Grand Connection

One on one with the grandkids

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:51:00 +0000

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A grandmother once told me that she likes to spend one-on-one time with each of her grandchildren. Now that Pops and I have six grandchildren, I understand the wisdom of her words. Although it's great fun when all of the grandkids are at our house together, there's little time to spend individually with each child.

So, today Pops and I are beginning a new tradition: a one-on-one weekend with each grandchild. Our 5-year-old granddaughter will be our first special guest. She's said that she wants to learn how to draw a zebra or a giraffe, so a friend will give her an individual art lesson. Then the 5-year-old and I will go to the park and later come to Pops' and my house to play some board games.

Our grand told me that she wants to play with "Mr. Potato Head," so she'll definitely do that. She'll make funny faces on the same brown plastic "potato" that her daddy played with many years ago. (My, where do the years go?) We might bake a batch of cookies or take the dogs for a walk. And tomorrow Pops and his little legacy will go out for breakfast—just the two of them.

I just hope that this will begin a long tradition of making special memories with each grandchild!

Do you have any ideas about how Pops and I can make this weekend memorable for our granddaughter? Have you had one-on-one time with your grandchildren?

Future generations will be told about the Lord. (Psalm 22:30b)

Have a great weekend,
Mary
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart
www.marymaywrites.com/

Article © 2012 Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © by Designpicsub / Dreamstime.com

The privilege of praying for the grandkids

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I call to You for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer meets You.
(Psalm 88:13, HCSB)

When I look at the world today, I realize how important it is to regularly pray for our grandchildren. Only God knows the challenges they will face tomorrow.

A few of years ago I started praying through a wonderful book While They Are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits for Moms to Pray. It gives specific verses to pray for the following character traits: kindness, humility, teachability, forgiveness, obedience, discernment, purity, responsibility, courage, servanthood, contentment, endurance. (You can purchase this book from FamilyLife.)

Since Pops and I have six grandchildren, I have six of these books—yes, one for each grand. I try to pray for one grand on one day a week, and when I pray for him/her I write the date (and sometimes a note) inside While They Are Sleeping.

I've told the older grandkids that I pray for them and shown them the While They Are Sleeping books. Two of our grands were at the house this weekend, and the seven year old seemed very pleased when she saw "her book."

I've also done a great Bible study by Sammy Tippet, Praying for Your Family. Sammy gives specific ways to pray and shares how God answered prayers for his entire family. It's really encouraging!

What a privilege it is to pray for our grands. It’s a gift that money can’t buy ... one that will affect not only their lives today, but also their future.

Do you have any tips that would help grandparents remember to pray for their grands on a regular basis?

Have a great week,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

© by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Fun with Newspapers and Magazines

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

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I was looking at some online articles and read one by Doris Schuchard in the Home Education Magazine that had some great ideas. If you’d like to provide hours of fun for the grands with newspapers and magazines, read on as I’ll share a couple of Doris’ ideas:

ABCs—Give each child a page from a newspaper or magazine. Assign them an alphabet letter and see how many words they can circle starting with that letter within a minute. Variation: Can you find a word for each letter of the alphabet?

Pops and I can use this idea with our grands who are just 3 and 4. Although they really don’t know how to spell, they could circle individual letters or highlight each letter of the alphabet.

Okay, here’s one more of Doris’ ideas:

End It – Give your child a short newspaper or magazine story, but cut off the ending. Have her write her own ending and then compare it to the real one. Variations: Give her endings from three different stories; can she choose the correct one? 2. Match headlines with the correct stories.

Although our small grandkids won’t be able to write endings to articles and stories, Pops or I could read them an article about something that would interest them (such as a story about an animal) and let them tell us the ending.

I don’t know about you, but I need to get a few newspapers and magazines out of the recycling bin—for the grandkids.

Have a great weekend
Mary
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Article 2008 © Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Oleg Pidodnya / Dreamstime.com

I heard it in the beauty salon

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

"I hope that I look as good as she does," said the woman sitting next to me in the beauty salon. "She taught me in the first grade. I'm 77 and she'll soon be 100."

I glanced at the elderly lady with small rollers in her hair; it was hard to believe that she had lived for almost a century. No wonder her face was lined with wrinkles marking decades of life. She looked like one who had grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and even great-great grandchildren.

"She amazing," the woman waiting for the stylist said. "Nothing rattles her."

Have you ever noticed that age does not really change the character of most people? The love and patience and kindness (or lack of) that we practice today ... and then tomorrow ... form who we will be decades from now.

"She still has that quiet confidence," her former student said.

Yes, the elderly woman was still teaching ... still showing other generations how to succeed in this thing called life.

Have a great week,

Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Fun with egg cartons

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Our grandkids can have so much fun with simple, everyday objects—like an egg carton. The games kids (and even adults) can play with it are endless!

Today, I'm referring to a empty carton that holds 18 eggs. Here are some ways we could use it. Younger children could go on scavenger hunts and sort their treasures in rows. For example, this could be done by color (i.e., blue objects on first row, yellow objects in second row, etc.), by shape (objects shaped like a circle in one row, like squares in second row .... , or by likeness (smooth objects in first row, rough objects in second row, etc.).

What happens when we cut an 18-count egg carton in half? Viola! We have two tic-tack-toe "boards," each with three rows of three. These could provide hours of entertainment on a trip. Instead of x's and o's children could use different values of coins (i.e., pennies and nickles), or squares of paper in two different colors.

We could brainstorm with our grandkids about all of the things that can be done with an egg carton. In addition to the above ideas, how about using them for water colors or to sort change or group rubber bands by similar sizes or colors?

What ideas do you have for using egg cartons? I almost forgot one—put eggs in it!

Have a great weekend,

Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Can you trust God?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Life can sure be tough in the 21st century, for us and for our grandkids.

Where can someone go for comfort in a world that seems to be travelling at the speed of life? A world that is filled with much joy, but also much sorrow. A world of war ... and peace, life-long marriages ... and divorce, good health ... and death that comes far too soon.

Thinking about these things brings me to my word of the year, trust. What exactly is it anyway?

I love what James MacDonald says in his Bible study called MasterWork:

"God did not design our DNA with the ability to carry the future. The only place to focus my thought is on today."

"Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation."

Picture tying an anchor to your heart—an anchor to Almighty God. Grasp the fact that He is aware of everything that passes through life. Yes, everything.

When we allow our lives to be anchored on God, day in and day out, we can experience the promise of Isaiah 26:3, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

Sounds good to me!

Have a great week,

Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Let's Make a Birdhouse

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. —Psalm 50:11

Hope that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed New Year's Day!

A couple of years ago Pops gave our grandkids birdhouses (one for each family) at Christmas. Although we thought that the kids would like them, we were surprised at how excited they were about them.

Now, they weren’t just ordinary birdhouses—they were designed for children to custom decorate with outdoor paints. (I purchased the birdhouse kits, complete with paints, from our local Knowledge Tree.) Our out-of-town grandkids decorated their birdhouse the day after Christmas, and our local grands decorated theirs a day or so later. They were all thrilled with their creations.

You may want to decorate a birdhouse with your local grandchildren on a bleak winter day or mail one to those who live out-of-town. Just looking at a birdhouse reminds us that spring will soon be here.

A birdhouse can also provide a great topic for ongoing conversation with the grands. I plan to checkout some library books about our feathery friends to read with the grands who live nearby.

With out-of-town (and local) grandkids we can google “birds” and find all sorts of information and activities that we could send them by e-mail or snail mail. Here are just a few possibilities:

Just color the critters (National Audubon Society—just for kids)

Birds of America (you can search by state—National Audubon Society)

Wild bird treat (National Geographic for Kids)

Have fun!
Mary May Larmoyeux
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Post and Photo Copyright © Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Saying goodbye is not easy

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

It's hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone and a new year has begun. After spending time connecting with family, many grandparents find themselves, once again, separated by the miles.

A friend describes below how hard it was for his son to part from his grandmother as she prepared to board a plane:

When it was time to go our separate ways, our son began to quietly cry very sincere tears, begging to continue on with his grandma, asking “Why does she have to leave?” It broke our hearts! I really don’t know how Mom endured it. It had to have been brutal for her. We finally persuaded him that it was necessary to part, and began the journey to our separate gates. At this point he twisted the knife already firmly planted in her heart by walking backwards for the entire length of the airport (in what must be the LONGEST airport hallway in the country), waving to her until she was completely out of sight, sniffling softly the entire time. A classic memory indeed!

My guess is that this little boy was not the only one crying.

Although we are fortunate to be living in an age of cell phones and e-mail, it's still hard to say goodbye to grandchildren who live across the miles! Have you experienced this yourself?

Have a great week,

Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Our New Year's Eve Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

For years, Pops and I have made a list of our wishes, dreams, and prayer requests for the New Year. We put the list in an envelope marked “read December 31, _____” and pack the envelope away with the Christmas ornaments.

On New Year’s Eve of the following year, we read whatever we wrote. It’s always amazing to see ways that God answered various things, and ways that He said to us, No, or Wait.

We grandparents could encourage older grandchildren to begin this tradition. Then on December 31, 2012, we could call or e-mail the grandchildren, to see how God answered their “wish list" and to share how He answered ours.

Happy New Year,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Looking back and looking ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:21:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas and were able to spend some time with your family! Our grown kids and grandkids came to our country home this year to celebrate Christmas ... on Christmas Eve. We had a wonderful time! On Friday night the kids decorated gingerbread houses; it's an annual tradition in our family. As our grands made roofs out of pretzels and Sweet Tarts and peppermints, I couldn't help but remember their dads doing the very same thing—a long, long time ago!

And as New Year's Day approaches I'm reminded that it's time for me to choose a Bible verse to focus on for the new year. I've decided on a portion of James 1:19: " ... Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak ... " I want to really ponder what I will say, before saying it. I hope that I will listen to others' hearts before I jump in with my words. And I plan to share my verse for the new year with the older grandkids and encourage them to choose a verse for 2012 for themselves.

What about you? What were some of your favorite Christmas memories?

And have you thought about focusing on a particular Bible verse in 2012? If so, which one did you choose?

Have a wonderful week,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

Photo © Mary May Larmoyeux

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Merry Christmas!

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:7-15)

Photo © Jim Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Making a bed for Baby Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

When our children were small, one of our favorite Christmas traditions was making a pine straw bed for baby Jesus (instead of pine straw, you could use pieces of hay, balls of cotton, etc.). We’d set up the Nativity with everything except the figure of Jesus. Near the Nativity we filled a small basket with straw.

Whenever family members did secret acts of kindness to honor Christ (such as making someone’s bed, taking out the trash, giving an elderly neighbor cookies, etc.), he/she would secretly place a piece of pine straw on the manger floor. Then, on Christmas Day, the figure of baby Jesus was placed on the bed that had been made as acts of worship.

Doing this helped us all remember the real reason for celebrating Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Tomorrow night Pops and I will get out the Nativity set and decorate the Christmas tree. And, yes, we will have a small basket filled with pine straw. Several of our grandchildren are now old enough to understand secret acts of kindness. So, this year some new little hands will be helping to make baby Jesus’ bed.

(If your grandchildren live out of town, you may want to share this tradition with their parents and send a special basket for the straw.)

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
hoto © Mary May Larmoyeux

Let's make a salt dough Nativity set

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

A very long time ago I bought a handmade ceramic Nativity set. Every year when I unpack it, it feels like an old friend who has come back home. I remember long ago when our sons' small hands touched the figures and placed them in the Christmas-tree shaped manger. And I remember how they would secretly place pieces of pine straw in the manger, to fill Baby Jesus' bed on Christmas Day.

One of our now grown children made a simple wooden Nativity set when he was in elementary school. When I look at it today, I have to ask myself, "How could time go by so quickly?"

But one of my favorite Nativity sets was made this year by two of our grands. I saw it sitting in their kitchen windowsill when I went to see them last weekend (see picture). Their mom had helped them make it out of salt dough. You might want to make a Nativity like this with your own grandchildren.

When I googled "salt dough Nativity" I found a great article, "How to Make a Nativity Scene from Salt Dough." It even has tutorials.

Do you have a Nativity in your home that brings back special memories. Have you ever made a Nativity set yourself?

Salt Dough Recipe (from www.squidoo.com)

Blend 2 cups plain flour and 2 cups fine table salt in a bowl.

Mix 1 tbsp vegetable oil with 1 cup lukewarm water.

Add 1 tbsp wallpaper paste.

(The wallpaper paste is optional...you can also substitute it with white wood glue.)

Stir well.

Add liquid to dry ingredients, stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon (or use your hands) to form dough. Turn out the dough on to your work surface until it is smooth and pliable. The dough should be reasonably firm so that the models keep their shape ... and when you are done, get ready for play time!

Keep the salt dough covered in a plastic container or a plastic bag while you are working to prevent it from drying out. Salt dough can easily be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

Notes: If the dough appears to be dry, you can add a little water or if it sticks to your hands, add a little more flour. Also, you can use egg white or water to attach different parts to each other. Use a small brush to make it easier.

Roll tinfoil into balls or shapes as desired, cover with the salt dough and finish shaping. This will speed up baking/drying time and prevent shrinkage as well as big cracks in the salt dough models.

Have a great weekend,
Mary
Encouraging Women with Hearts for Their Homes (free e-zine)
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Shhhh, please don't tell the grandkids.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Many years ago I taught school ... and I loved it. One year the PTA purchased some wonderful hardback books for the children; that were blank inside. The kids had a great time designing their covers and writing their stories!

Like these students, one of our granddaughters loves to write "books." She's only seven years old and her "books" are really short stories filled with lots of hand drawn pictures. Her last story had an "author page" where she printed her name and then said that she "rote this book." I loved it!

Well, here's my secret! (And, if you know our grandkids, please don't tell them.) Pops and I are going to give each of our grandchildren a blank hardback book as one of their Christmas presents. I discovered them on the Internet and thought that you might want to check them out for yourself. They are called Bare Books.

Do your grandkids like to write? Do you?

Have a great week,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2011 by Mary May Larmoyeux.All rights reserved.

© Cienpies Design / Illustrations / Dreamstime.com

Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

In our family’s Christmas ornament collection are a few remaining relics from my childhood—handmade salt dough ornaments. I remember using cookie cutters to form some shapes and then I made others ... Well, let’s just say they’re definitely original.

I've made salt dough ornaments with Pops' and my grandkids. It's fun and very easy to do.

Salt Dough Ornaments (not edible)

2 cups regular flour

1 cup regular salt
3/4 cup warm water

Combine flour and salt.
Add water.
Knead until smooth.
Shape ornaments

You may want to roll out the dough and use cookie-cutters to cut various shapes.

Bake in 275 degree oven on foil-lined cookie sheet for two hours.
Cool completely.
Decorate with acrylic paints.
When the ornaments are dry, seal with a coat of varnish or Mod Podge ®.

You can purchase Mod Podge at a craft store. If you don’t want to use acrylic paints, you could add food coloring.

Have fun!
Mary
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

The Scrawny Cedar Tree

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

A few years ago high winds caused a huge Hackberry Tree on the side of our house to split right down the middle. After the wood was hauled away, a scrawny Cedar Tree remained. It actually looked like half of a small Cedar Tree because half of it had been pressed against the Hackberry, which stunted its growth.

I wanted to cut down the struggling tree because it looked so pitiful, but Pops assured me that it would fill out over time. Sure enough, his prediction has proven true. The Cedar has now almost completely filled out. What once was bare now has new life.

Pops and I refer to the cedar as our “restoration tree." It’s a reminder that God makes all things new. In fact, restoration is at the heart of the gospel and is the message of Jesus Christ at Christmas (1 Timothy 1:15).

Your family may know the heartache of divorce. You may be separated from your grandchildren or other loved ones during the Christmas holidays. Or, you may have lost a family member this year and now feel their absence so deeply. I know it’s hard and hope that you will find comfort in Isaiah 43:19:

“Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.”

Nothing is impossible with God. He is in the business of making all things new. If we look to Him when walking through our wilderness, we will find refreshing springs, hope, and the promise of a better tomorrow.

Hope: the message of Jesus Christ. The message of Christmas! (Luke 2:10-12)

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux.All rights reserved.

Let's make Christmas Potpourri (non-edible)

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

It's hard to believe that Christmas will soon be here. Does your house smell like freshly cut cedar or simmering potpourri?

At this time of year I'm reminded of Helen Austin's recipe for non- edible potpourri. She shared it a couple of years ago in Encouraging Women with Hearts for their Homes.

Helen wrote: Here's a recipe for a simmering potpourri you can use right on the stove top. Just keep the saucepan handle turned away from little hands and paws and your kitchen will smell like you've been baking for days!

HOLIDAY SIMMERING POTPOURRI

3 or 4 pieces of dried orange peel (see NOTE)
1 teaspoon cinnamon chunks (available in bulk at Whole Foods Market) OR 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
2 or 3 pieces of star anise (also available at Whole Foods)
1/4 - 1/2 cup whole fresh cranberries (optional)

NOTE: To dry orange peel, score an orange in quarters, then remove peel and as much of white pith as possible. (Add orange sections to a fruit salad.) Place on flat surface, such as the kitchen counter, for several days.

This is not edible. Don't even use it to season cider or wine. If using cinnamon sticks, break up into 3 or 4 pieces. Then place contents in a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover loosely (vent top of saucepan slightly). Add water as needed; don't let mixture dry out. Be sure to turn off the heat before you leave the house. The fragrance will remain for awhile.

Making Christmas potpourri with an older grand would be a fun activity. For those of us with out-of-town grands, we could e-mail their parents the recipe and talk on the cell phone with grands while he/she makes it (perhaps with their mom or dad).

Have a great weekend!
Mary
The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2010 by Mary May Larmoyeux.
Photo Credit: © Nicolás Batista/Dreamstime.com

The Magic and Wonder of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Several months ago I was with some grandparents and we were sharing some favorite memories. One of the women said that the "magic of Christmas" began with her grandmother who lived with her family.

She recalled her grandmother asking her on Christmas Eve "Did you hear 'em?"

Then her grandmother would point to the roof and say with a twinkle in her eye, "Santa Claus and his reindeer are up there!"

As you turn the pages of the calendar to December, do you have childhood memories of hearing the tapping of reindeer hooves?

Were you like me on Christmas Eve, watching the weatherman track Santa, knowing that within hours jolly old Saint Nick and his sleigh would somehow arrive at "our" house.

Did you or you kids make special cookies for Santa? Did you leave them for him by the Christmas tree, with a glass of milk? Pops and I did as kids, and so did our children.

Santa used to write our kids notes reminding them of the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. Some of those notes are still tucked away in their scrapbooks.

Ahhh ... the magic and wonder of Christmas ... the hope and promise of Christ.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

(1 Chronicles 16:34)

Have a wonderful week,

Mary

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

www.marymaywrites.com/

Making Gingerbread Houses

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Well ... I just did it—took the Thanksgiving wreath off of the front door. After all, it's officially December. Christmas will soon be here. It's time to get out the recipe for gingerbread houses.

For more than two decades, our family has had a wonderful time making gingerbread houses before Christmas! Has your family made gingerbread houses during the holidays?

I use the following recipe, adapted from one printed years ago in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. (See pictures of actual preparation.)

Gingerbread House Template

Basic Corn Syrup Gingerbread Dough

9 cups unsifted flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind (optional)
One and one-half tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups light corn syrup
One and one-half cups light brown sugar firmly packed
One and one-fourth cups butter or margarine

Combine flour, lemon rind, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Stir together corn syrup, brown sugar and butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and ingredients are well mixed. Pour liquid mixture into flour mixture and stir until blended.

Form dough into a ball and knead until smooth and pliable. Roll out dough and cut into 1/4" thickness, using a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out desired shapes for houses and gingerbread men. We cut out a cardboard pattern with three shapes (cut two of each shape):

roof—5 1/4" x 3 1/2"

side—4 1/4" x 3 1/2"

and peaked side 2 3/4" x 3 1/2" with triangle on top. The peak of the triangle is 4 1/2" from the base of the rectangle it sits on.

You can make the houses as large or small as you like. The above recipe will make two small gingerbread houses and a few gingerbread men (use cookie cutters for them).

Put shapes on cookie sheets that have been sprayed or greased lightly with Crisco (or something similar). Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until shapes are firm and lightly browned. Cool shapes completely on racks before assembling.

Snow Frosting

3 egg whites (if possible, at room temperature)
1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Place the above ingredients in a large bowl and beat at medium or high speed until stiff (approximately 5 minutes). Cover with damp cloth.

Makes about 2 cups.

Use the Snow Frosting to glue houses together, attach decorations and make icicles. After building house, allow frosting to dry at least one hour before decorating. I allow the houses to dry overnight.

The tradition of making gingerbread houses has been great fun for our family and has has created some wonderful memories.

What are some of the things that your family has done to make Christmas memories?

If you are looking for some fun things to do with your grandchild, The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart is packed with ideas for the month of December—and for every month of the year.

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Photo and article © 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Why should I be thankful?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:23:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

This Thursday, our family and most Americans, will celebrate Thanksgiving. It's a day when we will recall the many blessings that God has given us throughout the year.

According to History.com: "In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. ... It wasn't until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November."

For many people, 2011 was a really tough year. Perhaps you lost a loved one or suffered great damage from a tornado. Or, maybe you are struggling to just make ends meet during this holiday season. You may be interested in a great message by Dr. Charles Stanley, "The Reach of Our Thanksgiving." He shares how we can be thankful in all circumstances. (You can watch this online.)

You may also want to listen to the Focus on the Family radio broadcast about "The Legend of Squanto," or read one of the following articles:

10 Ways to Keep Thanks in Thanksgiving

Teaching Life Lessons at Thanksgiving

8 Ways to Pressure-Proof Your Holidays

It's easy for me to thank God when things are going well. But when the challenges of life come, I often ask "Why?" My question should really be "Who?" Who can I trust in the good and bad times of life? Who never changes ... is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8)?

Of course, there's only one answer: God.

My prayer for Pops and me, our children, and grandchildren is that we will be people of gratitude—no matter what happens in our lives.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

(1 Chronicles 16:34)

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mary

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

www.marymaywrites.com/

Thanksgiving Memories and Place Mats

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

I'd like to share something with you from Heloise's Helpful Hints newspaper column. A reader named Laraine R. wrote that she makes place mats to remember various trips. After using double-stick tape to put trip memorabilia in place on poster board, she covers it with plastic.

My imagination came up with a few more ways that we can use Laraine's fun idea with our grandkids. What about making special Thanksgiving place mats for the family that are filled with memories of people and events that we are grateful for? For example, if a new grandbaby was born this year, we could have a copy of the birth announcement, photographs of Mom and the baby coming home, etc.

Or, maybe a grandchild recently graduated from high school or college. That place mat could have graduation pictures, copies of the invitation, etc. And if there's a little slugger in the family, how about focusing on baseball games and sports celebrations?

Of course, we wouldn't need to use actual pictures in today's world. We could print digital copies of photographs on plain paper. And we might want to focus on lots of people or events that we are thankful for, rather than just one specific person.

Here's another idea: We could help the grands make their own gratitude place mats. They could select pictures, write words, copy Bible verses, etc. onto a piece of poster board. It could be covered with plastic or laminated at a local teacher supply store (Mardel Bookstores often do laminating, too). We could ask grandchildren to make a place mat honoring one of their siblings, parents, or teachers.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, you may want to read the article 10 Ways to Keep Thanks in Thanksgiving . It's in the new issue of Encouraging Women With Hearts for Their Homes.

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Order: The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

Simple Blessings of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

“If the stars came out only once a year, everyone would stay up all night just to watch,” said poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.

René Haub referred to Emerson's quote in her article A Hundred-Dollar Word. "We tend to ignore the things that are always present or available to us (health, financial comfort, easy access to life’s 'necessities')," she said, "and take those things for granted, even if they are wonderful things."

I think René is right. What if we only felt the soft touch of a child's face ... or smelled chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven ... or saw a bird soar into the trees, once a year? What if we could only hear ... or see ... or taste, once a year?

Just thinking about this makes me very thankful!

How can we encourage thankfulness in our grandkids? We could play "what if" with them. Perhaps we could read them Emerson's quote about the stars and then recite or list together the simple, everyday blessings of life—ones we often take for granted. We could do this in person, on the phone, or even by e-mail.

If grandkids will be at our homes in the evening during Thanksgiving week, we could bundle up, go outside, and peer together into a star-filled night. We could recite not only Emerson's quote about stars, but also verses such as Psalm 147:4: "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name."

May we be grandparents whose lives overflow with thankfulness ... every day.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Mary

co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

www.marymaywrites.com/

Honoring our Veterans

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

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Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

"On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War, then known as "the Great War. Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars." (according to History.com)

Today, on Veterans Day, we will pause to honor U.S. veterans. Because of their courage, we are a free nation. I'm reminded of a quote by Dwight Eisenhower, "In the final choice a soldier's pack is not so heavy as a prisoner's chains."

Now would be a great time to talk with the grandkids about members of the family who served in the Armed Forces. Both Pops and my fathers served in World War II. Did some in your family serve in the military?

One of the most interesting people I have ever met was Retired Lt. Colonel Roy Kaden. He flew a top secret mission in the 1950s; his family did not know about this until 50 years later. Like to know more? Read "Just Another Day for an American Hero." You and your grandchild might want to read this together, or you could e-mail or text him/her the link.

Here are some other ideas for you and your grandchild to do on Veterans Day:

Go to a local Veterans Day parade
Research the History of Veterans Day
Interview a member of the family who served in the military
Display the American flag in front of your home or business

How do you remember the brave men and women who served our country?

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Order: The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

He has done great things

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:53:00 +0000

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

I still remember when a friend and I ate lunch together and talked about passing down family stories. She referred to a passage in Psalms 78 that tells about the importance of sharing spiritual stories.

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord," says Psalm 78:4. "His power, and the wonders he has done.”

The Bible paraphrase The Message says it this way (verses 1-4): “ … I'll let you in on the sweet old truths, stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother's knee. We're not keeping this to ourselves, we're passing it along to the next generation—God's fame and fortune, the marvelous things he has done.”

It is up to us to pass on family stories—especially ones about God intervening in our lives and homes. We can share these stories with the grands while washing dishes together, taking a relaxing walk, or going on a drive. We can record our stories and burn them on a CD, or write them down in notebooks. … We can even do something very simple—jot them down in our Bibles.

For years I've jotted down things I want to remember in my Bible—births, weddings, deaths. Memories such as,“God protected a child on from a terrible wreck when he did a 360 degree turn on a wet freeway and ended up in a ditch,” “God protected my husband when a car burst into flames 3-4 feet from a propane tank by his office,” “God protected a son and his wife when they had a gas leak in their house,” and on, and on, and on.

Whenever I read in my Bible how God has protected and led our family, I remember that He has done great things ... marvelous things. I'm also reminded that I can trust God for today and tomorrow.

Stories of His past faithfulness engrave the hearts of our families with this message. And what a wonderful message to share with our families as Thanksgiving approaches. Nothing is impossible for God! (Luke 1:37)

Have a great week,

Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

Thanksgiving traditions

noreply@blogger.com (Mary May Larmoyeux) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
—Psalm 107:1

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving will be here in a couple of weeks. We’re really looking forward to some good family time!

Sometimes I overestimate what I can do for the holidays—wanting to make them extra special for everyone. I’m really trying to do better at knowing my limits. Can you identify? I wanted to use pretty china for Thanksgiving this year, but the more Jim and I talked about it, the more impractical it seemed—with five grandkids from 1 – 6 years of age.

It will be great for young and old to share blessings with one another around our Thanksgiving table. The branches of our little Thanksgiving tree are filled with reminders of God’s goodness during this past year.

Although I’m very grateful to God for His many blessings, I’m also very aware that we’re not in heaven yet. Our society wants to breathe the fairy dust of perfection on the holidays, but there’s no perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas. And there’s sure no perfect Nana or Pops.

After our Thanksgiving feast and time of remembering, we’ll enjoy a family tradition—making gingerbread houses for Christmas. (I’ll share the recipe in one of the Friday's Fun columns.) We’ve done that since our sons were little boys. It seems unreal that their children are now making the gingerbread houses.

What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions?

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Order: The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All right reserved.