My Wish for You in 2015……Peace, Love and a Philanthropic Heart

I wish all of you a joyous holiday season and a blessed New Year. Once a year I have the same post at both of my blogs Marion Conway – Nonprofit Consultant and The Grandma Chronicles. This is that joint post.

As the year comes to a close, I take some quiet time to reflect on the year that is ending and the one that is ahead.  This last year has been a good one for me.  I have moved to a more retired stage of life and yet I continue to be involved with nonprofit consulting, writing and enjoying wonderful relationships with the nonprofit community.  My work has shifted to more executive placement for small nonprofits and I particularly enjoy this work of bringing together the right person with an expectant and wonderful organization.  I had expected to shift my writing more to The Grandma Chronicles – my other blog – but alas that did not happen because of all the less discretionary commitments I had. 

It is the season to appreciate our blessings, express our love and wish for peace in the world and our lives.  It is also the season to think ahead and decide what will be our priorities and focus in the new year. In 2015, I plan again to expand my focus on the Grandma Chronicles and write more frequently and with more depth.  So far I have mostly dealt with the happy moments and there are so many of those as a grandmother that I am very grateful for.  At Marion Conway –Nonprofit Consultant my writing will focus on executive search and placement issues for nonprofits, board issues and philanthropy.

Over the last few years I have written about philanthropy and children and this is a growing interest of mine.  Recently I came across this article in the New York Times on the growing popularity of an ethical will and using technology to present it in a much more engaging way than just a written document.  

Developing and acting on a philanthropic heart is important to me and it is something that I want to explore at both blogs in 2015.  I definitely want to pass on a philanthropic heart to my grandchildren.  And so perhaps there will be more melding of the two blogs on this subject in 2015.

It is Christmas Eve and I look forward to being in church later with my grandson for the family service and children's pagaent.  You will be in my prayers. The table is set and ready for dinner tomorrow.  Tonight I'll have dinner with my husband at a favorite local restaurant and be ready to cook and celebrate tomorrow.

And so for 2015, I wish you all Peace, Love and a Philanthropic Heart.

Peace,

Marion

What a Weekend - Snowman's Band by eeboo and Pete the Cat Saves Christmas

Christmas is less than three weeks away and this weekend our five year old grandson, Zach, was with us  for a babysitting sleepover.  Christmas is in the air and I love it!  All week I had a hardcover copy of Pete the Cat Saves Christmas that I bought last Saturday at a local business on Small Business Saturday and I have this beautiful glitter “Snowman’s Band” puzzle from eeboo to review.  So here’s the weekend report and review.

Zach with the "Snowman's Band" puzzle from eeboo

Zach loves puzzles and “Pop” and I love doing puzzles with him.  He amazes me with his quickness and puzzle making ability.  My husband and I have the same technique – we like to complete the outside frame and so we know what we are working with and then complete the inside.  Zach is not confined by this orderly approach. 

He decides what figure he is interested in and looks for the pieces that will complete that figure.  Meanwhile we are trying to put all the outside pieces in one place so he can complete the outside.  I imagine we are a funny threesome to watch do a puzzle.  Anyway, after a bit he sees the sense in completing the outside and quickly finished that off.  From there, it is fun to see how each piece helps complete the whole picture.   

 

Zach and Pop work diligently on the puzzle

 

We have some other puzzles that I bought in the Dollar store, but this one is completely different.  The pieces are larger, sturdier and made of 90% recycled gray board with soy based inks.  When finished, the picture is 15x15 inches.  Each piece has a light glitter and it is a beautiful sparkly bright scene with a soft glitter.  Zach was impressed by the glitter aspect.  It is a busy scene and we all enjoyed talking about it.  The 4 snowmen are playing instruments and the animals have presents.  We noticed the beaver with his wrapped log and the bird with her sheet music – how appropriate. The puzzle has 64 pieces and box says for ages  5+. Since it is so multicolor with distinctive characters, it was reasonable for a 5 year old to do with some “coaching help” from grandparents.

The Completed Snowman's Band Puzzle from eeboo

Zach knew the wrapped package on the dining room table was a book for him.  He didn’t know what was in it and he couldn’t wait to open it.  What a squeal of joy when he saw “Pete the Cat Saves Christmas.”  His kindergarten teacher had read it in school, he loved it and he was so excited to have his own copy.  This book is beautifully illustrated and an “adapted story of the Twas the Night Before Christmas.  

I love traditions and after this weekend, I know that doing a Christmas puzzle and reading Pete the Cat Saves Christmas on a weekend visit before Christmas will become a tradition for us.  If you will be seeing your grandchildren soon, you don’t have to wait until Christmas Day to enjoy the season.  Carpe diem and enjoy!

To complete the weekend ...a visit to our town's "Fair in the Square".....

I usually show a link to Amazon for products I review,  but this and other puzzles from eeboo are much cheaper right on the eeboo website and the website has lots of other high quality items at reasonable prices that you might be interested in, so here is the link to the eeboo website.

For Pete the Cat Saves Christmas..