just as grandma's cookie jar should always be full of good things, this blog will be full of good ideas, information, activities and reviews of things to help grandma . . . and grandpa, mom and dad too . . . pass on a heritage of faith to the children in their lives!
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.
Today 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 . . .
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 . . .
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!
.jpg)
When we hand down the faith, we watch for those unplanned opportunities to connect life with God, His Word and how we are able to know and walk with Him. But, we also need to plan opportunities to do these things in a very intentional and purposeful way as well. Handing down the faith tends to be something which we look forward to doing and enjoy, or something which leaves us feeling confused and unable to do effectively. Well, no matter which of these describes you, I am very happy today to let you know about a resource which gives you 52 lessons, complete with science projects, crafts and cooking activities to engage the children you love while also helping them learn about real people from the Bible, how those Bible people chose to walk with God and how they are able to do the same. This resource is called Generations Quest Cultivate the Faith!
I found the recipe at this link (the photo is from their site) and since I have quite a few bananas which need me to bake something with them, I will be baking peanut-butter and banana bread for sure! I will be reducing the brown sugar to just 1/2 cup since the bananas are ripe and will be sweet on their own.
One day thirteen 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!
.jpg)
I've been writing for several years about how important it is for us, as grandparents to hand down a heritage of confident faith. One way I do this is to let you know about resources to help you as you do this. In Don't Worry; It is Impossible to Spoil Grandchildren, along with sharing some of my "cute-grands stories", I talk about important things for grandparents to think about and keep in mind as they focus on handing down a heritage of confident faith to their grandchildren. Today I thought I'd share another "look" at the book with a short excerpt from my book . . .
Miracle Mobility sent me their unique and award-winning 4N1 to review so I am able to try it out in a variety of settings and let you know all about it. If you or someone you love is experiencing mobility challenges, the 4N1 may be the perfect resource for you as it combines a rollator, electric wheelchair, a wheelchair others are able to push someone in, and a power assist chair into one amazing item! Today I will share a few of my observations about it so you are able to consider it for yourself or someone you love - it would make a fantastic gift for sure as it is actually the gift of mobility!
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 . . .
.jpg)
If you are looking for a new book to read this Spring or a gift to give to a parent or grandparent you love, consider this book - The DNA of Grandparents & Parents Who Hand Down Confident Faith.
.jpg)
Meijer Garden has this to say about this wonderful time of year . . .
.jpg)
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!
.jpg)
Spring Break will be upon us soon, 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!
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 . . .
.jpg)
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 . . .
.jpg)
I have three books in my new Candy the Kitten . . . And Me! series of books and wanted you to know of an extra option for getting all three stories - a three in one book -Adventures with Candy! In this book you will find A Family of Her Own for Candy, Candy's Favorite Place, and What Makes Candy Purr? - all three stories about Candy the kitten, which are sure to be loved stories if you have a child in your family who loves cats!
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!
.jpg)
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 . . .
For the past few days I've been letting you know about the new books in my Candy the Kitten . . . and Me! books - today I want to let you know about one the children you love are sure to enjoy - What Makes Candy Purr? In this fun story children will get to learn about the things which make Candy, a sweet little calico kitten, purr. And, not only will they discover the things which make Candy purr, but they will be surprised to learn about animals which are not cats, but still are able to purr . . . such as bears! Did you know bears purr? In What Makes Candy Purr? the children you love will enjoy discovering not only about the things which make Candy purr, but will be surprised to learn about other animals which purr, too!
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 . . .
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.
.jpg)
Today I am happy to let you know about another of my new books in my Candy the Kitten . . . and Me! series of books - this time, Candy's Favorite Place!
In Candy's Favorite Place, children will get to learn where Candy, a sweet little calico kitten, loves to spend time. She really likes to be a cat in a box and a cat on her princess pillows, but there is one place where she really loves to be and children will enjoy discovering Candy's Favorite Place!
Spring is not far away, so to celebrate, today I thought I'd share some animal fun facts with you which you can share with the children you love - did you know . . .
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 . . .
.jpg)
I often review books for children from a number of publishers and always enjoy the books which tell a great story and have colorful illustrations. If the books also find a way to involve the children in the story, then the book is likely to get a high review from me. So, when I write stories for children, I work to be sure all these things are covered in my stories and my Candy the Kitten . . . and Me books definitely do these things! Today I want to share with you one of the books in this series - A Family of Her Own for Candy.
.jpg)
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.
I'm very happy to share a book with you which will make a difference in the lives of the children you love. Are you one of the grandmas (or grandpas) who are so blessed to have grown children who love and walk with God, and who are committed to hand down confident faith with you to the children you all love? Do your grandchildren want to go to church, want to talk about their walk with God, and embrace a confident faith of their own? Or, do you have grown children who, like so many their age, are no longer involved in church, who do not embrace a confident faith of their own, and/or grandchildren who tell you they are, "not into that church thing any more"?
I meant to post this on Monday, but since I didn't, I'm sharing it again today. I write grandma's cookie jar to provide ideas for ways grandmas - and grandpas/moms/dads might connect the children they love with God and build strong, loving relationships. I share recipes, book reviews, fun facts, and more - I stay away from politics. But not today. People I know and love live in fear. People I do not know live in fear - and some are dying at the hands of our government. Our government is being drown in corruption and the epstein files causes great concern. I can not stay silent. I do not believe Jesus would be silent, either. So, I am sharing images I found on instagram - they say what I am thinking.
While I enjoy a peach pie now and then - especially with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream, I almost never make it. 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!
.jpg)
What could be a better way to start the Spring than with books! So, today I am very happy to let you know about one more book . . . The Little, Ginormous, Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys Adventures - and this book has two stories in it, so you get two books in one!
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!
.jpg)
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 . . .
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!
.jpg)
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."
.jpg)
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 . . .
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!
.jpg)
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!
.jpg)
Here's some news to brighten your day and challenge you to do so with others . . . on this day 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.
Get ready to laugh! As I looked up some silly, but real laws in Arkansas, I realized once again we were likely to get a good laugh from these laws and have something funny to share with our grandchildren . . . to spread the laughing! After all, laughing is good for our health!
.jpg)
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, and since my sister shared her recipe with me . . . I thought I'd share it with you!
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 . . .
.jpg)
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!
.jpg)
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 . . .
.jpg)
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 -
