The American Grandma

Read Aloud Books That Build Baby’s Vocabulary

Kay Swatkowski — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:37:28 +0000

The home is the child’s first school, the parent is the child’s first teacher, and reading is the child’s first subject. - Former First Lady Barbara Bush One of the most fascinating aspects of childhood is language development. It is almost miraculous to watch a [...]

How To Know if You Are An “Over the Top” Grandparent by Cheryl Moeller

Kay Swatkowski — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:21:17 +0000

All of us have run into grandparents all too eager to show us pictures, slides, jpegs and endless other representations of their grandchildren. While these pictures are immensely interesting to the grandparents themselves, they can prove to be a “real snoozer” for the casual participant [...]

Guest Blog for Lent – My Son, Jonathan Swatkowski, Reflects on Lent

Kay Swatkowski — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:02:54 +0000

Jon and Lindy on their Puerto Rican Cruise, February 2012 Reflections on Lent Beginning tomorrow many Evangelical Christians will begin observing a contemporary version of the Lenten season. For most of us this tradition primarily involves giving up something we enjoy for the duration of [...]

Lent?

Kay Swatkowski — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:53:24 +0000

…a thoughtful observance of the spiritual calendar, a kind of sacred rhythm, has a lot of merit in a world so overbearingly secular. - Derek Maul, Reaching Toward Easter I have called you not to the secular journey where you must make everything in your [...]

Loving On Your Grandkids This Valentine’s Day – A Flood of Prayer

Kay Swatkowski — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:28:35 +0000

pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children Lamentations 2:19 A Flood of Prayer I don’t know if I had ever heard of a tsunmai before December 26, 2004. [...]

Great-Grandparents

Kay Swatkowski — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:12:01 +0000

I love this picture of my great grandparents. I believe this was on the fiftieth wedding anniversary. At one time, I found a collection of family stories on an internet site. Sadly, when I had a computer problem I lost some of that information. I [...]

Book Excerpt

Kay Swatkowski — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:06:33 +0000

A Well that Never Runs Dry My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. —Psalm 63:1–3 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. —Matthew 5:6 [...]

Our Favorite Bakery In Illinois

Kay Swatkowski — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:17:53 +0000

When we lived in France, one of our favorite activities was our Sunday afternoon walk. We were especially happy if it took us by a beautiful boulangerie or patisserie. We would drool as we looked through the shiny windows at cookies, tartes or les gateaux! [...]

Great Centerpiece Idea

Kay Swatkowski — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:51:47 +0000

Well, it can’t get any simpler than this. I found this on Pinterest. Please be sure to visit the original website. I don’t know about you, but I am getting weary of the blah of winter. This cute centerpiece on my dining room table seems [...]

Five Ways to Love On Your Grandkids This Valentine’s Day

Kay Swatkowski — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:39:21 +0000

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it. ~James Bryce Idea #2 – Give your grandchild a new book for Valentine’s Day. Add a note inside to affirm and bless them. Would you like to give [...]