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

   

The New Year is just around the corner, 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! 

Cacao, Peanut Butter, & Chocolate Chip Brownies - Enjoy!

 

My family enjoys brownies - I make them once in awhile, so in case you might like to make them for the people you love, I thought I'd share a tasty recipe with you - 

My Christmas Carol for Today - Pentatonix - That's Christmas to Me

There are just eleven more days until Christmas, so today I am happy to share another of my "Christmas Carols" with you. This wonderful song is from Pentatonix - That's Christmas to Me at this link.

This song is all about Christmas memories - my memories of Christmas as a child center around time with family in our lake house where we always spent Christmas and lots of snow - because I grew up in Michigan. My memories as a mom revolve around time with my husband and children and now as a grandma it is all about time with family - and gifts as I LOVE giving gifts! What are your Christmas memories?

I have not heard this song before, so if you are like me and might like to sing along, here are the lyrics . . .

grandma's cookbook - Chocolate & Peanut Butter Bugles!

As I browsed on  Pinterest the other day, I saw a recipe which looked like something grandchildren would love to make . . . and eat! I thought it might make a fun treat to fix on a rainy day in the summer . . . It could also be the perfect snack to make with your grandchildren when they have a sleep-over at your house! The snack? Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bugles!

A Gift Which Lasts All Year & Beyond . . . Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

  

Are you looking for a gift for your family? One which you do not have to worry about arriving in time for Christmas? One which is more than just another "thing" to open and shortly end up just taking up space? One which will help them connect and build memories? If so, then give the gift of either tickets to or a family membership to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (or a botanical garden near you.)

My Christmas Carol for Today - Christmas is All In the Heart - by Stephen Curtis Chapman

Today my Christmas Carol is a song you may not be familiar with, but it is wonderful! Stephen Curtis Chapman sings, "Christmas is All In the Heart" and you will find it at this link.

The lyrics are here if you want to sing along - 

Christmas Book Review - Give Two Books in One with the Little Ginormous, Humongous, Hairy, One-Eyed Monster Boys Adventures!

  

When my children were young and then when my grands were young, I always gave books as part of their gifts at Christmas. If you are a grandma or mom who also gives books at Christmas, then this is the book to give the children you love! When my grands were young and at my house for a sleepover, we typically made up stories at bedtime which almost always had monsters or dinosaurs in them. One night when my oldest grand was six, my middle grand was three, and my youngest grand was one, we were getting them into bed when my oldest grand said there was a monster under my middle grand's bed! This was not what my middle grand wanted to hear, so I said there could not be any monsters under the bed because the monsters were at their poppa's and grandma's house getting ready for bed on their sleepover. My grands found this idea very interesting, so of course, our bedtime story for the night had to have little, ginormous, humongous, hairy, one-eyed monsters getting ready for bed and being scared because they thought they saw, teeny, tiny, itty, bitty, not-so-hairy, two-eyed people under their beds! 

Christmas Traditions

 

Each year after Thanksgiving dinner we put up our Christmas tree - either that evening, or on the weekend when my grands come over for a sleepover. They help decorate the tree and I am always so happy with the final look.

My Christmas Carol for Today - It's the Greatest Time of Year - by Aly & AJ

We have almost arrived at Christmas - it is just five days away and this song "fits" with how I feel - It's the Greatest Time of Year - and I am looking forward to celebrating it with my family on Christmas Eve!

This video shows clips from the third Santa Clause movie, making it fun to watch as well! Enjoy it at this link!

And, if you want to sing along, here are the lyrics -

Christmas Book Review - Give the Gift of Confident Faith & Family Fun for Christmas with Generations Quest - Cultivate the Faith!

  

Are you looking for a Christmas gift which will create memories while you hand down confident faith? If so, then the book -Generations Quest - Cultivate the Faith! is for you! 

This resource will provide you with 52 weeks of Bible learning, science projects, crafts, cooking, and much more - all designed to make it easy for you to hand down confident faith while engaging the children you love in interesting, fun and active learning.

My Christmas Carol for Today - Breath of Heaven - by Amy Grant

 

When we think about Christmas Carols some of us think of the old Christmas songs we sang in church, like Joy to the World and Silent Night. Others think of more contemporary songs like It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas or Frosty the Snowman. Today my Christmas Carol is a newer song, a beautiful song, sung by Amy Grant - Breath of Heaven - you will find it at this link.

If you would like to know the story behind the song, you will find it at this link. And, if you would like to sing along, here are the lyrics.

grandma's cookbook - Spritz Cookies

 

Yesterday was Bake Cookies Day, so since I LOVE Spritz cookies with their buttery flavor and the crisp, yet soft texture, and the fun shapes you can make with a cookie press I thought I'd write about them today. I love the memories I have of making Spritz cookie with my mom and of course I love the taste of these classic Holiday cookies! I mean, what would Christmas be without Spritz cookies???? Well, of course Christmas is so much more than Spritz cookies, but they are one of my favorite parts of the Holiday season!

And, Spritz cookies are wonderful all year - even if we typically think of them at Christmas. So, I thought I'd share a simple Spritz recipe with you. 

The Relief for Grief - Available on Amazon

 

The past few years have brought blessings into our lives for sure, but with covid, many have experienced loss as well, whether it was the loss of someone we love, the loss of being able to spend time with the ones we love, the loss of a job, the loss of fellowship with others, the loss of our confidence, to mention just a few. Some of us have also experienced loss which is a normal part of our lives.

grandma's cookbook - Christmas Tree Blossom Cookies

You are probably familiar with Peanut-Butter Blossom cookies - I follow the recipe in my Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook, but this past weekend I made them with a small "twist" - in place of the chocolate kiss, I used a Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Christmas Tree! Oh yes, and this made for a truly delicious cookie for sure!