Grampie's woodworking

I have a great woodworking story to share. My son who is 7 years old asked me one day if his Grampie was Santa Claus. I said no, but why do you ask. He said because he makes great wood toys just like Santa. Of course I laughed. Indeed he does. He then said can we make some wood toys. I thought about it, because I do have some woodworking ability, said sure. Not really knowing what I was getting into, we got some scrap wood and started cutting ,sanding, nailing and gluing. Before long we had made a pretty good wood airplane. Not as good as Grampie's, but good. It was great fun for the both of us. It gave my son appreciation of what really goes into making wood toys. He still likes the Wee Organics toy better, but we had great fun. Keep up the good work!!!!

Books that help raising a child

I recently began reading two books to help me figure out raising my two children. I have a 8 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. The first book is The Good Son by Michael Gurian and the second is Girls will be Girls by JoAnn Deak. I feel both books have helped me relax and deal with behavior, punishment, and their education so much better.

I also wanted to share some books I gave a friend who had a family member dying of cancer and needed to help her kids cope with such sadness. The first is The Next Step, a wonderful book for young and old. The second book is Sad Isn't Bad, a perfect book for a child trying to understand death and dying.

Haiti and Compassion

The Haiti disaster reminds me that acts of compassion add meaning to our lives.EMILY DICKINSON [1830-1886] wrote

If i can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If i can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

Thank you to all the first responders to this tragedy. You have also enriched our lives.

CHRISSY HAS SOME GREEN HINTS AFTER CHRISTMAS

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In the after glow of the holidays, I realized all the time spent with family and friends was well worth my time personally (learned some new holiday recipes) and professionally (amazing eco friendly ideas). My friends and family have been fine tuning their way of living “green.” Of course, I asked as many questions that I could without looking creepy. Continue reading to find some of the easy things my friends and family have been doing.


Shred all your used wrapping paper to make decorative bag filler instead of tissue paper.


Prune some of your over grown plants and start new ones by placing the clippings in a glass of water which will force roots to grow. Don’t forget to put your glass in the sun to help the process along.


While emptying the dehumidifier, use the water to nourish your indoor plants.


Send your broken holiday lights to Recycling Program 118 Rosehill Drive, Suite 1, Jackson, MI 49202 or check out HolidayLEDs.com.


Save your plastic shopping bags and use to line your bathroom trash can or for cleaning out the liter box.


Break up your old bread and spread it around your backyard or a park for the neighborhood birds.


Buy a compost bin and save your kitchen scraps. Eventually, you will produce the best soil you have ever seen! (As said by my friend)


Save on time and cleaning supplies by taking your shoes off at the door of your home.


Reuse your plastic sandwich bags by just rinsing them out and hanging them to dry.


Use a wash cloth to wipe up the baby after his/her meals instead of paper towels.


As for baby wipes, buy one plastic container and just buy the refill wipes. We don’t need so many plastic containers ending up in the landfill.


I hope you find these tips helpful. I know I did. Let me know how it is going at Chrissyc1@cox.net

Worry Free Holidays

This is the time of year that there is too much to worry about ... work, finances, traffic, the weather, holiday shopping. At Wee Organics, we hope to take some of your stress away. Please review all the Wee Organics all-natural, American-made toys and products so that you can stay worry free as your little one plays and learns.

Holiday cookies are fun!

As i start thinking of, OMG, the holidays, i begin with Halloween stuff. The budget these days is not so great, so i will be making as many gifts and treats as i can. I have seen some very cute stuff in Parent Magizine; maple sugar buttons, pumpkin puffs and many more economical ideas. Just go to www.parents.com and click foods and recipes. You will see all the holidays covered with many ideas.

enjoy
grammie

Advocate for children

Dr. David Tayloe, President of the Academy of Pediatrics {AAP} states "children are not miniature adults and have unique developmental and health needs. See www.aap.org for a wealth of information about child health. Caring adults-parents,family members,teachers,medical professionals must take steps to ensure children get the best start in life.
* make sure they get their vaccinations on time
* help them eat a healthy diet. Limit sugary drinks
* encourage them to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains early in life
* encourage exercise. At least an hour of physical activity daily
* limit "screen time" to two hours or less
* keep them safe. Require seat belts, helmets when bike-riding
* if you smoke, QUIT. Second-hand smoke increases children's risk of asthma, respiratory infections and many other serious health problems.
" we all want the best for our children. It's up to us to be their advocates.

Sharen