crafting with grandma - Fun, Excellent & Inexpensive Gifts - Puzzle Candy Cane Ornaments!

If you have puzzles in your house, you likely have puzzles with missing pieces. If this is true for you - or if you have a friend or family member with a puzzle with missing pieces which they are willing to let you have . . . take a look at this great idea for making awesome, puzzle candy cane ornaments!

Christmas Book Review - Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapos & More! - the Perfect Christmas Gift for the Children You Love!

  

Choosing Christmas gifts can be challenging as one grandchild/child might like something another is not at all interested in. But, when you give the gift of a Life on the Goldilocks Planet book along with the supplies for all the fun - you are able to give a terrific gift for the entire family! If you have children you love who enjoy science projects, then this is the gift for them! If you have children you love who enjoy craft projects, then this is the gift for them! If you have children you love who enjoy cooking activities, then this is the gift for them! If you have children you love who enjoy games then this is the gift for them! If you have children you love who enjoy learning about amazing animals, then, yes, this is the gift for them! 

November is National Children's Month

When I first saw where November is National Children's Month my first thought was "Hooray! Another 'excuse' to celebrate my dear grands!" However; this is a month to draw attention to children in need by Standing up for the rights of children and making sure their needs are met. Daysoftheyear (dot)com says; "National Children’s Month offers a special opportunity to show appreciation for, celebrate, and meet the needs of children, especially those who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. Whether advocating for the government, helping out with a children’s charity or volunteering locally, there are plenty of opportunities for making a difference on this day and all throughout the year!"

crafting with grandma - Fingerprint Snowman Ornament!

I know it feels like Christmas is a ways away since it is the beginning of November, but in just a few weeks, Christmas will only be days away! So, if you are looking for an idea for an ornament which your grandchildren can actually make, look at this great idea I found for making an ornament using your grandchildren's fingerprints to make snowpeople!

Christmas Book Review - Give the Gift of Science Projects, Art Projects, Cooking Activities, and Games with Civets, Tree Kangaroos, Batoids & More!

 

I have been writing about giving a fantastic gift this Christmas to the children you love which will combine science projects, craft projects, cooking activities, and games with learning about amazing animals, quotes from scientists, and handing down confident faith by giving a Life on the Goldilocks Planet book along with the supplies for all the fun - a terrific gift for the entire family! 

Today I want to let you know about another book in this series - Civets, Tree Kangaroos, Batoids & More! - in this book you will find the following animals - Civets, Arctic Foxes, Echidnas, Blue-Footed Booby Birds, Tree Kangaroos, Leafy Sea Dragons, Pronghorns, Giraffes, Snow Leopards, Peacock Spiders, Ladybug Mimic Spiders, Orange Tortoise Spiders, Shoebills, and Batoids - which of these have you never heard of before?

crafting with grandma - Melted Snowman & I Spy Ornaments!

As I said yesterday, Christmas is just around the corner, so . . . I thought it would be fun to share another idea with you for an ornament which has to be one of the most fun ornaments I've ever made! It is a fun, simple ornament which you could involve your grandchildren in making - they could give them to teachers, coaches, neighbors . . . to anyone for whom they need to have a nice, little gift!

crafting with grandma - Give Thanks Board! AND it is National Gratitude Month!

November is National Gratitude Month and Daysoftheyear.com says, "Being grateful can boost your mood and make you feel more connected to others. When you focus on the good things in your life, you start to notice even more positives around you. National Gratitude Month encourages people to be thankful for the positive aspects of life, shift their attention from the negatives, and appreciate the good things around them. Studies show that grateful people tend to experience less stress, better sleep, and even fewer aches and pains. Expressing gratitude can foster a supportive environment, whether in personal relationships or workplaces​​."

So, how do we celebrate National Gratitude Month and what are the benefits for being a grateful person? Consider the following ideas . . .

Christmas Book Review - Give the Gift of Science Projects, Art Projects, Cooking Activities, and Games with Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins, & More!

  

Yesterday I wrote about giving a fantastic gift this Christmas to the children you love which will combine science projects, craft projects, cooking activities, and games with learning about amazing animals, quotes from scientists, and handing down confident faith by giving a Life on the Goldilocks Planet book along with the supplies for all the fun - a terrific gift for the entire family! I wrote about the book - Blue Dragons, Red Pandas, Hoopoes & More!

crafting with grandma - Clay Pot Snowman

Christmas is next month . . . not very long actually. So, if you like to make gifts for people you love, and like to help your grandchildren do the same, check this idea for clay pot snowmen. It is a fun craft and one you could have your grandchildren make - or smaller ones to give their teachers.

Over the years I've made a number of different types of snowmen to decorate with and give as gifts, but this clay pot snowman is my personal all-time favorite snowman! 

"Don't be afraid grandma. Just think of dogs and us instead."

One thing we always do with the children we love from the time they are born is comfort them, encourage them, show love and kindness to them. As they grow up we are able to see how they took this comfort, encouragement, love, and kindness they received and incorporate it into the way they respond to others. Today I want to share with you one of the times I was able to see and experience this with my grands.

Christmas Book Review - Give Confident Faith & Family Fun with Blue Dragons, Red Pandas, Hoopoes & More!

 

I know, we have not yet celebrated Thanksgiving, but have you started thinking about Christmas gifts for the children you love? If so, or even if you have not really made any decisions yet, how would you would like to give a gift which combines science projects, art projects, cooking activities, and games with fun facts, colorful photos about animals - many of which you have never heard of before, and quotes from scientists - this is a gift which will engage the entire family in fun and learning together AND, most importantly, hand down a confident faith! Take a look at the Life on the Goldilocks Planet series of books.

crafting with grandma - Jesus Loves Me I Spy Bottles

Christmas will be here before we know it, so if you are looking for a special craft/gift idea you could use to involve your grandchildren in making to celebrate   how special and loved they are to you and to Jesus, consider making Jesus Loves Me I Spy Bottles! I found a link on  Pinterest for making I Spy Bottles, and thought you could make them unique and special for Christmas by doing the following things -

"I Do NOT Like That Song!!!"

I know, it isn't even  Thanksgiving yet, but Christmas really is just next month, so I am thinking about it. This "thinking about it" has me delighting in the memory of a certain song and the fantastic response of my grands to it! 

Today is National Family Literacy Day

Today is National Family Literacy Day - a day well worth celebrating for sure! NationalToday (dot) com says, "Families across the country come together to celebrate National Family Literacy Day on November 1. Reading has many benefits and even more so when it comes to children. Families have so much to gain from reading together. Besides helping young children develop good vocabulary skills, it provides valuable family bonding time. National Family Literacy Day also serves as a platform to appreciate the empowerment effort of literacy programs." Let's look at some literacy facts - did you know . . .