Author Mary Jo Bell
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Larry Lamby Goes to Ireland

June 29, 2024

Larry Lamby is an Irish sheep. He is of the “not-real, stuffed” variety of sheepies. Sometimes Larry feels sheepish about his unreal status, but nothing daunts his passion for travel or his love for all sheep-le. Larry would jump through hoops for ewe (see also, above photo).

Today Larry is in his homeland, the Emerald Isle of Ireland. Let’s see what he is up to …

Should You Go To Ireland?

June 27, 2024

It depends! Would you love being embraced by dynamic, rich, lush, verdant landscapes? Would you enjoy charming, quaint towns, peppered with ancient castles? Do you love dramatic cliffs, like the Cliffs of Moher? You could see the actual Cliffs of Moher here, as we did. Do you have Irish heritage?

TV/Media

Connect with grandkids by telling them your stories! Here are 6 they need to hear

Photo of Woman Showing Her Cellphone to Her Grandmother

Telling stories from your own life is a great way to connect with grandkids.

The holidays can be a great time for Grandma to really connect with grandkids. One way to do that is by letting them connect with you.

Mary Jo Bell encourages nanas to bond with the kids through stories. She shares the six stories your grandkids need to hear from your own life.

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Holiday Hospitality: 2 ways grandmas can make the season magical

Grandmother and Grandfather Holding Child on Their Lap

Make the season special for the grandkids with a little holiday hospitality.

At your family’s holiday parties this year, be the welcoming nana, the generous nana, and the warm nana. To sum it up, simply be the hospitable nana. It will be the thing to make your holiday party not just memorable, but magical.

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Have deeper conversations with the grandkids! Here are 3 ways to connect with them

Women's White Dress Shirt

December 9, 2022

Turn surface-level grandkid chats into deeper conversations.

Take advantage of the extra time you may get to spend with your grandkids this Christmas with deeper conversations.

Our leading voice in the Nanahood series, Mary Jo Bell, shares how.

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Nanas are needed! 4 reasons grandkids need you now more than ever

September 20, 2022 2 min read

Nanas are needed by their families.

With our Nanahood series in motion, it’s time we introduce our leading voice.

Mary Jo Bell is an author and speaker in pursuit of filling homes with more love and more laughter. She’s a nana to nine and passionate about that role. She will be joining us monthly to help you find your nana spirit and strength because she believes nanas are needed now more than ever.

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Now is the best time to be a grandma! Here are 3 ways to make the most of nanahood

September 1, 2021 1 min read

Be a grandma in the best way!

There’s motherhood, there’s fatherhood, and now there’s a new term we are loving – nanahood! Being a grandma can be more than just play time and endless treats. Make time spent with the grandchildren meaningful and something they will remember throughout their life.

Mary Bell shares three ways she makes nanahood special for her grandkids. Women are living thirty years longer than a century ago, and that gives grandmas greater opportunities to be influential in their grandchildren’s lives.

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No toys from grandma? Here are 5 ways to gift an experience instead of things

What if grandma gave no toys this Christmas?

We know toys are the big ticket items with kids at Christmas. But as a grandma, what if you took a different approach? Spending time with your grandkids will give them emotional oxygen that will outlast any toy.

Mary Bell shares what emotional oxygen is. She gives five ideas for giving grandkids an experience with their grandparents, whether you live close to them or not. One is a gift in disguise for your daughter or daughter-in-law! While you spend time with the kids, mom can get things done.

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Bonding With Grandchildren: These 5 things will help you grow this important relationship

Photo of Woman Embracing Her Grandmother

June 23, 2022 4 min read

Bonding with grandchildren can be done with these five specific things.

Anyone can have a relationship – but not every relationship takes hold of your heart.

Author and speaker Mary Jo Bell believes there is one relationship that should. She is on a quest to strengthen the grandparent connection, and has observed five specific things grandparents can do to become genuinely close with their grandkids.

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