the little answer book - Coming Soon!

I have been working on a new book series - the little answer book and the little answer book for children. Both Barna and Gallup show more and more of our children, teens, and young adults are turning away from faith and so many parents and grandparents are left wondering what they are able to say to answer the questions of the ones they love, and how are they able to hand down confident faith in the first place so they do not leave the faith.

Megabats, Scorpionfish, Giant Anteaters, Cheetahs & More!

 

I am happy today to let you know about the release of another four-book combo book in the Life on the Goldilocks Planet series - Megabats, Scorpionfish, Giant Anteaters, Cheetahs & More!

Cheetahs, Mimic Octopuses, Hoatzins & More! . . . Available Today

I am very happy today to let you know about the newest addition to the Life on the Goldilocks Planet series of books - Book Eight - Cheetahs, Mimic Octopuses, Hoatzins & More! It is available on Amazon and will be in our bookstore soon.

Under Repairs . . .

Yesterday we learned there is a problem with ordering books from our bookstore - my husband is working to fix it and we hope to have everything working correctly this evening. Thank you for your patience.

You are still able to order all of our books from Amazon.

"Life on the Goldilocks Planet" Series & Some Changes to the Series

 

A couple weeks ago I mentioned a change in my "Life on the Goldilocks Planet" series - today I am going to explain what this change is and why there is a change.

One thing we all care about as Christian grandmas (or grandpas/parents) is for the children we love to be people who believe in, love, know, and walk with God. We want them to have a confident faith. Is there really anything which matters more than for our grown and grandchildren to be believers?

Be Prepared - Be Proactive & Ready with Answers

I have a friend whose grandson went to church with her almost every week, until he reached fifth grade and then he decided, "he wasn't into that church thing anymore." 

While none of us want to have our grandchildren tell us this as they grow up, far too many of us have heard or will hear this. As Barna's studies show, Gen Z is turning away, not only from church, but from their faith as well. This absolutely is not something we are able to just sit back and wring our hands over or hope and pray it doesn't happen to the ones we love. If the ones we love never go down this road, we are certainly relieved, but we will absolutely know people - like my friend - for whom it does happen and this matters.

CLUE: Scooby Doo! Board Game

When I was a child we always received board games for Christmas. After we all opened our games we spent a good portion of the rest of the day around the table playing each others new games. I remember one year I received "Go for Broke" (the opposite of Monopoly) and my sister received "Careers" (which I thought was SO much fun!) Of course we also had games which were the "family's games", such as Life, Monopoly, Scrabble and Clue. I especially loved Clue, so today I am so happy to share with you about a "new" take on the old classic game of Clue - and recommend it as a fun buy for summer family fun.

Summertime Fun - Outdoor Classic Games!

Do you remember the old classics when it comes to "board" games? Games like Ker-Plunk, Dominoes, Checkers, Jenga and Twister? Which of us didn't grow up playing these games? Well, I can not begin to tell you how happy I am to share with you a link I found on Pinterest for making outdoor versions of these games which you can have your grandchildren play

outside all Summer long! What could possibly be more fun than to have a "Classics" gameland in Poppa and grandma's yard???

Code Your Own Games!

I want to share with you another fun book from Sterling Children's Books which will help the children you love learn to code!

Code Your Own Games!
Author - Max Wainewright
Publisher - Sterling Children's Books
Ages - 6-11

Favorite Features -

Giant Anteaters, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Rufous Potoos & More! is Now Available

I am happy to let you know my new book - Giant Anteaters, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Rufous Potoos & More! is now available on Amazon at this link and in our bookstore at this link. In this book you will find twelve interesting - and flat out surprising animals which help us, and the ones we love, know we are able to believe in God and trust Him with confidence!

It is Time for Another Change

I have been writing this week on my other blog about studies from the Barna Group. Gen Z - the generation which includes many of our grandchildren - are turning away from their faith in double the numbers of previous generations. These children/teens/ young adults have a basic understanding of the Bible - likely from Sunday school - and yet are turning to Atheism. They are listening to people on-line who are angry and bitter, filled with hate for God, and are receiving a warped and utterly wrong view of God. We - parents, grandparents, churches, publishers - did not realize we needed to teach apologetics to the ones we love and while they have a basic understanding of the accounts in the Bible, they do not know why they are able to believe God is real and trust Him with confidence.

Do the Most Important Thing - Hand Down Confident Faith

 

Do you know what a Cassowary is? Have you ever heard of a Sun Bear, Sunflower Sea Star, or an Archerfish? What do you know about Pangolins? Do you know Hawksbill Sea Turtles are bio-fluorescent? These six animals, and six more, are included in my book - Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More! and not only will you be able to use this book to share full-color photos of the animals and fun facts about them with your grandchildren, but you will also learn how each of these animals were designed "just right" to have the things they needed to be able to survive. When you share these things with the children you love, you will be able to show them "why" they are able to believe in God - the Designer - with confidence.

Making the Most of My Time & 30-Minute Cinnamon Sugar Knots!

I am a very blessed grandma, for several reasons. First, of course, because of the three, sweet, rascal boys who are my grandsons! These three boys make my heart happy with the sweet – and rascally – things they say and do. But the reason above all which reminds me of how very blessed I am is because of all the time I am able to spend with these boys; I know there are many grandparents who do not live close enough to their grandchildren to see them often.

just for fun . . . A Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt!

I love to have fun with my grandsons – especially when it comes to celebrating anything! So, when I browsed Pinterest today, I saw an idea which absolutely “qualifies” as “fun” . . . it is now on my “list” of “grandma’s fun things to do to celebrate Valentine’s Day”! You may want to add it to your list, too!

grandma's Valentine's Challenge - Speak Love to the Ones We Love

Valentine's Day is just a few days away; which makes today the perfect day to share my "grandma's Valentine's Challenge". What is my "grandma's Valentine's Challenge", you ask? Well, since one of a grandma's (and grandpa's) primary "responsibilities" is to give unconditional love to our grandchildren and since we know studies show the way a grandparent sees their grandchild is often the way the grandchild will end up seeing themselves; I want to focus upon speaking and showing love to my grandsons and invite you to join me in doing the same with the children you love as well.

Scorpionfish, Clouded Leopards, Pygmy Hippos & More! is Available!

I am very happy today to let you know book six in my "Life on the Goldilocks Planet" curriculum/book series is now available on Amazon at this link and will be available in our bookstore this weekend (February 7, 2021)! As are the other books in this series, Scorpionfish, Clouded Leopards, Pygmy Hippos & More! is a multi-purpose book. While it makes an ideal gift for the children you love, it is also a curriculum resource which will equip grandparents and parents as they strive to hand down confident faith. 

It Is Bake for Family Fun Month - Let's Bake Some Cookies!

Yes, February is, "Bake for Family Fun Month" . . . and since it is typically a chilly month, it tends to be a wonderful time to "fire up" the oven and bake some, "family fun"! Around this grandma's house, there are few things more "fun" than baking a batch of homemade cookies! So, today I'm happy to share with you one of my grandsons' favorite cookies . . . 

just for fun - February is Bird Feeding Month

February is Bird Feeding Month! According to the website, "Days of the Year", "Bird-Feeding Month was established in 1994 by John Porter, a man who so cared about the health and welfare of the birds that he read a resolution into the Congressional record. 'I would like to recognize February, one of the most difficult months in the United States for wild birds, as National Bird-Feeding Month.' These were the words he spoke to the Speaker of the House, recognizing the importance of birds both in our ecology, as well as the hearts and minds of people everywhere. Nothing says spring like the singing voices of our favorite wild birds."

Take a Closer Look at Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapos & More!

 

Over the past few days I have been sharing a "closer look" at the books which are currently available in my "Life on the Goldilocks Planet" series. Today I want to give you a "peek" inside Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapo & More!  This book is filled with animals - some of which you may never have heard of before - and while it makes an ideal gift for the children you love, it is also a curriculum resource which will equip grandparents and parents as they strive to hand down confident faith. 

Take a Closer Look at Book Three - Civets, Tree Kangaroos, Batoids & More!

Civets, Tree Kangaroos, Batoids & More! is book three in my "Life on the Goldilocks Planet" series. While it also makes an ideal gift for the children you love, it is a much-needed curriculum resource designed and written to will equip grandparents and parents as they strive to hand down confident faith.

Hand Down Confident Faith with Animals, Activity & Solid Conversations

 

Well, it was a busy Summer and Fall around this grandma's house! My grandsons helped with the development of four books designed to engage children, teens, young adults, adults, and help grandparents/ parents hand down a confident faith. They tested a water-balloon launcher, made "bugs" and then spent time shooting them off plants outside with water-guns, tested recipes, enjoyed science projects, made tie-dye shirts, created hover-crafts, participated in an egg drop activity, and many more activities chosen to engage children/teens/adults and help make the message of our books "stick"! Most importantly, we have been able to have important conversations about why we are able to believe in God and trust Him with confidence.

grandma's Valentine's Challenge - Show Love to the Ones We Love

Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away; so today I'm sharing my  "grandma's Valentine's Challenge" - let's do something to Show Love to the Ones We Love!

How might we do this? Consider the following . . . 

Take a Closer Look . . .

Have you ever heard of Eyelash Vipers, Cassowaries, Sunflower Sea Stars, Pygmy Elephants, Large Blue Butterflies, Mantled Guereza Colobus Monkeys, Golden Poison Dart Frogs, Sun Bears, Hawksbill Sea Turtles, Pangolins, Tufted Puffins, and Archerfish? Well, in my book,  Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More! you will find maps, fun facts, full-color photos, activities and quotes from scientists which will help the children you love - and you - discover how these animals help you have a confident faith! 

Take a Closer Look at Blue Dragons, Red Pandas, Hoopoes & More!

The world - and entire universe for this matter - show logic, order, make sense and abide by rules/laws of science. How is it possible for such logic, order, sense, rules/laws of science to come from chaos? It is far easier for me to believe an intelligent God of order. logic and sense created everything to abide by rules/laws of science than for me to believe it all just happened from things which just happened to appear on their own out of nothing and exploded on their own leaving us today with an ordered, logical, scientific universe. My new books will help you see how we are able to believe in God with confidence and trust Him. Blue Dragons, Red Pandas, Hoopoes & More! is the first book in this series and is a multi-purpose book. While it makes an ideal gift for the children you love, it is also a curriculum resource which will equip grandparents and parents as they strive to hand down confident faith. 

crafting with grandma - Homemade Harmonicas . . . Fun for Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is just a little over a month away, so I thought it would be fun to find some different ideas our grandchildren could try for a unique and memorable Valentines. Of course this meant I started by browsing through Pinterest . . . where I came upon an idea which fit what I was looking for . . . interesting, unique and fun for children to make!

Ask Your Church to Equip You

The past ten months have been difficult. Some of you may have caught covid. Some of you may have people you love who have battled with this disease. Some of you may have people you love who died due to covid. Your grandchildren have likely learned what it means to go to school "virtually". You, and the ones you love, may have experienced times of unemployment. Most of you, if not all of you, have likely not been to church very much in the past ten months - and this is very possibly true for the ones you love as well. If you have been able to return to church, Children's Ministry may not have restarted - or if it has, it has done so in an extremely limited way.