Friday Favorites: July 15

It's been a big week for our family as we entered a new stage of life!

• My favorite of the week (OK, the year) is being a grandma!  So much fun and way less pain involved than becoming a mother.
• Settling back into being at home; including my sleeping in my own bed and using my own shower.  It's the little things that comfort me.
• My awesome neighbor taught me I should have harvested my lettuce sooner; that's why it tasted bitter.  Then she showed me how to harvest the seeds.  I'm ready to try again after the summer heat breaks!

There's other cool things going on in the blog world too.

• I love this all purpose card at Think Fast.
• Check out these black and white parfaits Celebrations at Home shared.
• I Heart Faces has a great post about cake smash photography.  I started reading Your Baby in Pictures by Me Ra Koh.  The post and the book go well together.  I was fortunate to hear Me Ra Koh speak at evo '11.  I enjoyed hearing her inspiring story.  It was empowering to realize creativity, in all its forms, is therapeutic. It helps us to make sense of the world around us and our place in it.  I've always enjoyed photography, and now its more meaningful to give it a purpose and direction through my children and grandchild.

What are you loving this fine Friday?

June Numbered

I'm not sure how it happened, but 2011 is half way over.  For now, I'll focus on June's accomplishments.

• .6 pounds lost.  So much for the stomach flu weight loss program.
• 1 Toy Store themed baby shower.
• 2 Wood Badge beads received.  It feels so good to have my ticket goals done and the beads around my hot little neck.
• 3 books read - Pushcart War, Sarah's Quilt, and Star Garden.
• 4 Scrapbook layouts completed.
• 7 articles written for the Homemaking Cottage and Arizona Mama.
• 26 Challenge projects completed.  I guess I know why June felt so busy!
• 27 Blog posts.
• 43 Comments!  Thanks for the input.
• 1161 page views.

What amazing things did you accomplish in June?

Friday Favorites: July 1

Happy July!  What happened to June?  I can't believe it went by so fast.  For most of us here in Arizona, summer vacation is half over even though the heat is just really getting going.  Come on monsoon!  The 116 degrees aren't my favorite, here are some things I'm totally digging.

• Bass Pro Shop has a fun Family Summer Camp on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  We went yesterday and they had workshops on Fishing, Bird watching, Hiking, and Archery.  The kids were also able to shoot a compound bow and a BB gun.  They even let me try the compound bow.  It was so fun!
• Library Summer Reading programs.  The kids redeemed their prizes.  The older ones got movie tickets.  Harry Potter here we come.

There's some fun stuff on the web too.

• Design Dazzle shares a Giant Bubble Kit and a link party.
• Unscripted Sketches is hosting their Christmas in July Bingo.
• Just in time for the 4th, try Two Peas & their Pod's Red, White and Blue Scones.
• Booking Mama reviews yet another book for me to add to my must read list, Joy for Beginners.

Now it's your turn - what are you loving today?

Pushcart War Book Club

It's book club time again, yeah!  I say that like there is a regular and set time for our book clubs, instead of whenever Mom finally finishes reading the book everyone else finished days ago.  (OK, sometimes it's more like weeks.)  Pop over to Arizona Mama and read our latest happenings. 


What are you reading this hot summer day?

Friday Favorites: June 24

Happy Friday!  It's is a happy day here because everyone who had the flu is on the mend.  Hopefully we are done with this run of the flu.  And there's other good stuff too.  Here's my Friday favorites.

• I just read more details about the evo 'll conference and I'm so excited!  It's going to be a great party - where I get to learn cool stuff and meet awesome people! (You can see how excited I am by all the exclamation points!)
• With my down time this week, I finished Sarah's Quilt.  Then I jumped into the last book of the series, Star Garden.  I love this series.  It even inspired me to write a story of my own.  We'll see how it goes.
• Family history - I learned some interesting facts about the little island where my grandpa grew up.  It was called Sansego; the name was taken from the Greek word for oregano that grows on the island.  Just learning a bit more about where he lived, creates a connection to him.

Of coarse I found some other favorites in my Google Reader!

• I love the Around the World in 80 Days Reading Bingo Chart Chocolate on my Cranium shared!  (Try saying that 3 times fast.)
• Silhouette has frosted vinyl - too cool!
• Think Fast shares a super cute card with shrinky dink butterflies!  I never thought about running shrink plastic through my Silhouette.
• Check out the cute key quotes at Your Homebased Mom.  She even shares a download of the poster she made for a graduation gift.
• No Friday is complete without dreaming of treats.  Two Peas & their Pod share a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars that remind me of the ones my mom made when I was a kid.
• If that's not sweet enough for you, try New Nostalgia's Salty Sweet Peanut Butter Caramel Funky Fritos.  This is one of those recipes where my eyes aren't sure it would taste good, but my brain would definitely give it a try.  Hopefully I'm not the only one whose body argues with itself.

All of me wishes you a good weekend enjoying a few of your favorites - just share your plans so I can live vicariously through you.  Thanks!

Friday Favorites: June 10

Happy, happy Friday!  The weatherman said summer is finally coming with it's 110 degree temperatures in just a few days.  I was really enjoying the below average temps lately, but they can't last forever.  Fortunately we have a few ideas of how to avoid the heat, I'm thinking movies and ice cream.  Here's today's favorites.

• Mopped floors and a couple of kiddos who were not only willing, but eager to help!
• Watching the ultrasound of my grand baby.

There's some cool stuff in my little blogging world too.

• A truck load of summer reading programs. I listed all the Arizona programs I could find over at Arizona Mama.
• I have heard of Buttermilk Syrup; the Tasty Kitchen Blog shares the recipe and lots of pictures of the process.
• Positively Splendid has a giveaway for wood craft shapes that should help keep the kids busy.
• Creating Keepsakes is hosting Free Font Friday - CK Limerick is really cute!

May Numbered

I'm so excited to start June off with a new blog design!  My talented daughter made this custom little beauty for me and I love, love, love it.  Here's how I spent the rest of May.


.8 - Number of pounds lost.

1 - Books read.  I'm closing in on two more, so hopefully next month will be better.  I am still really enjoying Sarah's Quilt.
3 - Hours spent switching my blog over to the new design.
4 - Scrapbook layouts completed. 
7 - Articles written for the Homemaking Cottage and Arizona Mama
8 - Piano practices.  Now that's more like it.
15 - Challenge projects completed.  This seems to be my achievable number.
27 - Blog posts.

43 - Comments.  It is so good hearing from you!
1573 - Page views!  A new record by a landslide.  Thanks for visiting.

Happily Ever After

I heard once that the secret to writing a good story is putting your main character in a situation they would least want to be.  When my children have complained about a villain of a story, I've even told them there wouldn't be much of a story without the villain.  And yet, how often do you feel sad at the end of a book because you don't want it to end.  Wouldn't it be nice to spend more time in the "happily ever after" part of the book?


The older I get and the more hard times I see, the more I think I might like that boring book with no villains and no trails.  I'm curious to see how long I could stay interested in a book with one joyous event after another.  Maybe that story would make me sad because it would be so far from my reality.  

For now I'll settle for the escape to another time, another place and another set of challenges is just what I need to appreciate my own challenges.  I posted our latest book club adventure over at Arizona Mama.

Friday Favorites: May 27

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  One of the kiddos has a birthday party to go to, and of coarse there are other things we want to do, but not too much that we have to do.  It's a nice change!  Here are today's other favorites.

• Sarah's Quilt - I am loving this series.  It is so easy to slip into her life!
• A clean desk - I wonder how long I can keep it clean?  Maybe I can make progress on the rest of the house.
• My garden - It's still growing.  I'm looking forward to eating from my garden, but I am getting so much satisfaction from watching it grow in the meantime.
• Awards - I'm pleased with how well my children are doing in school and for the various awards they have received for their hard work.

There's some cool things going on some of my favorite blogs too.

• Your Cup of Cake shares a yummy Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting, hosts a giveaway and introduces me to In Katrina's Kitchen.  I'm going to need to start trying some of these delicious recipes I'm finding.
• Ruffles and Stuff has a great headband tutorial.
• I love the cake and cupcake cards over at Pebbles Inc.  They are also hosting a giveaway, if you are into Facebook and Twitter.
• Your Homebased Mom has a Chalkboard Menu Board Tutorial.  I'd love to throw fancy dancy parties!
• I love this patriotic fabric flower over at Celebrations at Home.  That reminds me, it's time to pull out my patriotic table runner.

What are your favorites this Memorial Day Weekend?  I guess for those of you outside the U.S., it's just an ordinary weekend. 

Friday Favorites: May 13

Things are ramped up around here preparing for the end of the school year.  We have concerts, projects and parties in addition for all the planning for our summer activities.  In amongst all the activity, I have a few favorites to bring me a little peace.

• Sarah's Quilt - I just started this book a few days ago, and I'm enjoying it as much as the first book in the series.
• Spending time with my kiddos.
• I loved Your Homebased Mom's post about her impending empty nest.
• Finishing up these last two birthday invitations.  I posted them yesterday, but blogger ate that post. Hopefully it comes back!
• Teenage Tangled Birthday Party is posted over at Arizona Mama. It's the party that goes with this invitation.

Share your Friday Favorite!

High School Required Reading

Romeo & Juliet?  A Tale of Two Cities?  What books did were high school mandatory reading?  I'm surprised at how different those list are from my high school experience to what my children are reading.  There's even a wide discretion from people my own age. 


Here's my list (to the best this old brain can remember):

• Romeo and Juliet
• The Red Badge of Courage
• The Scarlet Letter
• Great Expectations
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

I don't think my kiddos have read any of the books I did in high school.  They read things like:

• The Life of Pi
• Dracula
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• Rise to Rebellion

What was your high school required reading?

Friday Favorites: May 6

Happy May!  I hope you all have something special planned for your mothers.  We're having a big family dinner.  I'm going to take my mom shopping the next week for some one on one time. 


Here's this week's favorites:

• Author Elizabeth Mueller created this award for those of us who completed the A to Z Challenge.  She asked us to share our experience.  I did that a couple of days ago as part of my April Numbered post, so I won't be repetitive.  I will say that I'm looking forward to next year and I'm interested in trying another challenge at some point.  
• Mee Speaks - I love author Mary Ellen Edmunds style. 
• My garden is still blooming.  The lettuces are doing especially well.  The afternoon heat is starting to get to the other plants.  
• Pebbles Inc has some great paper crafts projects.  My weekly scrapbooking time got bumped to today.  Maybe the inspiration will get me going.
• Small Fry & Co. spotlights a cool western project.  I love the background material for the crackle finish!
• Seth Adam Smith shares a beautiful painting.

What's tickling your fancy this fine Friday?

April Numbered

April has come and gone.  The month seems very full; not just with activities but with learning and growth. 


.6 - Number of pounds I gained.  Today I'm down .8 from yesterday.  So I'm disappointed to not be losing weight, but I'm maintaining, which is better than the 10 pounds I gained in the same time frame last year.

3 - Books read!  Matilda, Even the Stars Look Lonely and the Camilla Spencer biography.

4 - Piano practices.  I can't even blame Spring Break for this month's performance!  I guess I spent too much time reading.

5 - Scrapbook layouts completed. 

7 - Articles written for Arizona Mama and the Homemaking Cottage.

15 - Challenge projects completed.  

26 - A to Z Challenge posts completed.  I enjoyed the challenge, even though some days were challenging.  My goal is post daily, but some days I don't have the time and other days I don't have anything to say, or the motivation to write off my list of ideas.  Some days, the challenge helped inspire posts.  The only down side was that some of the topics I came up with for certain letters weren't super high quality content; but I guess that's not any worse than skipping a day.  I also enjoyed checking out the other blogs participating, although I didn't make it to them all.  I feel a kinship with a few and added them to my RSS feed.

1022 - Page views!  Thanks for visiting.


Share what was memorable about your April.

Friday Favorites: April 15 - "M" Edition

I hope everyone's taxes are complete and you can enjoy this beautiful Friday.  I'll start off today's Friday Favorites with a few of my favorite M's to celebrate the A to Z Challenge.

• Matilda Book Club - I have some fun stuff planned for tomorrow's Book Club Meeting!
• Mahjongg Titans - I'm addicted to this game, especially the ones shaped like animals.
• Multiple Intelligences - I even checked out a book from the library to learn more!  Today, Chocolate on My Cranium shared some characteristics of Naturalistic learners.

Of coarse there are some cool things on the net that don't start with the letter "M".

• Like the cool paper craft projects by Kim Kesti on the CLASSroom.
• For a great color combo for your crafty projects, check out Sherbet Blossom's April Color Cue.
• Cookies are always good.  Today let's try Cake on the Brain's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• Room Mom 101 has some great teacher appreciation ideas.  Is it that close to May already?

Meet these "M" bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge!

• Marian Allen
• Myne Whitman Writes
• Margo Kelly
• My Writing Blog

Learn

I love to learn. My challenge is there is so many things I want to learn and so little time to actually spend learning. Sometimes that whole life thing gets in the way!  Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I struggle with being a wanna be everything. It seems like I add five things to "the list" for every one thing I cross off.


Earlier this week I was adding a few books to my wish list of books to read.  When I read through it, I realized I actually read one of the books on my list!  I don't think I have done that since I started the list a few years ago. 


Books are my favorite way to learn, as you may notice by our family book club. As a matter of fact, I shared our Week in the Woods Book Club over at Arizona Mama.


Here's some fun "L" bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge.

• L'Aussie's Travel Blog
• Little Red Henry
• Laura Pauling
• Lucy Adams
• Life of Riles

Friday Favorites: April 8 - the G Edition

It's time for Friday Favorites A to Z Challenge style.  Since today's letter is "G", I'll start off with a few of my favorite G's.

• Garden - you are probably tired of hearing about our garden experiment, but I'm so excited.  There are actually things growing. In addition to lettuces, carrots, potatoes we now have green beans poking up through the soil.
• Gospel - Last week's General Conference was truly enjoyable.
• Good Book - I'm reading Matilda with my kids for family book club.

I  found some cool posts today, even though they don't have anything to do with "G" words:

• Joy the Baker shares a recipe for Strawberry Pineapple Crumble.
• Booking Mama dug up some interesting trivia on the history of wedding cakes.
• Chocolate on my Cranium continues her series of multiple intelligences with a piece on spacial learners.
• Soup weather is almost gone, so enjoy Dinner Time Ideas' Chicken Corn Chowder quick!

Here's a few A to Z Blogger for today:

• Gems and Rhinestones
• Girl About Town
• Go Go Geo
• Grandma is a Writer

I'd love to hear about your favorite "G" words (keep it family friendly please), or today's favorite posts!

Counting March

I know it's normally March numbered, but I switched it up to Counting March for the A to Z Blog Challenge. Any of my numbers that I'm disappointed in, I'm blaming Spring Break.


1 - Number of pounds gained. I have two words for you, Spring Break!  Actually I think the culprit is not tracking my food.  I will be jumping back on that band wagon.
2 - Books read.  Eragon and These Is My Words.
4 - Piano practices, and they were wimpy ones at that! (It's Spring Break's fault)
5- Articles written for the Homemaking Cottage and Arizona Mama (Spring Break)
7 - Family history names verified
8 - Scrapbook layouts finished (I could have finished those last two, but ... you guessed it, Spring Break)
14 - Challenge projects finished (Spring Break)
23 - Blog posts, not too bad considering it was Spring Break
1183 - Page views!  Thanks to you not slacking over Spring Break, it's a new record.


I also use my monthly review to check how I'm doing on my New Year's resolutions.  I'm making slow progress with my goals.  I'm finding peace in my search for direction.

Friday Favorites: April 1

No fooling, here's what's tickling my fancy this first day of April.

•  Our garden experiment continues - we now have tiny lettuce sprouts! 
• A to Z Blogging Challenge from Tossing It Out - A fun challenge for this month, so I'll start off with A to Z Blogging Challenge as my "A" entry.
• I found Bird's Party magazine.  It has a bunch of great party ideas for several themes, including Alice in Wonderland and a Fiesta.
• Angel Biscuits - I might have to try Your Homebased Mom's recipe with my Chocolate Gravy on Sunday for General Conference.
• Roberts Classic Chapter Books - My follow up post to our favorite picture books is now up on Arizona Mama.
• Tactile Learners - for those of you following Chocolate on my Cranium's multiple intelligences, she discusses tactile learners.
• Nutter Butter Cookie Balls from Somewhat Simple - it doesn't start with the letter "A", but they sound absolutely fabulous!
• Pom Pom Garland from Celebrations at Home - Now that I figured out my Silhouette has a pennant shape and I won this little beauty, I found a new kind of garland to drool over.

What are you loving this April Fools day?

Friday Favorites: March 25

Welcome to the last Friday of March!  We're gearing up for a busy April.  We have a couple of birthday parties, General Conference, Easter and the rest of life.  What do you have planned?

Here's a few things that I'm loving today:

• Inkheart - We watched the movie with the kids last night.  I'd seen it before, but somehow didn't remember the title or that I now want to read the books.
• Beautifully decorated Easter cookies - Somewhat Simple shared great directions with pictures so you could make them yourself.  I've been wanting to try the tricks mentioned earlier this week, but time got the best of me and I passed the job off to my kiddos.  The cookies came from a mix and frosted with store bought frosting; and they were yummy.  I'll try to develop my cookie decorating skills another time.
• Cute cards - I've been meaning to spend an hour or so making cards and Pebbles and just the inspiration I'm looking for.
• Cute boxes - While we're being crafty, I'd love to try Little Birdie Secrets ideas.  And it would make me use my Silhouette that I got for Christmas.
• More about Multiple Intelligences - Last week I shared Chocolate on my Cranium's post on multiple intelligences. A few days later Amelia Maness-Gilliland talked about introverts and extroverts on Arizona Mama that tied right into the multiple intelligence post.  So I've been thinking quite a bit about how I and my children learn.  Today, Chocolate on my Cranium talks specifically about linguistic learners - which just happens to by my strongest area.
• A Twist on Garlic Bread - Next time you serve spaghetti or some other wonderful Italian dish, why not try Parmesan Garlic Pull Apart Bread from Dinner Time Ideas?
• Garden Experiment - My neighbor brought over a container and some lettuce seeds for us to try another "experiment", to see if I can grown anything edible.  The younger kids were out there helping prepare the container and plant the seeds.  We had tried a small compost bucket last fall and it worked great!  It turned our light brown soil to a deep, rich almost black that we mixed into the soil.  We also planted some carrot seeds we had on hand.  While we were in the backyard, our neighbor handed us some more containers over the wall and potato bulbs and green bean seeds.  Wish us luck in not killing all of these plants!

Picture Book Classics

There's been quite a bit of chatter over at Arizona Mama about some of our favorite kids books.  You know I had to get in on the action.  Narrowing my list down was harder than I thought!  Check out my list and see how it compares to your family's favorites and be sure to leave me a comment with the ones I forgot.  I'm sure there are a bunch!