grandma's bookshelf - Monster Party! - I'm Giving One Away!

I have young grandsons and so stories around this grandma's house often have "monsters" in them. I have accepted the truth there will not be stories about butterflies, rainbows, flowers and other such sweet things. Oh no. The "stories" we make up here have monsters - ginormous, humongous, cranky monsters - aliens, giant robot spiders and other such "boy" things! So, when Sterling Children's Books sent me one of their new titles and I saw it was about a monster, I knew my grandsons would enjoy it! I was right! As soon as Josiah saw it, he sat right down and read it for himself! (He has been reading now for several months and so I LOVE it when he reads books!)

crafting with grandma - Boredom Buster Jar!

Do you ever think you are, "in a rut" when it comes to the things you do when your

grandchildren are visiting? Do you ever wonder if your grandchildren might be "bored" at your house, or just in need of something interesting to do? Well, as I browsed Pinterest this morning, I found a great idea which would not only give you things to do with your grandchildren, but will also be great fun to put together!

If you follow this link, you'll find the specifics for making a, "boredom jar"! What is a, "boredom jar", you ask? Well, it is a jar filled with ideas on craft sticks for fun, interesting and engaging things you can do with your grandchildren! You can use colorful tape to color-code the ideas, so when you and your grandchildren are looking for something to do, all you have to do is choose a craft stick and let the fun begin!

Give-Away in Just Three Days!

In three days on August 1, 2014 I'm giving away a book you and your teen granddaughters will love . . . The Garden Gate! You'll find my full review at this link, but suffice it to say, this is a book with a story which will capture your attention; you will not be able to put it down!

This give-away is good news! And, more good news . . . you still have time to get in on the drawing for The Garden Gate as the drawing is in three days!

And, don't forget to check out all the free stories the author, Christa Kinde, offers on her website . . . you'll find it at this link. I LOVE her story; Galleries of Stone! In 2012 Christa wrote a new chapter each day using dictionary.com's daily word as a prompt for each chapter! The story is amazing, the characters are unique - it is one of my all-time favorite stories . . . and you can read it all for FREE! (check it out at this link.) These are the kind of stories we want our grandchildren to read . . . and ones we will enjoy as well!

Christa offers a number of other free stories - check out the information on all of these amazing, engaging, and fun stories at this link . . . and don't forget to enter the drawing for The Garden Gate at this link!

ElectroKidz - I'm Giving One Away!

I was recently invited to review a toy from WowWee which I think girls in particular, will enjoy . . . ElectroKidz! What is an, Elektrokidz, you ask? Well, it is a little troll with crazy hair which, "dances" to music! Like I said, it is something I think girls will enjoy in particular.

ElectroKidz come in six color and "move" varieties and are for children ages 6 and up. They also come with batteries - one set in the troll and a spare set to keep your troll dancing for some time! Josiah and Caleb helped me unbox the troll I was sent - they thought it was fun to make noises and watch the hair "dance". 

Reading is Fun & Cool!

My Josiah - will be six in September - and he is reading! And he LOVES it! I am SO happy! He has always been surrounded by books, both at home and at my house . . . and I do actually mean surrounded! He and his brothers have no shortage of books available to them; after all, their grandma does review a lot of books each year!

So I am very happy to see Josiah take such an interest in reading! He sounds out words everywhere and is very happy to be a, "reading boy"! I sincerely believe one of the most important things we can do for our grandchildren is to encourage them to be reading people who love to read! And you do not have to have a "mini-library" at your house to do this . . . make visiting your local library a regular part of what you do with your grandchildren.

grandma's chuckles - "Run!!! Run!!! Run!!!"

Last night two sweet boys were at my house for a sleep-over. Before bed we thought it would be fun to watch, UP; which we have not watched for some time. Apparently long enough for Caleb to basically not remember any of it! (He is just three years old)

As the movie got to the part where Carl and Russell are being chased by Charles Muntz (the bad guy) and the talking dogs, Caleb jumped up and told Carl and Russell to, "Run!!! Run!!! Run!!!" and told the bad guy, "No!!! Stop!!! NO!!!" Now, this may not sound very funny, but when he was saying these things it was very funny because he was sincerely concerned about Carl and Russell and extremely unhappy with Charles!

I love being able to watch as these boys experience new things - or things they do not remember! Their reactions are truly, priceless!

Birthdays and Children's Museums!

In my family the months of July, August and September mean we will be

having cake and celebrating sweet boys as my grandsons have their birthdays in these months. Since the three boys have birthdays so close to each other, their Poppa and I have been giving them a membership to our local Children's Museum as their birthday present. When you divide the cost three ways, you end up with an amount which is reasonable to spend on a boy for his birthday . . . I do give them a couple small items as well because they have to open something for their birthday from Poppa and grandma! So, today I thought I'd write about children's museums because if you have a local one, memberships make great gifts for grandchildren!

When you think about museums, you likely think about places where you go to see things, but where you are not allowed to "touch" those things. This is just the way it is with museums . . . unless you are talking about children's museums! While you certainly go to children's museums to see things, you are allowed to - and even encouraged to, touch, play with, explore, and enjoy the things you find at a children's museum! Talk about fun!!!!

crafting with grandma - Spray Paint T-Shirts!

Our 2014 Five-Days-of-Fun are over . . . and we did most certainly have five days of fun! One of the things we did was paint t-shirts with spray paint! This was so much fun! I bought plain, white t-shirts in packs of five and Simply Spray Soft Fabric Paint t-shirt spray paint. I put each shirt on a hanger and then hung them on our playground so the boys could spray paint them outside!

Day Five of our Five Days of Fun!

Today is the last day of our, Five Days of Fun! We have had a lot of fun, but it was also

a busier five days for sure! Josiah also had VBS at his church, so we worked our schedule around his!

Monday the boys "spray-painted" t-shirts (this was a LOT of fun and the shirts are unique!) I'll post photos of them tomorrow.

Yesterday the boys played in water - they hung a sprinkler from the top of the playground and had great fun running and standing in the water! They also tried breaking water-balloons which we hung from the playground - like a pinata! This was a LOT of fun and something we will repeat today!

We played games, watched movies and just hung out! Mostly we had a lot of fun being together! I LOVE our, Five Days of Fun . . . whether we do a lot, or not because the fun is from spending time together!

grandma's chuckles - re-run - You Have to be Brave to be a Super Hero!

I have lots of things planned for the second day of my Five Days of Fun, but I thought I'd take a moment to share another of my "grandma's chuckles" from my "archive" with you - enjoy . . . 

My sweet grandson, Josiah, is four years old and he is really into Super Heroes! He LOVES the VeggieTales movie, The League of Incredible Vegetables and he LOVES his Super Cape! He will "fly" around my house singing, "♫♥♪ Super Josiah is here ♫♥♪ to save the day! ♫♥♪" Josiah told me yesterday right now he just pretends to be a Super Hero, but when he grows up he will be a Super Hero for real! Did I mention he has a "super" imagination?

Yesterday he was being "Super Josiah" when he came over to me and said, "I'm Super Josiah and you can be Super Grandma!" I said, "Okay! My 'super power' will be Super Kisses and Hugs!" Josiah let out a HUGE sigh and said, "Okay, but you HAVE to have a super power for when you fight bad guys, too." I said, "I don't know if I can fight bad guys." to which he replied, "You have to be brave to be a Super Hero."  

grandma's chuckles - re-run - Watch Out for Those Fire-Breathing Basset Hounds!

While I'm enjoying my Five Days of Fun with my sweet grandsons, I thought it might be fun to "re-run" a few of my "grandma's chuckles" so you can "get to know" these sweet boys . . . and brighten your day with a smile, too! Enjoy . . .

I LOVE the imagination of four year olds! I LOVE the way they see the world and how some things are just "obvious" . . . at least if you are four years old! 

My sweet grandson, Josiah, was at my house yesterday and he told me the following. "Grandma, if we lived in a different world, we'd have to watch out for fire-breathing basset hounds!"  I smiled, and said, "Hmmm. I don't think I've ever seen a fire-breathing basset hound." To which he replied, "That's because they would only be in a different world!" 

grandma's chuckles - "A grandma's Lap is a Place for a Boy!" (re-run)

I initially wrote this about a year ago, but it is a great reminder, so I'm going to share it with you again today!

This grandma's heart is overflowing with joy! God is SO Good! Yesterday, when my grandsons were here, I was working on getting my posts up on my two blogs. Josiah walked over to me and said, "A grandma's lap is not a place for a computer . . . it is a place for a boy!" I smiled, set my computer aside and told him I completely agreed with him! He smiled and climbed into my lap and we had a wonderful time of snuggling!

grandma's bookshelf - The Garden Gate - I'm Giving One Away!

I have been delighted over the past year or so to review a series of books by Christa Kinde. Christa's Threshold Series of four books gives us the opportunity to see what Spiritual Warfare might be like and gives us a glimpse into what angels might be like and what they do.

Needless to say, her books are engaging and once you start reading, you will find it difficult to put it down!

So, Christa's new book; The Garden Gate, wraps up the story she has been crafting about the Pomeroy family and the angels who guard them. I enjoyed the opportunity to see what happened next to these characters and found the way Christa, "dealt with " Adin, the evil, fallen angel, to be surprising and an end which "fit" very well! I especially loved how Christa not only tells a great story, but in so doing, she challenges us all to make the choice to be faithful and hold on in difficult and confusing times as we fulfill the "jobs" God sends us to do!

I Have a Winner!

I am happy to say Maria Malaveci is the winner of Fact or Fib?: A Challenging Game of True or False Book 1! (You'll find the review at this link.) Thank you Maria for reading grandma's cookie jar (please message me your address by July 25, 2014 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Sterling Children's Books for sending it for me to review and for making another available for me to give away!

Our Five-Days-Of-Fun Are Almost Here - Back-yard Water Park!

Yes, in just three short days we will be experiencing Day One of our Five-Days-Of-Fun for 2014! Yesterday I asked Josiah and Caleb what they wanted to do this year and Josiah said he wanted to do science projects and make a water park in the yard. Caleb agreed with anything which involved playing in water, so I looked on-line and found some great suggestions for turning my backyard into a water park which I'm happy to share with you today!

Two Days Until I Give-Away Fact or Fib: A Challenging Game of True or False Book 1

In two days I'm giving away the book: Fact or Fib?: A Challenging Game of True or

False Book 1! This fun book is more than just a book . . . it is also a game which children will enjoy reading/playing with the whole family!

You'll find the full review, along with all the specifics for getting in on this give-away . . . which is in just two days; on July 17, 2014, at this link. Please join in the fun!

Next Week We are Having - Five Days of Fun!

Last year Josiah and Caleb spent four days with their Poppa and I while their parents took a little trip - we called this our, "Four Days of Fun"! This year, Josiah, Caleb and Shane will be staying with us for "Five Days of Fun"!!!! . . . next week will be wonderful - and busy around my house for sure!

So, I have a few plans for these, "Five Days of Fun" . . . I'm going to buy white t-shirts for the boys and cans of T-Shirt Spray Paint! Last year we made tie-dye shirts; this year the boys should have lots of fun spray-painting their shirts!!!

Memories - Build Some Today!

I live in the house my grandparent's had built back in the 20's. My dad was born in this house and I remember visiting my grandparents and having sleepovers in this house. I remember my grandma baking homemade bread and then giving me a slice with peanut butter on it after it came out of the oven. I remember singing Sunday school songs with my grandma when I visited her! There are a lot of wonderful memories in this house!

I Have a Winner!

I am happy to say Laura Waltz is the winner of the set of five Good Question! books! (You'll find the review at this link.) Thank you Laura for reading grandma's cookie jar (please message me your address by July 19, 2014 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Sterling Children's Books for sending a set for me to review and for making another set available for me to give away!

FREE Printable Games!

Summer is a time for children to play, swim - if it ever gets warm enough - hang out with friends and not have to get up and go t o school five days a week. However; with all the Summer fun, children can "lose" some of what they learned at school. If we can provide opportunities for our grandchildren to have fun and learn at the same time, we can help them keep what they learned at school - all through the Summer! 

FREE e-books!

While I think reading is a wonderful activity for any time of the year, the Summer is a

particularly important time to get and keep our grandchildren reading books. Since they are not in school, they need to do something to keep their minds alert and learning and books are a great way - and fun way - for them to do this!

So, when I found a website with literally hundreds of free e-Books for every age, I just had to share it with you! You'll find many classics such as; Robinson Crusoe, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, books by Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinsen and Arthur Conan Doyle; just to name a few! Take some time to browse the list of books at this link; download a few and then share them with your grandchildren! 

One of the Most Important Things I Do as, "grandma"!

We are about a third of the way through the month of July; it won't be long and it will be

August! This is one of my favorite times of the year! Why, you ask??? Because all the, "back-to-school" sales will be starting!

You may wonder why this is one of my favorite times of the year; especially since I'm a grandma. The reason is because of the word, "sales"! I LOVE back-to-school sales! It is the absolutely best time of year to stock up on important supplies . . . crayons (we can often find them for as low as 25 cents a box!!!!), water paints, markers, chalk, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencils, etc.!!! Of course, being grandma, I want to have a well-stocked supply of these, "essentials"!

I LOVE being grandma!!!

I LOVE being grandma to Josiah, Caleb and Shane - they make my heart so happy! Last

night Josiah and Caleb were having a sleep-over; at bedtime they were having trouble setting down and going to sleep; imagine that! An almost three year old and a soon-to- be-six year old having trouble settling down at bedtime!

At any rate, we were trying to get them to go to sleep, when Josiah looked at me with the sweetest face and said, "Grandma, will you sing, 'You are My Sunshine'?" Of course I was happy to do so, so I began . . . 

grandma's chuckles - "I Did NOT Punch Him!"

The other day Josiah and Caleb were at my house and as surprising and "shocking" as it may sound, Caleb, who is almost three, was deliberately annoying his big brother! Josiah had reached the limit of his tolerance of being annoyed by his younger brother . . . and it does not take long to reach this "limit", when he started to punch his brother. 

As I sat up to remind Josiah if he punched his brother he would have a time-out, Josiah stopped himself - literally about an inch from making contact! He looked at me and said, "I did NOT punch him! I did NOT punch him!" I smiled and told him I was very proud of him for showing self-control and for making a wise choice!

just for fun - Today is National Milk Chocolate with Almonds Day!

Mmmm! I do enjoy chocolate and almonds, so a day to celebrate these delightful treats sounds like a good idea to me! Especially since chocolate is good for you and almonds are good for you . . . combining the two has to mean this sweet treat is actually good for us . . . right??!!!

I thought it would be fun to share some almond fun facts with you on this delicious day - so I looked on-line for some info to share! Did you know . . .

The Joy of Being Grandma!

Don't get me wrong; I love being a mom! I was very happy to be blessed with a daughter and a son and thankful to be Tiffany and Dave's mom! But, being grandma has a very special joy which I believe is, "unique" to being, "grandma" . . . at least it is for me!

Summer Family Fun!

My grandsons will be spending a few days with us this summer, so once again, I'm looking for some special, fun ideas for fun we can have when they are here! Of course, I checked Pinterest for ideas and am happy to share with you the idea I found this morning for Summer Fun in the Backyard!

Follow this link and you'll find ideas like . . . 

just for fun - Today is National Graham Cracker Day & a Recipe for Ice Cream Pie!

Today is National Graham Cracker Day! All grandparents know about graham crackers . . . or at least that most grandchildren enjoy them! But what is the "history" of the graham cracker? I looked on-line and found the following . . . 

Truths about Grandparents . . .

This morning I was thinking about being a grandma and what an amazing blessing it is! I looked up a few quotes about grandmas/grandparents and thought I'd share some with you . . .

My Sweet Grandsons are Growing Up!

My grandsons, Josiah and Caleb, have been spending a few days at my house . . . a real treat for this grandma for sure! While I have had the boys over to spend the night a lot - normally they come over at least one night a week for a sleep-over, I have noticed the last few days how they are growing up!

Josiah is nearly six (his birthday is in September) and Caleb will turn three this month! Time sure does fly! They have both always been interested in building and putting things together, but Josiah is even more interested in this! He has been working most of the morning on a globe puzzle with 240 small pieces (it is actually for ages 10 and up . . . and yes, I'm very proud of him!). The puzzle is not a normal puzzle as you build it so it ends up being an actual globe/sphere!

just for fun - Funny and Surprising Facts which are True!!!

Josiah and Caleb spent the night last night, so this morning after Josiah woke up (as of writing this, Caleb is still sleeping - it is 8:13 am) and had his breakfast (scrambled eggs with sharp vermont cheese, bacon, mini-blueberry bagel and coffee) we were talking about some odd facts I found on-line! He thought several were extremely funny and/or surprising, so I thought I'd share them with you . . . chances are your grandchildren will also find them extremely funny and/or surprising as well!

Did you know . . .

KitchenAid Mixers - What Would I Fix if I Had Every Attachment???

I was invited to take part in an opportunity to write about KitchenAid Stand Mixers and one of the topics I could write about is what I would make if I had every attachment for the mixer. Since I do not have a KitchenAid mixer, I was curious about what the different attachments are. I looked them up and I can tell, you; if I had this mixer and the attachments, there would be a lot of cooking going on at my house for sure!

So . . . let’s consider what I’d fix if I had all the attachments . . . 

just for fun - It is International Joke Day!

If your grandchildren are like my grandchildren, they enjoy a good joke! Or even a joke

which does not particularly make sense - as is often the case with an almost three year old and a nearly six year old! I love to watch them laugh their heads off when they tell a joke they made up . . . which typically is not all that funny, but their delight at telling their own joke definitely brings a smile to my face!

So, since today is International Joke Day, I thought it would be fun to share a few jokes with you which you could share with your grandchildren!