Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover

Category Archives: Family


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Five Ways to Foster Friendship with Pumpkins by Author Laura Sassi +Giveaway

Author of Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle (Paraclete Press, 2025) Laura Sassi is here to share a special blog post about encouraging littles to grow friendships. Paraclete Press is offering to give a copy of Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle to one reader who comments below on this blog (US only). Be sure to read to the end for details and comment on this post. Thank you, Laura and Paraclete Press!

Now, let’s hear about 5 ways to foster friendship with pumpkins. Welcome, Laura!

Five Ways to Foster Friendship with Pumpkins

Children love the pumpkin patch setting of my newest book, Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle, because we all love pumpkins! And since celebrating friendship (despite misunderstandings) is a central theme in the story, I thought it would be fun to share five ideas for fostering friendship with our kids using pumpkins! I hope they spark even more ideas for celebrating friendship, pumpkins, and thankfulness.

1. Take a field trip to a pumpkin patch with your child and a friend or group of friends. Explore the pumpkin patch together. Look for the tallest, plumpest, biggest pumpkin, etc. Count all the pumpkins you see in a row. Maybe even enjoy a cup of cider or water while sitting on pumpkins! Afterwards, give thanks together for special friends and special days like this.

2. With parental supervision, using fresh or canned pumpkin, have your child and a friend bake a pumpkin treat to eat…together! Have the children take turns as they stir, mix, pour, etc. When the treat is ready to eat, cut a slice for each friend to enjoy. Before taking that first nibble be sure give thanks, once again, for the wonderful gift of friendship and good food.

3. Ahead of time, get a pumpkin for your child and each friend. Then, set up a painting station outside and paint some pumpkins! (Alternatively, carve the pumpkins—but this is harder for our littlest friends.) As the children enjoy each other’s pumpkin-y creations, encourage them to let each other know that they appreciate their friendship.

4. Have your child and a friend gather a few of their favorite stuffed animals, then have a pumpkin-themed story time! Check my guest post at Read, Discuss, Do for some of my favorite fall picture books that include pumpkins. Do you think my newest book Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is on the list? Yes!

5. Organize a pumpkin-themed “act of kindness” for your child and a friend to participate in together.  This could be something as simple as baking a pumpkin treat (see idea #2) and then delivering it to a neighbor in need. Other ideas might include making cards that feature a pumpkin (and a short hand-written note of encouragement) to mail to shut-ins, for example, or others going through a hard time.

Wow, great ideas! Thank you, Laura! I love that you shared ideas for fostering friendships that were based on pumpkins. It’s the perfect time of year for pumpkin fun. In fact, today I had to harvest my pumpkin patch. There were SO many pumpkins (over 100!). I bet some of them would work just right with your ideas. I am thankful for God blessing our pumpkin crop this year!

Friends, Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is an adorable book about friendship. To get your name in the hat for a chance to win a copy, make sure to leave a comment below. Maybe you can share something you enjoy doing with pumpkins and friends, or maybe you have another idea of a fun activity littles can do with pumpkins and friends. Do share! We love ideas AND littles!

A winner will be chosen in one week, Monday, October 20.

Thank you, Laura, for being our guest today! Congratulations on your newest book!


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A Morning Date

Some days you need a date with your cutie. Just the two of us. We took the Yakima River Canyon drive to Ellensburg, happy to spy a bald eagle, osprey, and several boaters and rafters already out on the water. Once we got to Ellensburg, we parked downtown on Pearl Street and hit D&M Coffee-a cup of joe for him and a London Fog for me. We sat and sipped at the adorable little outdoor tables. The view was just right.

After the drinks were gone, we walked around and headed to Jerrol’s so I could stock up on purple pens. I got the LAST box! Rumor says they might not reorder. I encouraged the cashier to ask for them to be reordered. The good news is they can order them for me, so there is always that. Whew. Plus I found my Sierra Club plan book for 2026. Ready for the new year!

We wandered back to the car, pens and plan book in tow. After a quick stop at Freddy’s to grab some veggies for dinner, we cruised back home.

It wasn’t a long date. We barely spent money. But the time away together was precious.

What do you like to do with your cutie or bestie?


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Ginger Cat Appreciation Day

Happy Ginger Cat Appreciation Day! To the gingers in our lives. Be they weird or be they lovey-dovey, be they hairy and fur-shedding. To all the snugglers, destroyers of the things, sleep-on-your-head kitties. [And all the other things our gingers do!] Celebrating the gingers!

Put the weirdest, funniest, cutest, or scariest thing your ginger has done in the comments below. We will celebrate with you. Or despair. Your choice!

This post has a compilation of the four different gingers I know and love. Three different households, but alas, I’ve never owned (or been owned by) a ginger.

The look. The nap. The ready-to-attack.

Especially the leave-me-alone.

Let’s not forget how helpful they can be!

Ahem. YOU again?

Happy Ginger Day!!

Gingers in order of starring role: Reeses, Peanut, Daisy, Marmalade, Reeses, Marmalade, Daisy, Marmalade


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Haiku Moment: just a shell

just a shell.

but winding a trail?

it’s alive!

just a shell by Angie Quantrell

Ocean Shores, WA


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Snoqualmie Tunnel I-90

Here we go, headed into Snoqualmie Tunnel!

We headed out for a cool walk/hike last weekend. Located at the top of Snoqualmie Pass just off of I-90, the Snoqualmie Tunnel is an old railroad tunnel that stretches about 2 miles one way. The distance is not the same as other places I looked, but let’s just say 2-ish tunnel miles to get to the other end. If you want to get back to your car, then 2-ish tunnel miles to get back. LOL

Yes, this is how we do it.

Take the Hyak exit and follow the signs to the large parking area. Restrooms are available. The parking lot sits next to the Palouse to Cascades Trail, so if you don’t want to walk in the cold damp dark, you can head east and walk along the backside of Keechelus Lake (which is very low this year due to drought).

Just inside the tunnel. The light at the end looks like it’s just right there. But there are two miles to go before it’s just right there.

There is a short walk (the sign says .4 mile, but it didn’t feel that long) to the tunnel entrance. It felt cumbersome to be dressed so warmly when out in the sun, but we dressed for the cold dark tunnel. Coats, long pants, gloves, hats, flashlights. If you have a scorcher of a day, this hike is a great way to escape that heat!

Our obligatory “here we go” selfie at the beginning of the hike.

It’s always a bit disconcerting to see nothing but a tiny dot of white far in the distance. But your eyes adjust and you get used to seeing nothing except that bit in front of the flashlight. The tunnel runs pretty straight and mostly flat, but at both ends there are areas where the center is higher than the rest. There are also ditches along the sides, mostly with wood coverings, but some covers have broken through. I wouldn’t want to fall into one of those places, so I’m quite happy to carry my flashlight to make sure I keep away from the edges. Expect wet areas of dripping water.

In the tunnel selfie. No turning back now. Haha. But we did see one couple head in with 2 little dogs. And pretty soon he came back with 2 little dogs while she continued on. The dogs were NOT a fan of the tunnel.

Noises are amplified and echo back and forth. We arrived early and mostly had the tunnel to ourselves as we headed west. It was quite relaxing. The views once you get out of the east entrance of the tunnel are beautiful. You can hear traffic on I-90 and see far down the valley. We watched a small plane looping around doing some sightseeing. Wildflowers are blooming like crazy right now, so I had fun snapping photos. There are a few picnic tables and a forest toilet (no running water). The trail continues on, but we were not equipped to keep going. ONE day we will be, because I would love to go on to Annette Lake.

Almost to the west entrance (the end of our 2-ish mile one way walk) where we hung out for a bit before heading back.

We hit the crowds on the way back. Multiple groups with electric bikes passed us in both directions. Some people were walking, a few with dogs. I think we only saw one person with a manual bicycle. This was definitely the most traffic we’ve seen in the tunnel over the numerous times we’ve visited.

Pretty foxglove stealing the wildflower show!

Despite the crowds, we had a lovely hike. Cool, dark, refreshing. Ahhh. And snacks waiting for us back in the ice chest.

Vibrant wildflowers at the east tunnel entrance.

Sunday Peace

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Thinking of moms on this Mother’s Day. May the Lord bless you and show His care and love for you.


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Earth Day Wonder

What a beautiful world we inhabit! Creation is amazingly intricate. I am thankful for the wonder and adventure of experiencing God’s world.

Today I am reminded of my dad, who has a birthday on April 22. He would’ve been 84. I’ve only recently realized his birthday and Earth Day are the same day. He loved getting out in nature and often hauled us with him, whether we were exploring the Arizona desert, finding dirt roads leading up into the Cascades, or looking for dead snags to cut for firewood. Of course, that last one meant we the kids had to carry the logs back to the truck, and if dad had anything to do with it, he would cut something down a hill, meaning we would have to haul uphill. Every. Time.

Let’s celebrate and give thanks for our wondrous world. And while we’re at it, pick up a few extra pieces of trash, recycle what we can, and care for what is around us.

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. -Colossians 1:16-17 NIV

Happy Earth Day.


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Sunday Peace: Happy Easter!

Wishing you a beautiful day!


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Time for Chai (and a Picture Book)

I’m a tea lover, and I’ve enjoyed my fair share of chai tea. But once I read this picture book, I knew I had to follow the recipe for myself and make homemade chai.

Masala Chai, Fast and Slow

Written by Rajani LaRocca

Illustrated by Neha Rawat

Candlewick Press, 2023

I may have mentioned once or twice that I really enjoy reading picture books about food. Being able to learn about traditions and families and such deliciousness is a treat for my heart. Masala Chai, Fast and Slow plus deep sips from a pretty teacup. Ahhh.

I watched a webinar where Rajani was sharing about her picture book and masala chai. Thanks, 12×12! After I requested my library purchase a copy, I was the first one to check it out (I love that). I kept it out for the maximum of time. Later, I checked it out again. But this time (also nearing the maximum time=number of renewals I can do) I made sure to collect all the ingredients to steep my own masala chai.

The recipe makes quite a bit of chai, so I needed to make it on a weekend when I could share. Which is the point of masala chai. Sharing and connecting with family and friends.

I gathered the ingredients suggested by Rajani in the back matter recipe (I love it when recipes are included in a picture book, and back matter is the bomb): milk, black tea bags, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, whole cloves, fresh ginger, and sugar (or honey).

I decided to actually follow the recipe the first time around. Shocker, I know, since I usually wing it when trying new recipes. The resulting chai tea was delicious! Warm, spicy, fragrant. Ahhh. This recipe is a keeper. Good thing too, because I have a big bag of whole cardamom pods.

Masala Chai, Fast and Slow is delighfully tasty. I can’t wait to brew another batch.