Growing Capable Adults

A special thank you to guest blogger, grandfather, and author Jim Doudiet for sharing his thoughts and experiences to encourage and inspire grandparents to connect with their grandchildren. In my book, The Best Ideas I’ve Ever Heard (What I Want My Grandchildren to Know), I have an essay which is titled “A Parent’s Objective: growing…

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Wrapping Christmas Gifts with Love

Gift wrapping gets my creativity is high gear. Finding a great gift and wrapping the present entices the person receiving the gift to enjoy the presentation as much as the gift itself. I also like the gifts as decorations under the Christmas tree, to add a festive flair! Each gift reminds me of a special…

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Christmas Gift Giving Tips for Little Kids

Christmas is the most WONDERFUL time of the year! Wrapping gifts with little ones can be fun and challenging. Here are a few easy Christmas gift giving tips to include your littles without driving yourself crazy or ending up with a wrapping mess. Five Easy Tips for Littles to Help in Gift Giving Define the…

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The Simple Gold Bracelet

Post by guest blogger, Diane Applehoff. Watch for more stories, ideas, and strategies to connect to the younger generation. A simple gold bracelet is my most cherished gift! When I was young, the most interesting relative I knew was my mother’s sister, Almira. She was truly a  fascinating person. She was a missionary nurse who…

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Fanciful Food for Playtime

Guest blogger, Carol Olsen, is passionate about grandparents speaking into the lives of their grandchildren. Enjoy this darling idea for fanciful food for playtime to make playtime fanciful, artistic, and memorable. Watch for more ideas in future posts on Faith First Parent. And please share with your family and friends!  Grandma Ginny’s Gift Years ago, Grandma…

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Homemade Gifts: Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Candy Canes

Generosity is love in action. Homemade gifts come from thought, time, and the heart, especially hot cocoa mix with candy cane stir sticks! This Christmas, plan how you will instill a generous spirit in your kids. Who can you and your family bless? Getting the kids involved in the gift preparation and giving, helps them…

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10 Shopping Strategies for Parents of Littles

Shopping…some like it, others hate it. Holiday shopping has it’s own sparkle as well as tarnish. The cheerful carols, mistletoe, and tinsel are combined with grouchy shoppers, slushy snow, and fatigue. One of the big challenges during the holidays is shopping with young children. With the barrage of ads and bulging shelves at stores touting…

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The Smile Business at Christmastime

Christmas Eve was not a typical day at my house as a child. Festive? Yes. Busy? Definitely. Purposeful? Absolutely. The day began early with preparations for the annual Christmas Eve deliveries. Sturdy paper plates were piled high with delicious cookies. Jars of homemade pickled herring were decorated with bows. My dad’s smoked chickens were labeled…

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Organizing Ribbons & Wrappings, Boxes & Bows

I love giving presents to people! Making the package look pretty and seeing delight in a loved one’s eyes makes my heart glad. But rolls of giftwrap, ribbons, bows, and cards can be a mess. Here’s how I keep the clutter to a minimum. • Store rolls of wrapping paper in a 13-gallon plastic trash…

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Wrapping Up the Holiday: Get Organized

Exchanging gifts reminds us of God’s Greatest Gift, Jesus Christ. The wise men travelled far to deliver gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Christ Child. They each had one present to think about. Most Christmas lists are l-o-n-g! And getting those gifts organized can be stressful. Here are a few ways to alleviate…

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