Today is International Stand Up to Bullying Day

I'm sure we all agree we do not want the children we love to be bullies or to bully others, so a day focused on stopping bullying is a positive thing. Bullying is a nationally-recognized issue, and there are many resources for parents, teachers, victims of bullying, and bystanders to help stomp out the problem - even though it is now harder to do since our president is a bully. But there are still things we can do to help the children you love know the following ways to stop bullying . . .

The Great American Pie Month - Banana Cream Pie

Today is the last day of the Great American Pie Month, so I thought I'd share a recipe for a tasty Banana Cream Pie! This recipe is also from Taste of Home and is one you could again have the children you love help you make - and enjoy of course! And, yes, the photo is from them as well.

The Great American Pie Month - Possum Pie

Have you ever heard of Possum Pie? I had not, until yesterday when I found this recipe, so since we are coming to the end of the Great American Pie Month, I thought I'd share it with you. It is another recipe from Taste of Home - and the photo is from them as well.

Friday is National Pancake Day - Get Ready to Celebrate!

Friday is National Pancake Day - who doesn't love pancakes, so a special day to celebrate and enjoy them, totally makes sense! I have a tasty Apple Pie Pancake recipe to share with you, but first, some fun pancake info - did you know . . .

The Great American Pie Month - Chocolate Chess Pie!

I have never had or made a chocolate chess pie, but after finding this recipe, I'm thinking it may be on my list for a special treat to fix for my family! What is chocolate chess pie, you ask? Well, Taste of Home says, "Although originally from England, chess pie is considered a southern classic in the United States. Think of the pie filling as that of pecan pie, only without the pecans! And since chocolate makes everything better, it will be hard to resist this chocolaty twist." Since chocolate does make everything better,  here is the recipe so you can try it this weekend with the people you love! And, thanks to Taste of Home for the photo!

Today is International Tongue Twister Contest Day

One day twelve years ago when my grands were at my house, my then four-year old grand sat down and read several books . . . as you might imagine, there is no shortage of books at this grandma's house for them to read! It made my heart happy to see them choose to take some time to just enjoy reading books!

After a bit, he found me in the kitchen working on fixing lunch and said; "Grandma! I just read, Fox in Socks and my tongue is NOT numb!!!" If you have not read this classic book lately, on the back cover it asks, "Is Your Tongue Numb?" My sweet grand was pretty happy he had read all those tongue twisters out loud and did not end up with a numb tongue! It made this grandma happy, too, and remembering this today it makes me happy again - because of the wonderful memory and because today is International Tongue Twister Contest Day!

The Great American Pie Month - Blackberry Pie

Blackberries are a very tasty and healthy fruit and they make a fully enjoyable pie, so today I'm happy to share with you are recipe for blackberry pie - but first some fun facts about blackberries - did you know . . .

Today is National Chocolate Covered Nut Day

I personally LOVE dark chocolate covered almonds! I eat a few each day because they are good for me, and because I LOVE them! So, when I saw today is National Chocolate Covered Nut Day, I thought I'd share this tasty day with you! Did you know . . .

Saint Patricks Day . . . Get the Story from VeggieTales!

In less than a month it will be St. Patrick's Day, so I thought I'd share about how several years ago VeggieTales told the story of Saint Patrick on their Sumo Of The Opera and Lessons from the Sock Drawer DVDs. I found it very interesting and informative . . . I had never really heard the story of St. Patrick before. So, if your grandchildren ask why people celebrate St. Patrick's Day, pull out VeggieTales and show them the story behind the day!

crafting with grandma . . . Blarney Stones!

I am not Irish - I do have an ancestor who was Scottish, and who was shanghaied from Scotland, brought to American and sold as an indentured servant . . . but this is another story entirely! However, Irish or not, I have heard of the Blarney Stone! I went on-line to get the "facts" straight . . . if such a thing is possible for the story of the Blarney Stone!!! . . . and will share them with you . . . 

Today is National Banana Bread Day!

My family enjoys banana bread . . . for good reason; banana bread  tends to be moist, soft, and flavorful . . . in short, it is a tasty treat for sure! So, when I discovered it is "National Banana Bread Day", I had to share this bit of news with you! Nationaltoday (dot) com says, "Money was so tight during the Great Depression that people refused to throw away rotten food — thus ushering in the era of overly ripe bananas in banana bread." Here are some fun facts about banana bread - did you know . . .

The Great American Pie Month - Pumpkin Mousse Pie!

Oh yes, I just wrote, "Pumpkin Mousse Pie!" and since February is the Great American Pie Month, today is the day to share my recipe so you are able to make one to enjoy with the ones you love! But first, some fun facts about mousse - did you know . . .

Fun at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

If you live in or near West Michigan, you not only know what Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park are, but have likely visited it; more than once. If you do not live in this area of the country, you may not be familiar with them, but today I'm very happy to share with you about this amazing and beautiful place where you and your grandchildren will be able to explore, discover and have tremendous fun together!

I'll start with sharing how they describe themselves and then what my family thinks of them; Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park says . . . 

The Great American Pie Month - Pumpkin Pie Bites!

I really love pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, but not only - I love it at any time of the year . . . not only is it sooo tasty, but it is sooo good for you, too, or at least the pumpkin is! So, when I was browsing on  Pinterest and saw Pumpkin Pie Bites, well, I had to share the recipe with you!

Yes! illustrate my own Books ARE for You & the Children You Love

    

Spring Break will be upon us in a month, so if you are looking for something fun you could give the children you love as a gift, consider getting some of the books from the illustrate my own series along with crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils. All of them are fun books which will uniquely engage the children you love in ways they have never engaged before with the accounts of Bible heroes. As they (and you) illustrate their books, they will think about what is happening, the things the Bible people said and did, and how God showed His love and grace to the Bible people . . . which will help the children you love better understand how God shows His love and grace to them as well! 

Today is National Cherry Pie Day

Today is National Cherry Pie Day - if you are like many people, when you think of cherry pie, you picture a baked crust filled with tasty cherries - and topped with a scoop of ice cream, of course! At my house cherry pie looks a little different . . . I take a half block of cream cheese and let it soften to room temperature, whip 1/4 cup sugar with the softened cream cheese so it is fluffy, set aside, and whip heavy cream until it is a nice, creamy whipped cream, fold with the cream cheese, fill a graham cracker crust, and top with cherries. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve and then, of course, enjoy!

Now for some fun facts about pie - did you know . . .

Tomorrow - February 20th - is National Love Your Pet Day!

Certainly all of us who have four-legged family members, love them on all days, but tomorrow is a day to especially take time to be thankful for and to love these wonderful members of our family. In my home we have a cat - Candy. She is quite the cat. I thought she would be "aloof" but she is not at all! She greets us when we come home, she snuggles a LOT, and she is a pretty wonderful addition to our family.

My Top Seven Reasons for Enjoying the Butterflies are Blooming at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

If you live in, or near, Grand Rapids, MI, you are most certainly familiar with Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park - their amazing Butterflies are Blooming Exhibit begins in in just ten days, so today I wanted to write about this highlight of the year! I want to share with you a few reasons why this is a not-to-miss experience for you and the children you love!

The Great New Way to Get Glasses

I shared this post about pair eyewear last month, but since I've been wearing my new glasses for almost two months, I wanted to give you an update. I wear glasses - MS has messed up my vision, so they are necessary. It is my "philosophy" if I have to wear glasses, they might as well be "fun", have a bit of "spunk", some color, and a touch of "pizzazz", so I have always ordered glasses which are all of these things, because I believe why wear boring glasses if you do not have to do so? But, this has always meant buying multiple pairs of glasses each year - until now! In January I had my yearly eye exam, and as expected, my prescription changed, so new glasses were needed, but this time I ordered a base pair of glasses from Pair Eyewear and several fun tops to give me the fun, spunk, color, and pizzazz - basically several "pairs" of glasses, but at a significantly lower price!

The Great American Pie Month - Coconut Cream Pie

I enjoy coconut cream pie, but very rarely make it, so I thought since it is the Great American Pie Month, I'd share a tasty recipe for Coconut Cream Pie with you in case you might like to make one - possibly with the children you love!

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day!

While I think it would be an excellent "policy" to do something kind for someone every day; today is, "Random Acts of Kindness Day"! So, on this day to be kind, be sure to do kind things for others! What kind of kind things, you ask? Well, just a few kind things could include . . . 

My Heart is Like a Zoo

Every once in awhile a book comes along which is so unique, so delightful, so much fun . . . My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall is one such book, so today even though this book was released a few years ago, I'm very happy to let you know once more about this book.

Today is National Almond Day

Mmmm! I do enjoy almonds, so a day to celebrate these delightful nuts sounds like a good idea to me! Especially since almonds are good for you! 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 . . .

February is the Great American Pie Month - and a Great Time to Make a Peach Pie!

While I enjoy peach pie now and then - especially with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream, I almost never make them. But February is a great time to make this wonderful pie because February tends to be cold outside, so it is the perfect time to warm your house by baking a peach pie - and one of the bonuses for doing so it the fantastic aroma which comes when you bake a peach pie!

Tomorrow is; "Do a Grouch a Favor Day"!

I discovered this special day on-line where it said, "On Do a Grouch a Favor Day, if you know someone who is always grouchy, then this is the day to go out of your way to turn their frown upside down. Celebrate by trying to make all those people with the 'I-just-sucked-a-lemon-face' or those people who are just mean all the time, happy by going out of your way to do something nice for them. Considering this holiday is immediately following Valentine's Day, the most romantic and loving holiday of the year, you are sure to find plenty of people to do favors for."

Heart-Shaped Cupcakes

I know February is the Great American Pie Month, but this recipe for heart-shaped cupcakes is SO cute, I had to share it with you for Valentines Day! What could be more fun than heart-shaped cupcakes? They are a perfect treat to either surprise the children you love on Valentines Day, or to have them help you make - and of course eat - them!

Valentines Day - Love Is . . .

Today is Valentines Day - a day when we tend to think about "love" . . . or at least the "mushy" feeling of love; but what is love, really? Take a look at I Corinthians 13 for a true picture of what love really is . . . 

50 Pie Recipes for the Great American Pie Month!

Since February is the Great American Pie Month and Taste of Home has wonderful pie recipes, I thought I'd combine the two for a post today which will give you access to tasty pie recipes! Many of these recipes are for pies you have likely made before - such as apple, coconut, or peach, but you may also find some new ideas for pies at this link, such as, Peanut Butter Cream Pie, Possum Pie (don't worry, it doesn't contain Opossums!), and Strawberry Pretzel Pie!

Today is Self-Love Day

Nationaltoday.com says - "Self-Love Day is an annual celebration to appreciate and understand the importance of self-love. Self-love is one of the most powerful forms of love. It is something we all have coded inside us. Proponents of self-love believe it could strengthen a person’s feeling of being loved." So what is Self-Love - and what isn't it? Consider the following . . .

grandma's cookbook - Red, White & Blue Pies

February is the Great American Pie month, so today I am sharing a recipe you may want to keep handy for the 4th of July and then make with your grandchildren - without heating an oven! A perfect summer-time pie - although you could certainly make one today as well!

Today is Hug Day!

While every day is a day to hug those you love, in my opinion, today is a day to especially focus on hugging others, "to encourage people to show affection to each other."

Nationaltoday.com says, "Hugs are very versatile. Many of us hug when we wish to share our happiness with family and friends. At the same time, hugs are a staple when we are feeling low and need someone to just hold and console us. Hugs are also the perfect reconciliatory gesture when you want to make up with someone after a fight. Scientifically, hugs are known to release good hormones that can help lower your blood pressure and stress levels." Yes, hugs are beneficial, so let's learn a few more things about hugs - did you know . . .

Today is National Guitar Day

My grands are quite musical and one in particular especially enjoys playing guitars - and is quite good at it! Since today is National Guitar Day, I thought it would be fun to share some interesting fun facts about guitars - did you know . . . 

grandma's cookbook - My Sister's Recipe for Pasties!

My sister lives in Northern Wisconsin, so when they visit us in Michigan they make the drive through the UP  (Michigan's Upper Peninsula) where Pasties (pronounced PASS-Tees) are a local favorite. Since Pasties are a type of pie, and it is the Great American Pie Month, I thought since my sister shared her recipe with me . . . I'd share it with you!

grandma's cookbook . . . Custard Pie

One of my all-time favorite pies is Custard Pie . . . particularly when it has been chilled in the refrigerator! So, since it is the Great American Pie Month I thought it would be a good time to share a custard pie recipe with you!

Random Acts of Kindness Week

Here's some news to brighten your day and challenge you to do so with others . . . on this day 27 years ago the first annual "Random Acts of Kindness Week" began. Originally, the idea to “practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty” came to Anne Herbert while sitting in a Sausalito cafe during the 1980s.

The Great American Pie Month - Blueberry Pie

I've always enjoyed blueberries, and blueberry pie, but it is a pie I rarely make. So, if you enjoy blueberries and blueberry pie, here is a recipe you might try - 

Today is National Pizza Day!

Oh yes, National Pizza Day . . . certainly a day worth celebrating, so in honor of this tasty day, I'm re-posting a recipe I shared back when I began grandma's cookie jar for homemade, personal pizzas, but first a few pizza fun facts - did you know . . .

grandma's cookbook - Leftover Turkey Puff Pot Pie!

When we think about fixing turkey, we often think about Thanksgiving! I love the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy . . . yum! But, Thanksgiving is not the only time when we fix turkey. I have the Better Homes and Gardens The Ultimate Casseroles Book  with more than 400 comfort food classic recipes and I thought it would be fun to share a recipe I found in it, modified slightly to fit a tasty way to fix turkey - for a savory pie to fix during the Great American Pie Month! 

grandma's cookbook - Valentine's Day Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Hearts!

I have been a "fan" of rice krispie treats since I was a child. I, of course, have been a "fan" of chocolate . . . probably from birth! :-) So, when I found this recipe on  Pinterest from my blessed life for Valentine's Day Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie Hearts . . . well, of course I had to share it with you . . . 

grandma's cookbook - Lemonade Ice Cream Pie

We are one week into February, so I thought I'd share another pie recipe since it is the Great American Pie Month . . . Lemonade Ice Cream Pie! This pie is so tasty - and simple to make . . . your grandchildren will be happy to help you make it for sure!

You just need four ingredients . . . 

crafting with grandma - Crayon Hearts

I found a wonderful idea today while browsing on Pinterest . . . crayon hearts! You can make these from bits and pieces of old, broken crayons . . . rather than throw those old crayons away! It is very simple and fun - a  great craft for you to make with your grandchildren!

grandma's cookbook . . . Strawberries & Cream Pie!

February is the Great American Pie Month, so if you are looking for a tasty pie to try this month, consider making a strawberries & cream pie - this is a family favorite so I'm sharing the recipe for the pie with you today!

Fun Valentine's Day Ideas!

There are eight days until Valentine's Day, so if you are looking for some ideas of something special and fun which you could do, take a look at these ideas I found on Pinterest!

Great American Pie Month - Mini Apple Pies!

February is the Great American Pie Month, and while we all are familiar with - and love - apple pies, you might "mix it up" a bit by making some mini apple pies! Just stop by the store and get foil pot-pie pans and apples then you will be ready to make some tasty mini apple pies!  

crafting with grandma . . . Puzzle Heart Frames!

Do you have boxes of puzzles in your home which sit unused or have missing pieces? Are you looking for a creative idea for something fun you could do with all those puzzle pieces? Well . . . I was browsing on  Pinterest the other day and saw some very cute puzzle hearts and thought, "those would make great photo frames!" So, if you are interested in being creative with those unused puzzles, consider the following . . . 

grandma's cookbook - Blueberry Lemonade Cheese Cake Pie (No Bake!)

Since it is the Great American Pie Month, it is a great time to try new desserts for get-togethers and if the dessert is a tasty no-bake recipe it could not possibly be more perfect! I was browsing on Pinterest  and found a recipe for Raspberry Lemonade Cheese Cake Pie, but thought it could easily be switched to Blueberry Lemonade and had to share it with you!

You'll find the recipe at this link - I'd make the following substitutions . . .

It is National Homemade Soup Day

Last month was National Soup Month, but today - February 4, 2025, is National Homemade Soup Day, so I thought I'd share a recipe for a creamy potato soup which will put a smile on the face of any who eat it! So, gather the ingredients (you probably have them already), invite some family and/or friends, and get your soup going . . . it will be a tasty meal for sure!

grandma's cookbook - Easy Chicken Pot Pie

February is the Great American Pie month and while you may think of sweet pies when you think about pies, savory pies are also delicious! So, if you are thinking about a savory pie and are looking for a fun, simple, and nutritious  meal which you could make with your  grandchildren - make a tasty Chicken Pot Pie!