• Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • Shop
  • Projects
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Colonial Farmhouse
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY Projects
    • Holidays
  • Adventure
    • Moving to Ireland
    • Living in Ireland
    • Visiting Ireland
    • Travel
    • Family and Parenting
    • Humor
    • Learning
  • Privacy Policy
A Pretty Happy Home

Life, DIY and Random Things That Make Me Smile

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • Shop
  • Projects
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Colonial Farmhouse
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY Projects
    • Holidays
  • Adventure
    • Moving to Ireland
    • Living in Ireland
    • Visiting Ireland
    • Travel
    • Family and Parenting
    • Humor
    • Learning
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Contact
  • Shop
  • Projects
    • Cleaning
    • Clothing
    • Colonial Farmhouse
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY Projects
    • Holidays
  • Adventure
    • Moving to Ireland
    • Living in Ireland
    • Visiting Ireland
    • Travel
    • Family and Parenting
    • Humor
    • Learning
  • Privacy Policy

No Widgets found in the Sidebar Alt!

  • books my kids are reading part 13
    education,  gift and learning

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 13

    May 12, 2021 /

    It has been a good long while since I published a Books My Kids Are Reading post. My kids are 11 and 14, so they don’t want to sit on my lap reading stories like they did when they were younger. Also, they are a little too big to sit on my lap now. *sniff, sniff* I’m not crying. I just have a speck of dust in my eye. Because of our current life stage and the fact that I had a speck of dust in my eye, I almost clicked delete on an email from a book publicist before I fully read it. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed,…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    How I Accidentally Got My Kids Excited for College

    August 30, 2017
    stack of books in a traditional living room with stained glass doors

    My Summer 2025 Reading List

    July 30, 2025
    farmer wallet with hay

    You Know You’re a Farmer’s Kid When…

    July 19, 2017
  • well bucket book holder
    decorating

    Well Bucket Book Holder

    June 22, 2020 /

    I never imagined I’d string these four words together: well bucket book holder. But that’s how my life works, so I just roll with it now. I pinkie swear I’m running out of “I found this left in my house/garage” stories, but that is where this well bucket book holder originated. I found a faux (and definitely not old) well bucket in our garage when we bought the Colonial Farmhouse. I actually liked it as is, but had no use for it at the time. Also, I couldn’t work that green paint into my decor scheme, so the well bucket sat in the garage for a year mocking me. A…

    read more
    annisa 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    large fireplace in an old house decorated for christmas with seven nutcrackers of varying sizes on the mantel and an off centered green garland with red berries. Layered on the mantel is a handmade nut garland comprised of walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds. Sitting in front of the fireplace is a skinny christmas tree with a tree collar that looks like a red drum. The tree is decorated with faux red and white berries and ornaments fashioned out of nuts.

    Nutcracker Holiday Mantel Decor

    December 3, 2025
    nature art gallery wall next to stained glass doors gallery wall wrapping a corner

    Nature Art Gallery Wall – Oh, It’s Expanded

    February 24, 2025
    overwinter ferns

    Unique Indoor Plant Displays

    February 16, 2026
  • science comics cats
    gift and learning

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 12

    November 20, 2019 /

    It has been a good long while since I’ve shared a list of the books my kids are reading! Since my kids were babies I have read to them each night before bed. My 7th grader seems to have aged out of this practice this year. *sniff* No, I don’t want to talk about it, but thanks for asking. My 4th grader is still very much into this nightly routine. Thank goodness. I don’t think my heart could take both of them outgrowing this tradition at one time. Here are the books he and I have read together recently that are worth recommending. He’s nine, but most of these books would…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    online game budget form for kids

    Online Game Budget Form For Kids

    December 7, 2020
    books my kids are reading part 13

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 13

    May 12, 2021

    Presents My Kids Played With Longer Than 5 Minutes

    January 2, 2019
  • Five Old Books I Found in Our New Home
    colonial farmhouse,  decorating

    5 Old Books I Found in Our New Home

    July 31, 2019 /

    Old houses are full of surprises. (I’m a master of the understatement.) Our colonial farmhouse has already given us plenty of surprises – most of them electrical related. I also found some old books and magazines in our new home. That’s a WAY better surprise than realizing you only have one inconveniently located outlet in your master bedroom! Since I previously told you the seller left tons of unwanted items in the house when he moved out, you might think that I found these old books in one of the four gazillion dozen boxes of junk on the premises. Nope. I found the old books and magazines in two places.…

    read more
    annisa 3 Comments

    You May Also Like

    back staircase kitchen stairs after

    Back Staircase Before and After

    January 6, 2020
    painted white gate

    I Painted Our Front Gate

    September 11, 2019
    colonial farmhouse exterior april 2021

    Colonial Farmhouse Two Year Anniversary

    June 14, 2021
  • education,  gift and learning,  learning

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 11

    May 8, 2019 /

    It has been longer than usual since my last “Books My Kids Are Reading” post. We’re still consuming stacks and stacks of books, but not as many that I’m reading out loud to the kids. In fact, there are only three in this list that I read aloud to the kids and there’s a reason for that. My 3rd grader needed to work on reading comprehension. Since I am a sucker for reading “just one more page” when the kids ask, it was cutting into his nightly independent reading time. We did a nighttime reset so that he has a solid 25 – 30 minutes of independent reading time. When…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 3

    April 10, 2017

    Not Your Usual Teacher Gift Ideas

    August 13, 2018
    flowers in a wall

    What is the Best Constructive Criticism You’ve Ever Received?

    February 17, 2021
  • decorating,  DIY

    Bookrack Makeover for an Older Boy’s Room

    March 20, 2019 /

    Before I get rid of anything in our home, I do not ask myself if it sparks joy. No. I ask myself if I can repurpose, reuse or makeover the item to make it work better in our home. I also ask myself if I have the energy to repurpose, reuse or makeover the item. Sometimes the answer is “no.” Sometimes the answer is “maybe.” Sometimes the answer is “I really shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself!” Then I end up doing something drastic like cutting off belt loops on Handy Husband’s old, ripped-up jeans to make hanging loops for kitchen towels. Remember that project? Still using those towels, by…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Outdoor Decorating with Farm Junk

    August 3, 2015
    needlepoint framed to match wall color navy blue sunporch with matching picture frame when to match picture frame to wall color

    When To Match Picture Frames To Wall Color

    August 30, 2023
    my latest thrift store finds vegetable basket

    My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 2

    August 12, 2020
  • education,  Family,  gift and learning

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 10

    November 26, 2018 /

    I’m back on this lovely Cyber Monday with the tenth installment of what my kids have been reading lately. My kids are 8 and 11 years old. That’s 3rd and 6th grades. I have one kid who goes to school with a book to read on the bus. I have another child who is ‘forced’ to read 25 minutes a day for homework. It’s a bit of a mixed bag in our household, but I still LOVE to read out loud to my kids and they enjoy that too! All of these books should be available in your local library. If you’re shopping online for children’s books this holiday season, please…

    read more
    annisa 4 Comments

    You May Also Like

    flowers in a wall

    What is the Best Constructive Criticism You’ve Ever Received?

    February 17, 2021

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 5

    September 6, 2017

    Does Owning an Ant Farm Make Me a Farmer?

    August 29, 2018
  • education,  Family,  gift and learning

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 9

    August 22, 2018 /

    It’s been awhile since I updated you on what my kids and I have been reading together. How have you survived without this list?! My dad is out there right now saying, “I survived just fine!” Hahahaha! Before I get to the book list, I want to share my library receipt with you. I promise this is interesting. Our library recently started indicating on the receipt how much you saved by checking books out instead of buying them. On this trip we saved $262! Isn’t that a clever marketing idea? Alright, onto the good stuff. Our summer schedule has been pretty loosey-goosey and I felt like we haven’t been reading…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Books My Kids Are Reading Now

    October 19, 2016

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 2

    January 11, 2017

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 11

    May 8, 2019
  • education

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 8

    May 9, 2018 /

    “A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.”  ― C.S. Lewis I mainly agree with that C.S. Lewis quote. If I’m going to read a book aloud to my kids over and over and over, I want to enjoy it too. However, as my kids have become independent readers, there are some books that my kids love (aka Captain Underpants) that I love less. However, I’m glad these books make my kids want to hide under the covers with a flashlight to read after light’s out. Here are the books my kids and I have read recently that are…

    read more
    annisa 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Books My Kids Are Reading Part 5

    September 6, 2017
    middle school lockers

    From The Archive: 5 Ways To Help Transition Kids To A New School

    August 28, 2023
    star ring etsy shop garmace diamonds from the archive the star ring story

    From The Archive: The Star Ring Story

    November 20, 2024
Hi! I'm Annisa.

Recent Posts

  • Basement Workshop Repointing: Part 9, The Reveal
  • Happy List: #432
  • 10 Fun and Thoughtful Graduation Gift Ideas
  • Basement Workshop Repointing: Part 8, Walls Are Done
  • Happy List: #431

Categories

Subscribe to blog
Loading

$2018 © A Pretty Happy Home
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.