What is Cousin Camp? Have you ever held a cousin camp? It’s when grandparents get all the grandkids together for a fun, shared experience over the Summer. Some camps are themed, some are inside,…
Hope. Joy. Love. Peace. Just reading the words actually can fill me with those very emotions! Advent seems a little extra special this year. And I think people are longing for and truly waiting…
Week 3 – All About Joy We hope you are enjoying connecting with your grandkids during Advent. This week it’s all about Joy….but if you missed the first two weeks about Hope and Love,…
Week 2 – All About Love Hope. Love. Joy. Peace. Just reading the words actually can fill me with those very emotions! Advent seems a little extra special this year. And I think people…
Celebrate the Meaning of Christmas Christmas is coming! Although I’m sure you are already quite aware. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year for me! I…
When Morgan and I began reading stories together virtually almost six years ago, it was one of the most delightful experiences ever. Hearing her little voice on the phone asking “Amma can you read…
Kids love mail. I think I love sending them mail almost as much as they love receiving it! Identifying flat things to mail is always on my list and I am constantly on the lookout…
I love opening up my mailbox and discovering what I like to call ‘real mail’! I love seeing the handwriting of someone I love. The fact that someone shared their time with me as…
Ahoy, matey! Embark on a pirate-themed adventure with grandkids! From crafting treasure maps to speaking pirate lingo over Facetime, enjoy 8 fun activities together. Avast, me hearties, let the fun begin!
Do you have a Family Reunion coming up and you are wondering how to keep everyone entertained? We’ve gathered our top family reunion games you can use not only for family reunions, but cousin camps,…
At Over the River we always say that you don’t need to go to school or take a class to be an amazing grandparent. But sometimes it’s great to gather ideas and insights from others…
Have you ever wondered how to be a good grandparent? What makes someone good at grandparenting? It’s easy to think of a picture perfect scenario with a grandparent that more closely resembles a super…
Reading summer books with toddler grandchildren is not only a great way to help them develop language and cognitive skills, it’s also a great way to bond. That is true whether you are a…
Summer and preschoolers are like peanut butter and jelly, and Woody and Buzz. They just go together. For preschoolers, summer is just brimming with excitement and wonder, offering endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. …
Becoming a grandparent was always on my bucket list. Becoming a long distance grandparent was not! Yet statistics tell me I am not alone. Almost half of the 56 million grandparents in the country…
Are you about to become a grandparent? Congratulations! Being a grandma is so much fun and we consider it an honor to “celebrate” with you as you get ready for this new adventure. If…
Grandkids hold a special place in our hearts, and it’s fun to celebrate them year-round! Whether it’s a delightful birthday, a special achievement, or just a random act of love, finding the perfect gift…
As you curate your Summer book bucket list for grandkids, keep in mind their age and attention span, as well as their interests. Here are some great books to read with your grandchildren thi…
There’s nothing like a vacation with the whole family. We aim for one or two every year, and they never disappoint! We have learned a lot of multigenerational travel tips and tricks over the…
Telling the Christmas Story to children is an integral part of celebrating Christmas each year for many families. We’ve probably all watched that famous scene from “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown” as Linus transforms his…
Grandkids hold a special place in our hearts, and it’s fun to celebrate them year-round! Whether it’s a delightful birthday, a special achievement, or just a random act of love, finding the perfect gift…
Grandkids hold a special place in our hearts, and it’s fun to celebrate them year-round! Whether it’s a delightful birthday, a special achievement, or just a random act of love, finding the perfect gift…
Grandkids hold a special place in our hearts, and it’s fun to celebrate them year-round! Whether it’s a delightful birthday, a special achievement, or just a random act of love, finding the perfect gift…
Faith is an important component of our family. There have been many times over Morgan and Kami’s first years that I have prayed for them, and have shared with them that I am praying…
“Grandma, can it be a sleepover day?” Well…..we live 3 hours away, so unfortunately my response to this question is “Not tonight, but let’s see if we can plan something.” When you read this,…
Planning a picnic for kids is one of the warm weather activities I enjoy the most! And believe it or not, we’re managing to picnic together even though we are miles and miles apart….
We have found that crafting is an amazing way to spend time together and create some fun memories along the way. It has also been one of the easiest things to do virtually since…
It was February 2020, and my second granddaughter Kami was 3 months old when she arrived for her first overnight at Amma and Papa’s house. Morgan (big sister) was 3 years old. Amanda was…
Yesterday Amanda texted me this picture (below) of one of her daughters. She was surrounded by 1,000 little hairbands that she had discovered and spread ALL about the room. Amanda’s caption? “Oh, my word…
This time of year brings goal setting and lots of planning. We are huge advocates of both! Sometimes though, we just need some quick wins. So today’s post is a collection of quick connection…
Welcome 2021! There is something so satisfying about taking down last year’s calendar and replacing it with a fresh new one – one without any of the squares filled in. Wait…..most of my 2020…
Four Ways to Celebrate Halloween With Grandkids Near or Far Trick or Treat! These words will be uttered by cute costumed kids everywhere on October 31st in exchange for a delicious treat. I’m anxiously…
Psychological Safety Part 2 Psychological Safety is an important part of effective leadership, businesses, and teams. It’s also an important concept for families! Amy Edmonson, the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the…
September 19th We’ve been browsing through the possible random holidays to celebrate in September and nothing sounds like it would be as fun with grandkids, or has as many possibilities as National Talk Like…
I wanted to do a Grandparents Day surprise for my mom (Susan) who normally writes all of this amazing content for Over the River. So I am taking over the blog today to share…
8 Ideas to Create Fun and Laughter with Your Young Grandchildren September has arrived, and I’m looking forward to the three day weekend ahead! For our family, Labor Day has traditionally meant sports practices,…
The Questions They Are Asking & How Grandparents Can Respond We’ve reached the final part in our “What are they thinking?” series, and thus the final phase in our grandchildren’s school years. It’s time…
13+ Care Package Ideas We are continuing our snail mail series this week with things to mail your grandkids, and I’ve got to tell you, week one was great! You can find our Pen…
Have you ever pulled out a pen and paper, but then asked yourself ‘what should I say to my grandkids?’ While there are many things your grandchildren would love receiving in the mail, we’re…
It’s summertime! And time for a road trip. Whether it’s setting off for vacation, or just a day trip, road trips can be a great adventure…especially if the kids in the car are happy….
A refreshing take on legacy journals for the modern grandparent – because we’re not done living yet. I want to not only look back and reminisce about the way things were, but continue to…
Ideas and inspiration for connecting with your grandkids. let’s get started! we’re a mother-daughter duo partnering with you as you pursue a playful and meaningful relationship in the life of your grandchild. (And we…