While you are waiting for the turkey to cook, why not do a Pilgrim activity and make homemade butter? How, you may ask, do you do that? Simple. Here are the directions.

Fill a small jar half full of whipping cream. Mini-sized jam jars work wonderful because they fit a grandchild’s hand size. Screw the lid on tightly. Let your grandchildren take turns shaking the jar. Depending on how enthusiastic your grandchildren are, yellow lumps of butter will form after about 5 minutes. Drain off the liquid and stir in a dash of salt. And there you have it! Fresh butter for the rolls for your Thanksgiving meal.

I’m an advocate of singing fun songs with your grandchildren. Back in August, I posted two videos of fun songs to sing — Grasshopper Alphabet Soup and Little Pile of Tin. Here’s a link to that posting so you can refresh your memory and be ready to sing them on Thanksgiving Day.

At the time I was recording those songs, my future daughter-in-law taught my son a fun song. I loved that song and asked them to record it for me. However, their wedding was imminent and they were busy with other important activities. So, I postponed recording it. Sunday night, I asked if I could record them. They wanted to record themselves and they promised to make it and send it to me this week. I was delighted when I got it. I laughed and laughed as I watched it. Thank you Tyler and Lisa! (I think that Tyler has found his perfect match . . .)

And the bloopers . . .

Written in 1945, this popular song celebrates New England cooking – shoofly pie and apple pandowdy. Shoofly pie is a molasses pie that the Pennsylvania Dutch make. Mighty fine. (Been there, ate that . . .) Here’s a recipe for it. Apple pandowdy is a simple dessert of apples baked with a sweet cake dough top. Here’s a link for apple pandowdy.

Here are the words to the song:

Shoofly Pie and Apple Pandowdy
Makes your eyes light up,
And your tummy say “Howdy.”
Shoofly Pie and Apple Pandowdy
Never get enough of that wonderful stuff.

Shu-Shoofly pie. (Clap hands 2 times.) Shu-Shoofly pie. (Clap hands 2 times.)
Shu-Shoofly Pie (Clap hands 2 times.)
Never get enough of that wonderful stuff!

Oh, Mama! When you bake,
Oh Mama! Don’t bake cake;
Just go to the oven make some ever lovin.’

Shoofly Pie and Apple Pandowdy
Makes your eyes light up,
And your tummy say “Howdy,”
Shoofly Pie and Apple Pandowdy
Never get enough of that wonderful stuff!

Shu-Shoofly pie. (Clap hands 2 times.) Shu-Shoofly pie. (Clap hands 2 times.)
Shu-Shoofly Pie (Clap hands 2 times.)
Never get enough of that wonderful stuff!
Yeah!!

So, for activities with your grandchildren on Thanksgiving Day, make a little butter. Sing a little song.

Digi-Gram

Grandma Ideas