Thursday, October 31, 2013

Christmas Gift?

With Halloween happening today I am guessing you will be ready to hit the stores tomorrow to shop for Christmas gifts.  Here at our house my girls were very excited when the Mattel Keepsake Box arrived. I have to admit, I was, too.

With three girls, the fact that the box was pink and purple was not a big deal, although none of my children are extremely "girly."  We had a good time trying to set it up together and I was thankful that I had batteries on hand.  

As an adult I found the directions were not the best, although I did eventually figure it out.  I would say that even my twelve year old, who is very good at reading and following directions would need help if she were trying to set it up, so it definitely something that an adult should do before giving this as a gift in order to reduce frustration.

The idea of a voice activated lock is extremely cool, yet we were never able to unlock it using the voice activation.  This is where the interest my children had disappeared.  There is a reset button for the voice activation, thank goodness, yet hearing the box's alarm system after two failed attempts to access it, is almost worth not being able to get it open.  

Although this is a great idea, I won't be purchasing this as a gift for anyone.  Ultimately, despite the bells and whistles (and locks), it is really just a plastic box.  

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

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

This week's pick:  Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen
Due out: January 28, 2014

Product Information taken from Amazon:
A superb love story from Anna Quindlen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author ofRise and Shine, Blessings, and A Short Guide to a Happy Life
 
Still Life with Bread Crumbs begins with an imagined gunshot and ends with a new tin roof. Between the two is a wry and knowing portrait of Rebecca Winter, a photographer whose work made her an unlikely heroine for many women. Her career is now descendent, her bank balance shaky, and she has fled the city for the middle of nowhere. There she discovers, in a tree stand with a roofer named Jim Bates, that what she sees through a camera lens is not all there is to life.
 
Brilliantly written, powerfully observed, Still Life with Bread Crumbs is a deeply moving and often very funny story of unexpected love, and a stunningly crafted journey into the life of a woman, her heart, her mind, her days, as she discovers that life is a story with many levels, a story that is longer and more exciting than she ever imagined.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Halloween Books

Halloween is not my favorite holiday of the year. However, I hate to be a party pooper, so I do usually dig out a few books to share with  my students. This year I've been reading:


Froggy's Halloween by Jonathan London

Arthur's Halloween by Marc Brown

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet by Diane de Groat


Crankenstein by Samantha Berger

Click, Clack, Boo! A Tricky Treat by Doreen Cronin

I've added a couple new titles to my usual Halloween read-alouds, but still like my old classics the best.  I was extremely excited to see that Doreen Cronin had another in her Click, Clack, Moo series coming out, yet feel that this one falls short of the other books in the series.



Monday, October 28, 2013

Mrs. Poe

Way back in eighth grade I read The Raven and the Telltale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe. I remember how creepy I thought his books were, but haven't read him since.  Yet, when I saw Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen I didn't hesitate for a moment to read it.  

This fictionalized memoir focuses on Frances Osgood, a writer who has been left by her husband, and who becomes entangled with Edgar Allen Poe.  Poe's wife is just twenty-three, a child ten years earlier when the two married, but who is dying from consumption. Virginia Poe and Frances Osgood form a friendship of sorts, despite Frances' love for her friend's husband.

This is a bit of a tangled web with some creepy elements thrown in.  I knew nothing of Poe's personal life or his path to success, so that this entire novel was full of interesting bits of information.

Mrs. Poe is another great novel I can add to my growing list of fictionalized memoirs, a fabulous read.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Sunday Salon

I lucked out with a three day weekend that has flown by!  I spent my day off working until noon at school, then running errands. Yesterday I worked at the public library and spent the rest of the day at Middle and Little Sister's soccer tournament.  Today our godson, Andy, was confirmed.  Church with lunch following, and then a quick run to buy Middle Sister volleyball equipment pretty much ate up all of today.  




Our family - just before church 



Us with our godson, Andy

Reading this weekend? Not so much.  I did get a batch of cheeseburger soup whipped up.  I didn't get the house cleaned at all.  I also didn't work out even once. I got to wear my new Odyssey wrap that I purchased from Athleta today - I love it so much, I'm pretty sure I could wear this every single day.  
I'm almost ready to curl up on the couch reading This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales while everyone else watches the Packers/Vikings game.  Big Sister is at a youth dodgeball event that she will need to be picked up from, meaning someone has to stay awake. 

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend and are ready for another week!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Early Decision

Lucy Crawford's debut novel covered a topic I greatly enjoy - that of college admissions.  While my own college admission process pales in comparison to the characters she writes of, Early Decision is easy to relate to and to imagine getting caught up in the push to get into the college of your dreams.



Anne is in her late twenties and although her personal life is in turmoil (a cross-country relationship with her boyfriend who doesn't want to commit), appears calm, cool, and collected to her high school clients and their parents.  As Anne works to get each graduate into the college of their choice, that means not necessarily following their parents' instructions, yet appearing agreeable to their demands. While wealth can buy certain things, it doesn't ensure these children will be admitted to the school of their choice.  The playing field is a bit more level as application essays are written and revised all with Anne's input.  Although it may seem that the teenagers would present more of a challenge, it is the parents whose hands she must hold.

Crawford draws on her own experiences as a college admissions counselor, creating an interesting novel about the highs and lows of the college admissions process for upper class children. I'm hoping Crawford has plans to continue writing - I will happily read her work again.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Bedtime Reads

Remember those boxes I teased you with yesterday on my blog?  I took a huge stack of books home to share with Little Sister at bedtime.  So far, we've read several and I have a lot that I can't wait to read to my students at school.

Bugs in My Hair by David Shannon was an instant must read for us. As soon as I saw the author and fun cover, I couldn't wait.  It doesn't hurt that my nieces and nephew's school is having a major outbreak of head lice, so it has been a topic of conversation in our house recently.  There is a bit more information in this book than Shannon's other books - giving some little tidbits about lice, like the fact that dogs don't get head lice.  The illustrations are fun and colorful, depicting one poor boy's experience with these disgusting creatures.


Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier has been a book that Little Sister has already shared with several people.  This is a perfect book for her to read aloud, and as she follows the instructions to open each book, she enjoys the cuteness of it, each book becoming smaller and smaller.  She has already requested we purchase this book for our own collection.  

Picture Day Perfection by Deborah Diesen is another fun bedtime read.  The boy narrating the story has been planning for an entire year the perfect school picture.  A number of things happen to ruin that plan - syrup spilling, a bad hair day, and a gray background, to name a few.  We were expecting him to feel bad about the way his picture turned out, yet it becomes obvious that our ideas of "perfection" are vastly different.

I still have lots of books to read to Little Sister at bedtime, a great time to find some new treasures for read-alouds at school.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Best.Day.Ever

It doesn't get much better than this at the school library! I have lots of goodies I can't wait to share and read!



Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

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

This week's pick:  Bread and Butter by Michelle Wildgen
Due out: 

Product Description taken from Amazon:
Kitchen Confidential meets Three Junes in this mouthwatering novel about three brothers who run competing restaurants, and the culinary snobbery, staff stealing, and secret affairs that unfold in the back of the house.

Britt and Leo have spent ten years running Winesap, the best restaurant in their small Pennsylvania town. They cater to their loyal customers; they don't sleep with the staff; and business is good, even if their temperamental pastry chef is bored with making the same chocolate cake night after night. But when their younger brother, Harry, opens his own restaurant—a hip little joint serving an aggressive lamb neck dish—Britt and Leo find their own restaurant thrown off-kilter. Britt becomes fascinated by a customer who arrives night after night, each time with a different dinner companion. Their pastry chef, Hector, quits, only to reappear at Harry's restaurant. And Leo finds himself falling for his executive chef-tempted to break the cardinal rule of restaurant ownership. Filled with hilarious insider detail—the one-upmanship of staff meals before the shift begins, the rivalry between bartender and hostess, the seedy bar where waitstaff and chefs go to drink off their workday—Bread and Butter is both an incisive novel of family and a gleeful romp through the inner workings of restaurant kitchens.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Silver Star


Jeannette Walls' latest work of fiction is another must read for fans of her work - a group that is certainly growing.

Silver Star is a story of two sisters set in 1970.  Liz and Bean are best friends as the two girls grow up fatherless and with a mother who is a dreamer.  When their mom leaves them alone for a few weeks as she goes off to find herself, the girls decide to set off for their mother's hometown.  Bryer is a place new to the girls, and they discover bits and pieces about their extended family and about the father Bean never knew.

They are reluctantly taken in by their uncle Tinsley, and attempt to fit into life in a small town. Although their mother does return, she is unable to care for her children.  Liz and Bean become involved with Mr. Maddox, a big wheel in town who has obtained his power and money by bullying others. Uncle Tinsley has forbidden the girls from getting a job -especially if it is working for Mr. Maddox, but the girls don't listen to him. It is only after something happens to Liz that the girls come clean and admit what they have done to their uncle.

I love Walls' writing.  I loved Silver Star.  After reading both The Glass Castle, a memoir, and Half Broke Horses, a novel based on Walls' own ancestors, I am curious to know how much of Silver Star was autobiographical.  This book is another example of Walls' talent as a writer. Silver Star would be a great selection for book clubs, women's fiction readers, and even as a cross-over novel for young adults.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Sunday Salon: The Monday Edition

The weekend got away from me with birthday celebrations.  For a second weekend we had a party to prepare for. This week it was the family party to celebrate all three girls' birthdays along with my nephew who is turning three in November.

We rented a trampoline/tumbling place and served Papa Murphy's pizza. I had planned on making some food, but my daughters assured me that no one would really want to eat- they would want to jump.  The party was short and sweet and now I only have two more friend parties to plan for. It seems like these birthday parties are never ending, but with three fall birthdays they all hit at the same time.  

This weekend was the last regular season soccer game.  Little Sister ended by scoring two goals on Saturday.  I worked at the public library on Saturday morning which allowed me to get some leisure reading done and catch up with a good friend who stopped by.  

This coming week I will be working late two nights for parent/teacher conferences.  The good news is that with this schedule I should be able to make my exercise class every day this week.

The weather is a bit more brisk this morning - and we even have a chance of snow flurries tomorrow.  I'm hoping the weather report is wrong- I am so not ready for cold weather yet! 

Hope your week is a good one!



Saturday, October 19, 2013

Every Day After


Lizzie is growing up during the Great Depression, an already difficult time as people struggle to hold on to their jobs and homes.  When Lizzie's dad loses his job, he takes off leaving Lizzie and her mother without telling them where he is going or if he will come back.  The loss of her husband causes Lizzie's mother to have a breakdown and Lizzie is left to care for her mother and keep up their home.  This is especially important to Lizzie as Erin, a bully in her class, threatens to let everyone know that Lizzie's mom is incapable of caring for her and Lizzie will be taken to an orphanage.

Ben, Lizzie's best friend, is going through his own troubles. His family is also beset by money problems after Ben's dad dies.  Although Ben tries to befriend Lizzie as she deals with Erin and her mother, her inability to look past her own problems and see that Ben has some of his own, causes him to look elsewhere for a friend.

Parts of this story seemed too predictable - the portrayal of Erin as only mean without developing her as a more complex or authentic character bothered me.  Yet, tweens who read this book will not be as critical of this or perhaps even realize it.  

I loved the setting of Every Day After, and Golden manages to bring this story to a close in a satisfying way, without creating an ending that is trite or predictable.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Birthday Girl


Happy Birthday to Middle Sister!
She is hitting double digits today - amazing!  We took many, many pictures this morning, but this is the only one where her eyes are actually open.  Apparently she does not like the flash on our digital camera :)


Thursday, October 17, 2013

The Realm of Last Chances

Traditionally when I read women's fiction, the authors are mostly women.  The Realm of Last Chances by Steve Yarbrough, is an exception to this.


Kristin and Cal, a couple in their fifties, relocate to Massachusetts after Kristin loses her administrative job at an university in California. Her new job is less prestigious, and Cal spends most of his time playing music on his instruments.  The two seem to be separate entities, unable to connect in this new location.  Kristin becomes involved in the politics of her job and is consumed by a plagiarism issue that arises.  Cal, meanwhile, continues to drift, eventually finding a friend in the neighborhood.  Kristin also finds a friend, beginning an affair with another neighbor, Matt.  

There is a lot of character development as the histories of Kristin, Cal and Matt are revealed.  Yarbrough's characters are real people each with their share of flaws.  The Realm of Last Chances is not suspenseful or full of action, but it does provide an intimate look at one small group of suburbanites that feels entirely authentic.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

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

This week's pick:  Mrs. Lincoln's Rival by Jennifer Chiaverini
Due out January 14, 2014

Product Description taken from Amazon:
The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, Jennifer Chiaverini, reveals the famous First Lady’s very public social and political contest with Kate Chase Sprague, memorialized as “one of the most remarkable women ever known to Washington society.” (Providence Journal)

Kate Chase Sprague was born in 1840 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the second daughter to the second wife of a devout but ambitious lawyer. Her father, Salmon P. Chase, rose to prominence in the antebellum years and was appointed secretary of the treasury in Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet, while aspiring to even greater heights.

Beautiful, intelligent, regal, and entrancing, young Kate Chase stepped into the role of establishing her thrice-widowed father in Washington society and as a future presidential candidate. Her efforts were successful enough that The Washington Star declared her “the most brilliant woman of her day. None outshone her.”

None, that is, but Mary Todd Lincoln. Though Mrs. Lincoln and her young rival held much in common—political acumen, love of country, and a resolute determination to help the men they loved achieve greatness—they could never be friends, for the success of one could come only at the expense of the other. When Kate Chase married William Sprague, the wealthy young governor of Rhode Island, it was widely regarded as the pinnacle of Washington society weddings. President Lincoln was in attendance. The First Lady was not.

Jennifer Chiaverini excels at chronicling the lives of extraordinary yet littleknown women through historical fiction. What she did for Elizabeth Keckley in Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker and for Elizabeth Van Lew in The Spymistress she does for Kate Chase Sprague in Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival
.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Fangirl

Eleanor and Park was my first experience reading Rainbow Rowell's work, and it has quickly become a favorite YA recommendation.  Fangirl, Rowell's latest, is another book I will be passing on to readers.  

Cather and Wren are identical twins, heading off to college for their freshman year.  Wren is more extroverted, and Cather feels abandoned by her life-long companion and best friend.  As Wren embraces college life, Cather finds it difficult to make new friends- even eating in the dining hall is difficult. And yet, Cather does make friends.  Her roommate, although a bit snarly, grows on Cath, and her roommate's cute boyfriend is a constant presence, offering to walk Cath home from the library as she spends her nights writing there.

Although Cath is adjusting, there is no way she can leave behind Simon Snow, and the fan fiction she writes in her free time. 

Rowell has managed to create another cast of unique and special characters, and just as with Eleanor and Park is able to create a sweet and tender romance. Although Fangirl is lengthy at 400+ pages, it was well worth reading each and every word. 

I can't wait to read some of Rowell's older work and am excited to see what else she publishes.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Freud's Mistress

I know almost nothing about Freud, only occasionally making the odd reference to a "Freudian slip."  However, I was completely entertained by Freud's Mistress by Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman.


Minna Bernays moves in with her sister, Martha, and Martha's family - husband, Sigmund Freud and their six children after losing her job as a maid. Told in Minna's perspective, she explains how she knew Freud when they were younger, and she along with Martha and Minna's fiancee would go out for evenings as couples.  After her fiancee's death and her family's loss of fortune, Minna's life becomes something she never expected.  Now, living with the Freud's she enjoys her time discussing Freud's work with him, and relishes the attention he lavishes on her.  And she falls in love. Although she feels guilty about her feelings and how she betrays her sister, she is unable to stop her relationship with Sigmund.  

Minna Bernays is a name that has lingered in history as the woman that Freud had an affair with, yet until 2006, there was no adequate evidence to support that. With the death of Freud's daughter, many letters that had once been kept private, were revealed, along with her father's affair with her aunt.

Although I know this is a work of fiction, I was easily able to imagine Martha and Minna's relationship and even understand why each made the decisions they did. I'm not rushing out to learn more about Sigmund Freud, but I would happily read more about both Bernays sisters.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Sunday Salon: Birthday Party Edition

Today I have been racing around preparing for Little Sister's birthday party.  This is the first birthday party I have hosted at my house where I have had to provide entertainment.  We've thrown around a variety of ideas, but finally  have settled on a cooking theme for the big event.

The first activity was decorating aprons.  Fabric markers, and cute frilly aprons from Hobby Lobby were the only supplies required and the girls spent a long time decorating.

We moved on from aprons to decorating cookies.  I had made five sugar cookies for each girl, then let them have fun making a mess with a variety of frosting and sprinkles.






Little Sister and Middle Sister (who was highly entertaining) had a great time perfecting their gooey concoctions.  

We took a short break for presents, then headed back to the kitchen for personal pizza making (with English muffins and a variety of toppings).  

The two hour party flew by, and could have been a bit longer simply because I felt like I was shoving food down their throat the entire time. The weather was beautiful and even though the party was a bit rushed, the girls still found time to get in a walk on our wooded trail.

Unfortunately I didn't get time to read very much this weekend with all the party preparations and cleaning. But....I did manage to make my house look much more presentable and feel like even though this coming week is going to be crazy busy, my house is starting off clean.  

How about you? How did you spend your weekend?


Friday, October 11, 2013

Boot and Shoe: Bedtime Reading

Now that Little Sister is a first grader, she is reading more to us at night. That is cutting into our exploration of new picture books since many of them are still just a little too difficult and long.  However, when my friend, Kelly, a children's librarian recommended Boot and Shoe to me the other day, I read it quickly, and knew I would have to check it out to share at home.

Boot and Shoe are two dogs born in the same litter. They continue to live together in the same house, and share many things including their bed, their food, and their favorite bush to pee on.  However, there are many things they do separately - one is a front porch dog, while the other is a back porch dog.  Things get confusing for the two when a squirrel arrives.  The two can't resist their canine tendency to chase this animal, and after the fun is done, the two cannot find each other.  A day of desperation ensues- no sleep for either one, as they look for each other.

As I was reading aloud, Little Sister loved the illustrations, tracing the chase route Boot and Shoe used with the squirrel and worrying about whether the two will ever find each other again.

I've been trying to restrict the number of books that I'm buying for our home, but Boot and Shoe is a story I'll be adding to our collection.  It's definitely a winner!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Adriana Trigiani's Latest: The Supreme Macaroni Company

I've been reading Adriana Trigiani's work ever since the Stone Gap trilogy came out, and am always anxious for her books to be published.  

The third book about Valentine Roncalli, a shoemaker and owner of The Angelini Shoe Company find Valentine preparing to marry Gianluca, her tanner. The two have some adjustments to make as they begin their marriage - Gianluca would like to return to his native Italy, while Valentine is committed to New York City and her business.  

Just as the two seem to truly be merging their lives, tragedy strikes.  

Trigiani's characters are three dimensional and real and I have continued to enjoy reading about Valentine in every installment in the series.  The descriptions of food and the Roncallis  help me imagine a true Italian American family. Although this book sometimes felt a bit rushed, I will still recommend it to all Trigiani fans.  And although I think the Valentine books were meant to be a trilogy, it seems as though The Supreme Macaroni Company leaves off in a perfect place for another novel to continue. 

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

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

This week's pick:  Delivering Death by Julie Kramer
Due out January 7, 2014

Product Description taken from Amazon:
From the author of Stalking Susan comes the latest installment in the “compulsively readable” (WCCO-TV) bestselling Riley Spartz thriller series, featuring a smart, sassy, and always entertaining TV reporter as she matches wits with a media-savvy killer.
The most appealing mystery heroine since Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, TV reporter Riley Spartz is a star investigative journalist for Channel 3—and no stranger to the seedier side of her hometown. But when she receives a package of smelly human teeth in the mail at work, she’s quickly embroiled in a homicide investigation that spirals into one of the odder cases the Minneapolis police force has ever seen. Though the cops try to keep certain grisly details quiet, this murder has a strange twist—it seems that the killer wants the crime publicized.

Is it a revenge killing, or something more? Riley’s investigation takes her inside a lucrative identity theft ring that links low-life crooks like now-dead Leon Akume to white-collar opportunists like once-wealthy Jack Clemens. Despite a prime motive for murder, Jack also has the ultimate alibi: he's behind bars. While Riley pushes to keep the homicide in the news, her boss is convinced that coverage of the Mall of America’s unique version of a royal wedding is key to the station winning ratings. As the stakes continue to rise for her job and her life, Riley must outwit the killer in a trap that could leave yet another person dead...

An irresistible suspense novel that will keep readers turning pages until the stunning conclusion, Delivering Death bri
ngs the humor, intrigue, and twists and turns Julie Kramer’s fans have been waiting for.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Burial Rites

Hannah Kent's debut novel, Burial Rites, was a novel I began reading with some reservations.  Iceland in the 1800's isn't necessarily my setting of choice.  However, this novel was un-put-down-able. 

In 1829 in a remote region of Iceland, Agnes Magnúsdóttir spends her last months before her execution with a local family.  The parents and two daughters have not necessarily welcomed Agnes into their home, but have been asked if she can stay with them based on the father's position as a local official.  His wife and daughters worry for their safety with a murderess among them, yet when Agnes arrives she appears to be just another woman - not extremely dangerous or frightening.

Through meetings with a priest, Agnes reveals bits and pieces of her past - from her childhood abandonment by her mother, to her being a foster child, and eventually an orphan, it is difficult not to feel sorry for Agnes.  Yet, she did participate in the murder of two men.  Eventually, Agnes reveals more of what transpired on the night that Natan - the man she loved, and Peter were killed.

Kent's novel is a fictionalized account of Agnes Magnúsdóttir's murder conviction.  Much research was conducted by Kent in the writing of this novel, which was suspenseful until the end.  When I began reading I wasn't aware that Burial Rites was based on a true story, and it wasn't until I was nearly done with the book that I looked ahead to the author notes at the end of the novel.  With that information, I became even more impressed with Burial Rites.  

I am hopeful that book clubs will enjoy discussing Agnes and Burial Rites.  I will be telling anyone looking for a good book this fall, that Burial Rites is a must read.

Monday, October 7, 2013

A Night With Doris Kearns Goodwin


I have been anticipating the Doris Kearns Goodwin speaking event that was scheduled for October 2 ever since I saw a notice in the newspaper months ago. Then I forgot about it, until a friend mentioned getting tickets on Facebook.  

I lucked out and got two of the "very few" tickets that were left just a day before the event, and went with my mom. I did ask a few co-workers, but sadly, none of them even know who DKG is. 

What a fabulous night of story-telling! Kearns Goodwin's vast knowledge about the presidents and politics is amazing.  She shared various anecdotes about Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and Teddy Roosevelt, while linking these anecdotes to the qualities that all shared that allowed them to be effective leaders.

Some of these anecdotes are from Kearns Goodwin's own experiences as a White House fellow during the LBJ administration, while others are from the lifetime she has spent researching the presidents.  

The tidbits shared helped give a glimpse into the personal lives and personalities of these influential men and the in-depth knowledge this woman possesses, made these stories fascinating and entertaining.

I have watched Doris Kearns Goodwin as a guest on the Today show and during election coverage.  What I most appreciate is her pragmatism, and her ability to present a view that is more global in perspective.  Even after listening to her speak, I could not tell you her political leanings.

If I ever have the chance to see Doris Kearns Goodwin speak again, I will definitely plan on attending.  The only downfall of the evening, was my need to get home for my girls' bedtime (and my own), instead of purchasing a copy of Team of Rivals, one of the books she authored, and standing in line to wait for an autograph.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Sunday Salon


It definitely feels like fall today - cold and wet.  My husband was looking forward to watching the Green Bay Packers football game, but for the second week in a row, their game is not televised. Before I realized that, I had already decided to make some buffalo chicken dip as a little treat to eat while watching the game. I'm sure we'll all enjoy the food (at least my husband and I will), and he will find some game to watch.  

My mom has season tickets to a local children's theater. Today is a performance of Eleanor Estes' book, The Hundred Dresses. Middle Sister loved the book so my three girls and my nieces and nephew will all be going to the play with my mom.  

My excitement for the day includes laundry, working at school, and hopefully reading.  The weather is perfect for curling up with a great book.  I finished Adrianna Trigiani's newest book (to be released this month, I think) and have started Freud's Mistress.  Although I am not very far into it, I am totally enjoying it.  

My husband and I have been talking about redoing our kitchen for quite a while. Even when we moved here six years ago, we knew that eventually we would need to do something to that part of the house.  After much discussion and quite a bit of negotiation, we are moving forward.  This week our kitchen designer, Jen, is coming to tape everything so we can see where things will be when it is completed.  I'll have to be sure and snap some before photos before construction begins and share on the blog.

Wednesday night while I was busy listening to Doris Kearns Goodwin speak with my mom, Little Sister lost her first tooth.  This was momentous at our house- it is the last first lost tooth we will have - and it is something she has been just begging to have happen for years.  
The tooth fairy didn't let her down, and she has promptly added the money to her bank.

We've got more soccer this week and a few other places we need to be. However, when I look at the calendar, this coming week looks far better than the next one!

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses

I was ecstatic to see the new Pete the Cat book waiting for me when I arrived home from work yesterday.  I have been looking forward to its release, and know my students and daughters will also enjoy another installment about this funny feline.

Pete is feeling rather blue, yet is determined to see the brighter side of things.  When the Grumpy Toad, an animal who is never happy, meets Pete wearing a pair of magic sunglasses that take the blues away, Pete tries them himself. He, too, sees the world in a more positive light, as does every animal Pete encounters who wears the sunglasses.  

Pete does realize that no magic pair of sunglasses can change his mood - that instead, the choice is his.  Without seeming preachy, this is a great little lesson for young readers.  The same rhythmic text that I have become accustomed to is present in this latest Pete book, along with the fun, colorful illustrations.

So far, Pete has not lost its charm or appeal.  I am happy to read each book and excited to share this one with my students at school - I have already pre-ordered a few copies since I know it won't be on the shelf very often!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Dinner With the Smileys

I've read a few books about the importance of family meals (Bruce Feiler's The Secrets of Happy Families and Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach to name two) and grew up in a home where my mother often said, "A family that eats together, stays together."

Sarah  Smiley, her husband Dustin, and their three boys, Ford, Owen and Lindell enjoyed family meal times - one of their rituals. When Dustin was deployed to Djibouti for a year, their daily meal without Dustin seemed like a lonely proposition- and something that just highlighted the fact that they were without him.  Sarah was juggling many different roles - mother, chauffeur, student (working on her masters degree) teacher, and also trying to fill the void Dustin left.  Even before Dustin left, the family had a brief discussion about the idea of inviting someone over to fill Dustin's chair at the table.

Although this idea didn't immediately lead to a plan of action -as Sarah adapted to life without her partner and Dustin reminded her from Africa about the idea of inviting a dinner guest, she eventually organized weekly dinners with a variety of people.  Various local celebrities, the boys' teachers, their minister, and even the boys' friends were all invited to eat with them.

Dinner with the Smileys was about more than just a meal - and even about more than just keeping a family missing their father company.  Sarah and her boys became aware that they had the support of their community while Dustin was deployed.  And it wasn't necessarily the food that kept guests coming or what anyone remembered when they left. Instead, they remembered the conversation and the time they spent together.

Sarah Smiley is someone I felt like I knew- she is able to reveal her flaws without shame, and doing so made her seem very human - and like someone I could call up and talk  to.  Several years ago now I enjoyed reading Going Overboard: Misadventures of a Military Wife by Smiley and was happy to check back in with Sarah and her growing boys.

Visit Sarah yourself at SarahSmiley.com

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Doll House Dream

Last week I was lucky enough to come home to a big box from Amazon awaiting me on my doorstep.  When my girls realized there was a dollhouse inside, we had to open it immediately. We were not disappointed.  

Assembly is required, but after having built IKEA furniture recently, I am all practiced up. The dollhouse went together easily, and the directions were clear. I did need assistance a few times, just in holding pieces in place so I could screw parts together and have pieces lined up, but overall the work required to have a dollhouse was minimal.

The furniture is wooden and sturdy and the dollhouse is absolutely adorable.  My daughters are twelve, nearly ten, and seven, and all three of them were anxious to arrange the furniture and play with it.  

This dollhouse would make a great Christmas present - I can't imagine any little girl would be disappointed with it.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday

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

This week's pick:  The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
Due out January 7, 2014

Product Description taken from Amazon:

From the celebrated author of The Secret Life of Bees, a magnificent novel about two unforgettable American women

Writing at the height of her narrative and imaginative gifts, Sue Monk Kidd presents a masterpiece of hope, daring, the quest for freedom, and the desire to have a voice in the world.

Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid.We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.
As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.
This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Blast From the Past

October of 2003- a decade ago - was a busy month for me.  Our middle daughter was born, leaving a little less free reading time. However, I was also on maternity leave this month, which allowed me a bit of extra time I didn't have when I went back to work.  
These are all books I remember reading - I am still waiting for Donald Harstad to publish another book. I loved his series.  I must admit that I wasn't as excited about Mitch Albom's book as I was about Tuesdays with Morrie, but I read it anyway.  

The Mozart Season by Virginia Euwer Wolf

A Long December by Donald Harstad

A Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl

Madam Secretary: A Memoir by Madeleine Albright


 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom