31 Days of Books

Tomorrow is Oct 1st and that means it's 31 Days time again.  What's 31 Days?  Bloggers from all over the web write EVERY DAY about one topic for the ENTIRE MONTH OF OCT.  That's right, every day!

For the past two years I've written about 31 Days of Savoring and 31 Days of Autumn Inspiration.  I love the challenge of writing for 31 Days and since it's October, I'm just bursting with excitement for a new topic.  And this topic is true and dear to Creative2xmom's heart: books.  But not just any books, children's books.  Posts about pairing books with crafts, posts about building character through books, and posts about some of our favorite read alouds.

So I'm writing, writing, writing, and I hope you'll be reading, reading, reading.  Right along with us!  Check back tomorrow as we start our 31 Days of Books

10 Thing This Week

Here's how I did on my goals this week:

Parenting:

*Take J on a date

*End of the LP grades/planning

Blogging:

*Read review book

*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

Homemaking:

*Plan and organize 1 party game/ party timeline

*Order wedding gift

*Prep walnuts

Personal:

*Job interview

*Get 8 hrs of sleep each night (about 5 nights)

*Workout 2-3 days

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

*Take J on a date

Blogging:

*Finish review book

*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

Homemaking:

*Make party pinata, prep one game

*ORDER WEDDING GIFT
*Finish prepping walnuts

*Try two new recipes

Personal:

*Get 8 hrs of sleep each night

*Workout 2-3 days

Do-It-Yourself: Giant Bubbles

My kids love bubbles.  In fact, for the past 7 years we've had a bubble machine of some sort for them to play and dance in.  It's not unusual for the kids to be seen blowing bubbles in the backyard and giggling away.  So when I saw this Giant Bubbles recipe on pinterest, I had to try it.

Unfortunately for us, I could get the bubbles to work.  We used a long skinny bubble wand we got from another kit, but every time we tried to blow bubbles, they just popped instantly.  The recipe says to let the solution sit for at least 1 hour.  I'm wondering if I let it sit too long.

So I say try it.  It didn't work for us, but it might work for you.  It's a fun idea.  I'm hoping someone has better success with it than I did.

Weekend Links

Shoe Makeover

Olive Penguins and Cheese Ball Igloo

Picnic Capelet

Chai Spiced Tea Loaves

Snickerdoodle Apple-Peach Crisp

This Week:

What I Made: Lego Birthday Invitations are done!  They are really cute, plus they were economical and easy.  I'll share them soon.

What I'm Reading: I'm reading a new Beverly Lewis book.  Very good.

What I'm Doing: We've been going back and forth to my mom's in the mountains 'cause my husband is hunting this year.  

What I'm Watching:  The Middle is back on ABC.  If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out.  My husband and I laugh so hard watching it.  

What I'm Enjoying:  All things oatmeal.  The fall just makes me crave oatmeal.

What are you up to?

2013 September Bookmarks

*Bookmarks is an online book club hosted at Creative2xmom. Here we discuss the books we've read in the past month as well as the suggested reading. Our suggested reading for September was The Mentoring Mom by Jackie Kendall.

These are the books I read this month:

Encouragement for Today by the Proverbs 31 Team--See my review here.

For Every Season by Cindy Woodsmall--See my review here.

Our suggested reading for September was The Mentoring Mom by Jackie Kendall--  In this book, Kendall offers 11 areas of influence in motherhood, including your heart's passion, teachability, and perserverance.  She reminds us that as we live, so we will influence our children.  And honestly that's a very convicting thought.  Do I really want my children to grow up to be like me?  In what areas do I still have a lot of growing to do?

Each chapter is thoughtfully laid out with instruction, illustrative stories from the author's own life, and accountability questions for a small group or study.

Although I enjoyed Kendall's areas of influence, I felt that her stories were vague and sometimes repetitive.  I think this is a great book for pondering how we influence our kids.  It was just took drawn out in some areas.  However, the message is relevant and easily relatable, whether you're a first time mom or you've been parenting for 20 years.  This is worth having in your library, especially if you can pick it up used.  And I'll be hanging on to this one to lend to other mothers.

So what are your bookmarks this month?

Tell us in the comments about the books you're chewing on. Or link up a review from your own blog. Let's share the books we're finding, good and bad. And give us your thoughts on The Mentoring Mom by Jackie Kendall.

And join us Oct 25th as we discuss From Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae.

Chocolate Quickies

 

I came across this recipe a couple of years ago and it's perfect for crushing that chocolate craving.  In fact, my kids love them all the time.  Chocolate craving or not, you won't be able to pass these up.

Chocolate Quickies
(*from Chocolate on my Cranium)

2 c. flour
1/2 c. unsweetened chocolate powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar until combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Mix dry ingredients.  Slowly combine with wet ingredients.  Add chocolate chips and combine.

Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Move to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Family Fun Night: Rootbeer Floats

Once in awhile you just have to break out of routine and do something different.  We had one of those nights this past July.  The weather was hot, Daddy was at a conference, and the kids were feeling weary.  So Mama decided it was time for a little fun.  What's easier than Rootbeer Floats?

We don't often have dessert, so it was fun to sneak away and get the stuff without them knowing.  And when we just couldn't take it any long and had to break out of routine, out came the floats.    So if you're looking for an easy way to make your kids' night, just remember rootbeer and ice cream can make anyone smile.

10 Things This Week

Here's how I did on my goals this week:

Parenting:

*Get jazz shoes

*Finish sensory project

Blogging:

*Finish review book and book club book

*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

Homemaking:

*Finish 8 yr invitations. plan/organize 1 game

*Organize party cupboard

*Paint J's Christmas ornament

*Order wedding gift

Personal:

*Get 8 hrs of sleep each night

*Workout 2-3 days

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:
*Take J on a date?
*End of LP grades/planning

Blogging:

*Read review book

*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

Homemaking:

*Plan/organize 1 party game, party timeline
*Order wedding gift
*Prep walnuts

Personal:
*Job interview?

*Get 8 hrs of sleep each night

*Workout 2-3 days

What are you up to this week?

2013 Fall to Do List

Fall is on it's way.  School has started, the weather is changing, and all things pumpkin are calling my name.  So while we're heading into one of the most hectic seasons for our family, here are just a few of the items on our 2013 Fall To Do List:

*Volunteer at Walk this Way
*Celebrate Noah's 8th Birthday
*Attend a local Consignment sale
*Go to the Pumpkin Patch
*Scrapbook through Noah's Birthday
*Carve pumpkins
*Toast pumpkin seeds
*Try 2-3 new pumpkin recipes
*Make changing leaves cookies
*Host an open house
*Plan ahead for Christmas
*Plan ahead for Lydia's birthday
*Attend a couple of field trips

What's on your Fall To Do List?

Weekend Links

22 Ways to Get Your Vegan Snack On

Over 50 Organizational Tips for Kids' Spaces

DIY Braided T-Shirt Bracelets

Sweet And Salty Fall Mix

Extend the Life of Baby Gowns

This Week:

What I Made:  I finished the third Christmas ornament for the year.  Since it looks like little man will be with us, I'm painting away.

What I'm Reading: I'm almost done with the book club book.  I'm liking it.  How about you?  Don't forget book club post on Friday.

What I'm Doing:  Watching my kiddos have a great time at Grandma's.  Fun weekend!

What I'm Watching:  Survivor is back.  Anyone else think Blood VS Water is death to a marriage?

What I'm Enjoying:  This cooler weather and the rain.  Love it!

What are you up to?

While You're Waiting: Make Peace with Imperfection

(Image Credit: Jomphong)

*Recently I was thinking about all I would want my daughters to know before they get married.  Instead of wishing the days away until they walk down the aisle, how would I encourage them to live?  Living in the joy of who God created.  The practicalities and the dreaming.  What would I want to encourage... While they're waiting?  These are some of those thoughts.

This is sums up a bit of what I want to pass on to you.  Avoid the original version and stick with this one.  But take it to heart.  None of us are perfect.

Do-It-Yourself: Lemon Ice

There's nothing like the sweet tartness of lemons.  And when the weather heats up, this icy treat is the perfect compliment at the end of a meal.  For July's DIY project, we made Lemon Ice: cool, refreshing, and yummy.  Hope you enjoy it too!

Lemon Ice
(* from The Idea Room)

3 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest

1. Mix water and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Boil uncovered, stirring steadily, until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and zest.

2. Pour into 9 x 13 pan.  Freeze for 1 hr and stir.  Freeze overnight

3. Serve with fresh berries.

For Every Season {Review}

In Book #3 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series, Rhoda, Jacob, and Samuel are caught in a triangle of secrets, money, and love.  With trouble between the two brothers, Rhoda moves in with kind neighbors while still trying to build a successful business.  But still there, the voice and visions persist.  What are they trying to tell her about Camilla's past?  And will she trust the Lord enough to share what's on her heart?

As for the brothers can they overcome their love for the same woman?  Rhoda and Jacob carry on, trying to rebuild their fragile love, while Samuel does his best to stay out of their way.  But why is it that Samuel seems to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time?  And why can't Jacob and Rhoda open up to each other?

Woodsmall continues her gripping series around this love triangle that continues to become more and more complicated.  With both families invested in making this settlement work, they must come together or risk loosing it all.  And with both brothers in love with Rhoda, what will it take?

As book #3 in the series, Woodsmall continues to craft characters that draw the reader in, despite their faults.  Rather they become more believable and endearing.  If anything I found myself pulling for these characters, hoping they'd find peace in their journey.  While Book #2 can stand alone, Book #3 is best read in sequence.  And with six months until the next installment in the series, you can be sure I'll be waiting anxiously to learn the future of Rhoda, Jacob, Samuel, and all the other characters we've grown to love.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review.  All opinions are my own.

10 Things This Week

Here's how I did on my goals this week:

Parenting:

*start Lydia in dance lessons

*Get kids to library

*Start a new chapter book

Blogging:

*Finish sensory project

*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

*Work on 2013 DIY project

Homemaking:

*Fertilize roses and lemon tree

*Work on a Christmas project

Personal:

*Get 8 hrs of sleep/night

*Workout 2-3 days

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

*Get jazz shoes
*Finish sensory project

Blogging:

*Finish review book and book club book
*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

Homemaking:

*Finish 8 yr invitations. plan/organize 1 game

*Organize party cupboard
*Paint J's Christmas ornament

*Order wedding gift

Personal:
*Get 8 hrs of sleep each night
*Workout 2-3 days

What are you up to this week?

Weekend Links

Tilapia with Tomato Herb Sauce

Handkerchief Scarf

Why I hope all my kids have strong wills

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Fun Group Picnic Games

Encouragement for Today {Review}

Written by the Proverbs 31 Team, this book of 100 quick devotionals seeks to encourage women today, no matter their place in life.  The variety of these devotionals spans from friendships, peace, loneliness, confession, and so much more.  Each selection is about 2 pages long, perfect for a quick minute in the morning, or whenever you can find a moment or two of quiet.  Additionally, you'll find an appendix of the Lord's names, a reference for each, and their meanings.

While I'm not typically fond of devotionals in this format, I found that I quite enjoyed this one.  The selections were honest, true to life, and deep.  And while some devotionals leave you wondering how to implement the lesson in your own life, this book includes a remember, reflect, respond, and power verse for each selection.  And because of the shortened format, it's an easy way to start your day with a little encouragement in the morning.

This would be a good devotional to share with a friend or on your own.  It's short and to the point, without being shallow.  I will be recommending this one to mom's in my circle.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

The Six Best Board Games for Young Children

We're back in the full swing of things with school around here.  As you may have noticed lately, I haven't had as much time to bake or craft.  My biggest accomplishment each week is getting lesson plans taken care of and getting kids to extra-curriculars.  But just because school has started, doesn't mean that we're not having fun.  These are just a few of the games we use to keep our school day fresh and fun:

*Hi-Ho Cherry-O--This is a fun game for the preschool set.  It's great for learning to take turns, counting, and teamwork.

*Shoots and Ladders--Oh, the highs and lows of Shoots and Ladders.  This game helped my son learn about being a gracious looser.  It's hard when you have to slide back down, but you keep going and learn the value of perseverance.

*Candy Land--What more fun than candy?  A great game for learning about colors, taking turns, and general game play.

*Memory--There are so many levels of Memory cards.  We've had several versions of the game and some are more complicated than others.  A great warm up game for remembering location and visual discrimination.

*Go Fish!--Depending on your Go Fish! cards, you can use this game for colors, visual discrimination, number recognition, and so much more.

*Uno--Again, this is a great game on so many levels.  Start with a beginner's set including characters, and move up to a more standard deck to work on number recognition.

What are your favorite board games for young children?

Turtle Cupcakes

I wish I had a better photo of these little turtles that my mom shared with us recently.  They are super cute and a lot of fun for kids' parties.  I can't imagine how much fun they would be to use in an Under the Sea party or just for a fun  afternoon snack.

For each turtle, you'll need:

1 green gum drop

1 red gum drop

1 peach ring

4 green jelly beans

Black gel frosting

*Start your turtle shell with the peach ring and add some frosting to adhere the red gum drop.

*Adhere the green gum drop for the head and add two gel eyes.

*Finish your turtle off with 4 green legs.

Hope you have as much fun with these little guys as we did!

10 Things This Week

Here's how I did on my goals this week:

Parenting:

*Continue finding our homeschool groove

*Sort clothes for hand downs, selling, and donations

*Get ballet slippers

Blogging:

*Write 1 WYW post

*Find a sensory project

Homemaking:

*Party prep: crayons, cake, and cleaning

*Fix sewer line

*Take recycling

Personal:

*Get 8 hrs of sleep/night (about 5 nights)

*Workout 2-3 days

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

*start Lydia in dance lessons

*Get kids to library

*Start a new chapter book

Blogging:

*Finish sensory project

*Finish 1-2 unfinished posts

*Work on 2013 DIY project

Homemaking:

*Fertilize roses and lemon tree

*Work on a Christmas project

Personal:

*Get 8 hrs of sleep/night

*Workout 2-3 days

What are you up to this week?

Weekend Links

What better time for a Weekend Party Link line up?  We're throwing a 2nd birthday party for my youngest today!  Gonna party, party, party!

Cupcakes and Pink Lemonade Party

Sewing Birthday Party

County Fair Birthday Party

Pumpkin Carving Halloween Party

Halloween Classroom Party

This Week:

What I Made:  Lesson Plans!  Haha... I sound like a broken record.  But with the new year starting, I can't seem to get any energy for anything else.

What I'm Reading:  I'm still reading my Amish novel.  Can't tell you how good it is.  And started the new Bookmarks book.  Again,... so good!

What I'm Doing:  I've started to get a little traction for school and started looking at some fun field trip opportunities for the year.  So I'm trying to plan out our schedule better.

What I'm Watching:  Haven't watched much this week.  Saw a couple of Say Yes to the Dress episodes on Youtube, but life is full.  :-)

What I'm Enjoying:  Pumpkin Spice Lattes... cooler mornings... 2 year old joy... 

What are you up to?

6 Ways to Drink More Water

Being a busy Mom of three and trying to keep up with it all, it's hard to remember to take care of myself.  Getting back into a fall routine, I've scheduled my workouts (most of them) and started going to bed earlier.  But what about drinking water?

I confess, I'm horrible about remembering to drink water. I want to.  I really do.  But unfortunately I often find myself running into the gym before class and realizing I haven't had water all day. So these are a few ways I'm working water back into my day:

1. Carry a Water Bottle--#1 Tip-- I have to keep carrying my water bottle with me.  I have a 32 oz bottle that needs to be filled twice/day.  Having my water bottle with me and drinking a minimum of 64 oz reminds me how much I've already drank and how much I have to go by the end of the day.  One less thing to remember.

2. Keep Fruit Infused Water in the Fridge--I've pinned a few on my Delightful Drinks Pinterest Board.  My current favorite is cucumber and lemon, but I'm also anxious to try the Raspberry Lime and Pineapple Mint.  Having some fruit infused water on hand gives me another option when I just need something different.

3. Drink a Glass of Water with Every Meal-  I'm already sitting down three times a day (hopefully) so I might as well have a class of water too.  That's almost half my water intake for the day.  Plus slows down your eating so you can better recognize when you're full.  And it's great digestion.

4. Have a Glass of Water First Thing in the Morning--As soon as you wake up in the morning, go straight to the kitchen, pour yourself a glass of water, and take your vitamins.  Then take that glass of water with you while you put your makeup on, put your hair up, go about your morning.  Finish that glass of water!

5. Have a Glass before/with a Snack--Feeling hungry?  Drink a glass of water first.  Still need a mid-day snack?  Drink a glass of water with your snack.  Remember it's good for digestion?

6. Take a Glass of Water to Bed--As I'm working into a new fall routine, I'm going to bed 30-45 min early and reading.  It's been a nice break and really helps me unwind at the end of the day.  So as I'm going to bed, I also take a glass of water with me and drink it as I read.  A little sip here, a little sip there and it's gone in no time

How do you remember to drink water in the day?

10 Things This Week

Here's how I did on my goals this week:

Parenting:

*Continue finding our groove in homeschool

*Make some sensory play

Blogging:

*Write 1 WYW post

*Finish review book

Homemaking:

*Fertilize roses/lemon tree

*Work on 2nd birthday party

*Attend a family wedding

Personal:

*Eat 5 fruits and veggies a day

*Get 8 hrs of sleep/night (5 nights)

*Get back in a workout routine

These are my 10 Goals for the Week:

Parenting:

*Continue finding our homeschool groove

*Sort clothes for hand downs, selling, and donations

*Get ballet slippers

Blogging:

*Write 1 WYW post

*Find a sensory project

Homemaking:

*Party prep: crayons, cake, and cleaning

*Fix sewer line

*Take recycling

Personal:

*Get 8 hrs of sleep/night

*Workout 2-3 days

What are you up to this week?