Tis definitely the season for Valentine Fun. I just came home from Walmart. The decorations I spyed there are huge and the goodies in some of the carts were too. For my Sandwich Generation family, it's going to be a bit smaller than the norm due to so much going on, but we're still enjoying bits and pieces of fun, including prepping those cute Valentines and hiding away little goodies for the big day. And here at SandwichINK we're going to enjoy some Valentine blog party fun in the blogosphere. It's a terrific way to enjoy some Happy Holiday cheer and give some sweet caring for the caregivers, even if caregiving needs are keeping us right at home! So let your fingers "do the walking" with the help of a friendly mouse or trackpad, and enjoy some sweet cheer and enjoyable site-seeing at a variety of great places, some familiar ones from last year and some new ones especially focused on eldercare givers! Enjoy!

Life Between the Buns where fellow Sandwich Generation-er, Jacquelyn, shared the cutest Valentine project with us, along with plenty of empathy for the busy-ness that comes with the caregiving territory! 

Michelle Seitzer, from Seniors For Living, came up with some great ideas for New Ways to Show Love on Valentine’s Day. And what a sweet treat for this Sandwich Generation granny nanny when I read #3! I'm still smiling big, Michelle, thank you!  

A great resource for those caring for the elderly parents with Alzheimers Disease or other dementia symptoms, Alzheimers Reading Room, has a Valentine for us, as well! 

Denise Brown has a fun winter idea at Caregiving.com – We Break For Winter.  It's not a Valentine party, but it's still plenty of fun and hitting at the perfect time to put a sweet smile on our faces. Visit and share something in the comments section for a chance to win a Movie Madness gift pack, plus be entered into a chance to win one of their grand prizes. Today's the last day so hurry to visit. As a past prize winner, I can tell you, they are always sure to make your caregiving day much brighter when you are opening those special goodies! And guess what, I won one of her many prizes again this year! Hooray. And THANK YOU Denise! 

Oh my, wait til you see the lovely Valentine tablescape at The Little Round Table. It's gorgeous – and guaranteed not to add a single pound to our waists!

If you can never get enough of Christmas, Debbie-Dabble has FIVE of her SEVENTEEN Christmas trees still up and beautifully decorated for Valentine's Day. They are gorgeous! 

My senior mom AND my granddog voted for the inclusion of Susan and Bentley's cute Valentine post, Women Bring Love Into A Home. From the cute valentine pix, to the sweet tribute to Susan's mom, to the always adorable Bentley, it's a surefire pleasure! 

EVERYONE seems to be extra busy this Valentine season, including The Thrifty Groove. But she, too, made some time to decorate beautifully AND share some fun, creative and practical ways to save money in the process. A Valentine for us all. 

If you're still looking for fun and easy crafts and Valentine ideas for the kids (not to mention all us seniors), be sure to pop over to 5 Minutes for Mom. They've got such fun craft ideas, delightful stories, and adorable movies to share with your grandkids!

For more fun vintage, enjoy The Vintage Valentine Party at Common Ground as well as the fun post at A Sentimental Life.

And Sue Loves Cherries is all about the RED, so you'll find lots of red lovelies there today, as well as checking back on Valentine's Day, itself, for Rednesday. 

Wait tiil you see Holiday Haven's cute hot Valentine drink decor idea – I LOVED it.

Also, don't forget yesterday's post, Easy, Creative and Free Valentine Ideas for the Sandwich Generation, which has some fun Valentine ideas and resources for you, along with links to two more great Valentine blog party posts. AND if that's still not enough, check out last year's article, Boomer and Senior News for the Sandwich Generation: Plenty of Valentine Blog Party Fun for Busy Caregivers. It has lots more great links to fun blog party posts for 2011. If you're wanting even more Valentine fun, have fun perusing. Isn't this a delightful way to ease some of that caregiver stress, and "caring for the caregivers?" Happy Valentine's Day weekend to caregivers everywhere!  

Kaye

Sigh! DEEP SIGH!  HUMOUNGOUS DEEP SIGH with a tear or two dribbling down my cheek! No no no – it's not over a person. It's not even over a football team (though I hear tell that mega tears were shed over the games this past weekend – many by men!) Nope! This Sandwich Generation is mourning the upcoming loss of one of my very favorite and sooo easy to use tools! Picnik.com – the wonderful photo editor I love – so easy to use and it makes made my photos from my digital camera look so good so quickly and easily…. is being shut down in 3 months! Even my granddog is sorrowful for me!

Now mind you, I have a Mac. It comes with iPhoto. I tried to figure that out two years ago – and had such a hard time. That's when I found Picnik and never looked back. Now, it's time to find a new photo editor so I went back to looking at iPhoto. I did better! I found a handy dandy little instructable that helped me figure out how to crop. But apparently, you still have to leave the program and go through a regular "rigamarole" just to add text to the picture. And don't even ask me how to add one picture on top of the other. Not to mention all the cute little stickers and other goodies offered by Picnik.

They are still open for three months and supposedly you get the whole shebang for free. Anyone who paid for the premium (me) has or will receive a refund which was nice. But when I went to use it today, even though they say we can use premium, it would only let me upload 5 photos at a time instead of as many as I wanted (like I used to be able to do). It took me three times as long to edit a photo as normal! For a busy Sandwich Generation granny nanny trying to squish everything in to the few spare minutes I have each day, that won't work well! And that definitely makes me feel like the young man in this photo! 

They are also supposed to be adding all the capabilities to Google+ which I DO use and love, but I'm not sure it will be exactly the same. Time will tell there. Then again, not everyone uses or wants to use G+, although it is quite handy and easy to use.

SOOOOO I am on a hunt to find another very easy to use photo editor for myself AND to share with any of you who also have that as a need. AND if you have already found such a treasure, please share it with all of us. Whether we are in the Sandwich Generation or not, that is something that is just plain a necessity for those of us who love our easy to use digital camera but who may not be that great at using the really good photo editors like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements or who don't necessarily need THAT much power. What do you think? In the meanwhile, don't forget to check out some good tips at Sweet Shot Tuesday. And to keep updated…

Kaye

The Sandwich Generation multigenerational caregiving issues of life can certainly be full of stress, can't it? Whether it's dealing with hospitilizations of senior parents and the ensuing recovery period (note the red gizmo on the big hospital gizmo – just in time for Rednesday? );

or perhaps it's helping a grandchild with all the necessary requirements of those ever fun science fair projects;

And then, we won't even think about our own bodies giving us fritzes with sinus infections or tummy bugs (I'm FINALLY over that sinus infection – yay ).

But when things get a bit too much, I really appreciate the lovely trees, and the gorgeous sky. Isn't it amazing how taking a few seconds to just stand and relax and look up at God's wonders, can often help you feel a bit more relaxed and ready to dive back into those Sandwich Generation issues of life?  Even lovely photos can help me relax – another reason I love my easy to use digital camera. And if you feel the same way, be sure to visit Sweet Shot Tuesday for more interesting pictures.  

Kaye

It's January. We should have snow, shouldn't we? We should at least be freezing! Well, today we are quite chilly since the wind is REALLY blowing. But on Saturday when I snapped these photos with my easy to use digital camera in my iPhone, it was so warm, my grandkids kept taking off their jackets. (Not me, but age does make a difference, doesn't it? )

Not to mention the fact that I am still recouping from a particularly persistent sinus infection. I'm definitely on the mend, but didn't do much running Saturday, that's for sure! My granddog made up for me though! He was running EVERYWHERE, though he did slow down for a minute so I could take this Sweet Shot for Tuesday with my digital camera that is so nice and easy to use!

What a joy – plenty of sweet weather to play ball tag…swing…and enjoy some outdoor fun. A perfect prescription for grandparents and grandkids at all times, including Rednesday. Certainly a healthy way to rid myself of a bit of caregiver stress, don't you think?  

P.S. I wrote this Sunday. We got SNOW yesterday (Monday) – totally surprised us all including the weather man – most of them, anyway! Not much though, so my whole family is hoping we can still get out for a bit more exercise before it REALLY comes down.  How has your Sandwich Generation weather been this year - all three days of it?  

Kaye

Hush! Do you hear it? Is it the sound of carols playing softly in the background? Not at the moment. How about snow falling quietly. Nope. Jingle bells. Fraid not. It's actually the sound of me – coughing and sneezing the night away! Oyyyy. Not great timing to have a cold during the holiday season, and even worse for those of us in the Sandwich Generation! Who's got time to be sick when you are busy juggling all the multigenerational issues of caring for elderly parents and babysitting grandchildren! And try as we might, you know SOME of those germs will spread. After all,  how did we usually get sick? Tho this time, it's either a cold with a REALLY LONG incubation period, or I got it from outside our family. Sigh….

I really should make chicken soup. It definitely has good healing properties! But I'm out of chicken and don't want to go to the store. So I'm making do with chicken broth, TV dinners and tacos. But when I'm ready to, I'm going to have to try this free recipe from Gooseberry Patch Homemade Christmas. In addition to plenty of scrumptious recipes, including their Chill Chaser Chicken Soup, they also have more of their cute, and often easy crafts that are as fun for us seniors as our grand kids.

I'm also checking the web periodically to see if anyone has finally come up with the cure for the common cold. Not so far, though. I was happy to see that Weather.com is reporting minimal invasions of the flu – hate to combine the two, don't you? 

From there, I headed to AARP where I discovered they have a handy dandy symptom checker among many other useful health tools. It told me I have, drum roll please, a COLD. Hmmm. I guess I was hoping for something medicine could wipe out in a second. No such luck. But they did remind me to take yogurt and eat chicken soup, among several other great tips.  

WebMD has a nice slide-show with excellent reminders of what to do when you have a cold, including a sweet baby boomer family memory for me – Vicks VapoRub – they suggest dabbing a bit under your nose to clear up the nasal passages. I'll have to ask my mom if she has some. I remember her using that every time I was sick when I was a kid. How about your parents? Come to think of it, my favorite tissue – Puffs Plus – has a Vicks version. I'll have to remember to stock up on those for future bugs! 

Ah well, while colds and flu aren't great news for all of us boomers and seniors they do happen. For the most part, I'll just keep plugging away since all my duties do give me the freedom to just sit quietly a lot if necessary. My poor senior mom, who IS healthy (and I'm praying hard she stays that way) is now taking her walks alone. My grandkids – that's a story for another day (tomorrow, to be exact). And in the meantime, I'm hiding away to keep from sharing TOO many germs for one day anyway. And very grateful I can write this for you without giving you ANY germs at all. Got any advice for me. I'm all ears. And I'm hoping you and your Sandwich Generation family are NOT sharing this particular seasonal issue!

P.S. Would you believe it, the Chicken Soup for the Soul series even has a Chicken Soup recipes book, complete with stories for caregivers and grandparents, and recipes. Fun reading for those of us in the Sandwich Generation who are recouping together.

Kaye

This Sandwich Generation granny nanny and her grandkids are thoroughly enjoying the gorgeous colors of autumn. We've had extra reds already this year. Now those fall reds are turning into vivid yellows! And what fun I've had capturing as much of it as I can, with my easy to use digital camera.

The driveway is full of lovely, crunchy leaves to enjoy.

And the sky is back to being blue…for the moment. Til the next storm comes roaring through!

When the Sandwich Generation issues of life start getting to me, I like to stop, breath, and look at the leaves – just for a moment. It's a chance to be blessed by God as He reinvigorates "my batteries" before I plow back into my multigenerational life full of elder caregiving duties combined with babysitting grandchildren. Now it's your turn! Enjoy!  

P.S. Happy Sweet Shot Tuesday

P.P.S.

Kaye

One of yesterday's tips was geared for the exhausted caregiver – going on too little sleep and too much to do. Woman's World Weekly Magazine recommended that, even if you can't nap, just resting for five minutes in a darkened room can make a big difference. A great RX for the multigenerational caregivers in the Sandwich Generation!

But what if you are like me, and your eyes may be closed but your mind keeps racing? Some things I've learned to do to help with that includes:

1. Pick one or two comforting and uplifting Bible verses and read them first. Then let your mind dwell on those words as you rest. The Lord's Prayer is one of my favorites for this,

Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 'Give us this day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.'

along with Psalm 23, as I have both of them memorized. 

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures ; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23

2. Listen to soothing praise and worship hymn songs and music. 

3. Listen to one of the many excellent verse by verse Bible studies I love. I have several favorite pastors I enjoy listening to. A couple of them are great, but have booming voices. A couple others are just as great, but have soothing and relaxing voices and those are wonderful for this. I usually avoid studies in the book of Revelation, though!

What's your favorite way to calm your mind as well as your body when the Sandwich Generation issues of life are keeping you short on sleep and long on duties? We'd love to hear.

P.S.

Kaye

My senior mom, my grandkids and I have been thoroughly reveling in the delights of autumn colors. We've been enjoying a lot of Claritan as well – due to the allergy issues thanks to all that fall foliage! I've also been having fun with my easy to use digital camera, snapping away at Autumn leaves, Halloween treats, and, of course, sweet grandkids. I've also enjoyed the easy to use Picnik.com and thought you'd get as much a kick as me at these pictures…

Would you believe they are just the Halloween treat bags I got for the alternative packages for the sweet kids in my life with food allergies and intolerance symptoms.  :) I love what you can do with Picnik.com, don't you?  

Have you discovered any fun tricks and tips with your own easy to use digital camera – on your own, from Picnik.com, or from other great sources? We'd love to hear.  

Kaye

My senior mom and I stopped to pick up the mail last week and were delighted to find a HUGE box waiting for me there. "What could it be," we wondered. Then I spotted the return address – Denise Brown – Caregiving.com. I still wasn't sure what it was, but knowing Denise, I knew it would probably be a sweet treasure trove of treats. I suspected it was from her "We Break for Summer!" fun I had joined in on last week, and I was right. She is such a blessing in the lives of so many, including me, and this is just one of the sweet reasons why. Follow me to see what encouragers she had packed up for me, that will be a blessing to my Sandwich Generation family!

Don't you love this great tote bag! And my grandgirls will love the cute hair ribbons. 

CHOCOLATE! How DID she know that this Sandwich Generation granny nanny is a definite chocoholic! And isn't the table decoration pretty.

My senior mom and my granddaughter both loved these plastic containers – my senior mom could use two for gardening and my granddaughter figured she could store some of those cute little hair bows and ribbons in one. 

Awww, I love this notepad to hang on the fridge. Great for leaving notes.

Swedish Fish – A popular AND red item with the young and old!

Hmmmmm, graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows – do I hear s'mores, anyone? And don't you love the cute red tableware – also perfect for Rednesday. 

And would you believe, there was even more in there. Thank you, Denise, for such a sweet treat for this Sandwich Generation caregiver. It was a real lift to my spirits, as well as my senior mom's.

That's a big reason I love to share blog party posts with y'all. Even without prizes, they can be a real "spirit-lifter" to those of us who are staying so busy caring for elderly parents and raising our kids or babysitting our grandchildren - and we don't have to clean, dress up, or leave our homes. With autumn on its way – there should be plenty of blog parties coming up – from fall harvest fun to Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Years….. Gotta love it. Gotta love the regular weekly fun as well, like Rednesday and Sweet Shot Tuesday, where we can enjoy sharing the pictures we each took with our own easy to use digital camera. Enjoy! 

Kaye

Happy Labor Day to the Sandwich Generation!

In looking for some peaceful classical music, I found this song full of sweet family memories. Would you believe it, I used to practice this song on the piano. I wasn't nearly as good, though. But I did love it then and now. I recently found this music and sent it to my piano-playing grandchild. How fun for this granny nanny.  :)

Enjoy one of my Smilebox eCards Creations with Liebestraum.

Enjoy.

Have a blessed and, hopefully, restful day to all of us in the Sandwich Generation, even as you are busy with caring for elderly parents and caring for your children or babysitting your grandchildren. 

P.S. This lovely music was one of the great free classical music mp3 downloads that are often available at Amazon. This particular song is currently not free (the free deals disappear and reappear quickly, so you have to doublecheck always.), BUT I did discover another classical sampler album that is currently a delightful freebie. Classical music is so nice to share with our grandchildren or just help all of us in the Sandwich Generation to relax. A lovely treat for Labor Day, don't you think?  

P.P.S. 5 Minutes for Mom has Happy Holidays Labor Day posts for all, including the Sandwich Generation grandparents and grandchildren. :) 

Kaye