Swap with friends

My friend Mary started this group on Facebook a couple years ago ... it's called Another Person's Treasure. So basically you post things you want to get rid of and your local friends can take them off your hands. One man's junk is another man's treasure! So this past week she organized a Swap event. It was held in the gym at our church and everyone brought all their unwanted items and laid them out - then you could go around and 'shop' for FREE among the items the other ladies had brought. It was AWESOME! Not only did I get rid of about 5 bins FULL of my unwanted stuff ... but I came home with some really nice items too! 

Here is all my stuff ready to go into my car ... 

And here are some of my treasures - a food processor! Something I have wanted for a LONG time!
A towel holder for my downstairs bathroom, and a toothbrush holder. 

I picked up 4 of these flip-flop jewelry boxes that I figured the girls would enjoy painting one day with friends. 

My daughter LOVES cupcakes, I got her this to put on her dresser to hold jewelry or treasures. 

{She LOVED it!} 

3 picture frames, I always need more frames!

This beautiful clock ... this is my Mom's life verse so I am going to see if she wants this, if not I will keep it - it needs a new clock function but that is easy enough to replace! 

BRAND NEW candles, never even used! I can always use more of those. 

I use these little bins all the time for office supplies or craft supplies. They fit perfectly into drawers for easy organization. 

 A hot pink suitcase for my daughter, she was super excited about this!

A new game for the family and a brand new 1000 pc puzzle - would be great for a snow day! 

Brand new box of Biscotti, these will be great for coffee with friends!

At first I passed these by, but finally came back to them ... they will hold candles and go on the wall in my bedroom - romantic, huh? ;) 

This is a covered chip/dip holder ... I have another one of these and use it ALL the time when going to parties with friends. They also hold muffins, cupcakes or cookies really well. 

A whole stack of new-to-me books ... I LOVE to read and there were SO many books to pick through at this swap. 

These are hard to see but they are green envelopes with a slightly sparkly finish to them, I can use these when I make cards. 

Wedding table place cards ... got these for my Mom, not sure if she'll need them but they were free so hopefully she can use them!

A beautiful LOFT coat for me ... 

A long comfy sweater for me ... or maybe even my girls. 

This sweater is for me, I love short sleeve sweaters. 

Two sort of fancy shirts for my daughter. 

And a little sweater for my daughter to wear over a dress. 

And SIX beautiful summery dresses that I am hoping will fit one or both of my girls. It's SO hard to afford to keep up with buying them clothes and at this age we never get 'hand-me'downs' anymore ... so I was SO happy that this Mom from church who has 3 college age daughters was giving away some of their clothes!

I think that's all ... so many wonderful treasures, I am SO thankful! If you have a place to do this I would highly recommend getting together with friends and doing one of these swaps! {Side note, they did another one in the fall OUTDOORS at a local park - so you don't need a large gym to do this, just load up your cars and have a tailgate swap in the warmer weather!} Thanks Mary for all your hard work!!! 

Traditions continued ...

Christmas traditions have begun in our household! As I spoke of in this post
we always open a book a day for the month of December. We missed Dec. 1st because I was so not prepared for December to come so soon, so we started yesterday on the 2nd. We opened two books that day and I've decided we'll start a list on the right side bar. If you are interested in any of the books we post about let me know and I can give you more details. We have some really cool books we're going to open.

The ADVENTure of Christmas is one of my favorites from last year. It's written by Lisa Welchel and it helps children find Jesus in each of our holiday traditions. I loved it last year and I love it again this year! ADOREnaments is a new book to us which goes through 12 different names of Jesus. Immanuuel, Light of the World, The True Vine, etc ... each day you read about a name of Jesus and put the ornament on the tree.

SO keep watching our list and see what we've been reading each day! Hope you are enjoying your own family traditions!

Sunset

WOW. It's over. It's really, truly over. After several years of following the Baxter family in the books by Karen Kingsbury I have finally read the last one. And there won't be any more. She's done with this series, moving on to something else.

It's kinda sad really. I feel as though I know Kari, Brooke, Erin, Ashley, Katy, Dayne and the rest as personal friends! Through reading this series Karen has become one of my favorite authors of all time.

I know that most of the time the story will end on a happy note ... and sometimes it's even predictable, but I like that. I'd like to think that all of our stories will end in a happy way. Knowing Christ gives me the assurance that in some ways my story will end happy. No matter how many days I get to live on this earth I will always have the security of heaven to look forward to. It's a happy ending. Despite the hardships and trials of my life on earth, the promise of heaven is one great, happy ending to look forward to!

So I don't want to say too much more about the book specifically because I know several of my friends who haven't had a chance to read it yet. I don't want to be a spoiler after all! But I will say that I was surprised by some things ... and that of all the books in this series (14 in all!) this was the ONLY one that I did not cry in! Seriously! Well, there was one tiny part where I got a little teary - but nothing like the tears I've shed over the other 13 books!

Guess you know that means there was a happy ending ...

Super Readers

I'm so proud to share that both of my girls have been doing so well with reading lately. J is in kindergarten this year and is just starting to be able to read. The other night she even read her first book all by herself! She read Hop on Pop by Dr. Suess.

A few weeks ago I posted about some of my frustrations with home schooling because I just felt like things were just not clicking with J where reading was concerned. But all of the sudden things have started to click and she's doing very well!

Lately one of our favorite things is our bi-weekly trip to the local library. I think I end up choosing more books than the kids do! (Not books for myself, just kids books to read to them.)

H continues to enjoy her chapter books. Since September 1st she has read 37 chapter books! We've been keeping up with our list over their on the left and it's been fun to see all the great books we're reading. Our list is currently up to 101 books - our summer reading list only got to 48 so we're doing really well this fall! We'll have a total on December 1st and then we'll start a winter list.

Now as far as myself ... well, I'm slacking! Actually what I should say is I'm just so tired! I read every night before bed and some days for small amounts of time throughout the day. But I can't keep my eyes open for more than 15-20 minutes! Some nights when I read at bedtime I only make it through one or two pages before the book drops out of my hands and I realize that I should just give in and go to sleep. Today we laid down for quiet time and I thought it would be a great chance to catch up and maybe even finish my book - well I only got through about 20 min before dozing off! My current faves continue to be Karen Kingsbury books. I'm reading Sunset right now - the completion of the Baxter family series. It's so good. I'm kinda sad that there will be no more Baxter family books!

Well, that's about all for now ... so what are you reading?

Phone call from a famous author ...

See H has this love of chapter books. Mostly Junie B. Jones books and Magic Tree House books. She's been zooming through book after book for several months now. She even knows the authors names and talks about the authors as if she knows them.

So the other day I got a new cell phone (yay me!), mine was ancient and it was time to update (yay me!). So I gave my old phone to the girls to play with, Bob had an old one too so they had two phones to play with. (They STILL managed to find a way to fight over them and today BOTH phones have been in 'toy time out' all day!!)

Anyway, the girls have been so funny lately, wandering around the house pretending to talk to this person or that person ... really acting as if they're having real conversations on these old cell phones (don't worry, they don't even have a battery in them!).

So this morning H comes rushing to find me with this HUGE smile of excitement on her face. "I just got off the phone with Mary Pope Osborne!!" she exclaims. (The author of the Magic Tree House books.)

"Wow H, what did she say?" I say.

"Oh she was telling me about some new books she's busy writing." H replies.

"Very cool H, I'm so glad you got to talk to her ... I hope you told her how much you enjoy her books." I said.

"Oh I did. And she told me that I should try to read the ones I've missed ... since I skipped a few titles I need to go back and read the ones I've missed." she replies.

I couldn't help but walk away with a smile. What a great imagination! For her to act like she had a real conversation and be so excited about it was so cute! And I love that she seemed to admire this wonderful author ... perhaps one day she'll be the author who's recieving (fake) phone calls from a little girl who's reading a book by her?? You never know ...

Like Dandelion Dust

oh. my. goodness.

Every time I read another Karen Kingsbury book I love her as an author even more! Remember how I said I was taking f o r e v e r to read through my book choices?? Well not this book! I have been so enthralled by it that I've been unable to put it down!

It has drama and adventure and kept me on the edge of my seat ... and of course it drew out tons of emotion at the end. {That is lots of tears from me, no surprise!}

I give it a big fat 5 STARS!

Library

September is National Library Card Sign up Month.

Do you have your own library card? If you don't, you should visit your local library as soon as possible to obtain one! Even children as young as five can obtain their very own library card. It is a wonderful experience for kids to have their own card, pick out their own books, and check them out at the desk all by themselves. What a lesson in responsibility!!

When my oldest was five we couldn't wait to rush out and get her a library card of her very own. Somehow when the youngest turned five that milestone seemed to slip through the cracks and we totally forgot! So tomorrow I plan to take both girls to our local library. J will get her first card and we all will enjoy choosing some books to read.

I am seriously giddy with excitement! I love books, I love to read, and I love that my girls love it too! This may sound funny but it always amazes me that the library is FREE!! Such a wonderful resource to enjoy at no cost!

Our completed Summer Reading List

I am so proud to share our completed summer reading list with you. I have to say that I was most impressed by my hubby and my daughter H this summer. I admit that I lacked in reading enough books to J (I know, I'm a bad Mom!) ... and also that although I had big intentions for all the books that I wanted to read - I just couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to get through that many!

We were so busy this summer, doing so many fun things, that by evening I was barely getting through one or two pages before I'd fall asleep!

Bob, on the other hand, suddenly became a reader this summer, and since he's a night owl anyway he was able to fly through 7 books since June!

H, my awesome little bookworm, sped through 20 chapter books this summer!!!!! 20!! Isn't she amazing?!

I only completed 3 books, and have 3 that are still ongoing. Oh well, I'm so proud of my family doing so well!

All together we read 48 books this summer. It's not even one per day when you break it down, but I still think that it's pretty good considering how busy we were! I'm going to post our list here and then start a new fall reading list. So keep watching for that!

Here is our complete list (Bob's books have a #, mine have ** and the rest were the girls choices.):

Summer Reading 2008

• # Gumbo Limbo by Tom Corcoran
• Schnitzel is Lost
• Who's Making that Mess?
• Junie B. Jones has a Peep in her Pocket
• Junie B. First Grader Boss of Lunch
• ** Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury
• Junie B. First Grader Shipwreck
• Junie B. First Grader Boo and I mean it!
• A new Duck
• It's Not Easy Being a Bunny
• # Swine Not?
• # Sail
• # Step on a Crack
• # 4th of July
• # Beach Road
• # Uncas of the Mohegan-Pequot
• Midnight on the Moon from the M T series
• Sunset of the Sabertooth from the M T series
• Afternoon on the Amazon from the M T series
• Night of the Ninjas from the M T series
• ** The Postcard by Beverly Lewis
• The Moon Jumpers
• Mr. Peabody's Apples
• Junie B. First Grader One Man Band
• Junie B. Jones is a party animal
• Junie B. Jones is (almost) a flower girl
• **50 Veteran Homeschoolers Share ... Things We Wish We'd Known
• **On Every Side by Karen Kingsbury
• Junie B. Jones and that Meanie Jim's Birthday
• Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake
• Pirates Past Noon from the M T series
• Mummies in the Morning from the M T series
• The Knight At Dawn from the M T series
• Dinosaurs Before Dark from the Magic treehouse series
• Amelia Bedelia
• Fidgety Fish
• Junie B. Jones has a Monster Under her Bed
• Ten Little Fish
• Stanley, Flat Again!
• **Coming Home by David Lewis
• Unicorn Wings
• The Crayon Box that Talked
• Frederick
• Moose's Loose Tooth
• One Hungry Cat
• Fancy Nancy at the Museum
• Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren
• **The Power of a Positive Mom by Karol Ladd

Recipe for a perfect morning

A fresh-brewed pot of coffee

A nice cool morning (60 degrees! just how I like it!)

A warm, cozy sweatshirt

A sunny deck with a comfortable chair

My Bible, devotional and prayer journal

Sounds of God's creation all around me

Time spent with my Lord, uninterrupted

A sweet little 5 year old coming out to snuggle with Mama and say good morning

Book List Additions

My hubby has never liked to read. In all his adult life he's read only a small handful of books, and they were all related to a sports figure that he liked.

I've been trying to encourage him for years that he should try reading right before bed. He always has trouble falling asleep and I told him that reading helps relax you and take your mind off your day.

So this summer he's finally decided to start reading ... and he's gone CRAZY!!! He is flying through books so fast that I can't even keep up with him! I love, love, love to read ... but often fall asleep after only a page or two. Bob on the other hand is wide awake at night, and has been flying through book after book every night!

I am so proud of my honey! He has really gotten into the books by James Patterson and even went to the book barn the other day to pick up a bunch more books.

So far this summer he has read:
Uncas of the Mohegan-Pequot {A historical book about Bob's tribe.}
Beach Road by James Patterson
Step on a Crack by James Patterson
4th of July by James Patterson
Sail by James Patterson
Swine Not by Jimmy Buffett

And I'm still working my way through The Postcard by Beverly Lewis ... =)
I'm going to add Bob's books to our summer reading list. His books will get # next to them so you know who's reading what.

Summer Reading list and bragging

Our summer reading list is growing!! Yippee! I have to clarify that the books with ** next to them are my summer reading choices ... which are still a work in progress, not yet completed - so perhaps should not even be on that list!

But my little Miss H. WOW! She is blowing me away with her reading skills lately. Yes, this is where the bragging comes in. She has always been a strong reader, but this summer she is literally flying through these books. Every one of those chapter books like the Junie B. series and the Magic Treehouse series are all being read by H. All by herself. And she's been reading about one a day. Last week she read 4 chapter books in 3 days!

I am so proud of her. I am so thankful that she has such a love of reading. J can't read yet so H and I take turns reading to her, and we're doing OK adding some books to the list too ... but H, WOW!