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Monday's Riddle served up some Bookworm Stew, and Lizzy's review of Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan set a course with plenty of delicious ingredients. Friday, Margo has something delicious to tell us about, and Saturday, we will eat up your comments on The DMS Wants to Know, so be sure to check back! Today, we want to share two of our favorite recipes with you!

This week's top of the heap: Awesome home recipes : ) 

Fairday: The serving dish is key! ~ F

Mom's Deviled Eggs
6 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water that there's 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes, then rinse under cold water continuously for 1 minute.

Crack egg shells and carefully peel under cool running water. Gently dry with paper towels. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and placing the whites on a serving platter. Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg 
whites. Sprinkle with paprika and enjoy!

Lizzy: This recipe is delicious, and healthy too! (sort of- lol.) ~ L

Dessert Pizza

1 package sugar cookie dough

8 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 large peach, sliced

1 large green apple, sliced

1 large orange, sectioned

1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

6 ounces fresh blueberries

6 ounces fresh raspberries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Flatten cookie dough onto a 6-inch pizza pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 11 to 15 minutes. Cool. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Spread the baked cookie with the cream cheese mixture and decorate with sliced fruit. In a small bowl, combine melted white chocolate with chocolate syrup. Top the pizza with remaining berries and chocolate mixture. Slice and serve immediately!

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Circe Invidiosa

Monday's Riddle showed us the sour side of jealously, and Lizzy's review of Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech gave us some good advice on friendship. Friday, we'll tell you about our lucky message from Sheila Turnage, and Saturday, we always enjoy hearing your thoughts on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we thought we would share a few things that can turn us green with envy.








This week's top of the heap: Things that make us jealous : ) 

Fairday: It's always the same for me- I am jealous of anyone who has a horse. They are just so lovely and magical, what can I say? I  ♥ them, and I want one.  ~ F

Lizzy: I am completely jealous of my neighbors. I love to travel and have been cross-country once, but they plan a big trip every year. This summer they are heading out on a European vacation- Germany, England, France- I am so jealous! I would love to take off and see the world, and one day, I will! ~ L

★ We have to mention something we are both equally jealous about- anyone who gets to go to the Harry Potter theme park- we CANNOT even wait!

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Earth as seen from Mars

Monday's Riddle brought us down to Earth, and Lizzy's review of Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg reminded us that our home is unique and precious, and we should do our best to take care of it. Friday, we have something earthy to share with all of you, and Saturday, we always enjoy hearing your thoughts on The DMS Wants to Know. 

Today, it's all about where we are right now- here, on Earth. Most of the time, we go through the day not properly seeing the scenes we're in. So, here's to the brilliant splashes of color that make every day a trip on this planetary extravaganza! 

Remember, it is important to stop and smell the roses, even if only to consider them just for the moment. ~ F & L 

This week's top of the heap: Beautiful Planet Earth

Green

Red

Blue

Orange

Yellow

Purple

Pink : ) 

A little extra pink for fun!

Put them all together,  and you get a bunch of happy frogs ; ) 

Welcome to Earth ✌
We're Full of Surprises!

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Monday’s Riddle was a tricky poem that got us thinking about where our stories come from. We are giving away three signed books in the Signed Book Giveaway Hop, which all tie into the theme for the week. Lizzy's review of The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco shows us the power of using our own stories in our writing. Friday, we will be showcasing our meeting with Patricia Polacco, and Saturday, we can't wait to hear from you on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we thought we would share two of the coolest ways we know of to learn the stories of our lives…

This week's top of the heap: The best way to get to know our stories!

Ken Thomas, Wikipedia photo

Fairday: There are so many ways to learn about the stories that tell us who we are. Living so close to Ellis Island for most of my life, it became a magical thread connecting me to family members that I had never met. Walking in to the building, I felt like I could hear the voices of my great-great-grandparents whispering to me about their journey. Because the museum brought the past alive, it made me interested in where I came from and what life was like for my family. I know Ellis Island was badly damaged in Hurricane Sandy and isn’t open to the public now, but I hope its doors will open again soon so others can experience the wonders of history.  ~F

Lizzy's footprint: Day 1

Lizzy: I love to look at old photographs and have my mom, dad, or grandparents tell me stories about the old days. I think that is why I find it so fascinating to go through albums with black and white pictures. The pictures tell their own tales and capture a moment of interest. Nowadays, so many people don’t print out pictures, but I am lucky because my mom has been working on an album about me since I was born. It has journal entries from my mom telling about different events that happened, along with pictures. I love to curl up on the couch and flip through photos and mementos that I don’t remember, but that still teach me about myself. There are clippings of my first haircut, a hospital bracelet from when I got my tonsils out, and so many odds and ends. Keepsakes and photographs help me get in touch with my personal history.  ~L

Each of our stories makes us unique!

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Monday's Riddle was our ticket to get away, and Lizzy's review of Made You Look by Diane Roberts  took us on a cross-country adventure with Jason and Freddy. Friday, Margo has a unique children's book to share with you, and Saturday, we look forward to hearing your thoughts on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, Stephanie and Jess stopped by to tell us about an excellent vacation that they went on together.

This week's top of the heap: Great vacations!

Our trip to California in 2000 was so much fun! It was a blast cruising down the PCH and checking out Big Sur. We had two weeks to explore the beautiful scenery and visit all sorts of cool places. Lake Tahoe was amazing, and Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco was fascinating. Here's to a memorable getaway! Enjoy the pictures : )
~ Stephanie & Jess

The Spider- awesome ride!

The Golden Gate Bridge- classically foggy

Stephanie in a redwood tree. That's a big one! 

Our pad for a few days. : )

Beautiful Lake Tahoe

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We mixed up Monday's Riddle for April Fool's Day, and Lizzy chimed in to give you a clue for our theme this week with her review of the audio book The Deliverers: Sharky and Jewel by Gregory Slomba. Friday, Jimm Singer, the narrator of this middle grade adventure will be stopping by to tell us about his experience being a storyteller, and Saturday, we can't wait to hear from you on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we thought would be the perfect opportunity to tell you about our favorite person to listen to...

This week's top of the heap: Awesome audio book narrators!

Fairday & Lizzy: It doesn't get much better than Jim Dale reading Harry Potter. If you have not experienced this aspect of the Potter series, you are missing out! 

Jim Dale does an amazing job reading, keeping over 100 character voices consistent and colorful throughout the story. We have listened to each book too many times to count, and every time it's excellent!

So, if you've read the books, seen the movies, played the games, and still want more... listen to Harry Potter read by Jim Dale. It's a bonus HP experience that will bring you right into the magical world of Harry Potter again and again!

* Warning! Jim Dale does such an extraordinary job, you will become an extremely picky audio listener- lol! (We are! : ) 

Play the Guess the Character Game at Random House!

Listen to Jim Dale read an excerpt from 

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

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Monday's Riddle washed out the theme this week, and Lizzy's review of Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage carried us away on a tide of mystery. The Fairy Tale Book Giveaway Hop is enchanting Fairday's Blog this month! Stop by for a spell and you may find yourself on the other side of a rainbow ; ) Friday, we will be catching a wave with Natalie Standiford and chatting about her intriguing new middle grade book The Secret Tree. Saturday, we always love to find out what you're thinking on The DMS Wants to Know! Today, we are shouting out across the water to tell you about the oldest known message in a bottle...message received, finally! ~ F & L 

This week's top of the heap: The oldest known message in a bottle.

World's Oldest Message in a Bottle Found Off Scotland!

A Scottish fisherman has set a Guinness World Record by recovering the oldest-known message in a bottle, besting the previous record by more than five years. Sailing the vessel "Copious," skipper Andrew Leaper, 43, discovered the bottle floating east of the Shetland Islands off the northern coast of Scotland. It was set adrift more than 98 years ago in June 1914 by Capt. CH Brown of the Glasgow School of Navigation, the BBC reported. Guinness World Records has confirmed that the bottle is, in fact, the oldest ever recovered... read more.

Have you ever found a message in a bottle? What did it say? 

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Monday's Riddle started us thinking about fundraising, and Marcus reviewed the amazing new middle grade book Nate Rocks the School by Karen Pokras Toz.  Stop by Friday for an interview with Nate! Saturday, we look forward to hearing from you on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we want to take a moment to spotlight two excellent fundraising ideas!

This week's top of the heap: Out of this world fund raising ideas!

Fairday: Pancake Breakfast!  My school did this and I thought it was amazing. The breakfast was a chance to get the family, school, and community together for a meal! It was not only a great way to make money, but it was also a chance for everyone to take a little time to talk and fit in the most important meal of the day. Pancakes don’t cost a lot to make, and people volunteered to serve food or cook. At my school the kids helped to serve, and then had a chance to sit down with their family and friends. Of course, my dad made his famous blueberry pancakes and everyone got to start their day off with his fabulous cooking! In the busy world we live in it is important to take time to enjoy the company of friends and family. What better way than to raise money and spirits at the same time! ~F

Lizzie: Game Night!  I love to play board games and see if I am up for the challenge. We had a game night for families at our school and we raised a ton of money. It was so much fun to walk into the gym and see games set up all over the place. I played a few different games and beat the pants off my brother, Mark, at checkers. It was awesome! The laughter could be heard down the hall, as families talked and played together. I hope we have another one this year to raise money!  ~L

Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle set our charts for the stars this week, and Fairday reviewed the stellar new middle grade book The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson- stop by the post and enter for a chance to win a copy of this far-out story! Saint Patrick's Day is almost here, and it's time to get your Irish on. The Lucky Leprechaun Book Giveaway Hop will be launching on Friday, plus Kevin Emerson will be stopping by to tell us a little more about his story. Saturday, we always look forward to hearing from you on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we want to take a moment to shout out to two aliens who are really out of this world!

This week's top of the heap: Awesome Aliens ✌

Fairday: My whole family still enjoys The Flintsones and we all like Gazoo. He is a little, green man, who was exiled from his home planet for building a weapon that could destroy the universe. Gazoo claims that it was no big deal and, of course, he had no intentions of using it. Still, he's stuck here on Earth with Fred and Barney, plotting to pompously add a little excitement into their prehistoric lives. : ) ~ F

Lizzy: What can I say? I have to pick E.T.! I mean, he is the pinnacle of adorable aliens. I love the scene when they are being chased, and E.T. lifts all the bicycles into the air- the looks on the kids' faces is priceless. It would be amazing to befriend an extra-terrestrial like E.T., as long as I had some Reeses Pieces with me! ~ L

Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle was an amusing guise, and Lizzy's review of The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford introduced us to two new spies who stumble upon a big case of secrets. Friday, we have something sneaky in store, and Saturday, we always love to hear your unique perspective on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we are shouting out two familiar spies that can really solve the case.

Today's top of the heap: Excellent Spies : )

Fairday: One of my favorite spies has to be Harriet M. Welsch. She carries her notebook with her everywhere, jotting notes about her neighbors and friends. Harriet is so organized that she even has a spy route that she follows regularly. As an observer, she is trying to learn about people and the world around her. She records what she sees with honesty, and when her notebook falls into the wrong hands, Harriet must do some deep thinking. I love this book because there is so much to learn from Harriet’s observations and the way she deals with the world around her. Thanks so much to the lovely Adrianna from She's Got Books on Her Mind for reminding me about this fun story! ~ F

Lizzy: Nancy Drew is clever, smart, and adventurous. She drives around in her blue convertible solving mysteries with her keen eye for detail. I love that Nancy works with her best friends and finds help in some unusual places. Her tools are simple but effective. Spies and detectives must remember a flashlight and magnifying glass because you never know when they will help crack the case. Nancy does her research and gets people to talk to her, and she isn’t afraid to stop and observe in order to put the clues together. I have enjoyed tagging along as she sorts through what is in front of her to make some fascinating discoveries. Nancy Drew and friends can be found working together in over 100 books! ~ L