FREE Online eBooks at Amazon.com & Elsewhere

I uploaded Kindle for Mac to my laptop and iPod Touch the other day, not sure if I'd actually use it but mainly to try it out.  I had an appointment at the eye doctor on Friday and to my surprise, I DID use it to read part of one of the two books I had downloaded.   I doubt I will keep a whole library on either device, but to occasionally pick up something to read while I'm out and especially waiting for whatever, they will be quite handy.

Here is THE LINK  to Amazon's page which list the following sites for free books.  I don't think you even have to have the Kindle app to read them but can upload them directly to your computer.

Included in the  Free Book Collections:

• Internet Archive - Over 1.8 million free titles
• Open Library - Over 1 million free titles
• Project Gutenberg - Over 30,000 free titles
• ManyBooks.net - Over 26,000 free titles

Half.com Discounted Books Textbooks

Our math teacher for this next school year (and last year as well) required a new 5th edition textbook for my son's Algebra 2  class that begins this fall.   This morning early I sat down to begin the hunt.  At the publisher's site the book and solutions manual totaled about $190 + shipping.     I found the same books, gently  used, at Half.com for $105.88 which includes shipping!  A savings of  $85.00+.  I was VERY happy to find them. They should arrive in the next week or so since they are being shipped media mail.

These prices were even better than on Amazon.com or Ebay, so be sure to check this alternative site (which is owned by Ebay) when shopping for homeschool (or other) books.  Be sure to confirm the ISBN when ordering and watch out for ANNOTATED or TEACHERS EDITIONS which are not allowed by teachers in their classrooms.  

Don't wait too long to order schoolbooks as the ones you really need may be sold out.  I usually try to get this task done before the end of June to begin school in early August.  I have three more books that I need to order so the hunt continues...

FREE Kindle App Your for Mac or PC

This is from The Happy Housewife today and wanted to pass this one on:

You can now read Kindle books on your computer with Amazon's FREE Reading Apps.

I've never seen a 2-part jpeg file before.  

• From Amazon's website:
  
  
  
  

  The Best Reading Experience for Your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, or BlackBerry

  • Shop the Kindle Store for over 600,000 Kindle books, including 109 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, starting from $9.99. If you are a non-U.S. customer, book pricing and availability may vary.
  • Read thousands of free books, including popular classics such as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, and Treasure Island.
  • Get free book samples - read the first chapter for free before you decide to buy.
  • Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes your last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across your devices.
  • Adjust text size to make reading more comfortable.
  • Download and read Kindle books - no Kindle required.
  • Kindle for Android is coming soon 

I downloaded Amazon's free app for my iPod Touch a few weeks ago but have not loaded it with any books yet.   We are a Mac family so  I was pleased to see that this application is compatible with Macs as well as Windows.  It only took about 2 minutes to download this app onto my laptop computer, which I actually just did as I'm writing this.

Here is a link for Amazon's FREE Kindle book collection although the prices for other books are reasonable. This is a great way to test it out.  There are LOTS of free books on typical high school reading lists to download in their Popular Classics Section.   I still love the feel of curling up on the sofa with  a book in my hands to read it but there are times (I'm thinking when school begins and I'm carpooling or in libraries waiting for my son to get out of class) that this app may become more useful to me.  Give it a test drive yourself.  I will as well.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Carrabbas Italian Grill

RESTAURANT REVIEW:  Carrabba's  Italian Grill

Have you eaten at Carrabba's Italian Grill?  We may be the only ones in town who had NOT eaten there until Tuesday night.  We went for the first time  to celebrate our older son's 21st birthday.  Prices are reasonable toward the high end but the food is absolutely excellent.  You don't get as much as at say, Olive Garden, so consequently, not many leftovers, but for a special occasion or date night it's a delightful atmosphere, excellent service (our waiter talked with us quite a bit)  and great food.

You can check out the menu at THIS LINK.


I found a few photos online of a few of the dishes that we had.   (I would have taken photos myself but the restaurant was a little crowded for that):

Chicken Bryan

Italian Classics

We were very full from dinner so all four of us shared a dessert--the best Tiramisu I  have ever tasted!  Gone in 60 seconds.  :)

On your next special occasion check it out, or purchase a gift card for someone you love.  They will be VERY  pleased.

Decluttering Your Closet / Coathangers and Shoes

If you looked into your closet right now, what would it look like?  It seems that I am constantly organizing and re-organizing our closet.  My husband and  I share a walk-in closet and it has to stay tidy or you can't find anything.  Too many hangers OR clothes and everything gets squished and wrinkled.   Yesterday I couldn't stand my shoes all over the floor so I straightened them up and gave two pairs away.

Now I can actually see what is in there and they ALL are wearable.

I only had about 30 minutes to work on this project so next I tackled all the extra  coat hangers in there.  My husband's pants go to the cleaners often and we end up with WAY too many hangers taking up valuable closet space.  

How does this.. .

...become this?

I have a lower rack on our closet shelving where I hang GOOD hangers now...

...and I took the extras to the dry cleaners.  The last time I was in I asked if I could bring our used hangers back and they were delighted to get them.  

Decluttering and reorganizing this little part of our closet took about 30 minutes.  I had been avoiding it because I thought it would take a lot longer.  Don't procrastinate.  Do a little at a time and the annoying places / eyesores  in your home tidy up pretty quickly.

I Have a 21-year-old Today / Birthdays / Milestones

Today our firstborn son turns 21.  Here are some of my favorite photos of him, each one with fond memories...   :)  Happy Birthday, Son.  I hope you know that you are a beloved son [The Way of the Wild Heart].

Proverbs 23:25

Let your father and your mother be glad,

And let her rejoice who gave birth to you. 

Needless to say, we rejoice greatly.

Remembering Fathers Past on Father's Day

Remembering my dad who passed away in 2005.

1952

Dad (far right) with Mom, his mother, and his brother and sister-in-law

1955
Holding me

1956

Dad, Mom and me a few months before my brother was born.

1971

My 16th birthday party before heading to the 

Magic Kingdom's  Opening Night Dinner.

1979

Pinning my brother's Lieutenant's bars on him at his college graduation from Stetson University.

1985

1992

Dad with Evan

2003

Dad with my brother

2004

Our last Christmas with him

========================================

Remembering my dad's dad who died in 1923.

Here he is holding my dad. We never got to meet him.

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Also remembering my mom's dad who died in 1960.

Granddaddy holding me, 1955.

June 20, 2010 Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day!

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father! 

Lydia M. Child 1836

My husband is blessed to have two of them.  :)

 

Psalm 103:13 

Just as a father has compassion on his children, 

So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.