Friday, November 13, 2009

7 Quick Takes

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If you'd like to see more quick takes, visit Jen.


 


~1~


I never cease to be amazed by AnnVoskamp. I made her my first stop each morning while I drink my coffee and gather my mind. Her words are such an encouragement and help me to remember what is important. This week included: kids' poetry suggestions, Scripture memory in practice, and beauty in plain life.

 


~2~


I finished two books this week and added them to this year's list: One Second After by William Forstchen and Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey, the 5th in in her Kushiel series. Forstchen's book was about the possibility of the United States being hit by several EMPs, essentially wiping out the infrastructure of the entire country. The basic problems of food, shelter and medical supplies for communities who were unprepared was only the beginning. I couldn't stop reading this book and stayed up WAY too late unable to find a good place to break for the night.

 


~3~


Another book I've been reading this week is Mary Ostyn's Family Feasts for $75 a Week. If you're already a frugal grocery shopper there aren't a lot of new shopping tricks to learn- plan your menu ahead of time, shop according to sales and stock up on great sale items as much as possible. I was surprised that she specifically wrote that she doesn't use coupons and used the old arguments that often off brands are just as cheap if not cheaper, and also that coupons are mostly for foods they don't use. While both arguments can be true, combining coupons with sales almost always knocks the name brand price below the off brand price (and if it doesn't I won't buy it). I agree that coupons ARE for a lot of pre-prepared foods and foods that we don't buy, but there are coupons for other things too- milk, eggs, spices, baking goods, cereals we often buy, etc. I don't clip coupons for foods we won't use, but there are still plenty of coupons out there that fit our eating style.

 


~4~


I was most impressed with the recipe's in Mary Ostyn's book. For once a family cookbook that is actually comprised of family friendly recipes without 1 random exotic ingredient in most recipes! I loved that there were ways to help me extend recipes (making double with the intent to freeze one, meals that use the same basic ingredient so that the leftovers from one meal don't go to waste) and there were seriously dozens of recipes I can try that will meet approval, even by my self-described super-picky husband!

 


~5~


I've been hanging around craftster like CRAZY this week on the nights I can't sew. Looking at all the amazing finished projects keeps the creative juices flowing. :)

 



~6~


We're taking the boys to their first bonfire tonight. We're so excited to make s'mores and roast hot dogs- like ridiculously excited. Ender is asking me every 5 minutes if it's time to go yet.

 


~7~


I have lots of sewing to share with you from the last week or so. I just can't seem to find the time to photograph. I sew at night lately and the light stinks of course, so I keep planning to take pics in the morning, but mornings are the busy time of day . . . anyway! I'm planning a big picture taking session for Saturday in the good light and I'll share next week. It's mostly Christmas related sewing, but not necessarily Christmas-y.

1 comment:

  1. I've been thinking about getting the Family Feast book. Maybe I will now. And I couldn't agree more about Holy Experience. Inspiring every day.

    ReplyDelete

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