Tag Archives: fall

Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family

Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family: From how to rock the crockpot and carpool, to organizational apps and tricks, these tips will siphon the crazy out of your week.  | Parenting Advice and Time Management | Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Well, it’s official—autumn is here. Although fall is just as likely to punk us as shower us with pumpkin spice everything, we still love it or, at the very least, have to live through it. Sure, jam-packed schedules, rushed meals on the fly, and school’s many demands threaten to take us down, but we have learned a thing or two.

Step 1: Mutter under your breath, “This too shall pass.”

Step 2: Repeat Step 1 often.

Step 3:  Rock the life hacks that keep our families afloat instead of drowning in the carpool.

Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family: Mom Taxi Command Central. | Parenting Humor | Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Click the image to enlarge.

To hear the conversation–or maybe brain dump is a better descriptionwhere we lay it all out for you, just click the player at the bottom to hear our latest podcast. We give up the goods about all the tricks and practices that make our lives work.

Now we mention some really great stuff in this podcast, and since we’re nothing if not helpful, we’re hooking you up with a bevy of links. But you should consider these links the breadcrumbs to lead you back to where you really want to be: listening to our podcast. That’s where it ALL is.

1) We wax awfully poetic about our love for crockpots in this podcast. Two of our favorite crockpot recipes are Apricot Cranberry Pork Tenderloin and French Country Chicken. We get really excited about these, so seriously, go check them out. Now, we don’t mention these other recipes specifically, but we have a whole slew of yummy crockpot meals so if you want more, have at it. We highly recommend it.

Apricot Cranberry Crockpot Pork Tenderloin recipe. Part of our Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family |Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

2) We also mention a favorite recipe planning book that we both use.
Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money from the Inventors of the Ultimate Do-Ahead Dinnertime Method
Shwoo, that’s a mouthful. Just click on this Amazon link and buy it now. Yes, we get a teeny tiny compensation, but we promise to throw that penny in a fountain and wish happy thoughts for you. If you don’t end up loving or using this book as much as we both do, re-gift it to your sister-in-law. She’s awesome and busier than you anyway. She’ll think you’re a genius for thinking of it.

But you’re probably going to want to keep your copy and buy your sister-in-law a new one because we have a Sisterhood Secret for you right here. In an unusual turn of events, Ellen took organization to a new level and created a coordinated menu of eight of the recipes with a complete shopping list for them all. Yeah.

Once a Month Cooking Eight Recipe Meal Plan with Shopping List. Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family. | Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Once-a-Month Cooking Eight Recipe Plan. Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family. Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Click for a fully printable PDF: Once-a-Month Cooking 8 Recipe Menu Plan.

3) We also introduce you to this great gal named Alisa who blogs at Mondays are Forever because she introduced Ellen to the Keep app from Google, our newest tech crush. We might get a little excited talking about this in the podcast. Bringing everything full circle, you can input the menu shopping list mentioned above, and just use it over and over again. Worth checking out, no?

And if you need more of a teaser, we share the do’s and don’ts of carpooling, the school supplies we ALWAYS have in our stash, and a little more about how we juggle all of the balls and why we do it.

Life Hacks for Managing Your Busy Family: Homework on the fly. | Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Homework on the fly.

Intrigued? Interested? Desperate to hear a little something funny with a side of sensible?

Well, click that player at the bottom and hear our podcast.

Want to know even more about how we do what we do? Check out Pulling Back the Curtain.

Thanks for listening!

Erin and Ellen

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Check out our books, “I Just Want to Be Alone” and “You Have Lipstick on Your Teeth.”

 

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15 Books to Read This Fall

Alas, summer is exiting stage right, but before we all cry a collective tear for the lazy, hazy days we are leaving behind, here is a happy thought: books are always in season. As other delights happily move to the forefront like comfy sweaters, roaring fires, and pumpkin lattes, we don’t have to put our proverbial favorites on the shelf. Heck, no! In fact, here is a list of books that will keep you great company through one of our favorite seasons.  We dug deep for this list of our favorites, so each and every one of these is roaring-fire-latte-and-comfy-sweater-worthy. In fact, every last one of these books might make it on to your own list of favorite reads ever, we promise.

Craving a great book to read? Here is a booklist any mom would love with fiction, non-fiction, and memoir. You need these in your world. | Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 1. Unbecoming: A Novel by Rebecca Sherm

A book lover’s dream, this first novel has the trifecta for a satisfying read: great well-developed characters, a dynamic and well-paced plot, and some nice curve balls to keep you guessing. Our protagonist Grace looks like a simple girl from Tennessee, but she can’t hide her complex and slippery character for long. You’ll root for her and want to wring her neck in equal measure.  There’s a question that hangs over the novel from the beginning that’s begging to be answered and when Scherm finally gets around to it, you are grateful for the care she took in the build-up as well as the payoff itself. This is a debut that leaves you wanting more.

2. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Moms of daughters, beware: this read will make you want to lock your girls up and throw away the key. But despite the dark cloud that hangs over this novel as a teen girl goes missing, there is so much to enjoy as well. Ng is a writer’s writer and she doesn’t so much document this family’s unraveling as their personal hell unfolds as invite you to pull at the fraying threads with her. At once, a novel about family, the mother/daughter dynamic, and cultural divides, this book is also achingly real and familiar. The truth hurts so bad in this one, but the reader is so grateful for every perfect note Ng hits. If the ship is going down, we might as well learn something from the trip. Ng makes sure she plumbs the depths so well that this is one dark corner now revealed.

3. Rules of Civility: A Novel

rulesFall is the perfect time for a book that begs you to get lost between the pages. Towles evokes a time and place in his portrayal of 1930s Manhattan that would be fun to visit in and of itself, but the plucky, lucky every-girl Katey Content as the protagonist powers this past just another period piece. Katey is trying to make something of herself and we are enchanted by this girl on the edge of metamorphosis. When random events and people like the charismatic Tinker Grey change the course and temper of her future, we recognize Katey and her transparent yearning and root for her. We all have been that girl (or guy) on the cusp of possibility. This is a wonderful, buoyant novel about coming of age in a time and place with an enchantment all its own.

4. Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

seating arrangement A lesser author might have made this story into a tragedy, but this book is laugh out loud funny. Winn’s daughter is getting married at the Kennedy-esque family compound, and his world of privilege is unraveling. He’s a man with everything but true happiness, and the three day extravaganza is primed to turn into a spectacle rather than the refined affair he desires. Even as Shipstead takes on the world of the well-bred with a sharp, biting wit, you will be swayed by her sidesteps into the heart of desire, the obligations of love, and what we must never surrender for fame, fortune, or a seat at the country club. This is funny with a super sized helping of smart, and it goes down smooth.

5.  Beautiful Ruins: A Novel by Jess Walter

beautiful ruins Absorbing, interwoven stories and beautifully drawn characters help you travel back and forth over fifty years in this tale. You won’t mind the trip a bit. In fact, you will be drawn into this world. From the lovely actress to the soulless movie producer, from the novelist to the innkeeper, each character dreams deeply improbable dreams and you can’t help but be carried away with them. This is a book to fall into and lose yourself a little.

6.Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

So this might seem a funny one to suggest for curling up with by a crackling fire. End-of-life issues? Medical research? Um, ladies, you have done lost it this time. Pipe down over there. Gawande is the most gifted of storytellers who just also happens to be a doctor. Every book of his is a gem, but this one might be his best yet. His beautifully drawn anecdotes and stories create a lovely scaffold to hang this question: If medicine has now reached the stage where it can give us a good life, is it ready to give us a good end as well? A surprising page-turner, you’ll not mind the twists and turns and hefty research he sprinkles throughout to answer this question. This is a book you’ll want to share with your friends and loved ones.

7. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by John Krakauer  

This one might make you want to lock up ALL of your college aged kiddos, but you HAVE to read it. You know how we love to talk to kids about everything from sex to drugs to alcohol. Well, Krakauer lays out why we need to talk to our kids about alcohol and campus rape too. YIKES! But why, you ask? WHY?! We get that this is a tough read in many places, but Krakauer’s firm steady journalistic hand makes this one of the best, most important (but still immensely readable) things you can read this fall, especially if you have kids filling out college applications or even already cozied up in dorm rooms. It is a book that launched a thousand conversations for us. We are sharing it with you in the hopes that it will do the same in your family. A MUST read!

8. The Martian by Andy Weir

Erin has already shoved this book into the hands of every person willing to take a book from a crazy lady. But in all seriousness, this book knocked her socks off. The premise is that Mark Watney is left for dead on Mars after an ill-fated mission. But he is so not dead. Watney’s humor and humanity breathe life into this well-paced and thoughtfully constructed story about a man’s struggle for survival in an unforgiving environment. He makes us laugh, gasp, and root for his plucky ultimate underdog self. Add to this already amazing mix that this is a real science brand of science fiction and the result is unputdownable fiction. You can just thank Erin later or, at the very least, not run from her when she is shoving books at you.

9. H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Broken hearts are good for one thing: creating some powerful books. In this case, Helen Macdonald has lost her dad and then her way. So she does what all grieving girls do: she decides to train a goshawk. Weaving together stories of her grief with her experience training the hawk and anecdotes about T.H. White who also trained hawks, Macdonald is spinning a special kind of magic here. Her vulnerability, her bare-faced honesty, and her well-researched and deftly placed bits about White mesh with her rich wells of talent to bring us something far more encompassing and satisfying than a memoir of her grief. This is writing at its highest level with sentences that hold up to re-readings. We are not grateful for her loss so much as deeply affected by it and the lovely piece of writing it spawned.

10. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Erin laughed, cried, and ignored her kids for three days to finish this piece of book crack in the big, sloppy gulps it demands. You know from the beginning that there has been a terrible tragedy at the local school’s Trivia Night, because Moriarty leaves little crumbs at the end of each chapter. But that’s not the story here. This is NOT another legal thriller. A big, sprawling character study of modern moms, it may be. An ironic, funny take on modern parenting, it definitely is! It’s also a rollicking good time. You’ll laugh and cringe at just how right Moriarty gets all the characters hanging out in the school parking lot. A great read for fall while still reminiscent of that last joyful moment of summer indulgence.

11. Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline

Erin gobbled this one right up. She even took it backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. Nothing says “must read” like a willingness to cart those extra ounces up and down a mountain. In any case, the novel opens as stay-at-home mom Allison’s life is about to go off the rails. She goes to her childhood best friend’s book signing one night and has a little too much to drink. Mere hours later, she is involved in a fatal accident in which a child dies. The air you take into your lungs in the big gasp in the beginning takes this whole well-paced novel to be released. This may not be high literature, but it is a captivating read that makes you think. Like we said, you are gonna want to take big bites of this one.

12. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Nothing warms the heart faster than a love story, and this one charmed us both. It’s a story of first love peopled with characters so real they could walk right off the page. Eleanor and Park are high schoolers the way we remember them and know them now. Funny, sweet, vulnerable, flawed, and deeply striving for love, acceptance, and independence, they are characters to cheer for, and you will. Erin walked around like a teen in love while reading it and couldn’t stop shoving it into the hands of any unsuspecting reader she could find. Don’t let the Barnes and Noble sales rack fool you: this is not a teen romance in the same way that War and Peace is not a book that concerns Russia. It IS a 24 hour read. Tops.

13. Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

In one sense, you can think of this book as bread crumbs in the forest because essentially that is how this smart novel is written. Bee, the daughter, assembles emails, documents, letters et al after her mother Bernadette disappears in an effort to assemble the clues to unravel the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. The structure of the novel is just one intimation that this book is something special. After you read each document in its entirety, the full force and power of this novel is brought to light. Bitterly funny, satirical, and off-kilter in the best sense of the word, this send-up about all the things we mock and fear and revere in our modern society is the equivalent of a literary carnival.

Dork Alert: Fans of Arrested Development won’t be a bit surprised to learn that the author Maria Semple was also a writer for the series .

14. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Loss moves us in lots of ways. For Cheryl Strayed, loss meant literally moving. Away from her broken heart after losing her mother, away from the painful detritus of her failed marriage, away from a life veering off the tracks, she needed to get away in the realest sense possible. So she hit the trail. For her, healing meant lacing up her brand spanking new boots and setting her sights on a trip she honestly was unprepared for in every way. Strayed’s recounting of her time on the Pacific Crest Trail is riveting. Not only is she gifted with a steely resolve worthy of wonder and awe, but she has a wordsmith’s touch and a clear-eyed honesty that will captivate you. Can’t-put-down-able.

15. Rare Bird: A Memoir of Loss and Love by Anna Whiston-Donaldson

Three years after the loss of her son, Anna Whiston-Donaldson has crafted something beautiful out of the crazy, sad space left behind after the loss of her son. “Rare Bird” is exceptional in its power and inimitable in its voice. It is a rare and beautiful find on a dark road. Anna’s story is also a story of deep faith in the face of that which rocks one to the very core. Her poignant, painful, and sometimes funny anecdotes don’t just paint a picture of grief but gives it clear edges and hard corners. This new framework that grief imposes leaves her struggling to find in this new dark place the God that has always sustained her. But her straightforward open-hearted approach to this journey helps her see the new big God who is walking beside her in this place. A beautiful, big-hearted, clear-eyed, and ultimately hopeful and inspiring read.

There you have it: a big, honking stack of readable, lovable books to keep you warm and in reading all season long. We hope you love them all as much as we do!

Happy Reading!

-Erin and Ellen

 

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A Bounty of Books You’ll Want to Gobble Right Up

In the spirit of this season of gratitude, we admit that we are two very lucky girls. While we may occasionally want for smoother skin, deeper pockets, and a great blowout once in awhile, we know we are both carrying around golden tickets every single day. One thing we are especially grateful for is our book club. Think of them as the First Generation Sisterhood, though we have never felt motivated to upgrade or move on to newer, shinier models.

Looking for a good book? Here are 9 great reads.---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

I mean, seriously, how cute are they?

We are also thankful for the books and for what they add to our everyday. Our favorite tomes have shown themselves time and time again to be the lovely grace notes on top of an already pretty sweet life. We are ever so grateful for all they, and of course the lovely ladies who like to talk about them with us, have brought to our life.

Here’s a list of 9 we are thankful for right now.

 Need a great book? Here are 9 that are great for the carpool line or the sideline.

1. Home Front: A Novel by Kristin Hannah


This is our actual book club book this month and while we found this an easy read, it was an emotional one as well. Centered around a modern family with everyday problems—balancing work and home, dealing with a moody tween, marital problems— this story could be any of ours until the mother Jolene is deployed to the war zone as a helicopter pilot.  Jolene’s letters home are set beside glimpses of life back home as her husband Michael attempts to keep their life rolling taking care of their two girls. When tragedy strikes, we are fully invested in the casualties on both sides.

Why we like it:  While this is a relatively simple book (great for the carpool line or waiting on a sideline), the characters and the relationships are so reminiscent of the lives we are all living that we feel all the feels. Messy, perfectly imperfect people populate the pages of this novel much as they do our own lives and yet Hannah has the supreme gift of not just offering a window on their world but claiming it as our own as well. Her narrative transports us all along on the journey with this family and you’ll feel transformed for having taken the trip.

2. Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline

Erin gobbled this one right up. She even took it backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. Nothing says “must read” like a willingness to cart those extra ounces up and down a mountain. In any case, the novel opens as stay-at-home mom Allison’s life is about to go off the rails. She goes to her childhood best friend’s book signing one night and has a little too much to drink. Mere hours later, she is involved in a fatal accident in which a child dies. The air you take into your lungs in the big gasp in the beginning takes this whole well-paced novel to be released.  This may not be high literature, but it is a captivating read that makes you think. Like we said, you are gonna want to take big bites of this one.

Why we like it:  Kline so gets the modern marriage and her characters are beautiful flawed creatures that live, breathe, and, in this novel, create a story that doesn’t just pull you in but threatens to take you under. It’s really, truly unputdownable.

3. The Secret Place (Dublin Murder Squad) by Tana French

We are just gonna come right out and say it: Tana French never disappoints. If you have never read her, just dive right in and you will not be disappointed in this detective tale of a teen boy murdered at a prestigious boarding school. But there is a caveat: if you are a true fan (one that has read all her novels and waits with baited breath for each new book), this one won’t take top billing in the special brand of mystery detective thrillers she has created. But that’s not to say that you shouldn’t read it: there is still much to love in this new novel. First of all, familiar characters are back in Frank Mackey, his daughter Holly, and detective Stephen Moran. Second, like always, French is the master of this genre in so many ways. She paces her stories so well and her characterizations and her plots are memorable and special. Buuuuutttt, she departs a little too far from that which makes her truly great here. In all of her other novels, she has a main storyteller which not only highlights her supreme characterization but serves to be the hook and line to secure you tautly to her tale. In this novel, she tells the story from too many points of view and the multiple young teen narrators aren’t as captivating as her detectives have been in the past. The result: French still gets you to bite but it’s just not quite as satisfying a meal.

Why we like it: Tana French. Period. She’s that good. Even her “not as good” is heads and tails above the rest. Honestly, just read everything she’s written and see for yourself.

4. The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman

This novel consists of three stories about three women, connected by the same characters and places over different periods of time, beginning with the most recent events and going backward. It is almost magical how the stories of the women’s quests for faith, love, acceptance, and meaning are intertwined. What is not so magical is the beginning of the book. Maddy–prickly and unlikeable– kicks off the narrative. She is like fighting through the brambles to get to the sun, but continue on because it will all be worth it and it will all make sense. This novel takes you on a wild ride to examine love in all its forms: parental, forbidden. romantic, unrequited, and unreasonable.

Why we like it: We are suckers for the concept of “sliding doors,” the seemingly small fate changing moments that make all of the difference, and this novel has enough sliding doors to fill a Home Depot. The complexity of the plot makes this a book you’ll think about long after you finish it.

5. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

orphanIn a nutshell, this is a tale of two girls who have both been left alone in the world by fate. Their stories are the backbone of the book: one taking place in the here and now, the other in flashback. While this book more solidly belongs to Vivian and her experience on the orphan train, Molly’s modern day tale of abandonment anchors this historical novel and lets us not forget that we still struggle with how to handle the children left behind.

Why we like it: Spunky characters, gripping plot lines, and the real-life history lesson woven throughout make this book a compelling, easy read.

6. Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

sisterlandRight off the bat, Erin has to disclose that she is a huge Sittenfeld fan. Prep, American Wife, Man of my Dreams—liked ’em all, but this is an author that you love or hate, so read this recommendation with that in mind. In this novel, Kate (AKA Daisy) and her twin sister Violet have the gift of sight, ESP. It’s a gift that Violet celebrates and Daisy (now known as Kate) hides under a bushel basket. The story centers around Violet’s premonition that an earthquake is coming that is going to devastate the region and the fallout of her announcement for both the media and their relationship.

Why we like it: Sittenfeld peppers all of her novels with pop culture references, and this book is no exception. It makes reading a little like finding gems in the sand: a delightful surprise in an already pleasurable experience. Also, CS nails the complexities of the family bond. Her characterization has always been a strong suit, and she reveals in the Violet/Daisy bond why family can not only be great but also grating as well.

7. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

peregrineWe really like adolescent lit, especially when it’s this smart, well-written, and, well, peculiar. If Tim Burton was a Grimm brother, this might be his baby. After his grandfather’s death, Jacob is left only with grief and some old photos. As he takes off on a trip to his grandfather’s birthplace, he has no idea what he has stumbled upon or where it might take him. The rest is heart-thumping, jaw-dropping fun.

Why we like it: Yep, this one is dark, imaginative, and strange which would win our love all by itself. But it also has some hairpin turns and plot twists that will leave you breathless.

8. Paris Trout by Pete Dexter

parisBased on a real murder trial out of Georgia, this book could have easily turned into a schmaltzy whodunit or TV trial special. But Paris Trout the man was such a powerful force of bigotry, his crime so heinous, and his inability to admit his guilt so complete, this story is lucky to have found such a powerful literary hand to guide it.

Why we like it: Pete Dexter uses his powerful gifts with language to place us in that time and place. In the end, we might not ever understand the man Paris Trout, but we know him in a real way and we are forced to deal with him and the destruction he has wrought. Dexter never lets us forget that this really happened and what that means for all of us.

9. The False Friend by Myla Goldberg

falseFollowing up a great read like Bee Season, Goldberg could be expected to falter and, to be fair, not everyone liked this book. But here’s why you should read it: it’s an engrossing read, Goldberg is a beautiful writer, and this is a novel that doesn’t take the easy way out. As the story goes, years ago, a terrible thing happened in the woods: one girl didn’t make it out. The different versions of what did or didn’t happen drive the plot and you are left to wrestle with the fallout. The failings of memory, the casual cruelty of children, and the inevitability of time figure as prominently as the girls at the center of the story.

Why we like it: Goldberg’s talent for language and characterization will move you. You’ll want to spend time in some of her metaphors. Everything in this novel might not be tied up with a pretty bow, but it is ultimately a gift to any reader.

Happy Reading and Thanksgiving!

-Erin and Ellen

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10 Ways Fall Will Foil You

Fall is a glorious respite between the heat and intensity of summer and the cold and bustle of winter. For those of us spellbound by the mind control allure of Pinterest and its goading to craft vintage paper leaf wreaths or fashion pumpkins out of mason jar lids (a real craft, y’all!), fall represents a simple beauty not found in the busier and flashier holiday season to come.

10 Ways Fall Will Foil You -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

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Fall is seemingly perfect in its jewel tones and crispness. The sunburn of summer is a fading memory and the frostbite of winter is far away, but the truth, dear friends, is there is darkness lurking under every golden maple leaf. Sure Fall lures you in with its golden sunshine and its crafty crafts, but don’t let your guard down because fall will foil you!

Yeah, we have some gripes with autumn being the "perfect" season. #humor --10 Ways Fall Will Foil You -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

1. Pumpkins— What fault can be found with pumpkins? Whether lit as a jack-o’-lantern or left  as is, the humble pumpkin screams as the poster child of bounty and harvest . . . until they get you screaming for another reason.

Sure they look wonderful decorating your front stoop, but these beauties are inevitably forgotten in the monster mash that is Halloween. Frost and mold take their toll until Ellen is yet again scooping the squishy remains of her pumpkins off the front porch with a snow shovel. It’s like a welcome wagon for fruit flies! Yaaaayyy.

I look all shiny and pretty now, but just wait until I am spilling my rotten innards.

2. Football –We used to love the occasional college football game and Ellen even enjoys the NFL, but now we both have high schoolers and EVERY Friday night is a football game.

Our derrieres are frozen to the bleachers, our eyes are glazed over from the mediocre action, and our tummies are either growling from hunger or gurgling with rebellion over the crappy snack bar fare. Thanks, Fall, for turning an occasional diversion into a mandatory march. Go team!

3. Orchards—Nothing says Fall like a trip to your local orchard to get fresh apples, BUT, Danger, Will Robinson! You’re lured in with the promise of fresh air and good old-fashioned family fun. You get invigorated by the thought of a fabulous family photo perfect for a Facebook humblebrag . . . until you realize you’re being hunted like antelope on safari by a pack of yellow jackets. You know you can just buy apples at the store, right?

4. Apple Cider Donuts— Once again we have the damn orchards to blame for this one.You cannot escape the powerful grip of this confection because we’re pretty sure the farmers pipe the delicious aroma of frying donuts to all four corners of the farm. You’re pretty much yelling “Give me ALL the donuts!” by the time you hit the checkout line. But this yumminess really hits you on the bottom line, or rather, the backside. Good thing big booties seem to be the in thing.

5. Pumpkin Latte— Fall is for pumpkin-ing the everything. Ellen loves a good HOT pumpkin latte, but she limits herself to just one or two each year. It was with more than a little trepidation that she accepted the ICED pumpkin latte when they bungled her order, but she thought “Why not? How bad could it be?”

BAD!

It should ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, NEVER BE SERVED COLD. EPIC FAIL. Thanks for screwing up Ellen’s reward to herself for passing on the apple cider donuts.

6. Spiders— It’s THEIR season and we are all just living through it. Enough Said. <shiver>

7. Bipolar Temps— Fall is the ficklest of friends. Sometimes Fall will bring you temps that will make you think you woke up in July. And then again, Fall might bring you a visit from Jack Frost.

It makes deciding what to wear on a daily basis one of the trickier things you might have to navigate. Thank goodness for layers! Start the day in polar fleece, end it in a tank top.

8. Footwear— Is it okay to wear boots because it’s October, even if it’s still 80 degrees? Are flip-flops okay paired with a cardigan? Note to the chick wearing flip-flops with socks in the Starbucks line: THAT is not the best of both worlds.

9. Freakin’ Leaves—  ‘Tis the season for Mother Nature to throw a tantrum in your yard like a magazine-shredding toddler. If Fall didn’t break you with the yo-yoing temps, the flesh-hungry yellow jackets, or the donuts threatening to balloon your booty, the LEAVES will seal the deal.  And someone needs to come up with a better solution than the trusty old Rake-and-Bag because we don’t have time for the Motrin-and-Ice that follows.

10. Corn Mazes— Bottom line: You’re coughing up hard-earned cash for the opportunity to get lost. And you WILL get lost. Forty-five minutes later, you’re crashing through the border, hot, muddy, and agitated . . . only to  be scolded by the teenaged employee because you did not use the exit that was “clearly marked” on the map from hell. Fordeville Diaries knows EXACTLY what we’re talking about.

Thank goodness there’s an apple cider donut ready and waiting for you and your Donner party.

Feel like we’ve been Debbie Downers? Check out our recipes that use that modern marvel: canned pumpkin. Total autumnal upside.

Hope you are enjoying your autumn!

Erin and Ellen

 

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No Mayo! No Worries! Tailgating Menu Plan

We love outdoor shindigs when the weather is still warm with just a whisper of crisp to it. Buuuuuuttt, there’s just one fly in the apple cider: how to keep food safe.

Ellen: I’ll admit it, I am the food poisoning police. I blame my Microbiology degree and delicate stomach. I cannot stand to serve mayonnaise based foods at a picnic or tailgate, because unless they have been kept at exactly the right temperature, you’re serving your aunt’s famous pasta salad with a side of staph aureus toxins. Why do all of the picnic foods seem to be dripping with mayo?!

Erin: My reason is simpler. I HATE mayonnaise. Picture me gagging. For real.

Ellen: Any reason that takes you to a safer end when it comes to oil and eggs is a good reason, I always say.

Erin: Imma gonna get that embroidered on a dish towel for you. Anyway, we both realized we had no-mayo recipes in our go-to party food arsenals, that when we combined them together, made a pretty great menu plan.

Ellen: Now while these recipes are without eggs, cheese, and mayonnaise, they are not miraculous. You still need to transport the ones that need refrigeration in a cooler and they can only sit out for 2 hours AT THE MOST. If it is hotter than 90 degrees, they can only be out for an hour.

Erin: You’re so sensible.

Ellen: Awwww. Anyway, whether it be a picnic, pool party, or tailgate, these recipes are easy, delicious, . . .

Erin: And MAYO FREE!

No Mayo! No Worries! Taligating Menu Plan -- These recipes are yummy AND easy! -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

 1. Appetizer/Snacks

Old Bay Lemon Pepper Seasoned Pretzels

These pretzels are so easy to make and practically scream football. Why worry about refrigerating dips and spreads when these snacks are so jam-packed with flavor you don’t need them? Warning: you should make a double batch because these tasty creations have a very hard time making it out of the door.

Full Printable Recipe Here

An easy, yummy make and take appetizer! Old Bay Lemon Pepper Seasoned Ptetzels Recipe -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

2. Main Dish

No Mayo Chicken Salad

Don’t get us wrong. We love chili and chicken wings at a tailgate, but this is what we make when there are no outlets for our crockpots. This chicken salad keeps so well because there is NO MAYO, only avocado! With the added crunch of walnuts, apples, and grapes, this recipe feels very appropriate for fall. We often just set out a bowl of this yummy-ness with crackers and rolls, but we have been known to make paninis ahead of time if they don’t have to spend too long in the cooler.

Full Printable Recipe Here

No Mayo Chicken Salad---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

3. Side Dishes

I. Cilantro Dijon Mustard Roasted Potato Salad

Potato salad has always seemed like mush to us . . . until this recipe. Here, the potatoes are roasted and the mustard dressing is light. The additions of roasted corn and cilantro bumps this recipe up to total fabulous-ness.

Full Printable Recipe Here

Cilantro Dijon Mustard Roasted Potato Salad Recipe #yummy -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

II. Crispy Colorful Vinaigrette Coleslaw

If you want to be praised to the high heavens, then serve this slaw. We are not kidding. People go nuts for it.  It’s so flavorful without a heavy, fattening dressing. It’s perfect as a side, as well as on a sandwich, but especially by the spoonful.

See Full Printable Recipe Here

Crispy Colorful Vinaigrette Coleslaw Recipe -- Yummy and no mayo! -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

4. Dessert

Super Chocolate Chex Mix

What can we say? This dessert has it all. It’s quick and easy to make and take; it doesn’t require cutting or utensils; and it disappears so quickly you won’t have to worry about packing up leftovers.

Full Printable Recipe Here

Yummy, crunchy, sweet goodness -- Super Chocloate Chex Mix Recipe -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 

Do you have any great additions you would make to this menu?

 

No Worries, No Mayo Taligating Menu Plan -- These recipes are yummy AND easy! -- Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

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Pumpkin All the Baby Things! Fall Baby Shower Ideas

It’s that time of year again. Time for pumpkin coffee and pumpkin muffins and pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin shampoo and pumpkin dog food . . . oh, you get the picture. Well, if you are going to pumpkin all the things, you might as well not stop at baby showers.

Erin was pretty blown away when she went to this baby shower last fall, so of course she harassed the host until she coughed up all of her secrets. Now we are sharing all of her fall baby shower ideas with you. You can decide for yourself if this party is perfect for your little pumpkin.

Fall Baby Shower Ideas---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms Games

We know we have expressed our opinion about baby shower games in the past, but maybe we are softening in our old age or maybe the sheer volume of fun to be had just wore us down.

Pen and Paper Games

Fall Baby Shower Food Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

This is the treasure trove of paper party games. Click on this link and unlock a bundle of Baby Shower Games  which include Bingo, Word Scramble, Name the Baby Animals, Celebrity Baby Names, What’s in Your Purse?, Price is Right, and Nursery Rhyme Quiz. Use a little or a lot. They are adorable, fun, and easy entertainment all packaged and ready to go with cute little pumpkins and everything.

Cutest Baby Contest

Fall Baby Shower Ideas---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Of course if you want to crank the fun up to epic, it’s time to pull out the glue and glitter. This Cutest Baby Contest was the hands down favorite. Simply put, you provide a pile of washed potatoes and a boatload of craft supplies to a captive audience looking for fun. Just sit back and watch the magic happen. One caveat: If you are hosting the baby shower at your house, then skip this game altogether. Glitter is evil.

Decorate the Onesie

Fall Baby Shower Food Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Everything about this is fun. Just remember to buy onesies in different sizes, wash everything before the party, and make sure you use only fabric markers and fabric paint. If you don’t, you could have a Nancy Drew mystery on your hands: The Case of the Disappearing Paint.

 Measure the Belly

Fall Baby Shower Ideas---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

This is a game that would have probably made Erin dropkick someone if she had ever been able to summon anything more energetic than a waddle during her pregnancies, but this mom-to-be was adorable and friendly and happier than any pregnant woman we have ever met. Here’s hoping your mom-to-be has the same batch of pregnancy hormones, because people, especially all of the older aunties, LURVED this one. You can order your own Tummy Tape here.

Smell the Diaper

Fall baby shower ideas---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

This is one of the grosser baby shower games but it provides adorable photo opps like this one so who can argue?

Tree of Good Advice

Fall Baby Shower Ideas---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

This is not so much a game as a tree-mendous idea that keeps on giving. Guests write good advice and then hang it on a tree or, in this case, some lovely fall boughs. The best part: you end up with gems like this. My heart melts.

Fall Baby Shower Ideas---Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Prizes

Don’t forget to have prizes for all the good sports who joined in the forced but fantastic frolicking. We loved the hosts’ ideas here too. She said she picked them all up at The Dollar Store.

Fall Baby Shower Food Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

 Food

All good parties need good eats. The host of this party had a great spread that was very make-ahead friendly.

Fall Baby Shower Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Easy Harvest Punch

This punch tasted like autumn in a glass. It turns out that apple cider, not apple juice, adds the depth of flavor. The recipe even contains instructions if you want to offer a “spiked” version too.

Red Peppers and Feta Bruschetta

Lightly toasted bread provided a great base for this savory appetizer. We would eat these on a train and in the rain and most definitely at a baby shower. Yum.

Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

Fresh rye bread from Wegman’s was apparently the key to the yum in this case, but the simple idea was well worth imitating. There was not a sandwich left over.

Fall Baby Shower Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Pumpkin Dip

Step 1: Place store-bought ginger snap into this delicious make-ahead dip.

Step 2: Sit back and bask in the glow of all the compliments.

Tomato and Mozzarella Bites

So simple, so delicious, and so easy to make ahead of time. This is the fall, party version of one of our favorite summer recipes.

Fall Baby Shower Food Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Hard-Boiled Baby Carriages

These made Erin’s uterus hurt a little with the cuteness factor. Bonus: they aren’t that hard to make. Worth every toothpick, let me tell ya.

The CAKE!

You might not be able to have our awesome cousin make this cake for your baby shower but you can take this picture to your favorite bakery and demand some similar cuteness for your party. The oohs and ahhs are worth it.

Fall Baby Shower Food Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

And then there is the cake that you MUST have,

but that will not, cannot, SHOULD not be eaten . . .

The Ultimate Diaper Cake

Fall Baby Shower Food Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Finally, here is the link for all the printables . Now you can pumpkin all the invitations and place cards and paper products you want to your heart’s content.

Here’s hoping your own shindig is as sweet as this one was!

-Erin

Fall Baby Shower Ideas--Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

And look at the little Sweetie who came just a little while later!

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Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret

Are you jumping for joy for Back to School? Find out "Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret" - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

We have a dirty little secret . . .

Come a little closer . . .

Closer . . .

WE HATE THAT OUR KIDS ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL!

Erin: Whoa, I just felt pitchforks clanking and hackles raising through the WiFi waves!

Ellen: Don’t kick us off of the island! We honor your fist bumping and heel clicking, really we do. Those of you whooping it up, may we quote that great philosopher, Garth of Wayne’s World fame, and say, “Party on!”

Erin: Yes. What it really boils down to is we are a little selfish. The stone cold truth is that summer is our time to just be. No lunches to pack, no carpools to drive, no sports teams to tolerate, and no calendars to check . . .

Ellen: And re-check and then check again and then still mess things up. Dammit.

Erin: It means that we have time with our kids . . .

Ellen: Who we adore so much it hurts.

Erin: But we also have time for us. Books that sit all year on that bedside table finally get read when the only thing on the agenda is dipping our toes in the pool or hanging out on the dock.

Ellen: Oh, aren’t you sounding so erudite. Um, a good chunk of our time was spent goofing around like this:

Our Dirty Little Back to School Secret - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Erin flipped the script and finally got her revenge on Ellen for her (more than occasional) crabbiness.

 

And swinging around like this:

Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms: Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret. Does it involve swinging? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't.

Okay now. This is the only “swinging” that takes place in The Sisterhood. Geez.

 

And fangirling like this:

Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms - Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret: Let's go crazy, crazy, crazy!

One Direction 4EVER! What? Cougars love 1D too.

 

Erin:  It’s just that summer gives me time to really remember myself–not Queen-of-the-Crockpot Erin, not Homework-Task-Master-Erin, not Supreme Champion of Scheduling Erin, just Erin. Summer means time lost in pages of favorite books or spent paddling into sunsets on favorite waters or playing lazy long games. It’s exploring favorite trails and visiting special friends . . .

Ellen: Wait, whose summer are we talking about? When did you have all this time?

Erin: What!? I read. I paddled. I played.

Ellen: Yes, but the picture you’re painting makes me envision you sitting on a porch swing while a ceiling fan lazily turns above you, cooling you just enough. I picture you sipping lemonade as a single drop of condensation slides down the side of your crystal goblet. Oh, and there is a rainbow, definitely a rainbow. With a unicorn. And no bugs. Oh, and what else is absent from this picture? Let’s see. Oh, no kids asking you questions every 15 seconds.

Every time I have talked to you on the phone or been in your presence you have been shushing kids and saying, “JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!!”

Erin: Weeellllll, summer does also mean a houseful. Not all of the kids I’m shooing away are even mine. It’s like a clown car when I slide back the minivan doors at the community pool. The lifeguard must think I have ten kids.

Ellen: And nothing adds to a mom’s feelings of peace and tranquility like a visit to a community pool.

Erin: Okay, the chaos is still there, but at least I don’t have to get kids to two different schools, make sure everyone has their homework done, and keep my lesson plans on track. The buzzing around me does increase by about twenty-fold, but there is just more space in my head.

Ellen: Okay. THAT I can accept. You were starting to sound like a crazy person.

Erin: <sigh> Maybe it really is time to go back to school.

Ellen: Now I feel like I was too hard on you. We will really miss the fun times with our kids. There was a huge chunk that was pretty darn Instagram-worthy. Like this:

Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

And this:

Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

And this:

Our Dirty Little Back To School Secret - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Ellen: We sure did a lot of jumping.

Erin: On that note, it really is time for us to “jump” back into school again too. Dirty little secret or no, the moment has come to exchange the boogie boards for the backpacks whether we like it or not.

Ellen: Well, I’m trading in my “jumping” for kicking and screaming. I don’t wanna start the routine again. Okay, maybe, I’ll just quietly kick and whine in my head. Being a good example for the kids and all of that nonsense.

Erin: We really have to go back to school. Right?

Ellen: <sigh> We really do.

 

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5 Books We are Thankful For

We acknowledge that we are two very lucky girls. While we may occasionally want for smoother skin, deeper pockets, and a great blowout once in awhile, we know we are both carrying around golden tickets every single day. One thing we are especially grateful for is our book club. Think of them as the First Generation Sisterhood, though we have never felt motivated to upgrade or move on to newer, shinier models. We did decide to take this online, but that’s another story altogether.

We are also thankful for books and, for the most part, we’re not that picky. We like ’em all—the good, the cheesy, and especially the guilty pleasures. But some are just stinkers. Ellen was just cleaning out her bookcase and the poor celebrated Swamplandia which our group almost unanimously despised was shown no mercy.  For the most part though, books have shown themselves time and time again to be the lovely grace note on top of an already pretty sweet life. We are ever so grateful for all they, and of course the lovely ladies who like to talk about them with us, have brought to our life.

Here’s a list of 5 we are grateful for right now.

5 books

orphan

1. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

In a nutshell, this is a tale of two girls who have both been left alone in the world by fate.  Their stories are the backbone of the book: one taking place in the here and now, the other in flashback. While this book more solidly belongs to Vivian and her experience on the orphan train, Molly’s modern day tale of abandonment anchors this historical novel and lets us not forget that we still struggle with how to handle the children left behind.

Why we like it: Spunky characters, gripping plotlines, and the real-life history lesson woven throughout make this book a compelling, easy read.

sisterland2. Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

Right off the bat, Erin has to disclose that she is a huge Sittenfeld fan. Prep, American Wife, Man of my Dreams—liked ’em all, but this is an author that you love or hate, so read this recommendation with that in mind. In this novel, Kate (AKA Daisy) and her twin sister Violet have the gift of sight, ESP. It’s a gift that Violet celebrates and Daisy (now known as Kate) hides under a bushel basket. The story centers around Violet’s premonition that an earthquake is coming that is going to devastate the region and the fallout of her announcement for both the media and their relationship.

Why we like it: Sittenfeld peppers all of her novels with pop culture references, and this book is no exception. It makes reading a little like finding gems in the sand: a delightful surprise in an already pleasurable experience. Also, CS nails the complexities of the family bond. Her characterization has always been a strong suit, and she reveals in the Violet/Daisy bond why family can not only be great but also grating as well.

peregrine3. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

We really like adolescent lit, especially when it’s this smart, well-written, and, well, peculiar. If Tim Burton was a Grimm brother, this might be his baby.  After his grandfather’s death, Jacob is left only with grief and some old photos. As he takes off on a trip to his grandfather’s birthplace, he has no idea what he has stumbled upon or where it might take him. The rest is heart-thumping, jaw-dropping fun.

Why we like it: Yep, this one is dark, imaginative, and strange which would win our love all by itself. But it also has some hairpin turns and plot twists that will leave you breathless.

paris4. Paris Trout by Pete Dexter

Based on a real murder trial out of Georgia, this book could have easily turned into a schmaltzy whodunit or TV trial special. But Paris Trout the man was such a powerful force of bigotry, his crime so heinous, and his inability to admit his guilt so complete, this story is lucky to have found such a powerful literary hand to guide it.

Why we like it: Pete Dexter uses his powerful gifts with language to place us in that time and place. In the end, we might not ever understand the man Paris Trout, but we know him in a real way and we are forced to deal with him and the destruction he has wrought. Dexter never lets us forget that this really happened and what that means for all of us.

false

5. The False Friend by Myla Goldberg

Following up a great read like Bee Season, Goldberg could be expected to falter and, to be fair, not everyone liked this book. But here’s why you should read it: it’s an engrossing read, Goldberg is a beautiful writer, and this is a novel that doesn’t take the easy way out. As the story goes, years ago, a terrible thing happened in the woods: one girl didn’t make it out.  The different versions of what did or didn’t happen drive the plot and you are left to wrestle with the fallout.  The failings of memory, the casual cruelty of children, and the inevitability of time figure as prominently as the girls at the center of the story.

Why we like it: Goldberg’s talent for language and characterization will move you. You’ll want to spend time in some of her metaphors. Everything in this novel might not be tied up with a pretty bow, but it is ultimately a gift to any reader.

Happy Reading and Thanksgiving!

-Erin and Ellen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanksgiving Tribute to Teens. Seriously.

Yeah, I said it. And I’m saying it with true sincerity. I am thankful for being the mother of teen daughters. Well, technically I have one teen and one tween, but my baby is about to turn thirteen and that is way close enough. Excuse me while I sob into her baby blanket.

Thanksgiving Tribute to Teens. Seriously.

But I don’t have the luxury of sobbing for too long. See, I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in about a decade. My memory is a little foggy but I’m pretty sure the first step to preparing for dinner is to completely switch the furniture between your living room and dining room and give then deep cleanings like they haven’t seen in five years.

No? THAT explains why I’m going insane, but just so you don’t lose faith in me, I did stop myself from going to Home Depot to get a gallon of paint. Okay, I had to turn the car around, but I’m NOT painting and that is the important thing.

But I firmly maintain it’s not delusion spurring me to sing praises to that often maligned teen demographic. I still feel like some of you are skeptical, but you’ll be true believers by the end of this post.

Tens Reasons I’m Thankful to Have Adolescents

1. They completely cleaned the basement rec room and ALL of the bathrooms . . . even under the toilet seats. I know.

2. They schlepped in all of the groceries for our feast, although they were mysteriously unavailable for the actual shopping. Apparently, I’m not raising dummies.

3. They have scrubbed and peeled a mountain of potatoes with protests so faint I could barely hear them through my earbuds.

4. Coco (15) is making the pumpkin pies. And not the fake “she ‘s baking” nonsense you do with wee tikes that takes twice as long and is twice as messy. She even cleans up. I KNOW.

5. They are doing laundry even as I hide in the closet writing this post.

And lest you think I just like having teens for the free labor . . .

6. They provide my cover story for

  • my One Direction infatuation
  • my intense interest in all things Hunger Games
  • my awkward love of Just Dance
  • our getting VIP tickets to see the Cake Boss
  • my viewing of TLC bridal shows like there’s going to be a test

7. I have tons of extra accessories and shoes to choose from now.

But most importantly . . .

8. They make me laugh. I appreciate their wit, their charm, and their comedic timing.

9. We can have for real discussions about books, movies, travel, music . . . and One Direction. Did I mention that before?

10. They are my very favorite people in the world and not just because I made them. They are beautiful inside and out. They make every experience more enjoyable because they are interesting people. I mean c’mon, look at Jellybean’s Medusa Turkey.

So goes my tribute to adolescents. Be sure to throw it in my face when I have my next teen induced breakdown. You’ll probably have to wait a whole 15 minutes before that happens.

 

What are you thankful for?

 

 

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