Container Store Gift Card Winner
June 29, 2007
I had fun reading the many tips I received, and I know I’ll be putting some of them to good use in the coming months.
I said way back when this contest began that I would pick the winner, and I was looking for something I hadn’t heard before, something I’d probably have never thought of on my own.
There were definitely a number of those, but there was one that I thought of over and over–Jennifer’s tip of pre-packing child activity bags. Here it is again, in case you missed it.
Jennifer says, “Organize your tote bag and minimize chaos while in a ‘waiting’ situation with a child (doctor’s office, restaurant, car, etc.) by pre-packing activity packs. Pack bags with small, quiet activities such as crayons, stickers, pad of paper, small cars, deck of cards, snacks, etc.
I suggest making several different packs for each child in your family based on their age and interest. Set all in a basket by the door so that you can grab them and enjoy the peace and quiet that follows.”
So Jennifer is our winner. Thanks so much for the tip, Jennifer!
And thank you to everyone who entered. It was a bit more work than I expected but a lot of fun. Maybe we’ll have to do this again next year.
In the meantime, you have until the end of the month to enter the contest for Rene Gutteridge’s latest book Snitch. If you like comedy and suspense, this book’ll be right up your alley.
All Tipped Out
June 28, 2007
The last day of tips is here!
Tanta says, “Give loose items ‘homes’ in closed containers. If they are out of sight, your home feels more organized and you are more ready for dreaded drop-ins.”
Kerri suggests two solutions to the horrific experience of letting the wash sit and stagnate or letting the dryer stop and the clothes wrinkle. Set a timer (and then get up and take care of it!) or use an old baby monitor. You’ll hear the washer quit or the dryer beep or stop, and you’ll know it’s ready for you to come do your thing.
Liz left two good tips. She says, “My roommate and I have a little sticky pad on the inside of a kitchen cupboard where we make a list of borrowed items so we know who borrowed what from us. It’s out of the way but easy to use and cross items off when they are returned.”
She also says, ” I have a computer file with all my passwords saved. The password for the computer file is a “family one” that both my parents and siblings are aware of in case something should happen to me.”
Not a bad idea. I know there are a number of things in our home that I take care of, and my hubby has no clue on the details. Wouldn’t be bad to have that down someplace.
Jennifer says, “I buy containers, cubbies and shelves that are on sale. Then, when I tackle a cleaning/organizing job, I already have things available without making a special trip.”
Ooooo! A reason to shop for organizational goodies! I’ll definitely share this one with my hubby. Good tip, Jennifer.
Mary Beth says, “Keep items you use frequently close at hand. To minimize clutter, use storage containers, baskets, and bowls. This keeps me organized and is visually pleasing.”
That first part, keeping things close at hand, seems like one of those obvious ones, but I know too often I find myself digging through things for an item I use over and over. That’s when you know it’s time to empty the closet and fix it.
Here’s a tip I so agree with. Janette says, “Find a planner you like and USE it. Carry it with you wherever you go. I keep it near the bathroom when I shower. I keep a running shopping list (for Target, Walmart, etc.) in it. I keep my planner nearby when I’m praying or reading the Bible since that is always when we think of things we need to do. I just jot it down and go back to what I was doing.”
I love my planner. I could go on and on about that thing, but I’ll show restraint and not do it at this time. (Big sighs of relief, I’m sure.) When I use my planner right, it’s hard to lose information like the repair guy’s phone number or doctor’s appointments or what the contractor originaly quoted you on that kitchen remodel.
And this last one is another obvious one but well worth stating since it’s too easy to overlook.
Robin says, “I’ve found that so many of my organizational woes come from my mental state. I tend to get overwhelmed and stressed by too many details, and if there are too many things that need to be tackled all at one time, I get almost paralyzed.
A few years ago, I prayed a prayer that immediately calmed me down. “Father, you are not a God of chaos, but of order. I need you to bring order into this chaos, because I can’t do it.”
I pray this any time I’m getting overwhelmed, and things seem to fall into place. I’m calmer and can figure out what to do first.”
Love that! Of course, the emphasis is not so much on the words as the fact that she turned to God for help. Before anything else, pray! Thanks for the reminder, Robin.
Phew! That’s all the tips. But tomorrow I’ll announce the winner. Stay tuned . . .
- Only a few more days to enter the drawing for Snitch! Winner will be announced on Monday.
Take a Deep Breath . . .
June 27, 2007
. . . cause we are still flying through the tips!
Charlotte says, “Drop one mothball into your outside garbage can to keep flies away.”
I currently live in a condo, but I’ll keep this tip in mind whenever we have our own outdoor garbage container. On the other hand, maybe our condo dumpster could use a bunch of mothballs. Wonder if they’ll keep squirrels away?
Holly says to put lots of shelves in the garage.
Yep, let’s keep the garage floor clear for the car! Another thing I dream of having some day. (Okay, bad writing there — I have a car; I dream of having a garage.)
Patricia says to keep small things rubberbanded or in a small container, and Eric suggests rubberbanding shoes together. Put them sole to sole and wrap a rubberband around them.
Joni says, “I save all the rubber bands that come on our daily newspaper and use them for everyday needs around the house. I store them in a zip lock baggie so they all stay in one place.”
My kids’ Sunday School teacher used to paper clip all their papers together each Sunday, and I saved those clips and never had to buy my own. Just one way to save a little money here and there. Good tip, Joni!
Carol says, “I use little clear plastic boxes to keep my cosmetics organized in my bathroom drawers.”
I do this in our bathroom. We have a vanity cabinet with a big open space beneath the sink. In other words, no drawers. So I got the big plastic boxes with clear drawers, and we keep everything there — hair dryer, brushes, toothpaste, cotton balls, all that fun stuff we women can’t live without.
Along those lines, Sarah says, “Use a smaller desk organizer for cosmetics to go in narrow drawers for dressing rooms or bathrooms.”
Shea says, “We have a very tiny full bathroom (the only one!), and there is virtually NO cupboard or shelf space for towels and washcloths. I purchased two of those hanging ‘canvas/vinyl’ sweater organizers. They velcro attach to the shower curtain bar at the far end of the tub, facing outwards, and because they have only the front opening, they stay dry!
Now we have ample storage space for bath towels, washcloths, some other hard-to-place linens like extra toilet lid covers and bathmats, and they really don’t take up that much room at the end of the tub– in addition, being outside the shower curtain, they wind up providing even MORE protection keeping shower water IN the tub and not down the curtain and onto the floor.”
Interesting. For those of you without bathroom storage, this might be a good solution. Thanks, Shea.
One more day of tips, and then the winner of the Container Gift Store will be announced!
- Don’t forget to enter the contest for Rene Gutteridge’s latest book Snitch.
The Divine Appointment by Jerome Teel
June 27, 2007
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jerome Teel is a graduate of Union University, where he received his JD, cum laude, from the Ole Miss School of Law. He is actively involved in his church, local charities, and youth sports.
He has always loved legal-suspense novels and is a political junkie. He is also the author of The Election, another political thriller that we reviewed November of ‘06.
Jerome and his wife, Jennifer, have three children…Brittney, Trey, and Matthew…and they reside in Tennessee where he practices law and is at work on a new novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Small town southern lawyer, Elijah Faulkner is a dying breed…an attorney that actually takes pleasure in fighting injustice by working hard for the little guy. But when he takes on a case to defend a philandering doctor with a pregnant wife in a seemingly open-and-shut murder trial, Eli is not so sure he is on the ‘right’ side.
Back in Washington D.C., supreme Court Justice Martha Robinson has died, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for conservative President Richard Wallace to impact the direction of the highest court in the land. He believes God put him in the presidency for just such a time as this…to make a Divine Appointment. Not everyone is thrilled with the president’s nominee, however. And some will stop at nothing, including murder, to prevent his confirmation by the Senate.
A lobbyist with a vendetta, a small-time Mafioso, an investigative reporter with a Watergate complex, and a powerful Washington political machine combine to create a fast-paced suspense novel that explores the anatomy of a murder, and the ripple effect that it creates across the country.
“Jerome Teel has crafted an intriguing political thriller…nice twists and turns to keep you reading. he paints vivid mental pictures that bring characters and locales to life.”
–Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee’s 7th District
Learning to Love Exercise
June 26, 2007
Yes, it’s actually true. I really enjoy the elliptical machine.
I’ve been running/jogging/whatever-you-call-it on that thing a lot more often lately. I take my mp3 player and listen to writing conference classes. The classes run about an hour so I have a reason to stay on the thing a long time, although I haven’t done a full hour yet.
It’s amazing to see the calories you can burn off in a handful of minutes. My record so far is 482. That made me smile. I’m going to go for 500 calories today. I think that should take me around 45 minutes.
All this means that I’ve started making progress in one of my original goals — to make healthy changes to my life, not just to diet and deprive myself. I still struggle with telling myself what I can and cannot eat. My hands and mouth are mutinous, I tell you!
But for those of us doing the Tales from the Scales challenge, remember that this isn’t an overnight change. If we’re going to lose some weight and keep it off, we have to implement new life-long habits.
Has all this “fun” exercise paid off?
Yes, I’ve lost 3 pounds since last week.
Bring on the elliptical!
Missing the Obvious
June 26, 2007
We’re continuing in our organizational tip contest this week. I received a number of tips that fell into that “obvious” category, but they’re obvious for a good reason — they really work! And even as I did some purging of my own last week, I was reminded how often I think I’m doing the obvious tips that work when I’m really not.
- Velma and Susan both said to put things away as soon as you finish using them. That’s an obvious tip that is too easy to ignore.
- Tamara, Connie, Tiffany, Valerie, and Sylvia all reminded me to label containers. Valerie even added the idea of using a different colored tub for each person’s storage.
- Sandra, Carrie, Miranda, and Betty all said to sort mail right away. Carrie goes through her mail right beside the trash can, and Joan said that she uses three folders to deal with paperwork. One file says to pay, one says to file, one says to do, and when she opens the mail, everything not trash-worthy goes into one of those files. Great idea, Joan.
- Liz Zelie says she and her roommate have a ten-minute clean-up time whenever they feel their place needs to be cleaned up. She says it’s amazing what you can get done in ten minutes. I’d agree.
- Tracy says that everyone in her house has a basket with their name on it, and their items that need to be put away go in it. When they’re watching TV at night, they take a commercial break and put all their things away. Sounds like something I did as a kid!
- Cecilia says that for quick company clean-up, she throws whatever is lying around in a plastic bin and puts it out of sight. When company leaves, everyone takes their stuff out and puts it away. Not a bad idea for those all-too-many times when we forget to put away immediately what we’ve finished using.
So there are all kinds of original ways to get your house picked up. But here’s one more obvious but oh-so-good tip for us.
The Big Woman, Pat, Debbie, Betsy, C, Adhab, and Cynthia, all say THROW THINGS AWAY! They suggest various ways from literally throwing what you no longer use in the trash, to donating it, recycling it, or selling it on E-Bay. I just spent two days going through closets and did this. The rooms I cleaned look so much better, and I feel so much better. Thanks, everyone!
Along those lines, Angela says she makes it her goal to throw away one item every day. There’s a tip I really like! Breaking big items down into little pieces makes it so doable. Great tip, Angela.
Well, 2 more days of tips, and then I’ll announce the winner. But for right now, I need to find something to throw out . . .
Lots of Little Tips
June 25, 2007
We’re going to be flying through the tips this week! I hope these are helpful to you. Some of you have already let me know you’ve used one or two which is great.
So without further ado . . .
Tonya writes, “Keep a basket between the seats in your car to organize and prevent your stuff such as purse, keys, cell phone, kleenex from sliding and getting lost under the seat.”
Good tip. My car doesn’t have space for this, but I did once have a van where I found quickly that I needed a container to put my things in or everything in the back could slide forward and stop beneath the brake. Yep, not good.
Jennifer says, “Organize your tote bag and minimize chaos while in a “waiting” situation with a child (doctor’s office, restaurant, car, etc.) by pre-packing activity packs. Pack bags with small, quiet activities such as crayons, stickers, pad of paper, small cars, deck of cards, snacks, etc.
I suggest making several different packs for each child in your family based on their age and interest. Set all in a basket by the door so that you can grab them and enjoy the peace and quiet that follows.”
That’s a fantastic tip, Jennifer! We do this type of thing for long car trips so why not for the short ones too? Love this tip!
Hazel says, ” Keep a small container that is alphabetized beneath your bed and file small items like bobby pins, paperclips, sewing needles, etc., so that when you are in need, you can go to one place to find them.”
I really like this tip, too, except I wouldn’t put it under the bed. But we have so many little things, and they typically get stuffed in drawers and disappear, never to resurface again — until you buy two or three replacements!
Jill says, “Put a dust ruffle on your bed to hide storage containers underneath. It’s an easy way to hide and grab linens that change with the seasons.”
I’m sure many of us store things under our beds. I know I do due to the small size of our home. The dust ruffle is a great idea to keep boxes and such out of sight and beautify at the same time (if you can get the dust ruffle ironed, that is! Someone send me a tip for that! I’ve given up.)
Richard says, “I use the small baskets to separate coupons for food, shampoo, dental, etc. . . . I stack them on top of each other and hide in the closet til needed.”
That’s interesting. You could label the baskets and then grab the one you need just by a quick glance. Good tip, Richard!
And our last one is from Katharine who says, “Put bolts of ribbon on a curtain rod and hang it in the craft room or in the back of a closet. Everything is neat and organized when you need it.”
Good tip, Katherine! I have no ribbon myself, not being a seamstress. (My mom tried, really.) I am a scrapbooker, but I haven’t gotten into the ribbon yet. I’ll keep this tip in mind when I do.
Thanks, everyone, for the tips. Anyone have something similar they’d like to share?
Those Dreaded Closets
June 22, 2007
Okay, I’ll admit to finding closet cleaning a ton of fun. When I get the urge to do deep cleaning, I think I always start with a closet.
I think partly that’s because purging a closet is pretty emotionless. That beach towel that you found leaves black lint all over you? It’s so in the trash. And those decorative pink towels someone gave you that don’t match your ocean- themed bathroom? They’re just perfect for the next time you wash your car.
See what I mean? Easy.
Four people sent me their closet tips.
Marilyn says, “I divide my closet into four sections for winter, spring, summer, and fall clothes.”
That’s a great idea. I know some people pack seasonal clothes away, but then you’ve got all that ironing to do. I like this idea, Marilyn!
Sheryl suggests this to weed out items you don’t use — put everything on one half of the closet and after a couple of months, it’ll be clear what you don’t use.
And then you toss it! Or give it away. I think I’d use this with my clothes. I’d like to think I wear them all, but I know better.
James says, “Use a warehouse-styled location system to locate seasonal and seldom-used items in storage by using your computer.
When an item is stored using a computer spreadsheet, make a row record including the following: item type, description, date of storage, room, aisle or area, level (for shelves and cupboards), position on level, storage type (shelving, hanger, drawer).
Additional fields like purchase date and cost can make the storage function as a personal property inventory record in the event of fire, flood, or other calamity. And because the information is on a spreadsheet, records can be sorted by item type, location, age, etc. so that decisions can be made quickly about what to do with them.
It also works great to store items to be sold on E-Bay or other online auctions so that these can be quickly located, packed, and shipped when sold. “
Wow! James, I think you’d like to come organize my house, right? This might be a bit of work to set up, but you’d sure know where things were when you needed them, and I like that.
Our last tip is from Jennifer who says she and her family store all their clothes on shelving systems, those assemble-yourself four-shelf units that are open on all four sides. She says things were always getting buried and lost in the back or bottom of bureau drawers, but now they can see everything so they can use everything.
This is like Monday’s post from Julie, about putting all her dressers & clothes in the laundry room. This may not work for everybody due to closet size, but for some this could really be a help. Thanks, Jennifer.
And thanks to you all for the ideas. But I know there’s got to be more buzzing in your heads. Share away, please!
- Don’t forget to follow this link if you’d like a shot at a free book!
Just Have to Share
June 21, 2007
One of my blogging buddies, Camy Tang, has her first book, Sushi for One?, releasing this September. She calls herself the loud Asian chick who writes loud Asian chicklit. I keep hearing good things about her series — I’m looking forward to the release of that first book.
Yesterday Camy discovered that the cover for the second book in her three book series is out, and here it is. Isn’t it fabulous? For whatever reason, I really connect with this cover. The soft green, the jeans, the comfy couch — I just love it.
I haven’t read word one of her books yet, but let me tell you — the talk about her is building. I bet these books will do great. Camy writes a fun blog I drop by daily. And she gives books away every week. What’s not to like, right?
We’ll get back to our organizational tips contest tomorrow. Sorry for the delay. Been a busy week, but sadly that’s every week. Now I’m off to write my own book which will hopefully soon get its own great cover!
Reluctant Runaway by Jill Nelson
June 20, 2007
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Elizabeth Nelson is a member of the CFBA. Her blog, Artistic Blogger, addresses issues about art, art theft, antiquities preservation, and the art of fiction writing. She takes art seriously – when she’s not having fun with it, that is. The To Catch a Thief Series combines her love of the written word with her love of other art forms.
The first in the series was Reluctant Burglar , second is Reluctant Runaway. In January 2008, she will reveal the third book, Reluctant Smuggler. Jill is thrilled if the adventures that spill from her imagination can raise awareness about art theft – deemed “a looming criminal enterprise” by the FBI. Jill and her husband, Doug, have four children and live in Minnesota.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Stolen Indian artifacts…A murdered museum guard…
A missing woman…A baby in danger…
Only Desiree can unearth the horrifying secret that links them all.
Museum security expert Desiree Jacobs doesn’t mean to get in danger’s path. Really she doesn’t. But when a friend is in trouble you don’t just walk away. No matter what your overprotective FBI agent boyfriend says! So when Desi and Tony’s date at a presidential ball is interrupted by a frantic Maxine Webb, Desi doesn’t hesitate to jump in.
Soon Desi is neck-deep in a confusing array of villains. Did Max’s niece run away or was she taken? Is she still alive or the victim of a perverse ritual? And who wants her infant son–and why?
Then Tony’s organized crime case collides with Desi’s investigation, throwing them both into the path of something dark and sinister. Something that craves blood…
From the streets of Desi’s beloved Boston to the mountain desert of New Mexico, Desi and Tony must rely on God to thwart unseen forces–and save a young woman and her baby from a villain more evil than any of them can imagine.
“A fresh voice, strong heroine, and unique plot make Reluctant Runaway a can’t-put-down read. Jill Elizabeth Nelson is an author to watch in the realm of romantic suspense!”
—-SUSAN MAY WARREN award-winning author of In Sheep’s Clothing
Tuesday Check Up
June 19, 2007
I was AWOL last Tuesday for my Tales from the Scales blog weigh-in. But I was on a mini-vacation with my hubby so I frankly didn’t care. We had a good time, ate some good food, and I’m up a pound this week.
But I still weigh less than I do when this whole thing started so I’m happy. I did half an hour on the elliptical early this morning and am planning on doing that the rest of the week. That should make me get to bed on time at night!
If you haven’t heard of Tales from the Scales yet, check it out. It’s still not to late to jump in.
Kitchen Tips
June 18, 2007
That’s a rather boring title there, but I couldn’t come up with anything clever. Without further ado, here are the tips.
Michelle says, “I use plastic containers and/or lazy susans in the fridge to help stop items from getting ‘lost’ in the back. It’s especially helpful for husband who can only find things in the front.”
I like this tip. I’m constantly losing food to the evil back of the fridge where it goes bad and causes me to make nasty noises when I discover it months later. Must try this tip.
Rebecca says, “I’ve found an easy way to utilize the space on that skinny shelf in the middle of the fridge — put down a cookie tray and instead of losing stuff in the back of the fridge, just pull out the tray and everything on that shelf is easily visible and reachable.”
I don’t have a skinny shelf, but if I did, I’d have to try this one, too.
Giana says, “Store all of your pastas, grains, flours and sugars in sealable containers to avoid bugs.”
Ugh. Bugs. Hate bugs. Just as evil as the back of the fridge. Why on earth did God make bugs? Certainly not to get into my food! So this one’s a good tip, too.
Jackie says, “Do you feel like you never see your friends anymore? Once a month get together in somebody’s kitchen and cook — breads, muffins, desserts, nothing hard and something that makes a lot to share. Then we take home a freezer full. Not only does this save me time in the kitchen all month, but I get to spend time with friends I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.”
Now this one is very original. My mom and a friend used to do this at Christmas. They’d go to one person’s house, bring all kinds of baking ingredients and Christmas records and bake Christmas cookies all day while they played music. A great idea!
Anyone else have a kitchen trick? Please feel free. I’m all for anything that makes my life in the kitchen easier.
- On Wednesday–we take a peek into the closet
- Winner announced June 29
Shrinking Laundry
June 15, 2007
Last month, a lot of you sent me your best tip. I’ve spent a couple days sorting them into the best categories I could, and we’re starting today with some really good laundry tips.
I know. Who likes laundry? Well, maybe some of these tips will make this tedious chore a bit less consuming.
Blog reader Kerri sent in three laundry tips.
Instead of ironing, she uses Downy Wrinkle Releaser. It smoothes out wrinkles and fixes that flipped up edge that jean skirts and khakis can get. AND she’s found a way to make her own a bit cheaper. We like cheaper. She refills the bottle with a capful of regular liqid Downy and fills the rest with distilled water. I don’t know about you, but I really hate ironing so anything that helps eliminate that is wonderful.
Another tip she gave is to sort clothes into baskets as you take them off. She has stacking baskets that work for her, and she says that even preschoolers can sort their own clothes. Get those kids doing whatever little chores they can, right?
Her last tip is a unique one. If she has an article of clothing that has a stain that needs to be treated, she ties the arms or legs in a knot so that when she washes that load, the knot reminds her to treat that stain. This is a great tip, and, Kerri, I’m going to start doing this one because too often until I am hanging up a washed and dried shirt — with a nice permanent stain on the front. Hate that.
Also Julie sent in an interesting tip that I know will work for some but not everyone. She wrote, “We recently revamped our laundry room to include shelves and baskets for everyone’s clothes. I am working on moving one of the dressers from the kids’ room down there, too. My goal is to keep about 75% of our family’s clothes in that one area.”
My initial reaction to this was why on earth? Julie evidently read my mind because she continued, “I want the kids to be able to get dressed in the laundry room, leaving their dirty clothes behind in the proper hampers. No laundry piles in the bedrooms. I want the dressers there so that when we wash, dry and fold, we can put things away immediately without leaving the room. No dressers in the bedrooms, hanging half open with clothes spilling out.”
And Julie adds that she has a rather large laundry room which can accomodate storage shelves and dressers. I know it won’t work for me, but I know of other people who have fairly large laundry rooms and it’s an interesting idea that could work for them. In fact, Julie, how ’bout an update?
I hope those tips got your mind clicking. If you have a great laundry tip that you’d like to leave, please do. The more tips, the better. But the only tips eligible for the Container Store gift card are the ones I received in May. And the winner will be announced June 29.
- On Monday — getting busy in the kitchen!
As I Have Loved You by Nikki Arana
June 13, 2007
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nikki Arana is an award-winning author of highly-acclaimed inspirational women’s fiction who weaves today’s social, political, and spiritual issues into her novels. She has received numerous awards, including the Excellence in Media 2007 Silver Angel Award for The Winds of Sonoma.
The book was based on the true love story of how Nikki met her future husband Antonio as he was cleaning the stalls of her parents’ Arabian horses. Nikki and Antonio have been married for over thirty years, have two grown sons, and live in Idaho.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Leigh Scott is a widowed, single mother who wants the best for her son Jeff. She would like him to graduate from college, land a secure job, and start a family. However, Jeff, who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) at a young age, has a God-given compassion for people. And his non-judgemental acceptance of all has unintended consequences.
Jeff starts dating Jessica, a girl with a questionable past and seemingly non-existent future. Soon, Jeff’s grades drop as quickly as his sober determination to achieve the goals he’s worked toward all his life, and Leigh finds herself caught ina relational tornado
To complicate matters further, Leigh is an author with a looming book deadline, a father battling cancer, and her former boyfriend and first love, a strong Christian Native American, coming back in her life.
Arana weaves a multi-layered, emotional family saga that brings the peril of judgement, the need for forgiveness and the gift of love to light
“Nikki Arana wrings the heart and exalts the soul.”
—Romantic Times
Those Memorable Gifts
June 11, 2007
Other than the first three years of my life, I’ve never lived near my grandparents. We saw them once, on occassion, twice during the year, and it was always a highlight.
When I was a preschooler, one of my grandmothers made a tape for me. She read storybooks and poems and talked about the lake behind their house freezing over. I think I was three, almost four, when she sent the first one, but I listened to it over and over for years.
After my sister came along, Grandma made another tape for both of us (along with a comedy routine from my grandpa and aunt), and we listened to that one too, somehow not wearing either tape out.
Which was great because this past year, my mom had them converted from tapes to MP3s. She gave them to us for Christmas, and they were such a special gift since my sister and I have kids who are the same age as we were when we listened to those tapes.
One great gift turns into another great gift!
So now my kids listen to Grandma’s stories. And they have their favorites, just like I did. Thanks, Mom and Grandma!
What about you? What are some special gifts you’ve given or received?