Let’s face it – grandma’s are younger these days – not in years, but in activities and how they live their lives. When my grandma was the same age I am now, I remember her projecting a totally different image than I do now. I couldn’t imagine her wearing blue jeans. golfing or wearing make up. Not that there is anything wrong with that and as much as I loved my grandma, I decided that I don’t really want to be like her. Wanting to be my very own grandma person is not easy, but worth it. There are a number of things to consider and takew care of and I want to share them with you:

What will your grandchild call you?

Easiest is the good old : “grandma”. But consider that there is more than likely another grandma in the picture. It was important to me that my grandson had something to call only me. So I chose “baba” – same name I called my grandma. Think about it this way – how many times in your life do you get to choose your own name?

What kind of grandma will you be?

Are you going to be the one who never says “no” or will it be your way or the highway? Kind of silly to think about it this way, actually. This point is the same as it is when you are a mom – the trick is to find the line, the perfect middle, the know when to say “no” and when to say “go for it”. And same as being a mom – you will not always know the right answer. So – don’t sweat it – remember that you have lots of experience!

Are you going to spoil your grandchild?

Of course you are – or at least you are going to try. I do have a rule for that – never, ever say “yes” when you know the parents would definitely say “no”. Never ever overrule them and never ever challenge their decisions. It’s their child and they have to live with whatever happens. If you are in doubt about this rule, just ask yourself how would it feel if you were the parent and the grandparent would challenge your decisions. And just a little note on this subject: if you have a problem with something the parents are doing, it’s OK to talk to them about it - just never, ever in front of the child!

Will you find the time to spend with your grandchild?

The answer to this one is: You absolutely have to. Look back and see how quickly your own children grew up. And if you were a working person when they were growing up, you are probably thinking that you missed a whole lot. You can make sure that you don’t miss anything your grandchild does or desn’t do. Use the phone, text, emails if you can’t visit often, ask the parents to send pictures and short videos – it’s the digital world these days! Easy and simple, but it will not replace the real visits or the real time you spend with your grandchild. Find it and make it happen – it is so very, very important.

Some time ago, I ran across The Golden Rules of Parenting – and here they are:

Seal Your Lips: You could be an expert who has a whole line of bestsellers on parenting to her name and your son or daughter will still want to do things their own way. remember that your advice and your opinions will not be welcomed, unless they are solicited! And even then it may just be solicited out of being polite – so walk carefully! And just to make sure you understand: this should read” Seal Your Lips and Bite Your Tongue”!

Love Thy Grandchild as Your Own Child - but Remember That He or She is Not Your Own: This just reinforced all the other points and I keep addressing it from all directions. It is your grandchild and it is very different than being your own child. It is there for you to love and play with – all the other stuff is the business of the parents – keep reminding yourself of that and you will be a very happy grandparent!

Abide By the Rules of the New Parents:  It is important to understand that the rules of parenting have changed since you were a parent. New gadgets, new ways to communicate, new lots of things. Pay attention to what the parents are telling you and do your best to understand and abide by their rules, because yours really don’t matter any more.

Accept Your Role: Understand that maternal grandmothers may appear to be more important. Understand that in most families, new mothers are the primary caretakers of babies, leaning on their mothers for support. Sometimes it can work the other way as well, but either side could be at risk of being shut out completely if they fail to observe and understand this. Think about yourself as being a relief pitcher in a baseball game – and stay on the bench until you are called – that’s how you will stay in the game.

Don’t Be Surprised If Old Issues Get Triggered: If you are in a situation where there are more than two sets of grandparents – I am talking about a couple who got divorced and than remarried – do not get into a competition. Even if the other side tries to do that, it is up to you not to fall into that trap. It will be appreciated if you don’t and it will avoid potentially traumatic situation.

Get a Life: As much as being a grandmother or a grandfather is hugely important, it cannot become your whole life. Stay close and connected, yet separate. Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries.

Let Go of Expectations: You may have your grandchild nearby right now, but what if the parents decide to move some distance away? Don’t take it personally – deal with it and find a way to stay in touch.

I hope you enjoyed this article – whether you agree with everything or not, send me your comments. opinions, suggestions and experiences – your input is very welcomed and much appreciated!

Almost 40 years ago, I made Christmas stockings for my two boys. The older one – Dusan – was just little over 2 years old and the younger one – Daniel was only 6 weeks old at the time. I made the stockings form couple of pieces of red quilted material, trimmed them with white and embroidered their names on it. We hang those stockings up every year – no matter where we are. and as the boys got older, the added tradition was to fill the stockings with little goodies and a large Toblerone bar. And as the years went by, I added stockings for new members of our family, When Dusan got married, “Kara: stocking went up, When Daniel got engaged to Nicole. “Nicole” stocking was added and when Abbie got engaged to Dave, “Dave” stocking was another addition. But the best and greatly cherished addition was the stocking that has “Jax” on it – that one is for Dan and Nicole’s son – our precious grandson Jaxson. And that stocking is about 3 feet long and it fill our hearts with joy to try to fill it for him.

Sounds simple and normal – I know that lots of people do this or something similar. But for all of us, one of the stockings became a very special Christmas memory. Dusan died tragically in a car accident in February 2010 and the first Christmas without him was very, very difficult. But that little tradition of putting all our stockings up became even more important. Dusan’s stocking just had to be with us – it was almost as if he was too.

And now – there is the second Christmas without him – and it is now time to start another tradition. . Last week, Daniel asked me if I would make a stocking for Jaxson, one they can put up in their house – just like I did for him and his brother. That made me feel so very, very good – it meant that the Christmas traditions I started are very special and Daniel wants to make sure they continue. I made a special stocking for Jaxson and added two more – one that says “mommy” and another one that has “Daddy” embroidered on it.

Maybe you want to make a special stocking that will start and very special memory for you – so – I am sharing what I did.

Here is a step by step process of how I made Jaxson’s special Christmas stocking:

1. Instead of making one from scratch, I bought a plain – and large – red and white stocking.

I started with just a plain red and white stocking - it had a little holly already embroidered on it, so that was a bonus that suited my design idea well

2. With a thin marker, I sketched Jacson’s name on to get ready for embroidering it into the top part of the stocking

Marking the letters with a thin marker before embroidering the name helps to make sure the letters are nice and even and still have that handmade touch

3. The special design I wanted to make was to start putting Christmas pictures of Jaxson onto the stocking and adding new ones as he is growing up. So far – I had two of them and the way I did it was to create fabric transfers that I could put a nice simple border around and attach them to the stocking. Making your own fabric transfers is not difficult – you will need transfer sheet you can buy at any store that sells office supplies and follow directions on the package.

Transferring pictures onto a plain white piece of fabric was easy, using readily available transfer papers and a hot iron

4. Once I peeled the transfer paper off my pictures, I trimmed the shapes about 1/2″ from the edges and clipped out little notches, getting ready to edge and “frame the pictures, before attaching them to the stocking

Cutting out little notches in the fabric helps when you need to fold the fabric to edge the picture - it won't bunch up on you. I trimmed the picture with a crochet ribbon - easy to make from a pure white material that has a gold tread in it.

5. I decided to add a pretty trim to the stocking, between the white and red part – again just a simple crochet from fun material that is easily purchased from a craft store. You can buy ready made trim of your choice and tack it on with either small stitches or fabric glue.

There are a lot of fun materials you can work with available - the one I used here is a yarn made of different colour little balls with pieces of yarn in between. As you work with it, the balls become connected - fun!

6. And then I attached Jaxson’s pictures to the stocking:

You will need to put a piece of cardboard into the stocking as you are attaching the pictures to make sure your stitches don't catch the back of the stocking. My special stocking now has Jaxson's first and second Christmas - and next year, I will be attaching Christmas #3 for him.

7. Here is what the stocking looks like when completed – with hopes of lots of special memories to come!

One of a kind special stocking for my grandson - with hopes of many special memories to come

8. And here are the two additions to Jaxson’s special stocking :

"Mommy" and "Daddy" stockings - because they deserve the special little goodies that Jaxson can put it for them - I know they have been very very good!

I hope my personal story will inspire you to take a little time and start creating your very own special Christmas memories.

Please send me your comments, suggestions, experiences and pictures – I love sharing with everyone and hope that you do as well!

Have a wonderful Holiday Season!

Here is the recipe:

Old Fashioned Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup of col unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Optional:
• Egg wash: 1 large egg white beaten with 2 teaspoons of water
• Decorating sugar and sprinkles

Directions:

1. Place flour, sugar, butter and salt in a bowl of a food processor and process until mixture is the texture of course oatmeal. If you don’t have a food processor, you can do this with a fork
2. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks and vanilla and with motor running, add to food processor. If you are not using food processor, using electric mixer on a low speed will do the job as well.
3. Process until dough forms
4. Making cut out Sugar Cookies
5. Divide dough in a half and form into two ½ inch thick discs
6. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm – about 1 hour
7. Preheat oven to 350F
8. On a piece of floured waxed paper, roll out one disc to a 3/16 inch thickness and chill again
9. Repeat with the remaining dough
10. Flouring cutters ads you are working along, cut dough into desired shapes and carefully transfer to baking sheets
11. Re-chill rolled out dough it if gets difficult to work with
12. If you plan to decorate your cookies, brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar or decorative sprinkles
13. Bake cookies until edges are firm – not brown – 15-20 minutes
14. Cool for couple of minutes on the baking sheets and cool completely on a rack

After years of thinking about doing what I do best, I have finally launched Mama Knows product line – in my very own online store! I can hardly sleep now – it’s like having another child!

All the products have my personal name on them – all have been developed and well tested personally by me and I do believe they make incredible gifts!

Check out the Recipes in a Jar - absolutely perfect for trying them yourself and adding them to your gift list:

Good Old Fashioned Chili

Good Old Fashioned Chili in a Jar - complete with step by step instructions and attractively packaged in a re-usable jar - perfect gift idea!

Five different kinds of bean, my secret spice and seasoning mix in a separate pouch and the result? Awesome and huge pot of chili you can easily freeze for future use.

Also available in a gift bag!

Ready to use for yourself and your family and friends or add to your Christmas list for just about anyone - perfect gift like no other!

Friendship Soup

The name says it all - this good for you gift will make a huge pot of soup, ready to share with family and friends. You just have to add it to your Christmas gift list for all your friends!

One of my favourite soups – and I took my own recipe to create one that can be packaged in a jar or a bag and readily made with very little effort! Good for you ingredients include 2 different kinds of lentils, split peas, wite rice, brown and wild rice, 2 different pasta and of course – my very own secret mix of spices and seasonings. You will also get a recipe and step by step instructions folder – it’s just a perfect gift!

Friendship Soup is also available in a gift bag:

Perfect for all your friends on your Christmas Gift list or to use yourself and share it!

Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies

A definite favourite - this recipe has been in my family for ages - and I couldn't even tell you just how many cookies I have made! I am pretty sure you will not be disappointed if you give it a try or gift it to your family and friends

If I was to try to count just how many times and how many Chocolate Chip Cookies I have made using this recipe, I know I would end up and at least four-digit numbers! You really need to try these and add them to your Christmas Gift List!

Old Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookies are also available in a gift bag package;

Definite favourite for anyone - try there or gift them - you will not be disappointed !

Best Ever Butter Tarts:

You will be able to make your own pastry and fill it with a wonderful butter tart filling, complete with raisins! Definite and delicious baked goodness!

I calls these The Best Ever Butter Tarts – I have made them thousands of time and always with no fail result! So I decided to share and created a recipe that can be packaged in a jar or a bag – and that is what you will get! Complete with recipe and step by step folder (pastry is really not difficult to make at all!) – there is no perfect gift like this one is!

And yes – it is also available in a gift bag package – check out my online store today!

Have a wonderful time browsing in my store – you will find not only the Recipes in a Jar line – you will also find handmade unique gifts – all designed and made by me! And keep checking it out and returning regularly- I have another line of products that will show up there within the next few days!

And you are probably surfing the net to find the best ideas for your Halloween celebrations – it can take time and energy – so I decided to lend a helping hand and give you a variety of Halloween ideas and tips all in one place! From being able to tell your kids what Halloween is to making your own costumes, creating the perfect Halloween treats to decorating on a budget:

Thinking about planning a party?

Check out:

Party Planning Tips

Best Halloween Tips

Halloween Party Planning Tips

Wondering about decorations that wouldn’t cost you arm and a leg?

Here are some ideas:

My Decorations on a Budget

Easy Halloween Decorations

What do you tell your kids when they ask you what Halloween is?

 Here is your answer:

All About Halloween

Oh yes – costumes! Want to make some for your kids?

Take a look at:

Homemade Halloween Costumes for Kids

What about adult costumes? Or tips on how to win a Halloween contest?

Easy Adult Halloween Costumes

10 Easy Halloween Costumes

How to Win Halloween Costume Contest

And let’s not forget fun food:

Fun Halloween Snacks

Everybody wants to have the perfect pumpkin!

Check out these tips on how to make sure yours is perfect:

Guide to the Perfect Halloween Pumpkin

Hope this will make your Halloween planning easier – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is welcomed and very much appreciated!

It is a good idea to get your child involved in the kitchen – prepare a few simple meals and you will see that it will make your kitchen stay easier and more interesting.

Here are a few tips for you:

Ensure that your child see what is going on and can comfortably reach items you want him to handle. Even if there is nothing to handle and you just want him to watch, it will create a great opportunity to have a chat.

What your child wears to help you cook will make a big difference. Think about purchasing a kid-size apron or a special chef’s hat. If you don’t want to purchase anything, find dad’s old shirt and make it your child’s special cooking shirt. Bonus: you will be able to keep your child’s clothes clean!

If you have more than one child, figure out how to get everyone involved. The level of involvement will depend on child’s age and ability. It is quite OK for a toddler to wash vegetables for you, or  a four-year old mixing ingredients. Older children can help you cut vegetables, cheese, etc. with a blunt knife or read a recipe for you. Believe it or not, an eight year old child can follow a simple recipe and actually put an entire meal together.

You can also create a special set of tool for your child – his own measuring cup, spoon or coloured utensils. If you have more than one child, it may be a good idea to have a different colour utensils for each one.

If you are making a large dish – like a casserole for the whole family, let you child make a small version of it by having him soon some of the mixture into a small baking dish – that would be just for him.You can also do that when you are baking – mini muffin or a loaf pan can be your child’s very own baking dish quite easily.

One of the things kids really like is anything on a stick. It is fun to make, fun to eat and even the smallest cook can put things on a skewer. Try cubes of cheese, cherry tomatoes, chunks of ham,etc. When they are all created, you can have your child arrange them on a plate with a small bowl of mustard, mayo, dressing or any other dipping sauce you can think of.

The one thing you will definitely need is your sense of humour. If something gets dropped or spilled, remember that it is all art of the process. And for sure – you can involve your child in a clean up – that will prepare him well for future endeavours!

Baked Macaroni, Tomato and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups raw elbow macaroni
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can -28-oz. diced tomatoes
• 1 cup cubed sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp.  salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Grease an 8-cup ovenproof casserole with a lid.
3. In the prepared casserole, combine macaroni, onion, tomatoes, cheese, water, salt and pepper and stir to combine well.
4. Place the lid on the casserole and bake for 1 hour, opening the oven and giving the mixture a stir about halfway through the baking time.
5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
6. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the crumbs are lightly toasted.
7. After the casserole has baked for 1 hour, remove the lid and sprinkle the buttered crumbs over top.
8. Return to the oven, place under the broiler element and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until browned.

How kids can help

Mix together all the ingredients in the casserole dish.
Sprinkle with buttered crumbs.

I hope you cook with your children – it will become a very special time very quickly! And please send me your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is very welcomed and much appreciated!

It is more than disturbing that hardly a day goes by when you wouldn’t hear about injuries, illnesses or deaths caused by some people ignoring water safety rules. Its those quite simple rules that are tend to be set aside, basically because some people think that it couldn’t possibly happen to them. I hope you are not one of those people, but I decided to address the issue of water safety anyway.The Canadian Red Cross has some very good points on their website and detailed information that could be very helpful to you.

There are some very basic protection steps that I am sure everyone is familiar with- they just need to be followed:

• If you have a pool, make sure it is childproofed and never leave children unattended – even if he knows how to swim. Swimming lessons do not make your child drown proof.
• Making your swimming pool safe means having it protected by a fence with locked gate. Self- locking gate is ideal, since you could forget to lock it each time it is used.
• Make sure your child cannot get out of the house and to the pool – have a good secure lock or latch on access entrance to the pool from your house.
• Only allow child to dive if you are watching them and if you know how deep the water is.
• When near a lake, river or any other body of water, always use a life jacket. Only those life jackets properly approved by authorities – like Coast Guard should be used. Floaties and other water games devices are wrong to use on watercrafts, jet skis, water skis, etc. – it is asking for big trouble if that’s what you decide to use.
• When on a lake or ocean, only swim in the designated areas. Remember that you have no idea where and how strong currents can be. You should only be swimming in an area where you can be sure to be able to safely return to the shore.
• It is a great idea to have your children take swimming lesson as soon as they are old enough. Try your local YMCA or recreation centres to get lesson information
• Learn a CPR – it could be the most  valuable lesson you can take and it could safe a life.
• Have a phone handy and know numbers to call in a case of emergency.

Those are the basics – but did you know that there are hidden dangers you need to be aware of? Many people will overlook the fact that children can get sick from germ in the water – in the pools, lakes and also in water parks. Here are few step you can take to keep your kids – and everyone else – safe while swimming:

• Water contaminated with parasites, bacteria and viruses is not an unusual occurrence. Most common symptom of contracting illness while swimming in contaminated water is diarrhea and if that happens, contact the proper authorities – like your local health department and tell them it is possible that water is contaminated. Same goes if your child or you end up with a pink eye – advise your local heath department of the possibility that water is contaminated.  If you or your child have any symptoms of illness before going swimming – don’t – you will make others sick if you do.
• You would think that chlorine in the pools and waterparks will kill all the germs in the water. It does kill most of the germs, but it takes time for chlorine to take action – sometime as much as an hour. So if your child gets into the water after a child who is ill, chlorine in the water doesn’t have time to do its job. And some persistent parasites that can enter the water take even longer to be killed by chlorine.
• You are reading this wondering just how to keep your child safe with knowing these facts. The most important thing to teach them is to never swallow water when swimming or playing – majority of the germs and parasites can only enter the body if ingested. And few more basic rules:
• Keep your child out of the water if he has diarrhea, pink eye, hepatitis A ot any other contagious disease
• Don’t let you child into the water if he has an open wound – it could get infected
• Don’t let your child share beach towels
• Teach your child to take a shower before and after using the pool
• Make it a rule for your child to always wash their hands after using the bathroom – especially if swimming
• Take your younger child to the bathroom frequently to avoid possible “accidents” in the water
• Remember that swim diapers and swim pants are not leakproof – check them frequently and wash your child’s bottom and your hands well.

Please have a safe summer and send me your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is very welcomed and very much appreciated

Here is what you should look for when choosing sunglasses – for yourself and for your children:

• The lenses should block UV radiation, both – the UVA and UVB rays. And you shouldn’t assume that you will get more UV protection with pricier sunglasses or with darker tint. Check the label – you will be looking for 99 – 100 % UV protection. If you are not sure, check with an eye professional.
• The sunglasses should be dark enough to reduce glare, but not too dark so that they distort colours and affect recognition of different objects. This could present another danger for you and your children. The best lenses are neutral grey, amber, brown or green.
• If you wear contact lenses that claim to also UV protection, stay safe and wear sunglasses anyway.
• Do not choose toy sunglasses for your child – they do not indicate UV protection. Polycarbonate lenses are generally recommended for children, because they are the most shatter-resistant.
• If you have small children, remember that even if you give them sunglasses with 100 UV protection, sunrays will still enter from the sides – best thing to do is to also have your child wear a hat with at least a 3 inch brim. That will block sunrays coming from overhead.
• If your child is involved in sports, remember that even if the sunglasses you give him or her are shatterproof and comply with impact-resistant requirements, it doesn’t mean they will withstand more than a moderate impact. No sunglasses can be considered to function as a protective eyewear.

If you are interested in finding out details about non-prescription sunglasses, here is a good document for you to read:

Guidance for Non-Prescription Sunglasses

Hope this information was helpful to you – your comments, suggestionsa and experiences are very welcome and much appreciated

Just click on the picutre you want more information on and you will find everything you need to make your dad’s day a very special one:

Father’s Day Breakfast:

Watermelon Lime Popsicles

Baked Pancakes and Sausages

Egg in Toast

English Muffin Pizzas

Aple Cranberry Crumble

Tropical Fruit Salad

And once you have the special breakfast all planned, you can further engage the kids in making their own Father’s Day cards for dad:

Father's Day Cards Kids can Make

Hope you enjoy this information – please send in your comments, suggestions and exeriences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated

…

…

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes

• 3 cups of strawberries
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 4 cups of vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup of chocolate sauce

Chocolate Biscuits:

• 2-1/4 cups of flour
• 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 2-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda and salt
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Topping:

• 1 tablespoon of whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. With pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly.
3. Whisk together buttermilk, egg and vanilla, add to the flour mixture, stirring with fork to make soft dough.
4. With lightly floured hands, press dough into ball.
5. On floured surface, knead gently about 10 times.
6. Pat into 1-inch thick round, cut out rounds, patting out scraps and making more rounds.
7. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Brush biscuits with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
9. Bake in the centre of 400F oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until puffed and test toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool on pan on racks.
11. Meanwhile, mix:
12. 3 cups of strawberries with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, cover and let stand for minimum of 20 minutes, until juices form (when making ahead, let stand for 2 hours)
13. Split cooled biscuits horizontally in half, place bottom half on each serving plate or large platter, layer with berries, ice cream, chocolate sauce and biscuit top.



Have a wonderful Mother’s Day and send me your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is very much welcomed and very much appreciated