Tag Archives: summer

Recycling: The Good and The Ugly

Recycling is one of the easiest, most tangible ways of taking action for the planet. It reduces landfill waste and honors the resources of Mother Earth. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! It’s all good! What could be ugly about that? Right?

Erin: Some of us pride ourselves on our firm commitment to recycling. You don’t just surrender your garage to this kind of chaos without trying to make it some kind of feel good environmental statement. You know, so your neighbors won’t call the authorities or feel inclined to pass judgment. Or so we’ve heard.

Don’t judge me, Mr. Nosy Neighbor. I’m saving the planet.

Ellen: Wow, you know I like yoga, but that was quite a stretch.

Erin: No, seriously, I’m committed. A quick looky-loo around the old homestead will let you know just how “all-in” I am! Not only do I crush cans, sort cardboard, and stockpile bottles, I reuse! That is the best because NO resources are wasted. I am making trash into treasures!

My buddies in Maine gave this to me when I moved away. Now it stores coins . . . and apparently a marble and a hairband. I never claimed to be saving the planet through organization.

It should be holding maple syrup or moonshine, but instead it’s brimming with coins and crap.

Ellen: And you’re not saving it with “reusing” either because that’s just dumping the content of your pockets into a pitcher. The pitcher was never trash unless you’re saying you were going to throw that thoughtful token of your friends’ affections away. You’re not really on the recycling train with that one. It’s more like you’re leading the ingrate parade. Try again.

Erin: Fine. You’re totally going to accept this one. This was Ace’s first attempt at pottery when he was 5. It now holds jewelry on my dresser.

Ellen: So let me get this straight. You want a Green Earth Award for putting jewelry in a bowl? And didn’t you just imply that Ace’s work of art is trash?

Erin: Sweet Cheez-its! While we’re talking about awards who promoted you to the Semantics of Recycling Police?

Ellen: Don’t redirect. The fact is, you still haven’t presented a decent argument for why your garage looks so indecent.

Erin: Alright. This was the parting gift from my cousin’s baby shower. It now takes center stage in the kids’ bath for cotton ball storage. I claim Upcycler Extraordinaie!

I like to thank my kids preemptively for strewing cotton balls all over the floor.

I like how the lid preemptively thanks my kids for strewing cotton balls all over the floor.

Ellen: Wow. You put cotton balls in a cute jar.

Erin: You WILL declare this one a winner. These are all containers from our family room that we’re REusing to hold toys. Once upon a time, each container only held one type of toy, but in this house, summer is the time when all systems fall to crap. Once again, ozone does not get saved through organization. Hence, the ball next to the boat in the old pretzel jar. And yes, those are shark teeth.

Ellen: Don’t sell yourself short. You have organization – all your choking hazards are grouped together in easy to reach containers on the floor.

Erin: Whatever. But THIS is high quality reusing. C’mom! Admit it!

Ellen: Yes, this qualifies as actual repurposing, BUT this is where the UGLY of recycling comes in! Dang girl. You could have peeled the Cascade label off of the bucket.

Erin: I really feel like you should be giving me more credit. If you want purty AND environmentally fabulous we have tons of lovely ideas for using milk cartons, tea tins, and glass bottles on Home Made Simple. Those ideas are as awesome as my actual attempts are pitiful.

Ellen: I can agree with that. Now all you have to do is find another excuse for your garage.

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More Summer Books for Your Tweens

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Summertime is our time to hang out with friends, those who can hang with us poolside or between the pages of our favorite books. We love to recommend books to our good buddies, so we have created lots of book lists.

Check out some great ones for Moms here, here, and here. And some great lists for your kids here.

And we have five more to recommend that are perfect for the tween set also known as the 8-12 crowd.

**1. When Life Gives You OJ by Erica S. Perl**

Animal-lovers will flock to this book! Zelly is moving to Vermont and she desperately wants a dog. Her grandpa Ace comes up with a crazy scheme to convince her parents that she is ready for one: he makes her a dog out of an old orange juice jug. There is a lot to love about this book. The sweet but complicated relationship Zelly has with her grandpop Ace, her new friend who encourages her to stay true to her convictions even in the face of social pressures, and the subtle themes of responsibility and treating all people (even bullies) with respect woven throughout. The author even inserts some great education about the Jewish faith into the story as Zelly meets two families who are devout Jews in a town that where they are a distinct and noticeable minority. Kids will love the Yiddish glossary at the end!

**2. Dicey’s Song by Cynthia Voigt**

So you had to know this book was special once you figured out that this sequel won the Newbery Honor Award, but it’s also pretty apparent from the moment you open the spine (without breaking it, of course) and settle into the pages. Thirteen year old Dicey and her three siblings were abandoned by her mother in a parking lot and she has heralded them safely to her grandmother’s house where this story begins. The truth and beauty of Dicey’s voice and story, the pace and strong characters, and ultimately the honesty that permeates from this fast-paced read are all part of its charm. Oh, and it was one of Erin’s favorite books from when she was on the cusp of teendom.

3. Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman

This funny, tender book about being true to who you are doesn’t ever come across as schmaltzy and boys will be laughing too hard at all the crazy adventures of Gabe and his friends at Nerd Camp to notice all the sweet stuff anyway. Gabe’s dad is getting remarried and he is getting a stepbrother who happens to be the very same age. This is great news for Gabe until he realizes that his new brother Zack is a cool skateboarder while he is, well, not. Gabe desperately wants to hide his geekiness from Zack and the story unfolds. In the end, this is a story about accepting yourself for who you are. It’s such a positive, upbeat story narrated by an engaging young voice that tween boys won’t be able to put this book down.

**4. Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage**

Oh, we love a strong female lead and this book has one in the firecracker protagonist named Mo LeBeau. Big on personality and heart, this book is also a full-blown mystery topped with a little Southern charm. For a summer read, it goes down like a smooth glass of perfect lemonade. Your kids will be charmed by the quirky cast of characters and the precocious but believable dialogue.

**5. Spy School by Stuart Gibbs**

Erin’s kids have been known to fall asleep clutching spy goggles and our friend Mary’s son brought his spy watch kayaking, hiking, and camping last week. Boys LOVE spy stuff. So a book about a school for spies? It has Hogwarts for Future Double Agents written all over it. Even the hero Ben is a little Potter reminiscent. Slow to warm up to the spy stuff, Ben wins in the end—making friends, helping to uncover the hidden mole, and getting his spy groove on. This book brings the action, ninja stars, and combat simulation (in the form of paintball—of course) to the CIA Academy and kids who enjoy a witty tale with a side of suspense will be delighted. This would be a great read-aloud for younger kids too.

But then sometimes we like to write a little bit more about a book that we think is a little extra-special. In this case, we like the book so much we are jumping on the book tour train.

If you haven’t heard of Angela Shelton, well, buckle up, this is about to get interesting. Angela describes herself as an author, screenwriter, performer, public speaker, and filmmaker. But she is so much more than a resume that would make a superhero tired. She has a wicked sense of humor and delights in fun and funny things. We appreciate such things here in The Sisterhood. We like women who carry the ball across the line, do a twirl, give a big enthusiastic two thumbs up, and then helps someone else cross that line too. That pretty much describes Angela. We reviewed Angela Shelton’s last book, The Adventures of Tilda Pinkerton: Book 1: Crash Landing on Ooleeoo, because we liked her so much. We were pleased as punch to read such a delightful addition to the world of children’s literature.

Now we are happy to report that her latest book is enchanting as well and perfect as a read-alone for your favorite tween. We found it was a great read aloud for the younger set as well.

We toted this book on two summer vacations so far to read to our charges after busy days of surf and sand.

Full disclosure: No kids were paid to listen to or appreciate the books. They are just THAT good!

We are happy to report the masses were happy with their bedtime stories and we think yours will be too.

The Summary:

Eleven-year-old Madison Mae and her younger brother, Albert, want to help save the family farm during troubled times. When a mysterious Magical Hat Shop appears by their grandpa’s red tractor mailbox, the children meet Tilda Pinkerton who presents them with one-of-a-kind hats, causing new ideas and talents to suddenly burst forth. As a flood of harm comes rushing towards the farm, Tilda Pinkerton teaches the children how they can accomplish much more than anyone ever imagined. Increase your child’s vocabulary, self esteem and awareness of social issues, while they enjoy a great story! Tilda Pinkerton’s Magical Hats does it all.

The Sisterhood Review:

For the kid with a mind for the fantastic and whimsical, this book is a no brainer. Tilda Pinkerton is the definition of a good time and whenever she arrives on the scene with one of her hats, she leaves a little magic behind. We love that the kids in this book realize that they possess the power to change their lives for the better through the power of their own gifts and talents. The charms in this book aren’t flights of fancy, but real and accessible and wholly appreciated. Kids will love the special brand of magic sprinkled throughout the story coupled with the very real characters and the nicely paced plot. It’s a winner in every way.

Now, we weren’t lying about toting this book along this summer, so we asked a couple of the kids to give us their reviews.

Kid Reviews:

With her creative storyline and the fun coloring pages, Angela Shelton makes a great kid-friendly book. – Tatum, age 12

I wish I could really have a magic hat and a cat like Gabby Cat.- Jack, age 5

Magic is always a great addition to any book and this book does it just right. It has an actually good story and characters plus magic. It is a very fun story. I will write a book report about it! – Julia, age 9

I like the way the kids had to find their hidden talents to save the farm. – Gabe, age 7

Find out how Angela has incorporated the character of Tilda Pinkerton into an entire line of book projects, each geared towards a different age group at www.MagicHatShop.com

Angela Shelton’s Website: http://angelashelton.com/
Angela Shelton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/angelashelton
Angela Shelton on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaSheltonFanPage
Tilda Pinkerton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tildapinkerton

You won’t be disappointed!

-Erin and Ellen

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Giant Summer Reading Giveaway

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Friends are the most valuable assets you can have and you all are about to reap some value from the friends we have. Sound like a cryptic fortune cookie to you? It’s really simpler than that. We, and about 20+ blogger friends, are having a massive giveaway organized by the truly talented Robyn of Hollow Tree Ventures. Go check her out after you enter to win your loot. It’s the friendly thing to do.

So on with the giveaway. Picture yourself poolside, or lounging on the beach. It’s nice, right? But it could be better. What you need are some great books to make you laugh, and some seriously stylish summer accessories. Well, we have you covered.

First up, we’re giving away six (count ’em, SIX) funny books that you probably already own because you have such great taste. But if, by chance, you’ve been busy reading the dictionary cover to cover or you tried to buy these and Amazon was all like, “Sorry, too slow, sucker. Sold out!” today’s your lucky day!

At Least My Belly Hides My Cankles: Mostly-True Tales of an Impending Miracle is the debut novel of the amazing Paige Kellerman, of There’s More Where That Came From. In it, she props her cankles up on the coffee table of your heart and tells the tale of her pregnancy with twins, from the reluctant announcement of the pregnancy test results to the experience of being hoisted awkwardly (is there any other way?) onto the delivery table. You’ll be able to relate to every word, and Paige’s unique storytelling style will keep you laughing, guaranteed.

Abby Still Has Issues is the second book by Abby Heugel of the award-winning blog, Abby Has Issues. It features a ton of laugh-out-loud essays that could only be plucked from that wonderfully neurotic head full of issues we all love so well. Laugh along as she admits to being smelly (it’s not what you think), converses with her pants, and reveals why other countries hate us (hint: it’s our eyelashes). Intrigued? YOU SHOULD BE. Because it’s full of awesome.

I Just Want To Pee Alone, a hilarious collection of hilarious essays about motherhood by 37 hilarious mothers, covers every parenting topic from planning for your baby, to being driven insane by your children, to… wait, are there other parenting topics? Yes, don’t be silly, of course there are. There’s something for everyone in this #1 best selling humor anthology which, I don’t mind saying, at one point ranked ahead of Tina Fey’s Bossypants – a fact that many of the co-authors plan to have engraved on their tombstones.

Ketchup is a Vegetable: And Other Lies Moms Tell Themselves by Robin O’Bryant of Robin’s Chicks is full of funny stories about motherhood, sex talks, the terror of car trips, and all those eye-roll inducing, forehead-vein popping, laugh-out-loud things that bond parents together under the flag of Oh Thank Heavens, It Isn’t Just Me.

Also win a copy of Adrian Kulp’s hilarious book Dad or Alive: Confessions of an Unexpected Stay-at-Home Dad, which is based on his popular blog DadorAlive.com. With chapters like “She’s Gonna Have Daddy Issues” you know this book will be funny, relatable and just a little bit twisted (in the best possible way).

And we understand that you’ll need to keep the kids occupied if you’re hoping to get enough time to yourself to read a book with more than eight syllables per page. That’s why we’re also giving away 75 Ways To Have More Fun At Home, a fantastic e-book by Anna of My Life and Kids that’s absolutely bursting with activities for your kids. These are cheap-to-free, unique, realistic ideas for things that real people could and would actually do. You don’t want another summer day to go by without it!

I can say, without fear of hyperbole, that you’re entire summer will be a complete waste of time if you don’t read these books – so in the event that you don’t win this amazing prize package, check out the links and buy your own copies. You’ll be glad you did.

Now, while you’re enjoying these fabulous books, you want to look fabulous too, don’t you? Never fear, we have that covered, too!

To keep the hair out of your face while you’re reading (or while you’re serving up a wicked ace on the beach volleyball court), you’ll need headbands and hair ties from A Girl and Her Band. These suckers are nonslip, moisture wicking, antimicrobial and machine washable, not to mention cute as all getout. A Girl and Her Band is a company started by regular (but fantastic) mamas who support and empower active girls, and give back to the community by donating a portion of all website sales to a different charity each month. They’ve generously offered up three headbands of your choosing, and they’re throwing in a 5-pack of matching hair ties, too! Their company makes your heart feel as good as your hair will with this essential set of accessories.

As if that weren’t enough to make you look like a million bucks while you’re enjoying your summer reading, you’ll also get a Vera Bradley Summer Pack, which includes a Vera Bradley sarong, a small mesh tote, and a beach towel in the gorgeous Go Wild pattern.

AND, just in case we missed anything, we’re throwing in a $125.00 Amazon gift card so you can treat yourself to something special (I don’t know if Amazon sells fruity drinks in coconuts with little umbrellas in bulk quantities, but I’d look into that if I were you).

ENOUGH ALREADY, you say! I’m interested, so how do I enter?!?

To qualify: You must be able to read, or know someone who is willing to read to you, and live in the United States.

Recommended: Tissues, for laughter-induced tear blotting. Large-rimmed Jackie O sunglasses for increased mysterious cool factor. A few seconds of free time here and there for reading.

Required: Do the little Rafflecopter thingy. Winner will be chosen at random and notified after the giveaway closes on Sunday, July 21. If there’s no response from the winner within 24 hours, another winner will be chosen and so on until we decide just to keep everything for ourselves. (We’re kidding, of course. OR ARE WE? Yes, we’re kidding.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Family That Plays Together

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It’s that time of year again—time to let our competitive spirits have free reign, time to stoke the fires of healthy competition within our clan, time to pull out the teatherball, dust off the badminton net, and pull out the horseshoes! It’s game time!

We love games year round, just ask the poor souls who have to play Trivial Pursuit with us every New Year’s Eve, but summer is THE season for the sport of gaming around these parts.

In our ‘hood, summer means games. Yes, we love choking down cheeseburgers and corn on the cob with the best of them. And crabs too. We’re on the eastern shore, y’all. Yes, our toes are spending their fair amount of time in the sand. And yes, we are swimming in every pool, pond, or plage that’ll have us. But summer will always mean week-long Monopoly games, endless card games (especially Sleeping Queens!), board game extravaganzas, and of course, the MOTHER of all summer games, family reunions.

Erin is blessed to have married into a family nearly as boisterous and competitive as her own. Every summer Dymowskis harken from hills and dales far and wide to meet and eat and test their mettle in the friendliest of competitions.

Fearsome competitors come in all sizes.

We take this shizz seriously. Now we are not saying there is training for these events, but, well, there are medals on the line and Dymowskis will walk miles, scale mountains, and wrestle alligators into submission for free stuff.

Step back, Cuzz! I got this!

Most of the day, we are a regular Norman Rockwell painting with all the intergenerational fun. Eating the crabs, sharing the memories, and wolfing down the awesome cakes (Steve’s cousin has some mad baking skills) would be worthy of a trip to our ancestral home every summer in and of themselves. We get practically giddy with the happy, family vibes we are all imbibing . . . or that could be the beer that goes so well with the crabs.

Don’t we belong in a frame from Kohl’s?

But don’t look too closely once the competitive events begin. The dark underbelly of family fun gets exposed and, well, you’ll see. . .

Yep. That’s a baby wielding that water balloon.

Let the good times hop!

MARSHMALLOW on a spoon. Less mess. Same fun. You’re welcome!

As the competition heats up, so does the temperature. It’s summertime in Baltimore after all. Since nobody has yet bitten the bullet to put in the pool, we are reduced to sprinkler and hose fun. But nobody seems to mind.

Family bonding via garden hose

But the best part of pulling out the hose means we get to see our favorite aunts get transformed from this:

into this:

Want to make happy family memories like this with your own tribe? Keep it simple. Think classic, easy-to-execute, and good for all ages. And when in doubt, just add water.

But adding medals is highly encouraged.

Game on!

Erin and Ellen

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Ghetto Chic Swimming Pool Design

Ellen is working towards the completion of her new pool and it is consuming her life. On the upside of Nirvana, it is a beautiful thing because it’s already bringing rollicking good times like this . . .

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, it is also one more thing to take care with the vacuuming, the scrubbing, and the mad scientist mixing of chemicals. It also causes extra messes– toys strewn across the lawn like plastic landmines and mountains of wet towels posing as mildew starter farms. Hmmm, suddenly Ellen’s yard is sounding more like a chlorinated Vietnam than a swimming wonderland. But that is not what is bringing her down because she signed up for all of that. And she REALLY likes geeking out playing mad chemist.

Here’s the problem. Apparently the Mid-Atlantic climate decided to get its Starbucks on and emulate the Pacific Northwest without sending us the proper notification. We have had the coldest, wettest spring. So the pool that was supposed to be dug in April, did not get excavated until June. And the rain continues. That means the pool deck was completed in stages days apart. At one point, the only things missing were broken glass and dirty syringes to complete the “Ghetto Chic” appeal.

Things have gotten safer because the concrete surround has been finished. No need to call child protective services or OSHA, but you could ring up NOAA and tell them to just shoot up a satellite or ray gun or something to make this rain stop.

The whole patio is still not done and since it rains every 15 seconds, Ellen is left with 30,000 gallons of watery delight surrounded by a mire pit of suckity muck.

While Ellen probably should just embrace the situation and host mud wrestling matches to pay for the patio furniture, she just can’t because she is too busy vacuuming nasty red clay grit out of the pool and her house. She is by no means a neat freak, but this is construction grit and it has the potential to damage the pool and her hardwood floors. So she vacuums land and sea. Fun.

Glee and glamour are highly staged in this photo and not at all representative of Ellen's actual attitude towards vacuuming.

Glee and glamour are highly staged in this photo and do not at all represent Ellen’s actual attitude towards vacuuming.

Erin is a friend with a heart of gold and more importantly, not one to let something as trivial as a La Brea-esque mud pit stand between her and aquatic fun. She was a synchronized swimmer for goodness sake (although we have yet to see the photographic evidence). What she is NOT is crafty. Here was her solution . . .

So apparently the solution for dirtiness is grossness? Since people won’t stop getting in the pool now that the menacing Spikes of Tetanus are gone, Ellen got busy making a truly useful foot washing station.

For feet that look like this . . .

Use the fantastic foot washing station . . .

And voilà . . .

How did Ellen come up with this brilliance? She saw it on Pinterest of course. However the pin led to a dead end. Don’t you hate that Pintershit? Ellen is going to fix the interwebs and dirty feet by making her own directions. Pin that!

Sensible Moms Foot Washing Station

Move to Mayberry so you can find a tractor supply or feed store. The pan Ellen used was a Fortiflex Salt Block Pan. Livestock need salt and you need a pan to put it in. This $8 tray has a funneled bottom with drainage holes perfect for this application. Mayberry has its perks. Don’t fret if you’re a city slicker because we found it on the ever amazing Amazon for you, just click the link. Or we guess you could go to a fancy pants Target and get a shallow pan or tray and just drill holes in the bottom, but we’re telling you, the salt pan is sturdy. A cow can stand on it. Beat that Target.
Fill half way with pea gravel. This provides the cushion so you can actually stand on this marvelous contraption.
Finish off with a layer of river stones found in the floral supply section of craft stores or Walmart. You can also find them on Amazon. (Couldn’t find them in Target, just sayin’.) Theses stones feel good on your feet and warm up in the sun. If you think they are too fancy, just go with the pea gravel.
Make sure you put this on a grassy spot because the water runs through it and will make MORE mud. If you have kids under 6, you probably should just put it on a deck or driveway because they cannot dismount without getting more shizz on their feet.

Happy Water Fun!

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

-Ellen and Erin

Dirty summer feet be gone! #DIY foot washing station.

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Simple and Delicious Father’s Day Menu

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Treating your dad or hubby to a home-cooked meal this Father’s Day? Well, tasty doesn’t have to mean hard. Use our menu to get out of the kitchen quickly so you can spend more time with the ones you love.

To start off . . .

Lazy Girl’s Black Bean Cream Cheese Dip is really one of those miracle go-to recipes. It takes mere minutes to make, but it disappears even faster. It is that darn good. Be an overachiever and just make a double batch from the start.

Source: sisterhoodofthesensiblemoms.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

Why not give dad a choice between two entrees?

It’s hard to go wrong with these tasty wings options.

Source: sisterhoodofthesensiblemoms.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

Or maybe some steak? It’s the marinade that makes this Red Wine Marinated Flank Steak so scrumptious.

Source: sisterhoodofthesensiblemoms.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

Side dishes can make a meal . . .

And this fresh pasta salad will make everyone say, “Ole!”

Source: sisterhoodofthesensiblemoms.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

Don’t forget the veggies.

Trust us. Roast the Brussels sprouts. They are DELICIOUS.

Source: sisterhoodofthesensiblemoms.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

Your “Just Desserts.”

Everyone will be glad you whipped these brownie bites up in minutes — leaves the possibility for a second batch!

Source: sisterhoodofthesensiblemoms.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, you are about to get all kinds of love with this Father’s Day Feast of a menu.

-Ellen and Erin

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10 Books For Your Tween’s (and Teen’s) Summer Reading

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Yep. It’s that time of year. If you are not already actively Pinteresting fun stuff to do with your kids this summer, you are gonna be one tired Momma by the end of that first week of vacation. We’re completely serious: kids show no mercy to the weak and underprepared.

So shore up the craft supplies, summer camp brochures, and snacks, then check out these great books for your tween (or teen). Our book club friends all shared these selections at our last meeting, so they all come stamped with our special Sisterhood Seal of Approval. These books should win you back at least an hour a day. You know, the one where you watch crappy TV, surf the webz, read a book of your own, or play Candy Crush. Happy Summer to all and to all a good read!

1. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

To say that our friend Mary likes historical fiction is a bit underselling it. This was one of her picks and she couldn’t stop gushing. She’s not the only one. This book is a true classic and even won the Newbery Award. Set in the South during the Great Depression, this book is hard but hopeful and the characters are bright and entertaining in the face of tragedy and racism. You will appreciate the warm ties and truths and your kids will identify and cheer for the family.

2. Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings

Set on our beloved Eastern Shore of Maryland, we would probably have a little love for this book even if it wasn’t so deftly knitted together. Luckily for your young reader, this story of a tragic kayak accident is powerful in and of itself. The moral questions the protagonist Brady must answer as he uncovers the truth behind the accident propel this story past the regret and sadness to another place. As the author steers Brady through some tough moral dilemmas without losing any of the suspense, you are reminded over and over again why the book won the honor of being named a Black Eyed Susan book.

3. Wonder by RJ Pelacio

This Texas Bluebonnet Award winner is a wonder in and of itself. The central character August Pullman has a facial deformity which has prevented him from attending a regular school. When he does finally become a student at Beecher Prep, this buoyant tale takes off. Augie just wants to be treated like everyone else, but, well, everyone else might not be ready for that. Told from the perspective of Augie, his classmates, and his family, this anti-bullying story never comes off as preachy, but does allow room to talk about fears and prejudices and, ultimately, the power of kindness. Wonder of all wonders. A must read for all middle schoolers!

4. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Wow. Just wow. This book sticks with you. Melody is the smartest kid in school, but she can’t talk or walk, so nobody knows. When she finally finds a way to communicate, she seems on her way to fulfilling her dream of just being a “regular” kid. But, sigh, middle school is hard, yo. Frank and open, this book takes us inside one girl’s journey with cerebral palsy and, even with detours into some heavy stuff, we are all made better from the trip.

5. The Raft by S. A. Bodeen

This book reads like Charlotte Rogan’s Lifeboat for the teen set. Poor Robie leaves Hawaii for a trip home to Midway when her plane goes down. Unfortunately, nobody really knows she’s missing or where to look for her. Oh, yeah, and she’s pretty much on her own adrift on a raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It’s disaster lit at its best. Your older tween and teen will enjoy this fast-paced easy read.

6. Divergent by Victoria Roth

Erin teaches middle school and when she polled her students for their favorite book they were reading right now, this series topped their list. In this dystopian future world, society is divided into five factions named for dedication to five different virtues— (Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). This is the next series for any kid who devoured The Hunger Games and has been hankering for more of the same. This series adds some different elements that make it interesting for sure, but your child should probably have the same level of maturity to really enjoy it.

7. The Falconer’s Knot: A Story of Friars, Flirtation, and Foul Play by Mary Hoffman

Set during the Middle Ages, Silvano is a guy having kind of a bad streak of luck. Wrongfully accused of murder, he is sent to a Franciscan House for his own protection. Posing as a young friar there, Silvano can’t help falling for the lovely girl in the nearby abbey. But he just can’t catch a break. More murders threaten to take Silvano’s freedom for good and keep him from his love. Unlike Hoffman’s popular Stravanganza series set in an alternate world that looked like Renaissance Italy, this suspenseful tale is actually set in fourteenth century Umbria. The historical element just adds another layer to this already rich story. Your young readers will swoon. Perfect for 7th to 10th graders.

8. Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix

Ideal for all fluent readers, this series is a runaway hit. Luke is a 12 year old kid who has spent his life in hiding. The Population Police have dictated that each family can only have two kids. As his family’s third child, Luke’s life is in danger so he has never experienced many of the simple joys of childhood. As his world changes, he glimpses others like himself and launches a daring plan to come out of the shadows that gives energy and momentum to the series. Your kids will be so busy trying to keep up with all the plot twists and turns that they won’t even know they just spent their summer reading.

9. Fever by Laurie Halse Anderson

We had at least three recommendations for this book as well as some honorable mentions for some of Anderson’s other titles Speak and Chains, both National Book Award finalists. Anderson is the master of historical fiction for the Axe and Aero set. This novel takes us to Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic is one of her best. Told from the point of view of Mattie Cook, this tale weaves a narrative around the real-life events and characters of the time. Anderson never treats her young readers like unintelligent ones so the language in the book is just as rich and interesting as the story itself. And there’s an appendix at the end with facts about the epidemic. Sqwee! To a certain reader, it’s kind of like getting a birthday cake on Christmas. Score!

10. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

This is an oldie but greatie. Several of us remember this book as one of our favorites from childhood and at least one of us taught this book to our students. Another Newbery winner, this book has been charming readers for over twenty-five years and it still reads as fresh and inventive as it did back then. Sixteen people show up to the reading of Samuel Westing’s will. Any of them could walk away with his millions. The fun is in the unravelling. An absolute delight to read!

We hope your kids enjoy reading these books as much as we enjoyed talking about books for them to read!

We have found the Newbery Award winners, the Black Eyed Susan books, the Texas Bluebonnet Award winners, and the National Book Award winners to be great resources for finding even more wonderful reads for our kids.

But if all else fails, ask a librarian. They will usually rain down suggestions with just a little prodding. We have some of the best here in our county, but we bet there is a great one near you too!

Have a great summer! Erin and Ellen

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Facebook Follow-Up #15

Because Facebook doesn’t show all of our followers all of the awesomeness all of the time we have . . .

We are so ready to get our summer on, and we are NOT just talking about the flip-flops, vacations, and poolside cocktails either. Nothing beats summer eats! Bar-B-Qs, fresh salads, and anything off the grill are on the menu. To that end, we were talking food this week.

We shared some recipes

Ellen’s Watermelon Salsa

All of our friends celebrate the season that lets Ellen bring this to every occasion. You’ll be the hit of the next pool party with this one!

Erin’s Lazy Girl’s Greek Dip

Nothing says summer like dishes that can be pulled together in about 20 minutes. This will be a go to recipe all summer long. Healthy, delicious, nutritious. YUM!

And Erin’s Lazy Girl’s Black Bean Dip

You know what? Be a hero and just make a double batch.

And then chicken, chicken, and some MORE CHICKEN!

Chicken will never be boring again. Seriously, there are a lot of chicken recipes in here! Click Away!

But it wasn’t all just about food.

We shared about our Mother’s Days.

And we gave you even more books to check out!

And then there was this funny ecard you all loved!

Hopefully, one of these dishes will solve your What-do-I-bring-to-the-holiday-party dilemmas.

Are you in The Sisterhood yet? We always have room for a whole gaggle more. Just one click of the badge and you’ll be hanging with us in no time.

In fact, you can follow us in all of these places.

Our Pinterest Boards take hours of our time! Commit to wasting a couple hours checking them out.

Follow @SensibleMoms on Twitter

Want our blog posts delivered directly to your inbox? Follow us on Bloglovin. It is SO easy even your four year old could do it! In fact, let your four year old do it. They gotta learn this stuff young!

Have a Great Holiday Weekend!

-Ellen and Erin

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10 Books For Your Summer Reading List

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We love summer’s languorous pace. The relaxed pace, the warm breeze, the easy outfits, and the time to really dig into some good books. We love to read, so the thought of days to just curl up by the pool with a cocktail and a great book is our idea of time well spent.

If you are like us, you love suggestions for what to read. Here are a few books that delighted us this past year. Read on, friends!

**1. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman**

This book was a perfect piece of lite lit. A lighthouse keeper and his wife find a baby in a boat and, rather than call the authorities, raise her as their own. Despite such a dramatic set-up, the book never crosses over into schmaltzy cheese. In fact, the author deftly balances their sense of isolation and longing with their understanding that they have done the wrong thing. Nobody in this book can help themselves and the author makes each character sympathetic and understandable. This is not a look at crazy, but a reflection of just how far we will all go for what we love. Not bad for a page-turner.

2. The Vow by Wendy Plump

Wendy Plump is a cheater. She is also a completely open, honest, almost uncomfortably real writer who talks candidly about her broken marriage and all of the ways she and her husband failed each other. Plump is exceptionally good at rendering images and drawing you into a world you hope you never have to enter. Her heartbreak becomes a mesmerizing read with each clever turn of phrase. In the end, you are left with hope for the age-old institution of marriage even in light of all of the ways it didn’t work for her. Unputdownable.

**3. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles**

This is a book for those who want 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 he adds the wonderful character Katey Content to this tale and we are transported. Katey is the plucky, lucky every-girl who is trying to make something of herself. When random events change the course and temper of her future, we recognize Katey and root for her. We all have been that girl on the cusp of possibility. A wonderful, buoyant novel about coming of age.

4. The Emperor of Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Yep. We are recommending a non-fiction book about cancer. Don’t hate us or ignore us. This book is a behemoth, but so infinitely readable, you’ll forget you are reading the history of cancer and get wrapped up in the stories between the pages. If you love a little non-fiction with your beachside cabana, this might be the one for you.

**5. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler**

We devoured The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo books one summer. If you thought those books were literary crack too, this is definitely a book for you. If not, we’ll try not to judge you for that, but you should move on to #6. Kepler opens this book with the grisly murder of a family. There’s only one surviving witness, a little boy. Erik Maria Bark, the hypnotist, is called in to help find out what happened. His intervention unleashes a terrible chain of events that makes for an intense but satisfying read.

**6. When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson**

Oh, man, this book is chock full of crappy, crappy things that happened to people. There is murder, a terrible train crash, a drowning, and some domestic violence thrown in here too. But don’t let that stop you. Atkinson has created some unforgettable characters here in this pseudo crime drama/pseudo thriller. She controls the pace of the novel so well that you have time to really get to know all the characters and marvel at the ways each story touches each other.

**7. I Just Want to Pee Alone by Kick-Ass Bloggers**

A compilation of essays on motherhood from some of our most favorite bloggers on the web, this book made us wish this had been around when we were new moms. How great it would have been to have these stories not only for commiseration, but to lighten us up so that we could find the funny in the sheer ridiculousness that is parenting small children. Hilarious, tender, and true, this book is a reassurance that imperfection is normal. And it goes great with cocktails. Or so we have heard.

**8. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter**

Absorbing, interwoven stories and beautifully drawn characters help you travel back and forth over 50 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. Summer is the perfect time for day dreaming and this book fits the bill.

9. Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

Poor Winn. His daughter is getting married at the Kennedy-esque family compound, and his world of privilege is unravelling. 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. A lesser author might have made this story into a tragedy, but this book is laugh out loud funny. 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.

**10. Moms Who Drink and Swear: True Tales of Loving My Kids While Losing My Mind by Nicole Knepper**

When we stumbled upon the blog, Moms Who Drink and Swear, we kind of pictured a gang of moms tossing back beers and yo-ho-hoing like merry wenches à la Pirates of the Caribbean. When we delved deeper, we found a sharp-witted, hilarious writer who refuses to worship at the altar of perfection. Nicole Knepper, a smart, educated woman who is a girlfriend’s girlfriend, serves up a heaping dose of “this is the real motherhood” in her new book. Chapters such as “Making New McFriends” and “Dinner is Like Herpes” will have you nodding along while laughing to the point that people will feel obliged to ask, “Are you okay?”

Here’s to a summer full of good books, cold drinks, and happy memories!

-Erin and Ellen

After we published this, we found out that two of our favorite bloggers Michele at Old Dog, New Tits and Mel at According to Mags were grooving on the same wavelength. They have a super-fun link-up called Ketchup with Us and this week their prompt is “What book is on your bedside table?”. If you need even more great suggestions or have a few of your own, check them out! You won’t be sorry!

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