We started Early-Left the Dog-And visited the Sea
We set out early for Port Aransas, arriving just in time to see the sunrise on the beach. The kids braved the freezing water and collected shells while their OLD, WIMPY parents shivered from the wind. It was Flora and Bear’s first time to see the ocean and they were thrilled. Then we drove into Corpus Christi to visit the aquarium, hoping by the time we were back on the beach it would be warmer. The dolphins were a favorite. And of course no trip could be complete without an injury or two, so Bear fell down some stairs at the aquarium and came up…
Duck’s Best Friend
Last week was Spring Break, and we were so happy to have family in town for the whole week. We played at several local parks (these pics are from just one), where even the dog can make a new friend: And we went to a carnival, where some of us rode a ride and were sure we’d die (ahem), and others were just thrilled: And we even (horrors!) braved the traffic-which lent itself nicely to a nap for one exhausted boy- to head into downtown Austin for some of SXSW: Summary: one of my kids said it was “The best week…
And I Quote
Perhaps you remember that Flora had several imaginary friends, including one who was, um … dead. Well, not to be outdone, Bear told us all about his imaginary friend: His name: Mister Monster He is: Blue, and medium sized He lives: under Bear’s blanket Where he: bites Bear “and it hurts” But the best part is this: some nights he’ll whisper to me that there’s a monster in his room. And then we yell, “Go away, monster!” and Bear proceeds to cry and cry, because I made Mister Monster leave, “AND HE IS MY FRIEND!!!” This morning I asked him where Mister Monster was, and he said, “Upstairs in my blanket. He’s sleeping” ha. And…
Zeitgeisty
When we moved into our house, we brought with us a cabinet that started its life (with me … technically, I suppose it began life as a tree. excuse me while I sob for a moment.) as an installation in the Geology building of campus, full of jars growing rock candy. Then it lived in some apartments and finally our house, where I didn’t really have anywhere to put it. And I kept thinking, I wonder if I’d get in trouble (city ordinance-y wise) if I put it at the end of our driveway, full of books I no longer needed, and put a sign up saying “Take a book, Leave a book”. Which I…
Blogging For Books Review: God Gave Us Love, by Lisa T. Bergren, Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
In this board book, a polar bear cub goes fishing with her Grampa and he uses the time to teach her about the complexities of God’s love for us and our love for each other. Bryant’s illustrations are beautiful. My toddler’s words, upon seeing the bears, were: “Dis is my FAVOWITT book!!” He slept with it that night, and carried it around the next day. He loves looking at it. Reading it is … another story. There are just too many words. It was a shame, but the only way we could finish the book was to paraphrase. A lot. I love that the book provides an opportunity to talk with my children about…
Blogging For Books Review: Saving Grace, by Annie Jones
This book begins with a sentence so long and cheesy, I fully expected to not read, but slog through it. Luckily, a few pages in, I began to enjoy the characters and could forgive Saving Grace its too-flowery moments. Naomi, Lucy, Gayle and Rose are a group of friends who used to be closer and are all in need of that closeness as they each experience difficult times. Grace is the town eccentric (or one of them–it does take place in the South). It’s said she sits on her front porch every year wearing a corsage and an old ball gown, waiting for a lover who jilted her years (and years) before to take…
Booksneeze Review: Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt
Carly Westlake, divorcee, survivor, chocolate lover, runs the Mocha Day Spa. She is missing her business partner, and best friend, who died in an accident, and she’s carrying on a secret e-relationship. Her family’s a mess, her business may be failing, and she needs to lose some weight. Enter Scott Hammond: he’s the accountant for Mocha Day Spa, and happens to be Carly’s best friends widower. He’s determined to help her lose weight–starting by taking away her chocolate. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d enjoy this much; however, I came to like Carly and Scott (and ignore her frequent laments about her weight). It was a fun read. FTC disclaimer: review copy provided by…
Reading Along
This book has such a wonderful cover, I had to take it home with me from the library: Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden by Brook Wilensky-Lanford Wilensky-Lanford writes about people who searched for the real, physical, on earth, location of the Garden of Eden. Once I got into the book I had to admit I just wasn’t really in the mood for non-fiction. But, what I did read was interesting (and I will admit that, being Mormon, I skipped ahead to the chapter on Joseph Smith … interesting, again.) Where would you look for the Garden of Eden? I couldn’t assume I knew enough to find it. Looking for…
Merry Very Happy
We have been: gingerbreading (I learned from last year’s incident and made my own house this year): ornamenting: Christmas carding: downtowning: This first picture is pretty much what it’s like to photograph my (and probably your) kids: I chase them, I bribe them, they will. NOT. stay. still. Or they make these faces … and I will not show you the latest pose they’ve developed to deter me. Gak. But, I do like pictures of them jumping, they’re just so cute. and, when it hasn’t been rainy, we’ve been monkeying: And I have been reading, obviously. More on that later.
We started Early-Left the Dog-And visited the Sea
We set out early for Port Aransas, arriving just in time to see the sunrise on the beach. The kids braved the freezing water and collected shells while their OLD, WIMPY parents shivered from the wind. It was Flora and Bear’s first time to see the ocean and they were thrilled. Then we drove into Corpus Christi to visit the aquarium, hoping by the time we were back on the beach it would be warmer. The dolphins were a favorite. And of course no trip could be complete without an injury or two, so Bear fell down some stairs at the aquarium and came up…
Duck’s Best Friend
Last week was Spring Break, and we were so happy to have family in town for the whole week. We played at several local parks (these pics are from just one), where even the dog can make a new friend: And we went to a carnival, where some of us rode a ride and were sure we’d die (ahem), and others were just thrilled: And we even (horrors!) braved the traffic-which lent itself nicely to a nap for one exhausted boy- to head into downtown Austin for some of SXSW: Summary: one of my kids said it was “The best week…
And I Quote
Perhaps you remember that Flora had several imaginary friends, including one who was, um … dead. Well, not to be outdone, Bear told us all about his imaginary friend: His name: Mister Monster He is: Blue, and medium sized He lives: under Bear’s blanket Where he: bites Bear “and it hurts” But the best part is this: some nights he’ll whisper to me that there’s a monster in his room. And then we yell, “Go away, monster!” and Bear proceeds to cry and cry, because I made Mister Monster leave, “AND HE IS MY FRIEND!!!” This morning I asked him where Mister Monster was, and he said, “Upstairs in my blanket. He’s sleeping” ha. And…
Zeitgeisty
When we moved into our house, we brought with us a cabinet that started its life (with me … technically, I suppose it began life as a tree. excuse me while I sob for a moment.) as an installation in the Geology building of campus, full of jars growing rock candy. Then it lived in some apartments and finally our house, where I didn’t really have anywhere to put it. And I kept thinking, I wonder if I’d get in trouble (city ordinance-y wise) if I put it at the end of our driveway, full of books I no longer needed, and put a sign up saying “Take a book, Leave a book”. Which I…
Blogging For Books Review: God Gave Us Love, by Lisa T. Bergren, Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant
In this board book, a polar bear cub goes fishing with her Grampa and he uses the time to teach her about the complexities of God’s love for us and our love for each other. Bryant’s illustrations are beautiful. My toddler’s words, upon seeing the bears, were: “Dis is my FAVOWITT book!!” He slept with it that night, and carried it around the next day. He loves looking at it. Reading it is … another story. There are just too many words. It was a shame, but the only way we could finish the book was to paraphrase. A lot. I love that the book provides an opportunity to talk with my children about…
