Overview

My grandmother is a farmer and she inspired me to follow suit. Through farming and gardening we have been able to connect. She has taught me that its okay to try something new and if it doesn't work out "Oh well we'll try another thing". One day when we were talking on the phone she told me that some of her crops did not do as well as she had hoped. During the call she was so calm about her disappointment, that it showed me that even if things don't go as expected I can choose peace and things will all be okay. I really love my grandma and wish I had more time to spend with her. She lives in my parents home country so we communicate over the phone and by letter. She means so much to me. 💛💛💛

To me, family isn't always about blood. Family can be the people you choose the ones who stay, who love you through the good and the bad, and who never stop showing up. It’s checking on you just because, remembering the little things, showing up when you need them, celebrating your wins, sitting with you through the hard days, and laughing together until your stomach hurts.

family is the people who care about you. They are there for you when you need them even if its to say its going to be ok. They make you feel safe and loved. Blood doesn't matter some of the best family is people who are not related to you.

❓ Question of the Day: ❤️ What makes someone feel like family to you?

My Mamaw was such an inspiration to me. She was a true Southern woman who knew how to live off the land, and somehow, she always seemed to know a little bit of everything. She taught me how to cook, sew, bake, and most importantly, how to survive with what the land gave us. We would take nature hikes together, and she would teach me about different trees, roots, and plants and the ways they could be used. I remember her telling me about sassafras roots and how, when boiled, they tasted just like root beer. She taught me that polk berries could be used to dye material, that wild honeysuckle could be made into tea, and that you could even make dandelion honey from, of course, dandelions. She had so much knowledge tucked away inside her. It was like she carried an entire little book of the earth around with her, and I was lucky enough to sit beside her and learn from it. You could hand my Mamaw a simple scrap of clothing and somehow, in her hands, it could become something extraordinary. She had this beautiful way of taking what seemed ordinary and turning it into something useful, beautiful, and special. Because so much of who I am came from the things my Mamaw taught me, and I think a little piece of her will always live on in the things I create with my own two hands.

All of my grandparents have passed away. I was close to all of them. I had a grandma on my step moms side ( My step mom was mom to me and raised me) anyways she used to watch me since she lived down the road from me. She would buy me a soda and chips at the bar and then give me tons of quarters for the pinball machine or game machine, She would wait for me to get off the bus because she had dinner ready for me even though she knew mom would too lol. She passed when I was 13 years old unfortunately. I had a grandma and grandpa on my dads side. I also spent a lot of time with them too. They also watched me a lot too. I spent full summers twice with them. once to help grandpa after his heart attack the other to help when grandma broke her ankle. We went to their house for all holidays including Halloween where all of us grandkids trick or treated together. Grandma cooked huge holiday meals. grandpa loved western movies and judge Judy. I had a grandma and papa on my bio moms side. They lived in South Carolina but still stayed involved with my life even though my bio mom did not. We went and visited them 3 summers in a row. They sent me a card for all holidays gifts for my birthday and Christmas. and called me and talked to me a lot.

my grandparents were a big part of my life. My grandma taught me how to cook chicken noodle soup, how to can tomatoes Every Christmas us grandkids would go over to frost sugar cookies every Easter we went and colored eggs the day before Easter. I spent a whole summer with my grandpa after his heart attack so he could still deliver flowers for my aunts flower shop. He would spoil us grandkids rotten all we had to do is tell him someone was "picking on me" and he would yell at them.

To bake My granny loved to bake

I also had a granny too

I had a Nana and now my grandson calls my Nana and my late husband was pop.

My grandma was Granny until I had kids, then she was GG (great grandma).

Before my grandparents pasted away they were Nana and Papy. My niece and nephew however call my parents Gigi and Papa.

How to sew and make clothes... My grandma taught me to use a sewing machine when I was young.

Week 2 — What Is Family? ❤️ Families come in all shapes and sizes. Some family members are related to us, and some aren't. Family might include parents, children, grandparents, siblings, partners, caregivers, friends, pets, or other special people. The people we choose as family can be just as important as the family we are born into. Families care for one another and help each other feel loved, safe, accepted, and like they belong. Family is the people we love who support us and care about us. Family looks different for different people, but we all need a place to belong and feel safe. 📺 Learn About It What does a family look like? There isn't one answer. Families can include: 👩 Moms 👨 Dads 👩‍👩 Two moms 👨‍👨 Two dads 👵 Grandparents 👴 Grandparents 👨‍👩‍👧 Stepfamilies 👶 Adoptive families 🏠 Foster families 👯 Siblings ❤️ Partners 🤝 Chosen family 🐾 Pets Some families live together. Some live far apart. Some people are related biologically. Others become family through: adoption marriage caregiving friendship or simply choosing to show up for one another again and again. ❤️ WHAT MAKES SOMEONE FEEL LIKE FAMILY? Maybe they: 👂 Listen 🤝 Help 😂 Make you laugh 🧸 Comfort you 🎉 Celebrate with you 🛡️ Help you feel safe 🗣️ Let you be honest 🙅 Respect your boundaries Family isn't only about: “Who are you related to?” It can also be: “Who helps you feel that you belong?” 🎨 Color/Draw Who Is My Family? Draw anyone you consider part of your family. People don't have to be related to you to belong in your picture. Coloring Pages ✂️ Craft — My Family Circle Put yourself in the center of a paper. Add names, drawings, photographs, stickers, or symbols for people and pets you consider family around you. Family Tree 🎲 Game/Worksheets 📚 Read-Alouds The Family Book — Todd Parr A Family Is a Family Is a Family — Sara O'Leary Families, Families, Families! — Suzanne Lang The Great Big Book of Families — Mary Hoffman Our Class Is a Family — Shannon Olsen

What is something a grandparent, or another special older person, has taught you?

👵🧓 September 13 — Grandparents Day 🇺🇸 United States • Family & Generations 📖 Learn About It National Grandparents Day is a day to celebrate grandparents and the special relationships that can grow between different generations. In the United States, Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. President Jimmy Carter signed legislation proclaiming National Grandparents Day in 1978, and the first official observance took place that September. Grandparents can be called all sorts of things: Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, Papa, Grammy, Gramps, Oma, Opa, Abuela, Abuelo and many more! What they're called often depends on family traditions, culture and language. And families don't all look the same. 💕 Some people are very close to their grandparents, some never knew theirs, and some have chosen grandparents or older adults who fill that special role. Grandparents may live nearby, across the world, in the same house—or only in our memories. Grandparents Day can be about celebrating any older person who has loved, taught, encouraged or cared for us. ✨ Did You Know? 🌼 The official flower of Grandparents Day is the forget-me-not. 🎵 The holiday even has an official song, “A Song for Grandma and Grandpa.” 👵 Marian McQuade helped lead the effort to establish National Grandparents Day. One of her goals was to encourage young people to learn from older generations and their experiences. 📖 Grandparents can be wonderful sources of family history. Their stories can tell us what school, toys, clothes, holidays, technology and everyday life were like when they were young. 🕰️ Try It Interview a grandparent, older relative or another older person you care about. Ask them things like: 🧸 What was your favorite toy? 📺 What TV shows did you watch? 🏫 What was school like? 🎂 How did you celebrate birthdays? 🍪 What was your favorite treat? 🎵 What music did you like? 🎄 What was your favorite family tradition? 😜 What is something silly you did as a kid? Write down their answers and create a memory tree with the information you gather! 🎨 Make It — A Hug in the Mail 💌 Make a card, drawing or little letter for a grandparent or special older person. You could trace your hand and write: “If I could, I'd give you a great BIG hug!” Decorate it with hearts, stickers, drawings or forget-me-not flowers. 🌼 If your grandparents have passed away, you could make a memory picture instead—draw something you remember doing together or something that reminds you of them. 🌎 Around the World Grandparents and elders are honored in many different ways around the world. Some countries even have their own special grandparents' celebrations. For example, Italy celebrates Grandparents' Day (Festa dei Nonni) on October 2, while Poland traditionally has separate celebrations for Grandmother's Day on January 21 and Grandfather's Day on January 22. What do people call their grandparents in different languages? 👵 Spanish — Abuela 👴 Spanish — Abuelo 👵 German — Oma 👴 German — Opa 👵 Italian — Nonna 👴 Italian — Nonno Feel free to share what you call your Grandparent!

I did a coloring page too!

Seeing how my healthy lifestyle changes actually help my body improve.

To be with her in person.

Hmmmm, if I could actually stay focused on my chores and stop taking side quest like a paladin who rolled a 2 🤭😂

🍎🍯 September 11–13 — Rosh Hashanah ✡️ Judaism 📖 Learn About It Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. In 2026, it begins at sunset on September 11 and ends at nightfall September 13. For Jewish people, Rosh Hashanah begins a very important time of the year called the High Holy Days. It's a time to think about the year that has passed, consider how we can do better, and welcome a new year. One of the most recognizable Rosh Hashanah traditions is hearing the shofar, an instrument traditionally made from a ram's horn. And there's an especially yummy tradition: apples dipped in honey! 🍎🍯 Sweet foods symbolize hopes for a sweet new year. ✨ Did You Know? 📯 The shofar makes a loud trumpet-like sound. 🍎 Apples and honey are associated with wishes for a sweet year. 📅 The Jewish calendar is different from the calendar most Americans use, so Jewish holidays fall on different Gregorian dates each year. 🍎 Try It Sweet New Year Apple Draw or color a giant apple. Inside it, write or draw things you'd like more of during the coming year: ❤️ Kindness 😂 Laughter 🧸 Comfort 👯 Friendship 🌈 Adventures 📚 Learning You could also try apple slices dipped in honey if that's safe for you.

What is on thing that would make the coming year extra sweet for you?

We have a lot of animal stuff planned! Watch for mid October for the first one!

anything about animals

❓ Thursday Question of the Day: If you could learn anything at the Academy this year, what would you choose?