I’m a grandma of six and had been spoiling them rotten with gifts — until I realized that within a few days, sometimes even hours, the toys were forgotten, broken, or replaced. I wanted to create a different kind of bond, one that isn’t built on “things.

That's why we decided memories are better  Memories have a lasting place in our hearts and will remain forever. They become your legacy:“Look what I did with Grandma. Look where we went together. I will never forget.”

The why is simple.....my family. My babies, well they aren't exactly babies anymore. My daughter's are old....40 and almost 39 but to me they will always be my babies. They each have three children and those as you guessed it are my babies too. Sorry girls, they belong to me. But the why is because I used to buy them everything I saw because I was so excited about being a Grandma I just couldn't stand it! But not only was I going broke fast but I found that soon after I bought them items they would forget about them or break them or lose them and then move onto the next big ticket thing. My heart sank. In my real life, I am a nurse and have been for 37 years. I have watched so many patients actually at the end of their life say " I wish". I realized that life is short but memories last forever. So from that moment on I changed what we gifted them. We gave experiences, time with us, memories. IT HAS BEEN AMAZING!!!! They look forward to "their" time with us. We were lucky to have an even number of 6 so we broke them down in two's and take them on trips just the two of them and grandpa and grandma. It gives them one on one time and attention. The conversations, the laughs, the hugs.....priceless. That...right there is why. 

Climb a pyramid, see a whale, what about the northern lights? Sing with Mary Poppins in Disneyland or attend a hula in Hawaii . Visit the African Pride Lands, swim in the Blue Lagoon, see the Paris lights at night. These . . . these are obtainable. Make your list . . .  start traveling and cross of that list!