A Christmas Carol Review & New Book

I hope you had a lovely Christmas!

If you didn't get a chance to read A Christmas Carol, you should give it a try.

Since I've seen so many renditions of this story, it was a quick read. I'm sure most everyone is familiar with this classic tale. Ebenezer Scrooge is a grumpy old miser. He has no great love for anyone or anything, with the exception of financial gain.

This compassionless old geezer is visited by the ghost of his former business parter, Jacob Marley. Marley warns Scrooge that his deeds in life will lead him to a miserable afterlife spent doing arduous penance.

After Marley's visit, Scrooge is visited by three other spirits: that of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. By visiting his former, present, and future selves, Scrooge gains a sense of his own humanity.

This change of heart leads Scrooge to act not just with the common courtesy he had neglected to employ heretofore, but with a generosity those around him had never known. He vows to "honor Christmas in [his] heart, and try to keep it all the year." In fact, "it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge." I loved the ending of the book: "May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!"

My copy included notes that explained colloquialisms that Dickens used in his novel. Most of them I figured out based on context, but there were a few that I found enlightening. For example: "the name [Scrooge] is derived from a slang term for squeeze or crowd." Maybe I'm just nerdy, but I thought these explanatory notes were interesting.

Dickens has a bit of a sense of humor. After Scrooge has seen Marley's ghost and the ghost of Christmas past, "nothing between a baby and a rhinoceros would have astonished him very much."  

A Christmas Carol is a sweet story that embodies the spirit of Christmas. I think this story has endured as a classic because it speaks to something in each of us, even if we only remember it during the Christmas season. Around Christmastime there is an almost palpable change—people become a little more thoughtful, a little kinder, little more honest, a little bit better. Maybe throughout the coming year I will try a bit harder to honor Christmas in my heart.

Speaking of the coming year, can you believe SBC is almost a year old? That's right—I started this virtual book club in January of 2013. Time flies!

To kick off the new year, I've chosen to read

(source)

The Beekeeper's Apprentice
by Laurie King

From Amazon: What would happen if Sherlock Holmes, a perfect man of the Victorian age--pompous, smug, and misogynistic--were to come face to face with a twentieth-century female? If she grew to be a partner worthy of his great talents?

Most everyone is familiar with Sherlock Holmes, but this book puts a twist on the classic. I love the modern series Elementary, which has Sherlock Holmes-based storyline that strays from the original. I hope that I will like this twist in the story, too.

From Barnes & Noble: In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes—and match him wit for wit. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern twentieth-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective. In their first case together, they must track down a kidnapped American senator's daughter and confront a truly cunning adversary—a bomber who has set trip wires for the sleuths and who will stop at nothing to end their partnership. Full of brilliant deductions, disguises, and dangers, this first book of the Mary Russell—Sherlock Holmes mysteries is "wonderfully original and entertaining . . . absorbing from beginning to end." 

This book has an average rating of 4.11 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, 4.4 stars on Amazon, and 4.5 stars on Barnes & Noble. I have high hopes for this one!

See me next month for my review. Happy Reading!

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas 

from Sara & Hamilton (my house plant)

I hope your Christmas is filled with hugs, love, and all-around goodness.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Crunchy Almond Topping

I love fresh cranberries. Unfortunately, these little beauties are only available for a limited time each year. I usually buy a bag or two to stick in the freezer for the off season :-)

These muffins are a great way to use the cranberries I so love. The first bite is crunchy and sweet, but the tender centers are filled with punches of tart cranberry. These muffins are perfect for breakfast or brunch. You can even package them up for a gift basket! They're not overly sweet, which is a perfect contrast to the overload of sugary treats around the holidays.

Cranberry Orange Muffins
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

¾ cup sugar
Zest from 1 orange
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 beaten egg
¾ cup milk
½ cup oil
Juice from 1 orange
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp orange extract (optional)
1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped*
½ cup sliced almonds

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and orange zest; smush together with the back of a spoon until fragrant. Set aside 2 Tablespoons for topping.

Add to the mixing bowl flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add egg, milk, oil, orange juice, vanilla, and orange extract. Stir until just moistened. Fold in the cranberries.

Divide batter amongst 12 greased muffin cups. Toss almonds with reserved orange sugar; evenly distribute over muffins.

Bake at 375º for 20-25 minutes.

*if you're in a pinch, you can substitute 1 cup dried cranberries

Christmas Tunes

I love listening to Christmas music! Here's a peek at my playlist:

"White Christmas" - The Drifters

I played this for my niece a week or so ago. We danced and bounced around. The little darling giggled and giggled like she was having the time of her life.

"We Need a Little Christmas" - Glee Cast

I love how upbeat this song is. I need a little Christmas, right this very minute!

"One More Sleep 'Til Christmas" - Kermit the Frog

This is from "The Muppet Christmas Carol." Such a sweet song.
There's magic in the air this evening, magic in the air.

"Snoopy's Christmas" - The Royal Guardsmen

This song is just fun. If you want to hear part 1 of the story, look up "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron."

"Christmas Day" - She & Him

I'll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas day, either.

"All I Want for Christmas is You" - Michael Bublé

I just discovered this song this year. How long have I been living without Michael Bublé singing that he wants me for Christmas?

I hope these jams make your holidays a little brighter :-)

Peanut Butter Fingers

I don't recall where this recipe came from. Probably from one of my mom's vintage cookbooks--she has some great ones. Basically these are peanut butter bar cookies topped with a layer of chocolate and drizzled with peanut butter glaze. It doesn't get much better than that, folks.

These peanut butter fingers start out looking pretty ordinary.

But while they are still hot from the oven, some chocolate chips make things more interesting.

If you wait about five minutes, something magical happens.

The chocolate chips become smear-able!

I didn't do it this time, but you can drizzle these with a delicious peanut butter glaze. Yum either way!

I hope you enjoy these peanut butter fingers as much as I do!

Peanut Butter Fingers 
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

Cream:
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar

Blend in:
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Stir in:
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups flour

Spread into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes.

Sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly.

(optional)
Combine:
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
2-4 Tbsp milk

Mix well. Drizzle over bars. Cool, cut, and serve.

The Pioneer Woman Review & Next Month's Book

Welcome back to SBC! I hope you had a chance to read The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels—A Love Story by Ree Drummond. It's a good one.

Before I start in with my review, I'd just like to say that I pretty much love The Pioneer Woman. She’s just so down-to-earth and funny and spunky. (see this post where she uses Cheez Whiz. I can’t say that I enjoy Cheez Whiz, but I like that she does and she owns it.) She is unapologetically herself with just the right amount of humor.

Now, for the book. It is a sweet love story with a healthy dose of reality (the funny, the embarrassing, and the tragic) added in.

I love the way the author describes her Marlboro Man. "He was a man who had a thought and acted on it immediately....He spent no time at all calculating moves; he had better things to do with his time." Even though he's a cowboy, "He wasn't a country bumpkin. He was poised, gentlemanly, intelligent. And he was no mere man—at least no man the likes of whom I'd ever known. He was different. Strikingly different....He'd taught me that when you love someone, you say it—and that when it comes to matters of the heart, games are for pimply sixteen-year-olds."

Descriptions like these make it easy to see why Ree fell in love.

When she writes about her parents' separation, the heart wrenching reality of it tore at me: "Tears of pain and confusion dampened my pillow as everything I'd ever understood about stability and commitment melted away. And for the first time in weeks—for the first time since Marlboro Man and I shared our first beautiful kiss—love was suddenly the last thing I wanted."

One thing I didn't really love was the constant references to "passion." It was in every other sentence for a while there. Of course, there are also subtle reassurances that Ree and her Marlboro Man maintained their chastity. I just didn't care for it. This is my personal bias coming into play. I think that passion/chemistry/whatever-you-want-to-call-it is important to a relationship, but it's secondary to all the rest: caring, selflessness, conflict resolution, moral character, etc. Citing passion as the foundation for a relationship cheapens the parts that are real and meaningful. But again, that is my opinion.

In her defense, I suppose, she does mention that in times of disappointment and confusion, the passion is what got her through.

I enjoy the way the author writes about how her life changed after meeting and dating Marlboro Man. "He held my heart entirely in his hands, this cowboy, and for the first time in my life, despite everything I'd ever believed about independence and feminism and emotional autonomy, I knew I'd be utterly incomplete without him. Talk about a terrifying moment."

I know my own life has gone drastically away from my chosen plan. That’s a big part of why I relate to Ree, the “accidental country girl.” There are some situations that I never dreamed I would face, and I reacted differently than I ever thought I would. But here's the best part: Somehow, it's okay. It's better than it would have been, in fact. That's what I get from The Pioneer Woman. I'm not going to say this book is on the same literary level as others I've read, but the author writes things that are true for her, and some of those things resonate with me.

And now that you’ve delved into my soulful self, I give you my pick for December:

A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens

I thought that A Christmas Carol would be appropriate for the holiday season. I have heard retellings of this story since I was a child, the first being Mickey's Christmas Carol. I love it every time.

But I have a confession. I have never read the real thing: the original book by Charles Dickens. I intend to remedy that this year. I hope you join me!

From Goodreads: Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn’t like...and hardly a man he does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill. Experience a true Victorian Christmas!

From Amazon: Charles Dickens’ masterfully crafted Christmas fable tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man with wealth to match the coldness of his heart. On a mystical Christmas Eve, a visitation with spirits forces Scrooge to make a choice: change, or perish.

This Christmas classic gets an average rating of 3.97 stars on Goodreads, 4.7 stars on Amazon, and 4.5 stars at Barnes & Noble.

Get in the Christmas spirit by reading A Christmas Carol with me.

See you next month!

No-Fail Pie Crust

'Tis the season for pies! If you usually buy pre-made pie crusts or pie crust dough, you are missing out. While the convenience can't be beat, homemade pie crust is so much more delicious than anything I've ever tried from a store. Pie crust dough can be hard to work with, especially if you aren't experienced. This recipe is easier than most--I dare you to give it a try. It's not as difficult as you think.

One of my roommates in college shared this recipe with me. Most pie crust recipes don't call for the use of an egg. And with reason! Eggs are typically used as a binding agent. Since pie crusts are meant to be fall-apart-flaky, using an egg seems counterproductive. However, in this particular recipe, the egg will help bind the dough long enough for you to work with it--it's easier to roll out and doesn't crumble. But adding vinegar is the key to getting a flaky crust. The vinegar breaks down the protein in the egg, and it ceases to act as a binder. This gives you the best of both worlds! Dough that is easy to work with, crust that is tender and flaky when baked.

This recipe makes quite a bit, so you only have to make one batch for several pies. Alternatively, you can use part of the dough and freeze the rest for your next pie-making adventure.

The dough starts off a bit crumbly.

But that's okay as long as you can press it into a ball. (It's okay to add a bit more water if you need to)

Roll it out on a floured surface, such as a clean kitchen counter or Roul'Pat.

To transport the rolled-out dough to a pie pan, I like to fold it in half or in quarters.

Put the folded dough in your pan and unfold.

Make sure your dough isn't stretched. You want room for filling, after all!
Next, trim the edges. You can do this with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.

Save those scraps!

Once the edges are trimmed, you can flute them (pinch them to make a pretty border).

If you are making a double crust pie (one with a bottom crust and a top crust that covers the filling), wait to flute the edges until you assemble the top crust.

Make sure to cut vents in the top crust, and you're ready for the oven.

No-Fail Pie Crust
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com), lightly adapted from her college roommate

3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ cups shortening or butter or some combination of the two (I prefer all butter)
1 egg, beaten
5 ½ Tbsp cold water
1 tsp vinegar

Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening and/or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, vinegar, and egg. Toss together until moistened.

Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes or until you are ready to use it (no worries if you leave it in the fridge overnight).

Flour your counter top or other surface for rolling out your crust. Use a rolling pin to flatten dough to about ¼ inch thickness. If you need to re-roll your dough, be sure to stack or fold it, rather than just gathering it into a ball. This will help give your pie crust flaky layers.

Line pie plate with crust. Flute the edges.* Fill and bake according to recipe directions.

Makes 2 double pastry crusts.

flaky, buttery pie crust

*If you are pre-baking your crust (as for a refrigerated pie, like this one), prick the bottom and sides of your crust with a fork (this will prevent giant air bubbles from forming). Bake at 400º for 10-12 minutes. Let cool, then add filling.

Grandma's Pumpkin Pie

I always get a little nostalgic around the holidays. I think about the traditions I loved as a kid. One thing that really brings back memories is the taste of pumpkin pie. Without pumpkin pie, it just doesn't feel like Thanksgiving.

In my mom's recipe file, there is a handwritten recipe for pumpkin pie--a recipe created by my mother's mother, my grandmother. It is my favorite recipe. I love the thick, custardy texture of the baked pie and the spicy, sweet flavor. This is one recipe that will live on year after year.

Luckily we transcribed Grandma's recipe (with her edits) before it looked like this.

Grandma's Pumpkin Pie 
Recipe by Sara's Grandma (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

Small batch
1 small can pumpkin
1 small can warm milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp ginger
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Large batch 
1 large can pumpkin
1 large can warm milk
1 cup sugar
6 eggs
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Mix spices, salt, and sugar; add to warm milk and beaten eggs. Blend in pumpkin. Mix well. Pour into prepared pie crusts. Cook 15 minutes at 400º, then 45 minutes at 350º. Makes 2-4 pies.

Let cool. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Pumpkin pie is one of my holiday favorites, and I hope you enjoy it too!

Books Worth Reading (according to me)

If you haven’t been impressed with my picks thus far, you might not want my opinion anymore at all. But if you have a little extra time around the holidays and you need a few recommendations, you've come to the right place.

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Little House series (featuring the famous Little House on the Prairie) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
This series will keep you busy for a while. If you are like me, that is, and can’t stop after the first book. I started reading this series when I was in the fourth grade, and I have re-read them many times. I am a total sucker for the romance between Almanzo and Laura that concludes the series. Added bonus: these books are based on the author’s life. I think real-life stories are neat.

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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Most people probably had to read this in their high school English class. I’m betting that a large portion of those people either A) didn’t read it or B) didn’t appreciate it. I know I didn’t appreciate every book I came across in high school, and my English teacher usually had good enough review sessions that I didn’t actually have to read the book to pass the test. If you didn't read this one in high school, it's worth your time.

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Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
This is another kiddie book, but I love it. My fifth grade teacher recommend that I read with a box of tissues, and she was right. Of course, I am a tender-hearted sap. I love Rawls’s writing style. He writes about the desires of a young boy, and the hard work and heartache he goes through to achieve his dreams.

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Divergent series by Veronica Roth
Have you noticed that dystopian novels are having a moment in the limelight? Well, this is right in line with that trend. I have read books 1 and 2 (book 3 is a new release--I haven't gotten my hands on it yet!), and I enjoyed them both. Neat storyline, great characters, intriguing plot. Plus, they’re making it into a movie! Yay!

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Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
This is another romance from the best-selling author of Edenbrooke. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, since everyone in my library system seems to have requested it before me, but I anxiously anticipate reading this one. I have heard nothing but good reviews. If you like Regency-era, Jane Austen-type romances, this is one for you. The language makes it more accessible to the modern reader, but the text is studded with terms like "pianoforte."

Happy Reading!

Better Than Love Cake (with Strawberries & Cream)

First edition, baby. They don't make 'em like this anymore.
Seriously. The cover art is completely different now.

If you've never picked up a copy of 101 Things to Do with A Cake Mix (now with updated cover art), you are missing out. Fun fact: This book was written by my former babysitter. Whoa.

While not every recipe is a winner for me, there are more hits than misses. I love the ease of using a cake mix but coming out with a result that is more appealing than regular old cake. The author describes her recipes as "foolproof ways of faking homemade by using cake mix and on-hand ingredients." The recipe below is a prime example.

Rather than the traditional Better Than You-Know-What Cake that usually features chocolate and caramel, this version uses strawberries and cream. Yum.

Before I go on, I should point out that I love strawberries. Love, love them. I might even like strawberries more than chocolate. Don't tell my chocoholic mother, though. She might disown me.

This time of year, strawberries can be hard to come by. Prime strawberry months are in the late spring and early summer. Luckily, this recipe calls for frozen strawberries, which are easy to find in any season (good thing, or I might start going through withdrawal).

If you like strawberries, this is the cake for you. Maybe this won't replace your trusted Better Than Whatever Cake, but it might find its own place in your dessert repertoire. This version is light and fresh and oh so good. Give it a try!

Better Than Love Cake
Recipe lightly adapted from 101 Things to Do with A Cake Mix by Stephanie Ashcraft
Brought to you by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

1 box French vanilla or white cake mix, and ingredients specified on box
2 10-ounce packages frozen sliced strawberries (sweetened), thawed
1 box French vanilla, cheesecake, or white chocolate instant pudding mix,
     and ingredients specified on box
8 ounces whipped topping, thawed

Follow cake mix directions for a 9x13 inch cake. After the cake has baked, let it cool.

Using the handle of a wooden spoon, liberally poke holes in the cake. Pour thawed strawberries and juice evenly over the cake and into the holes.

Prepare pudding mix according to the directions on the box. Spread over strawberries on cake, sealing them.

Frost the cake with whipped topping and serve. Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Uglies Review & New Book of the Month

Welcome back to Book Club! I hope you had a chance to read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.

This one didn’t grab me right away, but about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way through it became a page-turner. Not that it wasn’t interesting at the beginning, but it was easy to put down.

This book takes place in a dystopian society where children are called “littlies” and adolescents are “uglies.” When uglies turn 16, they get an operation to turn them into “pretties.”

I get the premise, but what wasn’t immediately apparent was the reasoning behind it.

     “Right, and things were so great back when everyone was ugly. Or did you miss that day in school?”
     “Yeah, yeah, I know,” Shay recited. “Everyone judged everyone else based on their appearance. People who were taller got better jobs, and people even voted for some politicians just because they weren’t quite as ugly as everybody else. Blah, blah, blah.”
      “Yeah, and people killed one another over stuff like having different skin color.” Tally shook her head No matter how many times they repeated it at school, she’d never really quite believed that one. 

This philosophy becomes clearer and clearer as the book goes on, but I wish the author had just come out and said that in the beginning.

I know this is just a book, so I just have to accept the premise to enjoy the story, blah, blah, but I really didn’t think that an entire society undergoing plastic surgery seemed plausible. I mean, the sheer expense of it all seems outrageous. On top of that, mortality rates would skyrocket after full-body cosmetic surgery. I imagine plenty of people would die under the knife.

Again, what the author didn’t mention is that technology and medicine are far enough advanced that they can actually extend life with these operations.

Do you see a pattern here? I wish the author had better explained a lot of elements of the story as they came up.

Moving on, Tally (the main character) has dreamed of becoming a pretty her whole life. Her best friend, Peris, became a pretty 3 months before Tally was scheduled for the operation.

In a stunt to visit her new “pretty” friend, Tally meets Shay. Both of them have been left behind by friends who became pretty or ran away (more on that later). The date of the operation varies based on one’s birthday. It turns out that Tally and Shay have the same birthday, so they will become pretties together.

The two spend time together, pulling some of their best tricks (tricks are usually stunts or pranks that uglies pull). Shay isn’t looking forward to her pretty operation like Tally is, and before they both turn 16, Shay runs away to escape the society of pretties and uglies.

I’ll interject here that I didn’t really know why Shay didn’t want to become a pretty. Mostly because her friends ran away and she met David and kind of fell in love with him, I suppose. But it seems kind of juvenile. Or at least not nearly as compelling a reason as why David’s parents ran away—which begs the question: how did they convince people to run away in the first place?

Back to the story, on the day of her operation, Tally waits for hours. Eventually, she is taken to Special Circumstances—a scary department that most uglies and pretties alike think is just an urban legend. She is scared out of her wits and blackmailed into following Shay so the authorities can find her and the other runaways.

I’ll let you read the rest of the book to learn where the story goes from there.

As far as characters go, I felt like they could have been developed further. Tally’s character sometimes seemed shallow and naïve, but other times she demonstrates deep convictions. I wished I knew more about Peris, since he is Tally’s first best friend. Shay also seemed to lack depth. David was probably the best developed character, I think.

The story ends on an awful cliffhanger. If my copy didn’t have a few pages’ preview of the next book, I might have died.

I hope I like the rest of the series as much as I enjoyed Uglies (despite my critiques), because now I’m in it for the long haul. I can’t not read the other books.

If you're not busy reading Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (the next in the series), might I recommend my pick for November:

The Pioneer Woman
Black Heels to Tractor Wheels—A Love Story
by Ree Drummond

I wanted a change of pace, and I thought this was just the ticket. Instead of another novel, this is a real-life romance! (not much of a change after all...)

After trying The Pioneer Woman's recipe for Baked French Toast, I was hooked. I have been keeping up with the cooking section of her blog ever since. I love PW's wit, spunk, and recipes. It seemed an obvious choice to read her book.

From Amazon: "Wildly popular award-winning blogger, accidental ranch wife, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) tells the true story of her storybook romance that led her from the Los Angeles glitter to a cattle ranch in rural Oklahoma, and into the arms of her real-life Marlboro Man."

This one gets an average rating of 3.78 stars on Goodreads, 4.4 stars on Amazon, and 4 stars at Barnes & Noble. I hope I enjoy it as much! (and you, too)

See me next month for my review!

Costuming

Halloween is right around the corner! If you are doing the last minute scramble, don't fret. As long as you are willing to get creative, a great costume is at your fingertips.

First, consider what you already have. Quite a few of my costumes have been comprised of stuff I found in my apartment.

Example 1: I was a Greek Goddess three years running. (I move a lot: new place/new people...it's like it was a whole new costume.) I found a bed sheet in my room and paired it with a bit of leaf garland that was adorning my apartment.

Rad every time. 

Example 2: Some time ago, I got a hand-me-down green organza skirt. I knew I wanted to wear it in some capacity for Halloween. So I brainstormed. I came up with a few ideas, but I ended up going with Mother Nature. I wore the green floor-length skirt and wrapped myself in some leaf garland (leaf garland sure comes in handy). I topped off my look with green glamour eyes.

Not a flattering pic, but you get the idea.

Second, think about what you can borrow and who you can borrow from. My costume two years ago was made up of clothes I borrowed from someone else. Was it a bit awkward asking a boy if I could wear his pants? Yes. But sooo worth it. Didn't cost me a cent, and it turns out he was more than willing to loan me his clothes.

The result:

What you don't see is our awesome gum-wrapper grills. Can't touch this.

Here is another borrowed costume from years' past:

I know what you are thinking: Best. Costume. Ever.

Borrowing is boss.

Third, take a look at thrift stores. Thrift stores tend to have awesome finds for cheap. Don't be afraid to venture into sections you normally wouldn't. A male friend of mine found a purple blazer in the women's section that perfectly completed his rocker outfit. I also found a great 80s-style dress at a thrift store for the low low price of $8. I might even wear it to one of the Halloween shindigs I attend this year. What an investment.

We. Are. Hot. 

Fourth, make an impact with make-up and accessories. Last year I didn't really dress up, but I had fun make-up-ing. The right make-up can really enhance any look.

Happy Owl-o-ween!

Or sometimes it's just a matter of finding the right accessory. 

Found this lurking in my closet.

Add an eyepatch, and you've got a costume, matey. Honestly, you don't need an elaborate get-up to get your point across. A few key pieces (like a hat and eyepatch), and no one will ask the dreaded question: "What are you supposed to be?" 

If you are still coming up empty, get punny. Clever costumes are memorable. In high school, I dressed as a cereal (serial) killer for the annual Boo Ball. I glued plastic knives to mini boxes of cereal, then attached the boxes to myself. A little corny, but it was definitely unique.

My personal favorite:

The point is to have fun. Don't be too hard on yourself.  If all else fails, I suppose you can go buy a costume. But where's the fun in that?

Free Ebook

I just love the word "free."

I don't know how many of you out there are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka LDS church aka Mormon church), but I thought I'd share this little gem anyway:

Today through Monday (Oct 21) DEAR JEFF by J Washburn is available for free! It's a book about preparing to enter the temple.

If you would like to know more about the temple, this video can shed some light:


Here is the book description directly from Amazon:

You know, Jeff, even baptism can seem weird—someone dunking you while a bunch of people watch. 

That's what happens when you view an ordinance as an isolated act. It can seem weird. And a lot of people feel weirded out by their first temple experience—even people who've taken the official temple prep course. 

That's because people are afraid to talk about the temple because it's sacred. It's good to be cautious—I won't argue that. But sometimes our fear can lead to people being shocked and frustrated by the temple—and that's something that definitely shouldn't happen either.     

The antidote is simply understanding. This book reveals the deeper tradition and the host of symbols, demystifying the temple experience so that you don’t find yourself saying, “What is it you’re not telling me?” Because I don’t want you to feel that, I’ll explain as much as I can, as well as I can. 

I don’t expect this to be the last book on the temple you’ll ever read. Prophets have written on this topic, and if I were trying to rival them, I’d be doomed. Instead, I have—well, not the advantage, but simply—the vantage of being lowly: I’m just your brother. And not having the mantle of apostleship lets me speak less formally—and I won't be afraid to mention Star Wars or Indiana Jones. I’ll also echo what prophets have taught, and I’ll speak candidly—not in a watered-down way, but in a milk-before-meat sort of way, giving you easier access to one of the best things we mortals can have.

I had the opportunity to read this book before it was available for purchase. I've got to say, it is really good. I'm not the only one who thinks so, either. From reviews on Amazon:

"The style is very casual, as if it were a conversation with a younger brother or sister which is why the author wrote it. I have never read a book about the temple that covered every aspect of our Temple ceremonies as this book does. He is never inappropriate and quotes from prophets and scriptures."

"This is the most Candid temple book I have ever read that was still reverent and respectful."

"I wish I'd had it before I went through the temple because it helps you know what to expect and, even more, you could start to see what it all means your first time through. I had so many questions afterwards, which I think I could have understood BEFORE going! I highly recommend this to anyone who'd like to understand the temple better."

"Excellent read for those preparing for the temple or people, like myself, who just want to understand it more! I sure wish I'd had this BEFORE I went, especially the first half. I think the book description is very accurate. It increased my understanding and my desire to seek after righteousness and understand things even more! I love the way it is written, too. It's a letter from a friend or older brother who sincerely wants to help the reader."

For a more comprehensive review, go here.

Really, I can't say enough about how wonderful this book is.

Go download it. You've got nothing to lose.

Download here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DWTY4JO/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Music I'm Listening To

For your listening pleasure:

"Arms" - Christina Perri

This one hits me just right every time.

"I Could've Been Your Girl" - She & Him

Zooey Deschanel gets me. Also, I love those outfits.

"Wide Awake" - Katy Perry
Probably my favorite song from the ever-popular Katy Perry.

"Stereo Hearts" - Gym Class Heros ft. Adam Levine
Turn it up when you feel low.

"Everything Has Changed" - Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran

"'Cause all I know is we said, 'Hello.' And your eyes look like coming home."

"Somebody Loves You" - Betty Who

Somebody loves Betty Who. She's so spunky!

"Wrecking Ball" - Eli Lieb

Song redeemed.

Enjoy!

Cracked Wheat Bread

This recipe is healthy-ish. I say -ish because it uses both cracked wheat (healthy!) and all-purpose flour (not so much). In any case, I really love this recipe. It is one of my favorites for wheat bread. The texture is great (due to the all-purpose flour), and the taste is spot-on. It has a light sweetness and hint of nuttiness from the wheat.

Cracked wheat is whole wheat that has been coarsely ground (similar to the texture of steel-cut oats). It is often cooked and eaten as a hot breakfast cereal (also like steel-cut oats). If you want to health-it-up a notch, you can substitute whole wheat flour for half of the flour amount. Your bread will be a bit denser, though.

Cracked Wheat Bread 
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

3 ½ cups water
1 cup cracked wheat
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter
½ cup honey
2 packages yeast
6-8 cups flour, divided
2 eggs

Add cracked wheat to water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Add salt, butter, and honey. Cool to 110 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast and 3 cups of flour. Add cracked wheat mixture and eggs. Using the dough hook, mix for about 5 minutes on low speed. Gradually add more flour to form a dough that clings to the dough hook, but not the sides of the bowl. It can still stick to the bottom, though. Let the mixer knead the dough for a couple of minutes, then remove from the bowl and knead by hand.

Let rise in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. When doubled in size, remove from bowl. Gently form into 2 loaves, and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise again.

Bake at 350º for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy life by eating a warm slice with butter and jam. Repeat as necessary.

Ender's Game Review & Next Month's Pick

Welcome back, my friends! Book Club convenes once more. First on the agenda, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Here is my take:

At age 6, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin leaves his home and family for Battle School. A space station where he will be trained in military strategy.

It's really hard to remember that Ender starts the book at age six—every time the author mentions it, it seems like a surprise. Six years old, and he can set up security systems, master battle techniques, and outthink his commanding officer. Which he does throughout the entire book, I might add, despite his age at any given point.

Ender advances through the ranks with remarkable speed. He is promoted from his launch group (the other kids his age with whom he traveled to the space station) and assigned to an army when he is still 6. Most kids don't advance until age 8.

The purpose of the different armies is to fight mock battles and, in so doing, learn battle technique and strategy. The armies are all named after animals/bugs, e.g. Condor Army, Salamander Army, Rat Army, Scorpion Army, Centipede Army, and so on.

The first army to which Ender is assigned is Salamander Army. His commanding officer, Bonzo, didn't appreciate having the disadvantage of an unexperienced soldier. Bonzo's disdain for Ender continues throughout the book.

Shortly after Ender had been transferred to Salamander Army: “He could see Bonzo’s anger growing hot. Hot anger was bad. Ender’s anger was cold, and he could use it. Bonzo’s was hot, and so it used him.” Ender's calm thinking and strategy make him the best soldier the Battle School has ever seen.

Later on in the book, when Bonzo and company ganged up on Ender in the shower: “He refused to feel weak because he was wet and cold and unclothed. He stood strongly, facing them, his arms at his sides.” I admire Ender's courage. He refused to feel weak just because he was at a disadvantage.

Ender can be calculating, but he has a conscience. He doesn’t just hurt people because he likes the rush of power. He does what is necessary to keep himself safe. And he always feels bad afterwards because he doesn’t want to hurt others. As evidenced by his thoughts: “Everything they can do to beat me, thought Ender. Everything they can think of, change all the rules, they don’t care, just so they beat me. Well, I’m sick of the game. No game is worth Bonzo’s blood pinking the water on the bathroom floor. Ice me, send me home, I don’t want to play anymore.”

When Ender was given an army himself to command, his soldiers advanced quicker than any others. One such solder, Bean (also very young) became a commander as soon as Ender graduated from Battle School (at the ripe old age of 10). “[Bean] was a soldier, and if anyone had asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, he wouldn’t have known what they meant.”

This is one element of the story that I find very sad: the Battle School robbed Ender (and those like him) of his childhood.

I don't want to introduce any spoilers, so I will just say this: I think it’s pretty sleazy the way the military deceived Ender. I understand the rationale, but it’s sleazy just the same.

The ending was just okay to me. I think it was supposed to be peaceful and profound and whatnot. Meh. Didn’t really resonate with me. I thought it was a bit weak. I’m glad Ender found a way to be happy-ish, I suppose. But mostly I thought he deserved more than that after all he went through.

Even so, I enjoyed it overall. Ender's Game is an interesting story that kept my attention.

Ready for next month? My pick for October is

Uglies
by Scott Westerfeld

Uglies was recommended to me by a friend studying children's literature. In just one semester, she had to read 25 books for her major. Uglies was one of the 25, and she said it was worth the read.

Uglies is both sci-fi and dystopian. I liked the last sci-fi book I read (see above), so I'll give the genre another chance. Dystopian novels (think Hunger Games or Divergent) seem to be in vogue now, too, so the time is ripe for reading this book.

According to Wikipedia, a movie adaptation is in the works. I always enjoy reading the books behind books-turned-movies. Uglies is the first in a series, so if I like this one, I'll stay busy reading the rest. Reading one book that leads me to others is always a plus.

From Goodreads: Tally Youngblood is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait for the operation that turns everyone from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to party. But new friend Shay would rather hoverboard to "the Smoke" and be free. Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The "Special Circumstances" authority Dr Cable offers Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Uglies earns an average rating of 3.88 stars on Goodreads, 4.3 stars on Amazon, and 4.5 stars on Barnes & Noble. Not bad.

See me next month for my review!

YW Value Signs & Class Signs

For those of you who don't know, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as the Mormon Church).

In our church, we have a program for Young Women that starts when girls turn 12. Part of this program is an event called New Beginnings that usually takes place at either the beginning of the calendar year or the beginning of the school year. This event is intended to welcome new young women and introduce them to the Young Women's (YW) program.

This year, we had our New Beginnings in September. We decorated our Young Women's room with a colorful banner, and signs about Young Women. I had fun designing signs that represent the Young Women Values (Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice & Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, Virtue) and the YW classes (Beehives, Mia Maids, Laurels).

I would love to share my designs with you! Each sign is designed to fit a standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper or cardstock.

For the YW Values, I printed each one, then cut a 1-inch border on each of the sides (leaving me with a 6 1/2 x 9 inch paper). I then mounted each of these on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of colored cardstock. For the value of virtue, I found some really awesome sparkly gold poster board. We covered our bulletin board with it, and we happened to have a piece left over that measured 8 1/2 x 22 inches. I cut it in half, and voila! gold border for my Virtue sign. How serendipitous.

The background pattern extends to the edges of the page, if you would rather not cut and mount them. You could also cut or print these to be 8x10 and display them in picture frames.

Find the YW Value signs here (this is a link to a google doc, which you should be able to download).

I printed the YW class signs on white cardstock. There is no special background for them, and the text extends closer to the edge of the page than the YW Value signs. These also could be printed and displayed in 8x10 inch frames if you so choose.

For the YW Class signs, click here (also a google doc).

Even if you aren't having New Beginnings at this time, I hope these will be helpful to you for YW room decor. Our girls loved the new decorations and asked that we leave them up.

Pinspiration

I needed a little inspiration today. Where did I turn? Pinterest, of course.

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Aahh, yes.

Where do you turn for inspiration?