Last year, at this time, we were getting ready for a virtual holiday boutique, holding a contest for Fall Favorite Flavors for Hot Cocoa Bombs, publishing a new Fall Favorite Hot Cocoa Bomb Book and making Hot Cocoa Bombs like crazy because we were doing our 1 time holiday sale of actual Hot Cocoa Bombs! This year does not look like last year.  This year we are blogging a couple of times a week and I'm hoping to get some Cocoa Bombs made for my family to enjoy during the holidays.  I am spending most of my time at medical facilities where my husband is still recuperating from the long term effects of Covid-19.  
     Although life seems pretty difficult lately, I know that I have so much to be grateful for.  My husband is getting well, when so many have not.  I have learned that it is possible to be sad and thankful at the same time.  I am so thankful for my supportive and loving children and extended family.  They are one reason I haven't thrown my hands up and decided to totally forget blogging!  My daughters and I have a connection through this work that I am so reluctant to give up.  And writing to you about my family and life is comforting and a great way for me to think through how I actually feel.  I appreciate our readers who stick with us! 

    So, this year we simply want to remind you that Hot Cocoa Bombs are something that we are really proud of! We created them 7 years ago and last year they became such a huge trend!  We did not become rich from them, but we love that an idea that we had became so popular! I don't know what the new trend will be this year, but after 7 years, we still love Hot Cocoa Bombs!  If you haven't tried your hand at making them, we have published 2 booklets to help you out!  One is our original Hot Cocoa Bomb Idea Book, available on Etsy as a downloadable booklet.

     Our Fall Favorites Book is available on Etsy, also as a downloadable book.  It is also available on Amazon in a Kindle format. 
     Check them out right now and get a deal!  We are offering a great price to kick off Hot Cocoa Bomb Season! As a matter of fact for this week only, October 11-October 15, we are offering a 25% discount on Etsy ebook purchases! 

     If you just want a few tips to help you along, you can always check out these blog posts from the past: 
*Make Hot Cocoa Bombs the 3 Winks Way
​*12 Days of Hot Cocoa Bombs
​*Our Original Cocoa Bomb Post from 2014
*Chocolate Covered Cherry Bombs with Video!

    While you are in our Etsy Shop, don't forget to check out our For The Love of Pie Book,  because it is also getting to be that pie baking time of year! 
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     Now that school is back in full swing, kids need to be reading books for book reports, be exposed to  different genres and  fulfill homework assignments to read for a certain amount of time and so forth.  Sometimes it is really difficult to decide what to choose to read when kids are in those middle grades!  I asked my two oldest granddaughters to give me a hand for this post and tell me what they have been loving to read lately.  They are in grades 7 and 5 this year.  Here is what is on their favorites lists and what they have to say about these books. 

Heidi Heckelbeck by Wanda Coven:   Stories of an ordinary girl who happens to be a witch is one of Jayda's favorites!  She loved the fun and silliness of the stories and can't wait to read them all! There are 10 books in the series! 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate: This is the story of a gorilla who has lived in captivity al of his life, told from his perspective.  Shyanne says that even though Ivan is a gorilla, readers can still compare his experiences to their own lives and learn from Ivan's challenges.  

Sixth Grade Secrets by Louis Sachar:  Shyanne says that if you like humor, this book is for you.  She says that it really did sum up what 6th grade was like for her! Sounds like a great choice for a 6th grader! 

Wings of Fire Series by Tui T. Southerland:  This series is so popular that school librarians can't keep them on the shelves!  Shyanne and her brother have both enjoyed these books immensely! This is a fantasy series where dragons are the main characters.  There is a lot of action and adventure that kids and adults love! 

Horse Diaries by Catherine Hapka: If you have a kid who loves horses like my granddaughters do, they will enjoy these books told from the horses point of view! The nice thing is that there are so many in the series, it will be a long time before they run out of something to read! 

    I love that these girls have varied tastes that run from fantasy to humor and everything in between.  Hopefully some of their ideas will appeal to your kids! 

    Here are some past reading selections that your kids may enjoy! 
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

​The Geronimo Stilton Series

​Treasure Island (Don't forget the Classics!)

5 Timeless Book Series for Tweens

24 Christmas Books to Read with Your Kids
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  I know that it isn't Friday, but I wanted to repost this fun article about some of our favorite poetry!  It was popular a few years ago (4/14/2017) and I think that you will enjoy it again today! Be sure to let us know what some of your favorite poetry is! 

     One blogger that I like to follow is Janssen on Everyday Reading.  In that linked post, she wrote about poetry books for poetry month and reminded me that April is National Poetry Month!  I thought, "What a great idea for Friday Faves!  Our favorite poems!"  Well, it turned out to be a more difficult task for all of us than I had anticipated!  So, let me just warn you that this is not going to be one of our conventional Friday Faves! 

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    One thing that has happened because of this global pandemic is a lot more screen time for everyone, especially kids who have had to participate in school online for what seems like forever.  Then, after they finish school, they want to play video games to relax! Does anyone even know how to play outside anymore?  Believe it or not, BOOKS can help open up the world for you and get everyone outside for a change!