The Grandma Chronicles

My Early Start with Toy Fair 2012 – American Girl Crafts at American Girl Café

2012-02-10T09:18:00.000-05:00

Crafty Grandmothers – This Is Especially For You!

The International Toy Fair in New York begins on Sunday but the pre-show events are well under way. I have been choosing my pre-show invitations carefully so that I’ll get to see the things I want to write about and that I think grandparents in particular will be interested in. On Tuesday, I made my first trip into New York to the American Girl Crafts event held at the American Girl Cafe at their flagship store on Fifth Avenue. What a delightful morning I had.

Many of you grandparents remember the original American Girl dolls. They were historical characters first introduced in 1986. They were high quality dolls featuring period clothing, books and accessories – all with a theme related to the specific doll. I remember that my daughter’s friend, Maggie, had Molly who looked just like her. They even had the same eyeglasses and they always looked so cute together. The line is now much bigger, featuring modern characters and a “Doll of the Year” only available for one year.

In 2009, through a partnership with EK Success Brands, a leading craft company, the American Girl Crafts line was launched. Since then an extensive line of crafts that compliment American Girl products have been introduced.

The items in these pictures are favorites available now including the Pom Pom Scarves Kit, Bears and Owls Sew and Stuff Kits, and Funky Felt Box Kit. The first two has great reviews at Amazon. You can be the first to review the Funky Felt Box Kit. It is definitely for girls ages 8 -13 and not younger ones. The kits are very complete with everything you need and have good instructions so the girls will be able to complete the craft and be proud of their own creation. These are wonderful gifts for a “crafty” grandmother to give to a child and introduce them to crafting. It is something you can do together and help if needed. Many girls this age enjoy crafts and this can be an enjoyable way to have a cross generation experience together.

There are some things suitable for younger children too. I especially like the stickers as I find they are very popular with younger children. If a young girl loves her American Girl she will love the party line to play with friends and their dolls. This cupcake stand will be a hit at any party for girls and their dolls – even younger girls. Some of the other items in this picture will be available later this year and I'll cover them in a post then.

This craft line is very reasonably priced, and available at Michael’s, ToysRUs and online. If you have a granddaughter who has and loves an American Girl doll, you may want to introduce her to American Girl crafts. There is a wide range of products available and they are fun, encourage creativity and an opportunity to develop some new - and old fashioned, but you don’t have to talk about that part – skills.

I’ll be writing more about this line as some other products will be introduced later this year.

Here are links to some of the items at Amazon.com:

Trunki by Melissa and Doug - Cool and Perfect for Sleepovers at Grandma's House

2012-01-30T22:38:00.002-05:00

The International Toy Fair in New York is just a couple of weeks away and my email is full of invitations to special events for attendees. I just can’t wait. I’ll have things to write about for the next year! As a warm up I want to do a few product reviews in the next couple of weeks. Here’s the first.

In December I went into New York for a special event for bloggers at Melissa and Doug hosted by Momtrends. We got to see the whole Melissa and Doug line. At the end of the evening each attendee got to bring home a “trunki.” They were all lined up in six different colors and there was a mad dash to get your choice of color. I got this beautiful blue one for my grandson, Zach. Well, I intended to use it as a Christmas present, but I left it on my kitchen counter and Zach saw it immediately when he visited the next day. And so, I did just what he asked and took it “down.”

The trunki is a combination ride-on toy and sturdy children’s suitcase. (Perfect for overnight visits to Grandma’s house). It took Zach two seconds to use it as a ride-on and then we showed him that it was also a suitcase. Young children love containers that carry things. He put his shoes in the Trunki and closed it up. It’s a good thing we saw him or he would have gone home barefoot!

Zach enjoyed opening and closing the trunki and figuring how it locked. You can carry it by hand, pull it or use the shoulder strap. His Mom, Fran, was thinking ahead to next year’s vacation. Zach will be three years old in June. He’ll be able to wear his backpack and carry Trunki….hmmm…one less trip for Mom and Dad from the car.

Grandparents – for some of us Melissa and Doug is not a familiar brand name. Melissa and Doug was founded 23 years ago by Melissa and Doug. That’s the name of the owners – not “characters.” Melissa and Doug have 6 kids of their own and they know their toys. Their philosophy is to make classic toys that help children develop their imagination. When you see their whole line, you can see that they are true to this philosophy. They specialize in high quality toys. M&D have a full line including food play, classic, puzzles, arts and crafts, games, trains, puppets, stuffed animals, and more.

Take my word for it, All parents know the Melissa and Doug line. It can be a little pricey and since sometimes grandparents get to make “special purchases" you may want to become familiar with Melissa and Doug. They are sold everywhere from ToysRUS to upscale specialty stores and online at Amazon and at Melissa and Doug’s own website. You can sign up for email specials at the website.

If you'd like to see a quick video, check this out:

If you’d like a trunki click below to see it at Amazon.com

Connecting Across Generations on Martin Luther King Day

2012-01-12T16:13:00.000-05:00

Monday is Martin Luther King Day. Last week I wrote about Martin Luther King Day for Preschoolers and that has become my most visited blog post ever. Today I am writing about MLK Day and older children.

There are three main themes and a grandparent can easily choose one and have a discussion or better yet, plan appropriate activities to do with your grandchild on Monday. The themes are

Social Justice

Peace

Volunteering

Social Justice and Peace
What a great opportunity MLK Day presents to have a meaningful conversation about social justice and peace with your grandchildren. Will you be with an age diverse group of grandchildren? If you are as old as I am you can start with your personal experiences in the 60’s. Last year I wrote about my conversation with my son when he was 7 years old. Click on the title to see that article.

MartinLuther King, Jr. –A Teachable Moment

Social justice and peace are subjects of interest that can cross generations and talking about it can increase the respect you have for each other. Conversation can lead to advocacy. There are lots of ways to advocate for social justice and peace on MLK Day. You can start with a discussion about social justice and identify causes and organizations that your “group” supports. Do some Internet research and take action!. Write to your elected officials. Sign online petitions. Print out articles for reference and further action – perhaps attend a rally or event. You may even consider sponsoring each child to make a donation to their favorite cause.

Volunteering

MLK Day is now designated as a National Day of Service and there are volunteer projects being planned by nonprofits throughout the country. It is easy to find one that suits you and works for you and your grandchild. VolunteerMatch lets you do a search by area and check off Kids, Teens, Over 55 and groups as categories. There are literally thousands of opportunities listed. Check your local resources for local opportunities or create a new one. Is there a day care center that needs painting? Does your family sing and play music – visit a nursing home and entertain.

Learning
Many museums and libraries have special events for MLK Day. Especially if you have elementary school age grandchildren you may find excellent programs to bring the kids too. I know that the Newark Museum, near where I live has performance and interactive workshops planned for the afternoon.

Martin Luther King Day can bring the generations closer together. Whether a child is elementary school age, a tween, teen or college age there are opportunities to grow closer and for character building. Don’t miss the opportunity.

Martin Luther King Day and Preschoolers

2012-01-07T18:55:00.000-05:00

January 16th is Martin Luther King Day and it is a national day of service. It is a good time for discussion and activity - no matter how young a child.

Today I am just writing about preschoolers. Later in the week I'll write about older children. Preschoolers are ready for themes such as volunteering, peace and getting along with others.

There is a Sesame Street video on youtube that I have been enjoying with my two and a half year old grandson - over and over - that is perfect as a discussion starter for pre-schoolers about volunteering.

Nolan Gould, who plays Luke on Modern Family, is with Murray (He's a Sesame Street muppet) at the Los Angeles Food Bank. There is a touching scene when Murray asks what is a volunteer and then if he has the heart of a true volunteer. Next there is upbeat sorting of fruit at the Food Bank.

Most local communities, museums, libraries, etc will have local activities and you should check out what is available and appropriate for young children to participate in.

I did some internet research on Dr. King and preschool activities and this is the best resource that I found. There are songs, games, stories and other resources.

Everything Preschool

I’ll be writing about Martin Luther King Day and older kids next week, but I wanted to start with ideas for young children. Please share with us in the comments any plans, past experiences, or ideas that you have that are appropriate for young children.

Peace,

Marion

Wordless Wednesday - Opening Christmas Presents

2011-12-28T16:06:00.001-05:00

One of Zach's Favorites = Cookie Monster Letter Lunch Play Doh

Uncle Hugh's girlfriend, Isabel, helped with the Play Doh

This is the Little Tikes Workbench and will take some assembly

Wishing You Joy, Courage and Vision

2011-12-23T18:28:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

I wish all of you a joyous holiday season and a blessed New Year. This holiday letter is being posted both at Marion Conway – Nonprofit Consultant and The Grandma Chronicles.

Especially as I am getting older, Christmas is a time of reflection for me. It is a time to be thankful for all our blessings, for appreciating family and friends, and for sharing with others. It all brings joy. I have turned down the lights in my office, lit candles in the window and am playing Christmas Chant. It is my routine for writing this Holiday message. I can feel the peace of Christmas as I let go of the busyiness of the day filled with grocery shopping and cooking for Christmas Eve and Day.

This year has again been filled with the joy of grandparenting. Our grandson is now 2 1/2 years old and he brings new energy to our lives every day. I enjoy writing about him at The Grandma Chronicles and “shouting out with joy” about all of our adventures together. This year Zach helped bake Christmas cookies for the first time and he is already a pro – enjoying all the tasks from slicing cherries, breaking eggs, using the electric mixer and spooning cookies on the baking sheet. My husband had the courage to let him use a knife with supervision and Zach had the courage to use the electric mixer by himself. These pictures show how he approached this all with thoughtfulness. I had a vision of him enjoying baking cookies with Grandma and experienced total joy at the way he jumped in. In less than two weeks Zach begins pre-school and both he and my daughter Fran, will have to show some courage as they let go of each other.

This past year has been another difficult one for the nonprofit community. Funding continues to be a challenge while demand is strong. 2012 may be the time for nonprofits to take a serious look at their vision and how they can get where they want to be. I have seen in the last few months a new interest in strategic planning. I wish you success with your planning – keep it focused on your mission and realistic and also have the courage to try new things. How nonprofits deliver services, how they build relationships with all their constituents, how they fundraise – it is all changing. Just as families and businesses are changing how they deal with a changed economic climate, it is time for nonprofits to think beyond a “make it through” mentality and look at fundamental changes that may be in order.

This year my consulting work expanded to include quite a bit of speaking and I found that I really enjoy it. Need a speaker in 2012? Let’s talk. I worked at blogging at three blogs and hope to blog more often in 2012. I have lots of other goals for 2012 but I’ll write about that at a later date.

Last year I wished you all joy, pride and a spirit of action. This year, I wish you joy, courage and vision. It is time to look beyond the coming year and visualize your path to the future. Have the courage to take some big steps.

Grandparents, parents, nonprofit friends and the nonprofits you work for will be in my prayers as I attend services on Christmas Eve.

May You Have a Blessed and Joyous Holiday,

Marion

Enjoying the Holiday Season with Grandchildren

2011-12-20T18:39:00.001-05:00

Grandparents - Will you be babysitting during this holiday season? Make the time something special for both you and your grandchildren. Here are some ideas.

Holiday Craft Project
Christmas ornament featuring a picture of your grandchild. If one of you is a photography buff and you print out your own picutres of various sizes this is super easy to do. My husband has put two 2x3 pictures back to back in laminate. A whole at top with a ribbon and we have beautiful tree ornaments. You can also cutout felt shapes with a cutout for a picture.

Bake Cookies
I had a wonderful time baking Christmas cookies with my grandson. Why not bake up a batch of cookies, put them in a holiday tin with a ribbon for you grandchild to give to parents on Christmas morning.

Holiday Performances, Music, Special Events
Whether it is a holiday sing along, a living nativity, the Nutcracker or the Radio City Music Hall Show there is nothing like attending something musical or "spectacular" to put both young and old in the holiday mood. In our area the Turlte Back Zoo is featuring a "Holiday Lights Spectacular" with free admission every night until New Year's Eve. Many museums have special children's programs and holiday exhibits. The Newark Museum has special activities next week for families and the Ballantine House is decked out in traditional Holiday splendor.

Reading Holiday Books
There are wonderful Christmas books for children at various ages. Reading about Christmas with a grandchild is an excellent way for them to grow to understand its true meaning and to share traditions across generations.

Volunteer
Especially if you have older grandchildren, this is an excellent tradition to begin. Volunteer activities can be delivering presents collected for needy children, visiting elderly people in nursing homes and more.

Be Physical

If you're up to it how about ice skating or skiing or even taking a winter hike to enjoy nature at Christmas.

If you will have time alone with your grandchildren this season, celebrate and find something special to do together. It doesn't have to be costly but it may just become a new tradition.

Enjoy,

Marion

Christmas Cookie Baking Day – This Year with Zach

2011-12-15T17:22:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was the annual Christmas Cookie Baking Day at our house and it was the first time that my grandson has participated. I really don’t bake much, but once a year I do bake cookies for Christmas. I make toll house cookies with a secret ingredient – maraschino cherries and its juice. This is a recipe from my father’s family and I think of him and his family whenever I make these cookies. When my kids were small I also made sugar cut out cookies that we decorated and of, course, they were on the baking plan this year. I had bought Christmas tree and star cookie cutters because I thought Zach would like both of them. Fran dug out our old angel and snowman cookie cutters because they were her favorites.

Cookie baking day was always something that my kids loved and participated in. I still have the aprons I bought for them and Zach wore one of them when he helped yesterday. He is so cute that I can’t hold myself back from gushing about him. Zach is 2 ½ and you can never be really sure if a 2 ½ year old will be as interested in something as you are, but he loved baking and in fact, he wanted to do all the jobs.

We have been talking about baking cookies for a month. When he got Elmo’s Merry Christmas book - it has a flap with cookie monster and cookies (duh) and I told him that he would bake cookies with me for Christmas. Since then, if you asked him what he and Grandma would do for Christmas he would tell you “Bake Cookies.”

My husband was the official recorder of the event, and except for this one that he is in, he took most of the pictures. Here is Zach hard at work in a variety of jobs.

One of Zach’s favorite activities is playing with play doh and cutting it with a plastic knife. When he arrived on Wednesday morning, the preparation work was already underway and he got to choose what he wanted to help with. First up – helping Pop chop cherries. I posted this picture on facebook yesterday and got some comments about the knife. Rest assured that my husband is super safety conscious and watched attentively during this task.

Next Zach was ready to help Grandma. And I was more than ready to have his help. He already knew how to break an egg like an expert because he does this when he helps Mommy make blueberry pancakes:

Zach wasn’t content to watch Grandma with the mixer, so first we held it together and then he mixed on his own.

Zach got to empty the bag of chocolate chips into the cookie mix:

Zach and Mommy (Fran) enjoyed putting the cookie dough on the baking trays together:

No pictures but Zach also helped Grandma cut out the sugar cookies and hand them over to Mommy to put on the baking tray. He liked all four of the choices but I think the star was his favorite. At this point he wanted to see Bob the Builder and the adults finished up the baking at an accelerated pace.

Cooking and baking are wonderful activities to do with a grandchild. And even very young ones will enjoy and learn from it. You learn about measuring and counting, using knives and an electric mixer carefully and safely. And you get to sample the cookies just minutes after they come out of the oven. Nothing beats that.

More than gifts, I really enjoy our holiday traditions. We have lots of them. As my children are adults and I have to share them with other families some of our traditions are being modified. I am glad that cookie baking with a child is a tradition being revived rather than modified.

Do you bake or cook with children? Please leave a comment and tell us about it.

Marion

Wordless Wednesday - Cookie Baking day

2011-12-14T15:45:00.000-05:00

I'll post the fuill story - maybe tomorrow - but I could not wait to post these pictures of Zach on Cookie Baking Day.

Elmo’s Merry Christmas – A Flap Book for Young Children

2011-12-10T13:06:00.000-05:00

I don’t remember my kids having flap books thirty years ago, but today they are very popular. My grandson, Zach, is two and a half and I’d say for about “half his life” flap books have been his favorites. They were a key way he learned his early words. Elmo’s Merry Christmas is a wonderful Christmas season flap book for young children. And the flaps demonstrate “actions” and not just things. Zach and I had quite a conversation as we went through the book.

The day it arrived, I opened the package when Zach was here not knowing what was in the package. As soon as he saw Elmo on the cover, he was immersed in it. It has over 60 flaps – sized from very large to very small. Each flap has a Sesame Street character involved in a winter or Christmas activity. Some of my and Zach’s favorites include: Murray putting the Christmas tree on top of the car, Abby and Big Bird ice skating, Bert with a birdhouse and bird, Mr. Hooper bringing hot chocolate out to carolers, the star going on the tree-----and our favorite – Cookie monster with a plate of cookies. Wednesday is cookie baking day at our house and Zach is looking forward to being part of that for the first time. I have his Christmas apron all ready – used by his Mom, Fran and Uncle Hugh many years ago. If you ask him what Grandma and he will do together for Christmas, he says “Bake cookies.”

We were babysitting last night and I finally took these pictures then. I couldn’t decide which to use so that’s why there is a bunch of them.

When my nephew visited with his family several weeks ago, Elmo’s Merry Christmas was on the coffee table, and one year old, Leela, soon saw it and began to flip through. Like Zach, she enjoyed the flaps and all the familiar characters.

Check back later in the week for my Cookie Baking Day report. I am so excited about it!

Be sure to look for this book when shopping – it will be a favorite with so many flaps and familiar characters or order today at Amazon – just a click away below.

Today Only - Melissa and Doug at 50% off at Amazon

2011-12-08T09:59:00.002-05:00

This is Holiday Flurry Deals Week at Amazon.com and there is a "Gold Box Deal of the Day" offer every day this week. Today the deal is 50% off selected Melissa and Doug toys. There are some great buys and I've already taken advantage of this offer. Check it out. There are many items included - many of their food items which are particulary popular. I am getting the pizza one for my grandson and the birthday one as a gift.

**Special Amazon Toys GoldBox Daily Deals Leak** - Up to 50 Off Select Melissa and Doug Toys

Shop Amazon's Toys - Holiday Flurry Deals Week

Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day

2011-12-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

Today is Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day and many bookstores - especially small local ones - are featuring special events. Of course, there will be storytelling but many more creative activities are planned. The Watchung Booksellers, in Montclair, NJ near where I live will also be featuring a cookie decorating demonstration from Little Daisy Bake Shop and giveaways.

Visit the Take Your Child to a Bookstore website and find a participating one near you.

Here are a few of my favorites that you might want to check out while you are there.

Of Thee I Sing - A Letter to my Daughters by Barack Obama features profiles of thirteen great Americans. This is a beautiful book that should be in every middle age child's home library. See my full review here.

Elmo's Merry Christmas - For younger children this holiday book is lots of fun. It features over 60 flaps with Sesame Street characters involved in ice skating, a snowball fight, and trimming the tree. My grandson loves it.

One Hen - How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes(a favorite of mine) - This beautifully illustrated book inspired by true events tells the story of Kojo a small boy from Ghana who turns a small loan into a thriving farm for many and is able to return to school. This book is perfect for this time of year - inspire a child with the spirit of giving.

Enjoy the day and if you don't find these in your local bookstores, check them out here by clicking onto Amazon below.

In This Season of Thanksgiving Sesame Street Introduces Lily and Modern Family’s Nolan Gould discusses The Heart of a True Volunteer

2011-11-27T19:53:00.000-05:00

Sesame Street does not only teach kids about letters and numbers. It has always been about helping children learn about life and being a good person.

There is always something new joining the familiar and this keeps it both enduring and fresh – capturing our hearts and imagination.

Now Sesame Street has a new initiative, Growing Hope Against Hunger, and has introduced a new character – Lily – a child whose family is insecure about food. This can be a difficult subject to introduce to young children but Sesame Street has done this in a very sensitive way. And just as children of different cultural backgrounds should see themselves when watching TV so should children whose family may live with financial insecurity every day. Lily was introduced in a PBS prime time special this Fall and you can see the hour long special here. The special, hosted by Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams Paisley, is an excellent introduction for young children to the larger world around them.

Last week Nolan Gould who plays Luke Dunphy (the cute kid) on Modern Family joined the muppet, Murray, at the Los Angeles Food Bank and learns what it means to be a “volunteer.” It is never too SOON to learn about volunteering.

Click here to watch this very short video with Nolan and Murray volunteering.

My grandson is only two and a half but he enjoys watching short videos with his grandmother. We watched this one together this afternoon and he was very intent as he wanted to see it several times. I explained that the word volunteer means to help others and that's what Murray and Nolan were doing. And as he gets older we’ll expand that understanding.

There are many things that I look forward to doing with Zach. Volunteering is on my list. It has been an important part of my life and I hope it will be for him too.

Grandma Marion’s Easy Thanksgiving Recipes - Sides Featuring Fresh Ingredients

2011-11-24T11:39:00.000-05:00

Still deciding about your Thanksgiving menu or planning a festive meal over the weekend? I’m taking a break from cooking and thought that I would share these two recipes with you. Both are great vegetarian dishes and share some of the same ingredients and so preparation can be done at the same time. Both dishes are old fashioned homade holiday favorites – but they are healthy with my easy updated recipes. The pictures were taken this morning before baking so they are not the final dishes.

Green Bean Casserole
What is Thanksgiving without a green bean casserole. This is one with all fresh ingredients – no soup – that is festive in color and flavor.

Ingredients
2 lbs. green beans
1 large onion
1 large green pepper
2 medium slicing tomatoes
Italian bread crumbs
2 tbs butter
Cut off ends of green beans and if long cut in half. Dice the onion and green pepper. The the tomato in half and prepare very thin slices of tomato. Although you can dice or cut the tomato in smaller pieces, these thin sliced tomatoes add to the luxury of this dish. Steam the green beans for about 4 minutes. They should still have their rich green color and be partially cooked.

Butter your casserole pan – bottom and sides. I use this oval corning ware. It’s a go to casserole dish if there ever was one. Put a layer of beans on bottom of pan. Add a layer of the thin sliced tomatoes across the top of the beans. Sprinkle a layer of diced onions and diced peppers. Sprinkle with a thin layer of Italian bread crumbs. Drizzle with some melted butter.

Repeat with one or two layers. You can make this up to this point ahead and refrigerate if you have other things to prepare.

Bake covered in a 350 oven – 20 minutes covered and then 10 minutes uncovered.

This is a healthy dish made with fresh ingredients. It is simple to make but looks and tastes right for the holidays.

Stuffing
This gets made separate from the turkey and so you can make it with a ham or whatever roast you want. It also is completely vegetarian and features fresh ingredients. it will be on everyone’s plate – for seconds and take home portions too.

Ingredients
I package Pepperidge Farm cubed Country Style stuffing
2 large onions
1 large green pepper
3 stalks of celery
1 lb mushrooms
6 tbs butter
2 cups water

Dice the onions, green pepper celery and mushrooms. Melt butter in large frying pan. Saute onions and green pepper but do not brown. Add celery half way through. Add mush rooms and complete sauté. Add the stuffing and mix well. Add the water – icup right away and then gradually until well mixed – well but not drenched or soggy.

Arrange in a sauté pan or casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

These are two good dishes to make at the same time. You can dice and slice the fresh ingredients the day before – my husband did all of that yesterday – wow he is wonderful - and preparation on the day of cooking does not take that long. They also can be put in the oven at the same time – after the turkey is taken out and cooling.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and let us kow if you tried these recipes or have your own favorites to share.

Playskool Transformers Rescue Bots for Preschoolers - A Winner

2011-11-18T15:50:00.003-05:00

When my son was elementary school age transformers were very popular and we had our share of them. It really was a cool idea for a toy and boys loved them. My grandson, Zach, is two years old so I thought I would have to wait 4-5 years before transformers were popular and suitable. But now Playskool has adapted them for preschoolers with its PLAYSKOOL HEROES product line and they can experience the adventure of big kid action figures. Based on favorite characters from the TRANSFORMERS, MARVEL and STAR WARS™ universes, the figures, vehicles and playsets are sized right and contain simple features that are easy for preschoolers to master.

I keep the toys that I have for product reviews on a counter in my home office, and Zach has learned that there can be some pretty interesting treasures there. He is too small to reach the counter but he will ask to be held so that he can look over the cache. I had two of these Transformer Rescue Bots for review and they caught his eye and then--- the request --- or is it a command --- “open.” I don’t always acquiesce to these “requests” but Zach seemed to be intrigued and so the Playskool Rescue Bot version of Optimus Prime was opened.

Zach was intrigued by the way the figure “transformed” from a rescue hero to a vehicle and I enjoyed watching his motor skills at work as he mastered changing it back and forth. He decided by himself that it was meant to be a fireman and took out this small fire truck to play with it. Later when his father visited – he was a BIG Transformer fan - he realized right away that it was Optimus Prime – and he seemed to enjoy playing with it too.

So what’s the story here? If you have a preschooler with a Dad who loved Transformers – this will be something that they both enjoy playing with together. They are reasonably priced at $11.99 each and they are available everywhere Playskool toys are sold.

If you have a bigger budget, there is the Transformers Rescue Bots Fire Station Prime Playset where the fire station turns into Optimus Prime’s face with a full featured firehouse and then can fold into a carrying case for the playset and transformers. Perfect for carrying to your grandparent’s house to play with them.

This is the best toy that I have seen directed at the pre-school boy market. It fosters healthy, imaginative play, learning about how things work and motor skill development. It’s a winner. Check it out at Amazon at a link provided below.

Our Multi-Generational Family Get Together – What a Treat!

2011-11-16T16:07:00.004-05:00

Last week my husband’s sister and her husband, Eileen and Ed, visited New Jersey from Florida to celebrate the first birthday of their twin granddaughters. Jay and Sean are the proud – and busy – parents of Ava and Leela. On Thursday they all piled into their SUV and drove an hour to our house. My daughter, Fran came to visit also with my 2 ½ year old grandson. Rounding out the crowd was my husband’s other sister, Clare. It isn’t even Thanksgiving yet and we had a large family get together.

It was the first time that the young cousins were meeting each other and they hit it off right away. Because our grandson lives nearby and visits often we are very set up for young children. It was a nice day so we started the visit outdoors.

Zach had been here awhile so he had already taken a bunch of outdoor toys out of the garage. What was so wonderful about this visit was that the kids really enjoyed themselves and Zach was so gracious sharing with his younger cousins.

The clincher is that these two big Little Tikes toys were hand me downs from Clare’s daughter, Clare’s twin boys – John and Michael. It was such a pleasure to see the youngest generation begin to bond as a family.

Here are all three kids enjoying the Little Tikes Classic Alligator Teeter Totter and Zach was happy to show off his power wheels truck to Ava. We haven’t “powered this up” yet as Zach is too young for that but we push it out of the garage and he enjoys sitting in it, hitting the horn and putting things in the back – whether it is an empty box or a bag of grass seed he picked up in the garage.

Ava enjoyed the swing

Zach was very gracious sharing his Little Tikes Cozy Coupe with Leela and Ava.

Finally we headed inside for snacks and more play in the living room. Leela had a great time with the Fisher price Little People garage and the Thomas Early Engineers railroad. She clearly will be interested in a wide range of toys and not just traditional toys for girls. Leela then recognized Elmo in the Elmo’s Christmas Flap Book that I’ll be reviewing soon. Like Zach – she loved the flaps.

A visit to our house is never complete without a duet - or quartet on the piano.

We were 8 adults and 3 young children – from 3 generations - and we all had a great time.Young children have a way of making that weave happen in such a joyful way. As we approach Thanksgiving I am so grateful for family and this year I am particularly grateful for our family’s newest generation.

Halloween – Zach Sports a Squirrel Costume

2011-11-09T17:51:00.003-05:00

Halloween was delayed in our area because of the freak snowstorm two days earlier. Since the trees were still full of leaves and we had a foot of wet snow, trees and power lines were downed everywhere. The towns in our area as a group decided to move celebrating Halloween to Friday because it just wasn’t safe on Monday for children to be out walking around.

Kids seemed to fine with this plan - trick or treating with vigor on Friday. Our neighborhood always gets lots of trick or treaters and this year we again had a big crowd.

Zach looked adorable in this squirrel costume. This is a home made creation thought up and made by my daughter, Fran, and my husband, Hugh. The starting base was a plain gray sweat suit which can now be worn all winter. Fran and I went to the craft store, Michael’s, and she bought this cotton mesh and my husband painted it with a blend of white and brown tempura paint. He applied several coats in streaks until he was satisfied that it had the proper squirrel look. He sewed grey felt ears to a grey sock cap and Fran topped off the costume with face painting the whiskers and nose. Zach was the cutest squirrel I ever saw! And yes, he loves nuts!

Zach is only two years old but he got to trick or treat in three neighborhoods. First, he visited neighbors at the condo complex where he lives. They don’t get many trick or treaters but they were prepared for Zach and everyone he visited had a treat for him. Next he visited his other grandparents to show off his costume and delight their neighbors. By the time he got to our neighborhood he was an old pro at trick or treating and had a full plastic pumpkin with his treats. But he had his last round visiting our neighbors. What fun!

I snapped these pictures at the end of all this. For the next hour Zach played and went with me or his Mom to greet the Trick or Treaters. He really enjoyed having so many kids come to the house in costume. I always offer small containers of play doh to young children and this is a super hit. The kids always leave my porch holding it up to show parents saying “I got play doh.” Parents love it too – something that isn’t candy. Zach also likes these litte containers of play doh - I highly recommend them for Halloween.

Zach had two pieces of candy and wanted another treat from his loot but his Mom was worried about sugar overload. His neighbor, Linda had given him two bananas and so his Mom offered him a banana from his pumpkin. Good news. A banana satisfied the squirrel’s desire for one of his treats.

Although I always have plenty of Hershey chocolate bars, I have found that lollipops are the favorite treat for many kids. That’s right – lollipops. I offer the good ones – Charms, tootsie roll and blow pops and they disappeared as quickly as I could add them to the basket. Lollipops provide some variety to the most common chocolate candy. As Zach studied what kids were choosing, he, of course, wanted a lollipop and so the last candy treat of the night was a lollipop from Grandma.

I must say that my daughter and husband make a great Halloween costume team. Last year's "pile of Leaves" costume was a major hit. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year. Here's the link to last year's Halloween report.

How "A Pile of Leaves" Had a Happy Halloween and Reminds Me of a "Fairy Godmother"

Marion

Cabbage Patch Dolls and National Adoption Awareness Month Working Together

2011-11-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

November is National Adoption Awareness month and JAKKS Pacific - maker of the Cabbage Patch dolls - is sponsoring a 10-day online auction on eBay of celebrity lookalike Cabbage Patch Kids.

Celebrities including Steven Tyler, Al Roker, Katherine Heigl, Kristin Chenoweth and Raven Symone are recreated as unique, one-of-a kind Cabbage Patch Kids that will be auctioned on eBay with proceeds benefitting Children’s Action Network (CAN), a national adoption awareness organization dedicated to finding homes for children in the U.S. who are in foster care.

Distinctive features of the Celebrity ‘Kids include Steven Tyler’s rocker inspired outfit and mic stand; Al Roker’s signature glasses and tailored suit; Katherine Heigl’s favorite red carpet couture; Kristin Chenoweth’s royal blue ball gown; and Raven-Symoné’s trendy romper and blinged out platform heels. JAKKS Pacific worked closely with each celebrity to make sure their one-of-a-kind ‘Kid embodied their individual look and personality. Each Celebrity ‘Kid, will also come with its own autographed birth certificate.

If you are a fan of any of these celebrities and Cabbage Patch Kids this is a great opportunity to add a unique doll to your collection that you will love showing off – autograph and all. Visit http://cpkauctionforcharity.com/ and place your bid. The auction is open November 7-17. That’s 10 days only – so don’t delay.

All proceeds of the Steven Tyler, Al Roker, and Raven Symone Celebrity ‘Kids will benefit Children’s Action Network, while Kristin Chenoweth and Katherine Heigl are donating 50 percent of funds to CAN and the other 50 percent to Maddie’s Corner and the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, respectively.

Hey Grandparents – Smart Shopping for the Holidays

2011-11-04T17:02:00.001-04:00

When my kids were little we went to ToysRUs and carted home everything we bought for them. Sometimes it was a challenge to get it in the back of the Reliant station wagon, but we always did. Well, I don’t have a station wagon anymore and I don’t have a SUV – I have a Ford Focus. I also am not as willing to cart home big bulky containers – whether or not they weigh a lot. My grandson, Zach, is 2 ½ years old so he is at the peak of things that come in big packages. But I have the modern day solution – shop online and have it delivered!

Many of the name brands have specials on sale with very good prices. Little Tikes has been having Friday four hour specials and I bought the tool workbench for Zach at a great price with this deal. If you plan to purchase something from a wish list – either your child’s idea of what your grandchild should have or what he/she wants, don’t go crazy trying to figure out how ToysRUs is organized today. That’s a project in itself. Go to Amazon.com, enter the name – even something close and 99.9% of the time it comes up. If you want to be an extra smart shopper, check out the price at walmart.com and ToysRUs.com because who has the best price can vary quite a bit. Don’t forget to make sure you know what the shipping charge will be because that can change the bottom line best price. Amazon and ToysRUs also have product reviews. If you click on the reviews you’ll see what people who have bought the product have to say – this can help you choose a toy wisely. I use this feature all the time..

My favorite place to shop online is amazon.com. It is not just for books anymore. I guess I was used to buying books there first, but I have bought everything at this site including a special hairbrush, a new rechargeable battery for my computer and a camera. So I guess it was natural to check it out for toys too. And I'm glad I did.

When I do product reviews I frequently put a link to amazon.com – but not if the price is too high. Sometimes I come back later and add the link – I did that with the cabbage patch kids when the price came down. I have also added the link to the Amazon Holiday Toy List and Countdown to Black Friday in the sidebar of this blog - you may want to check those out if you don’t get a list to work from and you are left up to your own devices to figure out what to give for holiday gifts.

In my family we have a tradition. On Thanksgiving weekend, everyone has their list of books, CDs and DVDs that they want for Christmas. We gather round the computer and check them out and I do a good bit of my holiday shopping right there. Often, there are specials on these items and so it is a good time to buy. Its convenient and everyone get what they really want instead of my idea of what they would like.

Anyway, if you haven’t shopped ofr grandkids this way, consider it. It really works for me. Cehck to sidebar or below for the link to Amazon's holiday toys list.

Leave a comment and let us know your favorite way to do holiday shopping.

Marion

Shop Amazon's Holiday Toy List

Trash Pack Collectibles and Giveaway – This Is SOOOO Much Fun

2011-10-19T16:13:00.001-04:00

Something for the boys and a giveaway too. One of my favorite new toys this season is Trash Pack. That’s right – Trash Pack. Last week I wrote about the new Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and that prompted many of you to share your memories about them. I like to write about toys that grandparents remember and are new again. But this week I’m mixing it up with something that is completely new – and mainly for the boys. The girls will enjoy this one too.

A few weeks ago I featured Trash Pack in my A Time to Play Showcase roundup and now here is my full product review and giveaway. One of the trends I noticed for this year is that lots of collectibles are being featured. Kids have always loved collecting things - playing with them, showing them off and trading with friends. In my generation it was baseball cards and my son had cases full of ninga turtles.

At A Time to Play one display that everyone stopped at, picked up stuff to look at, took pictures of and smiled at was Trash Pack. The children who were there - boys and girls - were all interested in playing with the trashies – they are sooo cute. Trash Pack is eye catching and keeps your attention with the big variety of little trashies. The trashies are squishy and stretchable and fun to play with.

The Trash Can is a collectible case with layers of little compartments that hold a single small trash can with a little “trashie” in each one. There are over a hundred different trashies each with a name more gross than the next. There are Mucky Maggot, Rankenstein, Smelly Sock, and Stinky Cheese to name a few. I know it sounds awful but they are actually very cute. The playsets are under $20 and you can buy a small two pack for $2.99. I haven’t seen another toy with these price points anywhere near as much fun as this one.

Like any good collectible item, trashies have different degrees of rarity. There are five different types – common, rare, ultra rare, glow in the dark and limited edition. I guess the limited edition would be like getting a Yankee team card in your bubble gum pack that you paid a nickel for in 1956. Someone would have to have a Yogi Berra, Roger Maris, Elston Howard or Mickey Mantle to trade to let go of that one – (I had all of them.)
I like the idea of collectible sets for grandparents who like to bring a small gift when they visit or their grandchildren visit them. A child can bring their collection to show off or play with when they visit and you can always have the perfect, low cost, and appreciated small gift for them. The two pack of trashies will make great stocking stuffers – for any age. And woo hoo – this is a quiet toy! No electronics and no noise!

Trash Pack items are available in stores exclusively at ToyRUs. They are also available at Amazon and you can click below to go directly to Amazon.

My grandson, Zach, is two years old. I have had my sample to review on the counter in my office and he reaches up for it and then holds it in both hands up to me and says to me “Garbage can - Open it up.” But it is labeled 5 and up so Mommy said no for right now. He really doesn’t put things in his mouth and Grandma thinks he will enjoy the trashies but for now I will have to put it out of the way. He’ll be getting something else from Grandma’s pile - a Transformer Rescue Bot. Mommy said he could have that - Check back for that review soon.

Giveaway Details

You can have two chances to win:
1. Leave a comment here on my blog. You can send me your email address when you enter – marionconway@aol.com or leave it in your post. .

2. Follow The Grandma Chronicles on Facebook

Deadline to enter: October 25, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be selected using random.org.

Update: Congratulations Susan on winning The Trash Pack. I'm sure that your family will have a great time with this oh so cool set.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample Trash Pack. This review is completely my own opinion.

I'll be writing product reviews over the next couple of months, so check back for more opportunities and ideas for great holiday gifts.

Winner of Cabbage Patch Doll and Announcing a Giveaway for the Boys This Week

2011-10-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

Wow! I am delighted that Susan Adcox won the Cabbage Patch doll - specifically with her entry liking @Jakkstoys on twitter. Susan writes about grandparenting at about.com and you can see her column at http://grandparents.about.com/ Susan is a former English and journalism teacher and a grandmother to seven grandchildren. I've never met Susan but I enjoy her columns and learn useful grandparenting stuff all the time from her column.

Thanks everyone for entering this great giveaway and all the enthusiastic entrants who entered in multpile ways.

Check back soon for a giveaways perfect for the boys - and a wide age range......The Trash Pack was one of my favorites at A Time to Play and I'll be presenting a review and giveaway this week.

Now I have to start cooking...Its my daughter's 7th wedding anniversary and I'm making their favorite - veal parmigiana with Ghiradelli brownies for dessert. Going to make the brownies right now.

Congratulations Susan and send me your mailing address so that Jakks can get that Cabbage Patch doll to you soon. Email me at marionconway@aol.com

Marion

A Perfect Fall Day with Zach

2011-10-12T11:59:00.000-04:00

Nothing compares with a perfect Fall day when you enjoy the last breath of summer but it is complimented by a gentle cool breeze and your mind turns to a study of the changing colors of leaves. The crisp air, a bright sun, NO humidity and the quicker step that the cooler weather brings always makes me glad to live in New Jersey. And especially glad to live near a park.

Spending a good part of a day with Zach on such a fall day really makes it a perfect day. Fran, my daughter and my grandson, Zach, and I have a routine for days like this. We go to the park. First we walk around the lake twice with Zach in his stroller. Near the end of the first lap, we take the lower level path and hope that Zach will be interested in the ducks and geese in the lake – and sometimes right next to us on the path – and not turn his head to the left, see the playground and start to point and say “Play, Play, Play”. Then we pick up the pace for a second lap and head to the playground.

Zach loves the playground and being with other children. Recently, he has been able to expand his horizons and go up to the higher level on the gym. He is now one of the “big kids” and he enjoys running back and forth on the springy ramp, crawling through the tunnel, taking the stairs without any help, and hanging out with the guys “in the castle” – that’s under the highest level. Fran and I position ourselves in different ends of the gym but we are just watching – he doesn’t need the kind of supervision he did just a couiple of months ago.

Next, he’ll lead the way to the swings and we spend some time there before Zach lets us know it is time to stop. Next stop – maybe – tennis courts. If no one is playing tennis, it is a great place to run around, perhaps find a tennis ball, or an adult with another young child who you can join. Zach loves hitting a tennis ball and next summer he will have his first racquet.

When we are all exhausted, we head back to our place for lunch and Pop takes over. Zach goes to our garage and clearly says, “Open the garage.” There are treasures there too. Out comes the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, balls, bats, etc, etc.

Finally - lunch! By this time Zach has worked up quite an appetite and eats a hearty lunch. Grandma usually provides strawberries to top it off. Fresh fruit for dessert - ummm. By this time Zach is ready to go home for a nap and I am ready to move onto jobs that have waited patiently all morning – but now with a smile on my face.

Marion

A New Cabbage Patch Updated Doll and Giveaway!!!

2011-10-04T11:12:00.002-04:00

If you had girls in your life thirty years ago you remember Cabbage Patch dolls. They were a must have doll. You “adopted” the doll and each came with her own name. You could buy Cabbage Patch doll clothes and accessories. Little girls would walk their Cabbage Patch dolls in strollers like little mothers themselves. Grown women fell in love with them and collected them. Grandmas sewed up fancy outfits for them. It was more than all the craze - it was a phenomenon. I can see you smiling and remembering your own story.

Well, Cabbage Patch kids are back, updated and cuter than ever. This Fashionista collection are not baby dolls and they each have a theme. There’s Girly Girl, Sporty Girl, Preppy Girl, Artsy Girl and more. There are a total of 12 dolls in the collection including two boys and multicultural choices. Of course, each has a name just like the original. Mine is Brianna Mika. The doll comes with a birth certificate and adoption papers creating the same feel of uniqueness that the original doll did. There also is a code and instructions to download a build a family tree program for your doll.

Here's Brianna Mika

Here’s my Cabbage Doll story – a little different than most. My daughter was in third grade when they were on almost every girl’s holiday gift list. I emphasize almost. Fran, my daughter, frequently marched to another drummer. Every store was sold out. Some specialty stores bought new ones from individuals and sold them for 2 -3 times the sticker price. I was lucky. I wasn’t one of those frantic mothers desperately seeking a Cabbage Patch doll. But as Christmas approached, I became worried that Fran would want one at the last minute and I would have no chance at getting one. It was so much easier the year before when she wanted Rainbow Brite.

I put my name on a waiting list at ToysRUs. My number was three hundred something. Fortunately, Christmas came and no request. Now I was worried that once vacation ended and she saw that everyone had one then she would have to have the Cabbage Patch doll. ToysRUs to the rescue! Several days after Christmas they called and had them in. I had 24 hours to pick it up or they would move down the waiting list. $29.95. List price. Available now and no mark up. I bought the doll and put it in the attic waiting to have it when she asked. She never did. The following year I donated it for the silent auction at the school fundraiser and it was gobbled up quickly.

I love toys that bring back memories. When you give a child a gift like a Cabbage Patch doll you also have the opportunity to share your stories and build bonds across generations. Watching children play with something that brings back memories is enjoyable for grandparents too. The Cabbage Patch Doll is made by Jakks Pacific and the retail price is $34.99.

Giveaway Details
You can have up to four chances to win. You can have multiple entries by doing each one of the following:

1. Leave a comment here on my blog.

2. Like the Cabbage Patch page on facebook - http://www.facebook.com/CPKtoys and leave a comment here to let me
know

3. Follow @JAKKStoys on Twitter and leave comment here to let me know

4. Follow The Grandma Chronicles on Facebook

Deadline to enter: October 13, 2011. The winner will be selected using random.org. Make sure to to check back to see if you won – I’ll need your address if you won. Or you can send me your email address when you enter – marionconway@aol.com. It will remain confidential.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample Cabbage Patch Doll for review purposes. This review is completely my own opinion.

I'll be writing product reviews over the next couple of months, so check back for more opportunities and ideas for great holiday gifts.

Marion

A Time to Play Gets Me Psyched About Toys for the Holidays

2011-09-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Twice a year I go into New York for A Time to Play Toy Showcase hosted by A Time to Play Magazine and The Litzky Public Relations agency. The press, including lots of bloggers, are invited to see the new toys being featured this season and get the full lowdown on how they work and what is educational, fun and interesting about them. It is always a fun and informative day but this one was the best one yet. This grandmother - and it seemed like everyone there - was like a kid in a candy store. I’ll be writing product reviews about my favorite ones over the next few months – all from a grandmother’s perspective. But today I want to highlight briefly the trends I noticed and a few that you may want to keep your eyes out for.

Trends

First the trends. There a lots of collectibles being featured this year. The cutest little things ever. Most have some kind of collectible storage case for display and safekeeping. But these aren’t the simple kind we remember storing ninga turtles in. The “storage units” snap together, stack and spin around, and are very imaginative. My favorite was this one called “The Trash Pack.” The trash can has layers of little compartments that each hold a single small trash can with a little “trashie” in each one. The playsets are under $20 and you can buy a small two pack for $2.99. These collectible sets are great for grandparents who like to bring a small gift when they visit or their grandchildren vist them. A child can bring their collection to show off or play with when they visit and you can always have the perfect, low cost, and appreciated small gift for them. If you are this kind of grandparent …..think collectibles this holiday season. This one is a big hit with boys and girls. I plan to do a bigger product review and maybe a giveaway before Christmas.

Another big trend - toys that integrate with the Internet. That’s right. That means that you have a toy that you hook up to a website through a usb connection and download a game, or other feature and the toy is “enhanced” or has multiple features. Innotab from vtech has a tablet for kids ages 5 – 9 that for $80 gives an “ipad like experience.” Using an usb you can download learning software, favorite character games, eBooks, etc. There are other features including a calendar, address book and more.

At the other end of the sprectrum you can run Barbie doll hair extensions through your printer and create your own patterns on the hair. Yes – I said the same thing you are thinking right now – Not on my printer! But I was assured it is safe to do.

Some of My Favorites at A Time to Play
Here are some of my favorites that I’ll be doing product reviews on in the next couple of months.

This updated version of cabbage patch dolls are going to fly off the shelves. I have my sample and look for the review early next week.

Playskool Rescue bot and Fire Station playset – Preschool sized transformers! Hero themes! I love this!

Monster High* and Barbie with hi tech hair extensions – Grandparents can be cool giving these as a gift

Playmobil castle - Boys and girls will have oodles of creative play with this playset

Geomag – High quality, swiss made, magnet building set

Fisher Price Big Action Construction site – Preschoolers who love Bob the Builder will go gaga over this.

The LOGO Board Game - A winner for intergenerational games playing.

Subscribe now or check back often for new product reviews and giveaways.

Remember Making Potholders? Your Grandchildren Will Still Enjoy This Timeless Pastime

2011-09-18T17:58:00.000-04:00

Now that school has started, it is a good time to have some quiet activities that are fun and encourage concentration and attention to detail. When I saw this item at the Toy Fair in New York in February I knew I had to write about it – but I wanted to save it for Fall since it is perfect for this time of year.

If you are a grandmother reading this, there is close to a 100% chance you had a potholder loom and wiled away many an hour making potholders. And then they were gifts for Mom, Grandma, Aunts, teachers, neighbors and more. Your kids probably had them too. I still use a potholder that my daughter, Fran, made as a child. It is the coaster on my night table that I put my glass of water on every night. Do you still have one?

I can remember making potholders with my friends. We would buy bags of single color loops at the 5 and 10 and then share. Sometimes the patterns alternated by 1, 2, 3 or more loops. Or the most interesting ones had more complicated patterns. I knew my Mom’s and Grandma’s favorite colors and so the potholders were always personalized gifts.

A potholder loom and yarn is one of those timeless items that children should have – like building blocks. This one is a quality product – made of metal and just like the one I had more than 50 years ago. This same set is still made right here in the United States at Harrisville Designs in New Hampshire. Both the loom and pure wool yarn are made in New Hampshire where woolen yarns have been spun since 1790. The plastic ones get poor reviews so I recommend that you get an authentic Harrisville loom as a good investment.

Today you can make more than potholders. Harrisville also makes lap and larger looms that larger advanced projects can be made on and a wide variety of weaving and knitting kits. Kits are available to make purses, hats, scarves, wall hangings and more.
Visit the Harrisville Designs website for full information on all their products and history. There is even an excellent section on brain development and the connection between activities such as weaving and brain development.

The Potholder Deluxe set can be ordered directly from Amazon at the link below. It is suitable fo children ages 6 and up to as old as you get.