Gratitude and happiness go hand in hand. No doubt a grateful heart is not only happy, but generous as well. Generosity can take many forms. For the author of “365 Thank Yous“ a disgruntled lawyer turns his outlook around in the course of a year through his generosity of thankful words. Each day for a year he wrote a thank you note. Some were simple, others in depth, all were genuine. While the effort seems small, think about how easily we all overlook opportunities to express our gratitude. This book got me thinking…

Maybe we should all try it!

Have you written a thank you card to someone today? What’s stopping you?

Writing thank-you cards is also the perfect excuse to make your own cards!

Crafting + Gratitude = Happiness

So much more than just a recipe book, “In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite” takes you on a journey of cooking. The stories behind the recipes, the insights into the life of culinary creator and writer Melissa Clark, and a clear passion for good food sets this book apart from your typical “cookbook.” While certainly you will find practical recipes that you are sure to use, the story telling makes it a personal adventure into the discovery of new dishes.

You may recognize the name Melissa Clark since she’s the New York Times Dining columnist. Clearly and expert when it comes to writing about food she brings those skills to this book. A memoir novel and cookbook rolled into one, you’ll be entertained and educated all at once.

The only downside of this book is its lack of pictures. I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me want to get in the kitchen and try out a new recipe like an enticing photo that gets your appetite tempted and your culinary ambition motivated. While the stories and recipes do indeed spark a similar desire, a few photos beyond the cover shot would’ve taken this book from an 8 to a 10 for me.

 

Summer is fast approaching and if you are anything like me you are starting to wonder what in the world you are going to do when the kids are home… all day… every day. Chances are you have some activities lined up for the summer break but I know that those inbetween days, when mommy needs a break and the kids are still going at 100mph, can get a bit stressful and it’s those days that can make summer break a not-so-fun experience for both parent and child. “Those days” were making me anxious about the though of summer break. I know that it is supposed to be a time of enjoying your family togetherness but I go into the break unprepared — and it shows. But I have found a wonderful resource that has helped me put summer break back into a fun exciting perspective.

I recently came across an amazing book called The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections written by Amanda Blake Soule, owner of the blog SouleMama. Her book is an easy to read portrait of the creativity that happens in her home and how she is able to fully enjoy every moment spent with her children. It has a very personable warm feel to it which evokes the desire to splash that same feeling onto my children. There are helpful tips and tricks that Amanda uses in her own home on how to organize the daily masterpieces created by young hands along with simple illustrated tutorials to get the crafting spark ignited in your home. There are sections dedicated to outdoor exploration, tradition making, and how to slow down and really connect with your children through crafting and creativity. 

The Creative Family has challenged me to be more purposeful with every moment I have with my children. There are some ideas that I am taking directly away from this book such as a how to better organize our dress-up area and how to turn my children’s art into three dimentional toys. There are also things that I have adapted from the book to suit my family such as how to have a more purposeful meal time. And then there are things that were never mentioned directly in the book but have come to fruition because of it. I guess what I’m saying is that, on so many different levels, this book has been an awesome inspiration to me and my family. 

Now I want to pass this bit of inspiration on to you. The wonderful people at www.makegoodbooks.com have offered to give a book to one of our readers. 

The Giveaway is now closed

Thank you so much for everyone who participated. We will be anouncing the winner shortly.
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To enter:
Subscribe to CraftBlogs feedburner feed here and post a comment below about your favorite Summer Break memory.