July 2013 Reading List

I have read 60 books so far this year even with the last several months being a little slow reading wise, but I think I will make my goal of reading 120 books by the end of the year. The year is half over and I am half was to goal. I purged and donated several books from my bookshelves this month, along with donating each book after I finish reading them.

My favorite and most life changing book this month was 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Haymaker. If you want to go beyond studying the bible and want to live for Jesus this book gives lots of ways you can change your life to serve your community.

 

 

Maple Notch Brides Collection by Darlene Franklin

The Prodigal Patriot
Bridge to Love
Love's Raid

Gifts from my Home by Crosby

Sweet Comforts of Home by Susan Winget

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Haymaker

Submitted to: 2013 Booking It @ Life As Mom

Clutter Busting Challenge July 2013

After many year of homeschooling we have collected a lot of school supplies but now that our youngest son Brandon is 17 years old it is time to do some serious downsizing. I am donating the new supplies to a back to school giveaway for those in need since they only give away new stuff. I am donating the used supplies to a charity that runs a used store that gives stuff away for free. I had a little help from my 14 month old granddaughter Arileise.

and Socks and Shoes

No Bake Desserts: Pudding Mix Cookies

2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
4 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together the sugar, butter or margarine and the milk in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add in the pudding, oats and vanilla. Mix well and let stand for 5 minutes. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Note: You can use any flavor of instant pudding.

Makes: 4 Dozen
Calories: 90

My Activity Bags

I have several packed bags for activities I do. I have a yoga duffle bag, zumba drawstring bag, library tote bag, homeschool tote bag, book bag, and an On-the-Go bag that I use for activities to do while I am waiting. I keep all my bags packed and put them in my van the night before the activity after I have made sure everything I need is in them and then back into the house when I am finished. Most of my bags never need unpacked so I can just put them away as soon as I get home except my On-the-Go bag because sometimes I throw in a couple magazines or the current book I am reading. For the Library bag I look up on the libraries website my account and renew things and then fill my bag with anything that needs returned before I put it in the van. My homeschool bag I load with my teaching plans and my sons stuff the night before co-op class.

My yoga duffle bag and zumba drawstring bag I store in my closet. My book bag sits on my desk and my on-the-go bag is on a hook behind my office door. My library tote bag is on a hook by the back door. My homeschool tote bag is in the basement hanging on a nail near our school supplies. I need these things every week sometimes more than once so this just makes sense to me to have them ready to go instead of having the stuff scattered around the house and having to pack before I go. This is something I have done since my first diaper bag 24 years ago and my grown kids still do this for their stuff. They grew up knowing if it’s time for soccer, 4-H, library, co-op class they need their own bags in the car and mostly their bags were stored on hooks in their closets.


Here are just a few:

 

My On-the-Go Bag

A Small Notebook- I use this notebook to make list of projects I am working on. Zipped Pencil Pocket- In the pocket I have a bookmark, yellow marker, pen, pencil, notepad, paperclips, glue stick, scissors, and a card. A Book- I always have a craft or how-to book that I want to read or do a project from and usually have more than one book. Magazines, Wordfind book, Craft Projects- I carry small craft projects that can be done on the go. I bag up each project in a kit so that I have everything I need to work on the project together. Snacks- I currently have a box of tissue, a bottle of water, 2 water flavor tubes, baggie of instant coffee or tea making supplies, candy, breath mints, and a breakfast bar that I carry in the pockets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Book Bag

A current book, craft project, chapstick, and notepad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Yoga Bag

I have straps, blocks, stretchy bands, gliders, weights, knit cloths, mat, and a small bag for hair ties, deodorant, and lotion. I also have a small amount of money to pay for a class if I forget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Bake Desserts: Skinny Mint Cookies

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups milk chocolate chips
20 unwrapped Andes candies (chocolate mints)
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 (9-ounce) package plain chocolate wafer cookies (Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers)

In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Microwave on high power for 1 minute; remove and stir. Return to microwave and cook on 50% power for 1 minute longer; remove and stir. Continue microwaving at 50% power and stirring until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

Remove from microwave and stir in the chocolate mint candies until smooth. Add peppermint extract and stir until combined. Dip the cookies, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture. Gently shake off excess chocolate and place on waxed paper to cool and set. Store in cool place.

My Magazine Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I had a really large collecting of magazines in February of 2011 something like 8 banana boxes worth in my basement which you can read about at 52 Weeks: #5 Magazine Storage & 52 Weeks: #6 Magazine Organization. I had made it into a project for the summer of getting them all donated, read, and cutout and it took me a little over a year to complete the project. I donated the ones that didn't look interesting and then put the others in order by month. I sometimes just took a stack or half a box and donated them if I felt that it was just too many but most of them I read through. I would read the old magazines in the corresponding month along with any new ones and then donate them at the end of the month.  This way I could use the current month’s ideas and cut out the pages of what I wanted to add to my seasonal notebooks or interest notebooks. I would keep a stack of 10 magazines next to my bed and a stack of 10 in my little office along with 5 magazines in my On-the-Go bag.

 

I rip out pages to put into my notebooks and also cut out and save some of the pictures in the magazines to use for scrapbook pages, junk journals, or other paper crafting projects. If I find a recipe I look it up online and then cut and paste into a word document and place it in my recipe notebook. That was I do not have tons of cut recipes and a uniform look to my recipe notebook. However I will cut out the recipes for my seasonal notebooks.

 

I have a rule now that I can’t own more than 20 magazines and have a basket I store them in next to my bed. I try to read at least one or two a week to get caught up on them. If I think they have sat to long without me reading them then I will grab 5 and spend an afternoon reading. I started prettying up my notebooks in November but haven't finished. I have only 2 magazine subscriptions and use the library or websites. I like to borrow magazines now from the library and return them two weeks later. It took a little over a year but now I have No Magazine Clutter.