Sunday, October 18, 2009

Link Roundup, Anniversary Edition

After that long post, you'd think I'd have nothing left to say. :>) Hubs and I celebrated on Friday by going to a really nice Italian restaurant about an hour and 15 minutes from here in a small town. (Think New York City 5 star chef marries small town girl who ends up wanting to move back home. It turned out well for central Nebraska!) Last time we went was our anniversary three years ago when I was pregnant with the Goose, so it was fun to take her this time. Hubs had swordfish last time and leg of lamb this time, so it's not your usual spaghetti and meatballs!

Let's get down to the good stuff -

MAKE
What a super gift idea - a homemade princess and the pea playset by Valerie at Frugal Family Fun Blog. I really dig that her hubs helped!

Valerie also has a very fun tiny pumpkin patch playset that looks too fun.

Very cute witches broom treat bag at Three Pumpkins Little. (Though what I really need is some inspiration for a big treat bag for Goose to carry . . . anybody seen anything out there? You would think there would be something at Tipnut's 250+ Halloween craft, food, and project ideas, but it has everything else except the kitchen sink.)

File this under "blown away by the amount of detail": shadow puppet theater tutorial at Giver's Log. I could see putting this together for my nieces except there would be one big open spot and that's it . . . doesn't mean I love them any less. :>)

Remember a while back I posted a link to a post where they used dresser drawers as bookshelves? Check out the dresser drawer ribbon holders at Blue Cricket Design. But more than anything, I'd love to see what the old dresser looks like behind the cloth now!

You have to click through to see more pictures, but this everything pocket bag tutorial is really neat.

I have a couple of pre-blog posts on making paper beads tucked into my favorites, but I don't think they're as involved as this one is. Pretty fascinating - and I like the inclusion of the metallic embroidery floss. (@ Go Make Something - great name!)

Fun freezer paper stenciled bean bags for learning to spell at Lil Blue Boo. I've not yet tried freezer paper stenciling but I've tucked away a few tutorials and it looks really cool.

These quick felt daisies on Whip Up are adorable! Now if I only knew how to do a french knot . . .

EAT

[Edit: Note to self - refresh Google Reader before hitting POST.] Amy at the Finer Things has a crazy comprehensive post on pumpkin recipes from around the blogsphere. Beings as I have a bunch of pumpkin and squash in my freezer, I'm ready!

Chocolate on My Cranium claims that these pumpkin muffins don't even need butter or jam. Might be a good thing for Goose and me to whip up and send in the tractor with Hubs now that he's back in the field.

I still need to do my final garden post - have I mentioned that I dug a WHEELBARROW full of carrots? We aren't big on sweet glazed stuff around here (unless it's actually dessert) so I'm very interested in this recipe for summer savory dusted oniony roasted carrots at Eating Simply. I need to add savory to my grocery list!

Not sure that I'm brave enough, but I thought this idea of using cauliflower as a pizza crust at the Chicken Coop is intriguing. (Does anybody else's cauliflower frequently turn out watery? What am I doing wrong?)

After yet another round of porcupine meatballs that took a very long time to cook, I stumble across this: porcupine meatballs with pre-cooked rice at Cooking During Stolen Moments. Oof, why didn't I think of that?

Another interesting meatball recipe in tomato chipotle sauce at The Wednesday Chef. Better yet - no browning first.

DO
Now this is something I'd never have thought to do - use a pillow sham as a stroller blanket. But it's a great idea - and it obviously worked very well! (@ Inspire Company)

Another thing I'd never thought to do: cut toddler spaghetti with scissors. I tried it this weekend, and instead of wrestling around with a knife and fork forEVER and still not doing a good job, it was snip snip snip and the hungry toddler was appeased.

Chasing Cheerios had a neat idea on taking dictated letters from a little one but putting them on e-mail instead of writing letters. Have to admit, there's really something about getting an honest to goodness letter in the mail, though!

I was a bit surprised (though I shouldn't have been) that these 20 ways to improve your sewing ALL went over my head. Guess I need to improve a lot of other things before I can improve those. :>)

As I note in the comments, I'd love to get a grain mill to grind our own flour because I could just get it right out of our fields! Laura at Heavenly Homemakers is doing a series this week on her grain mill and grinding, you can find part one here.

PRAY & PONDER
Karen Edmisten writes about two things that help her when she feels adrift from her faith. "What am I doing differently?" and "The Lord will provide." I highly recommend you click through and see what she has to say.

Karen also has some great quotes by St. Teresa of Avila for her feast day, Oct. 15.

Oo-oo-ooh! What a resource Jessica at Shower of Roses has compiled! It's a list of feast day plans and celebrations categorized by month. GREAT stuff there!

Jessica also posted this prayer of mother with child. How beautiful! And how appropriate as I just learned today a dear cousin is expecting her second child. (Another belly to rub for good luck!)

Jennifer at Conversion Diary wrote a thought-provoking post about "so you went against God's will - now what?" Her take? It might not be quite as bad as you think. (My words, not hers.)

Hmm, I thought I posted this a while back but I sure can't find it now . . . Jennifer also has a post on why it makes sense to be obedient to my husband. Lots to ponder there - especially since she comes from a former feminist standpoint.

Stacey at Almost There posted don't knock the Rosary till you try it regarding her first experience praying the Rosary. Her reaction to it came as a surprise to her, but probably not to the rest of us. :>)

Dr. Ray Guarendi has a guest post at Faith & Family Life about raising difficult children.

I really enjoyed this post on Columbus's devotion to Mary at Faith & Family Live.
----------------
And last but not least, this one doesn't really fit into a category, but I really enjoyed it. Birds on the Wires by Jarbas Agnelli. He saw a picture of birds on power lines that looked like notes on a music staff and figured out the melody. It's lovely!

Yeah, I know that's a whole lotta links. Happy surfing - and let's hope next week isn't so full of stuff to see!

11 comments:

Angela said...

I always love these posts. That prayer for a mother with child brought tears to my eyes! I'm going to have to print that out.

Tracey said...

Thanks for giving me lots to read! :)

Zimms Zoo said...

I have cut up all kinds of food for the littles with scissors since they were little bitty and a friend showed me that trick. It works great for salad too when those lettuce pieces are so big.

We are working on the cupcake shirts that you posted awhile back. They are turning out cute! Will post pics when they are done.

Now after reading this I have more to mark and make.

Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog said...

Wow, thanks for the links! The birthday party for the recipient of the Princess and the Pea set was last weekend, and she absolutely LOVED it... Emily was soooo proud! Can't wait to check out the other links you've provided... thanks!!

Anonymous said...

I know that my comment might not be well-received , but I urge mothers to carefully and prayerfully consider the effect of punishments and rewards on their relationship to their children. If you visit the Faith and Family post by Ray Guarendi, please try the link to www.securechild.org. It is Authoratative Catholic parenting at its best. I have tried Guarendi's methods in thepast , only to anger and alienate my children. Difficult children need focused attention, understanding and loving boundaries, not punishment. Punishment leads to anger and resentment in both parties. That's not to say that we can't say no and mean it.....if Attachment parenting beyond 3 interests you, check out HoldontoYourCatholicKids yahoo group.

Lenetta said...

Now that's just not fair to lose your comment on your OWN blog! :>)

Christy, can't wait to see pics of the cupcake shirts - and perhaps you can explain sewing the ruffles a little bit? The original post was a bit lacking in that regard, I thought! And I'm not quite good enough of a stitcher yet.

Anonymous, on the contrary, your comment was very well received. I've not read or seen much on Dr. Ray Guarendi except that he's reasonably well received at F&FL.

A few things come to mind - first, there are so many variables when dealing with parents and children - no two situations are the same. Different methods have very different results, and I'm sorry that Dr. Guarendi's methods had such a bad effect for you!

I believe there is a difference between discipline, which is necessary, and punishment, which can have the effects that you encountered. Something that I said in a post several weeks ago is that I believe my 2YO needs to learn to obey me, who she can see and hear, in order to learn to obey God, who she cannot see and hear.

Something that stuck with me from Guarendi's article was that he made the distinction between the child not being difficult, their behavior is difficult. Especially how the boy in the example "saved up" his difficult behavior for his parents.

Thank you for stopping by - you and your family will be in my prayers today.

Motherhen said...

Thanks for linking my blog and the cauliflower crust. A tip to keep it from getting to watery is after you steam it, drain it. If it's still wet, you can always put it in a paper towel or dish towel and squeeze it lightly, then process it in the food processor.

Hth. I can't wait to read through all these links!

http://motherhen68.wordpress.com

I think blogger is having issues w/open ids!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for linking my blog and the cauliflower crust. A tip to keep it from getting to watery is after you steam it, drain it. If it's still wet, you can always put it in a paper towel or dish towel and squeeze it lightly, then process it in the food processor.

Hth. I can't wait to read through all these links!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for linking my blog and the cauliflower crust. A tip to keep it from getting to watery is after you steam it, drain it. If it's still wet, you can always put it in a paper towel or dish towel and squeeze it lightly, then process it in the food processor.

Hth. I can't wait to read through all these links!

Sandra said...

What a great roundup--I'm tickled to be included in the links, thanks! Can't wait to check out everything else :).

Becca said...

Ahhh thanks for the link!!!! I'll have to see if I can find a photo of the inside of the dresser revamp. It's very clean and smooth and i only had to do very minor repair to mask the fact that it housed drawers!

Thanks again for the link!

Becca @ Blue Cricket Design