Fakin' It

52 Weeks of Books: Week 4 - Our Abe Lincoln

Why do we sing the ABC's or 50 Nifty United States? It's because most people remember information presented in a song better than that which they've read or even heard spoken. My boys especially respond to music and when they were smaller I had a song for everything from bath time routine to table manners. I missed getting this out for President's Day but if you reference it next year maybe it can still come in handy.

The book Our Abe Lincoln presents simple yet accurate information on our 16th president to the tune of OLD GRAY MARE and will have you humming the tune long after you've closed the book.

Apparently you can buy the book with a CD. I have not heard the CD but it has gotten great reviews and contains about a 20 minute child-friendly narrative about Abraham Lincoln.

If you have a personal interest in Lincoln, I highly recommend Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly. It is the best history book I have ever read.

Pinterest Tested: Maple Brown Sugar Pork in the Crockpot

Source: joelens.blogspot.com via Becky on Pinterest

 

That pic above looks pretty tasty doesn't it? It is not my photo. It comes from What's Cooking Chicago. I pinned it awhile back and finally had the chance to try it out. Even though it looks great, you can never be sure how it really tastes. That's why I have started this series called Pinterest Tested, where I'll give you a second opinion about the recipes, crafts, tips and tricks I find on Pinterest.

My favorite thing about this recipe is that I had all the ingredients on hand. I am not a great cook and some ingredients that other consider staples are completely foreign to me. So we are off to a good start.

There are several ingredients in this recipe and it took longer than I like for a crockpot meal to assemble. I was hoping it would be worth the trouble. What worried me though is that I don't particularly like pork. It is my least favorite meat. ( My least favorite of the meats I eat, I won't touch lamb, venison or veal)

Since I don't love pork, I made this for my family on a night when I wouldn't be home for dinner. Not nice to make them the Guinea pigs, I know. I decided I had to at least take a bite and try it before I left. Guess what? It was good. Really good! Probably the best pork dish I have ever made. I will absolutely make it again on a night that I will be home for dinner. I paired it with cous cous and brussel sprouts. Yes I have weird children who eat brussel sprouts. So go to What's Cooking Chicago and get the recipe for yourself.

ENJOY!

52 Weeks of Books: Week 3 - Love, Ruby Valentine

There are so many Valentine books out there but my favorite to read for this holiday is Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman!

I bet you can't guess what Ruby's favorite time of the year is! Yep, Valentine's Day. This is a sweet and silly story about a little girl who spends all this time preparing the most special Valentine cards and treats for her friends only to sleep through the Holiday. And even though the main character is a girl, the charm and humor is not lost on the boys. If you are going to read this book aloud, funny voices are a must! Enjoy.

52 Weeks of Books: Week 2 - Lon PoPo

Since last week we celebrated Chinese New Year, I thought we would continue with the Chinese theme this week. I chose the Caldecott Award Winner Lon PoPo, a Chinese Red Riding Hood written and illustrated by Ed Young. PoPo is Chinese for grandmother.

I can see why this won the Caldecott award as the illustrations really help create that erie atmosphere to fit the storyline. Maybe it is the artwork but I do find this book a little creepier than the original Little Red Riding Hood and probably would not read to a Kindergarten class. That being said, there are some funny parts too. The essential story line is that the mother of three Chinese children, leaves to take food to their sick grandmother. The wolf overhears the mother leaving and decides to dress up as the grandmother so that they will let him into their home.  The children fall for the trick at first but in the end, they outsmart that mean old wolf.

If you have time, it might be interesting to also read the award winning book Little Red Riding Hood retold and illustrated by Tina Scharthyman. This is the original version by the Grimm brothers and actually has the grandmother getting eaten and then saved by the woodsman. Compare and contrast not only the stories but the illustrations. Which author/illustrator does a better job of conveying the mood of the story?

I am starting another new series on my blog called The Pinterest Test. I have become completely obsessed with Pinterest! To motivate me to actually try the things that I've pinned, I am going to test them and give you my opinion on everything from recipes to crafts to cleaning tips. Be sure to check back soon.