I am attending a conference in Washington, D.C. and won’t be posting until I get back which will be July 2.  Hope everyone has a great 4th of July week-end!!!

So you’ve got the grandchildren coming over to spend the afternoon.  Or possibly you need to find an activity to keep them busy at a family reunion or at a family picnic.

You want to try a new type of activity — one that is fun but doesn’t require lots of pre-preparation or lots of work to carry it out.

Here’s something that I think would fit the bill.  (And it can help use up all of the energy that is spilling out of your grandchildren!)

Clothespin Tag

The object is to be the last player with a clothespin still on your back.  This game is for at least 5 players.  The more the merrier.  Play this game outside unless you don’t mind getting your lamps broken and furniture knocked over . . .

To play, you need one clothespin for each player.  Clip the clothespin to the back of each player’s shirt. Then each player tries to steal the other players’ clothespins without letting anyone get her clothespin.  If your clothespin is taken by another player (or falls off when a player attempts to remove it), you’re out of the game.

The last player with a clothespin left on the back of her shirt is the winner.

Do any of you have fun variations of tag?  If so, please leave a comment and tell us what you have done that has been fun to do with your grandchildren.

I have discovered crayons that you can use to draw on windows.  I am delighted.  We have lots and lots of big windows in our home.  I envisioned having them filled with murals drawn by grandchildren, children, parents (heck, even interested friends and neighbors).

Wouldn’t it be fun to have grandchildren ‘illustrate’ their favorite story or fair tale?  They could draw a scene on one window, continue on the next, and go around all of the windows in the family room and front room.  They could even draw their pictures on the windows in our solarium.

Then, I thought about letting grandchildren draw on windows for holidays, birthdays, when it’s a rainy day.  You could probably even use these crayons on a mirror.  If you are going on a car trip with grandchildren, this might be something that would keep them busily occupied over the miles.

There are two products that you can use.  You can find a set of ten Lyra Wax-O-Glass Window Crayons for $13.00 on Amazon.  They are supposed to easily wipe off with a paper towel.  You might be able to find them in a local craft or art store or where they sell children’s toys and games.  Maybe even an educational type of store.

For a lot less money, there is Crayola’s Washable Window Crayons for $5.00.  There are 8 colors.  You could probably find these in a local Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or Shopko store.

After my initial onset of excitement of ideas for using these window crayons, I thought:  What if these grandchildren (and snarky adult neighbors) decided to write on my walls.  What then?  Why, Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser comes to the rescue.

I’ve read some reviews of this product by moms where were not ‘paid actors’ in a commercial.  They were using the eraser on their own walls to get off the crayon scribbles (and also dirt and grime).  Simply put, it works.

So, I’m off to the store to get some of the window crayons — and a few magic erasers!

Do you have a grandchild that enjoys cooking?  Or one that enjoys eating?  This would be a very simple recipe that you could make with that grandchild.

Or, you could make it for a summer picnic.  Or a Saturday brunch.  Or when you’ve got lonely grapes sitting around in your fridge waiting to be consumed.  It is sweet enough that I believe almost every person who likes grapes will like eating this concoction.

However, as you read this recipe, you might think, “Yuck!  This doesn’t sound very good.”

Well, it doesn’t taste good.  It tastes outta-this-world-fabulous!!!  It is SOOOOOO yummy!  Don’t let the sour cream scare you away.

Groovy Grapes of Goodness

1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup white sugar
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese
4 pounds (approximately) red grapes washed and dried

Beat the vanilla, sugar, sour cream, and cream cheese until smooth.  Pour over grapes.  Sprinkle top with brown sugar.  Refrigerate.  Then gobble them down!