This summer, I have high hopes of attacking some organizing projects that I just haven’t made time for this year.

For one, my kids’ school papers need to be pared down and filed away. I’m bad about wanting to keep everything — but really, we can’t! My plans are to let them do this themselves, saving only their best papers into a three-ring binder. I try to remember it’s the “process” not the “product” that matters, especially when we’re going through hundreds of fill-in-the-blank worksheets.

Artwork and creative writing are special reminders of this school year, though, and I do want to keep some of it. These years seem to be flying by when I take them as a whole.

An author of a new series of organizing books recently contacted me about her mini-books for parents who’d like to get more organized. Her name is Beverly Coggins, and she’s a professional organizer with a special desire to help artistic, creative people — who may also struggle with being naturally organized.

Check out her site if you need some organizing inspiration!

Another project I’d really like to get done is to organize my photos — both digital and print — and Tasra Dawson has some great ideas for that.

I’m also hoping to be more involved this year in our summer garden. This is a task I usually leave up to my husband because I didn’t grow up learning how to plant a vegetable garden.

Yet I’ve learned that nothing tastes quite as good as a warm, ripe tomato from your very own vine. It’s really the best way to get your kids to eat vegetables!

When we start harvesting our summer vegetables, I want to be more organized about what we do with the extra produce. This year, I’d like to at least try blanching and freezing our extra tomatoes to use for soups and sauces. I don’t know that I’m ready for canning — yet — but freezing seems simple enough, if I’ll take the time to do it!

How about you? Do you have any organizing goals for this summer?

Well, I’ve gotten behind on all things bloggy, so I missed reading about Shannon’s Works-for-Me-Wednesday Birthday Edition, which was … um … last Wednesday. But since she still has her Mr. Linky up, I’ll send my tip in late.

With five children, we host a LOT of birthday parties around here. I really love entertaining kids, yet I’m not a Martha Stewart, and we don’t have a big budget for these things. What I enjoy most is getting to know the mothers of my kids’ friends. And a birthday party is an easy excuse to get people together.

The best kind of party for me is a laid-back affair where the kids run around and play outside and the parents sit around talking. I’ve discovered the easiest time to host a birthday party — for our family, at least — is on a weekday.

When my oldest children were toddlers, I usually liked a weekday party from 11 to 1. Since all of my close friends at the time were fellow SAHMs, it was pretty much like a play group, except I provided PB&J sandwiches and cake. The moms talked, the kids played. Then everybody went home and took naps. Easy.

As my kids have gotten older, we’ve opted for the 4 to 5:30 pm time slot, preferably on a Friday. That way, some of the moms who work can still attend if they can get off early. Moms with school-age kids can pick up their kids at school, swing by Wal-Mart and stuff something into a gift bag (don’t you do that?), then come over.

The reason why I like weekday parties is that there’s so much more hype and expense involved with big weekend bashes. This also leads to more stress for me — because I feel like people expect more on the weekend. Plus, I’m interrupting their Saturday afternoon plans.

Some years, I haven’t felt like hosting at my house, so we’ve had them at parks with a playground. Most of the parks have a covered pavilion, in case of rain.

For my son who has a July birthday, we’ve done a few evening cookouts, when the sun has gone down a bit. I guess our favorite one so far was a pirate party, where my husband led the kids down to the creek to search for “hidden treasure.” (We hid a cooler full of party favors and let them “follow the map” to find it.)

Yesterday, we worked on making invitations for my daughter’s 7th birthday. She asked if she could invite her whole first grade class over, including her teacher. OK. She only has 13 in her class, so I can handle this. We were going to do a tea party, but since the boys are coming too, we’ll just do a “backyard fun” party. Swingset, sandbox, frisbees, nerf footballs … maybe I’ll invest in some bubbles. And that’s it.

I really love birthday parties. Some parents have the budgets to go all out and invite entertainment and do the whole nine yards, but we keep things simple. I also prefer to invite the whole family; that way I get to know the siblings, and I can see who has kids the same age as mine. (Older siblings are great help for organizing games!)

There is really only a small window of time when your kids will want to do these kinds of parties. I remember growing up, that as I got older, I wanted to invite only a couple of friends and maybe go out to eat instead of having a party.

When we homeschooled, we often squeezed in a lunchtime birthday party, then the moms could go back home and finish the schoolday. Now I try to work around traditional school hours.

My kids get so excited about making the invitations and stuffing goody bags (though at times, we’ve just handed out bubbles or balls for party favors). This summer, we’re hoping it will work out to host a rocket-themed party, and we’ll let the kids make rockets and shoot them off in our backyard.

I’ve also learned it’s best to go ahead and buy thank-you notes along with the invitations — and get them done AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after the party. I confess, some years are just crazier than others, and we haven’t always gotten thank-you notes written, but we do try.

This works for us!

We’re cooking for a crowd this weekend, and I’ve decided to go with a super-easy dish that always seems to turn out okay.

A friend and I are each making two of these casseroles, then I’ve asked everyone else to bring either a side dish, drink, or dessert. We’re hoping this will be a budget-friendly, easy party for everyone.

I’m PRAYING it doesn’t rain — because we’ll have a ton of energetic kids running around!

Here’s the recipe — in case you’re also looking for a simple crowd-pleaser. (I like dishes you can make ahead — since the day of the party I’m usually running around cleaning!)

6 chicken breasts
1 dozen tortillas
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tall can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1 medium onion
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tall can mild chili peppers (optional)
Paprika

Cook chicken until tender; cool and tear apart. Saute onion in butter, adding soups, milk, onions, and chilies. Drop tortillas in chicken stock, 2 at a time and soak 2 minutes. Line bottom of greased 9×13 casserole dish, using 6 tortillas. Put layer of chicken and another layer of tortillas and the rest of chicken.

Pour soup mixture over top of all. Lift tortillas lightly to allow mixture to dribble through. Sprinkle with grated cheese, then paprika. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes. (I usually keep covered for 30, then uncovered for 15.) Serves 8.

This goes well with salad, black beans, and bread.

Our family recently enjoyed seeing this adorable canine movie, Firehouse Dog.

I loved it because the main theme centered around the restoring of a father/son relationship — and the actor, Josh Hutcheson, is the same wonderful kid who starred in Bridge to Terabithia.

You can read my review of it here.

Don’t forget! If you leave a comment in this post by 5 pm today, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a signed copy of Trish Berg’s new book, The Great American Supper Swap, sent to you by the author.

This book is so fun! It contains details about how to start a supper swapping group, tried-and-true recipes that even kids love, and wonderful potluck activities.

Best of all, Trish shares how God can use a supper swapping group to strengthen families by helping moms simplify meals so everyone can eat at the table together.

A few weeks ago, Active Christian Media sent me a pre-release of a new film to review, Hidden Secrets, produced by Pureflix Entertainment. It will premiere nationwide in over 200 theaters on April 30th, then release on DVD in late August.

When I received my screener DVD, I had no idea I’d be able to have it signed by the star of this movie, John Schneider. Yet that’s exactly what happened last night!

I grew up in the 80s watching “The Dukes of Hazzard” on TV, seeing John Schneider play the role of Bo Duke and shouting “Yeee-HA!” along with my siblings when the red General Lee flew high over a ditch. A good many of my classmates carried Dukes of Hazzard lunchboxes to school.

Since his Dukes’ days, Schneider has starred in several more films and popular TV series, including a recurring role on “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” and the role of Jonathan Kent on 100 episodes of the hit show, “Smallville.”

For the past few months, Schneider has been touring the South promoting his latest film, Collier & Co., which we saw in a special premiere last night in our small Georgia town.

He wrote, directed, and starred in this good-ol-boy comedy-action film (which was a lot of fun to watch!).

The most exciting news about John Schneider is that he’s a born-again Christian and the married father of three. Before the movie began last night, he explained to our packed theater of all ages, “I want to help make movies that you grandparents can watch while sitting next to your grandchildren.” He said nothing makes him happier than seeing families enjoy a film together.

It’s not often that a movie star who lives in Hollywood makes a guest appearance in our town, so it was fun to be invited to attend as a media guest. I brought my “Hidden Secrets” DVD for John to sign, and he asked me what I thought of it. I told him it had a positive, uplifting message, and that I hoped Pureflix would keep making more movies like it. (My mouth said those words, while my brain was screaming, “You’re standing next to John Schneider! Movie star!”)

Hidden Secrets deals with some weighty issues that may not be suitable for children under 12. The plot of the movie is this: in the first scene, a man writes a suicide note and then shoots himself (it doesn’t show the violence). Then we see a woman grieving and learn this is his sister, Sherry, who is played by stunning “Bold and Beautful” actress, Tracy Melchior.

Nine friends come back to their hometown to attend the funeral of Chris Hayden, who was apparently a strong Christian influence in their lives. They end up staying at his sister Sherry’s home, which has been turned into a bed-and-breakfast.

Most of the action takes place in or around this gorgeous home, except for a couple of poignant scenes in a church and at a bar/restaurant where the Christian band, Building 429, plays live.

The soundtrack also includes songs by Rachel Lampa who makes her acting debut playing the role of Sally.

There’s an interesting love triangle that heightens the tension: ten years ago, Sherry broke the heart of Jeremy, played by David A.R. White (who also co-wrote the script and produced the movie). Now Jeremy is one of the house guests (along with his new flame, Rachel, played by Stacy Keanan).

Each character represents a different stereotype, and having them all together in a “Big Chill” fashion brings their past secrets to the forefront where they discuss things in the light of their faith. There were a few lines of dialogue and two characters I found a little unbelievable, but despite the quirks, the inspirational message is clear.

The DVD version includes candid interviews with the actors and those involved in directing and producing the film. I really enjoyed learning more behind the scenes.

In a recent interview with the Christian Examiner, David A.R. White said, “Christ forgives and there are second chances. There is hope at the end of the tunnel and God is waiting there. He’s just waiting on us.” In a nutshell, this is the main message viewers take away from watching Hidden Secrets.

The first time I heard about Pureflix Entertainment was in Christian Women Online’s interview with Candace Cameron Bure. She starred in another Pureflix film called The Wager, along with actor/singer, Randy Travis.

Today’s parents are trying to raise children in a lost world, with school shootings, suicide bombers, and people trapped in addictions. I want to support the efforts of Pureflix and others who are more interested in producing films with a positive message than in grossing millions of dollars at the expense of our children’s innocence.

Getting to meet John Schneider last night was fun, making me one happy mom blogger today.

Our prayers go out today to the families of the 33 victims of the Virginia Tech massacre yesterday, the worst school shooting in U.S. history.

We had the news on last night and watched an interview with a girl who was sitting in her German class when the gunman came in and shot 25 of her classmates.

“I just pretended to be dead,” she said. Only four survived from the whole class. Even her professor was killed.

How do you explain this tragedy to your children? They asked; we had to tell them.

Moreover, how do people go on living without Christ? There is NO hope in the world without the message of peace that comes through Christ.

I hope you enjoy a wonderful Easter celebration with your family!

Carol of She Lives blog honored me with a nice surprise yesterday. She gave me a Thinking Blogger Award because she says I challenge her to “think about my writing as a writer rather than just about blogging as a blogger.” Nice!

So I’m encouraged to pass along this Thinking Blogger Award to five writers who make me think. And I happily salute:

Sallie of A Gracious Home — who is a school teacher turned stay-at-home mom and has become a mentor to her many blog readers. If you haven’t yet read her seven-part Forty by 40 series, it’s wonderful! She recently shared 40 bits of wisdom she’s picked up during her four decades of life. By the way, Sallie, Happy Birthday!

MomKori of Smile Smile — a delightful Japanese mother of two who lives and writes in English from Nara, Japan. Her blog is a joy to read! I always pick up something new about Japanese culture and daily living. Since I made many trips to Nara while I lived in Japan, I love “visiting” MomKori through her blog — she lives in a beautiful city! (Long story: my husband proposed to me in Nara!)

Gina Conroy of Portrait of a Writer Interrupted. I love Gina’s writing because we’re in the same season of life! She’s a busy mother of four who desperately loves her family, but also desperately loves to write. Her passion for reaching out to others led to the founding of Writer … Interrupted, an encouraging site for writing parents who must write … in between … life.

Ruth of “It’s True,” Sighed Roo. Ruth is my Canadian friend who constantly reminds me of the joys of early motherhood when I visit her blog. She writes about her sweet little daughter who is about the same age as my youngest. These days go by so fast, and Ruth is taking time to savor them!

Blair of Scribblings by Blair. I love keeping up with Blair’s weekly goals, which encourage me with my own goals. She’s a busy mother of four who blogs in between homeschooling and enjoying her role as wife and homemaker. I’m looking forward to having one of Blair’s books on my bookshelf someday!

There’s my five — hope you can visit some of these amazing thinking bloggers!

Have you seen Bridge to Terabithia yet? It really is a great family movie. We took our kids to see it a few weeks ago, and this was easily the best film we’ve seen since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

And no wonder; it’s produced by Walden Media, the same company behind the Narnia movies, as well as Because of Winn Dixie, Charlotte’s Webb, Amazing Grace, and others. You can read a chapter excerpt of Bridge to Terabithia here.

In a recent speech, the president of Walden Media, Michael Flaherty, addressed an audience of college students and talked about the importance of reading good books. He said:

In launching Walden Media, our greatest challenge was in identifying the stories that we wanted to bring to the screen. We did not want to waste our time making films out of “the wrong books” that Eustace Scrubbs [The Voyage of the Dawn Treader] wasted his time reading.

So rather than turn to the usual parade of agents and Hollywood producers, we launched an unusual campaign that continues to this day. We enrolled in as many educational conferences as we could find. We spoke to tens of thousands of teachers and librarians and asked them what books they most enjoyed teaching and recommending.

After seven years, the only thing that seems odd about this strategy is the fact that our company is the only one doing it. After all, who knows stories better than teachers and librarians?

And I must add to this: parents. We know what we love to read to our kids! We know what our children respond to. We know what books bring joy to our family.

If you’ve read a good book lately, why not write Walden Media and request they consider it for a movie? Get your kids to write them a letter — not a bad composition assignment, huh?

Flaherty continues in his speech (which I hope you can read in its entirety) by explaining why they’ve chosen to tackle projects that contain some frightening content (such as Terabithia, which I won’t spoil for you, if you haven’t seen it yet. But bring the tissues!) He quotes this wonderful passage from C.S. Lewis. I don’t know where this came from originally — does anyone know?

Those who say that children must not be frightened may mean two things. They may mean (1) that we must not do anything likely to give the child those haunting, disabling, pathological fears against which ordinary courage is helpless: in fact, phobias. His mind must, if possible, be kept clear of things he can’t bear to think of. Or they may mean (2) that we must try to keep out of his mind the knowledge that he is born into a world of death, violence, wounds, adventure, heroism and cowardice, good and evil.

If they mean the first I agree with them: but not if they mean the second. The second would indeed be to give children a false impression and feed them on escapism in the bad sense. There is something ludicrous in the idea of so educating a generation which is born to the…atomic bomb.

Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker.

Oh, that last line: I love it!

Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.

Are you reading books to your children that teach them about the courage needed to overcome evil? Whenever I get depressed about the state of the world, about the junk our kids must grow up with, I look to people like Michael Flaherty and Walden Media as my heroes.

One more quote from this great speech:

Today we desperately need more leaders like William Wilberforce and the Kings and Queens of Narnia who will fight to make good laws, keep the peace, save good trees from being cut down, and encourage ordinary people who want to live and let live.

I wish you a happy weekend, filled with brave knights and heroic courage!