Countdown-to-Christmas Caroling - O Come, O Come Emmanuel - the Piano Guys

Today I'm sharing another Christmas Carol! Emmanuel means God with us; and this is why Jesus came . . . to be with us! This is why we celebrate Christmas. When I hear the song, O Come, O Come Emmanuel I think about what it would be like if we were still waiting for Him to appear and I rejoice in knowing He has come and we can know Him because He is with us!

Today is Bake Cookies Day

Today, according to daysoftheyear dot com is, Bake Cookies Day, so if ever there was a day to gather your eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, chocolate chips, peanut butter, oats - or whatever your favorite cookie ingredients may be, so you are able to bake cookies, well, certainly today is the day!

Of course, it is fun to look at cookie trivia on this day, so, did you know - 

Today is National Maple Syrup Day!

When I talk about maple syrup, I'm not referring to the bottled imitation maple syrup we typically find in the stores, but the real, 100% pure, maple syrup - the really good stuff! I grew up with the fake stuff, thinking it was real and using it on waffles and pancakes, but the real maple syrup is good for so much more! Let's look at some interesting facts about Maple Syrup - did you know . . . 

My Christmas Carol for Today - Christmas this Year!

I thought I'd share a Christmas Carol with you today - it is sure to get your toes tapping . . . enjoy this Toby Mac song, Christmas This Year! Join in and, "For Christmas this year/  Gonna make a sound gonna make it loud/  We're gonna make some noise let the world rejoice/ for ChristMas this year", because, "God is coming near/  unto us a savior's born/  on a midnight clear!" Look at the lyrics - (and the video you will find at this link - I used with because it is so fun - just like this song! Enjoy!!)

No-Knead Artisan Bread!

I just discovered the joy of making no-knead Artisan Bread - it is SO easy and a fantastic way to bless your family with homemade bread! You just mix the ingredients - and you do not need a mixer to do it, just stir them together - let rise in a warm place for three hours, turn onto a floured wax paper and fold over a few times, put in the oven and in 30 minutes you have some wonderful bread!

Hats!

One year when my grands were younger I was busy making hats for them for Christmas! I made   Agent Perry hats  for them and Minion hats! I made the Minions with one eye because my grands said the one-eyed minions are more fun! I love making simple things like hats because they are fun, inexpensive, and a way to give an extra gift - just takes some yarn and a bit of time!

Today is National Cupcake Day!

Yes, today is National Cupcake Day! Nationaltoday dot com says this is the day, "to commemorate these compact yet delectable sweets." So, let's begin our celebrating with some cupcake fun facts - did you know . . . 

Tomorrow is International Tea Day

While I am not a big fan of hot tea, I do enjoy iced blueberry, green tea all year long, so a day to celebrate tea sounds like a good idea to me. Tea, of course has been around for a very long time, so a great way to celebrate tomorrow - along with drinking some tasty tea - is to learn some interesting facts about tea - did you know . . . 

crafting with grandma - Fun, Excellent & Inexpensive Gifts - Easy Christmas Ornaments!

It is reasonably safe to say by now I've established I LOVE Christmas! It is also reasonably safe to say you all likely know I enjoy making ornaments . . . and if there is a snowman involved I will be very happy! So, when I was browsing on Pinterest and saw some cute, easy ornaments with snowmen options, well . . . I had to share them with you!

Today is National Cocoa Day!

Today is National Cocoa Day so I thought I'd share some fun cocoa facts with you. Did you know . . .

• Long before people nibbled on bars and brownies, chocolate was consumed in liquid form. Historians credit the Olmec civilization of southern Mexico as being the first to roast the fruit from the cacao tree, then grind it down and mix it with water and other ingredients. Archaeologists have discovered Olmec pottery with trace amounts of chocolate dating back to around 1700 BCE.

Today is National Ice Cream Day!

By the way, did you know today is National Ice Cream Day?! I do enjoy a nice bowl of ice cream, but since I've been focused on losing weight (I've lost 100lbs since the start of 2020!), I rarely eat this sweet treat. I have found, however; sorbetto on a stick - especially the mini-size only has 50 calories per serving! Hooray! 

But back to ice cream - let's look at some ice cream fun facts - did you know . . .

Today is National Poinsettia Day

Yes, while Poinsettias are a beautiful plant and something which brightens any day, today is the day to especially appreciate and celebrate them. I would love to have Poinsettias at my house, but I have the black thumbs of death and have been grounded forever by my grown children and grandchildren from every having plants again - they all say I am "cruel and unusual punishment - for the plants." So, instead I very happily enjoy Poinsettias at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park as they have so many of them as part of their Holiday Traditions exhibit! I'm happy to share with you some really interesting facts about Poinsettias - did you know . . .

Things I Love About the 4N1 - a Unique Mobility Rollator/Chair and the Perfect Christmas Gift for You or Someone You Love

     

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/them 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 Christmas gift for sure as it is actually the gift of mobility!

crafting with grandma - One-Eyed Monster Slippers!

Today I'm remembering when my grands were little - from time to time we had "monsters" which "invaded" my home - of course I'm NOT talking about my sweet grands, but "monsters"! I remember one day twelve years ago when I was fixing lunch in the kitchen and my grand ran into the kitchen and told me there were "monsters in the hall!" I asked if they were teeny, tiny or ginormous, humongous! He said they were the "most ginormous, humongous, EVER!" I asked if they were nice or cranky. He said they were "the most cranky monsters, EVER!!!" He said they were going to eat me - I asked whatever should I do and he said he would protect me! This is one grandma who is so thankful I have such a brave grandsn at my house when the most ginormous, humongous, and cranky monsters EVER invade my home!