I am strongly recommending that you gather up your children, select some coloured papers, markers, scissors, glue and a few little decorations and spend the time with them to help them create those special Valentines Day cards.

Here is a helping hand for you – just click on the link or the picture and plan to make memories!

Make Valentines Day Cards

Easy Valentines Day Crafts

Enjoy making these and have a wonderful Valentines Day!

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!

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!

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

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and I thought I share some fun stuff with you. Ask yourself whether or not you have used even one of these statements – I know and I admit that I sure did. Looking back – it makes it even funnier as the years go by. Enjoy!

…

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE . 
“If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.” 

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.  
“You better pray that will come out of the carpet.” 

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. 
“If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!” 

4. My mother taught me LOGIC. 
” Because I said so, that’s why.” 

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .  
“If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.” 

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. 
“Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.” 

7. My mother taught me IRONY.  
“Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about..” 

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS . 
“Shut your mouth and eat your supper.” 

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. 
“Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!” 

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA  .. 
“You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.” “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!” 

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. 
“I brought you into this world, and I can take you out..” 

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION . 
“Stop acting like your father!” 

15. My mother taught me about ENVY. 
“There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.” 

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. 
“Just wait until we get home.” “You are going to get it when you get home!” 
 

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING . 
“You are going to get it when you get home!” 

 
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. 
“If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way.” 

19. My mother taught me ESP. 
“Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you are cold?” 

20. My mother taught me HUMOR. 
“When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.” 

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT . 
“If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.” 

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.  
“You’re just like your father.” 

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS. 
“Shut that door behind you.  Do you think you were born in a barn?” 

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.  
“When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”

   
25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE  . 
“One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!”

And my favorite:

25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE  . 
“One day you’ll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!”

I do not have further words of wisdom to add here, but if you do, please send them in!

Easter Cupcake Walk

Materials:

• Cupcake for each child
• Numbers taped to the floor
• Easter basket to hold number call cards
• Music

 How To Play:

When the music starts the children begin to walk around the room stepping on each of the numbers as they go. When the music stops the children should step on the number closest to them. A number is pulled from the Easter basket and the child standing on that number gets to choose a cupcake and return to their desk. That number is then removed from the floor and the bag. Continue until every child has a cupcake.

Egg Toss

Materials:

• Large cardboard with Easter basket drawn on one side and a good size hole cut-out in center of basket, or a few small holes for older kids.
• Colourful egg-shaped bean bags (Easter eggs)
• Bucket to hold bean bags
• Tape to mark distance line

How To Play:

Place cardboard basket a little distance from a wall with a paper box lid on floor to catch Easter egg bean bags. Mark your distance line according to age and skill of children. Line children up behind the line and place a bucket of Easter egg bean bags beside them. Give each child three tries to get their bean bag through the hole. Get all three Easter egg bean bags in and earn a ‘egg-licious’ reward.

Easter Egg Roll

Materials:

• 1 hard-boiled Easter egg for each team (maybe a few extras)
• 1 spoon for each team

 How To Play:

Divide children into teams. The goal is for the first person to roll the egg with the spoon to the end of the course and back. The person hands the spoon to the next person in line and the relay continues until a team finishes.

The best way i could recommend to you is to involve your children and have them colour the egg holders with their crayons of markers – the kids will love making their own holders – guaranteed!

Directions:

• Print out the template(s) you want to use
• Colour as appropriate (water colour paints work nice – but have your children select their own method of colouring)
•  Cut the holders out. (There are three on each template)
    
•   You can make an egg decoration — wrap the strip of paper around the egg and attach with a small piece of tape (you may have to trim the ends of the paper depending on how big your egg is.Or:

• You can make an egg holder — cut a toilet paper roll into a one inch ring.  Glue the strip of paper around the roll and place the egg gently in the ring.  It should stand nicely on the table

Here are your templates (please enlarge them to the size that will print desired size on your printer)

Template # 1:

Template #2:

Template #3:

Hope you have fun making these Easter Egg Holders – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

Making Easter eggs can be lot of fun – especially if you get your children involved. You can create a very festive centerpiece, use them to decorate various points of your home of create small baskets your children can give away to friends and family. Here are couple more easy to make egg decorating ideas for you:

Drip Dot Eggs

Materials:

• Boiled eggs
• Acrylic non-toxic craft paint, your choice of colors
• Paintbrush
• Empty egg carton
• Dish of water

Directions:

1. Be sure that boiled eggs are cool and dry.
2. Place a double folded kitchen towel and place it on the table underneath child’s hands so if the egg slips out it will have a soft cushion to land on.
3. Place boiled eggs into an empty egg carton for stability.
4. Place some paint onto a paper plate or a small dish or palette. Add several drops of water to the paint to thin it out.
5. Using the paintbrush, place a generous dot of paint on top of your egg. If the paint is not thin enough to start dripping down the egg, add another generous dot. If it still doesn’t drip, dip your paintbrush in water and add to the dot on the egg until it begins dripping down the egg. Repeat this several times so that it drips down around the egg several times. Use two different colors to create your drips.
6. Allow the drips to dry completely. If your eggs begin to stick to the cardboard egg carton, carefully loosen them and scrape off any cardboard from the egg with your fingernail, then move them to a different area of the carton to continue drying.
7. When completely dry, carefully hold the egg upside down and paint the bottom half of the egg solid, this will cover up the end of the drips. Place the egg upside down to allow the solid area to dry. If needed, repeat with another coat and let dry again.
8. When dry, use the handle end of a paintbrush dipped in white paint to add polka dots to your solid color. Let dry.

Easter Egg Heads

Materials:

• Boiled eggs
• 3-D paint or glitter glue, in a variety of colors
• White craft glue
• Wiggle eyes, in any size
• Cooling rack or film canister lids
• Marker
• Mini bowl (optional)
• Tweezers (optional)
• Empty egg cartons

Directions:

You will need to decorate only one side of the egg at a time. Let the eggs dry either on egg cartons turned upside down, on a cooling rack or film canister lid. Decorate other side when first side is dry.

1. Place egg into an empty egg carton for stability.
2. Use glitter glue or 3-D paint to “draw” on hair. This will need to dry for several hours.
3. If you wish to add a bow, place a small construction paper or ribbon bow into the 3-D paint or glitter glue hair before it dries all the way.
4. Decide where you want to place the wiggle eyes and glue them in place.
5. Add a nose by gluing on a miniature pom pom
6. Draw on a mouth with a marker.
7. Place on a decorative plate, an Easter basket, or make an arrangement for your table.

Hope you have lots of fun creating your special Easter eggs – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated