Fall is one of our favorite times of the year. It is the beginning of so many fun things to come: Fall festivals, changing leaves, crisp mornings, cozy sweaters and everything pumpkin and cinnamon. We are already anticipating the fragrance of turkey, all the trimmings and the day of celebrating all that we are thankful for.

Gigi Susie Christmas is literally right around the corner and for the budding artist in your family, this sketcher is a must!

The smART sketcher® 2.0 Projector puts the fun of drawing and writing into the hands of kids.

⭐️ Right out of the box, children can engage in 60+ sketching and learning activities. You can also purchase additional cartridges so the artist can draw: insects, horses & unicorns, royal princesses, space odyssey, on the farm, under the sea, jungle animals & dinosaurs.

⭐️ Step-by-step instructions guide small hands through the entire process.

Learn to draw & sketch platform

Compliments STEAM learning & encourages creativity

Step-by-step sketching at your own pace

Project any image using Free app for iOS and Android

Recommended for ages 5 to 105!

The free smART sketcher® 2.0 app creates endless options by letting kids take a photo, project it on paper and begin to sketch like a pro!

USB cable power cable included.

(Can also be used with 4 x “D” batteries – not included)

Although the recommended age begins at 5, I purchased this to give to my 4 year old grandson for Christmas so he can spend some screen free time learning how to create drawings. You can purchase this from flycatchertoys.com. I plan to pair this with some new colored pencils and this cute container and it can be purchased here.

I hope this gives you a great gift idea for the artists in your family!

Lala Malana

If you have the joy of little ones at your Thanksgiving table, this is a must activity to keep them occupied while you are working away preparing your feast. These coloring Thanksgiving placemats are a fun way to keep them busy as well give them an opportunity to contribute to the table decor.

These sweet placemats can be purchased here.

Mimi Jackie

While my heart and mind are focused on the moments we long for in the month of November, there is also the desire to plan and begin my Christmas shopping for each of our 6 grandchildren. I love gifting each grandchild with one gift that they want, one gift they need, one gift to wear, something to read and something they don’t know they want. This is our five gift rule. So with that, this year I found the perfect gift for one of our 4 year old grandsons (we have 5 grandsons and 1 granddaughter)!

The PuzzleRacer Kids Car Track Set! It’s not only going to be a lot of fun for him but educational as well. This Mimi loves the thought of that. The PuzzleRacer Kids Track is a one-of-a-kind toy with its unique mix-and-match design, which will keep him entertained for quite a while. His parents may appreciate that with a newborn in the house this Holiday season! The puzzle is more than just racing cars, it helps with brain-boosting challenges that enhance problem-solving skills, as well as logic and motor coordination. Our grandson’s mom is an Occupational Therapist and will love and appreciate this gift for him as well. You can purchase it at this link. Learning through play provides so many important life skills. You can choose from several themed puzzles such as dinosaur, ocean, land, and space!

Nana Alison

The holidays are always a time when I never have enough ovens – ha! This is also true when my grandkids would like a snack or meal and I don’t want to heat up my whole kitchen. I found this retro air fryer/toaster oven during Prime Days and I just love it! Currently, there are some coupons out there. You can purchase it here and it comes in other colors as well: black matte, stainless steel and green.

[INFRARED HEATING + TRUE CONVECTION AIR FRY] The cutting-edge Technology features a powerful and effective heat radiation system, coupled with a high-velocity heated-air circulation, which results in a quick and deliciously flavorful brown crust while preventing food from becoming overcooked or dried out. It ensures that the interior of food remains tender and juicy, stays succulent and moist up to 35%, providing a perfect balance of texture and taste.

[SUPER VERSATILE “10-in-1” AIR FRYER CONVECTION TOASTER OVEN] Unlike typical air fryer or oven with a single function this oven offers 10 preset digital functions that include Air Fry, Toast, Bake, Broil, Roast, Reheat, Warm, Slow Cook, and Dehydrate. This versatile 10-in-1 combination allows you to prepare a variety of dishes with ease and convenience, making your cooking experience more enjoyable than ever before.

[FAMILY & PARTY SIZE CAPACITY] VAL CUCINA stands out on the market with a 30%-60% larger capacity. You can easily roast a 5-6lb chicken, toast 6 slices of bread, cook a large batch of French fries, 20 chicken wings, or bake a 12-inch pizza, all in one go. This larger capacity is perfect for families, entertaining, or meal prepping, making it a versatile and essential addition to any kitchen

[CRUNCHY and HEALTHY COOKING EXPERIENCE] The Air Fry feature is a healthier alternative to traditional frying, reducing fat by up to 75%. Enjoy all your favorite foods guilt-free, including deep-fried favorites like fries. With intensive and efficient infrared heating combined with true convection, the air fryer toaster oven delivers perfectly crispy and golden results every time. This delivers an exquisite blend of texture and flavor, ensuring a superb culinary experience.

I know you’ll love this oven as much as I do and it looks amazing on my kitchen counter as well.

To keep you warm during the cooler months of fall and winter, here’s a yummy one pot healthy Turkey Lentil Chili taken from fitlivingeats.com.

Turkey Lentil Chili (6 servings)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup dry green lentils

4-ounce can diced green chilies

15-ounce can tomato sauce

15-ounce can diced tomatoes

6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, turkey, salt and pepper. Brown the turkey until cooked through, breaking it up with a spatula and stirring occasionally. Once cooked through, add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and chipotle powder. Stir to combine. Stir in the lentils, diced green chilies, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer, leaving the lid slightly cracked. Simmer for 45 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.

To serve, top with ingredients of choice (plain Greek yogurt, avocado, crushed chips and jalapeno slices are all great options). Enjoy!

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Blessings to all of you as you celebrate together with family and friends.

Originally Published on https://www.gigiconnection.com/

Gigi Connection Grandparenting

With decades of friendship between us, we aim to empower and encourage women of all ages as we share, from our hearts, topics relating to health, beauty, fashion, reading, cooking, faith in God, travel and the joys of aging gracefully as we live life with our friends, family and adoring grandchildren.

Our greatest hope is that with almost 200 collective years of marriage wisdom, 20 grandchildren between us (newborn-12 years of age) and friendships lasting since 1989, our blog encourages you in some way in your friendships, your relationships, your faith, your self and in this wonderful journey called grandparenting.