Mine Are Cuter Than Yours: Sharing Animal Babies With Your Grandchildren

What's cuter than baby animals? Oh yeah, baby humans.

But animal babies ARE awfully adorable...and fun to share with your grandkiddies.

Go to zooborns and ooh and aah over wild animal young. Then, if you're able, go to see them in person!

When A Book Isn't A Book

I looked down at the book laying on my dining room table. Well, it really wasn't a book. It was what optimism would look like if it came in 3-D rectangle.

After all, I'm heading to be with the grandkids and every minute, I suppose, is planned.

"Grandma, let's go swimming (in 60+ degree weather!)."

"Let's play Candyland" one granddaughter suggests, which really means "I intend to beat you even if I have to cheat."

"I'm hungry," the little one insists at the most inopportune times. Then we frantically search the bare shelves of our vacation spot for something that is halfway healthy and will satisfy her momentarily. I hand her a candy.

"Grandma, let's go swimming." Did I mention that the temperature is 60 degrees and rapidly descending?

No, I shall bring the book but I suppose it is more likely to become a door stop so our bedroom is light enough to scare away any bogeymen lurking about.

Check out 50somethinginfo.com for suggestions on how to be a super grandparent (or in my case, a highly optimistic, exhausted one.)

Where It's Great to be Grand: Grandparents.com

Grandparents.com always has great ideas. Just recently it featured 13 grandparents sharing outdoor summer activities they do with their own grandchildren that strengthens their bonds:

1. Run or maybe walk to the park

2. Plant a veggie garden

3. Pull that bathing suit out of the drawer and play in the pool

4. Camp in your backyard (sleep in the tent, sing, make s'mores)

5. Make your own rules to old games--get the ball over the net any which way you can

6. Smell the roses and watch the birds

7. Go take a hike--really

8. Go to the beach--boat, build sandcastles, draw in the sand, picnic

9. Climb the jungle gym and slide

10. Scavenge for art supplies in the great outdoors--find the pine cone, sticks, leaves

11. Travel to a national park

12. Go fish (not the card game)

13. Rollerblade (a little too daring for me!)

Find out more how to be a super grandparent and take advantage of the grandparenting resources in your community.

Generations Battle Over Gift Registries

Yesterday it was "Battle of the Generations" at our house.  Law-girl (LG) and Soda-man (SM) represented 20 and 30-somethings versus Unstoppable Grandma (UG), our prize-winning (a real tiger on the bowling alley), slot-machine-wizard, tells-it-how-it-is 80-something.

You see, LG and SM are getting married this year. They have been stewing over what to put on their gift registry.

UG has her own ideas for a registry should any of her buddies decide to take the plunge.

LG & SM UG

Gourmet food Ensure

Car Motorized wheelchairs/scooters

Hawaii Branson, Missouri

Fine dining Early bird buffets

Negligees Flannels

Frilly slippers Comfy slippers & warm socks

Ikea Lazy Boy

Crate & Barrel Tuesday Morning

Martinis Prune juice

Stainless Plastic

Intimates Depends

Dinner napkins Bibs

Suitcase Tote bag

China Paper plates

Glassware Plastic cups

Home entertainment TV (without rabbit ears)

iPod Radio

Blackberry Pad and paper

Kitchen utensils & appliances Can opener

Money Money

I'll place my bets on UG.  How about you?

For more about what's important to 50somethings and older, visit www.50somethinginfo.com.