Welcome to GrannyCamp 4 Me

Happy Valentine’s Day --- It’s almost here!!

      Have you been trying to think of a little something different to do with your loved one/ones this year for Valentine’s Day?  If your answer is  ”Yes.”  ---  Me too.  Children (and most of us) get candy, more than we need, most any time we want.  Candy just isn’t as much of a “treat” as it used to be.  Admitted, cards are wonderful and appreciated, especially the homemade kind.  Well, how about something to actually DO together--- something that requires spending a little time.  Even something that can be carried on for a few days or even weeks, if you’d like.--- And it doesn’t require spending a large block of time, unless you want it to.  I have an idea for you that I tried with some of my grands a few days ago.  I fixed up a couple of LOVE BUCKETS.  You might be asking, What is a Love Bucket?  Just keep on reading...

      To do this little activity, you’ll need a couple of containers to make into buckets.  For instance you might want to get a couple of plastic food containers and glue or poke holes to attach handles made of something like card board, string or pipe cleaners.  I went to the dollar store to look for a couple of simple buckets, preferably in the color red.  I found some that were just right and the price was right as well---- 2/ $1.00.  So I bought 4 buckets since I have 2 sets of grands and I’ll need two buckets for each set.  So the buckets cost me a whopping $2.00.  I was pretty satisfied.  Are you with me on this?  

      So after I had secured the buckets, the rest was simple since I knew that I had the rest of the necessary materials at home.  If you wish to do this activity, your materials and equipment list goes like this:

·       2 buckets

·       construction paper, preferably in Valentine’s Day colors

·       glue

·       scissors

·       markers, crayons, pens, or pencils

The pictures can show you just what to do:

       Let’s just call this activity,  “Love Buckets”.   [Since I made it up, I figure I can call it anything I’d like.]   

      Onto one bucket, glue a heart that says,  “LOVE Bucket” on one side and a heart that says,  “The LOVE Goes Out” on the other side.  For this bucket, you ask the child, or your spouse, or your sweetheart, etc..... the question something like this-----

      For our grands, I asked: “How do you give love to your daddy?”   “... to your Mommy?”   ~  “...to me?”   ~  “...to your Dodaddy” (that’s my husband)   ~  “... to God?”  ~ “... to your sibling?”.   You can make it up as you go, however it is appropriate in your situation.  I especially liked TheJoy’s answer to the question on how he likes to give love to his Daddy and his answer was, “When I watch football with him.”  Next, the child is to write, on a paper heart, the answer on one side and his/her name on the other side and put into “The LOVE Goes Out”  bucket.  (If he/she cannot write yet, some one else can do it for them.)

      Onto the other bucket, glue a heart that says,  “LOVE Bucket” on one side and a heart that says,  “The LOVE Comes In” on the other side.  For this bucket, you ask the child, or your spouse, or your sweetheart, etc.... the question something like this-----

      For our grands, I asked: “How do you like to receive love from your daddy?”  ~  “... from your Mommy?”    ~  “... from me?”  ~  “... from God?”  ~  “... from your sibling?”.   As before, you can make it up as you go, however it is appropriate in your situation.  I especially liked Grana’s answer to the question on how she likes to receive love from me.  Her answer was, “When you invite me over.”   Then as with the other bucket, writing it on paper hearts and put it into the bucket.

      I suggest that you keep the buckets in a visible place and have available more blank hearts so that more love responses can be added to each bucket as people think of other ways they like to give and receive love.

     So far, I have done this with my husband, my parents and only two of my grands and they really did enjoy it.  I hope to get to continue it more with all four of the local grands.  And I am planning a trip down south in a few days and plan to do it with the down-south grands while I’m there there.

      This activity is great to do in a family unit and would be terrific in a Sunday School class as well.  It could be easily adapted to just focus on God---- the ways He shows love for “me” and the ways “I” show love to Him.  So get your LOVE Buckets ready ‘cause Valentine’s Day is right around the corner!  Spread the LOVE around!

~~~Today’s Granny Camp Recipes ~~~

This is my favorite Valentine’s Day Cake, and

I like to make it in heart shaped pans.

Strawberry Cake

1  10-oz.  pkg. frozen strawberries

1  white cake mix 

3  oz. pkg. strawberry gelatin

4  eggs

1  c. oil

1 stick  butter, softened

1 lb. box confectioners sugar

Drain strawberries well, reserving juice.  Add enough water to juice to make 1 cup.  Combine cake mix, gelatin, eggs and oil.  Add water-juice mixture & mix well.  Pour into sheet cake pan.  Bake at 350* till done,  about 24 – 30 min.(Depends on oven.)  Cool. 

Blend butter,  conf. sugar,  and strawberries.  Frost cake.

Welcome to GRANNY CAMP 4 ME !

Are we ever going to have WINTER, 2012?  Where’s the SNOW?  Where are the SnowDays?  ---You know--- SnowCream and Snowball Battles and SnowMen---& Women?  You might have snow where you are but it’s pretty sparse here in our part of Virginia.

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      Through the years, GrannyCamp often involves creative crafts and creative foods.  But when the weather and/or location presents special opportunities, we like to be all over it as much as possible.  In today’s post, let’s look at some such times.

      When there is snow on the ground, this Granny loves to go outside with the grands and get in on the fun.  I do love sleigh riding and yes, I find it harder every year to make my way back up the hill! [Actually last year found me a bit slowed down from hand injuries & surgery but I laughed a lot, encouraged a lot and made lots of Hot Chocolate.  Speaking of which, our family really loves our homemade Hot Cocoa recipe, which you’ll find at the end of today’s post.  And, hopefully before this winter is over, we’ll have a few frosty, snowy days that simply cry out for Hot Chocolate!

      Let’s go back a few years to a winter time GrannyCamp for a couple of our down south grands.  Booker and Dancer had prayed that we would have snow in Virginia while they were here.  When they arrived, there was a little piled up here and there but not enough to hardly notice.  As we got into town we paid a visit to the great grand parents and the girls found just enough of the white stuff to challenge Pawpaw to a battle.  And he has never turned one down yet.  I had no idea that so much fun could be squeezed out of a little pile of snow at the edge of a driveway.  I’m thinkin, “These girls are desperate for some snow!”  Even though it was sparse, they still had a blast.



Sometimes it just doesn't take much to totally THRILL a young child!



      They told Pawpaw and Memaw how thankful they were that they had saved them some snow.  And I warned them that this might be all the snow they would see for this GrannyCamp week.

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      So guess what we woke up to, on their first morning here?  Well no, not exactly a fluffy white covered ground.  But, we did get an exciting start.....

Booker was up early and could not have been happier .....

Booker's prayer was answered!

Before long, we ate our pancakes and were out enjoying the

white stuff!

Just enough snow for some great rides down the hill..... 

     It didn't seem like much to Doodie and me but these girls could not have been more satisfied.

Booker's pride of the day!

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      Location! Location! Location!

      Let’s look at some GrannyCamp in Perdido Key with the other grands, way back when they lived in the panhandle of Florida.  These photos were taken when my husband and I were caring for the 4 children while their parents went on a cruise.  Our son and his wife had left on Christmas day so the next day we 6 went to the beach.  I have to say, I have never spent time on a beach during Christmas week.  Even though, I love the water, I did not get in it this time. 

       When was the last time you found yourself on the beach in late December?  I'm thinkin it was my first. 

This was an amazing day for feeding the birds. TheMighty was mesmerized with it for a long time.

A breezy 65 degrees is not swimming weather for me.  But for certain little boys it’s great weather for teasing the waves. 

Oh Yea, the waves got their revenge a few times.

Now this one has no intention of getting into that water.  Instead he is into the snacks.

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Meanwhile back at home later on, Grana really gets into her embroidery.  This was her first experience and one of the best GrannyCamp activities we have ever done.  All eight of our grands have been willing to give it a try.  The boys did well but were not so much into it.  But Grana, after a little practice, decided to embroider all the names of her siblings and cousins on her new quilt that we had given her for Christmas.  Very nice job!

Would someone please tell me how kids come up with some of their ideas. Trust me, neither the Grandpa nor I had anything to do with this creative idea!

I believe I'll just end it here, hopfully with you having a smile on your face.  And hoping no one is offended by this rather crude display.  It's all in good fun folks.

Stay tuned for ...

~~~Today's GrannyCamp Recipes~~~

Instant Hot Cocoa Mix

1  (16 oz.) jar  non-dairy creamer

1 ½ lb.  Nestles Quick

½ to 1 (1 lb..)  box  powdered sugar

8-qt. size  (10 2/3 c.)  nonfat dry milk

Mix all ingredients together.  Store in airtight containers.

Put approximately ½ c. mix in mug, add boiling water & stir.

Broccoli Corn Bread

12  oz.  chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

½  - 1½  c.  chopped onion

2  sticks butter, melted

4  eggs, beaten

1  tsp.  salt

2 -8 oz. boxed Jiffy Corn Bread Mix

8  oz.  cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased and floured 13” x 9” sheet cake pan.  Bake 40- 45 min. or until lightly browned. Do not over bake.

Hobo Beans    -- So fitting for wintertime --

1/2  lb.  bacon,  fried,  drained & crumbled      1  c.  ketchup

1/2  lb.  ground beef,  browned & drained        1  c.  brown sugar

1  onion,  chopped & cooked  w/beef                 1  tsp. prepared

                                                                                               mustard

1  can Pork N' Beans                                             1  tsp.  vinegar

1  can  Butter Beans

1  can  Kidney Beans

1  can  Northern  Beans

For Crock Pot:   Stir together all the beans.  Add bacon, beef & onions.  Then add ketchup, brown sugar,  mustard & vinegar.  Stir together.  Cook in crock pot all day or at least for 3 hours.

For Oven:   follow instructions above then place mixture in oven proof dish & bake for about 1 hour.  The longer it bakes the better the flavor.

I always drain canned beans and even rinse them well if they have high fructose corn syrup added.