Tuesday:) Toni’s Tip of the Day~Grandmas Need Rest

“An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly.” — Gene Perret

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I’m home after a wonderful wild and crazy fun-filled week with family and the grandkids. My tip for today is… REST and recharge. Precious time spent with family flies by too quickly, so you need to soak up as much fun and joy as you can. Then REST.

Today, I rested and didn’t get out of bed till 11:30. It was nice to reminisce and reflect on a fun week. The nice thing about being a grandma is it’s not a 24/7 run around like crazy full-time job.

Memories to last a lifetime… or u til the next adventure.

Happy Tuesday, my friends.

Tuesday:) Toni’s Two Favorite Little People

“Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you’re just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric.”

~Pam Brown (and my family agrees)

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I spent a lot of time looking at old photos on my iPad today and discovered that the majority of the 12,946 photos and 197 videos are of my beautiful granddaughters. so, I thought I’d share a few recent ones. They always make me smile and realize that being a grandmother is one of, if the the greatest blessings in the world.

Sophisticated and silly all rolled into one.

Double trouble, double the fun.

Pretty princesses in pink. What do ya think?

Happy Tuesday! 🤗

Tuesday:) Toni’s On Gamma Duty and More Elvis on the Shelvis

“You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.”

~Albert Einstein

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My little one year old granddaughter had a tough night and woke up with a fever this morning. I offered to stay home with the baby so mommy didn’t have to take a day off of work. Grandmas are almost as good as mommies. It’s just a little tougher with babies. They want their mommy when they are sick.

Her poor little face was so sad this morning and there was some fussing and crying for a while, but I found singing to her stopped her crying. Funny! I normally get the opposite reaction when I sing…people usually start crying.

We played and sang and ate some breakfast. She took her first nap around 9 am, (she was crying most the night and up around 6 am, so she was tired.) The second nap was around 2. By afternoon, she was feeling much better.

Grandmas have the best jobs.

Now, for Elvis on the Shelvis. Day 8 Tuesday on the toaster. “I’m in trouble if anyone turns this thing on. Toasty tushie time.”

Happy Tuesday, my friends.

Montage Monday:) A Week in a Grandma Peek

Child of my child, and heart of my heart

Whether together, or miles apart.

A grandmother’s love is what it implies

It’s grander each day, and just multiplies.

The warmth of her heart will never grow old

The gleam of her eye, more precious than gold.

Stars up in heaven could never outshine

This child of my child, now child of mine.

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~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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Sunday:) Second Birthday With Baby Belle

“Perfect love sometimes does not come till the first grandchild.”

~Welsh Proverb

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Today, we celebrated baby Belle’s second birthday. She’s not a baby anymore. She’s getting to be such a big girl, and soon she’ll be a big sister. And the best part is, she giggles and says, “Hi Gamma.” I haven’t seen her in months, but we FaceTime every Sunday, so she knows my face and my voice.

The Welsh proverb is absolutely correct. You love your children unconditionally, but when you have grandchildren, that love is multiplied tenfold.

Belle loves pizza, just like Gamma. (Oh, I missed Chicago pizza) She shared her pizza with her Gamma.

After the party at Barnaby’s Pizza, we decorated the Christmas tree and opened birthday presents. She put on the first ornament.

Yep, this Gamma is very blessed.

Montage Monday:) A Week in a Peek-a-boo

“It’s tough to play peek-a-boo with a baby because you close your eyes for a second, and they’re all grown up.”

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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A busy week with travel, friends, karaoke, church, lunches, more travel, and the grand finale, time with my six month old grandbaby. A quick peek-a-boo.

Sunday:) Special Grandmother Moments

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you’re just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric. — Pam Brown

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There’s no such thing as too many grandbaby pictures. I get to spend a little time with my new grandbaby in the next couple weeks. Some of my friends who became grandparents before me would apologize and say, “Sorry for posting all the baby pictures on Facebook.” Or they’d say,”I’m sure you’re tired of hearing about the baby.” My reply was always,”MORE PLEASE!”

Therefore, I’m not going to apologize. I’ll just keep posting and sharing until she’s in college. Well, I take that back. I’ll never stop. This is only the first grandbaby. Who knows, maybe more down the line. 

Here she is…she’s simply adorable. It says so on her shirt.

“Grandma, what big eyes you have!”        “The better to see you, my sweet Belle.”

“Grandma, what big hands you have.”      “The better to hold you tight, my sweet Belle.”

Bath time and ready for bed. “Goodnight, Grandma.”

Tuesday:) Toni’s Tiny Angel

“if god had intended us to follow recipes, He wouldn’t have given us grandmothers.” ― Linda Henley

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Yes, more baby pictures. Now that pretty much everyone in McKinney has seen baby pictures of my new granddaughter, I’ve spread my photo sharing to the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Here are a few more. 

This grandma thing is really growing on me. I am blessed. 

A Very Thankful Thursday

“This is a place where grandmothers hold babies on their laps under the stars and whisper in their ears that the lights in the sky are holes in the floor of heaven.” 

― Rick Bragg

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Today was a very special day. I held my beautiful granddaughter in my arms for the very first time. My first grandchild, it was love at first sight. When my son put this angel in my arms, joyful tears tickled down my cheeks.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This picture is worth a million words or more.

Now, this picture is beyond a million words. Priceless!!!

She’s smiling at Grandma.

Sunday Sermon and Some Other Stuff (Grandma’s Birthday)

“The loving arms of a grandmother may be weak and frail, but they give the most powerful hugs imaginable.”

~Toni Amenta Andrukaitis

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Today is the Tenth Sunday of Ordinary time, I have no idea what the Gospel or the sermon was about. I was just ecstatic to be in Chicago. Going to Mass with my son Joe at his church in Northbrook was such a delightful bonus.The nice thing about the Catholic Mass is, even though the songs and hymns have a different tune, the words are the same and easy to follow along. I sang my little heart out. 

Kinda blurry photo of St. Norbert. After Mass we lit a candle and said a special prayer.

Seeing as I had a captive son, I asked if we could stop for a coke or tea and have a chat. A lot to catch up with. I scooted to the other side and said, “Selfie time!” He grimaced and groaned, but obliged his old goofy mother…knowing that it would be on Facebook in a few hours. 

Then, a trip to visit my mom. Me, Joe, with his wife, ( my lovely new daughter-in-law) Lindsay drove to Elgin. Grandma was thrilled to see her grandson and granddaughter. We were celebrating Mom’s 89th birthday which will be Monday. We went to lunch and had a nice visit.

I’m staying with Mom and we will celebrate tomorrow again. When you are 89, there’s no such thing as too many birthday celebrations.

Grandma’s day is now complete. But, tomorrow is another day.