Mine is. But I'm glad I get to spend it with my boys.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Is Your Summer Flying By?
Mine is. But I'm glad I get to spend it with my boys.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
A Sweet Binding
Really. That is what it is called. A sweet binding.
I have wanted to learn this binding for awhile. I tried it on my own and I didn't do it quite right, so when this class was offered a few weeks ago I jumped at the chance. This is a French sewing using waxed linen thread over leather bands.
I have wanted to learn this binding for awhile. I tried it on my own and I didn't do it quite right, so when this class was offered a few weeks ago I jumped at the chance. This is a French sewing using waxed linen thread over leather bands.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Happy Birthday Chasey!
You are three! My baby is three! When did that happen? Time flies so fast. But you know what? He will always be my Little Love.
ps I just posted the recipe for this yummy Cool Whip cake on my recipe blog. It is a family favorite!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Book Review
If you haven't noticed on my sidebar, I read a lot of books. A lot. In fact I prefer to read in my bits of spare time than almost any other activity. If I am not reading a book, I feel like something is missing. I am also fairly picky with what books merit 4 and 5 stars. There are a lot of enjoyable books that I have read, but there has to be something more in order to get my highest recommendation. I don't really have a specific recipe, but I just know.
I think the next few months I will post some of my absolute favorites that I have read the past several years.
Best Stand Alone Book
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - This is truly one of the best books I have ever read. I don't even know where to start it is so good on so many levels. It is about a girl, Liesel, in Nazi Germany who steals books in order to learn how to read. This book isn't your standard read about the horrors of concentration camps in WWII. It is about:
an iron-fisted woman - the smell of friendship - the gates of thievery - way of the words - peace - champagne and accordians - a final kiss on poisoned cheeks - a promise keeper - and a frightened boy with frozen legs
What on earth have I written? Well that leads me to my next point. I think the best way I can describe Zusak's writing style is heavy-handed and well...different. Some may describe his writing style as "over the top." I think given the subject and events of the book, it fits well. You will have to read the book to see what on earth I am talking about and why I wrote it that way.
Zusak does an excellent job of hammering into your head what he is saying, and he does so using "Death" as the narrator for the story who is compassionate, frank and has a witty sense of humor all his own. For example:
A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH
I do not carry a sickle or scythe.
I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold.
And I don't have those skull-like facial features you seem to enjoy pinning on me from a distance. You want to know what I truly look like? I'll help you out. Find yourself a mirror while I continue.
Not only does Death use plenty of foreshadow in the book, he also describes events and circumstances using words and phrases that you wouldn't normally use. And why is it that knowing what is going to happen and bracing yourself for the impact rarely helps when the storm finally breaks? Good writing, I tell ya. See, that is part of the recipe.
A few examples of his descriptive writing:
Her teeth were like a soccer crowd, crammed in.
The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness.
A bathrobe answered the door. Inside it, a woman!
His character development is also superb. Your initial judgement of some when you meet them will slowly change over the course of the book, while others you love from the first introduction. If I could summarize this book I would say it is full of love and hope. This book is emotionally draining, but worth every tear you will shed. Because you will cry. That I promise.
Now I must stop writing about it or I will either 1) start bawling or 2) start reading it again.
ps If you ever read any of my recommendations I would love to know what you think about them!
pps As far as content goes, there are German swear words, written in German throughout the book. There are a few American swear words as well.
I think the next few months I will post some of my absolute favorites that I have read the past several years.
Best Stand Alone Book
1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - This is truly one of the best books I have ever read. I don't even know where to start it is so good on so many levels. It is about a girl, Liesel, in Nazi Germany who steals books in order to learn how to read. This book isn't your standard read about the horrors of concentration camps in WWII. It is about:
an iron-fisted woman - the smell of friendship - the gates of thievery - way of the words - peace - champagne and accordians - a final kiss on poisoned cheeks - a promise keeper - and a frightened boy with frozen legs
What on earth have I written? Well that leads me to my next point. I think the best way I can describe Zusak's writing style is heavy-handed and well...different. Some may describe his writing style as "over the top." I think given the subject and events of the book, it fits well. You will have to read the book to see what on earth I am talking about and why I wrote it that way.
Zusak does an excellent job of hammering into your head what he is saying, and he does so using "Death" as the narrator for the story who is compassionate, frank and has a witty sense of humor all his own. For example:
A SMALL PIECE OF TRUTH
I do not carry a sickle or scythe.
I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold.
And I don't have those skull-like facial features you seem to enjoy pinning on me from a distance. You want to know what I truly look like? I'll help you out. Find yourself a mirror while I continue.
Not only does Death use plenty of foreshadow in the book, he also describes events and circumstances using words and phrases that you wouldn't normally use. And why is it that knowing what is going to happen and bracing yourself for the impact rarely helps when the storm finally breaks? Good writing, I tell ya. See, that is part of the recipe.
A few examples of his descriptive writing:
Her teeth were like a soccer crowd, crammed in.
The sky was like soup, boiling and stirring. In some places, it was burned. There were black crumbs, and pepper, streaked across the redness.
A bathrobe answered the door. Inside it, a woman!
His character development is also superb. Your initial judgement of some when you meet them will slowly change over the course of the book, while others you love from the first introduction. If I could summarize this book I would say it is full of love and hope. This book is emotionally draining, but worth every tear you will shed. Because you will cry. That I promise.
Now I must stop writing about it or I will either 1) start bawling or 2) start reading it again.
ps If you ever read any of my recommendations I would love to know what you think about them!
pps As far as content goes, there are German swear words, written in German throughout the book. There are a few American swear words as well.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Call me Crazy...
but I think my planters would look a lot better if I didn't have help from #4.
The other day I noticed that some of my planters looked a little bare. I clearly remember putting in more flowers than what is there now.
A few days later I went out to water what was left only to find a handful of them on the ground actively dying before my eyes.
Please. Leave my poor plants alone.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Making Some Sweet Moolah
The past two weeks the house next to ours has been in the Parade of Homes. I talked to Taylor about setting up a cookie stand and selling cookies to all the Parade goers. Since he wants me to register him for a fancy, expensive soccer team he was gung ho on making some money. Good thing too, because I told him he had to pay for half of the registration fee which is no small amount for an 11 year old to earn.
So we have baked batch after batch after batch of chocolate chips cookies. I lost count a long time ago. Last Saturday was the last day and we baked around 115 cookies for the day and sold every one of them.
We also figured out what sells well and what does not. Bottled water and lemonade were popular. Soda sold a little bit, but less than what I expected. I had the not-so brilliant idea to sell cartons of milk with the cookies. I mean who doesn't like milk with cookies? Not popular at all.
After I took out the cost of goods, he made plenty of money for his soccer registration and then some!
(blurry iphone pictures brought to you by Bennett)
So we have baked batch after batch after batch of chocolate chips cookies. I lost count a long time ago. Last Saturday was the last day and we baked around 115 cookies for the day and sold every one of them.
We also figured out what sells well and what does not. Bottled water and lemonade were popular. Soda sold a little bit, but less than what I expected. I had the not-so brilliant idea to sell cartons of milk with the cookies. I mean who doesn't like milk with cookies? Not popular at all.
After I took out the cost of goods, he made plenty of money for his soccer registration and then some!
(blurry iphone pictures brought to you by Bennett)
Our Fence
A few days ago we had our fence installed. Foolishly thinking that now I would have slightly more control over where Chase is, I happily sent him outside to play in the sandbox. I went to check on him a few minutes later and he was nowhere to be seen.
Where on earth did he go? He can't open the gates, I know that. I went around to the front of the house looking for him and found him playing on the opposite side of the fence. I asked him how he got out of the backyard. He responded in his 3 year old gibberish saying something about the hole under the fence. That little stink. We will be plugging that hole and any others immediately.
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