sjbraun Profile
Susan
Join Date:
2011-01-05
Blogs Owned
I write about a few of my favorite things each day ... observations on kids, faith, politics, writing, royalty, and more.
Other Tags: royalty, writing, giveaways, Mad King Ludwig
Latest Blog Posts
- I Hate Everyone Except You, by Clinton Kelly: ReviewHave you ever watched “What Not to Wear” on TV? I have, for several years. I enjoy the two hosts, Stacy London and Clinton Kelly. Both are smart, fun, and positive. So when I saw that Clinton had written a book, “I Hate Everyone Exc...
- Menu Plan Monday 12/19/16on Dec 19, 2016 in In the Kitchen Menu Plan MondayWelcome to the week before Christmas version of Menu Plan Monday! What is new in your world? Here, it has been a really cold week — actually, a really wintry month. I read in the Sunday paper that we’ve gotten 10.4″ of snow this mon...
- Christmas Piano Party & Recital IdeasI recently hosted my annual Christmas Piano Party & Recital. I do this each December, as my “gift” to my piano students. But really, it’s a gift for myself too, because I enjoy it so much. In case you are looking for Christmas p...
- Butterfinger Brownie BitesI visited Dollar General earlier this week, although I must admit that I’m not a regular Dollar General shopper. In fact, I had to look up addresses online to learn where to find them in my fair city. But once I arrived, I was glad to be there,...
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky TriviaIt’s Nutcracker season, and you probably know that the composer of that famous ballet is Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — or as we more often refer to him, Peter Tchaikovsky. How about some trivia on the great composer? Tchaikovsky wrote three...
- A Spectacle of Glory: ReviewThanks, Handlebar Publishing, for a copy of this book for this review, which contains affiliate links. Remember Joni Eareckson? I first heard about her during my youth. She was a teen who had a diving accident, breaking her neck and becoming a quadri...
- Menu Plan Monday 12/12/16Happy snowy Monday to you all! I came across an article last week suggesting that cooking and baking can help you feel better. Although I found some of the connections made a little dicey (is cooking really “creative”?), overall I think t...
- Five Christmas Gifts Not to Give Teachers: Advice from a Former Educatoron Dec 9, 2016 in christmas My favorite thingsI was an elementary teacher for eight years. During those years, students gave me gifts of all types. While I appreciated the thought behind all of them (OK, MOST of them – there was that “please give me an A” gift given right befor...
- A Visit to Charley Creek Inn in Wabashon Dec 8, 2016 in travel Charley Creek InnLast week, friend and commenter Leona and I made a trip to Wabash, a small Indiana town not far from where we live. She had visited the Charley Creek Inn restaurant there recently, and was anxious to return. Fortunately, I got to go along for the tri...
- Book of the Month Gift Membership for Christmason Dec 7, 2016 in Reviews Book of the MonthThanks to Book of the Month for sponsoring this post, which contains affiliate links. You regulars out there know how I enjoy reading. It always amazes me to encounter someone who does not, because really? What’s not to love — you can tra...
- Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine: ReviewMockingbird by Kathryn Erskine is a book for middle grade readers, grades 4-6. It is the story of Caitlin, a fifth grade girl with Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Caitlin’s mom died several years ago, and as the book opens, her older brother De...
- Menu Plan Monday 12/4/16on Dec 5, 2016 in In the Kitchen Menu Plan MondayWelcome to December, friends! Can you believe we are so close to Christmas now? I feel glad that I have most of my gifts purchased. But there are many other things to prepare for this month. This week will bring a Nutcracker performance that I’...
- Menu Plan Monday 12/5/16on Dec 5, 2016 in In the Kitchen Menu Plan MondayWelcome to December, friends! Can you believe we are so close to Christmas now? I feel glad that I have most of my gifts purchased. But there are many other things to prepare for this month. This week will bring a Nutcracker performance that I’...
- Tiny Prints Free Card SamplesThanks, Tiny Prints free samples, for sponsoring this post. A few weeks ago, I wrote to you about Tiny Prints cards. At that time, I took advantage of one of the card company’s offers myself: I ordered some free card samples. Because despite ho...
- Carmel Symphony: A Christmas Gift to TreasureChristmas is coming, and what should you buy for the kids in your life? I’d like to make the case for event-focused gifts. Let’s face it: many, if not most, kids here in the US have so many toys that they’ve become so much rubble to...
- Menu Plan Monday 9/5/2016on Sep 5, 2016 in Menu Plan MondayHappy Labor Day! It’s a bit bittersweet, as it signals the end of summer. I’ve really enjoyed this summer (as I usually do), and it seems it’s ended quickly (especially given how long I seemed to wait for it, through the winter). I...
- In Praise of Grocery Shoppingon Sep 2, 2016 in My favorite things Grocery ShoppingI love grocery shopping. Mondays are favorite days for me, largely because that’s when I go to a couple of grocery stores to buy the things I need for the week. I find it strange when I hear people complain about shopping for groceries, because...
- The Things We Wish Were True: Reviewon Sep 1, 2016 in reviews The Things We Wish Were True“And yet, Jencey understood, there were the things she wished were true, and there was what was actually true. She was learning that there was usually a great distance between the two.” With that, you have the title of “The Things W...
- Pippa Middleton FactsPippa Middleton Facts Pippa Middleton — sister of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge — captured the world’s attention from the moment she stepped into Westminster Abbey as a bridesmaid in Prince William and Kate’s wedding, in he...
- Lily and the Octopus: Reviewon Aug 30, 2016 in reviews Lily and the OctopusLily and the Octopus is a book about Lily, a 12-year-old dachshund, and her owner, 42-year-old single, lonely Ted. The “octopus” is Ted’s name for the (spoiler!) tumor on Lily’s head. And just from that much, you can probably...