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Hi, I’m Sharlene!

A mother of 5 boys, grandmother of 12, and author of Good Music Brighter Children. I started the blog, “good parenting brighter children” to share my 40+ years of experience swimming in the delightful (and sometimes shark infested) waters of parenthood. It’s been quite the experience and one I want to share.

Hopefully, you find this blog helpful and inspiring as you travel your own unique parenthood journey.

the latest from the Blog

Amazingly Fun Halloween Activities for Kids & Grandkids!

Why These are the Best Halloween Activities for Grandkids

Everything You Need To Know About Great Halloween Books

Here are the Best Halloween Books for Children & Grandchildren!

How to Make the Best Stovetop Potpourri With Your Kids!

Here are the Best Soapmaking Recipes for Halloween & Grandkids

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❤️JENNA HABERMEYER—HALLOWEEN COSTUME SEAMSTR

TRY YOUR HAND AT THESE SKELETON CUPCAKES & SKELETO

TRY YOUR HAND AT THESE SKELETON CUPCAKES & SKELETON HAND Halloween isn’t Halloween without a few witches and skeletons! And these skeleton cupcakes are fun to make and even more fun to eat! Again, grab that skeleton silicone mold and pour melted white Wilton chocolate in; freeze for 30 minutes and you’re almost ready to assemble! Make up different colors of frosting—green, black, orange, purple—and use cake tips #32m #1a #21 to create different textures of frosting. I also purchased some skeleton hands (Martha Stewart) to strategically place on the cupcake so they look like they are coming up from a grave. Spooky! Easy! Fun! Details: link in bio

PUMPKIN DECORATED CUPCAKE WITH MARSHMALLOWS Once

PUMPKIN DECORATED CUPCAKE WITH MARSHMALLOWS Once again, you’ll need a pumpkin silicone mold—these are only $1.98 at Walmart—and some orange Wilton chocolate. Plus a few square marshmallows for height and of course, cupcakes Make up a few batches of frosting—both runny and stiff in the colors of Halloween—green, purple, orange & black. If you’ve made some samples for your kids/grandkids—let them at it and see what their creations could end up looking like! Details that include everything you’ll need: link in bio

THE ITSY-BITSY SPIDER CUPCAKE This cupcake requir

THE ITSY-BITSY SPIDER CUPCAKE This cupcake requires making a chocolate spider using a mold and creating the spider web on the cupcake with black frosting. The spiders are a cinch to make—it’s the web that gets a bit tricky for kids/grandkids. We just guided their hands (over ours) and once they got the hang of it—we let them try it on their own. Practice makes perfect! And btw—for some reason, these are more fun to decorate than eat (even though we made up a bunch of cupcakes using my chocolate cream cheese cupcake recipe! Details of frosting tips & more here: link in bio

WHIP UP THESE DRACULA & EYEBALL CUPCAKES I’m su

WHIP UP THESE DRACULA & EYEBALL CUPCAKES I’m sure you’ve seen the dozens of different silicone molds on the market. Grab some of the Halloween ones—like Dracula teeth and have your kids/grandkids make up a bunch using melted Wilton white chocolate and popped in the freezer for 30 minutes. You’ll also need black, green & purple frosting, square marshmallows and edible eyes—then start assembling. They’re super easy and fun to make—and the result is nothing short of spooky! Details, links, cake tips, etc., in bio

HALLOWEEN GUMBALL EYEBALL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES! Thi

HALLOWEEN GUMBALL EYEBALL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES! This week—it’s all about making & decorating spooky Halloween cupcakes! (a fun rerun). Included is a yummy recipe for chocolate cream cheese cupcakes and lots of ideas to decorate your scariest cupcake! When decorating Halloween cupcakes with kids/grandkids the secret is—have plenty of runny and stiff frosting, sprinkles, edible eyes, and anything related to Halloween that will fit on a cupcake! We made samples for the grandkids—but they used their own imaginations to make their creations uniquely theirs! This cupcake uses gumball eyeballs (Amazon, Walmart, Target), square marshmallows, and lots of Halloween-colored frosting (orange, black, green, purple) and Halloween sprinkles Your kids/grandkids will LOVE the eyeball at the top—better than a cherry! Details & links of everything you need in the bio

❤️MOÉ HABERMEYER—KNITS, CROCHETS, BUILDS PL

❤️MOÉ HABERMEYER—KNITS, CROCHETS, BUILDS PLAYHOUSES, MAKES DESSERTS, & HALLOWEEN COSTUMES! It’s Monday which means a post on a talented family member! Today--Moé Habermeyer—my extraordinarily talented daughter-in-law and wife to our youngest son, Trevor! ❤️She knits & crochets like a pro, has her own Etsy shop, builds amazing 2-story playhouses, bakes professional desserts and Halloween costumes! And…she has 4 kids under the age of 8! ❤️Moé is from Iwate, Japan. Her mother taught her to crochet when she was 6-years old. ❤️Today, she knits in the styles of Northern Europe—Fair Isle, Lopi, Cable, etc., and has her own Etsy shop where she sells her wool mittens, hats, and sweaters. ❤️She also loves to build things—including a 2-story playhouse for her children. In her words: “I have always loved the famous story of Moomin from Finland. The house I built is based on the Moomin House in the animated series. The original design was cylinder, but I decided to design my version in the shape of an octagon. I looked at other octagonal building designs for inspiration, but I had to design the measurements and structure on my own. The roof section was a bit tricky and includes a loft and 8-sided thatched roof.” ❤️Moé learned to use wood tools watching & working with her dad. She further developed her skills when she was in drama club in high school. Moé is also a talented and creative baker—designing beautiful cakes and cookies. She says, “I wanted my children to have these sweet treats that I didn’t have as a child.” Last, Moé makes darling Halloween costumes for her children—and she knit the Hedwig costume and scarf for her sons when they went as characters from Harry Potter! Moé says, “There aren’t really traditions around Halloween in Japan, so this is something I became involved in since coming to America and having kids ❤️On a side note—all 4 of their children are bi-lingual—speaking both English & Japanese and are super smart! Just ask me—I’m the grandmother! ❤️Follow Moé Habermeyer on:
Instagram:
@moehab331 (general account includes baking and wood working)
@meyersyarncraft (specialize in knitting)
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MeyersYarnCraft

VIDEO OF HALLOWEEN BOOKS & OTHER GREAT TIPS! Chec

VIDEO OF HALLOWEEN BOOKS & OTHER GREAT TIPS! Check out this video about fun Halloween books and how to create a spooky atmosphere in your home while reading Halloween books! Details: link in bio

A “MUST” HALLOWEEN READ: THE WIDOW’S BROOM B

A “MUST” HALLOWEEN READ: THE WIDOW’S BROOM BY CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG Halloween isn’t Halloween until you’ve read to your kids/grandkids—“The Widow’s Broom” by Chris Van Allsburg! This book is not your typical Halloween book with colorful black, orange, purple and green pictures of pumpkins and fanciful goblins—no siree! This book is created with sepia tone illustrations that enhance the experience and make your kids/grandkids believe that there really are such things as ghouls, flying brooms, and the Salem Witch trials! Lonely widow Minna Shaw finds a wounded witch who has fallen from the sky and lands in her vegetable garden. The witch disappears before dawn, but leaves her broom behind! One morning, Minna wakes up to see the broom sweeping the house and it even helps with the chores! Here’s where it gets suspenseful and the suspicious neighbors get involved! Grab this book from your library, Amazon, or neighborhood bookstore---it’s a Halloween classic you don’t want to miss! Also included: · How to choose Halloween books to read—by ages & stages of kids/grandkids · 4 Ideas on how to create an atmosphere when reading Halloween books · Halloween book ideas for kids/grandkids ages 1-teen! Details: link in bio

THE WITCH WHO LIVES DOWN THE HALL BY DONNA GUTHRIE

THE WITCH WHO LIVES DOWN THE HALL BY DONNA GUTHRIE This book has become our grandkids' FAVORITE Halloween book! The story is magical and the illustrations enchanting! It’s a delightful tale of a boy and his runaway imagination. Ms. McWee lives down the hall—and this boy is sure she is a bonified witch. Or is she? She knows how to open a locked door with a magic key. She practices her magic late at night. She makes potions that cure illnesses and she knows how to throw the best Halloween party in the whole apartment building! If you read a book about witches this Halloween—make these funny witches’ legs that are sure to inspire! All you need is different colors of paper—sparkly the better! Lessons learned: Don’t judge a book by its cover! Details: link in bio

MR. & MRS. VANATOLI AND THE MAGIC PUMPKIN SEEDS BY

MR. & MRS. VANATOLI AND THE MAGIC PUMPKIN SEEDS BY DONNA GUTHRIE Fun Halloween book by Donna Guthrie that will inspire you with so many ways to love and fix pumpkins! Mr. Vanatoli is a practical man and only wants to plant corn and raise pigs. When his wife asks him to plant some strange seeds, the farm begins to grow twisting vines filled with big fat pumpkins! There are so many crafts, recipes, etc., you can do with your kids/grandkids to celebrate pumpkins. Since Mrs. Vanatoli makes all kinds of things with the pumpkins—including pumpkin bread—we made Harvest loaf—a delicious pumpkin bread filled with chocolate chips! You can also try your hand at painting pumpkins—which is really popular right now—or purchase ready-made, no-carve pumpkin craft sets to decorate pumpkins with (Dollar Store) The possibilities are endless! Lesson learned: Understand that there are endless possibilities in life! Details: link in bio

THE WITCH HAS AN ITCH BY DONNA GUTHRIE Halloween

THE WITCH HAS AN ITCH BY DONNA GUTHRIE Halloween just isn’t the same without a witch or two in the mix—and here’s a fun book about witches. Gromelda is a nasty witch and proud of it! She’s an expert at evil spells and wicked ways. In fact, she’s the meanest magic maker in all the land! That is—until she starts itching every time, she casts a nasty spell on someone. In desperation, she visits Womak—a wise & powerful wizard. What he tells her is a life-changing experience! To make this book come to life, think of activities you and your kids/grandkids can do for others to celebrate Halloween: · Make a hot chocolate mix and give it to the neighbors—include a mug, chocolate powder & recipe · Make a batch of Halloween cookies with your kids/grandkids for their friends! · Give an uncarved pumpkin and items to decorate the pumpkin Lesson learned—the most powerful lesson of all—“do unto others as you would have them do unto you”—the Golden Rule! Details--link in bio

HALLOWEEN CLASSIC: BONAPARTE FALLS APART BY MARGER

HALLOWEEN CLASSIC: BONAPARTE FALLS APART BY MARGERY CUYLER Yay! It’s Spooky Book season and all this week, I’m talking about fun Halloween books to read to your kids/grandkids! Every holiday of the year is jam-packed with amazing books that create excitement and anticipation for kids & grandkids. And each book inspires activities to add to the fun! First--“Bonaparte Falls Apart” is a classic that children of all ages love—plus it’s loaded with puns older kids will enjoy! Bonaparte is a skeleton and he’s falling apart! To make matters worse—it’s shaking him up! When he eats lunch it’s a jaw-dropping experience and sometimes at night, his bones roll away and it takes him forever to find them! To celebrate this book, we identified skeleton bones and each grandchild made their own skeleton poster. We also made skeleton cupcakes—a jaw-dropping kitchen experience! Lesson learned: you can always depend on good friends! Get all the details here: link in bio

MELISSA HABERMEYER--PHOTOGRAPHER, MATHEMATICIAN, M

MELISSA HABERMEYER--PHOTOGRAPHER, MATHEMATICIAN, MOM, TEACHER & MORE! As mentioned last week, each Monday I’ll be featuring a talented family member who has influenced my life in countless ways. This week—Melissa—my daughter-in-law—a gifted photographer and mathematician! She is a mother of 2 children—and married to my son, Brandon. In her words—here is a little about Melissa and her work. And note—the first 3 pictures are of Melissa, their family & two darling children. The other pictures are a sample of her photography--couples, children, weddings, families, etc., “Hi! My name is Mel. I am a Utah-based photographer, capturing families from their very beginnings to years down the road. I’ve always loved taking pictures but only decided to really go after my dream of photographing families after I started building my own a few years ago. There are 4 of us now - two crazy adults who love adventure, good food and cozy nights in, and two crazy, wild Little people who love to always be on the move, good food and too little sleep (hopefully, that changes soon!) Though I now spend most of my days capturing moments for people through photography—I also taught middle school math for five years, proving I can tackle almost anything! Currently, I work part-time at Crate & Barrel feeding the entertainer within me, and I travel the globe with my crew, as often as I can, loving life one adventure after another!” And, I’ll add one more of her many talents—she makes a mean charcuterie board for many of our family get-togethers! Follow Melissa on Instagram: @melh_images
Facebook: MelH images

STOVETOP POTPOURRI VIDEO Check out this 1-minute

STOVETOP POTPOURRI VIDEO Check out this 1-minute video for making Stovetop Potpourri—for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas! Get the recipes; packaging ideas and more here (copy & paste in browser or link in bio): https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/stovetop-potpourri/

YUMMY-SMELLING, EASY-TO-MAKE STOVETOP POTPOURRI—

YUMMY-SMELLING, EASY-TO-MAKE STOVETOP POTPOURRI—MAKE IT WITH YOUR TEENAGE KIDS & GRANDKIDS! The best experience of the season is having the sights, sounds, and smells of Fall captured in your home! Here is a super easy recipe for stovetop potpourri to make with your teenage kids & grandkids (although it’s easy enough for small hands to make, too!). Stovetop potpourri, when simmering on the stove, releases all the oils, spices, and other ingredients—cinnamon, clove, ginger, cranberry, orange and lemon—into the air thus cleansing and refreshing at the same time! Plus, unlike most air fresheners, it will NOT add harmful Zeno-hormones to the air in your home! Included are recipes for Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas—plus FREE labels for gift-giving and “Tips for Parents & Grandparents” –teaching kids/grandkids about processes, sequencing, and “cause & effect.” Quick! Get all the juicy details here (copy & paste in browser or link in bio): https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/stovetop-potpourri/

1-MINUTE VIDEO ON MAKING BLACK HALLOWEEN SOAP W/OR

1-MINUTE VIDEO ON MAKING BLACK HALLOWEEN SOAP W/ORANGE PEEL & LAVENDER BUDS TO MAKE WITH YOUR TEENS & TWEENS! Check out this 1-minute video on how to make this amazing black Halloween soap with your teenage kids & grandkids! Recipes & more here (copy & paste in browser or link in bio) https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/soapmaking-recipes/

BLACK HALLOWEEN SOAP W/ORANGE PEEL & LAVENDAR & RO

BLACK HALLOWEEN SOAP W/ORANGE PEEL & LAVENDAR & ROSE BUDS TO MAKE WITH YOUR TEENAGE KIDS & GRANDKIDS! Making soap is easier than you think—especially if you use “melt-and-pour-soap” as your base. This recipe I made for Halloween soap has a powerful ingredient that gives it the midnight black appearance and is amazing for the skin—CHARCOAL! Here’s how charcoal helps the skin: · Exfoliates the skin · Helpful for acne · Balances oily skin · Detoxifies the skin and helps it to appear clear Plus, there are different oils, flowers and buds added to this soap and each one helps with skin health. Teenage girls are fanatic about their skin—get these ingredients and make this black Halloween soap with them—and let them make extra for their friends! Included—ideas on packaging, skincare & more! Details: (copy & paste in browser or click on link in bio) https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/soapmaking-recipes/

1-MINUTE VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE

1-MINUTE VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CINNAMON SUGAR SCRUB! Here is a short 1-minute video on how to make this amazing Halloween sugar scrub! Check the blog for recipes and more (copy & paste in browser) or click on link in bio https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/diy-sugar-scrubs/

HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE ORANGE CINNAMON SUGAR SCRUBS—MAKE IT WITH YOUR TEENAGE KIDS & GRANDKIDS! This week, I’m featuring 3 different Halloween activities you can do with your teenage kids/grandkids. First—a yummy Halloween sugar scrub! Have you ever bought a scrub for your skin? Here’s a little secret: it’s cheaper and better to make your own—and it’s the perfect bonding activity to do with your teenage daughters and granddaughters! This is my own concocted “Chocolate Orange Cinnamon Sugar Scrub”—tastes and smells like Halloween (it’s divine!). And it’s amazing for your teenager’s skin. Here’s what you’ll learn about scrubs: · 6 skin benefits of using sugar scrubs · How often do you use scrubs? · What is needed to make a simple DIY sugar scrub · Why using chocolate as an ingredient keeps the skin looking younger, destroys free radicals associated with aging, & creates healthy skin cells · Ideas for Halloween packaging and seasonal labels! Check out the details here (copy and paste in browser or click on link in bio) https://goodparentingbrighterchildren.com/diy-sugar-scrubs/

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