Spring Book Review - A Family of Her Own for Candy

 

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.

Please Vote for Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Best Botanical Park in the USA!

Over the past years I have written a few times about the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park - typically about their amazing "Butterflies are Blooming" in March and April where thousands of butterflies are in the Tropical Conservatory or their "Christmas Around the World" in November and December. Three years ago my dear husband and I decided to give each other the gift of a membership to the Park. We decided on a grandparents membership - which allowed us and our grandchildren 18 and younger - to visit as often as we liked in the coming year. We added the guest option where were able to bring a guest as well and I have to say, we loved our membership! We thought this was a great membership plan, but Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park are making it even better! This year we are getting the Friends & Family Plus membership - it will let us continue to enjoy unlimited admission for us, and two  adult guests, plus eight children under age 18, AND a 10% discount at the gift ship, in the cafe, new in the ice cream parlor! We have happily renewed our membership!

National Love Your Pet Day!

 

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.

Spring Book Review - Life on the Amazing Goldilocks Planet

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"?

Please Stand Up & Speak Up

 

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.

February is the Great American Pie Month - and a Great Time to Make a Peach Pie!

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!

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

  

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!

The Great American Pie Month - Pumpkin Pie Bites!

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!

Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day!

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 . . . 

50 Pie Recipes for the Great American Pie Month!

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!

"Do a Grouch a Favor Day"!

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."

Today is National Almond Day

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 . . .

My Top Seven Reasons for Enjoying the Butterflies are Blooming at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

 

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!

grandma's cookbook - Red, White & Blue Pies

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!