Take a Chance On Me Book Review

I reserved a few more books at the library which I need to stop doing because my pile of books to read is huge!  But the first two in the series that I read and reviewed the third came in so I was eager to start reading Take a Chance on Me (Christiansen Family Series) by Susan May Warren.  I started off slow and then couldn't put it down.  I ended up staying up one night until 3 am reading it.  I was going to stay up a little longer to finish it but I talked myself out of it!!

This book follows Darek Christiansen through his life as the oldest of the large Christiansen family in their Evergreen Lake resort.  He lost his wife, Felicity, in a tragic accident but the truth is that it is the best thing that could have happened to him because it woke him up to his love for his son, Tiger.  His whole life changed the moment he lost her because he also lost all of his friends at the same time.  He became bitter and hard to be around and had to stand in as a replacement for his brother at the Deep Haven Bachelor Auction where the new assistant county attorney, Ivy Madison, bid on him.  She didn't know who he was but only knew that the room got quiet when he was on stage.  It was the beginning of Ivy's life in Deep Haven and she works to get past Darek's rough exterior to find a great person with a great family.  Since she grew up as an orphan, she really enjoyed the feeling of family at Evergreen Resort.  This book had a lot of things going on with Darek and all of his family and friends but you are going to have to pick it up to see all of the choices that Darek makes with the approaching wildfires and how he protects his family and town.

I loved it!!!  It was a page turner and I stayed up all together to late one night just to read it.  It made it really hard to put down but I finally did so that I could make sure that I got enough sleep....finishing the book the next day.  I was super excited that I have the other book in the series so that I don't have to wait.  I hope that you check out this book at your local library or bookstore and see if you love this family too!!

Thrifty Thursday: How to Hang Pictures and See What they Look Like Before Putting Holes in the Wall

I have had this project on my list for at least four years to finally get some pictures up of my son but it is always moved to the back burner.  I started a little bit of a "when my son goes back to school list" to get things done and this was one of the things on it.  Do you ever have those lists??  The ones where things are always added and nothing goes away?

My cousin came home with some frames for herself and they were exactly what I was looking for so I started looking at her frames and trying to figure out how they would work with the pictures that I had.  She was so ready to help me with this project so we spent a long time talking and pointing and rearranging frames.  I decided to go upstairs and get the pictures out of my sleeping son's room in order to figure out what we had to work with.  We moved the pictures and the frames around on the floor to come up with how the pictures would go in the overall scheme and how many frames I would need.  I came up with one plan which needed at least four more frames.  Then, I moved it around to include a different frame that I already had.  With the help of my cousin, we cleaned the glass and attached photos in the frames (okay, I didn't clean them my cousin did- Thanks Lynn).  She took a picture of the layout on the floor so we wouldn't forget and we went to bed.

I woke up in the morning and realized that I forgot the thing that I really wanted to frame which was the silhouette that my son's preschool director made of him.  I went downstairs first thing in the morning and changed the entire layout!!  My cousin said she wasn't helping with this project if I just kept changing things...she was joking but I think that I finally had the final layout so she took the list of the picture frames that I needed and headed back to the store.

We finally had the pictures (mostly), the frames and we were ready to go!  Now the big problem, how do we get this up on the wall?  My cousin consulted a few ideas on pinterest and we combined all of them.  She took the inside papers of all of the frames and stuck them up on the wall with painters tape.  The white papers were the frames that we already had that we didn't just get at IKEA.  This really helps you see the frames and see if the layout fits the area you have before you make any holes in the wall.  My original idea had three rows so it is a good idea that I didn't stick with that because the wall would have been totally full ceiling to couch.

We also measured on the wall so that we knew where the ends of the couch were and where the middle was.  We also measured up to 16 inches so that we would know where we wanted the bottom of the pictures.  There was tape all over the wall.  Do you see all the green spots on the wall?  More tape went one while we were working to mark other areas.

Then we decided where to start and my husband started hanging pictures.  We started in the middle and worked our way out.  There were some problems because it wasn't just nailing at the edge of the frame so we had to do some measurements to where the nail needed to be from the picture hanging wire on the back of the bigger frames.  You would think that would be the end of it but there were many adjustments made along the way with the help of my husband, cousin and uncle, we used our math skills and didn't have to make a lot of extra holes in the wall.

We finally got them all up.  The only ones that were a little hard to figure were the black frames but after we put the nail in the wall, I tightened the wire that was hanging the picture to adjust it so that all of the picture bottoms were in a line. 

I still have to put pictures in one of the black frames but I was super excited to get up 5 years of my son's pictures including his first birthday and all three years of preschool photos.  I got to put up the family pictures of us at the Cherry Blossom Festival.  I know that I will change out this photos eventually but it makes me smile every time I look at the wall with the pictures up there.  The format is already set so changing the photos will be no problem!

These frames were some that I had and a few that I bought at IKEA and I got this project done in under $50 with free photo prints from Walgreens, a picture from my son's school and some great pictures that my cousin got done of my son when he was younger.  I am super excited to have this project done and I can't wait to get to the next one on the list!!  Make your own photo wall to make you smile.

Do you have any projects that you are putting off for a later date?  Get a friend (or a cousin, a husband and an uncle) and help you get it done! 

Kids Wednesday: Money Basics and How to Teach Kids

I found some great books at the library and I am going to be looking for more in the series soon so lets hope that they release some more soon.  Lily Learns about Wants and Needs (Cloverleaf Books - Money Basics) by Lisa Bullard, Christine M. Schneider and Ella Earns Her Own Money (Cloverleaf Books: Money Basics) by Lisa Bullard, Mike Moran.

Lily Learns about Wants and Needs was our first find at the library.  There are "chapters" in the book but they are all short and including the following: Want or Need?, Buying Only What We Need, Everyone Has to Make Choices, and When "Wants" Are Okay.  The first chapter has Lily telling her Dad that she needs a new bike so that she can play outside more.  Her father explains that she needs exercise by she can ride her old bike or do other activities so she asks if she can buy a skateboard or roller skates.  The chapter ends with a question for the kids: What is something you want but don't need?  The second chapter goes through the process of buying a rain coat because Lily has outgrown her coat so they look until they find a good sale.  The question at the end of the chapter is Are the things that cost the most always the best choices?  Of course Lily uses it back against her Dad saying that she doesn't need to see the dentist because her teeth have already fallen out.  After going to the dentist, Lily asks to go bowling or play mini golf but her Dad takes her to the park and explains that it doesn't cost any money.  There are questions about getting ice cream from the ice cream man and root beer at the grocery store and how they are skipped because they are wants.  Then the last chapter talks about how you have everything you need and decide to splurge on a want so they go get ice cream.

I loved all of the examples in the book because my son seems to think (as I am sure many other kids do) that they should have everything that they want.  It is hard to explain to a kid that you can splurge and buy an entire container of ice cream sandwiches at the grocery store for less than it cost to get only one at the ice cream man so that he can share with the whole family and have them all week.  We like to save and buy things that we need on sale so that we can keep the most money and not have to waste it but my son is starting to get his own money.  I told him the other day that I wanted him to be careful with his sunglasses because they could easily break and I wasn't going to buy another pair.  He told me that he had his own money to buy them.  I told him that it is better to save instead of wasting it on something because you weren't careful with what you had.  This book is the perfect answer to these issues that kids start bringing up as they get older.

The second book we read was Ella Earns Her Own Money.  Ella decides that she wants a soccer ball so she works really hard to get it by earning the $20 that it costs to buy it.  The book has her divide her money into Save, Share and Spend jars.  She works extra hard to get the money by doing her chores and extra chores like cleaning out the car for an extra dollar.  She made posters and put them around town to get other jobs like weeding or washing a dog for the neighbor to earn another $3.  She watched a kid and played with her old soccer ball (even though her new one would be much more fun).  In the third chapter, there is buying and selling when Ella sells an old game and buys gum for $1.  Then she made some bracelets to sell.  Chapter Four is it all adds up when she finally earns enough money for a soccer ball but she is too tired to get it that day and tells her mom that she will get it tomorrow!

I enjoyed this book as well but honestly not as much as the first one just because I thought that the first one was more dealing with the issues that we were currently dealing with but it was still really great.  It gave the examples of how kids work to earn money and how long it takes to get something big that you want by waiting and saving.  I know that this is going to be hard because there are so many things that he wants to get and being patient and earning the money is going to probably be our next hurdle so if you are dealing with this now, it is the perfect book for you.  In the back of the book, there was a section with a money chart and how they could make their own to chart the money they are saving for the item that they want.

I hope that you enjoy these books as much as we did!  Check them out the next time you are at the library or the bookstore and I promise you will be impressed.  They give all the information that you expect be provided to the kid without promising anything that kids will want more answers to.  I hope that you check them out and love the series as much as we have!

Menu Plan Monday 9/1

Monday- Grilled Steak, Potatoes and corn with leftover peasant bread
Tuesday- Tacos with saffron rice
Wednesday- LEFTOVERS!!!
Thursday- Grilled Chicken with herb rice
Friday- Salsa Sloppy Joes on homemade rolls and fries
Saturday- Leftovers/Chicken Nugget Wraps with mac and cheese
Sunday- Leftovers/????

Well, even though I thought ahead and printed the calendar for September.... there was nothing on it when the month started and I was trying to fill it in but I sort of forgot to post the week here so here it is!! We have tons of leftovers in the fridge so I made a few meals but we need to get back and get it cleaned up so that we can see what is in the fridge.  I have to get ready for the rest of the month and I can't even get into the fridge now so here is hoping that everything goes well in operation clean out fridge but we might need a second day (or a third)!! We will see how that goes to see what is going on the menu for Sunday but we are going to be cleaning out the fridge!!

Kindergarten: It Isn't What It Used to Be Book Review

Kindergarten: It Isn't What It Used to Be by Susan K. Golant and Mitch Golant was the next in my pile to read.  I am not sure exactly how I found this book whether searching on the library website or if it was suggestion on Amazon that I went to the library to get. I was glad to read this before my son went to kindergarten but it is aimed at parents who have kids in preschool or are trying to pick the right school for there kids (which it is a little too late because we start today).

I enjoyed reading the different sections that covered a lot of different concerns. Here are the contents of the book:

-What is Kindergarten Readiness Anyway?
-To Test or Not to Test
-The First R of Kindergarten Readiness: Developing Relationships
-Early Reading: You Can't Hurry Love ... Or Readiness
-The Three Cs of Kindergarten Readiness: Encouraging Curiosity, Conversation and Creativity
-Your Kindergartner's Temperament and Learning Style
-Happy Trails: What You Should Look for in a Good Kindergarten Program
-The School Visit: Introducing Your Preschooler to the Mechanics of Kindergarten
-The Loving Gardener: What to Look for in a Great Kindergarten Teacher
-The Stress Factor: How to Help Your Child Cope
-Preparing for the First Day

There are so many different topics covered that it is hard to know where to start but all of the information is valuable so start at the beginning and read your way through or pick out the chapters that are most interesting to you.  Either way you read it, I think that you will enjoy the book.  There isn't any information on holding back your child or homeschooling as an option so if you are looking for that information, this is not the right resource for you.  If not, pick it up at your local library or bookstore and check it out.  I think that you will find lots of valuable information to help ask the right questions.  I hope that you can use this information to support your child through the transition to preschool like I hope to do!

Storm Front Book Review

I saw this book in the new book section of the library and quickly grabbed it.  Storm Front: A Derrick Storm Thriller by Richard Castle was not a book that was even on my list to read but I knew that I needed to read it.  I really enjoyed all of the books with Nicki Heat and love the show Castle on ABC (it is great in case you haven't seen it before, then you need to watch it).  I was excited to have another Richard Castle book in my pile of books to read.

In the book, high-level bankers are being tortured and murdered all over the world and found with all of their fingernails removed. The killer was caught on a surveillance camera and is a man with scars and an eye patch. Derrick Storm was brought in by the CIA to assist because the man is Gregor Volkov, Storm's old nemesis. Storm is working to chase down Volkov and make sure that no other bankers are tortured while trying to figure out why the bankers are being targeted.  With the help of a beautiful and mysterious foreign agent, Storm discovers a plot that could destroy the global economy bringing with it untold chaos and the time he has to stop it is running short.  With the help of his dad, former FBI agent, and friends that Storm calls on, he is able to chase down Volkov and try to overthrow his plan.  Check out this book and see if Storm is successful in his mission.

It took me awhile to get into this book and I am not sure why.  I read it a little every day but I can't say that it was a page turns as others with Nicki Heat were for me.  I think that the writing was good and the characters were good so I am not sure if it was just my mood or the heavy subject matter.  I read a little bit and went to bed but was never trying to stay awake a little longer to read a few more pages like I am with other books.  It was a good book and I am glad that I read it but I felt like it was the second book in a series that I missed the beginning.  I am not sure why because after I looked up the book, I found that it was the first in the Derrick Storm series but looking more into it I see that the first few books were only e-books soon to be published three short books in one book which I will be getting as soon as it is available in the library.  It was a good book and I would recommend reading it but it wasn't my favorite.  I am going to wait for my mom's review to see if I am being too tough on it but hope that you read it and enjoy it.  Please let me know what you think!!!  I have reserved the second book in the series to see how I like it so obviously it wasn't that horrible.

The Ultimate Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Crisco Baking Sticks

I have tried so many chocolate chip cookies over the years and my husband just doesn't like the good cookies!  He prefers a cake like cookie and not the crispy or chewy texture of the normal chocolate chip cookies.  I have been trying lots and lots to find one that we all like.  I think that I should give up but it is very fun to eat all of the experiments.

I checked that we had all  of the ingredients for my experiment...Umm, I mean recipe.  I did have lots of everything so this seemed like a good recipe that I would make over and over.  The test of any good recipe is if they are ingredients that I keep on hand all the time.  If it takes a special trip to the store, I am probably not making it.

I got my recipe card that was from the inside of the Crisco package from before which I saved.  I was excited that it took a little different ingredients then the normal cookies and there was plenty of all of it in the house.

I started by adding the butter flavored Crisco and the brown sugar to the bowl.  Doesn't the Crisco look like butter in the bowl?  The great thing about the stick is that you can measure just like you do butter so it is really easy to use with a quick cut and it stays in the cupboard.

When the Crisco mixed with the brown sugar, it was a little thicker and less fluffy then the normal creaming of the butter.  It almost looked like peanut butter.

I added the milk, egg and vanilla.  This called for a lot more vanilla then my normal recipe but I followed the directions and was surprised that it wasn't overpowering.

When these few liquid ingredients were added, the batter became a little fluffier looking instead of just like peanut butter.  It wasn't exactly like my normal cookie dough but it was still looking like cookies.

Adding in the dry ingredients and it looked just like cookie dough that I normally would make so I was starting to feel a little more confident that they would turn out.

I measured my heaping cup of chocolate chips.  My son saw the bag and wanted to try some but I hid them far enough back on the counter that he couldn't get them so that I would have enough for the recipe.

I mixed in the chips with the dough and then took off the blade.  I made the dough in the morning and didn't have time to bake the cookies but I knew that I didn't have time to make both in the afternoon so I started by making the dough and then covering the bowl and putting it in the fridge to sit while we went to do other activities during the day. 

I use the silpats and cookie sheets that I use for all my recipes.  If you don't have them or haven't used them, they are great.  It is like reusable parchment paper.  I hate wasting parchment paper for making cookies but they are non-stick and keep the cookie sheets nice and clean while being easy to clean off.

The cookies were nice and firm and easy to scoop. The cookie scoop that I normally use is the medium cookie scoop which makes the perfect sized cookie for the final cookie.

The cookies came out of the oven nice and brown.  They were a little gooey when they first came out buy quickly set up to be crispy around the edge.  I thought that they were really nice.  My husband thought that they were a little greasy when they were hot out of the oven but after they rested they were really good.

I made these again and doubled the recipe because we ate them way too fast the first time.  I added a little extra flour in to the mix about 1/3 of a cup probably for good measure.  I baked them for 11-13 minutes and they were perfect.  My husband and I agreed that they tasted a lot like the cookies from Giant that he loves (and maybe missed a little).  I enjoyed the nice crunch but chewy texture.  This might be our new cookie and I only have a little butter Crisco left!!!  Oh no!

I wonder if these would be good to freeze the batter or not!!  Well, I don't think that the next batch is going to last long enough to matter but I hope that you check out these new and tasty cookies to see what your family thinks.

The Ultimate Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening or 6 tbsp butter and 6 tbsp shortening
  
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 oz. or 1 cup package semi-sweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.


2. Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.


3. Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.


4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.