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.)

This Christmas Give Books Which Make a Difference

Yesterday I wrote about the book - Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children! It makes a fantastic Christmas gift for the children you love ages four through fourteen. Today I wanted to share with you about three books in the "Praying Deeper" series of books which will help parents and grandparents pray Scripture for their own walk with God and for the children they love as well - young, grown, and grandchildren!

My Christmas "Carol" for Today - Christmas Eve/Sarajevo

When I think about my favorite Christmas songs, one is best enjoyed as an instrumental, and as such it must be Trans-Siberian Orchestra which plays the music! Yes, I know this is supposed to be a "Christmas Caroling" post, but I am very happy to share with you the link so you are able to enjoy this song. 

Today is National Lemon Pie Day!

Today is National Lemon Pie Day - and while I certainly enjoy a tasty slice of lemon meringue pie, I'm thinking more about celebrating this with a cross between a lemon bar and lemon chiffon pie! To make this tasty treat I will make a butter shortbread cookie lemon bar bottom, take my lemon curd, cool it, whip the egg whites to make meringue, then fold the lemon curd and meringue together - gently - and top on my cooled butter shortbread cookie crust. This will be tasty for sure!

This Christmas Give the Gift of Prayer with Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children

One of the most powerful things we are able to do for the children we love is for us to pray for them. One even more powerful thing we are able to do for them is to help them learn to be people who pray. This Christmas give a gift which will help you do exactly this - give the children you love ages four through fourteen the book - Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children!

My Christmas Carol - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I very much enjoy listening to someone who is able to play a piano well and when you add in a cello, well, I am a very happy person. So, when I saw Norah Jones and Laufey on the Today Show singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", I knew it had to be part of my Christmas Carols for this year - you will find it at this link. Enjoy!

There's a . . . by the Freeman Boys!

Several years ago, in honor of Dr. Seuss, my grandsons made their own version of, "There's a Wocket in My Pocket". They drew their own creatures, named them and then hid them in the appropriate locations for their parents to find when they arrived for lunch. 

It was so much fun watching them be creative . . . they had almost as much fun thinking up the creatures and drawing them as I did watching them do so!

I thought you would enjoy their story, so here it is . . . 

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! 

My Christmas Carol for You - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee

When it comes to Christmas songs to enjoy this time of year, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee is one which certainly brings a fun, toe-tappin' feeling with it, so today this is my song for you! You will find it at this link.

The lyrics are here so you are able to sing along . . .

A Three-Year Old, Sacrifice & Big Hero 6

The animated movie, Big Hero 6 was a favorite with my grandsons when they were younger . . . no big surprise as there are super heroes, robots, bad guys who get caught, and excitement. It also has a solid message of family, friends, relationships, and sacrifice . . . which I’m surprised to say, my then three-year old grandson understood.

One Friday when his Poppa brought him home after work for a sleep-over, he apparently had much to say about how Baymax (the robot) sacrificed himself for Hiro. “Sacrificed”??? What three-year old knows what this word means and is able to identify a character who sacrificed themselves and for whom they sacrificed themselves?

Apparently this three-year old could!

Christmas Gifts Which Make a Difference - the little answer book & the little answer book for children

If you are looking for Christmas gifts which make a difference, then today I am happy to let you know about two more books which you could add to your gift list for the adults and children you love - the little answer book and  the little answer book for children.

My Christmas Carol for You - All is Well - Carrie Underwood & Michael W Smith

There are many, "peppy" and "spunky" Christmas songs, but the song I chose for today's Christmas carol is one which is simply lovely in every way. The music is played by Michael W Smith on a piano with a full orchestra - beautiful. The singing is by Carrie and Michael - lovely. And the message in the words is one of hope, comfort and joy . . . perfect!

Look at the lyrics for All is Well . . . 

grandma's chuckles - Snow Duck Man of Doom!

We are supposed to receive our first snow of the season today, which brought a logical question to mind - followed by a sweet memory . . . first for the logical question - what do you do when you are at your grandparent's home and there is snow in their large yard? The answer is clearly, of course you play in it!

Which brings me to the sweet memory. Seven years ago when my grandsons were here they wanted to go out to play in the snow. Could they build a simple snowman? Of course not! They built a snow duck man of doom! What else would an eight-year old, a five-year old, and a three-year old build from snow?

Give the Gift of Understanding & Creativity with illustrate my own - Known Bible Hero book series

You are likely familiar with the Bible people from my illustrate my own - Known Bible Hero book series - Noah, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah (otherwise known as Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego), Ruth, Joshua, Caleb, David, Elijah, Jonah, Daniel, Joseph, Hadassah (Esther), and Gideon so just think how much fun it would be to illustrate these familiar accounts . . . whether you are an artist or draw your illustrations with stick people. As much fun as it would be for you to illustrate these Bible adventures for your grandchildren, think how much more fun it would be to illustrate them together . . . and most importantly, think about the fantastic conversations you will be able to have as you work together to illustrate your books!