Love at First Sight

I didn’t really believe in love at first sight until the day I met my grandson.  It is hard to articulate how deeply I am in love with this little man.  I am a doting Grandma and I love every minute of it.  Holding him and rocking him to sleep has become the highlight of my day.  I was lucky enough to spend the past month helping out my daughter and son-in-law as they adjusted to parenthood.  Mostly I got to do Grandma time with my sweet grandson, giving the new parents a chance to do some needed household chores and most importantly to catch up on some of their missing sleep.

Spending my morning hours with William, holding him as he slept and looking into his precious blue eyes has been the most wonderful experience.  I have loved getting to know his unique little personality, his little noises and mannerisms.  I have loved laughing with my daughter and son-in-law at William’s many loud burps and farts that could rival a fraternity party.  I have loved seeing the intimate moments where my own baby girl sits and looks at her baby with such love that it brings tears to my eyes. 

It will be so hard to leave him today, as I go back home to Arizona, but we already have plans for my daughter to bring William for a visit in a couple months.  There is no doubt it will be harder having him so far away, but no matter where I am, William will never be far from my heart. 

A Virtual Baby Shower

Most of us have family spread across the country.  My oldest daughter moved across the country to Tennessee and married a wonderful man.  It was a challenge for all of her family and friends in Arizona to travel across the country for her wedding and not everyone was able to make the trip. 

I was completely thrilled when my daughter and new son-in-law called to tell us that they were expecting.  I have been looking forward to becoming a grandma and I know my grandchild will be loved by so many.  I wanted to make sure to include family and friends near and far in the celebration of this new addition to our family, but how could I accomplish a baby shower that would include everyone. 

In today’s world of technology there are so many options to connect with others so I decided to try something fun and new – a virtual baby shower. 

First I created an event on Facebook and invited family and loved ones all across the country, but I did not include the expecting Mom in hopes of surprising her.  I did some Google searches and found some fun Baby Shower games and activities that could be adapted for our virtual shower.  

Each day I tried to add a fun fact, game or activity as well as sharing info about the baby gift registries that she had signed up for. 

I did have several folks who were confused by the concept, but with a little explanation they were quick to jump on board. 

Here are just a few of the fun activities I posted

The day of the event I invited my daughter and told her all about it.  She had the chance to scroll through all of the fun wishes from her friends and family.  She loved reading the responses to all of the shower games.  I will admit it was not the same as being there in person – but this was a fun way to include everyone. 

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Life from a Different Point of View

Have you seen this picture?  It has been circulating social media for quite awhile.  Many of us relate to the little girl on the right, joyfully being herself and making her own rules in life. 

I was definitely that little girl.  I got lost in daydreams, I became so engrossed in books that I lost track of the world around me.  I didn’t worry too much about what others thought of me. 

My mother used to share stories about watching me at dance class.  Parents sat behind a two-way mirror while their children did their best to follow along with the strict ballet instructor.  While other students were carefully paying attention, I was staring at my reflection, twirling around and generally doing my own thing.  It was clear I would never become a prima ballerina, but it was also clear that I was someone who would make my own way in life.

 I have always had a certain amount of disregard for rules.  I am so grateful to my Mom who taught me to stand up for myself.  I am not afraid to challenge authority and fight for what I believe in. I think that most people who know me would agree that I am still very much like that little girl - joyfully making up her own way of doing things.  

Would you go on a surprise vacation?

I LOVE to travel.  I have always loved to visit new places.  My mother always said I had wanderlust.  I have travelled with my husband. I have travelled with my daughters.  I have travelled by myself.  I have now travelled to 40 out of the 50 states and over 16 foreign countries. 

Yes, I think Travel is encoded in my DNA so I was really intrigued when I heard about a fun new travel trend – Surprise travel.   I saw a post that a friend shared on Facebook that introduced a new company called PackUp & Go. 

According to the Pack Up & Go website, “Pack Up + Go plans 3-day weekend trips around the United States. All you have to do is tell us your budget and fill out a quick survey.  We'll take care of your travel + accommodation arrangements - all while keeping your destination a surprise.”

According to Lonely Planet, “Customers have a choice of embarking on a road trip (starting at $450 per person) or booking a vacation that includes air travel (from $650). All you have to do is choose your dates and tell the company your budget, and then fill out a quick survey and check off a list of things you enjoy, such as craft beer, live music, comedy clubs, outdoor activities, etc.” Your plans include an itinerary based on your survey answers. 

(Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2016/07/04/weekend-trip-destination-surprise/#ixzz4FGPR3NTA)

I am sure this kind of travel isn’t for everyone, but for those with an adventurous spirit, the company does all the planning and you simply show up when they tell you.

I am so excited about this concept – I am thinking of doing a surprise trip for my husband’s birthday.  I promise to share about our experience. 

Is a surprise trip something you would enjoy?  You can check out their website at http://www.packupgo.com