SONGBIRD: I was trying to sing a popular Disney song and my 5 year old granddaughter, Kyleigh, said, "Grandma, you may know the words, but I have the voice." Her mom and I cracked up...
~Jeanne Martin

SMART DUDE: During a walk in the nearby woods, my grandson, 4 years old at the time asked his mom, "Why are those nocturnal animals out in the daytime?" Needless to say, mom was flabbergasted. He loves watching "Stanley", a children's science program.
~ Jeanne Martin


My adopted daughter, Jessica (16), is a special needs child. (I like to say she is "16-going-on-5.") She has a great sense of humor. Although she has speech problems, we manage to make games of it. One day we were driving past a nearby church -- "Bethel Baptist." Well, Jessica could not pronounce "Bethel" -- it kept coming out sounding like "Barefoot." So now when we drive by, we try to be first to say, "Hey, let's take off our shoes and go to Barefoot Baptist this Sunday!"
~Debby,Ohio


Sis Diane was teaching Sunday school to 4,5 and 6 year olds. She told them the story of Jonah and the whale. When she finished, for review she asked them,"What was Jonah supposed to tell the people of Ninevah?" One little girl wildly waved her hand in the air, and when Sis Diana called on her, she excitedly shouted, "The whale is coming! The whale is coming!" She didn't know why the rest of the class and the teachers were laughing hysterically.
~Pat, Ohio

Jeanne Martin suggests: "Find out your grandchild's special interests or talents and 'go for it' - My grandson loves computer games and math games. My granddaughter loves ballet. So, I can easily find things they both love."

The challenges we face today in smart grandparenting may be exhausting- and delightful.
Read this great article about homeschooling parents and the importance of grandparents: http://www.lewrockwell.com/taylor/taylor84.html

and activites: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/grandparents-day/index.html

and about loving
http://www.grandloving.com/

Consider how important you may be in your grandchild's life and the influence you have. How do you connect?

What do you do if they live far away and visits are not often possible? What do you do if you've never met your grandchild?

What does your grandchild call you, and why?

Gramma Apple would like to hear what you do to stay involved in your grandchildren's lives. In weeks ahead, she will share some of her own ideas.


Write to me via my contact page.

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***GOODIES!***

Some Fun Treats for Halloween

Apple Cider Punch

4 cups apple cider
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
2 cups 7UP
8 "gummy worms"


TO PREPARE:
1. Place "gummy worms" in ice cube tray. Cover with water and freeze until solid.
2. In a large pitcher mix together cider, orange juice and pineapple juice with a wooden spoon. Chill for 1 hour.
3. Stir in 7UP just before serving.
4. Place a "gummy worm" ice cube in each glass and pour punch.
Yield: 8 servings.

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Halloweeny Treat

Coating:
1 11.5-ounce package milk chocolate morsels
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Sweet stack:
1 10.5-ounce bag miniature marshmallows.
2 cups dry roasted unsalted peanuts
2 cups candy corn

Top with:
Candy pumpkins

TO PREPARE:
1. In a large bowl, mix together marshmallows, peanuts and candy.

2. Over very low heat, melt together morsels, margarine and milk, stirring constantly.

3. Immediately pour chocolate mixture over marshmallow mix and stir to coat.

4. Press into wax paper lined pan. Lightly coat another sheet of wax paper with cooking spray and firmly compress bars into serving pan.

5. Gently press a candy pumpkin onto the top of each serving. Chill until firm.

Yield: 12 servings.

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Gramma's Hugs is a non-profit organization providing baby blankets to needy children Internationally ... regardless of national boundary or affiliation. We are so named because my daughter thought that "Gramma's Hugs" depicted what I was doing ("hugging" the children) when I decided to make the 440 afghans for an orphanage in Kijabe, Kenya. Mother's Day, 2006, turned a very important corner, in that a group of "hug helpers" was formed, and the expansion and completion of items has been phenomenal.


Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep If you've lost an infant or pre-born, please visit this website. The gift that these talented volunteers offer can help heal your heart, while saving the image of your beloved child for always. "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org Visit my link links.htmlhere to learn more from our friend Teresa Collins, here. three 3 zero dash eight 2 three dash eight three two 2.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Here are some cookbooks for fun!

"Cooking with Kids For Dummies!"
Over 75 recipes are found in Cooking with Kids For Dummies. Some of the mouth- watering dishes in the book include: Surf's Up Seafood Salad, Spider Web Brownies, Jamaican Sunshine Salsa, Grilled Velvet Chicken, Lazy, Crazy Lasagna, and more. Find this cookbook at amazon.com and other bookstores.

"Student's Vegetarian Cookbook"
"The Children's Kitchen Garden"
Raising Low-Fat Kids in a High Fat World"
The $5 Chef Family Cookbook"
Lunchbox Tips and More"

Do you have questions or comments? Do you want to share your salvation experience or your interests? Please email me on the contact page and let me know what you think of our site.

"Let my words drop as the rain,my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass and as showers on the herbs" Deuteronomy 32:2,3 "I proclaim the name of the Lord and ascribe greatness to our God!"