something every grandma should have, do or be? Something you, your mom or your grandma possessed?

My answer: My grandma and my mom both have wigs they wear occasionally ... I'm definitely not there yet.