Author Archives: Kerry Ann

Italian Wedding Soup

36 Replies

Late in October, the roasting Florida temperatures ever so slowly begin to creep down a few degrees. Not by much—while we watched snow falling on the news the other day, we cheered because it would be in the upper 60s for the morning bus stop walk—but it’s enough of an excuse for me to crave a steaming bowl of comfort.

I would eat Italian wedding soup every single day for lunch if I could. Actually, for years, I kinda did. Don’t lash me with a wet noodle, but I helped keep Progresso in business with my rations of their canned soup. I know, I know. . . high in sodium, preservatives, and mega-processed. . . but it was easy, relatively low-cal, and yes, yummy. (Except for the one time I opened a can, and it contained no meatballs. NO MEATBALLS. Yes, I wrote the company. That’s like getting a twinkie with no cream. The horror.)

It was time to stop being lazy and make my own.  My son had a sore throat, and nothing makes you feel better than a pot of homemade soup. And I’ll use any excuse to break out my grandmother’s vintage Cousances pot. It’s just so dang pretty and steeped in history. If pots could talk…

The result was a total win. I’m never going back to canned soup. Well, once I run through all the cans in my pantry. Shhhhh!

Italian wedding soup, turkey meatballs, meatball soup

This is a hearty soup fit for a meal, not a thin little side dish or starter. No wimpy can of chicken noodle consistency, where there’s more broth than bite. My family says I don’t make soup, I make stoup (I think we stole that from Rachael Ray?).

Italian wedding soup, couscous

 I had a Costco-sized bag of pearl couscous. It’s the same shape as the cute acini de pepe pasta, and I had a ton (okay, just a few pounds), so into the soup it went.

Italian wedding soup ingredients, mini turkey meatballs

I also am a firm believer that zucchini can go in just about anything. Seriously—sometimes it shows up in fajitas, quesadillas, and spaghetti sauces—tossing some in soup is a given. Beans follow the same rule. Extra fiber and veggies for everyone! Toss them in!

 

Italian wedding soup

Italian Wedding Soup {with mini turkey meatballs}

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Soup ingredients:

1-2 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 can cannellini or great northern beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
8 cups chicken broth
6oz baby spinach, chopped
1 1/2 cups pearl couscous or small pasta
Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving

Meatball ingredients:
1lb ground turkey
2 tbsp milk
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup  breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic pepper pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

  1. In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat olive oil. Add carrots and onions; saute for 5-8 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes more.
  2. Add wine; cook down for 2 minutes. Add broth, heat to slow boil.
  3. Add zucchini, seasonings, pasta/couscous, and meatballs**. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until your pasta is tender.
  4. Add chopped spinach, stir through until wilted, about 2-4 minutes.
  5. Once in individual bowls, sprinkle with cheese (optional, but who doesn’t like cheese?)

*Meatballs

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil (the best invention ever) or regular foil and coat with non-stick spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients well. Using a rounded 1 tbsp measuring spoon or small melon baller, scoop out meat; shape into small balls. Makes roughly 100-120 meatballs, depending on how small you make them.
  3. Place meatballs on baking sheet, making sure they don’t touch. Bake for 10 minutes.

italian wedding soup, turkey mini meatballs,

I made the meatballs earlier in the day (they take about a half-hour, but I was slightly distracted by House Hunters International to note the exact amount of prep time.) You can make them while the soup cooks. It’s soup—it can simmer for a long time.

**You can cook the meatballs in the soup. Drop them in one at a time, and they will cook in about 10-15 minutes. I prefer to cook them separate because I don’t want the extra fat and didn’t want to risk undercooked meat.

Now, go make a pot. You won’t be sorry 😉

Cheers!

Need some more delicious soup recipes? Check out these favorites:

Easy French Onion Soup

Easy French Onion Soup

 

Curry and Wild Rice Soup (vegan)

Curry and Wild Rice Soup (vegan)

10 Kid-friendly 80s TV Shows I Miss

19 Replies

My kid can’t watch prime time TV. Maybe Too Cute on Animal Planet or something from one of the *Kids Only* channels, but any current sitcoms or dramas on mainstream channels—not happening. The sex, gore, and violence is just too much for a 10-year-old to handle. The modern shows make me long for the Can’t Miss TV, for family sitcoms that drew all-ages to the screen, for simpler times when the entire family could gather around the living room TV and watch together. We didn’t have many channels to chose from, and we were spoiled if we even had cable (ooohh, HBO!), so programs seemed much more kid-centered.

It might be my fuzzy memory, but it seems like when I was a kid in the 80s, every night there were shows the entire family could indulge in. As I skipped down TV memory lane, I came up with far more than ten.

Do you remember any of these 80s family classics?

 

1. The Cosby Show

How could any 80s kid not love the Cosbys? They were the perfect upper-middle class family we all wanted to join. Mom was a lawyer, dad a doctor, and none of the kids were perfect. Now I realize I should have taken notes on how Claire dressed down her kids so efficiently. And when dad Cliff went at it, we all laughed.  Remember the funeral for Rudy’s goldfish? How about Cliff’s sweaters? Pure 80s gold.

And don’t forget the spin-off, Denise goes to college, a.k.a. A Different World

2. The Facts of Life

facts-of-life

For some reason, I was obsessed with the idea of going away to boarding school. (I blame it on The Girls of Canby Hall books.) I wanted their independence. I wanted their friendship. I wanted to smack the spoiled Blair and hang out with cool tomboy Jo. I wanted my own Mrs. Garrett. And I wanted George the handyman (Hello young George Clooney…)

3. Family Ties

Hippie parents, kind of square kids, and sibling ribbing that made you laugh. Alex P. Keaton made Michael J. Fox a household name before Back to the Future, and he’s still going strong.

4. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire

This show came out in 1990, but close enough. This is when we all fell in love with Will Smith, and he proved that rap/hip-hop didn’t have to be nasty. Do you have the theme song in your head yet?

5. Blossom

Did you realize that Blossom was modeled after a modern-day Holden Caufield? Neither did I back then (I had a few years before I fell in love with Catcher in the Rye) but I loved Blossom for her funky wardrobe, free dancing, and fast-talking friend Six. Oh, and I wanted Joey Lawrence for an older brother. Thrilled to see Mayim Bialik on Big Bang Theory now. Thrilled.

6. Silver Spoons

Silver_SpoonsHe was the little rich boy all little girls swooned over. I’m pretty sure my Barbies to dated him (when she wasn’t with Ricky Martin, who was then in the boy band Menudo). We wanted to hang with Ricky and Alphonso in their mansion so full of arcade games and toys it must have been the original Man Cave. We mooned over his heartbreak as Mr. Mister sang Broken Wings and wished we were there to comfort him.

 7. Different Strokes

“What’chu talkin‘ ‘bout, Willis? ‘Nuff said.

8. Full House

Who imagined that baby Michelle would grow into the uber-rich Olson twins?

9. The Wonder Years

wonderKevin and Winnie and the curse of being “just friends.” Totally got it then.

 

10. Who’s The Boss
tony danza Because every career girl needs a live-in male housekeeper right? Tony Danza played one of the original Mannys, and his daughter on the show, Alyssa Milano, was super cool—to an 8-year-old.

But wait—ten show just barely puts a dent in all of the fun shows I remember from childhood. How about:

Growing Pains

Kirk Cameron’s poster graced many girl’s walls back in the day. Now when I see this box I only see Robin Thicke’s dad. ::shivers::

 Doogie Howser, M.D.

doogie

 

 

 

 

Neil Patrick Harris as a boy-genius was cute back then, too.

 

Punky Brewster

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

So, she looked a little like Rainbow Brite. . . Actually, I think her style is back IN style.

My Two Dads

My Sister Sam
mysistersam1

 

 

 

 

 

Charles in Charge

Webster

webster

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Belvedere

ALF


Head of the Class

head of the class

 

 

 

 

Gimme a Break

Dukes of Hazard

Okay, not the best example of classic TV, but we all watched it loved it as kids. If you were a true 80s kid you must have had a die-cast General Lee car or Daisy Duke Underoos. What were we thinking?

 

21 Jump Street

Teen drama. Hello Johnny Depp. Still swooning.

What shows have is missed? Which shows do you miss the most? Any you want to buy on DVD to show your kids?

Mama's Losin' It

I’ve Entered the Fight—errr—SUBMISSION Club

12 Replies

A few readers have noticed that I haven’t been writing about . . . well, writing lately. Yes, life is busy (you know how long it took to make all that Minecraft Halloween/birthday stuff?) but trust me, I’ve been 95% in writing mode.

Technically, in submission mode.

Yup, I’ve tossed my baby out there. I’ve entered the Fight Club.

Errr— I mean—The SUBMISSION CLUB.

Wait, that still sounds like something from Fifty Shades of Grey. It’s not. I swear.

For those not in the business, once a writer has slaved over every single comma, dash, and precious word in their manuscript, they submit it to agents, who then submit it to publishers. Someday. Maybe.

A super-quick rundown of the submission process:

  1. Finish the damn book. Perfect the damn book. Love it as much as a child.
  2. Write a query letter—250 titillating words that must tempt an agent into requesting more of your work. This can take weeks months and dozens of revisions.
  3. Write the book synopsis. This means taking those 100,000 words (400 pages) you ever so carefully arranged and condense them down to 3-5 pages. You must include the entire plot, all major conflicts, characters, personality, oh, and if you can write it so it conveys the tone of your novel,  that would be great as well.   …weeks later…   Now, slash it down to a one page version, too.
  4. Carefully research literary agents. Scour writer’s forums. Winnow down the list of thousands of agents to a few hundred who actually seek your genre. Check agency websites, pour over agent blogs, Google interviews, follow twitter feeds. Make pretty, color-coded spreadsheets.
  5. Decide which agents you will query first. Decide how many you will query at a time. Study their individual submission guidelines. Yes, it’s different for every single one. Adjust your query letter, synopsis, bio, and sample chapters accordingly. Follow every single direction. If you don’t, you will be rejected. Immediately.
  6. Once you have that submission package PERFECT—you must hit SEND.  I tend to hover over the button for a half-hour, then go check everything for the tenth time. PRESS SEND. (My heart is racing just writing about this moment. For real.)
  7. Wait.
  8. Wait.
  9. Wait.
  10. Check email every 5 minutes.
  11. Wait.
  12. Wait.
  13. This waiting can go on forever. Okay, not forever, but most agents say they respond in between 4 – 12 weeks. Some respond only if interested.
  14. Wait.
  15. Deal with rejections. (Kathryn Stockett’s bestseller The Help—60 rejections. I know many writers who have kept going after hundreds. It happens to even the best of books and writers.)
  16. Wait.
  17. And then—open an email from an agent requesting more pages!!!!!  They might ask for a partial manuscript or a full (whoohoo!) or anywhere in between. Do a Snoopy Dance.
  18. Repeat steps 6 – 15.
  19. Keep going. Go back to step 5. Repeat.
  20. Achieve goal. *The goal is to acquire an agent, who will then sell your book to a publisher. This entire process can take years. That’s just how it goes. (So please stop asking me if my book will be in the bookstore by Christmas.) You have to want it. You have to be brave. You have to be slightly crazy.*

Okay, so that wasn’t so super-quick, but when you wonder if I chow on bon bons while watching HGTV all day, the answer is a resounding NO.  (::sigh:: Sometimes I DO watch HGTV. It keeps me company.)

That’s what’s going on in my world. But I can’t really blog about it.

the first rule of Submission Club

Agents are pretty smart and savvy cookies. Agents read blogs. Agents check out social media. They know their way around Google. One does not want to upset, confuse, or irritate said agents. That means querying writers must keep their mouths shut and fingers still—at least in reference to discussing/ranting about the trials and tribulations of the querying process.

In addition, other writer friends read blogs/follow us on social media, and no one likes a braggart. Or someone constantly whining about rejection.

A few stats for your reading pleasure~

Literary Agent Carly Watters kindly posted her 2012 query stats on her blog:

Queries received: Approximately 6,000

Partial manuscript requests: 189 (She looked at a lot of partials because she was building her list. Anything that she thought had potential to be a fit she requested.)

Full manuscript requests: 30

New clients from the slush pile: 7 (That’s a lot. She won’t be signing that many this coming year.)

Kristen Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency (and the fab Pub Rants Blog)  posted her astounding 2012 stats as well:

32,000+ or some big number…
estimated number of queries read and responded to. Down from last year as they closed queries in the month of December.

81
full manuscripts requested and read (up from 69 last year).

16
number of new clients

That’s 16 new people signed. Out of 32,000+. Yeah. I’m not even going to work those percentages.

Sooo, dear friends and family, there will be times when I feel like I’ve had the snot beat out me as the rejections roll in (if only it was by someone as hot as Brad Pitt), and there will be moments when I’m riding on an adrenalin high after a win (a.k.a. an agent request). I’m not showing signs of bipolar disorder. I don’t need prescription medication.

Let the nail biting begin. Wait. I don’t bite my nails. Maybe I should start. I don’t smoke. I don’t run. I eat chocolate. I do yoga sometimes. Send chocolate and yoga studio memberships, please. And wine! I’ll just be hanging out here nibbling dark chocolate and chugging sipping chardonnay while getting on my om.

yoga wine chocolate

And plotting my next book.

**********************

If you’d like to see a humorous run-down, check this out on Writer’s Relief:

The Submission Process, In Reaction GIFs

Deciding your work is ready for the world to see:

tumblr_mn1chmc5em1r7cu3so1_400

 

 

 

 

READ MORE HERE

 

 

Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

4 Replies

the girl you left behind

From the cover:

France, 1916:  Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Edouard’s portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer’s dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk everything—her family, her reputation, and her life—to see her husband again.

Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and a battle begins over its troubled history. Was the painting looted during the war? Who is to pay retribution? And who is the true owner now? As the layers of the painting’s dark secrets are revealed, Liv’s life is turned upside down all over again. And her belief in what is right is put the the ultimate test . . .

********************************

First of all, have you read Jojo Moyes’s previous book ME BEFORE YOU? If not, go pick it up now. Or order it along with this one. Make it a bookish double feature. Done? Okay. Moving on.

THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND is nothing like ME BEFORE YOU. I would have never guessed that they were written by the same person. And that’s perfectly okay. I read an advance digital copy without any book jacket description—at one point, I double-checked that I downloaded the right book.

The opening tale of strong, young Sophie hiding a pig from the German Kommandant in 1916 occupied France drew me in even though it was nothing like I expected. Both Sophie’s husband, Edouard, an artist who studied under Matisse, and her sister’s spouse are off fighting the war. Their once grand family-owned hotel has been pillaged and fallen into disrepair, as has the rest of the small town, and residents scrape by with barely enough to fend off hunger pains. When the Kommandant declares that his men shall eat at the hotel’s bar, the townsfolk begin to titter. When he looks lustfully at Edouard’s painting of Sophie, we know major complications will arise.

Since I’m a sucker for light historical fiction, I was riveted by Sophie’s WWI tale. About a third of the way through the book, the plot flashes forward almost a century, and I once again checked that I was reading the same novel. (Proving I should have read the book jacket.)

Suddenly, we meet Liv Halston, a young widow living in a breathtaking London flat her late husband designed. She hasn’t recovered from his death and is up to the ceiling in debt. After Sophie’s WWI struggle to survive, Liv’s misery of enduring dinner parties seems slightly shallow.  But when she meets former NYPD cop Paul after a drunken purse-snatching episode, she opens up. At a rather unfortunate moment in their blooming relationship, Paul spies the painting The Girl You Left Behind on Liv’s bedroom wall. Paul is really an investigator, specializing in the restitution of lost art and the spoils of war. And he’s been looking for that painting.

The story shifts again, this time to a light courtroom drama. Will Liv be forced to give up the painting, which she clings to not for it’s worth, but for sentimental value? Who really owns the painting, and how did it end up as trash on a Spainsh street? And whatever happened to dear Sophie all those years ago?

You’ll have to read it and find out for yourself.

THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND is the She Reads October book club selection. Visit SheRead.org all month long to find out more about the story, read about bestselling author JoJo Moyes, and have a chance to win one of three copies of THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND.

 

The Girl You Left Behind
by Jojo Moyes
Pamela Dorman Books (August 20, 2013)
384 pages

Twitter

How to make MINECRAFT Diamond Sword and Diamond Pickaxe

78 Replies

minecraft, how to make minecraft sword, minecraft costumePin It

Maybe you kid has his/her heart set on being a Minecraft character for Halloween. Or perhaps you’re planning a Minecraft-themed party or just want some props for your kids to play with. It seems like all elementary-aged kids are totally obsessed with Minecraft now, and the cost of the goods proves just how popular the game is now.

My kiddo decided he wanted to be Steve for Halloween. The  Minecraft: Steve Cardboard Head (just a cardboard box printed with squares) sells for upwards of $25. I figured out how to make my own (see super-easy step-by-step instructions here).

But what about the sword and pickaxe?

My kiddo wanted not just any sword and pickaxe, but the diamond versions. (Something about invincibility? I can’t keep up with  all the Mineraft lore.)

They sell on Amazon for around $40 – $50. EACH. Not happening. *Edited 10/14—they used to sell for 40-50 bucks. They’re now down to about $20.* (Seriously—I do not lie: Minecraft Blue Diamond Sword, Minecraft Blue Diamond Pickaxe)

Time to get creative and make my own.

FPXFGames provides printouts you can download to make 3D folded paper swords and pickaxes. My kid would destroy a paper version in minutes. I created images to print and glue to foam core instead.

How to Make Minecraft Diamond Sword and Pickaxe

You’ll need:

Printed images
utility knife/razor
1 20 x 28″ piece foam core board (paper coated, not craft foam)
spray adhesive or glue stick
straight edge (metal ruler or L-square)

diamond sword minecraft diamond sword handle Minecraft-pickaxe-template

  1. Download these images. The sword comes on two pages here and here, the pickaxe one here.
    Minecraft-pickaxe-template pdf
    diamond sword template 1 pdf
    minecraft diamond sword 2 pdf
  2. Print. They should print on 11″ x 17″ paper. For best results (or unless you have an amazing printer) I’d recommend printing at a copy shop. (The shiny paper and high-quality ink looks much better!)how to make minecraft diamond sword and pickax
  3. Cut out around (roughly, you don’t need to be precise now) one copy of each so they will fit onto the foam board. Lay out the three  pieces of the sword together. Spray each piece of paper with spray adhesive or smear with glue stick (making sure you glue well around all edges. Rearrange onto board, smooth, and press to ensure a good bond.how to make minecraft diamond sword
  4. Now it’s time to cut it out. Again, I roughly cut out each item so it was easier to work with. Using a utility knife or razor and a straight edge, cut out each piece. The knife must go cleanly through the foam, so don’t do it on top of your dining room table–garage floors work great. Make sure you press firmly so the foam cuts evenly.
  5. Once the pickaxe and/or sword are cut out, you need to cut out the other paper copy. (I had my son practice his scissor work while I worked on the previous parts). Spray with adhesive/smear with glue and align on blank side of each piece. Smooth to remove any wrinkles.
  6. That’s it. You’re done!

minecraft costume For directions to make the MINECRAFT STEVE HEAD CLICK HERE.

Note: the prices of the Minecraft go up and down. If you don’t make your own, I hope you find a great deal!

If still want to check the “officially licensed”  products, here are some more links to Amazon:

 

Need a fun Minecraft Christmas craft?
DIY Minecraft Creeper Santa

DIY MINECRAFT Creeper Santa Ornament

Looking for some gifts for one of the little Minecrafter in your life?

Check out this list of awesome Minecraft books—all librarian, parent, and kid approved!

Miecraft books for boys, minecraft gifts, minecraft reviews

How about a Minecraft party or trick-or-treat bag?

Check out this super easy (and cheap!) DIY Creeper bag:

super easy creeper bagSuper Easy & Cheap CREEPER Tric-or-treat bag


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

How to make a MINECRAFT Steve Costume for less than $10

52 Replies

Halloween will be here before we blink. And it seems like every kid is currently obsessed with Minecraft. (If you don’t hear about this game at least 50+ times a day, you obviously don’t have a 5  to 15-year-old). Trust me: Minecraft is HOT.

Problem: if you stroll down your local big box store or seasonal costume shop, you will NOT find any Minecraft costumes. What? You will find them online—to the cha-ching of $25 and up: Minecraft: Steve Cardboard Head. That’s JUST for the printed cardboard box.

You want the official Minecraft Blue Diamond Sword? $50 and up. The Blue Diamond Pickaxe? 45 buckaroos. You can find the regular Minecraft Foam Sword and Pick Axe for around $25 —but they’re just pieces of foam.

Don’t know about you, but I’m far too cheap to shell out $75 for a cardboard box and a couple of pieces of foam.

Solution: make your own! I am about the un-craftiest mom in the world, and I made one pretty easily. And I’ll show you how so you can make your kid(s) do Minecraft happy-dances, too.

How to make a Minecraft Steve costume for cheap! homemade minecraft costume

Very happy 10-year-old in his homemade Minecraft costume.

After some online research, I found this post at SteveLange.net which gives a link to a free Steve face PDF.

How to make a Minecraft Steve Head for less than $10

You’ll need:

PDF pattern
11×17 printouts from PDF
11x11x11-inch box
glue stick or spray adhesive
scissors
tape (not necessary, but handy)

  1. Download the PDF from this link via SteveLange.net.
  2. Save the PDF to a thumb drive and take to your local copy shop to print out. My home printer can’t handle the paper size or quantity of ink, but my local Office Max/Kinkos/whatever can. Tell them to print it in poster setting with tile scale 100% and 0.005 overlap. I had to walk the employee through it. The Steve Head PDF makes 5 11×17-inch color prints and the Steve Hair PDF makes 2. The pages cost me $1.19 each.  steve head pdf directions
  3. Trim off the white edges.how to make steve head mincraft
  4. Prep your box. The pattern is scaled for an 11 x 11 x 11-inch box (can buy at Kinko’s, etc.). This box actually will measure 11.5 x 12 x 11.5.  I didn’t want to buy a box, so I cut down a beer case to about an 11-inch cube. (There’s some room for overlap in the printed patter, so it worked just fine.)how to make a minecraft costume
  5. Glue the hair on top of the box first for a nice overlap. I was going to use my can of spray adhesive, but it was giving me fits. (Yes, I did spray myself in the face. No, it wasn’t fun.) I broke out a glue stick, and it worked perfectly.  Note: I did reinforce the bond with clear tape around the edges—the face pages will cover, so no worries.
  6. Glue on the rest of the head printouts. I did a rough placement to make sure it all lined up correctly before I slathered the papers with glue. On my box, I had several inches of overlap on the back of the box (hair) but it still looked perfect!
  7. Cut eye holes. Yeah, your kid might want to see (he had to remind me).

That’s it. You should now have a kick-ass Steve head for less than $10.

How to make an easy Minecraft Steve costume via kerryannmorgan.comPin It

***UPDATE*** I’ve had many people ask how to keep the box centered on the wearer’s head. I first used bubble wrap and newspaper padding (yes, it kind of worked). I also tried using a plastic play construction hat that fit neatly inside and anchored the box to the head well. BUT, the best option came from checking out a “real” Creeper head. See this simple device? It doesn’t look pretty (neither does wadded up newspaper) but it works great and is EASY to make.

inside of minecraft box head

  • Cut a cardboard square about 4 inches     larger than your box head. (So, if your box is 12 x 12, cut it 16 x 16.)
  •  Measure about 2 inches out from each side and draw an inner square to use as a folding template.
  • Score cardboard along fold line, if necessary.
  • Cut out squares along corners.
  • Cut a rough oval in center so it can sit on your child’s head. (This one measured 6 x 7 inches)

And guess what? You can make the diamond sword and pickaxe too!  Check out my next post for download PDF and easy instructions. (check them out HERE) I made both for less than $5 total!

According to my Minecraft Expert, Steve wears a blue T-shirt and jeans. I picked up the proper aqua/blue shirt at the dollar store (score!) and paired it with some jeans.

Entire costume (Steve head + diamond sword + pickaxe + shirt) for $13!!!

Happy Kid + Happy Mom = HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Need a cool Minecraft trick-or-treat bag?

Check out this super easy (and cheap!) DIY Creeper bag:

super easy creeper bagSuper Easy & Cheap CREEPER Tric-or-treat bag

These bags are perfect
for Halloween trick-or-treating
or Birthday party goodie bags.

And the best news:
each one costs less than $1.50!

Super easy (and cheap!) DIY Creeper bag

 

Looking for Minecraft-themed crafts for a party or program?

Super Easy (& cheap!) Minecraft Magnets -- great party favor or craftCheck out this post with 5 crafts/activities including full instruction and downloads for Minecraft Creeper Magnets, Construction Paper Mob Masks, Minecraft Printable Stickers, and more!

Minecraft stickers for parties or classroom

 

Need a gift for a little Minecrafter? How about a book?

Check out this list of awesome Minecraft books—all librarian, parent, and kid approved!

Miecraft books for boys, minecraft gifts, minecraft reviews

Update:  As of 3/14 the prices of these “official” products seems to have gone down.

If you want to check out of the “real” products:


Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

6 Replies

the husbands secret

 

This month’s She Reads Book Club selection has spent weeks topping the bestsellers lists. (See—Women’s Fiction does sell!) It’s a smart, spellbinding read that has captured audiences around the globe. Australian author Liane Moriarty’s  previous novels The Hypnotist’s Love Story and What Alice Forgot drew rave reviews and are going on my to-read lists immediately.

From the inside cover:

From the author of the critically acclaimed What Alice Forgot comes a breakout new novel about the secrets husbands and wives keep from each other.

My Darling Cecilia
If you’re reading this, then I’ve died . . .

Imagine your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret – something so terrible it would destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others too. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive . . .

Cecilia Fitzpatrick achieved it all – she’s an incredibly successful business woman, a pillar of her small community and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia – or each other – but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s devastating secret.

*********

This is the story of three women and the secrets that hide within marriages. Cecilia is your typical Type-A suburban mom—a PTA queen bee and Tupperware diva whose life is perfect because she organizes it that way. Rachel is a grandmother mourning the possible loss of her beloved grandson after his parent announce a move across the globe. More importantly, she’s still grieving her daughter, murdered 28 years ago. Rounding out this trio is Tess, who hides the secret of her social anxiety disorder as she struggles with her own husband’s admission that he’s in love with her best friend/cousin.

But that’s not this story’s BIG secret.

When Cecilia finds a letter from her husband in an old box—a letter to be opened only upon his death—she stares at the temptations of Pandora’s box.  She wavers: should she open it? Throw it away like he insisted? Forget she ever saw it? What could he possibly have done? They’d been married for decades. She knew everything about her spouse, right? After a few strange circumstances and odd comments, she give in. She reads the letter. And everything  changes.

Most of this novel takes place inside these three womens’ heads—a running commentary of their fears, their hopes, their desperation. It’s almost a comedy of manners, tossing observant snippets of suburban melodramas across the page—until the issues grows too big for the page to contain.

I suppose I related to Tess the most, with her self-diagnosed social anxiety disorder and undying love for her son—not the husband/love triangle part. (This made me just go take one of those online tests, and what do you know, I have severe social anxiety. Back in my day we called it painfully shy.)  Or perhaps the parts of the other women I did relate to, were parts of me I don’t like. If the women had been perfect (as they tried to be on the surface) they would not have been as intriguing; instead we were drawn to their flaws.

Overall, The Husband’s Secret is an engrossing read that you’ll stay up late reading. And you’ll never want to dig through old boxes of paperwork again . . .

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, film rights have been snapped up by CBS Flims. Read it before it hits the screen. The book is ALWAYS better.

she reads
The Husband’s Secret
by Liane Moriarty
Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
Released July 30, 2013
416 pages

 

 

10 Principles to Build a Foundation for Your Dreams

4 Replies

medium_5008524257

Saturday I attended my second FLBlogCon here in Orlando, an eye-opening day full of inspiration, education, food, and fun. While I could write an entire post about surviving a conference for shy introverts (yup, that’s me), instead I’ll share one the biggest take-aways of the day. And it’s not just about blogging, it’s about life.

Pat Williams—Orlando Magic Senior VP, blogger, best-selling author, motivational speaker, basketball Hall-of-Famer, and father of 19 kids (no, that’s not a typo)—delivered the amazing opening key note speech. It all started with discovering our passion, our sweet spot.

{Sweet Spot} : an optimum point or combination of factors or qualities

For some of us that may be blogging, writing, our careers, or our family. For most, it’s that balance between. It’s our passion. We all dream of finding that sweet spot, of spending each day finding fulfillment in what we do, earning the financial rewards to make it possible, and feeling the peace in wanting to wake up tomorrow and do it all again. It’s finding passion in our work and having the strength to keep moving towards our dreams even in the face of defeat. We dream. Some of us dream BIG.

According to Pat Williams, we must first build a foundation for those dreams.

As I listened to his talk, I nodded my head and furiously typed notes. Below is what I took away from his words. It’s completely paraphrased, any mistakes are mine. What you take away is up to you.

10 Foundation Blocks for Building Your Dream

 

  1. Think the right kind of thoughts. What you think all day long will become your real life. And READ. One hour day. Real books.

  2. Say the right kind of words. The words we speak have a way of becoming our reality.

  3. Be specific in goal setting. A clear-cut, definite goal is a powerful motivator. Make three lists of your goals: short term daily, mid-range of a few years, and long range. Write them down, review them constantly, and  revise them when necessary. Goals without deadlines just kind of hang out there. Practice self-discipline. To quote Bobby Knight: Discipline is doing what you have to do, and doing it as well as you possibly can, and doing it that way all the time.

  4. Be responsible for your attitude. You yourself are not responsible for Syria, global warming, or tsunamis. Release it. You ARE responsible for your attitude. At the end of the day, that’s all you can control.

  5. Seek out the right kinds of friends. Get around a bunch of upbeat positive people, you will be like them soon. Negativity and resentment will pull you down. Also, when picking a spouse, ask yourself, “Does he/she make me a better person?”

  6. Don’t waist your disappointments. Take your hurts, pain, setbacks, and disappointments and turn them into strengths. We shine in good times and curl up in bad. But tough times are teachable moments — our spirits are open when we’re deep in that well. Be open to learning. Get something out of it.

  7. Go the second mile. Do twice what ‘s expected of you. Outwork people. It’s the old-fashioned way—it never will change. The current entitlement mindset (it’s owed to me) doesn’t work. We need to cut it off. Two of the most important words in English Language are What Else. As in what else can I do/contribute/etc. The people who grasp those words and follow through will dominate.

  8. Never give up. Winners in life plow through the tough times. Practice “Stick-to-it-ivity”—a phrase coined by Walt Disney.

  9. Character still counts. Honesty. Integrity. Responsibly. Humility. Courage.

  10. Live your life by the faith phenomena.

Honestly, I need to work on every one of these principles. Every day. I stink at most of them (see, there’s that negativity I need to kick-in-the-butt).

live your dreamPin It

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go write myself into my sweet spot. Because I can. Because I must. I have some work to do.

Thanks Pat.
Click here to read more about Pat

 Do you practice any of these principles? Which points do you take to heart?

 photo credit: SweetOnVeg via photopin cc

Nowhere but Home and Last Meals

16 Replies

While on vacation last month, I ate up Liza Palmer’s Nowhere but Home. Though not the typical beach read, I savored each word as I relaxed in the Florida Keys. The book came out in April, I read it in August, and I’m just reviewing it in September. (How the hell is it September already?) Slap a slacker sticker across my forehead. I’ve been so sucked into my own writing that my eyes go blurry at the end of the day. My books backlog is ridiculous. My reviews—overdue. Mea culpa. But I just couldn’t forget this story.

From the back cover:

Nowhere but Home nowhere but home - liza palmer-last mealsby Liza Palmer

The strategy on the gridiron of Friday Night Lights is nothing compared to the savagery of coming home . . .

Queenie Wake has just been fired from her job as a chef for not allowing a customer to use ketchup . . . again. Now the only place she has to go is North Star, Texas, the hometown she left in disgrace. Maybe things will be different this time around. After all, her mother—notorious for stealing your man, your car, and your rent money—has been dead for years. And Queenie’s sister, once the local teenage harlot who fooled around with the town golden boy, is now the mother of the high school football captain.

Queenie’s new job, cooking last meals at the nearby prison, is going well . . . at least the inmates don’t complain! But apparently small-town Texas has a long memory for bad reputations. And when Queenie bumps into Everett Coburn, the high school sweetheart who broke her heart, she wishes her own memory was a little spottier. But before Queenie takes another chance on love, she’ll have to take an even bigger risk: finding a place to call home once and for all.

********************************

First off, this cover doesn’t do the book justice—though it’s pretty and charming, the story is far more Texas grit than fluff. As always, Liza Palmer’s characters are irreverent, a little rough around the edges, bitingly funny—and all the more gripping because of that. If you’ve read any of her other books, you know that she delves into some deep stuff—the cover of More Like Her may feature three chicks in heels, but the story starts with a shooting. Grit lit, not chick lit.

In Nowhere But Home, Queenie Wake slinks back to North Star, the tiny town she’d fled years ago trying to escape from her shame and herself. The mean girls from her past might be married with kids, but as they grew older, their claws grew sharper. They won’t let Queenie forget how her mama was shot dead by her best friend after being caught in bed with her husband. The small-town social hierarchy painted Queenie and her sister as trashy, no-good, tramps, too—even if the women are anything but. In a town overflowing with dirty little secrets, Queenie must learn that she can’t outrun the past, and sometimes, holding onto your roots can set you free.

A couple of plot twists into the story, Queenie accepts a rather unusual culinary position—cooking last meals for convicts about to be executed. Cheerful job, right? But someone has to do it. Queenie takes the job seriously, working tirelessly to recreate each prisoner’s request, down to figuring out where in Mexico one man’s grandmother came from so she could make the proper type of tamale. The details of the requests—from a meal that read like a Mexican Christmas dinner to the significance of a pack of Skittles—got me thinking.

What foods would I want to savor, knowing I was about to die? Which foods would bring me comfort, draw blissful memories, transport me to a time and place far from the fear of death?

(A difficult subject to ponder while staring into turquoise waters in a picture postcard setting.)

nowhere but home, liza palmer, florida keys, bahia honda

My first thoughts drifted to foods from my travels: the crepes a la Florentina from a cozy trattoria in Florence, the near perfect tortellini in white sauce savored while overlooking a Venetian canal, the delicate lemon cake from my wedding night in Rome. All recipes I’ve been unable to recreate, all foods that set my taste buds in a tizzy as I reminisce . . . all hoity-toity delicacies that represent a part of my life I want to relive, but not who I really am.

After hours of thought, I figured it out.

Veal cutlets, mashed potatoes, Le Seur canned peas, onion gravy. My family’s traditional sage stuffing. My mom’s caramel brownies with a side of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Beverage . . . I don’t think they’d let me have any chardonnay, so . . . root beer?

I grew up eating this simple meal. (Okay, the stuffing went with turkey on holidays, but dammit, it’s my last meal. It sops up gravy perfectly.) I still make it regularly.  We call it comfort food, as in: “What’s for dinner?” “Comfort food.”  And we all know exactly what’s on the menu. When I’m sick, when I’m sad, when I just don’t want to eat anything, this always makes me feel warm inside.

Guess that fits the bill.

As for the book—Nowhere but Home is rich, satisfying, and will leave you cheering for the disreputable Wake girls. Buy it. Read it. You’ll laugh, shed a tear or two, and get really hungry.

{psst—you can find my final request recipes for Mom’s Magic Caramel Brownies here and the Traditional Sage Stuffing here…good stuff…}

Your turn—what foods would you choose to fill not only your gut, but your heart? What would be your last meal?

Weekend Cooking hosted by www.BethFishReads.com

 

{Okay, technically a book review isn’t PYHO material, but the deep thought involved with last meals certainly took a lot of thought and heart to write.}

 

Top 10 Thrift Store Tips & Tricks {or how to become a Thrift Store Fashionista}

105 Replies

large_2103437248

I have a confession.

I rarely set foot in real stores yet my closets and drawers are stuffed. Last week I bought two packs of hangers and cleared out the guest room closet to handle the overflow. My son owns more clothes than a boy his age cares about, and that’s not counting the next two sizes waiting for him to grow into. And I would rather slit my wrists than pay retail.

I am a thrift store shopaholic.

Having been a savvy clearance shopper for years, I’ve always bee-lined to the back of every store and nailed sale rack scanning down to a science. But that just wasn’t enough for me.

I had to take it to the next level.

I decided to brave a thrift store.

Admittedly, I was nervous the first time. Would it be scary? Nasty? A total wast of time?

Inside, my eyes bugged out behind my designer (flea market) sunglasses as racks of colored and styled clothes stretched as far as I could see. Thousands of items, each one unique, and all begging for a new closet. At first, I flipped through the racks timidly, assuming it would be worn-out discount department store rejects, but after five minutes my arms hung heavy with finds and I went in search of a shopping cart. Cashmere sweaters, preshrunk designer jeans, adorable summer skirts, vintage little black dresses, chic leather jackets, unique accessories–I had died and gone to budget fashionista heaven.

If you want to find you own thrift store treasures, you must understand the method to the madness.  Here are some of the tips I have learned through trial and error:

Learn how you can discover your own vintage treasures | Top 10 tips from a Thrift Store Diva

1. Location, location, location. It’s all about the real estate. The nicer the neighborhood, the better the donations. One Goodwill might consistently stock junk, but one on the other side of town may feature half an Ann Taylor store on the racks. And while I feel perfectly safe and comfortable in my favorite Salvation Army, the sketchy dudes stalking the parking lot of another made me keep on driving by.

2.  Know the merchandise. A used Walmart t-shirt for $2–not such a deal.  A NWT (new with tag) Banana Republic cashmere sweater set for $3—a steal! Learn how to spot quality fabrics and brands from a distance.

3.  Ignore sizes. They vary brand to brand anyway. (I own jeans in four sizes, for real.)  Almost everything is pre-washed and preshrunk. If it looks like it might fit, try it on.

4.  Dress for success.  Some stores don’t have fitting rooms. Some fitting rooms have a half-hour wait. If you come prepared in a skinny tank and leggings you can find a mirror and explore your inner exhibitionist. Trust me, everyone does it.

5.  Buy off-season.  If you go looking for warm jackets during a January cold snap you will be sorely out of luck. Look in July and you’ll have dozens to choose from.

6.  Ask if the store runs sales. Many stores discount a particular colored tag each day.  My Salvation Army has 50% off all clothes each Wednesday. It’s an absolute madhouse—but $3.50 Versace jeans are utterly worth it to me.

7.  Carefully check out the goods.  They are “recycled.”  Some stores inspect items thoroughly but others may put out items stained, ripped, or torn.  If it needs to be repaired, it had better be worth the work.

8. Look for what you NEED first.  Dying for a new pair of fitted black pants? Your kid growing out of his shorts? Check those racks first. I’ve watched a woman snatch every pair of pants in my husband’s extremely hard to find size after I’d wasted time browsing through tank tops I didn’t need. Ouch.

9.  Leave the kids at home. Yeah, I know that’s not always possible, but thrifting takes time and patience. Kids get bored before you can blink. If you do have to drag your munchkins along, make sure to bring something to keep them fully occupied. (i.e. Is your phone fully charged and loaded with games?)

10.  Check back often and don’t get discouraged.  Some days I find 25 steals I simply can’t live without. Some days I find crap. But you never know when some style maven may clean out her closet because she’s bored or changed sizes. Keep checking.

The only time I set foot in the mall now is to claim my free Victoria’s Secret panties (love getting those coupons in the mail!). I’ve nearly stopped making my rounds at Ross and T.J. Maxx because I know if I am patient, persistent, and sometimes just plain lucky I can find whatever I’m looking for (and usually so much more) for practically pennies.

Every Wednesday I’m overwhelmed with the urge to be at my favorite thrift store. The hidden treasures call me, tempt me, like a discount liquor store lures every wino for miles. Luckily my addiction is good for my (gorgeous second-hand Coach) pocketbook and doesn’t fry my liver. To make room for new finds, I often show up at the thrift store with a bag of donations. I’m all for recycling.

Amongst my fellow thrifty friends I gladly brag about how cheap I find my clothes.

(Them: Love your shirt. Me: Thanks!  {whispered} Salvation Army. $1.50!)

I try to convert my friends after each compliment I receive but only if they don’t wear my size.  I don’t need the extra competition.

When complemented by less enlightened folk who may snub their nose at my methods, I simply give a knowing smile and a modest “thanks.”

It’s vintage. It’s recycled. It’s unique. It’s me. large_4904276362

Now if I only had someplace to WEAR all my little black dresses…

Have you ever tried thrifting? Would you? Have any shopping secrets to share?

photo credit: Niccolò Caranti via photopin cc | photo credit: Stewf via photopin cc |  photo credit: Guillaume Lemoine via photopin cc