I'd give almost anything to have what you want for your children. I seem to be in the opposite situation. All of my children live in other states. Son not married. One daughter is married and seems to never call unless she wants to talk about something she's into. My other daughter calls at least once a week. I call each at least once a week. My first daughter will say it's not convient or she's tired,it costs money or something. All 3 are on line and so I started Emailing and asking them to write when it was convient for them, do they no. I really feel sorry for my grandchildren because they are missing out on having grandparents. The others live in Fl and have their own live except for one week a year when they all meet at the beach with all the aunts, uncles and cousins. I think that's great but we can't do that. I've tried to adjust to their schedules and it still doesn't seem to work, can't get them to come once a year. So may people miss out on so much love that is just waiting for them if they'd only allow it but it really can't be forced on them. I miss them all so very much and yes, I do go and visit when I can... which is usually not more than a week a year. I've thought of adopting a family here where I live but I feel I'd be cheating my grandchildren. Be thankful that you have the parents that you have and that you are the mother and daughter that you are and let the others go. Your hubby knows what their like and if he's okay with it just love your family. Blessings to you Sweetie, Gig Ghee

I have not read all the responses, but can I offer you this? My mom tends to buy my kids tons of junk that ends up all over my house. Sure my kids love it and after a day the novelty fades and it ends up in a bin somewhere or even vacuumed up if it's little. She does NOT respect my wishes when I ask her not to do this and she does it drives me insane. Here are some things I can never get enough of for my children: Books. My children love them, I love reading them. My mother never read to us as children. My dear grandmother did, and I have wonderful memories of her reading all sorts of stories to me. One of my earliest memories is sitting on her lap hearing the story of Hansel and Gretel. One of my most prized possessions is a Mother Goose book, inside my grandmother wrote a little note to me on the day I was born. I will cherish it always. Buy your grandchildren books, and read the wonderful stories to them. Inscribe them, because one day those words you write to those children will be priceless.

I didn't know my paternal grandparents. My grandpa died several years before I was born, and my grandma when I was a baby. I did know my maternal grandparents and have lots of memories. They loved to garden. The house that I remember them living in most of my life had the yard totally surrounded by mostly peonies and iris', but also tulips, ferns, and a bed of old fashioned mixed perennials. They also had a vegetable garden and a row of gooseberry bushes. I think this is where my love of gardening comes from :-) Grandpa played Slap Jack with us kids. If you don't know what that is, it's a card game where the dealer turns over one card at a time. Everyone stays ready, and if the card is a Jack, tries to 'slap' it. The person who slaps it first, wins the pile of cards. The person who wins the most cards, wins the game! Grandma made jam out of ripe gooseberries. She's the only person I ever knew who did anything with them other then make green gooseberry pie. Her cooking specialties were applesauce cake and divinity, which she made in HUGE amounts every Christmas season. She made them for all the kids (6) and grandkids (17) but not the greats (30+) every year. She'd stir up a huge batch of cake. She used applesauce as one of the 'wet' ingredients, but if she didn't have enough applesauce it didn't matter. She's just substitute some canned pears, or maybe even some tomato juice. Didn't matter what she used, it always ended up tasting like applesauce cake and was always good. And then after she poured out enough cakes from her batch of batter, she'd start adding more flour and would end up with a batch of applesauce cookies too! My mom was born in 1917 weighing only a little over 2 pounds. She was born at home and it was a miracle she lived, back in those days. I remember Grandma telling how she was up, holding on to the back of a chair, and sweeping the kitchen when Mom was only a week old. Someone stopped to visit and told her she was going to regret doing that. Grandma was in her upper 70s or maybe 80s when she was telling this story. I remember her saying she was still waiting to see when she was going to regret it!!! Grandma collected salt and pepper shakers, so she always received a lot of them as gifts. She used to put the name of the person who gave her a gift on the bottom of the item, saying 'you'll get this back some day'. We, being young, would say 'Oh Grandma...' and she'd say 'Well, I'm gonna die someday, you know!' Grandpa had emphysema. He smoked only briefly, as a young man, but somehow he ended up with emphysema. He was on oxygen full time, and confined to bed when I was in my last years of high school. When I married, at 18, he decided he was going to get himself well enough to 'walk' me down the aisle. He did it too! My mom pushed him, in his wheelchair, oxygen tank and all, and he walked me into the church and down the aisle! What a miracle! There are so many stories, but I'll stop here. I loved my Grandma and Grandpa. I still do.

I totally agree with Annie. I have two aunts like that. Actually, they married the same man (one is divorced, the other stayed with him until he died). Hm. At any rate, I'm still involved with both of them and love them both dearly. I'd be kind to all and if someone's nose got out of line, it'd have to be their insecurity. After all, kindness can never be wrong. Love is love. You love him, and that's what matters.