Books read in 2013

Following prompting, I recorded the books I read in 2013. I believe the total number is 31, but I would like to increase that to 36 for the new year. I do tend to read a magazine in between each book and the next. I hope you can gleen a title or two from my list. 1/1/13 Thursday’s Child by Sonya Hartnett is a coming of age story that is dark and has a cast of complex characters. It was the winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. I appreciated the fascinating storyline, but I much prefer a happy ending. I had trouble empathizing with any of the characters, and had to keep reminding myself that the main character was a young girl, not a boy. 1/29/13 A Prairie Christmas Collection is a collection of 9 short stories by various authors. Each one takes place during the Midwest expansion of our country and mostly involved a young woman and man. In nearly all of the stories, the man is much more interested in “courting” than the woman, who needs to overcome resistance before acquiescing to the relationship. Despite the stories being predictable, I enjoyed the traditional approach to romance and marriage that the stories represent. 2/11/13 The Girl’s Still Got It: The Story of Ruth and the God who Rocked her World by Liz Curtis Higgs. I have long heard of this author, but this is the first book of hers that I have read. She unpacked the four chapters of the book of Ruth , examining each and every word, without being in the least tedious. The author steps away from the text often and compares the events in this book to the Bible, as a whole. I anticipate reading more of Higgs’ books in the future. 3/10/13 Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma. This book came highly recommended by friends, booksellers, and a Focus on the Family podcast. The author began an experiment to rid her home of entitlement in 12 months (actually the subtitle). What begins as a means to get more help around the house evolves into a new normal way of life. Her conclusion is that most of what we need to teach our children boils down to thinking less of self and more of others. This applies to all of the household chores that she tackles and the later chapters /months in which she addresses service projects, hospitality and manners. I have to say that her methodology was rather simple, but her consistency and perseverance in seeing the Experiment through to the end is what made it book material. I would agree with a blogger who said that is was uncomfortable to me the way in which she spoke degradingly about her husband. 3/17/13 The Good Life for Less: Giving your family great meals, good times, and a happy home on a budget by Amy Allen Clark (MomAdvice.com). This book is similar to many other that I’ve read before. Nonetheless, I always manage to glean a few good tips from each new author. Amy devotes a hefty chapter to gift giving and holidays, which is where I found the most helpful information. Some ideas I want to remember: Thoughtful stockings-write compliments on slips of paper and slip them inside family members’ stockings to be read when opening the gifts Signature dish-select a dish or two (an appetizer and a dessert) that you do well and always have the ingredients on hand. This simplifies life when potluck occasions arise. Go thru the drive thru in your pj’s and go on a Christmas light tour while eating dinner. Observe Earth hour during the last Sat in March ( or on Earth day). Refrain from using electricity, and offer glow sticks for bath time. Write our summer plans on a large posterboard (possibly cut into the shape of a sand bucket!). Mark them off as we do them. Gift idea for graduates: coupon to redeem for care package. Make it a menu from which they can order the contents of their care package and mail it to me when they wish to redeem. Gift idea for Weddings: board games Amy also listed her homemade cleaner recipes, and I liked having them all in one place. My drawback to this book is that she obviously doesn’t attend church or observe the Sabbath as she slated Sunday as her cleaning day. 3/24/13 The Little Prince It really is surprising that I am just now reading this book for the first time. I bought it from the Scholastic book club flier, although I really don’t think that it would be meaningful for children. There is so much depth and symbolism within its scant 111 pages. I found myself lost a couple of times, needing to refer to an earlier portion of the book to remember how we got to that point. I did not enjoy this book, per say; however, I think I would like to read it with a group and discussion. 4/12/13 Home to Harmony by Philip Gulley This is a re-read for me, which I rarely do. But it did not disappoint; I was only reminded how skilled the author is at crafting believable characters. Harmony is a place I could imagine living in, maybe because of my small town upbringing. Don’t tempt me to continue re-reading the series, because I just might. 5/20/13 One Good Deed by Erin McHugh Erin begins this one-a-day book on her birthday, determined to execute one good deed each day for a year. Nothing earth-shattering, just her consistent efforts to make the world a better place. Her world, specifically, is New York City. It was fun to read of her successes, busts, and days of drought. The author is a gay woman, but it is mainly downplayed in the book. 5/29/13 Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman I appreciated this mom’s honest portrayal of the pain that she wrestles with on a in doesn’t sugar-coat the struggles she faces on this side of heaven. There are many poignant statements in the book; I will always remember her pointing out that Mary was chosen by God, yet she endured such pain. 6/8/13 The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom Still trying to figure out how I missed reading this book after intensely studying Holocaust literature! Corrie and her family are humble in their service, but bold in their faith. I am in awe of their loyal dedication to the rescue of Jews and others being persecuted. Her father is given the opportunity to avoid being arrested by promising to stop resistance activities. His response: “If I go home today, tomorrow I will open my door again to any man in need who knocks.” This will be a gem that I re-read, for certain. In the meantime, these words will ring in my head— Perhaps only when human effort has done its best and failed, would God’s power alone be free to work. As Corrie’s sister Betsie is dying, she rasps out her last vision: “…must tell people what we have learned here. We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here.” 6/12/13 A Step of Faith by Richard Paul Evans This is the fourth in the series about Alan Christofferson’s walk across America. They are somewhat predictable and a very easy read. But, now that I’ve come with Alan from Seattle to Florida, I can’t quit until I’ve read him through to Key West. My favorite parts of these books are the excerpt quotes from his diary that begin each chapter. The fifth-and probably the last- in the series is due to come out in May 2014. 6/19/13 Keep Smiling Through by Ann Rinaldi You know that a book is lacking when you can’t remember if you read it before or not. This young adult selection has been on my shelf to read for a long time. But all throughout reading it, I questioned whether or not I had ever read—or finished—it . About a 10 yo girl living in America during WWII, the storyline seemed all too familiar. I finished it, but would not recommend it. 6/29/13 The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver I have read other titles by this author, and they were much better. Bean is about a young woman who sets out on her own, but is quickly burdened with a Native American child who is left in her care. Through a series of misfortune, she finds herself living with another woman and child and working at a tire repair center. The characters are all quirky, but surprisingly believable. I wish the ending had been more conclusive. 7/16/13 Lessons in Buoyancy: Letting Go of the Perfect Proverbs 31 Woman by Kathy Vick I started to read this book once before; I guess I was not ready to hear the message. It was a good one—“This, I realized, is the perspective of buoyancy—and its benefit is not letting go to aimlessly float but letting go and learning to let God navigate our lives.” Kathy Vick is a first time author who used her own life trials to illustrate the perspective we should have when reading Proverbs 31. P31, as she calls her, does not have it all together. Rather, she has given over the direction of her sails to the One who created the winds. Each chapter title is a word play with water (Float, Deep Waters, Storms, etc.) and many of her analogies are stories relating to water sports. And each chapter deals with an attribute of P31 , such as Chapter 7: Islands: Lessons in Sanctuary --She extends her hands…and opens her arms. 7/24/13 Left Neglected by Lisa Genova I was really touched by this story of a successful Harvard grad who sustained a brain injury while trying to maintain her frenetic pace of life. She was not paralyzed, but her brain did not recognize her left side of her body. Not only was she physically changed, but emotionally altered. A well written story, and I will seek out the author’s other book. She reminded me, in a way, of Jodi Picoult. 8/6/13 Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach There are very few cookbooks that also make good reading. This is one exception. Jenny’s story was born out of a dinner diary she began fourteen years ago, nightly recording how she has answered the perpetual question, “What’s for dinner?” When she became a mother, she found this quandary to be even more complex. Her story centers around her desire to nightly gather her family around the table for a nutritious meal minus the stress and drama. I garnished many recipes that I want to try from her repertoire. A pasta dish has already won the favor of my family. 8/18/13 Knit Lit by Linda Roghaar and Molly Wolf I have to admit to skimming some of this book, as it was a compilation of short essays about knitting. These ranged from how the author learned to knit to where the author secured their fibers and yarns. All had the common thread of knitting playing a vital role in their lives. For some, it helped to conquer addiction, for others, it was a bridge to past generations. Many of the knitting terms were not familiar to me, since I have not been able to learn to knit. Overall, it was a mediocre read. 8/24/13 A Friend Like Henry by Nuala Gardner The subtitle is “The remarkable true story of an autistic boy and the dog that unlocked his world.” I appreciated that the author, Dale’s mother, wrote this book on her own. She was in the trenches, at times, with two children diagnosed with autism. But, she and her husband employ their kids’ respective obsessions to overcome hurdles and achieve developmental milestones. The true hero of the story, however, is Henry, their golden retriever. As I’ve heard so many times before, this breed of dog has a way with autistic children. They are so non-judgmental and show very little expression, thereby posing no threat to the child’s social challenges. A heart warming story of victory in a family where the odds appeared to be stacked against them. The Chance by Karen Kingsbury A fairly predictable story about family, loss, and love found again. Nonetheless, it is refreshing to read of characters who put their faith in the Lord, and do not sway no matter the circumstance. A boy loses his father and his best girl friend, she loses contact with her parents and has a child to raise alone. A date to meet promised eleven years ago brings them back together. Running for My Life by Lopez Lamong Let me just start out by saying how happy I am that Curry’s high school chose this book as the “One Book” for the summer. Lopez’s story is one of victory over poverty, war, imprisonment, and starvation, all through the power of God. And he is not shy about giving all honor to Him. Lopez’s life has given him a platform for advancing God’s kingdom and improving conditions in his homeland, Sudan. I high recommend this book! Be Different by John Elder Robison It only makes sense that a book written about what it feels like to be an Asperger be written by an Aspy. The author is a renowned speaker on the subject and has written several books on his experience. Having lived for forty years without a diagnosis, John developed coping strategies and “cheat sheets” for navigating the social world. So much of what he said rang true for my son. Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates Hanna was assigned to read this Newberry award winner over the summer. She didn’t think she would enjoy it, but really did so after all. Amos was an African captured in his home tribe, brought to America, and sold into slavery. He was lovingly kept by two different Christian families, who granted him his freedom and gave him the tools and skills to be a tanner. Amos paid the kindness forward by purchasing the freedom for three women and one child. A true story of the far-reaching effects of goodness. Time Keeper by Mitch Albom I’ve read—and enjoyed—all of Albom’s books thus far. So while I appreciated the complex storyline of this novel, it was not my type of fiction. It tells the story of Father Time as a personified character and his significant involvement in two very different people’s lives. With lots of flashbacks, it required the reader to suspend disbelief in order to follow the story. Dinner with the Smileys by Sarah Smiley While their husband/father is deployed, this mother and three sons invite special guests to fill the empty chair at the dinner table. The idea takes on a life of its own and their guest list grows over 52 weeks. I loved this story about community, fellowship, and supporting one another. Riding the Bus with My Sister by Rachel Simon Rachel is forced to come to terms with her own race away from loneliness when she (reluctantly) agrees to ride the bus with her special needs sister. What begins as a one-day experience grows into a year-long experiment and character study of the world in which her sister daily inhabits. Filled with bus drivers, fellow passengers, mesmerizing routes, and dashes to public restrooms. This is not a sentimental, patronizing story about an unfortunate, challenged sibling. It is, rather, a story about the author’s personal realizations as she opens herself up to a whole new world. The Four Doors: A guide to Joy, Freedom and a Meaningful Life by Richard Paul Evans This was a small but meaty book. (Why does every non-fiction author feel the need to subtitle their work?) I remember nodding my head and reading snippets to my husband as I read this book. But now, a month later, I don’t remember anything specific about the book. I don’t know if that means that it wasn’t memorable or that I have a poor memory. The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks Who says that men can’t write tantalizing stories? Sparks always comes through, and this is no exception. For most of the book, there are two parallel storylines taking place. It is only at the very end of the story that the lives of the three main characters intersect. An elderly man who has driven off of the road and is stranded in a snowstorm, an art history major at Wake Forest University whose life revolved around her boyfriend and sorority sisters for the first three years of college, and a bull-riding cowboy who helps to run his mother’s ranch seem to be an unlikely trio. I don’t want to give away too much, as the storyline can be figured out before the end of the story. Cole Family Christmas This extended picture book tells of the author’s great-grandmother and family during some very lean times. It is full of the warmth of a family who loves the giver, not the gift. Happy reading, my bibliophile friends! Angie

Grateful swap show and tell

My swap partner was Dawn, and she is even sweeter than the all of the goodies she packed into my box! Once you see the contents of my box, you'll begin to fathom just how very sweet she is! God's love has filled her heart and she shares the overflow with all of those around her (even through cyberspace!) Here's a list of all that my box contained, wrap in gorgeous fluer de lis tissue paper: ~Beth Moore yearly devotional...becuase I mentioned that I am presently doing Beth Moore's Esther study. ~Hershey DARK chocolate kisses...um, maybe I mentioned that I LOVE dark chocolate! ~Sugar cookie candle...for the long winter nights ~Owl ornamented that looks like he is made from a cable knit sweater...he is hanging from some branches in a tin pitcher in my bedroom. I like his whimsy. ~Christmas gift tags made by Dawn...I'm selfishly having trouble putting these onto gifts. They are so intricate--maybe I'll frame them. ~Stash holiday chai tea...She was so generous to buy the very tea that I drink! I've already drank a couple cups; I'm saving it for special nights, like wathcing Sound of Music with my daughter. ~Felt holiday craft kit...This will make four wreaths for decorating next fall. There will be one for each of us in our family to make--fun family craft night. In the meantime, I used some of the leaves as table scatter. ~Handcrafted grateful book for me to put photos and journaling of the people that I'm grateful for. I can't even inagine the amount of time and layers that Dawn put into this book! Yikes! I just realized that the pictures I took of all of my treasures are gone. :( Please go to Dawn's blog: because you really must see all of these beauties for yourself. I apologize that I am not doing her over-the-top swapping efforts justice. I had fun staging all of the things on the deck on a sunny day, but my tech limitations are manifesting themselves! Once again, Carrie and Monica, thank you for coordinating this swap and helping us to dsicover new friends! ~Angie

June frugal accomplishments

Another full month of seeking out frugal alternatives.  Just tonight, my husband and I took a bike ride and ended up at the baseball field to collect Coke lids.  We joked about how exciting our Saturday nights have become; honestly though, we are very content and that is all that matters! From Coke rewards, we netted a 12 pack and four 20 oz sodas this month.

On a bike ride, I found a nylon pop-up toy storage shaped like a frog.  It was lying along the road.  Since my cousin's son has a bedroom decorated in frogs, I picked it up for him.

We went to Ikea to pick up a few odds and ends, as I am trying to freshen up my laundry area in  the basement.  I was able to purchase everything with a gift card I received when I made Ikea aware of an error in their pricing.  They refunded me for the error plus gave me an additional $25 for my patience and making them aware of the problem.

We went to a Phillies game and were seated in the Hall of Fame section.  The night also included a parking pass for the closest lot.  My husband received the tix from a business vendor, and has become an annual tradition.

At my last visit to Ace Hardware, I received a scratch off card good for $3-$20 off of my next purchase.  Catch:  the amount would not be revealed until the time of checkout.  Since I assumed that most cards would be worth $3 off, I chose a new grill brush for slightly over $3.  It turned out to be around $1 out of pocket.

We went to Chick Fil A using coupons for free sandwiches from completing surveys found on receipts and free milkshakes from our calendar coupons.

When my kids brought home their binders at the end of the school year, we stashed them away to get $2 credit on each one toward new binders.  We'll wait for the back to school sales to do so.  (These binders have been heavily used for two years.)  Thanks to Monica for introducing me to Staples binder recycling program.

I bought some Register Rewards deals at Walgreens to get some inexpensive dental supplies.  As a bonus, at checkout, I got catalina coupons for 20% off any item at Sports Authority.  Since I paid in several transactions, I received 3 coupons.  Just in time for buying new soccer cleats, running shoes, and Under Armor warm up jacket for my son's birthday. 

My son needed some more tank tops for our hot summers.  So I got out the seam ripper and took off the sleeves of three t-shirts that he selected.  Easy-peasy, and the fabric doesn't ravel.

Both of my kids received gift cards from Rita's water ice as rewards.  For my son, it was a Random Act of Kiondness recognition from our county prosecutor's office.  My daughter won hers as a result of bringing her practice record to orchestra every week.  We went to Rita's on my son's birthday to get a treat.  Both my husband and I were able to get free water ice with B1G1 coupons from Entertainment book.  And the kids only used $3 from each of their cards because gelatis were on special for the first day of summer.

I found an almost new set of Oneida silverware ($3), a Rockport brand pair of slippers for my husband ($4), and a very pretty scarf ($1) from rue21 at a yard sale in my neighorhood.  I probably would have bought more if I had more $ with me, but I was out on a walk and came upon it. 

With a $5 coupon in hand, I headed to Kohl's to look for a good deal.  (For the record, none of these qualify as needs!)  Combining clearance sales, the $ off coupon, and % off coupon, I bagged a purse, Cuddle Dud shirt, and pajama shirt for $8.40.

My kids and I helped a friend to pack her belongings for a move.  She sent us home with a shirt, a few books, and a couple of plastic storage baskets.

Hanna's teacher retired at the end of this school year. As a result, she was doing a lot of clearing out of her classroom.  Hanna came home with books, workbooks, art supplies, and more.

As is our tradition, we go through the school supplies at the end of the school year, deciding what to keep and what needs to go.  Book socks, lunch boxes, and backpacks go into the washer.  Since we chose Jansport backpacks, they have used the same backpacks every year.  Jansport guarantees their packs to last a lifetime!  In fact, my son's zipper broke a couple years ago, so we sent it to them and they repaired it.

At our library, we always comb through the used book sale for additions to our reading pile.  On the day that we signed up for the summer reading program, we found a couple titles.  Additionally, we found an American Girl cookbook in the discard pile at the local EIRC (educational information resource center) while we were there using their laminators and Ellison machines. 

Target had a mobile coupon for $1 off produce.  Since they had peaches and plums 2/$1 that week, I was able to get 2 of each free on 2 separate visits.  Also, I purchased 5 boxes of cereal combining sales, Target coupons, mfr coupons, and a gift card offer.  Each box averaged  .90.  (However, I would not recommend visiting Target twice in one week as a means to being frugal!)

We took my son out for pizza on his birthday using a Groupon.  It was the best pizza I've ever had!  And the meal was $20.  I'm glad we bought two Groupons for Slice.

As part of my son's orthodontist program, we bought a professional electric toothbrush.  There was an online $20 rebate available from Oral-B, but it required a store receipt.  I got a statement from the ortho, unsure about whether it would work.  Shortly after, I received a pre-paid Citi card for $20!

Did you know that Bed Bath & Beyond will accept expired coupons.  I bought two items recently, used two coupons (one of which was expired), and saved at least 25% on each item.

Our local Chick Fil A was asking for captions to a funny cow picture they had posted on their Facebook page.  Both my son and I commented.  Instead of picking one winner, they gave free meals to ALL who had commented.  It was definately worth the minute or two to think of a clever title (I love word play!) and post the comment.

A friend from church gave us some zucchini, so we grilled it for dinner. 

I plan to continue to keep a list of my cost saving measures, this month on my phone so that I can write them down immediately.  If you'd like to read more of these lists, hop over to Carrie's blog.
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May frugal accomplishments

I was inspired by Carrie from with all that I have been given to keep a running list of my frugal fetes throughout the month.  I didn't start this list until May 19, but still found more than enough to fill a post!

1.  To decorate for a ladies' brunch, we used the flowering stems from a sage bush in my pastor's wife's yard for pretty and fragrant bouquets.

2.  My husband and son get haircuts every 4 weeks.  The franchise location where they go mails a $5 off coupon every other month.  I collect extra coupons from neighbors and from freecycle contacts.  This month they were both able to get $5 off their haircuts.

3.  On a walk through my university town, we spotted a discard pile outside of one of the apartment buildings.  In it, I found a Swiffer duster and a new dustpan.  Both came home with me! 

4.  About once a week, I walk to our town's Little League fields.  While I pick up litter, I check out the recycle bins for Coke lids to earn Coke rewards.  Since the concession stand sells Coke and Powerade products, they are always plentiful.  On average, I get 40 lids to redeem for free Coke products.  It is my son's job to enter these codes.  In turn, he is able to order a coupon for a Powerade.

5.  I need to make fruit skewers for my son's school dance.  Initially, I thought about buying platters with a luau theme.  Instead, I've decided to use containers that I already own (and have lids).  My daughter made some paper umbrellas using stirrer sticks and scrap paper to decorate the fruit.

6.  Hanna received a very nice pair of red dress shoes from a neighbor girl.  They fit her narrow feet well.

7.  Recently, I began listing things for sale on a local Facebook group.  I sold several things at very fair prices for a total of $58.

8.  At the end of a master gardener plant sale, I was able to score 8 basil plants for $2.

9.  A friend of mine is pregnant with twins and collects Willow Tree figurines.  I bought one that depicts an expectant mother from the FB sale group for $5.  At Hallmark, it retails for $33!

10. I made a second batch of laundry stain remover.  This time, I learned that it is important to put the ingredients into the bottle in the order listed.  (The baking soda never dissolved and stuck to the bottom of the bottle.)

11. This is a frugal trick that I do often, so I will only mention it this first time.  I add a small amount of liquid soap plus water to refill the foaming soap bottles in each of the bathrooms.  I've used the same bottles for four years now.

12. I have been saving all plastic berry containers in anticipation of picking cherries, blueberries, raspberries at the local orchards.  We will be visiting my parents at their campground at the end of the month.  My son wants to pick fruit and sell it to folks at the campground for a small profit.  He did this before to save money for a church fundraising project and the campers loved it.

13. My daughter's teacher is retiring at the end of this school year.  I made a gift for her based on an idea I saw in Family Fun for around $4.  (I can't find a link, but the idea appeared in the May issue.)

14. From Coke rewards, I got coupons in the mail for a free 12 pack and a 20 oz soda.  These are nice treats for picnics, ball games, etc.

15. I didn't have enough energy efficient light bulbs to use in a new kitchen light fixture.  Since this is used heavily, I switched out some bulbs from lamps that are not often used.  I plan to eventually switch these bulbs as well.

16. This is my favorite time of year to exercise outside.  Nearly every day, I walk around my neighborhood or ride my bike around town to complete errands.  I have a basket on the front of my bike and a platform over the rear wheel that can hold a surprising amount!

17. At Kohls', I was able to combine a $10 off coupon, a 20% off coupon, and a sale to get a pair of sandals for my son for $5.69. Original retail price was $28.

18. I found $2 on the side of the road while on a bike ride.  I'm having fun stuffing shopping carts at Aldi with quarters for future customers.

19. At my library, several pots of tomato plants were sitting next to the outside trash can.  The librarian said that they were fine to take, so I put 5 plants into my bike basket.  They are planted in an old wash tub, so we will see if they produce.  They had been neglected before I rescued them for the trash.

20. We hosted a small BBQ on Memorial Day.  The only thing I bought outside of my regular groceries was a box of frozen hamburgers.  We used drinking glasses, cloth napkins, and silverware instead of disposable.

21. I chaperoned a field trip for my daughter's class.  Since parents cannot ride on district school buses, I recruited some fellow moms to carpool for the ride.  We shared the gas and parking costs.

Keeping track of all of these cost-saving measures motivated me to look for even more!  I look forward to posting June's results as well.

Little House Birthday Party

Even before her 7th birthday party began, Hanna declared it to be her best birthday party ever. And I do believe she was right! She looked darling in a "Laura" dress, pinafore, and bonnet. We borrowed the dress from a friend who sewed it for her girls.

Invitations were made using foam log cabins I found in a package on clearance at Michael's. At the time, I wasn't sure how I would use them, but knew they were too appropriate to pass up. You'll see that they (or their outline) were used in many ways for the party.

The inside of the invitation said:

"...to Hanna's 7th Birthday Party.
It will be held at the
Little House on the Prairie
(our address).
Get your barn chores done early
and hitch up your team of horses
so you can arrive by 2 o'clock
on the afternoon of 19 September
If you wish, wear your
Sunday-best bonnet and pinafore.
Please reply with you
accept or regret to Ma
(our contact info.)

When the guests arrived, we began by reading two of the Little House picture books-- Little House Birthday and Little House on the Prairie--on a picnic cloth on the floor by the light of an oil lamp. (These books are a good introduction to the characters, time period, and way of life for guests who do not know much about this series of books, and the illustrations are beautiful.) While I read the books, the guests took turns helping to make butter. After, we served the fresh butter on biscuits. The kids, and parents, loved these!

Making butter is very easy to do: Pour some heavy cream into a glass jar with a secure lid. Shake very vigorously. After about 20 minutes of shaking, the butter will separate from the buttermilk. Pour the milk into a separate jar; it can be drank as it is not at all like soured buttermilk. Put the butter into a bowl and rinse with cold water until it rinses clear. Use a spatula to push out the remaining water.

Next, the guests designed their own placemat. In advance, I cut 12"x12" pieces of brown paper (from grocery bags and kraft roll) and traced the outline of a log cabin in the middle. With colored pencils and crayons, they added details to the cabin and created a scene. They relied on information they had learned while listening to the books. The kids put their placemats under one of the place settings at the table in anticipation of snacks and cake.

Our next move--I explained to the kids that the Ingalls moved often, so our party took place in all parts of our home and yard--was to the basement. There we had set up a log cabin and many activities that the Ingalls children would have played. The cabin came from our church's VBS. It was made our of painted carpet rolls (think big Lincoln Logs), and PVC pipe to form the roof. It was covered in red corrugated bulletin board paper. The activities included stringing buttons inside of the cabin (where an electric candle was "burning", clothespin drop, a wooden tic-toe game, and building with Lincoln Logs. While the kids circulated to different centers, I took each of their pictures in front of the log cabin. I plan to include those on the front of the thank yo u notes. (Since I did not seek permission to publish their pictures, I am not including pics of our guests. But three girls did dress appropriate to the time period.)

Moving on to the outside, we made clothespin dolls at the table on our deck. In order to make this craft easier to manage, I prepared some of the materials ahead of time. The guests chose which dress (or pants and shirt for our boy guests) to clothe their doll, belted it with yarn, added a face to the head of the pin, and glued the yarn hair on top. We allowed these to dry and put them into the goody bags before the end of the party.

The last activity planned was conestoga wagon rides around our cul-de-sac. Guy transformed our red metal wagon into a conestoga by making a frame that attached to the wooden wagon sides and wrapping it with a white fitted sheet. Only two kids could fit into the wagon at a time so I had planned to play hot potato with a quilted ball to entertain the others. (Guy had developed a playlist of prairie songs to be played during hot potato, such as "O, Susanna", "Old Dan Tucker", and "Pop Goes the Weasel".) But on a beautiful almost-fall day, they were more content to walk behind the wagon, roll down the hill in our front yard, or jump rope in the driveway.

Finally, it was time for snacks and cake! I tried to make the menu similar to that of the Ingalls: fresh-squeezed lemonade, apple cider, popcorn, Pennystick pretzels, apple slices, and cheese chunks. They were served in wooden bowls and crocks. All of the snacks went over well and had to be replenished. And because I didn't think that the kids would like johnnycakes, we had cupcakes. The centerpiece for the cupcakes was Hanna's "Laura" doll which came from one of the Ingalls' historic homesteads.

The table was set with a Mason jar of black-eyed susans and the place settings were enamelware plates, jelly jars, and brown cloth napkins. And, of course, the brown paper placemats that the kids created.

During the party, we did not use any lights; instead, we lit candles, an oil lamp, and battery operated tea lights. When the kids needed to use the restroom, I directed them toward the "outhouse."

As the guests left, we gave them each a goody bag. The bags were simply brown paper lunch bags on which I had traced an outline of the log cabin and wrote their name. Inside was an Altoid tin filled with candy: Mary Jane, caramel cream, and peppermints. I covered the tin lid with brown paper that had this printed on it:
Oleson's Mercantile
Walnut Grove, Minnesota
Est'd 1876

We also included a mini notebook and pencil.

(I apologize for the length of this post. I went into great detail for those who expressed interested in hosting a similar party in the future.)

Valentine's gifts for the teachers

Last week, I think, I got Hershey's Special Dark chocolate bars at CVS. They were 2/$1 and I had several B1G1 coupons. So each bar was .25! My choices were to save them all for myself or quickly commit to making them into gifts. Fortunately, I chose the latter.

I covered the wrapper with Valentine themed scrapbook paper. I cut a 12x12 piece of paper into 4 6"x6" squares. This was the perfect size for wrapping around the bar. But first I held the candy bar up to the window with a piece of white cardstock in front. I traced where the words SHE (in the middle of the word Hershey) and SPECIAL appear on the wrapper. I cut out those areas from my white cardstock. That became my template to trace and cut the four pieces of Valentine paper.

When the paper was wrapped around the candy bar, the words "she" and "special" were visible. With a Sharpie, I added some words to make the sentiment complete..."Mrs. Smith--(She) is a (special) teacher!"

I hope this can help someone with a last minute, inexpensive gift. I know that all of the teachers I made this for love dark chocolate!

Angie

What's in a name?

I think I should start out by explaining the name of my blog--dot org. Did it have you scratching your head and wondering?

That name is also on my business cards, so I thought I would keep it simple. You see, that is the whole point of the business. I organize residential rooms for customers, most of whom I get by word of mouth. The business is in its infancy at this point, but I like the flexibility it allows me. I can schedule my appointments around my kid's school schedule and only work as many days as fit for me that week. In other words, this service oriented company allows me to put my family first. In terms of service, they are my priority.

So, if you live nearby and you need some organizational help, I would be glad to offer my services. My fees are very reasonable. As I'm beginning this endeavor, any experience I have is beneficial to me as well as the client.

If you would like me to address an organizational dilemma/question you have, please leave a comment. I will answer questions in future posts, yet another opportunity for me to learn along the way.

Thanks for allowing me to "plug" my services and offer my help to online friends, as well.

Angie