I live in Ohio

I live in Ohio. Lebanon, Ohio to be exact. It is a very nice place to live in some respects. Good people and nice slow living. People are nicer and we have some nice hiking trails. We have a bike trail. We have a very large YMCA, a great library (although the Washington-Centerville Library has more things for kids to do), we have a frozen custard place and 2 ice cream stores, one staying open year round. On the whole, I consider it one of the best places to live.

So here are the 10 Most Beautiful Towns in OH. My town did not make the cut, but that is good for us in some respects....we get to stay a hidden secret.

Recipe

My youngest and I love to cook together. We find recipes and save them and use them. Recently, I have found some that I know she and I will have fun with:

Bacon, Egg, Cheese Biscuit Waffle
Chunky Monkey Brownies
Cinnabon Copycat Recipe
Easy 3 ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
Blueberry Zucchini Cake

Christmas in July

Anyone who makes their Christmas presents, knows you must start early. I save places that contain patterns that I might make or know that I will make. If any help you, please let me know. Right now, I am just saving for me and a few friends.

Christmas Present CAL
Red Heart Christmas in July 23 different patterns
Toy Monkey
Polar Bear Knitted Hat
Ridge Rib Men's Scarf
Festive Wine Cozy from Red Heart
Partridge in a Pear Tree - Ornament
Santa Minion Ornament
Santa Gnome Ornament
Star of Bethlehem Ornament
Jingle Bells Ornament
Tiny Toque Ornament
Colorful Christmas Ornaments
Knit Mitten Ornaments
6 pointed star ornament
Easy Slippers
Santa Dishcloth
Santa Shelf Sitter
2 Hour Santa Hat
3 Wise Snowman Ornaments
Rudolph Hat
Reindeer Cup Cozy
Colorful Keepsake Stocking
Jolly Fireplace Stocking
Easy Shawl
Whimsical Tabletop Trees
Adult Booties/Slippers
Knitters Ornament
Carolyn Rose Hat
Spring Kitchen Set
Knit Hourglass Wedding Wrap
Snowflakes - links to many different types and are crochet
Red Heart Snowman
Moogly Blog 6 Unusual Granny Squares
Lion Brand Blazing Blocks Afghan
Swiffer Cover It is called a mop cover, but I use if for my Swiffer (a product from P&G).
Sadness from the movie "Inside Out"
Easy Knit Dishcloths
Crochet Stash Buster Basket
Octavia the Octopus
Rumpled Ripple Afghan - for baby

Book Lists

It seems that as summer is coming to an end there are more books to read being put out. Books for homeschooling, for kids getting ready to go back to school, books to get ahead. So I will be saving the lists (and hoping that they hang around) should I or the girls want to read any from the specific lists.

50 Life Impacting Books - Recommended by Entrepreneurs.
13 Books that Continue Sherlock Holmes - My girls like Sherlock Holmes
Irresistible Summer Reads
13 Books similar to "All the Light We Cannot See"
15 Books 9th Graders Should Read
     Alabama Moon by Watt Key
     To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
     The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter
     Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
     Holding the Future Hostage by Tialla Rising
     Revenge Child by Cindy Wooldridge
     Odessey by Homer
     The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
     The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare
     Lord of the Flies by William Golding
     The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings
     I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
     Great Tales and Poems by Edgar Allen Poe
     The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
     Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
   
14 Must Read Novels about Books
         A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
         Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
         The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows
         Matilda by Ronald Dahl
         The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
         Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
         Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
        The Storied Life by A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
        The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
        The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett
        The World's Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne
        The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
        The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
        Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

51 Books for Animal Lovers
30 Books Everyone Should Read At Least Once
11 American Road Trip Books
     A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber
     First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
     On The Road by Jack Kerouac
     One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
     Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall
     First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond
     Lost & Found by Brooke Davis
     The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
     Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
     Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
     Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman
11 Books with Plot Twists
     The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
     The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
     Atonement by Ian McEwan
     We Were Liars by E, Lockhart
     Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
     Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
     The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
     Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
     And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (I bought this book for myself in high school when it was called Ten Little Indians, but the PC police came and said it had be renamed).
    Life of Pi by Yann Martel
    Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Homeschooling Preparation

School will be starting for many and many who traditionally homeschool are collecting stuff for their children for school. I am saving things that I can use with my children as we change again from Public School, to K12 to traditional.

Ultimate List of Online Music
Hewitt Homeschooling
Science with Netflix
Grammar - difference in commas, colons, dashes
Marker Caddy
10 Best Online Math Games
10 Archaeological sites in OH - some are close by
History Videos - Lists put together in YouTube
Literature Study Guides - has quizzes, essay questions and synopses. It is on Spark Notes.
Piano Music based on Pi
Basic US Geography
Technology Rocks US Geography
Free Homeschool Printables for K-3
7 Ways to go to College Free
Beginner's Guide to High School Homeschool
Free Preposition Printables
Homeschool Guide to High School Credits
Insect Notebook Pages
Lets Homeschool High School - Future Reference

Suicide is NOT Painless!

Recently, my cousin's son killed himself following bullying. Today, a friend is dealing with the loss of a friend of his, who survived tours in Afghanistan and then killed himself. Inevitably, there are the questions of why did they do this? Why did he/she kill him or herself? There are no real answers. All I know is that when a person is suicidal they are unable to see the next minute, the next hour, the next day, week or month. They cannot see the future. They may be out of pain, but the pain is just starting for the survivors.

In my case, I am asking, given how little support I received from my family or the teachers at the schools I attended, How did I survive? How did I not kill myself after all the bullying I have gone through? I spent years being called names, hit, pushed down stairs, and being told, I could not fight back. I should turn the other cheek. Years of being told how I am unwanted and unloved. Years of being told that I do not matter and then treated that way. To this day, I wonder how I survived all this abuse, bullying.

When my oldest began to show depression following bullying, I pulled her out of the school and brought her home. That helped her. She knows she is important and loved. Her mood improved and she became a happier person. I feel bad for my cousin and his family as they too deal with this loss. I wish that I was able to provide more for them beyond my prayers, but that is what I offer to them.

Please pray for all those affected by the loss of someone they loved or cared for. They are dealing with a lot of pain.

5th of July

July 4th has come and gone and it was a good day. We got some work done around the house, but best of all the girls were in their 1st parade, ever! They were in heaven. My oldest was able to hang out with her friends and she got to walk in the parade and hand out candy. My middle and youngest were on the Charlie Brown float. The float they were on won a Trustees Award! One aunt (and only one) showed up, but may not have seen the girls as they were on one side. We had a grill out and the girls lighted up the sparklers my mom had bought them last year. They do not like sparklers and they like to watch fireworks, but not outside, they like to be able to go right to bed afterwards. They are funny, but I get it. I don't like being outside being eaten by bugs, either.

Books:
26 Literary Landmarks
2015 Summer Reading Challenge - I don't think I can accomplish it as it is too far into summer already, but I can always work on the list for awhile.
20 Books You Can't Put Down
Most Popular Book in Each European Country


Patterns and Tutorials:
Moogly Blog Sunshine Baby Hats
Moogly Blog Magic Spike Mandala Square
Tunisian Entrelac Square - Tutorial
Scraps of Yarn Crochet Challenge - Part 1
Sewing up Knitting or Crochet Tutorial
Mandalas in Memory
Minion Pattern - All About Ami (this one looks best)
Large Crochet Moose Pattern
Small Minion Pattern - Just Crafty Enough
Tutorial for Almost Lost Washcloth
So Simple Loofah
Retro Ornament Throw
10 Free Rainbow Inspired Patterns
9 Log Cabin Afghan Patterns
Frog Pattern Ami
Moogly Blog Rainbow Pattern Links
Tutorial Entrelac Afghan Pattern
Moogly Blog 7 Crochet Softies
Moogly Blog 4th of July Links

Recipes:
French Quarter Beignets
Chocolate No Bake Eclair
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
M&M Beach Ball Cake - Next year's entry for Baking Contest with girls.
Pineapple Chicken Kabobs

Homeschooling:
10 movies for Kids about Real Scientists
Free Lapbooks
6 Life Skills for Teens
81 Places with Teacher Discounts
Dr. Who Inspired Math for 3-5 grade
Educational Websites for Kids
Stem Works Science for Homeschool
Kids Recipe Book
Homeschool Organizer
Kids Organizer to Work Independently
Periodic Table Battleship



Oh, and before I forget, my husband just joined the Dollar Shave Club and is in Heaven. He loves how easy it is and the says the blades are great. Here is a link Dollar Shave Club. Enjoy.