Enjoying these last sunny, dry, cool fall days before it quickly turns to #winter, by doing lots of #fallactivities and sharing our projects with #grandparents online.
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How are you spending these days as the season changes around us? We are collecting colorful leaves to make #nature #quilts, and #chestnuts and acorns for counting, making #pumpkin soup and #homemade roasted #pumpkinseeds, and #spiderwebs with friends from sticks and ...
Nov 20
Starting from #Halloween to the celebration of the New Year, we are in full celebration mode in this house. Normally this period is stressful for us #multicultural parents and the molding of traditions to accommodate #longdistancefamily into our calls and traditions; but these past two weeks, when we have been here in a second #lockdown in #Belgium, and the fall vacation was extended for children, all this hoopla has been a welcomed distraction. ...
Nov 15
"What can I get you to eat Grandma?", she asks her #grandmother politely, as if she was right there at our #teaparty.
Even if you live far away from #family (or in these #COVID times are seeing them less often), that doesn't keep children from wanting to play with their #grandparents; and they can if you let them. Put them straight into the fun and games (virtually): set them a place at your table, a toy to play with, a ...
Nov 13
Bonding with #family isn't limited to in-person visits, or in these weird COVID times or when living far away from each other- video calls; this past month we have been exchanging little audio snippets of #fallsounds with our #grandparents! And letting the other ones guess what they are listening to. It has lead to lots of giggles and laughter on all sides!
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And it all started while #grandma was #rakingtheleaves, and missing us ...
Nov 7
Keeping kids connected with #family from afar can be tricky, especially when there is a time difference! It is hard to catch each other when you have the same energy to connect; as when the #grandparents are just starting their days, we are just coming home from #school and winding down from a busy day.
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But as the days get darker, colder and wetter (at least here in #Belgium) and we start doing more #fallactivities that are more ...
Oct 28
A #virtualpumpkincarving party is one of our favorite #granddistanceparenting activities as it is interactive and fun, and everyone can partake - if your kids are too little to carve, they can draw the #jackolantern face or even paint the #pumpkin 🎃. Sharing in the process creates memories and lots of conversation material!
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#actionshot of me and my son carving in #Belgium with #grandma and #grandpa in #Minnesota, USA!
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Oct 26
Messy, but delightful afternoon of #pumpkincarving during our #virtualpumpkinparty with #grandma and #grandpa! It ended by exchanging #scaryfaces and making silly pictures. Hope the #jackolanterns last two weeks till #Halloween! Our hands are a little orange, but it really #smellslikefall now, with the leaves, the campfires and pumpkins! Did you carve a pumpkin together virtually with #family too?
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#granddistanceparenting ...
Oct 18
T minus two days ' til our favorite #virtualtradition of #pumpkincarving with #grandpa and #grandma! It is five years in the making and man is it fun and messy and #goofy!
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Did you schedule your #virtual #carvingparty yet with your #longdistancefamily? You both need a pumpkin 🎃, the regular carving tools, and a good setup for the call where you both see each other carving your #jackolantern. 🎃 👻 🎃
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Oct 16
"Grandpa, let's do a piano battle!" Never thought we would be simultaneously #playinggames together during video chats, but #magictiles in particular is suitable for racing eachother through the same song which my seven year old loves and provides some decent songs to dance to for the little one. (NOTE: not all songs are appropriate for kids, so screen them before hand to evaluate the lyrics and if you want your children to play ...
Sep 26
How do you celebrate birthdays with your #longdistancefamily?
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Four virtual #birthdayparties in one day meant four creative #birthdaycakes and lots of singing and gifts and cards sent from abroad for our now little four year old. We started out with a tower of four #donuts for a #breakfast #birthday celebration with #Oma on #whatsapp, a cucpake for another set of #grandparents on #facetime, a pancake with sprinkles and...
Sep 19
Dearest Grandparents,
You are the light of our world! Thank you for everything you do and all the love, patience and spoiling that you share and have for your #grandchildren. We know being a grand distance #grandparent is not easy, it isn't what you ever imagined life as a grandparent would be, but your efforts to connect with them are sincerely appreciated. And with every stage and new chapter you are their to support all of us. It...
Sep 13
"Hey #grandma, hey #grandpa check out our #appletree this year!"
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#Apple picking is a great fall tradition and especially with children, and even better when you can bring your #grandparents from halfway around the world through the #orchard with you on #videochat when they can't make it there themselves to see "our" tree Sin. They experienced it all, minus tasting the delicious #elstars of @fruitlambrecht. ...
Sep 11
Ringing up the #grandparents anywhere at anytime is a normal everyday thing for us. Today we called them from our favorite #appleorchard & #grocer - #FruitLambrechtBaart in
#StElooisVijve #Belgium; which they have been experiencing virtually for four years watching through #videochat as we pick #apples, delight at 'our' growing #appletree which we fondly named Sin, had our first taste of the sweet and juicey #Elstar, run up ...
Sep 6
Will you join my #teaparty? Would you like an #icecream🍦? Can I make you a #coffee ☕ or would you like #moojuice 🥛? What kind of #eggs 🍳 would you like? What do you like on your #toast? Oh no I burned the #cheese...= 30 mins of #laughter and #play with a #toddler on a #videocall with #grandma and #grandpa. #Fun with the #grandparents can be facilitated #virtually in all sorts of ways. How are you engaging with your grandchildren? Or ...
Sep 5
And we made it- the #firstdayofschool! ***
The confinement in the spring and a corona-proof summer with limited #travel was weird; we miss our #family and friends (as our social contacts are still limited here in #Belgium), and nothing feels normal these days but this, #school, the hustle and bustle of the morning routine this feels half normal. Thank you #teachers!
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Now off to send a bunch of pictures to all the #grandparents! ...
Sep 1
A phone call to #oma, while playing #mikado and keeping busy with #playdough= just like she is there at our table.
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#granddistanceparenting #longdistancefamily #grandma #grandchildren #skypewithgrandma #grandparents #facetime #playinggames #callinggrandma #family #familytime
Aug 29
#homesick 'cause #covidsucks and missing my #longdistancefamily but still having fun in #Belgium #wallonie / #ardennen with my #family & haven't been posting as have no words for this pain and my son's #tears. Hope you have figured out a better balance to this madness than me; just trying to focus on the positive, but still sorely missing #family and struggling to find a balance with this #newreality.
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Jul 31
It wasn't a typical #birthday, due to #corona measures we kept the celebration small and had a few #playdate parties instead of one big one.
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We asked friends and #family to submit #birthdaygreetings in the form of pictures, videos and messages on a @kudoboard, which brought a huge smile to the face of our now #7yearold!!
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We opened #presents and sang #happybirthday with family and friends throughout the day on ...
Jul 4
