QUESTION: What are you grateful for?
I am grateful for the ability to spend time with my grandchildren. They live all over the world, so every moment I have with them I really appreciate.
Two days ago my two-year-old granddaughter was at my house. I had made some hot apple cider. She loves it, so she asked me for more. While I was filling up her mug, she looked up at me and said, “I love you grandma." At that moment, I was really grateful for my grandchildren and hot apple cider.
QUESTION: Where do your grandchildren live?
I have two that live in South Korea, but they will be heading to Mexico. I have one that is in Michigan, and I have one on the way in Las Vegas.
QUESTION: What about your grandchildren and hot apple cider makes you most grateful?
My mother always made this hot apple cider, and she had this little mesh ball that she would put mulling spices in. When she passed away that was one of the things that I kept, and I now do the same thing. I make cider with my granddaughter like my mother made it with me.
"I make cider with my granddaughter like my mother made it with me."
QUESTION: How would you compare having grandchildren vs raising your own kids?
I have four children who are all grown now, and I think being a grandmother really came easy to me. My mother and my mother-in-law were both really great grandmothers, and really I just followed what they did. I hope I can influence my grandchildren as positively as those two influenced my children
QUESTION: What challenges do you have as a grandparent?
With being far away, I feel like I’m kind of a novelty on Facetime, like an app. They call me and we talk on Facetime. My granddaughter who is four lives in Korea and likes to pretend that she’s on Food Network's baking championship, so we do that over the phone. I give her fake assignments, and she pretends to cook them. The hardest part is finding ways to connect with them and give them memories with me when I’m not in their day-to-day life in person. I have to keep it exciting so I'm not just “Facetime Grandma”.
QUESTION: What advice would you give to new parents or aspiring grandparents?
I think sharing traditions and memories with your kids and your grandchildren is really important. They hold onto that much more than a toy or going to the movies and things like that. Those things are fun and have a place, but I think my kids and my grandkids really appreciate building memories and traditions. To me, that is the most important thing you can do with your kids and your grandkids.
"I think sharing traditions and memories with your kids and your grandchildren is really important. "
