just as grandma's cookie jar should always be full of good things, this blog will be full of good ideas, information, activities and reviews of things to help grandma . . . and grandpa, mom and dad too . . . pass on a heritage of faith to the children in their lives!
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Nearly every Saturday our grands come over so they can spend the night! Sunday morning I fix breakfast . . . they usually choose sausage, bacon, eggs, waffles, and coffee! Sometimes, they choose blueberry pancakes, so since today is Blueberry Pancake Day, I thought I'd share my pancake recipe with you!
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Valentine's Day is getting closer, so I thought I'd share with you an idea I found on Pinterest for sharing love with people you love - a countdown to Valentine's Day! It could a fun idea to adapt to use with your grandchildren . . . while the link I originally used no longer works, I still love this idea!
A few months ago I wrote about one of my limited edition toppers for my Pair Eyewear glasses - the Black Holographic Flakes! Pair Eyewear says, "This shiny black Top features iridescent flakes scattered throughout." and I say it is an absolutely beautiful topper! The black shimmers and the holographic flakes add pops of color with every move of your head - what isn't there to LOVE about this wonderful topper! I was SO happy to add it to my collection and am very happy to let you know it is once again available and would make a fantastic choice to brighten your day or to give as a gift for someone you know and love who has Pair Eyewear - or plans to get it.
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I am extremely happy to say today is Chocolate Cake Day! Here in Michigan it has been very cold and snowy for the past week, we reached an all time low of -20 actual temperature, so today's temp of - 8 degrees so far is a real "heat wave"! In light of all this "chill", what could be a better way to brighten a cold day, than with a piece of chocolate cake?!!! Even if it was not Chocolate Cake Day, it would still be a great way to brighten this day . . . but it is Chocolate Cake Day, so, let's celebrate! (Although if you are like me and working to lose more weight, then the thought of chocolate cake will have to be enough!)
I do still believe God is real. The past year has left me wondering for sure, but there is too much evidence for God being real for me to ignore it. So, I do still believe.
With everything going on in our country and world, if ever there was a time to pray deeply, this is it. Praying for our grandchildren (and children), and for our neighbors and world, is something we all know we need to do, but it is also something many of us struggle with. We may feel like our prayers do not even make it through the ceiling above us and do not know what to say or how to pray. Our lives are busy, so finding the time to pray can be a challenge which we may not overcome and then days go by without us spending time in prayer.
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I posted this a few weeks ago - but especially with everything going on in our country right now, if ever there was a time to do something nice, it is now. And, it would be a great way to show respect and concern for the families of those who have been murdered or kidnapped by our government, whether you personally know them or not.
"October 5th is actually Do Something Nice Day, but of course I think every day should be, Do Something Nice Day, and doing so makes the world and the coming year better, so let's make today a day where we focus on being nice to others - and then continue to do so each and every day! So . . . what can we do to be nice to others? Hmmm. What about . . .
Eight years ago I wrote a book to help, encourage, and challenge grandparents and parents - Don't Worry: It Is Impossible to Spoil Grandchildren! and thought it might be fun today to share with you some of the "buzz" . . . what people are saying about this book - and neither of these two people are related to me!
It is VERY cold outside today - as I write this it is three degrees out - which is actually "balmy" compared to yesterday when it was -20 - yes, -20! At any rate, people I love spent the night here last night and more people I love are coming over for lunch, so I just made two loaves of Honey, Maple, Oat Artisan Bread - one is gluten free - because the warmth it will add to the house - and the amazing aroma will help with it being so cold outside! If you would like to make some, too, I will share the recipe with you. Before I get to the recipe I want to say this bread just takes minutes to mix by hand, you let it rise for a few hours, then pop it into the oven for about 40 minutes - this is all there is to it!
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Muddy Buddies are a fun treat to make - and eat! I've been making them pretty much every weekend for a few weeks because there is someone I love who comes to my house for a sleepover on Saturdays and this person LOVES Muddy Buddies! If you want to make them for someone you love, try this recipe - from the Chex website - with your grandchildren . . . it is sure to be a favorite!
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If you are looking for a book to help a parent or grandparent you love make the most of handing down confident faith, consider this book - The DNA of Grandparents & Parents Who Hand Down Confident Faith.
In this book I look at how our physical DNA is a truly amazing and essential part of who we are, as it holds the "code" or instructions for the things which make us unique as well as for the things we share. It connects us with the generations who came before us; as well as with those who come behind. It is the core of who we are physically.
Today I want to share something with you once again, which I originally wrote ten years ago . . .
“My three grands are young; seven, four, and two years old. I love these ages, because they are just the right size for time in grandma’s lap – which of course, just fills my heart with joy! I know when my own children were young, they were the same way, but as they grew up, “lap time” came to an end. So, I treasure these few years when my grands are young. I enjoy the things they say and do which make me laugh and I love opportunities to snuggle them in my lap.
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I LOVE peanut butter! It is one of my favorite foods for sure! So, when I saw on daysoftheyear (dot) com, today is National Peanut Butter Day, well, I had to let you know so you can celebrate it as well! They said, "Who doesn’t love peanut butter? So let’s celebrate Peanut Butter Day. This auspicious occasion was created many years ago, to allow peanut butter lovers to celebrate the creation of this wonderful food.
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When we hand down the faith, we watch for those unplanned opportunities to connect life with God, His Word and how we are able to know and walk with Him. But, we also need to plan opportunities to do these things in a very intentional and purposeful way as well. Handing down the faith tends to be something which we look forward to doing and enjoy, or something which leaves us feeling confused and unable to do effectively. Well, no matter which of these describes you, I am very happy today to let you know about a resource which gives you 52 lessons, complete with science projects, crafts and cooking activities to engage the children you love while also helping them learn about real people from the Bible, how those Bible people chose to walk with God and how they are able to do the same. This resource is called Generations Quest Cultivate the Faith!
