Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Salon

In just three days I go back to work. Maybe it doesn't seem like it to anyone else, but I can't believe how fast summer has flown by.  Incredible! I have had a summer of junk food eating so getting into a routine and not having food available may help me out.  My summer reading was at an all-time low.  I actually feel OK about that.  It has been good to watch a few movies and TV shows and spend time with my kids.  I still read a lot, don't get me wrong, but I have taken many, many books back to the library that I haven't had time for. Maybe someday.
I am still mid book purge/bedroom re-do/cleaning project in our lower level.  There is a long way to go.  Today I managed to accumulate another huge bag of trash to eliminate and recycle a trunk full of magazines.  At least more things are leaving my house than are coming in. 
I would be further on these projects, but we are still taking trips to the pool with friends. On Friday we met up with college friends and spent the day at Adventureland.  I have also been watching the Olympics.  My girls are finally at the age where they enjoy watching them as well. Go USA!
One other highlight from our week was finding a snake by our house.  We live in a very wooded area, so I am sure there are more than a few snakes around, but in the five years we have lived here I have never seen one.  My husband was at work, so I called my 13 year old neighbor who came rushing right over with his net.  He promptly caught the large garter snake and took it home with him.
I'm hoping to get a few more books read in the next two days...we'll see how much I get accomplished.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

The End of Your Life Book Club

This latest Amazon Vine read had me totally engrossed from its very beginning.  Will Schwalbe's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer - Stage IV cancer that originated in the pancreas and metastasized.  While juggling chemo treatments she continues to lead an active life, rarely slowing down for the side effects of her treatment.  Although the Schwalbe family was always a family of readers, it is the time Will and his mother spend together as she receives treatment that the two talk about books they read in the past as well as titles they agreed to now read together.
This is one of those books that made me want to highlight important points and be sure to make note of some aspects as I read.  One of those is that although this book is about the books that Will and his mother read, it is also a memoir of sorts.  Will's mother, Mary Ann, was an amazing woman.  She worked outside the home before many other mothers did so and was a great fundraiser and humanitarian. Her most recent quest was building a library in Afghanistan. She was well traveled, volunteering in many dangerous locations, not afraid to get her hands dirty. The pride Will feels for his mother is evident, and I was also amazed by this woman's accomplishments. 
Although I haven't read more than a few of the books that Schwalbe and his mother read and discuss, that did not detract from the pleasure of reading this book.  If anything, it has caused me to add a few more titles to my ever-growing list. 
Before you begin reading, it is evident that this will not be a happily ever after ending.  Yet, The End of Your Life  Book Club is not really a sad story.  Will Schwalbe is able to show readers the impact of his mother's life.  He was also able to show the real and lasting impact her reading had on her and her children and grandchildren. This is a beautiful tribute to the remarkable Mary Ann Schwalbe.

Friday, July 27, 2012

The Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns

Margaret Dilloway's second novel, The Care and Handling of Roses With Thorns is one I have been looking forward to, even though her first novel is still sitting on my TBR stack. 
I was excited to receive this title through Amazon Vine, and enjoyed it very much.
The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway is a great women's fiction selection. Gal is suffering from kidney failure and awaiting another transplant (this will be her third). Always solitary, her life revolves around her health and her parents have always placed their attention and focus on her. She and her sister, Becky, are not close and Gal hasn't seen her or her niece, Riley, in years.

At first I found Gal difficult to like. Her obsession in life is her gardening of roses- growing and breeding new varieties- and I couldn't help but find her personality as thorny and prickly as the plants she loved. Yet, there is still something a bit likeable about Gal, a woman who has had her share of struggles.
When her niece shows up to live with her, Gal is finally forced to share a bit of her life and her hard exterior begins to crack. Although this is a bit predictable, her interactions with Riley and the changes they both go through also seemed realistic.

I loved this novel and will be reading Dilloway's first book soon, since I have not yet done that. I enjoyed this novel from beginning to end and think Dilloway's ending was perfect - I was left with resolution but was also allowed to do a bit of my own imagining of how Gal's life continued.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Gone Girl

Gone Girl has been "the book" of  the summer it seems.  I have seen reviews of it for a few months now and debated buying it for my kindle. Luckily the library copy didn't take too long to become available.

Because I don't want to spoil anything about this novel for you, the only thing I can really say is that you should read it for yourself.  It is not a book that you will fly through. It took me a while - I didn't skim this time, but actually read every single word.  If you are easily offended by bad language, then you may not enjoy this novel, either.  Honestly, I just kind of tune that part out when I read. 

Although it took me a while to get into (which I have heard from other readers) the second part of this novel really picks up and I am still creeped out a bit.  I kept having flashbacks to Single White Female, a movie I saw when I was in college.  Creepy. 

The basic premise: Nick and Amy are celebrating their fifth anniversary when Amy goes missing.  There are signs of a struggle at their home and all clues point to Nick as the person who is responsible for Amy's disappearance.  The two take turns narrating the chapters so glimpses are given of each person's thoughts and motives. And then just when you are wondering where this might lead, the second half of the novel takes off and what you thought you knew isn't really the case.

I stayed up late reading Gone Girl and still can't stop thinking about Nick and Amy.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick: Prosperous Friends by Christine Schutt
Due out:  November 6, 2012

Product Information taken from Amazon:
Described by John Ashbery as “pared down but rich, dense, fevered, exactly right and even eerily beautiful,” Christine Schutt’s prose has earned her comparisons to Emily Dickinson and Eudora Welty. In her new novel, Schutt delivers a pitch-perfect, timeless and original work on the spectacle of love.


Prosperous Friends follows the evolution of a young couple’s marriage as it is challenged by the quandaries of longing and sexual self-discovery. The glamorous and gifted Ned Bourne and his pretty wife, Isabel, travel to London, New York, and Maine in hopes of realizing their artistic promise, but their quest for sexual fulfillment is less assured. Past lovers and new infatuations, doubt and indifference threaten to bankrupt the marriage. The Bournes’ fantasies for their future finally give way to a deepened and mature perspective in the company of an older, celebrated artist, Clive Harris, and his wife, Dinah, a poet. With compassionate insight, Schutt explores the divide between those like Clive and Dinah who seem to prosper in love and those like Ned and Isabel who feel themselves condemned to yearn for it.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Second Chance Summer

Taylor Edwards is going away with her family for the summer - to the summer home they used to use each year, until life got too busy and she and her brother and sister had too many other summer plans for their family to get away. But this summer is different.  Taylor's dad is dying, and he wants to spend one last summer together. 
Now, in an old familiar place, Taylor needs to confront what happened five years ago with her best friend who still happens to be around - and who Taylor spends a lot of time with since the two work at the same beach stand.
Although life doesn't always end up "happily ever after" Taylor and her family do eventually really talk and Taylor finally starts to resolve her problems without running away.
I liked this story. It's a perfect summer read, and even though Taylor's father's sickness isn't a happy story, the book is realistic and gives the feeling of reality.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Book Purge

I'm not sure what has come over me, but today I purged more books than I ever thought possible. This is just the view of my mother-in-law's backseat.  Her trunk was also full and so was my trunk. This does not include the boxes of books I gave to my brother's family, or a few more boxes I am gathering still.  And, this is just what I have given away. Sadly, I have not read a lot of what I gave away.  I am hoping this is a lesson to myself that from now on I don't need to buy books. I already use the library, but still have bought books. I can't read books from both of those places and still have any time to do anything else. In addition to purging books, I had some great helpers who helped construct new IKEA shelves for me.  So, as soon as I get myself organized, I will share pictures of my new library. 

Friday, July 20, 2012

Dinner: A Love Story

For the few years I have been reading Janssen's blog, Everyday Reading, I don't think she has ever steered me wrong.  I can almost guarantee that if Janssen thinks a book is worth her time, it is also worth mine. So, when I saw her review of Dinner: A Love Story: It All Begins At the Family Table by Jenny Rosenstrach, I knew that this was a book that I, too, wanted to read.
And, luckily with technology on my side, I quickly downloaded a copy onto my Kindle.  Rosenstrach's book is part memoir, part cookbook.  For fourteen years she has kept a journal where she lists every dinner she has eaten and made.  Her meals have changed and developed over the years as she and her husband went from being newly married and just learning how to cook and entertain, to parents of young toddlers who made any semblance of meal time impossible. Now, as her girls are slightly older, they are enjoying eating together each night, trying out new recipes and enjoying good food and good conversation.
Although there are a few suggestions on how to make dinner time conversation with children go more smoothly, this is not really a how-to book.  Rosenstrach is encouraging in her writing for anyone who wants to make more of an effort with their focus on meals being eaten together as a family, but not critical when or if that doesn't happen for some families.
Growing up, one of my mother's go-to phrases was "a family that eats together stays together." I admit I groaned a bit when she said this, especially by high school when I wanted to be out socializing and not bound to a dinner commitment.  However, my own family struggles to have meals together, something I am not proud of.  It seems that some of my mother's beliefs have rubbed off on me, and I want to make more of a commitment to having an organized dinner together each night.
Dinner: A Love Story is full of recipes I would like to try. While there are some that are never going to work for me- clams, for instance, there are also plenty that I am planning to attempting.  Rosenstrach's recipes are a bit more gourmet than the things I usually serve for supper on a weeknight- think tacos or Frito pie - but her pizza recipes, grilling ideas, and fish recipes are some I am certainly willing to give a go.
I have also enjoyed Rosenstrach's website, http://www.dinneralovestory.com/.  Not only is Rosenstrach a good cook and entertaining author, reading her book made me feel as though we could be friends. This is one book that I can see many of my friends enjoying for both the recipes and the rest of Rosenstrach's writing.  While I am happy to have been able to read this book with just a simple download, Dinner: A Love Story is one title I would not mind owning in book format so I could page back and forth through it and read and re-read various recipes.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick:  The Age of Desire by Jennie Fields
Due out August 2, 2012

Product Description taken from Amazon:
For fans of The Paris Wife, a sparkling glimpse into the life of Edith Wharton and the scandalous love affair that threatened her closest friendship

They say behind every great man is a woman. Behind Edith Wharton, there was Anna Bahlmann—her governess turned literary secretary, and her mothering, nurturing friend.

When at the age of forty-five, Edith falls passionately in love with a dashing younger journalist, Morton Fullerton, and is at last opened to the world of the sensual, it threatens everything certain in her life but especially her abiding friendship with Anna. As Edith’s marriage crumbles and Anna’s disapproval threatens to shatter their lifelong bond, the women must face the fragility at the heart of all friendships.

Told through the points of view of both women, The Age of Desire takes us on a vivid journey through Wharton’s early Gilded Age world: Paris with its glamorous literary salons and dark secret cafés, the Whartons’ elegant house in Lenox, Massachusetts, and Henry James’s manse in Rye, England.

Edith’s real letters and intimate diary entries are woven throughout the book. The Age of Desire brings to life one of literature’s most beloved writers, whose own story was as complex and nuanced as that of any of the heroines she created.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

The Girl is Murder

I wish I could credit the blogger who turned me onto this book, but unfortunately after I make note of the title I never think to also jot down the blog where I have seen a title I am interested in. The Girl is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines was a fabulous mystery, the first in a series set during World War II.
Iris Anderson is a private school girl forced to attend public school after taking a step down the social ladder. Her father was injured in Pearl Harbor, returning home after Iris' mother commits suicide.  Father and daughter aren't particularly close because Iris and her mother were often by themselves while Father was gone in the military. Now the two rent rooms from an elderly lady who cooks and cleans for them, while Iris' father tries to make a go of his detective agency. Times are tough and Iris is worried about money after seeing her father struggle with his cases. She offers to help, which he turns down, but Iris doesn't give up that easily.  And, when her new public school friends, her former best friend, Grace, and a missing person are all connected, it is more than Iris can bear to stand back and watch the action. 
Haines' descriptions are so pitch perfect I could smell the boiled cabbage being cooked for Iris' supper and picture the outfits she wore to school. The slang she is introduced to by her new public school friends made me chuckle, and I truly felt as though I were a part of Iris' life in the 1940s. 
Haines mystery is fabulous as a stand alone title, but I am even more encouraged that the second book was published earlier this month.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

This one makes me smile. As a farm girl myself and as someone who still lives in a farming community this video pretty well captures what life is like.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Summer Getaway

My mom and girls at Lincoln's tomb

Me outside of Lincoln's home in Springfield, Illinois
Each summer my mom and I try and take my girls somewhere for a little getaway. This year we have ventured a bit further than we have in the past.  Yesterday we left early in the morning for a five and a half hour drive to Springfield, Illinois.  We have visited President Lincoln's tomb, taken a tour of his home, and gone on an incredible ten block tour last night as well.   Today we will be visiting his museum and library and then heading home.  This trip has been well worth the drive. Springfield is a delightful little city!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz has been on my radar since I ran across it on a few blogs.  At the time I was very much unaware of Saenz's work, but just yesterday discovered I actually own another one of his books, Last Night I Sang to the Monster.
Aristotle and Dante are two Mexican American teenage boys.  While Dante is close to his father and his family is openly affectionate, Ari feels distance between him and his father, who seems to have some demons to deal with after serving in Vietnam. There is also the secret surrounding Ari's older brother who is in prison.  His parents never talk about him and it happened to long ago that Ari can barely remember his big brother.
Both boys are in need of a friend, and the two develop a great relationship.  This novel spans a few years time, and both boys try to understand who they are in terms of their heritage and their sexuality.  I loved the fact that Saenz's characters were Mexican American. Sadly, I can only think of one other middle grade or young adult novel that has male Mexican American characters. I wish there were more books out there representing this group since so many of my students fall into it.
Although I was a bit surprised by the ending, I liked this novel a lot. This is my first experience with Saenz's work, and since I have now discovered I own a previous novel, I will have to move it up on my TBR stack.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick: Those We Love Most by Lee Woodruff
Due out September 11, 2012

Product Description taken from Amazon:
A bright June day. A split-second distraction. A family forever changed.

Life is good for Maura Corrigan. Married to her college sweetheart, Pete, raising three young kids with her parents nearby in her peaceful Chicago suburb, her world is secure. Then one day, in a single turn of fate, that entire world comes crashing down and everything that she thought she knew changes.

Maura must learn to move forward with the weight of grief and the crushing guilt of an unforgivable secret. Pete senses a gap growing between him and his wife but finds it easier to escape to the bar with his friends than face the flaws in his marriage.

Meanwhile, Maura's parents are dealing with the fault lines in their own marriage. Charismatic Roger, who at sixty-five, is still chasing the next business deal and Margaret, a pragmatic and proud homemaker, have been married for four decades, seemingly happily. But the truth is more complicated. Like Maura, Roger has secrets of his own and when his deceptions and weaknesses are exposed, Margaret's love and loyalty face the ultimate test.

Those We Love Most chronicles how these unforgettable characters confront their choices, examine their mistakes, fight for their most valuable relationships, and ultimately find their way back to each other. It takes us deep into the heart of what makes families and marriages tick and explores a fundamental question: when the ties that bind us to those we love are strained or broken, how do we pick up the pieces?

Deeply penetrating and brimming with emotional insight, this engrossing family drama heralds the arrival of a major new voice in contemporary fiction.



Tuesday, July 10, 2012

My Life Next Door

It's been a long time since I have fell for a teenage protagonist. After all, I am not exactly in the teen age range any more, and haven't been for a long time. But Huntley Fitzpatrick's novel, My Life Next Door, changed that.
Jase is the boy next door. He is one of eight children, and constant chaos seems to surround their house.  Samantha's mom has no time for the Garretts.  She is disciplined and orderly and has plenty to say about the way the Garretts choose to live. Despite the fact that the two families have been neighbors for a few years, Samantha and Jase have never talked.  Then in one magical summer, the two fall in love.  And this is where I must confess that Jase seemed nearly perfect to me, too.  He tenderly cared for his younger siblings, willingly did his part around the house, worked for his father, was training for football. And best of all, he reallly cared about Samantha. The two of them actually discussed having sex, and were mature about their decisions.  If nothing else, hopefully Jase's behavior will encourage teen readers to make responsible decisions and try to find a partner with whom they can really talk.
However, Samantha doesn't tell her mother that she and Jase are dating right away. Her mom is absorbed by work and is dating a younger man herself.  And Samantha knows how her mom will react to the fact that she is dating one of the Garretts.  The fallout from this discover is nothing, though, compared to what happens when Samantha must choose between her family or Jase's after a tragic accident.
I loved this book.  Fitzpatrick has created two great teen-age characters that are easily believable and likeable.  I'll be busy recommending this one to lots of teen readers.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Sunday Salon

Another hot and steamy week! I love the heat and summer weather, but even I didn't leave my house on Friday.  This has resulted in a few more books getting read, which is not a bad thing!
This coming week looks rather busy.  My mom and I are taking my girls to see Abraham Lincoln's Library and tomb and whatever other Lincoln stuff there might be in Springfield, Illinois.  Since the drive is a little more than five hours, we are also staying overnight.
Tomorrow I am picking up two students to spend the day at my house.  Each year we are encouraged to do home visits. This spring I visited them at their home. Their mom does not speak English, although I think she can understand some of what I am saying, so the fourth grade daughter has been the translator. The kids are very bright and the mom is a good mom, but they lack a safe place to go outside to play and any financial security. Last week I took them swimming with my kids since their mom is working all day. Their days in daycare consist of them sitting inside a house watching TV all day.  My middle daughter especially bonded with the fourth grade girl, so they were both begging to get together again.  We have sno-cone making on the agenda tomorrow, perhaps a little swimming, a visit to my parents farm, and who knows what else they will come up with.
Today I must go and buy crickets to feed to my daughter's toad we bought last week. This pet of hers has quickly become my responsibility, leading me to question what I was thinking when I agreed to get it.
Despite the beautiful summer weather, we are praying for rain here in northeast Iowa. The crops are looking tough, but there is no rain on the seven day forecast anywhere.
Later today I plan on hanging out and getting a bit more reading done. I'm working on Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. I am really enjoying it so far, but it is also making me question what books I have read that have protagonists that are a bit younger and are Hispanic. I can think of some Hispanic female protagonists but not males.
How about you? What's up for your week?

Friday, July 6, 2012

The Roots of the Olive Tree

Courtney Miller Santos' debut novel, The Roots of the Olive Tree, follows the lives of five generations of women in the Keller family living in the Sacramento valley raising olives on the farm that matriarch Anna's father first began.
Anna is 112 years old, looking forward to becoming the oldest living person.  Her daughter, Bets, granddaughter Callie, great-granddaughter, Deb, and great-great granddaughter Erin, all take turns telling their stories as well. Each woman has a few secrets and a unique personality that are shared in this novel. 
The olive farm that Anna's father began when they came to America from Australia is the backdrop to this story as the women still grow and sell olives. In addition, the olives may have something to do with the women's long life spans.  A geneticist has chosen to study the Keller women to see if something in their DNA is allowing them to age at a slower rate or if there is some other miracle that allows these women to continue living in such fine health for such a length of time.
The secrets of these women adds a little suspense as I waited for each to be revealed and the impact they would have on the other women.  This is a solid debut novel that should attract women's fiction readers and become a popular book club pick.
This novel was sent to me by Bookreporter.com for review.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick: The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
Due out October 2, 2012

Product Description taken from Amazon:
The inspiring story of a son and his dying mother, who form a “book club” that brings them together as her life comes to a close.

Mary Anne Schwalbe is waiting for her chemotherapy treatments when Will casually asks her what she’s reading. The conversation they have grows into tradition: soon they are reading the same books so they can have something to talk about in the hospital waiting room. The ones they choose range from classic to popular, from fantastic to spiritual, and we hear their passion for reading and their love for each other in their intimate and searching discussions.
A profoundly moving testament to the power of love between a child and parent, and the power of reading in our lives.



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Blast from the Past

It's hard for me to believe that June is over already - summer is flying by!  I love to look at what I was reading at this time of year in my old reading journals.  Some noteworthy reads from July 2002:

So many good books! 
What were you reading ten years ago? Last year?

Monday, July 2, 2012

Insomnia and The Book Lover

Last night we tried to put our girls to bed before 10 PM. This is getting hard for me to do in the summer. I love being outside and since it gets dark so late, bedtime keeps getting pushed back. Since I don't have to get up early during the summer, I easily justify the late bedtimes. But, my husband is not so appreciative.  He does have to get up for work each day.  At 11:00 last night we were both reading before bed when our oldest daughter came in to tell us that she couldn't fall asleep. Just moments later I could hear the creak of the bunk bed ladder and we were joined by our middle daughter who also could not sleep. Finally, after I laid down by our oldest daughter, and our middle daughter tried to fall asleep in our bed, the house was quiet. Until I woke up at 1:00 AM.  I was wide awake, and decided to get up and read for a while. I headed to the couch where my I found my husband cruising the internet.  He also could not sleep. I read for over an hour - probably more like two hours- and devoured Mary Ann McFadden's The Book Lover.
The Book Lover is a story I fell in love with.  Lucy has just self-published a novel after years of trying to make her dreams of being an author come true.  Despite the turmoil in her personal life, she sets about to get the word out about her book.  Ruth is the owner of The Book Lover, an independent bookstore struggling to compete with the chain bookstores and on-line retailers.  When she reads Lucy's book she invites her to come for a book signing. The two become good friends and their lives intersect for several months.  Ruth helps Lucy deal with her deteriorating marriage, and Lucy helps Ruth learn to reach out again after Ruth had closed herself off for decades since her husband's death.
Any book lover or aspiring writer will appreciate this story about a woman who wants so much to have her work published.  Knowing a few friends who have had books published, I was not surprised by Lucy's path to getting her work published or by all she had to do to get her book recognized.  I also appreciated Ruth's perspective as a struggling businesswoman, trying to keep an indie bookstore afloat while so much competition exists.
Although I don't think McFadden's aim was to provide inspiration to aspiring writers, she knows the ins and outs of having a book published, and even self-published her first book. Her success does serve as an inspiration.
I loved The Book Lover and will be recommending it far and wide.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Seating Arrangements and Sunday Salon

Maggie Shipstead's novel Seating Arrangements has been getting rave reviews.  Everywhere I look, this book is mentioned as a great summer read.  And I was excited to read it, too. But, unfortunately Seating Arrangements did not live up to my expectations.  I'm not blaming the author or book. I mean, obviously I am in the minority as far as my opinion goes. 
The general outline of the story: A family gathers on an island in New England for the wedding of the oldest daughter.  It is Winn Van Meter, the father of the bride, who is the main focus of this story.  He is worried about all the money spent on this wedding.  He is attracted to one of his daughter's bridesmaids and contemplates an extra-marital relationship.  He has a minor obsession with joining an exclusive club that he is denied membership of. 
The blurb on the back of the book characterizes this as a social satire, something that I think is an apt depiction of this novel - and something I wasn't aware of when I began reading.  I also expected this book to be more of a chick-lit type novel, something I wanted to take to the beach.  I would classify Seating Arrangements as literary fiction, not necessarily a beach read. I'm still waiting for my friend Kristin to finish Seating Arrangements...maybe it is just me who didn't get into this novel, so I am anxious to hear from others who have read this book what I missed.

Aside from reading Seating Arrangements, we have been having HOT weather here. We had a great time boating with friends yesterday- a first for my youngest daughter. All my girls got to try tubing for the first time. 

My girls have started playing with Legos a lot.  There are fights over who is following the directions the right way. 

I have never had a summer of such slow reading.  Softball is officially done, so maybe I can find a few more evenings to read. 

My mother-in-law took my two younger daughters to Brave in the theaters. While she was with them, she paid for me to see a movie I wanted to see. I chose Rock of Ages, and relived the 80s.

I have a great buffalo chicken recipe from Pinterest I am trying as we speak.  It smells great, just needs to cook in the crock pot a bit longer.

Today I took my niece and youngest daughter to pick out tadpoles. Bad news.  No pet store has tadpoles right now. So, both girls now own toads.  I am not excited about the live crickets I had to buy and will need to feed them each day.