Simply Karin

Spray Starch Fabric Wall Art

2011-09-19T22:23:00.000-06:00

I've heard about it, I've seen ideas, and just had to try it.

I was given some spray starch and thought, what will I do with this? (long story)

Then I remembered hearing something about spraying fabric onto walls like wallpaper but it comes off easily and without any fuss.
(Full disclosure, I haven't tried taking anything off yet)

So I printed the letter "R" in a giant font, cut it out, traced it onto fabric, cut that out, and sprayed it!

Slap, smooth, swipe, done!

This may be a dangerous habit until the spray starch runs out.

4th of July Baking

2011-07-06T21:22:00.000-06:00

Christmas Cookie turned Patriotic

Left over batter with a drop of blue food coloring.
I'll be making these again, so fun!

1 of 3 layers to make a checkerboard cake. Cake worked perfectly.
Frosting + not enough powereded sugar + warm = no picture

Wedge of Patriotic checkerboard cake

Christmas in June

2011-06-13T07:43:00.000-06:00

For the 2nd time I purchased my Christmas tree at a garage sale.

This one, for 5 bucks, is prelit, and is very full and realastic!

Finally, the best part compared to our last tree is that the stand, and the tree both are able to stand up. Not being broken in 2 different places and wanting to constantly fall over means this one is a winner!

Earring Holder: Picture Frame

2011-06-04T16:19:00.000-06:00

I finally hung up a shelf that I put a bunch of screws into the bottom to hang necklaces on. I've also been thinking of ways to try to store my larger earrings so they don't get destroyed or otherwise displaced.

I've had lots of ideas, but while at a garage sale saw this picture frame. It already has a way for the earrings to hang, so even if I don't do anything else to it I could stop.
I'd like to get a bar to put across the middle of it, and also hang it so I can put earrings from the bottom section of the frame that is currently resting on the shelf.

But hey, for a quarter, it's a start!

Home Knit Slippers

2011-03-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

Great package in the mail. I try to look at knit (I think...I don't even know) products and still don't get how they are made, but glad that someone else knows how to make them!

My 2nd pair of homemade knit slippers. The most comfortable house sock I've ever had. And these ones have the most adorable hearts on the toes.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

So, I thought we had more vodka but this was it. Use what you've got! The ratio of this amount to one vanilla bean was about what I found online to be appropriate. There are a variety of opinions about the ratio's and wait times, so we'll see. Just google it!

Vanilla Bean from Mountain Mama's. It was $146.00 per pound but since one weighs nothing they just mark it as 0.01 of a pound, so 1.46. Buying several so the scale could actually read it would probably be a more frugal idea.

Glass jar, vodka, and split vanilla bean.
Shake, keep dark, and wait!

One week later (not pictured), it is a nice tea shade. We'll see how long it takes to get a nice dark color. Every day I swish it around it smells delicious!

Waldo Canyon Hike

2011-03-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

7 miles
dropping temeratures
great hike!

Grab-n-Go

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

In preparation for a busy and potentially stressful week I've made a bucket o' lunch goodies. Pre-bagged grapes, breads, sandwiches, and other various lunch items. Then in my stupor each morning I can pick a few different items and go. If you've seen my lunches, you konw they don't always go together as a nice ensemble. These might not either, but they will be fast!

It worked! Lunch was just about the easiest part of my week! Yea for planning a head!

Dr. Seuss Thing 1 Cupcakes

2011-03-06T06:00:00.002-07:00

BIG frosting tip and disposable tube

Pre-baked cupcakes from Baker-noon frozen for later in the week

White frosting for the base and blue hair for the topping. I did a big glob in the middle and then tapered it into somekind of "hair-do" and added blue sprinkles.

I forgot to get a picture after I cut out circles and wrote "Thing 1, Thing 2" and glued them on the cupcake liner.

Crafter-fun

2011-03-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

So this picture has nothing to do with my craft because I don't want to show people who might be the reciepent of my craftyness. But isn't this an adorable fabric swatch! Yea craftyness

Baker-noon

2011-03-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week I ended up doing a late afternoon baking extravaganza!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries - didn't last long.

Mixing

shredding

Peppercorn Cheddar whole wheat biscuits

Not pictured: Black Russian Rye bread

Chocolate cupcakes

Poppyseed Blueberry Coffee Cake

Lots 'o Hits

2011-03-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

So I don't usually check this too often but I was wasting time online and checked my school blog stats.

They tripled last month!

I'm still trying to figure out how they would be so high, and not some kind of fluke. Either way, it is exciting to think that perhaps people are interested in what is going on in our classroom. Are you? Go to More Than ABC's!

On my to do list:

See what comes next if people kept coming at this rate.

And why?!

David: Seeking a Heart Like His

2011-03-01T06:00:00.001-07:00

Loving this study and an awesome group of women!

Don't you just want this little guy following you around for a few hours?

Stuff I've Underlined This Week:

See what happens when we focus more on our battles than on God? Our enemy appears bigger, we appear weaker, and God appears smaller. wow!

God sometimes stays the encouragement of others purposely so we will learn to find it in Him. (when it seems like we're alone...who should we be looking for?)

Memorizing

2011-02-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

Favorites in February

2011-02-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

A favorite paper, favorite dishes, favorite tea, and a chocolate cookie!

Book: Double Comfort Safari Club

2011-02-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

BLAHHHHHHHHH

I do not know how this cover has to do with the book.
I don't know what made this fit the mystery genre.
I didn't like it.
I was mad enough to finish it to prove how much it wasn't fit for printing.

Need good book!!!!

(did like the phrase "matronly air passages")

grrr......

HorseThief Falls

2011-02-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day, but the Horsethief falls seems to have...disappeared in the winter?

It was some pretty cool wavy ice flowing over rocks and whatever lies under the frozen blanet of ice and snow.

Outside Divide, CO on HWY 67.

Oh! Valentine!

2011-02-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time..for class sets of Valentine's! The boxes were decorated, the treats spread out. Now to pass the Valentine's out.

This is the first time I've stamped on ribbon. I've missed so much!

Everyone needs a little glitter.

You Don't Color Code?

2011-02-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

February Project

pretty much reorganize the whole house

color coding is a must!

Monkey Bread

2011-02-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

I took the cinnamon rolls from this post and made it into monkey bread. Less work, just as good.

Bonus: didn't seem like it needed frosting because it wasn't a cinnamon roll!

Salsa Cups

2011-02-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Home baked tortilla cups

Home Made Salsa

Yummy!

Funny Family

2011-02-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Most people project themselves as "better" in public and then regress to a bit more of who they are at home.

Let's see if I can project a bit of my true self out there!

Setting the scene.

My bachelor uncle who is a retired dairy farmer who still lives on the working farm doesn't care much what other people think. And he'll tell you that. And he'll tell you a whole lot more.

He doesn't do many things the 'normal' way, and certainly doesn't live in the 21st century. His home is heated with a wood stove, his meals are meat, bread and potatoes, just to start.

Growing up we loved going to visit him and see the farm. Where else could you see someone use a drawer handle to uncap a bottle of beer, watch home made root beer spray ALL over the kitchen when it was overdone, and see spills either cleaned up by the dog or covered up with newspaper.

So when my sister takes the new baby over the river and through the woods to visit, I hoped his first visit would be as exciting as I remember our's being as a kid.

He wasn't let down....as his mother said,

"You can't say I'm a bad mother for letting a dirty man put my baby on top of a knife with butter all over it..."

Let's dissect that though...

Uncle held the baby, then when he got tired of holding him didn't ask if someone else would hold him, just put him in the most convenient place possible. Wa-la!

So where does that lead us?

dirty table with crumbs on it

Really, I've seen worse there so this can't be look at as ALL that messy.

On top of a knife. Well. Not right on top of it. Plus, it doesn't look sharp.

I would like to make note of the can of specific beverage nearby.

Again, I've seen worse. So what if it's the same shirt he wore yesterday. It was cold here and I wore the same sweat pants. Maybe his was more than a day, but don't studies show early exposure to germs help immune systems?

Most importantly, it looks like baby nephew is following in our footsteps.

Loving every minute of our less than normal family.

Blackberry Empanadas

2011-02-03T06:00:00.001-07:00

Blackberry Chocolate Empanadas

A few looked great

Some were spreading their oozy goodness everywhere.

I've made empanadas before using pie crust instead of a specific dough...and that worked better. The crust here was too try and not pliable enough.

Pizza

2011-02-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

More Kitchen Goodies

Home Made Pizza Dough

Yeast rising

Dough Ingredients

Homemade sauce with fresh tomatos

Warm delicious pizza

Watch this Bruise

2011-01-31T06:00:00.001-07:00

How bored can you get in January?

Well....

I was just looking at some pictures from this summer

Day after bike "incident"

2-3 days later

1 week later.

Isn't the human body weirdly amazing?

Is January Over

2011-01-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

I would like spring. Soon. January and February are the longest (figuratively) months. Cold, dark, full of working. No great vacation time. March isn't much better. I need some spring in my step, and my garden.

Just keep waiting!

Reminds of of Laura Ingalls Wilder's, The Long Winter.

Baby Bum

2011-01-28T16:58:00.001-07:00

My nephew already almost doubled his birth weight. Slow down!!!

State of the Union

2011-01-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Obama's State of the Union

It doesn't guarantee change. It doesn't mean anything that I like will happen. But if the job I've chosen to do as a career doesn't get discussed, doesn't change with time, that doesn't seem good. As someone reminded me, people who have blogs are generally opinionated. I disagreed at first. Then laughed. It's true.

Here's the transcript regarding education. I know a message taken out of context can be misconstrued. Let's be real.

If you are still reading this, you probably watched the speech. The leader of the free world, the overall "State" aka quality of our country. No? I know, YouTube had another cool animal attack video. No? Your high school gym classmate posted super cool "us at the club" pictures.... so you missed it....

Let me help you out...

Maintaining our leadership in research and technology is crucial to America's success. But if we want to win the future — if we want innovation to produce jobs in America and not overseas — then we also have to win the race to educate our kids. To me this seems just about the most obvious, but maybe everyone thinks "fix everything else," and our illiterate kids won't have to try...?

Think about it. Over the next ten years, nearly half of all new jobs will require education that goes beyond a high school degree. And yet, as many as a quarter of our students aren't even finishing high school. The quality of our math and science education lags behind many other nations. America has fallen to 9th in the proportion of young people with a college degree. And so the question is whether all of us — as citizens, and as parents — are willing to do what's necessary to give every child a chance to succeed. I'm curious if the general public really believes how awful our graduation rate is. AWFUL!

That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It's family that first instills the love of learning in a child. Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done. We need to teach our kids that it's not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair; that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline. Too bad advertising and the general public won't buy a 75 dollar jersey with their 4th grade teacher's name on it.

Our schools share this responsibility. When a child walks into a classroom, it should be a place of high expectations and high performance. But too many schools don't meet this test. That's why instead of just pouring money into a system that's not working, we launched a competition called Race to the Top. To all fifty states, we said, "If you show us the most innovative plans to improve teacher quality and student achievement, we'll show you the money."

Race to the Top is the most meaningful reform of our public schools in a generation. For less than one percent of what we spend on education each year, it has led over 40 states to raise their standards for teaching and learning. These standards were developed, not by Washington, but by Republican and Democratic governors throughout the country. And Race to the Top should be the approach we follow this year as we replace No Child Left Behind with a law that is more flexible and focused on what's best for our kids. You mean not EVERY child will achieve proficiency by 2012? It's not just my classroom? Whew! I was feeling like such a failure....according to the law.

You see, we know what's possible for our children when reform isn't just a top-down mandate, but the work of local teachers and principals; school boards and communities.

Take a school like Bruce Randolph in Denver. Three years ago, it was rated one of the worst schools in Colorado; located on turf between two rival gangs. But last May, 97% of the seniors received their diploma. Most will be the first in their family to go to college. And after the first year of the school's transformation, the principal who made it possible wiped away tears when a student said "Thank you, Mrs. Waters, for showing ... that we are smart and we can make it." In the right environment students can THRIVE. AMEN!

Let's also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child's success comes from the man or woman at the front of the classroom. In South Korea, teachers are known as "nation builders." Here in America, it's time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect. We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones. How will this happen? I don't know. If it is fair, it's what we need. I know people who desperately want to teach, but can't get a job and...hint on the other hand hint...if you don't like kids, YOU SHOULDN'T TEACH!And over the next ten years, with so many Baby Boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child — become a teacher. Your country needs you.

Of course, the education race doesn't end with a high school diploma. To compete, higher education must be within reach of every American. That's why we've ended the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that went to banks, and used the savings to make college affordable for millions of students. And this year, I ask Congress to go further, and make permanent our tuition tax credit — worth $10,000 for four years of college.

Because people need to be able to train for new jobs and careers in today's fast-changing economy, we are also revitalizing America's community colleges. Last month, I saw the promise of these schools at Forsyth Tech in North Carolina. Many of the students there used to work in the surrounding factories that have since left town. One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she's earning her degree in biotechnology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams too. As Kathy said, "I hope it tells them to never give up."

If we take these steps — if we raise expectations for every child, and give them the best possible chance at an education, from the day they're born until the last job they take — we will reach the goal I set two years ago: by the end of the decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

Christmas Remembered

2011-01-21T06:00:00.001-07:00

The joy of a newborn.
The joy of the season.

The joy of being an aunt ( and still sleeping)

The joy of a tiny baby boy!

It is so easy to forget the message of Christmas in only a few weeks.

Relish in the joy and amazing gift we have in Christ's birth!

Book: Half the Sky

2011-01-16T17:23:00.005-07:00

IF YOU THINK EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE, TRY IGNORANCE - DEREK BOK

As far as current event / topic books go, this wasn't half bad!

The subtitle of the book (wordy and academic) is: Turning oppression into opportunity for women worldwide.

It was challenging to read about the difficult lives and circumstances of many women around the world from sex trafficking, mutilation, under education, teenage brides and pregnancies, to maternal health standards. The vignettes are a colorful and painful reminder of the gender inequality that exists on the same planet you and I exist on. Throughout the book education came up as a key factor in changing traditions, fighting inequality, and allowing women to progress.

I found the portions discussing the lack of education available to girls around the world very interesting. We see in the United States not this type of gender inequality (that I know of) but an inequality between income brackets. The focus *gasp* wasn't on the girls test scores, progress toward national goals, or proficiencies. Their education on any level of any kind led to a better life.

"Education is the key issue for overcoming poverty, for overcoming war...If
people are educated, then women will not be abused or tortured. They will also
stand up and say, 'My child should not be married so young.' " (164)

In the chapter discussing family planning and the strongly held beliefs that almost anyone has on the subject, education comes up again!

"It appears that the most effective contraceptive is education for girls,
although birth control supplies are obviously needed as well." (135)

In preventing young girls from being married young, becoming early teenage mothers, suffering complications of difficult labor, and having a family that she or her husband may not be able to support their lives take drastic, positive, turns.

In AIDS education for girls, one successful method was:

"A third approach was to provide students with free uniforms to encourage them to stay in school longer; that cost about $12 per student and did reduce pregnancies."

Countries such as Mexico have resourcefully found ways to keep girls in school. Faced with high percentage of girls dropping out of high school, a study began essentially bribing families to keep their child in school as opposed to the traditional food subsidy programs. $10 per month for a third grader, and $66 per month for a girl in high school would be paid to the child's mother for food, supplies, immunizations, check ups etc.

"After only 3 years, poor Mexican children living in the rural areas where
Oportunidades operates have increased their school enrollment, have more
balanced diets, are receiving more medical attention, and are learning that the
future can be very different from the past...The program raised high school
attendance by 10 percent for boys and 20 percent for girls. Children in
the program grow one centimeter taller per year than those in the control
group. In essence, Oportunidades encourages poor families to invest in
their children, the way rich families already do, thus breaking the typical
transmission path of poverty from generation to generation." (174)

One centimeter per year!! If nothing else, this program shows how disadvantaged students below poverty are. Literally limiting their physical growth!

Oh~ US education system. We try to close the gap but seem to only use traditional aka out of date avenues.

Potato Chips

2011-01-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Happy 11111111 day.

In good frugal fashion - try it before you buy it!

A friend loaned me her slicer/shredder attachment to try on my new KitchenAid!

It took a bit of practice to get the potato wedged just right into the slicer hopper thing, but worked beautifully!

See! They were delicious!

Early Literacy

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy 1 month old baby. Hope you've learned a lot so far!

Ever wonder if it is too early to start reading to a child.

NEVER TOO EARLY!!!

and fyi, the Sherlock stories are quite fun!

New Year, New System

2011-01-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

Oh, how I love organization.
I'm not usually good consistently keeping it organized, but...
There is no before picture because it is too scary!

Yet when everything is finally organized, the joy!

From left to right: plastic ware for lunchbox, spatulas, small cooking utensils, small knives, spears, and spreaders. Bottom: measuring spoons and thread for yeast dough creations. Left: big spatulas, serving spoons, most favorite can opener, cookie dough scoop, garlic press, dough mixer remember!? and grater.

This is probably my favorite. We got them on our honeymoon. My kind of souvenir. Useful and something that will last!

I'd been looking and couldn't decide on any that I truly liked. I wanted stainless steel, narrow, skinny, and with at least 6 measurements. We found them and brought them home

"My Baby" photos

2011-01-07T06:00:00.003-07:00

Be Warned: Just like people that have babies like to post an obnoxious amount of photo's of their child doing everything under the sun, so shall I.

My new to me KitchenAid and I are becoming fast friends.

Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt, Cream of Tarter

Good ol' shortening!

No wonder they are so good!

Homemade biscuits! I love baking on my pizza stone.

I've used it so much is is 100% non-stick!

I even had quiche overflow and the egg didn't stick.

For Thinking: Trees

2011-01-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

January is a good time to think about life, goals, why's, how's, etc.

On a road trip to Oklahoma this last fall we drove across this sight.

Ideas as to what it could be?

My first thought is some kind of tree bug. But why not cut down the whole tree?

Then I thought perhaps some kind of tree pruning. But with no leaves, no photosynthesis, so why prune it to death?

Were the birds terrorizing the cars as they drove up the road?

Was someone really grumpy and took it out on the trees?

Do the trees from a different angle make letters and then form words?

Is it some kind of holiday decorating tactic to keep those pesky branches out of the way when you put up Christmas lights?

Cutting down on holiday joy? (pun intended)

Scene for depressing movie?

I just don't get it!

Give me an I..

2011-01-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

Give me and I....
K
E
A

Driving back from Denver a beautiful blue box super store is being built. No labels yet...but I know. The Swedish goodness that will be coming soon!

Time Off - Curtains

2011-01-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know I don't use my free time as effectively as I would like.

I should reread my own words on spending that extra time being productive!

Over break, I did manage to make custom baby room curtains. We shopped for fabric together. Then I went to it cutting, sewing, lining, ironing, hemming, and hand stitching a blind hem.

With the cold weather up North, thick curtains to keep that precious little one warm.

Another "quality picture" from shaky camera.

See - coordinating dots lining the bottom of the striped curtains. Very cute!

A Christmas gift that is useful and doesn't need a gift reciept!

Sweet Shades!

2011-01-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU

2011-01-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks....it is amazing!

Joint gift

SMART frugal shopping.no...not from a dumpster....although...if...

Thanks for a wonderful gift! Oh the fluffy goodness we will enjoy.

Anyone have any amazing tips or suggestions for recipe's that are to die for with a Kitchenaid?

Ticket to Ride

2010-12-31T13:59:00.002-07:00

Rounding out the year with new games to enjoy! Great present!

THANKS!!

Chugga, chugga,

choo, choo!

Each player has train pieces, and collects cards (ie, orange, purple) to build tracks to different cities around the board.

We love games, so if you read this and live close by, call me and we'll play!

House a Fire?

2010-12-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

I was feeling very festive and after getting some kind of lights in all 3 front windows thought, ooo! I could go outside and take a picture.

So I did.

Didn't bother to really look at it until after the holiday season so missed the opportunity for retakes.

Kind of looks like our house is on fire, right?

The flames in the picture window are leaping toward the ceiling, the middle window is engulfed in flames, and through this angle it looks like the higher up window has light from the encroaching fire.

Good thing it was just Christmas lights, a bad camera setting, and a nit wit photographer!

Cinnamon Rolls

2010-12-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

As I raved about here, my new to me bread machine is wonderful! I've made cinnamon roll dough numerous times and they are so delicious!

I've used a couple but Crystal's from Moneysavingmom.com is amazing! Just watch out if you let the dough over rise and flow freely into the bread maker. MESSY!

However, making a batch..or two a week has to stop! Delicious, yes. Healthy, no.

Baby of Cuteness

2010-12-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

While visiting Baby up in the chilly north I took lots of pictures with his mom's camera. None with mine. oops!

His holiday ornament is the 2010 baby boy ornament. I love Christmas ornaments. My sister and I both have our baby ornaments. She has a super cool baby buggy, and I have an etched glass toy box. I always thought hers was so superior!

Then I googled Hallmark baby ornaments. That was the ornament for the year she was born, and the toy box for mine. No one was loved more, Hallmark just had an off year (in my opinion) my year. I do appreciate my ornament more knowing it was probably the one to choose from.

I already miss holding baby.

Baby's mom, if you are reading this. Congratulations. You made a temporary escape from the constraints of Mommyhood. And I love you. And I want pictures.

Baby Mobile

2010-12-27T13:46:00.004-07:00

It works. I like it. I now know how to make the next one better.

The beads add some light catching fun, but sure did throw a wrench in the weight distribution factor!

I had first hand evidence that baby eyes did look at it and seemed interested.

Advent

2010-12-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

We didn't do much for advent this year, and we haven't really had a calendar for it ever as far as I can recall.

I guess chocolate every day isn't a great way to start the day. Not that I don't occasionally try. (referencing one particularly bad December morning where I had a ice cream drum stick for breakfast on my way out the door! The shame!)

This might be a simple one that is fun.
The crafter in me likes it because it is magnetic so if I was feeling really crafty I could make 24 more magnets in a different theme for another year.

If I had time. And craftyness.

Her Baby Boy!

2010-12-10T18:12:00.001-07:00

My sister had a new baby boy!

Talk about a distracting day, I was lost in the middle of dozens of sentences today just thinking about how amazing this is!

Need Book

2010-11-21T17:35:00.002-07:00

Thanks to Facebook here is a list accredited to BBC about books people might read in a lifetime.
They figured most people would only have read about 6 of them. It seems to be a rather odd list, perhaps most popular for a period of time?

Regardless, I just requested from the good ol' public library ( after paying a few fines arg!)
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Berniere
The Color Purple – Alice Walker
The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton

As I am in need of a new list of books to read (and Anna Karenina isn't catchin' on yet) I might fill a few more in.

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling (all)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare – most of them..
15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch – George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
34 Emma – Jane Austen
35 Persuasion – Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Berniere
39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne
41 Animal Farm – George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel
52 Dune – Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses – James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal – Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession – AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

Fixing it

2010-11-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Sad day: Blow drier stops working one morning. Spend week without blow drying hair. Some questionable hair days.

Happy day: We take apart hair drier, clean, clear, wiggle wires, put back together. Blow drier works. Bad hair days can no longer be blamed on broken hair drier.

Now what?

I looked at Target while I was waiting to have time to take it apart and found that hair driers are anywhere from about 18 dollars and up. Some cute patterned ones were 20. I could swing 20 bucks so my hair doesn't look like my head is exploding chaos. But by doing that, I'm spending 20 dollars on something I already have, and throwing away something that obviously could be fixed.

I'll start scoping out good hair driers in the event it breaks again, but for now an old hair drier is still working and blowing my hair in all directions.

Quick Hike

2010-11-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

By the stables in Palmer Park. It is a short loop trail, but has some good elevation gain and great views. On ambitious day go twice or thrice.

Overview look

Wonderful clouds, sun, and atmosphere view.

Carmel Apples

2010-11-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Invention Idea - Caramel that is not individually wrapped. Waste of plastic and time. I've heard from a good friend that we can make it, so perhaps I'll try that next time.

And I lost the Popsicle sticks. So we went "green" and used forks. They made it look fancy!

Ohhh...so delicious and difficult to eat. But yum!

We spent time eating and carving pumpkins on Halloween this year.

Muddy Buddy Mmm

2010-11-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Love Chex Muddy Buddy Mix. Cannot make again soon. It is gone. Too good!

I heart Colorado!

2010-10-17T17:43:00.001-06:00

In an effort to keep my heart healthy and stay out of the hospital needing heart repair I went for the first of hopefully several hikes. That sounds desperate. I don't want heart repair in 40 years.

I love Colorado. It is so beautiful. And the parks IN the city are amazing. An hour hiking, felt like we were in the middle of nowhere, and only saw 2 people outside of the parking lot!

Love it!

Summit with a View

2010-10-17T07:58:00.000-06:00

Finally!

I've hiked to the top of Pikes Peak twice and never seen much of anything. Once was during the summer and by the time we got to the top in the afternoon it was IN a cloud and we could barely even find the summit house. The second time was my fault, it was a night hike and so !duh! when you get to the top you see sky, maybe a light or two between clouds, and then scurry back down.

This Wednesday was different!

The lazy way this time, a ride up the cog railway took about an hour. From the city Pikes Peak looked a bit cloudy but up top was above the clouds and it was beautiful.

Puffy clouds floated past and we looked down on a fluffy blanket of clouds hanging out below other mountain tops.

The clouds followed the mountain range north and south. Below you can see the cog railway track.

Taffy Apple Tartlet

2010-10-16T08:11:00.002-06:00

Not the best pictures but they were delicious!

Better warm than not, and I liked the ones without the peanuts on top.

It is from a Pampered Chef recipe book.

I especially enjoyed the home grown apples (thanks mom!) and the melted Carmel at the bottom!

School Blog

2010-10-05T21:37:00.000-06:00

If you haven't checked it out, More Than the ABC's is a blog I started this fall for my students, parents, and classroom. I love being able to share videos, pictures, and info quickly and easily on the blog.

I plan to stick with the same types of posts and format for the year but after reading The Other 8 Hours which I talk about here, and here, and here I wondered what else might become of such a blog someday.

What would I do if I didn't care if I failed, or even better...knew I would succeed?

Start a teacher blog that would promote great books and programs, and be an amazing resource for parents and students. I would want to encourage families to help raise independent thinkers in a supportive environment where they know more about the world around them every day. Students are excited and able to experience something new and encourage to try out new ideas.

I keep searching for a website that has those wonderful creative classroom ideas that sparks an interest in me as a teacher and could be supportive to parents who were reading it as well. I find a few that are nice, but still haven't seen that great ONE! Hmmm...

Book: Water for Elephants

2010-10-04T21:25:00.000-06:00

Thanks for passing along the book Kate.

I was a bit surprised to feel as if I was not only reading a story but learning how a circus works. It had a few "The Notebook" moments regarding an elderly person telling the story looking back on their life which is an interesting storytelling method.

I spent a few more days on this book compared to my usual read it in a day style. I probably got a bit more into it because it was spread out over time. However, the books I read in a day or two are usually because they are SO AMAZING I can't put them down.

So...somewhere inbetween.

Awaiting a full room

2010-10-03T17:12:00.000-06:00

I labeled this post "not so good things" comma "good things"

The freshly painted empty closet of my new niece or nephew. This is an incredibly good thing because my sister and her husband will be amazing parents.

And I know the baby already has more than will fit in the closet as soon as it gets arranged in there. Another amazingly good thing and a testament to the generosity of others.

And a place to create a room for a baby is a wonderful thing.

Except when I don't get to see it.

Or feel the baby kick before it is born.

Or most likely be there when it is born.

Or get to see the looks of joy on my sister's face.

Or melt at the tiny hands and feet.

Or help to decorate the room.

Or fold some tiny baby laundry.

Or see the baby every few days, or weeks...sigh...or even months.

Or buy a cute outfit at...(let's be real) a garage sale, go home and disinfect/wash it and go put it on unborn yet desperately waited for baby.

It's a good thing.

Except when it's not a good thing.

Breadmaker!

2010-09-22T17:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever felt like perhaps there is someone out there, a long lost sister that you've been missing.

INSERT

Karin's New To Her Bread Machine

The basic recipe. I am planning on experimenting outside this one this week. I would prefer to make some higher nutritional quality bread sooner than later. But I love knowing everything that is in my food.

SWEET!

Flour (unbleached at least...) on sale for .99 cents. That way I can know how much my loaves of bread cost.

The beauty herself!

isn't she lovely...

isn't she wonderful...

Pickled Peppers

2010-09-20T18:00:00.000-06:00

What fabulous green jalapenos!

30 Tomatoes

6 Onions

4 green peppers

1 red pepper

5-8 jalapenos

2 cloves garlic

*clink*

cans sealing!

New Bag + Books

2010-09-18T22:13:00.001-06:00

Saturday

Quality Garage Sale Time with friend

Land's End bag after washing - school, purse, and lunch bag all fit!! $1

32+ Bernstein Bear Books $5

[sidenote] Just about EVERYONE I know or have been close friends with is PREGNANT.

I'm SUPER happy. However, I do not have a baby, want a baby, or need a baby right now.

But I can buy things for those babies...

And when life gets tough, get a new job title.

[sidenote II]

It has nothing to do with a new job.

But I would like to retitle my job..

It should be something like...

cattle wrangling

dog training

supply sorting

Saturday working

paper sorting

needs to be sleeping

FOOL

Jonah Study

2010-09-16T21:28:00.000-06:00

Priscilla Shirer

Monday Night Biblestudy - 6 weeks
4 weeks - Preparing for Advent

Often I wonder if my life is significant. Not in the scary, "oooh, I better call Karin right now" kind of way. In the big picture pondering the greater meanings of life kind of way.

Last January I started my blog to act as my own personal sounding board and prove to myself that I in fact was significant. I can write, take pictures, and have opinions. Just me, just my doing, what can I do?

The interruptions that seem as if they are taking us away from the life we imagined can really end up giving us significance in a way that nothing else can! What seems difficult to do ends up being what creates us and molds us into who we are. Significant human beings. Hallelujah for an amazing God!

Book: The Other 8 Hours

2010-09-13T17:24:00.007-06:00

This weekend include a fast read of the book:

I had seen a few people recommend this book on blogs and put it on hold at the public library. (can I just say I love the public library and all the FREE movies! (and books) They're great!)

At first I wasn't sure about the book. A few "real life stories" had me worried we'd be looking at Jane's life and seeing how it just didn't compare to Sally's life. However, the book progressed and I really felt energized and motivated.

Here were a few thoughts aka, the purple post-it note monster- you can figure out what the book was talking about...or just go read it yourself.

I work for about 10 hours a day excluding school blogging time I sleep (or want to) for 8 hours a night
drive 30 minutes a day
spend 1.5 hours eating or preparing meals a day
spend 1 hour getting ready for work/then bed
try to spend an hour with family
spend 1 hour relaxing/tv/surfing web
try to spend 30 minutes working on spirituality issues
exercise has been a 0
helping others has been a 0
my social time (unfortunately mostly FB during the week) is less than 10
hours a week

I'll be thinking about other "lessons learned" or at least acknowledged in a few future posts.

Two Favorites

2010-09-06T13:00:00.000-06:00

Wasting time on YouTube... two of my favorite characters. Can you find the stinky cheese?

This Star Goes To...

2010-08-26T20:39:00.003-06:00

Love how obscure shapes like a star really aren't all that unnatural.

In school a good paper, completed assignment, 100%, great attendance, and good choices can all earn you a star.

What about as an adult?

This week I would get a star for

being on time
developing a working knowledge of students and personalities at work
sub plans
watering the garden
putting laundry away
growing through professional development...and the beat goes on
eating a healthy breakfast and fruit/veggie lunch

I would get a crumpled pumpkin bloom star for

remaining patient when tired
using my time efficiently to complete ...anything
maintaining relationships when I'm busy
thinking before I speak
using zucchini [help]
going to bed at 9:00 and getting up before 6
too liberal use of Complaint Thursdays

Next week I want a bright cheery orange star because I'm going to:

have lesson plans and materials ready EARLY
put material I learned into practice NOW
check in, spend time, and enjoy those friends that keep coming back
read something non-fiction

Where do you read?

2010-08-25T06:17:00.001-06:00

School has started. I'm supposed to be sleeping at 9 and up by 5:30. Well, 5:39, or 5:41, or 5:50, ..let's be real 5:59. Ok, it's August, it is almost by 6:17.

But for the few minutes I do read before bed it's been the "Cookbook Collector" recently.
I finished "The Help", LOVED it, and passed it onto my mom. This book is ok but didn't have much of a chance after "The Help". Easy themes to follow, fun characters, and a pretty no stress plot. Nice to read a chapter and go to bed.

Yet tonight I was home and had eaten dinner before dark. I needed some TLC time with my garden. So I found a lawn chair, a spot that had a bit of room, and plopped myself down to read in the middle of my garden.

I can breathe so much better there. Time passes in a peculiar vortex that feels like forever, yet re-energizes me and only takes up a few moments of real time.

I need my sunshine, plants, flowers, vegetables, and yes, even the weeds are a reassuring reminder that there is work, time, air, and existence OUTSIDE of my normal day.

MmmmMmmm Hungry!

2010-08-24T21:33:00.000-06:00

Colorado Skies

Summer Blooms

Ripening Tomato's

Plenty good things to eat for dinner

Ten Cent Wonders

2010-08-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Cupstacking cups for indoor recess (or if our gym teacher needs another pack) for .10 cents

Pastel cardstock, mini cupcake clear stamps, oragami paper, and heart notepad for Valentine's Day Cards. 10 cents each

I got 6 pencil pouches for school for when other ones break etc. to hand out to students. for .10 cents each.

Wire basket for further storage / pantry organization.
10 cents

Can't Wait

2010-08-22T11:00:00.000-06:00

Big Boy Tomatoes with a hint of yellow....come on September!

Cherry tomatoes picked daily. Little juicy nuggets of sweet deliciousness!

8 bucks for school

2010-08-20T05:27:00.002-06:00

It is so easy to start spending money for a classroom and not stop! I at least try to do my spending at garage sales to keep it cheap. I've purchased a few Lincoln Logs before. They are such an EXPENSIVE toy but are high quality and very appealing...to...all ages.

Lincoln logs, roof and accessories, and train tracks in plastic storage tub. Five dollars. (I know, kind of expensive for me...)

Finally, I got these games for classroom (except maybe Cranium) after I talked them down to 5 for 3 dollars.

Woot!

Saturday I know of at least 1 church garage sale...here I come!

Crisp Mornings & Notes from Mom

2010-08-18T06:02:00.001-06:00

It's the first day of school.

I remember as a kid somehow always being surprised that the early mornings were suddenly so cool. Obviously I never could get up at the crack of dawn during the summer. It's still tough!

I loved to see what my new teacher's classroom was like and of course what classmates I had.

And nothing could quite compare to new school supplies all neatly packed into my backpack.

Lunch was always loving packed for me. Often with a little 'love ya' note from mom. Thanks mom!

This school year I'm going to try having a school / classroom blog. Check it out and follow me at

More Than the ABC's.

Garden Update + bounty

2010-08-17T05:35:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad I was ambitious this year and decided to just go for the larger garden without knowing how I would weed it. It's been tough to keep on top of, especially after elbow accident extraordinaire. With a lot of family help the plants are taller than the weeds. In fact, the majority of the weeds are !gasp! pulled.

Thanks!

Green Bell Peppers

Lots of jalapenos - whew! They're spicy!

oops. a very big zucchini. SO upset when I realized that I missed 'sneak zucchini onto your neighbor's porch' day August 8th.

One of many little pumpkins

Still Anxious

2010-08-17T03:42:00.003-06:00

So...sleepy.

I've been teaching for three years and feel like I know what I am doing. *to a certain degree*

I thought that might help but I guess I will still get to play "guess what time you'll wake up" game before the first day of school.

Lesson plans are in progress, the classroom is just a few hours from being ready, the laundry is done, groceries purchased, lists made, emails checked.

I guess I'll just wait for my day to start.

Out with the old...

2010-08-16T13:00:00.002-06:00

Starting a new school year means reevaluating how to most effectively use my time without spinning in circles. Often I feel just like this hamster but without any of the exciting-hamster-health benefits of running on a wheel.

Here's some generalities...

Out with collecting assignments only to wait a month, reluctantly give a mediocre grade to, and decide it isn't even worth sending home.

In with giving and collecting purposeful assignments and taking a standards
based grade for!

Out with messy student areas where I don't want to clean it but don't hold the student's responsible.

In with making sure each week a certain amount of time is spent cleaning up,
clearing out, and putting everything away.

Out with file folders or copies laying around months after I need them.

In with refiling, recycling, or storing materials correctly one afternoon a
week.

Out with messy student desks.

(Said with enormous hesitation while holding my breath) In with completely empty
student desks as they rotate to different rooms and store materials elsewhere.

Impossible to throw out the hours spent thinking about work, reviewing work, and working late....sigh.

Rocking the MST

2010-08-14T17:58:00.002-06:00

Some youtube awesomeness!!! Someone felt like the Mountain Standard Time zone needed a bit o' music. California....psht!

Days like today make me incredibly glad to live in C-O-L-O-R-A-D-O!

Palmer Lake

2010-08-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

#&%* Squirrel

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

The squirrel (or the whole family) has decided to take dead sunflowers and have a picnic.

ON THE PICNIC TABLE!!

And I had to run like a crazy lady twice to get a squirrel off of a standing, living sunflower before it snapped.

Really?!?

Book: Potato Peel Pie?

2010-08-11T17:00:00.000-06:00

The title is really The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society but that seemed a bit long for my post.

I was returning Snow Falling on Cedars and the librarian recommended this book for me to read. It takes place on an island in the English Channel almost immediately after World War II.

The islanders had been under German occupation and in order to cover up an illegal pig roast dinner after hours concocted the literary society, and it stuck. The society members would meet during the war to discuss books and try to forget about their occupation, loss of loved ones, children that had been sent to farming communities in England for the war, and the hardships that everyone endured.

With just enough romance, drama, and historical facts I enjoyed the book as not one of war stories, but of the stories that happened when the war wasn't happening. It is written in the form of letters between characters and was refreshingly different!

100 Posts

2010-08-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

I like milestones. So here is 100 posts in about 1/2 a year.

Why do I blog?

I liked the idea back in January and 99 posts later I seem to be liking it, but why?

It helps me 'collect memories' in a similar way that scrapbooking does, but since I haven't scrapbooked for *cough* 3 years, sharing is hear instead
I can easily integrate other tech. stuff like pictures or youtube into what I'm thinking about
Blogging has forced me to learn about something new.
Share with friends and family that might not otherwise see garage sale finds or food cooked.
I may be able to use my new blog skills for work realated-future blog.
It keeps me thinking

To any readers out there...if you read this...why do you read my blog?

6:42 seconds later...ahhhh

2010-08-10T21:55:00.004-06:00

This makes me want to wake up six minutes and forty-two seconds earlier each morning to meditate, pray, and someday do a few yoga poses to.

I like that it has a strong enough beat to keep me focused but not such a predictable pattern as to lull me into a senseless stare at the wall. This is going to be a FAVORITE youtube channel!

Footnote: I miss doing yoga since I can't even lift anything with my left arm at the moment, I doubt downface dog, plank, cat and cow stretching, and a plethora of other yoga poses are in my future.

Maybe I should just work on balance. That might have helped prevent unfortunate bike/left turn accidents.

Garage Sale Delight

2010-08-09T23:00:00.000-06:00

This weekend a neighborhood had a big garage sale and I went with my mom. We got several baby outfits for the mystery-gender baby that already has lots of clothes and some other general items.

Pictured above:

Polar Bear PJs - .50
Bunch o'magnets - .25
Pink nylon strin - .25
teal layered necklace - .25
bead layered necklace - free

Nothing that was amazing came along, but I am pretty excited about the free necklace. I asked the lady if it was supposed to be in the free box. She said, " Yah, I can't get it untangled and gave up."

4 minutes later in the car - great "purchase"

I hope the Colorado polar bear baby stay's warm!

Glorious Blooms!

2010-08-07T14:00:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned here, the Easter Lillies bloomed!

Spiced Bread in Reverse

2010-08-07T10:00:00.000-06:00

The finished product. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and bread.

Pre-cooked bread. Pizza style dough with cilantro, jalapeno, and sundried tomato add in's!

Cilantro and jalapeno on the cutting block.

One of six or seven jalapeno plants. Next time bread will be a bit more spicy!

Apricot Jam

2010-08-06T23:01:00.000-06:00

Colorado is having a bumper crop of tree fruit this year.

Mom and Dad have a tempermental apricot tree.

It has decided to produce hundreds of apricots this year.

Steralizing the jars and boiling the jam.

Filling 20 jars with homemade, homegrown apricot jam.

Yum! Now to make crafty cute labels.

Refrigerator Teacher's Note

2010-08-04T16:00:00.001-06:00

I have a hard time passing up the free photo deals that are all over the web every few months. So last time I decided to make some refrigerator/business cards to send home with students that would have easy access to the information needed to contact me.

I first did this when the school picture company gave teachers 30 postcards with their teacher 'portrait' on it. I thought, what on earth am I going to do with this? So I sent it home with the school phone number and email address printed on it and promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward to the next major sugar-infested holiday party (my soapbox is at school and it's summer so I'm ignoring that one) when parent's were in my classroom. Several thanked me for the picture/postcard and said that I was on their refrigerator. (What??!?!)
One apparently (though I didn't really believe them) had to explain that I was the teacher, not her daughter's friend to a visiting house guest. Thus the end of the teacher-portrait-postcard tradition.

Enter the nice picture for refrigerator tradition. Free, fifty, and simple. It's a good thing!

Yo Comments Are Wack!

2010-08-03T11:00:00.001-06:00

Here is some more from YouTube's SisterSalad channel. I've watched them for a while. Surprised I haven't blogged about them before.

Sometimes your is possessive, but other times it means you are, put
aprostrophies when you need 'em, and otherwise just delete 'em!

Hope you have been refreshed on your comment grammar. Leave a comment to prove you comments aren't wack.

Saving Garden Seeds: Put it in the Google Box

2010-08-03T08:00:00.002-06:00

Another hobby gardener being born:

Until the end of World War II most gardeners saved their own seeds in an effort
to cut costs and/or because high quality seeds were not always readily available
at a reasonable price. That’s all changed. Now inexpensive, high quality seed is
available and we generally recommend that you purchase fresh seed from a
reliable, preferably local, company rather than attempt to save your own seeds
from year to year. "Harvesting and Saving Garden Seeds"

I spent about 20 dollars on seeds + seedlings this year and would love to say that next year I can cultivate some of my own seeds. I know this will work with some but am not sure exactly how and when to harvest all the different seeds.

Hence, I put it in my Google box. Warning: This video has nothing to do with gardening but is very G rated.

(click the link, the video is quite witty!)

So what did I find when I put "testing your saved garden seeds" in my Google box? More greatness in the same article.

"Test germination in February by the traditional "rag-doll" test. Count out 100
small seeds or 25 large seeds and wrap them in moistened paper toweling. Squeeze
out the extra water and place the "rag-doll" in a glass jar with the cover
loosely fastened. Place the jar on a sunny window sill. Unroll the paper after a
week and figure the germination; if germination is below 50 percent, either
discard the seed or double the planting concentration to give the desired number
of plants.""Harvesting and Saving Garden Seeds"

So I've got dill seeds already dried and getting ready to store them. The cilantro/coriander seeds are a bit underdeveloped but if I get the next batch in a week or so I should be ready to go.

So...if your still reading...sorry about the unorganization on this post. It's raining, I'm hungry, and those aren't valid excuses.

Easter Lillies

2010-08-03T07:02:00.000-06:00

eeeEEEEeeee! I forgot to take a picture / am waiting for more to open but my Easter Lilly plant finally bloomed. 1.5 years later I guess it was worth that clearance price. Patience...

Book: The Help

2010-08-02T16:24:00.003-06:00

Recommended by Coworkers & family friend
Read last night and today
Loved it!!

This is another piece of evidence that well written material with amazing endings are my favorite kind of book!

Skeeter, a young white college-educated girl comes home to Mississippi not sure what to do with her life. Her family still has a large plantation, and her mama wants her to get married. She is part of all the right social circles and has polite little parties with her friends.
Those nice friends, fun bridge clubs, and her parent's plantation all have 'the help' doing most of their work. Maids in the house cooking, cleaning, and raising children while the men pick the cotton, beat their wives, or get hurt in the south's version of 'civil rights'.

Somehow this one white women and several black maids begin to open up to each other and Skeeter is in the process of write a tell all with the help of the maids about each and every one of their white 'families'. Some of the stories are amazing, disgusting, depressing, and just plain curious.

Everything works so well in spite of itself, it's like watching a perfectly choreographed ballet. Everything doesn't always turn out well, but it sure can get interesting!

Garden VIDEO

2010-07-28T22:50:00.000-06:00

Pardon the...um...over abundant weeds. This area has only been cultivated for 0-2 years in the near to recent past, depending on the area so it is certainly still a work in progress! My goal (still going strong) is to avoid using any kind of fertilizer, pesticide, or chemicals.

Pride Post: Stromboli

2010-07-28T14:00:00.001-06:00

Just have to start that this was made a few days after da' bike crash and therefore was done with one arm. Solo. It took a while but man...just imagine what I can cook with 2 arms!

Saute veggies for traditional one.

Meat, veggies, cheese, meat.

Pizza/calzone variety. Basically added tomato sauce.

Fresh out of the oven with gooey goodness.

Free is Free

2010-07-28T11:00:00.000-06:00

Wahoo! Last week in the mail I got this for free. One of the frugal blogs I frequent had this sign up, and I signed up and I guess it worked. Sure beats bills and junk mail!

Office: Pranks

2010-07-27T11:00:00.001-06:00

Love it!

Beets, Bears, Battlestar Galatica...

How To Be Frugal II

2010-07-26T14:00:00.000-06:00

Being that I broke 2 things, (well, fractured my arm) and rule #10 of my "How to Be Frugal" post recently I'm taking another look at how to sustain some of those frugal goals.

Stay healthy. I am still waiting to see how the bills add up for this crazy bike/arm accident, but I know it will be more than $0, which is what I would have preferred.

Increase freezer emergency meals. Cooking with 1 arm, or when busy is NOT fun. (I'm able, but I prefer not to!) When the school year starts I'd like to know I've got x..y..z.. in the freezer ready to go.

Use the garden. The zucchini are about to take off, green peppers & jalapeno are ready, as well as the 2nd batch of lettuce. I've spent so much time in this garden, I better be ready to use it. Recipes need to be ready, companion ingredients purchased, and any surplus frozen. And those bloomin' sunflowers sure bring in cheer!

Take more pictures. For life, good. For blogging, good. For not wanting to type, BEST!

CSA Farm Box & Creative Cooking

2010-07-26T10:00:00.000-06:00

While visiting my sister earlier in July I got to see her CSA farm box that she is splitting with a friend each week. You buy a farm share (hers is Earth Dance Farms in MN) and get their produce all summer. I think it is a fabulous idea and you get fresh local produce.

That being said some weeks are a lot harder to stomach than others. Pictured is the whole box, and usually they split it with a friend that went in on the share so it is only about 1/2 as...interesting. Beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, butterhead lettuce, kale, raspberries, basil, and wa...something (the white things in the middle). Let's just say the beets didn't work out well. At all.

One tricky ingredient that they got every week for at least a month was kale. She had a hard time figuring out what to make so we found a recipe for kale chips. Kale + olive oil + kosher salt + chili powder.

Actually a crunchy and surprisingly delicious snack. I don't know how healthy because of the oil, but it was etible.

When Calling the Company Works

2010-07-24T17:00:00.000-06:00

Shiny new pastry blender!

I love when things work!

One strategy to save money is to call companies that you use their services for to see if they can give you a better deal.

A while ago (year or more, but relevant to this post) my tea kettle broke that was 3 years old. Not a big deal but didn't seem like the whistle pour cover should have cracked. Emailed the company and they sent me a new teapot! Working item #1

I called our Internet provider recently to complain about dropped service we had been experiencing. I wasn't exactly wanting to drop the company but did want some compensation / better deal. Twelve dollars per month off was their offer which works for me. Working item #2.

While making a quiche my pastry blender had one of the 'blades' snap off and out of the handle. Another not that old product led me to the manufacture website where they had a form to fill out and (not so great, I have to mail in the product, good thing this wasn't the teapot) get a replacement. Postage to ship it was $1.90.

July = Garden Progress

2010-07-24T14:17:00.003-06:00

1 of about 9 pumpkins I can see so far. The pumpkin patch has arrived!

2nd planting of butter lettuce, basil, and weeds. (oh the shame!)

Corn tassels

basil - probably by far one of my favorite things to grow

Jalapeno bloom. We ate our 1st one last night, as well as our first green pepper.

Here is a garden update:

Growth has been amazing! Days have been hot but there has been an unusually large amount of rain for Colorado so everything has been thriving. With a 10 day trip resulting in coming home with a slinged arm (or is that slung, or arm in sling) I've had to rely on some family to help catch up on weeding, tying up the tomatoes, etc.

Tomatoes, cilantro, zucchini, cucumbers, sunflowers, corn, rhubarb, dill, etc. is all doing so well. I think my next goal is garden video!

Computer Cord Organization

2010-07-24T13:02:00.003-06:00

Saw this on another blog and loved it! I can't wait to try it at work or home.

Thanks http://rahouck.blogspot.com/2010/07/brilliant.html

Book: The Glass Castle

2010-07-23T16:00:00.000-06:00

Recommended by: coworker and boss
Found book at garage sale for a quarter.
Read book while flight was delayed 4 hours.

The author, Jeanette Walls, describes the life of her and her siblings growing up with anything but normal parents. Her mom was a self-absorbed artist who claimed to want to foster her children to be self sufficient while truly she was not interested in taking care of them. Their father was a alcoholic who, though intellectually brilliant, couldn't hold a job or fulfill any of his wild fortune making schemes.

This left their 3 children caring for themselves from a very young age. The book opens by recounting how Jeanette was terribly burned while trying to boil hot dogs for herself and needed to be taken to and admitted to the hospital for six weeks. She was three.

She would have stayed longer in the hospital but her father believed doctors/hospitals/police/teachers/politicians/bosses/and any other variety of people were either run by the mob or so corrupt that they were the mob. So with this the three children and his wife moved around, from trailer park to abandoned train depot to car to shack living a pale shadow of life.

The parents frustrate you. The children inspire you. At a very young age (upper elementary) the children were self sufficient and by the first years in high school they were on paths to take them away from their current life and into a whole different world.

As a teacher this was a humbling and irritating book because of everything the children had to deal with. Lack of food, clothing, warmth, or responsible & traditional adults robbed them of a childhood. The risks beyond just starving were even more horrifying. While the parents claimed they knew their children would figure out how to survive any situation, being sexually assaulted, abused by extended family, and poor living conditions which in turn froze or burned them.

As a teacher, I am glad I read the book to get a glimpse of what chaos some students live with.
As a human, I'm glad to have seen the author overcome so many challenges to become successful. Yet I'm so frustrated that adults calling themselves parents can subject children to these conditions. Yet it seems to be proof that against all odds some people can rise up like a phoenix from their current lives and thrive!

Wanting a Dog

2010-07-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is not a want ad.

I miss Cookie.

But I miss having a dog in general sometimes too.

Because they make cute faces like this.

And snuggle with you.

And on those blah days they force you to get off the couch to at least let them outside.

Or those big dogs that can play fetch for hours!

Sometime that perfect dog will be in my life. Someday.

Oh Baby! Garage sale version

2010-07-22T14:00:00.000-06:00

I've had some fun shopping for a new genre of garage sale items. Sometwo people I know are expecting and I'm SUPER excited. (note: neither of these people are me!)

As always I'm always looking for anything for school that might be useful as well, so that leaves a pretty open category of items that I might.."need.."

Dollar storage container. For crafts, office, school, or a kid if necessary.

Since starting to write this post I decided to use it for our office. It holds most everything!

Great for school to help with character development in writing lessons. Or for a kid.

Could use these Lincoln Logs for some indoor recess. Or for a kid.

The most adorable hedgehog outfit ever. Didn't know there were hedgehog outfits but this one wins first place. Obviously, for a kid.

CRAZY good deal of baby clothes for $5. Not all for the same kid. Or if the wrong color for no kid.

Clean and airing out clothes. For a kid.