just jenn

A Children's Book Recommendation A Time To Keep,  Tasha  Tudors Book of Holidays Captured by the striking cover. Mesmerized by the beautiful illustrations. Dreams of living the life of a beloved character. Does this describe your memories of the books you favored as a child and the emotions you felt reading those special stories? Characters like Betsy & Tacy, Mary & Laura. Stories like Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Sarah Plain and Tall . Illustrations of Tasha Tudor and Robert McCloskey. I could chat about a different book every day for the remainder of my lifetime, and barely make a dent in the wonderful world of classic children's literature. But that shouldn't stop us from trying. So, let's try.   I am going to dust off the covers of some of my favorite titles, and start a regular post sharing these treasures with you.  I hope you are blessed to have a little or two, or maybe a classroom full,  that you read to...

Girl with a Grill Grilled Pizza Have you ever gotten to know a recipe so well at home that eating it anywhere else is less than satisfying? This is how we feel about homemade pizza. It is so good that your kids may or may not text you about it while they are in school because they they just can't get their mind off it.  It may be the one thing getting them through the hours of educational rigor.  And how can you blame them?  You're looking forward to it just as much as they are. For crust I use the America's Test Kitchen Pizza Dough Recipe  from their baking cookbook.  Another dough option is to go to your local pizzeria and purchase a couple pounds of frozen dough. Set it on the counter for a couple hours before dinner and you are golden. We regularly swap out red pizza sauce for a simple olive oil and garlic seasoning base; or Miss Mouse #1's favorite - pesto. When it comes to toppings, preference rules.  If I am...

~2020 is  going  to be the year of possibility~  Who am I talking about?   At this moment and for this purpose, I am talking about possibilities for myself.  In this circumstance, it is unapologetically about me. What am I going to do to make room for this possibility?   I'm stepping out.  Brushing off the cobwebs of my creative juices.   Organizing myself in things I already do, and finding ways to try new things.  I've been a wife, mother, cook, homemaker, sister, helper, friend, and teacher for a long time. I am adding writing, painting, dreaming, pursuing, and documenting to my eclectic resume. Where will I begin?   Right where I am.  This is one decision I am confident in.  If I can start with the areas of my life that I am already immersed in, I could see which ideas I would like to explore more, and which are ones that don't bring me as much pleasure as I thought they might. How will I pursu...