Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover

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School’s First Day of School ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

This is the perfect book for back-to-school!

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

School’s First Day of School

By Adam Rex

Pictures by Christian Robinson

(Roaring Brook Press, 2016)

School was new.

He was so new that he didn’t realize children would soon come pouring through his doors. Gasp! Janitor was his confidant and friend and tried to tell him things would be great.

But School was anxious.

And the children came to school. Some were bored (that hurt School’s feelings), some cried and were afraid to stay at school (School was that bad?), and School even had an accidental fire drill the first day!

Would School enjoy being School?

I LOVED this story! Who would have thought about first-day-of-school-new-building story from the viewpoint of the school!

Funny, imaginative, and realistic. School’s First Day of School will lighten the hearts of all readers.

KID KANDY:

Draw a Picture of Your School

Materials: paper, pencils, markers, crayons

1. Use the pencil to outline your school. Maybe you go to a huge elementary school, a small private school, or homeschool. Whichever type of school you attend, draw a picture of it.

2. Decorate your school. Maybe you could name your school, or print the name it already has on the top of the building.

3. Share your picture.

How do you think School felt before the first day? How did the boys and girls feel about going back to school? How do YOU feel about going to school?

I love school! Now that I am a writer and I work from home, I don’t get to enjoy the first day of school as a teacher. I miss school! But I hope to visit again soon and read books with my favorite people – the students.


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Do You Remember Free Towels?

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

I don’t usually dwell on where my towels originated, other than to contemplate how old the ratty ones are and consider if it’s time for a towel shopping bonanza.

As all but the last few ancient, ragged towels are happily ensconced in the RV, awaiting our arrival, we are making due with some threadbare specimens.

No remaining borders, faded designs, frayed edges, thin fabric – this is the state of the towels piled in the cupboard. If my sister saw them, she would zoom straight as the crow flies to a nearby department store and stock us up with new fluffy towels.

But sister, never fear. We have plenty of good towels. They are just living in our other home.

Tonight, as I dried off with one of the antique versions, tiny in size but amazingly colorful, I had a flashback to when towels came free.

In detergent boxes! Do you remember those little plastic encased free towels? I’m not entirely sure that this blue floral number is not one of those freebies. It’s still in use, at least 25 years later.

After an online search, I found several old detergent brands that offered free face cloths, knives, glasses, and towels. Breeze sounded familiar, but the images I saw only offered face cloths. Bonus advertised a full sized towel, but that name doesn’t ring a bell. How fun to look at the old packaging, all the way back in the late 1950’s and 1960’s.

Wait! I found it. Breeze is one of the detergents that included free towels. Check out my Pinterest board (For the Home) and scroll to see the Breeze box. Angie’s Pinterest Boards

Ahh, memories. I truly am not old enough to buy detergent in the 50-60’s, but let’s try the 70’s. Back in the good old days. . . free stuff when one went shopping!

I still love free!

I’d love to hear your memories. Were you ever the recipient of free towels? Glasses? Dinnerware? Green stamps (you could buy all sorts of wonderful items with green stamps)?


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A Tiger Tail (Or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School) ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

A Tiger Tail (Or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School)

By Mike Boldt

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016)

When Anya woke up one morning, her first day of school, she discovered that she had grown a tiger tail overnight!

One can imagine how embarassing it would be to trot into school with a tiger tail trailing along behind! Anya was devastated. Would she even be allowed to go to school with a tiger tail?

Anya, being a very creative and problem solver type of girl, tried several different avenues to take care of the situation. NONE of which worked.

Which meant, Anya had to go to school, tiger tail and all.

Once Anya made it to school, she discovered that having a tiger tail was not so bad after all.

A Tiger Tail (Or What Happened to Anya on Her First Day of School) is a hilarious cleverly illustrated and written picture book. Problem solving, anxiety over the first day of school, and seeing how others are different are some of the issues found in this delightful book.

Readers both young and old will love Anya’s tale. Er, tail.

KID KANDY

For Fun: Make a Tail to Wear Around the House

Materials: a long sock, newspaper, safety pins

1. Crinkle newspapers into small balls and stuff the sock. Leave an inch or so at the top.

2. Ask for help! Pin the sock to the waistband of your pants. Now you have a tail. Try and wear it all day. How did you do? Any problems? Would you like to go to school with a tail?

For Real: Plan for the First Day of School

What makes you really nervous about the first day of school? Some things that made me anxious were new classmates, a new teacher, not knowing where my class was, wearing new clothes, and getting on the right bus to go home.

Choose 1 thing that makes you nervous. Plan how to take care of it before school begins.

1. New classmates? Look for one person you know from last year. Or your neighborhood. Walk up and say hi. Plan to play together at recess. Now you have at least one friend!

2. New teacher? Some schools host a meet-the-teacher day. Ask your parents to take you to meet your teacher. Whew! Now you know what he/she looks like. You might even find your desk.

3. Find your class. If you visited the teacher, you will already know. Otherwise, a parent can walk you in the first day, you can ask an adult at the school for help, or you can ask an older student to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance. I’ve noticed that most people love to help!

4. Choose your first-day-of-school clothes and hang them out, ready for the big day. Now you don’t need to worry about what to wear.

5. Riding the bus? Your teacher will help you. Or any of the other adults who work at your school. You can even ask the bus drivers. If you are going to kindergarten, you will probably wear an address tag with a bus number. Learn that number! But remember, there are many people just waiting to help you find the right bus!

Now – go out there and enjoy your first day of school.


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My New Favorite Packing Tool

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

This girl has some hard-to-wrap-and-secure items.

Enter plastic wrap. It’s my new favorite packing tool.

Not only can I easily see what is packed inside the wrapping, the items are secure (should a moving earthquake occur and miniature items move around), the glass is held firmly in place, cords are stuck together instead of trailing around, and I always have plastic wrap on hand.

It’s a win-win strategy!

You’re welcome.


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Moving

 by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

The box that was filled with flyers listing our home as FOR SALE is empty. That doesn’t mean we are done with this whole moving process. Not at all.

For instance, as I tidied and prepped, boxed and bagged, I discovered that I had 3 of those old fashioned hair dryers.

You know the ones. The type that comes in a hat-type carrying case, with a long hose leading from the base to the plastic hat, and the lovely plastic hat that one puts on over curlers. Or, in my case, over my plastic bag wrapped deep conditioned hair. It really works.

But 3? Who needs 3 hair dryers of that sort? Last time I checked, I only had (and still have) 1 head.

What can I say? This scenario has been repeated several times with different items as I’ve cleared out closets, drawers, and cupboards. Hoarder? Yard sale hound? Bargain monster?

I prefer to call myself a collector.

The good news is, we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Piles of this and that for various people have mostly been sent to their new homes. The debris is disappearing a little more every day.

The adventure continues! How to fit everything we need – or think we need – into an RV. It’s a never-ending puzzle.

Hair dryer anyone?


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54 Years Later – Nana Finally Gets Someone Who Resembles Her

Little Angie

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Actually, it is 53 years – until my birthday in November. Why am I making myself older than I am???

A tiny baby girl was born 53 years ago. When that girl was married, she had 2 children, a boy and a girl. Neither resembled her. YES. She was there for the birth, so she knows they are hers.

Much later, the boy and girl both married their lifemates and produced wonderful grandchilden. None of which looked even the slightest bit like the Nana. Rather, they looked like mommy or daddy or this cousin or that one, or even aunties and uncles. No one resembled short little Nana.

Until now. Nana giggles and rubs her hands together with glee.

Little Autumn, the youngest princess, coming in at barely 3 months old, finally shows signs of having something in common with the Nana!

Autumn’s eyes look like Nana’s eyes. A family resemblance – how nice for me!

Little Autumn and her Nana eyes!

This Nana is happy with even the slightest hint of “she has my eyes.” I would be fine if she had Papa’s height and not my lack. Actually, I am very happy that she is healthy. A slight resemblance is just eye-cing on the cake. Wink, wink.

Yippee for grands.

Do your children resemble you? How about those grands?

Just chatting with my Nana.


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Early Pumpkin Harvest

Safe and gorgeous

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

I harvested 8 pumpkins this morning.

It’s August.

Harvesting pumpkins in August just does not sound right. Especially when it will be around 90 later this afternoon.

Not right at all.

Extenuating circumstances encouraged me to wade deep in the bristly pumpkin patch and knee high grass to grasp my favorite orange fall buddies. Er, I mean, signs of the season. Sure, I talk to my pumpkins. And those dratted slugs and squash bugs. I do admit to speaking kindly to my pumpkin pals. Not so much with the vermin.

Doesn’t everyone talk to their plants and garden inhabitants? No? Hmmm.

Slugs. They were eating HOLES in my pumpkins! I rolled one large pumpkin over and a huge spotted slug, probably 3-4 inches long when stretched out, was coiled comfortably in the blossom end hollow. UGH. Tiny little slime booger slugs were creeping all over as well.

Odd. Spring. Weather. We had the weirdest spring. That is all I can blame on the extremely early crops. It was very warm, very hot, and then very cold. Plants in my area don’t know what to do. Except grow.

Squash bugs. I’ve been so busy packing up the house, I missed recognizing the sign of yellowed leaves that indicated I had extra special garden pest visitors. Why, those hungry little insects have moved right in!

Orange. These pumpkin babies were colorful and ready to visit my porch.

Snip, snip, tug, and off we went away from hungry mouths to the safety of shade and protection.

Fall (in August) here we come!

How is your garden growing this year?


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Cars Rushing! Honking! Zooming! ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Cars Rushing! Honking! Zooming!

By Patricia Hubbell

Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy

(Marshall Cavendish Children, 2006)

I love the vintage illustrations of Cars Rushing! Honking! Zooming!

This fun picture book is about all sorts of vehicles. And the drivers are not necessarily human!

Told in rhyme, Cars Rushing! Honking! Zooming! features things vehicles do as well as places they go and specific information about them (like the parts of a car).

I enjoyed the feel of this book. Any child who loves things that GO will have fun reading Cars Rushing! Honking! Zooming!

KID KANDY:

Masking Tape Highways

Materials: toy vehicles, blocks, masking tape

1. Stick masking tape on the floor or carpet (or furniture) to create winding roads on the floor.

2. Use blocks to build homes, businesses, and community features.

3. Drive those vehicles along the roads and use your imagination to pretend you are really in a car. Isn’t that fun?

4. Pull up the tape as soon as you are done playing so it doesn’t stick on the floor!

Zoom, zoom!


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Favorite Summer Recipe ~ Stuffed Squash

Crispy stuffed squash, a summer favorite!

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Ahh. The bounty of summer awaits my growling tummy!

Though I am posting this recipe today, I made this dish several weeks ago. Due to the odd weather this year and very early and hot spring temperatures, the produce schedule is very early or entirely off schedule!

I know. But we take what we get and have a fancy meal. I also acknowledge that I post this recipe in some form almost every year. It is that good.

This year, on July 1st (so early), I harvested a zucchini and a yellow squash plus wax and green beans. So delish!

 

Stuffing for the squash

Stuffed Squash

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey

washed and chopped green and wax beans

2 squash, washed, cut in half lengthwise, and scooped out

1 can of black beans, rinsed

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 carrot, diced

1 onion, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 cups chicken broth

parsley

black pepper

crushed peppers

salt

Mrs. Dash

onion powder

olive oil

grated cheddar cheese

Prepped squash. I sometimes like to add olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper before I stuff them.

1. Saute onion, garlic, and carrot in olive oil. Add turkey meat to brown it.

2. After turkey is browned, add black beans, beans, tomatoes, and spices (to your taste). Add enough chicken broth to make a thick mixture. Let cook until bubbling and fragrant.

3. Stuff peppers with stuffing. I love them full and overflowing. You will probably have leftovers, which makes a tasty soup or casserole base. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

4. Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Check often as you near the end of your cooking time to make sure squash ingredients are not overcooking. We like a crispy cheese topping, so we let them cook the full time.

5. Remove and enjoy!

Ready for the oven.

You can add almost anything to this dish. If I have quinoa, it goes in the mix. At times I’ve added broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms – you name it, I’ve probably had it in my stuffed squash.

I just love summer gardens and their tasty treats, don’t you? What’s your favorite summer dish?


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It Came in the Mail ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

It Came in the Mail

By Ben Clanton

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016)

Who doesn’t love mail and wish for something exciting to show up in the mail box?

Liam does, that’s for sure. But, as he put it, after checking daily (and more), he got diddly-squat.

After an idea brainstorm, Liam decided he needed to write some mail in order to get some. So Liam wrote a letter to his mailbox and asked for something BIG.

The mailbox delivered.

And delivered. And delivered. Until finally, Liam had so much mail, he had a different problem to solve.

I love It Came in the Mail. Lots of wonderful illustrations filled in the blanks and added details for readers to enjoy. Liam and his buddy, Jamel, were fun characters. The common thread of a childhood wish (to get mail, just like a grown-up) was solved in a very inventive way!

Readers will love It Came in the Mail. Who knows? Maybe your child will even want to write a letter to the mailbox. Just be prepared for an answer.

KID KANDY:

Write a Letter

Materials: writing paper, pencil, crayons, envelope, stamp

1. Choose the person (friend, aunt, uncle, grandma, grandpa, dad, mom, or the mailbox) for whom you want to write a letter.

2. Write a letter to that person.

3. Decorate the letter.

4. Fold the letter and place it in the envelope. Ask an adult to help you address the envelope and place the stamp in the correct place.

5. Mail the letter.

6. Wait.

7. Check the mailbox for an answer. Every day.

P.S. You can write more letters while you are waiting. Or draw pictures of what you think you will get in the mail. Or use your imagination to think of things you’d like to see come out of the mailbox.

Getting mail is so much fun! I’d love to hear what showed up in your mailbox!