Next Week is Real Bread Week!

One of my most treasured childhood memories is one which happened in the house in which I live. My grandparents had this house built and when I was a child I visited them for sleep-overs. I loved it when my grandma baked bread and then gave me a slice of bread, warm and fresh from the oven with Peter Pan Peanut butter on it! What could be better!

grandma's cookbook - It is the Great American Pie Month, so make . . . Apple Dessert!

I live in Michigan . . . otherwise known as Apple Country, so I have to have at least one go-to apple recipe! For me, it is my Apple Dessert . . . I know, not an incredible name, but it does taste incredible! It is very simple to make and if your family likes apples, it is a dessert they are sure to love - especially during the Great American Pie Month!

Showing Love!

 As we think about love during February, it is very important for us to understand real love shows itself. Yes, it speaks love to others, but it does not stop with the words. Real love shows itself; just as God showed His love to us! One way we are able to help our grandchildren understand this is by involving them in projects to show love to others.

One way you are able to do this with the children you love is by helping them show love to families in need by raising money to buy ducks from World Vision at this link. For just $30 you can give three ducks to a family in need somewhere in the world; and of course we all know these ducks will in short order become more ducks with eggs which allow families to raise more ducks or eat or sell eggs for income. 

grandma's chuckles . . . "It's Bigfoot! Run For Your Lives!"

Grandchildren are such a joy - they make our hearts happy! They also make us laugh from time to time! So, today I thought I'd share with you a post I wrote several years ago about about something my oldest grandson did which made me laugh - and still makes me laugh when I remember what he said! 

"My grandson - nearly three years old - was over to my home last night and he said something which will have me laughing for a very long time! We watched, the Goofy Movie; when Bigfoot showed up, he said, "It's Bigfoot! Run for your lives!" and ran into our dining room, around the table and into the kitchen saying, "Run for your lives!" Poppa got up and ran with him - for his "life", of course, but I was laughing too hard to run for my life (and I was holding a sleeping baby grandson - nearly one month old).

grandma's cookbook - Refreshing Blueberry, Green Ice Tea!

Ten days ago I shared my recipe for Blueberry, Lemonade, Cream Pie, so I thought it made sense to share my favorite recipe for blueberry tea with you today! 

Whether it is hot and humid or cold, this tea is a delicious and refreshing drink. Try this recipe with your grandchildren . . . it is simple, quick, and so delicious! A big added "plus" is the health benefit . . . blueberries and green tea are so good for you! My husband never liked tea, until I made blueberry tea for him! Now he drinks my tea instead of pop! My grandsons love this tea, too . . . and the only sweetening comes naturally from blueberries . . . not sugar!

Today is National Wisconsin Day

Today is National Wisconsin Day, so if you live in Wisconsin, it is a day to celebrate! So, let's learn about some of the silly laws and interesting facts which make Wisconsin special. Did you know in Wisconsin it is illegal to . . . 

Granny Square Purse for Grandma!!!

Do you like to crochet? If so, do you have any extra granny squares on hand? If so, you could take them and make a new purse. This is a purse I made from granny squares . . . it has enough room for my things and it has enough color to brighten a day here in Michigan! It is a really easy purse to make . . . just make some granny squares with leftover yarn - I used six granny squares for this purse - then crochet a liner. I attached the liner to the top of the granny squares and then crocheted some additional rows to make the top part of the purse, added a handle and voila! The purse was finished!

Today is Statehood Day in Arizona

Yes, if you live in Arizona you are likely celebrating today as it is Statehood Day! It did not become a state until 1912 - and was the 48th state. We will look at some more interesting facts about Arizona, but first some of their silly laws - did you know it is illegal in Arizona to . . . 

just for fun - It is Random Acts of Kindness Week!

While I encourage my grandsons to focus on being kind to others every day, since it is, "Random Acts of Kindness Week", it seems like a great time to remind them to be kind and to think of ways they can be kind to others. It is all about finding small ways to make a difference and in doing so, to also put a smile on someone else's face!

Take time today to talk about things the ones you love are able to do to be kind . . . things like . . . 

We are "View-Givers"

Today I want to write about something important. Handing down a heritage of faith to our grandchildren. Several years ago I heard Steve Bell (Willow Creek Church) say something which got my attention: "How we feel about our grandchildren is how they will feel about themselves."

Centuro Mini - THE Mobility Scooter for You & Those You Love

A couple years ago I received a special delivery which I am happy to tell you about again today. Bischoff & Bischoff (one of Europe's largest manufacturers of rollators and mobility scooters) sent me their Centuro Mini. Today I am very happy to let you know about this excellent mobility scooter. 

Today is Georgia Day

Today is Georgia Day - for thousands of years Native tribes lived in this area as it was the territory of both the Creek and the Cherokee nations, but in the 1730's European Americans began to settle in Georgia. On January 19, 1861, Georgia seceded from the Union and joined other Southern states on February 8, to form the Confederate States of America. Georgia contributed nearly one hundred twenty thousand soldiers to the Confederate war effort. During the broad-based activism of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, the city of Atlanta, Georgia became the base of African-American leader, minister Martin Luther King Jr. This State has a long history, which we will learn more of shortly, but first let's consider some of their silly laws - did you know . . . 

Words Have a Lasting Impact on Children

Over the years I've shared posts with you which my friend Maralee McKee, the Manner' Mentor, wrote on her blog; this one is from a few years ago, but is true today, too. Maralee wrote about her visit to a store where she heard unkind words being spoken by a mother to her daughter. Maralee said, "Words linger...words wind their way through our mind dropping off in every nook and cranny. They're never forgotten. Our sub-conscious holds on to them. After all our parents voice is our first voice of truth. Mama said it's so, so it has to be right."

Tomorrow is Hug Day!

Tomorrow - February 12th - is Hug Day! Nationaltoday dot com says, "It’s hard to deny the power a simple hug is able to have over our moods and general well-being. It’s amazing how such a simple gesture  just melts your troubles away. You hug someone to celebrate their highest of highs and to soothe them during their lowest of lows. Hugs help lower stress, increase mutual trust, and lower blood pressure, among so many other benefits. Hug a person you love today — it’s free!"

So, to celebrate Hug Day, let's first look at some fun facts about hugs - did you know . . .