Stuff We Like :: 11.13.15

This week's Stuff We Like is brought to you by Shawne, who always finds the coolest stuff.

around the web

I can’t get enough of Humans of New York. Seriously, this site (and the corresponding Facebook page) just keep getting better and better.

I’ve been couponing since last spring, and have saved over $500 so far (all on things we would have bought anyway). This site has been especially helpful in getting me up to speed and keeping me informed on where the savings are.

I found this post comparing a middle school reading list from 100 years ago to reading lists from today to be really eye-opening.

at home/school/life

in the magazine: The fall issue is blowing me away! Of course, I’m always excited to read the tech column (and not just because it’s written by my adult, homeschool graduate son), and this one is no exception. But I also really, really love this issue’s holiday gift guide, the whole inspiration section, and Amy’s “Time for an Upgrade” article.

on the blog: I’m finding Shelli’s Achieving Homeschool Academic Goals to be so helpful right now.

in the kitchen

I made a version of these yummy pinwheel sandwiches for a family reunion recently, and they were a big hit. They’re so versatile and easy to make, I think we’ll be taking pinwheels with us for lunch at the park (and to our homeschool classes) fairly often over the next few weeks.

I also made these delicious Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies last week, and had trouble stopping myself from eating them all. I added golden raisins and chocolate chips to kick it up a bit, but they would be just as good without.

at home

We are still on an old-school Disney movie kick with our youngest son. Most recently we’ve watched the 1960 version of Swiss Family Robinson, and the Kurt Russell/Disney trilogy – The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Now You See Him Now You Don’t, and The Strongest Man in the World. Surprisingly, the six-year-old loves these movies, and I love the nostalgia factor.

My husband and I finally binge-watched Ricky Gervais’ show Derek. Its subject matter may not be for everyone, but we found it to be a wonderfully written, sincerely acted, hilarious and often heartbreaking examination of relationships, aging, and simple life-lessons.

If you’re in the mood for a cute and quirky, beautifully filmed movie about a 10-year-old boy who leaves home to travel across country to the Smithsonian, to accept an award for a perpetual motion machine that he invented, then you’ll want to watch The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet. Be aware that, even with the PG rating, it may not be a good fit for some families. (One of the characters dies [it happens off-screen, but is still really sad], and one of the adults uses some bad words towards the end). My husband and I watched it alone, but I imagine our six-year-old may want to check it out when he’s a little older.

books

I can’t begin to express how excited I am that J.K. Rowling has released a new illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I pre-ordered this book as soon as I read about it last January, and it finally arrived last week. And with over 100 gorgeous, full color illustrations by Jim Kay, I was not disappointed. I’m thinking of buying a 2nd copy just so I can frame some of the pages and hang them in our homeschooling nook at home.

My six-year-old has discovered The Notebook of Doom series from Scholastic, and can’t get enough. He chose book #1, Rise of the Balloon Goons, for his kids book club meeting last month, and now we’re moving on to books 2 and 3 and beyond.

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