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

     

Children's Day and then Summer Break will be upon us shortly 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! 

Children's Day - Yes, It Is Real!

June 8, 2025 is Children's Day! Yes, it is a real holiday . . . (If you look it up on Google, it says the USA celebrates Children's Day on the second Sunday in June - this has been the official date since the 1800's - I really did not make this holiday up!!!) :-) 

The Little, Ginormous, Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys Adventures

 

What could be a better way to start the summer 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!

A Simple, Meaningful and Personal Father's Day Craft . . .

If you are looking for an idea for Father's Day - which is just three weeks away, check this one I found on Pinterest! I love how personal it is and how it gives you a way to involve even your youngest grandchildren!

A Family of Her Own for Candy - Great Children's Day Gift for the Children You Love

  

The summer of 2022 my husband, grands and I went to the Humane Society to get a kitten. I wanted my grands to go with us because, first of all, they love all animals, secondly I wanted to be sure whatever cat we got was one which was able to be around my grands without being aggressive. We spent some time at the Humane Society and finally settled on a very sweet calico - which we named Candy, because she is sweet (and my middle grand said she reminded him of candy corn.) 

crafting with grandma - Father's Day Gift!

I was looking on  Pinterest and saw a very creative, cute, simple, and affordable idea for a Father's Day gift which a dad will be sure to love and treasure . . . and one your grandchildren can make! 

Children's Day & Summer Book Review - The Most Magnificent Team

We all want the children we love to learn how to get along with and work with others - this is a skill they absolutely need in their life. The Most Magnificent Team by Ashley Spires from Kids Can Press is a wonderful story which brilliantly illustrates this truth.

Today is Devil's Food Chocolate Cake Day

 

Nationaltoday.com says, "Devil’s food cake is not your ordinary chocolate cake. It’s a unique mix of ingredients that brings out the chocolate. Recipes often call for boiling water, instead of milk, and some even add coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor! Mixing science with desserts, the cake gets its darker color from its higher pH levels due to the added baking soda. The cake uses cocoa instead of chocolate squares, making it even fluffier! Some say the cake gets its name to distinctly contrast from the Angel’s food cake, which is much lighter in comparison. As more and more types of cakes have been created over the years, “devil’s food cake” is often used as a catch all name for a super-choclatety cake that doesn’t have nuts."

Children's Day & Summer Book Review - The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (And Other Mysterious Creatures)

I love it when an author "turns" the story around and writes a fun, but unexpected story. This is exactly what I. M. Furry (with help from Jami Gigot) did in the delightful book, The Bigfoot Field Guide to Campers (And Other Mysterious Creatures) from Kids Can Press! While any story which combines campers and Big Foot has the potential to be a fun and surprising story, this one delivers on this potential in a way which is sure to make it a favorite book of the children you love!

grandma's cookbook - Father's Day Truffles!

Father's Day is June 15th, and if the dads in your life are like the dads in my life, it is usually difficult to find a perfect gift for them! So, when I was browsing on  Pinterest yesterday and saw a recipe for M&M Cookie Dough Truffles . . . well, they looked to me like Father's Day Truffles! (I know my hubby LOVES M&M's and cookie dough!) 

Children's Day & Summer Book Review - Sleep, Sheep!

Sleep, Sheep! by Kerry Lyn Sparrow and Guillaume Perreault is a book which I am SO happy and thankful to be able to include in this year's Children's Day & Summer Book Review as it is an absolutely delightful and surprisingly fun story from Kids Can Press! If ever there were a book which needed to be included in my review, this is certainly it!

Summer 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 them; 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 . . . 

Children's Day & Summer Book Review - Ramon Fellini the Cat DOG Detective

I greatly enjoy books with humor and Ramon Fellini the Cat DOG Detective is one such highly enjoyable book for sure! Written/ illustrated by Guillherme Karsten and published by Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, this is a book the children you love are sure to want to have read to them - or read for themselves - over and over again!

A Fun Gift Idea

Father's Day is June 15th this year, so I thought I'd share a fun idea for a gift you could help the children you love make for their dad. Several years ago when my grands were younger, they spent a Friday night and Saturday at my house, so while they were here they made a gift for their dad . . . it is a really fun item to make with your grandchildren for their dad, mom, or for you as it makes a great birthday gift, anniversary gift, or Christmas gift as well - so I'm sharing a photo and info if you want to help the children you love make one!