October is National Chili Month!

Fall is upon us and it is time for chili - chili cook-offs, chili dinners, chili get-togethers - anything and everything chili! Plus, it is National Chili Month, so gather your supplies, invite the ones you love, and get ready for a tasty bowl of chili to add to the wonderfulness of spending time with the people you love!

Now, if you are like me, and you are not able to eat very spicy foods, this does not mean you are not able to enjoy a tasty, warm bowl of chili - just try my favorite recipe . . .

Fall Book Review - The Night Giant

Kids Can Press sent me a wonderful book which the young children you love are sure to enjoy - and I am very happy to share with you today - The Night Giant by Lorenzo Coltellacci and illustrated by Lorenzo Sangio.

It is Cookie Month - So Make No-Bakes!

  

My family enjoys no-bake cookies - and I make them from time to time because the way I make them they are a healthy and tasty way to increase fiber, protein, and flavonoids! Today - on International Chocolate Day - I am very happy to share with you my recipe for no-bakes - especially since today is also National Peanut Butter Lovers Day. You will need . . . 

Today is National Indigenous Peoples' Day

Today is National Indigenous Peoples' Day! This is a day to appreciate and pay respect to the people who first came to this land - the Native Americans.

Don't Miss Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park this Fall!

Nearly every Tuesday my husband and I visit Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, so today I want to let you know about some of their new exhibits and special events which are starting so if you live in, or are planning to visit, the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, you will be able to plan to visit this amazing place - and bring your grands with you if you are able to do so!

It is Family History Month

October is Family History Month, so it is a great time to gather your family stories and share them with your grandchildren. If you - like my children and grandchildren - have an ancestor who was a famous author, came to the USA on the Mayflower, was a Native American, knighted in England, or a member of royalty, or the Swiss Guard - tell your grandchildren. If you - like my children and grandchildren - have an ancestor who was struck by lightening, survived a tornado, or who took you fishing and sang funny songs - tell your grandchildren.

Fall Book Review - Hockey In The Wild

A few months ago I reviewed, Camping In The Wild, which I said was a, "book which would capture the attention of the children you love - and one you will enjoy reading as well", so today I'm very happy to share another book in this series - Hockey In The Wild by Nocholas Oldland from Kids Can Press - and yes, it will also capture the attention of the children you love and you will enjoy reading this one, too.

grandma's cookbook - Orange Butter Cookies!

When it comes to cookies my family tends to favor the "classics" . . .  chocolate chip-peanut-butter-oatmeal, plain chocolate chip or plain peanut-butter cookies. But every once in a while I like to try something different and this recipe, which I found on  Pinterest, is certainly one I'd like to try! After all, what could be more "yummie" sounding than orange butter cookies?!!!! And what could be a better time to try them than National Cookie Month?

Tomorrow is National Do Something Nice Day!

Daysoftheyear (dot) com says; "Sure, every day is a great day to do something nice! But this day, the practice of kindness is particularly relevant as it’s time for Do Something Nice Day!" I agree, but I also agree a day to focus upon doing nice things for others is a fantastic idea for sure!

On their site (at this link) they tell about some big and small ways people have been kind through the ages - such as - 

Fall Book Review - Strange Creatures

I'm very happy to share with you another wonderful book for Fall reading from Kids Can Press - Strange Creatures by Cristina Sitja Rubio and Cristobal Leon. I very much enjoyed the message of this story - and believe the children you love will as well!

Applesauce Cookies!

Since October is Homemade Cookie Month and Apple Month, it makes sense to make applesauce cookies! I enjoy applesauce cookies because they are soft, and so tasty! I have a recipe to share with you, so gather the supplies, the children you love - they will make wonderful helpers with this recipe - and enjoy making applesauce cookies . . . and of course eating them!

It is National Pizza Month

 

While it would not surprise me to learn every month is "pizza month", October is actually National Pizza Month - certainly something to celebrate with the ones you love! So to start our month of celebrating pizza, let's start with some fun pizza facts - did you know . . .

Fall Book Review - Dragon vs. Unicorn - Friends or Frenemies?

Yesterday I received a box of books from Kids Can Press, so today I'm happy to let you know about one of the books - Dragon vs. Unicorn - Friends or Frenemies? written by P.J. Hoover and illustrated by Lisa Wiley.

It is National Apple Month!

 

I live in West Michigan - otherwise known as "Apple Country", so since it is National Apple Month, I thought I'd share a favorite apple recipe, an apple "hint", and some apple fun facts. First, the fun facts - did you know . . .