Book Talk

At the tail end of 2015, I read The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty.  It's the story of the woman who chaperoned the young, wild, and beautiful Louise Brooks to NYC in the 1920s, where Louise planned to make a name for herself.  The women from small town Kansas have their own agendas for the journey, and although Louise's road to fame (and infamy) is an interesting one, it's the chaperone's story that makes this novel worth reading.  There are numerous historical references you'll recognize intertwined with the story of a woman who, after raising two sons and devoting herself to a good marriage, longs to really find herself.  If you're looking for a book to take with you on spring break, this would be a good one. 

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm taking part in this 2016 Reading Challenge:

The book I've been meaning to read (and which Steve conveniently bought me for Christmas) is the Pulitzer Prize winning All the Light We Cannot See. It came out in May 2014, and if you've been online or in a bookstore since, you've likely seen it everywhere.

This is a story about Marie-Laure, a young girl living with her father in Paris during WWII.  She goes blind at age six, but flourishes with the help of her devoted father.  When she is twelve, Nazis occupy Paris and they are forced to flee.  They connect with Marie-Laure's great uncle near the sea, carrying with them something of great value.  At the same time, an orphaned German teenager named Werner is recruited and trained by Hitler Youth because he shows great talent for building and fixing radios.  Werner is especially valuable in that he can lead Nazi soldiers to illegal radio broadcasts.  These stories collide when Werner finds himself with fellow soldiers in the same seaside town as Marie-Laure and her great uncle. 

Heavy.  Beautifully written.  Completely worth your time.

"Open your eyes, the Frenchman on the radio used to say, and see what you can with them before they close forever."

All The Light We Cannot See

week in review

We had a busy week back and work and school. Here are the highlights ...

We had a little rough patch, which included both girls suffering minor injuries.  On Tuesday, Emma fell at school and busted her lip.  No stitches needed, but it bled a lot.  I joke that she is going to need reconstructive lip surgery by age 10.  On Wednesday, Sara fell during recess and scratched up her face.  The nurse sent me this picture:

In better news, Sara lost her sixth tooth (third on top).  This one came out at school, which means she got to go to the nurse for a tooth necklace.  She has been waiting for this opportunity since starting kindergarten.  She was so excited!  Now she has a huge gap in the front of her mouth, which has made eating an interesting challenge.  The permanent teeth are already on their way in, and all signs point to braces in her future.

 Steve's birthday was on Friday.  The girls were most excited to dive into their lemon Nothing Bundt Cakes (everyone wanted candles on their cake).  Friday was a quiet and early night at home after a tiring week, so Saturday after Sara went to a birthday party, we went out for Mexican food, of course.

 Emma finally got to start swimming lessons after nearly a year of begging!  She was so excited and did a great job. 

 

 

I accepted the following reading challenge, which has been floating around social media.  I'll keep you posted on my progress.

This weekend resulted in two disappointing losses of games that should have been won (Cyclones bball vs. Baylor and of course the Vikings vs. Seattle).  Unrelated but on the upside, I went to the gym twice and Steve ran twice this weekend, and our bodies are thanking us.  Pool season is just around the corner, you know.  Now it's dark again and time to get ready for another week.  Hoping for a good one!

Off to a Great Start

Our 2016 is off to a great start!   For us, the winter break consisted of the perfect balance of time away and time at home, and with the different weather between TX and MN, the girls got the best of both worlds over the course of the two weeks.  In the photos below, you'll notice a theme: cozy clothes and semi-brushed hair.  We have done a lot of hanging around the past few days, but I promise we bathed.

We've spent lots of time riding new bikes.  Sara's bike is quite a bit bigger than her last one, and it has handle brakes, but she quickly acclimated.  Emma did, too, and we took a number of rides to the park and on the path behind our house.

 

 On New Year's Eve, we had a quiet family night at home.  We enjoyed a warm fire, some bowl football, and watching the ball drop (Eastern time).  Sara fell asleep promptly at 11:01 pm CST after counting down with Ryan Seacrest and the NYC crowd.  Steve and I made it to midnight, but not by much.

 NYE family party.

 We also celebrated by throwing poppers on the driveway.  Cheap fun at its best.

 On New Year's Day, our neighbor came over to show the girls her new Yorkie pup.  They quickly fell madly in love.

We also ate our Hoppin' John.  Did you?  Both girls tried the black-eyed peas.  Emma didn't like them, and Sara said they didn't taste like anything (which, on their own, is kind of true).  But since they bring the promise of good luck in the new year, both girls were willing participants in the taste-testing.

 We made a couple of Easy Bake Oven delicacies, which I thought were gross but the girls swore were the best desserts they'd ever eaten.

 Yesterday afternoon, Sara lost tooth #5!  It was her top right eye tooth, and I'm sure her remaining front tooth isn't far behind. 

 For the longest, Emma has wanted a Sofia the First bedspread.  We ordered one a while back, and she's been on a sticker chart to earn it.  She finally filled the chart today, and is tucked into her new bedding tonight.  Happy girl!

 During our NYE celebration the other night, we talked about resolutions.  Sara said she resolves to try new foods and get to the next level on an online math program they use at school.  Steve and I both said we are resolving to continue taking care of our bodies.  I'm a big fan of the new Weight Watchers commercial featuring Oprah, where she talks about not needing to hit a certain number or fit into a certain dress, but instead focusing on just making this the year of her "best body."  I like that approach and I'm jumping on the bandwagon.  I was able to get  in a lot of gym trips over the break, and plan to continue to stop there as often as possible.  I'll also continue to try to eat well (always allowing for splurges in moderation, of course) with the idea of making this the year of my best body.  I've made good progress in this direction over the past year, and numbers aside, I'll know it when I feel it.  Additionally, I liked the statement below that a friend posted on FB.  I think this is a resolution we should all adopt.  

I hope your 2016 is off to a fantastic start, as well.  Also hoping the Vikings can pull off a win tonight, though in focusing on best serving my body, I don't plan to stay awake to see the end of it!

A Wonderful Christmastime

Our wonderful Christmastime this year was filled with memory-making in Minnesota.  We spent Christmas Eve at Melissa and Adam's, and Christmas Day at my parents' house.  Adam's parents were in town, and so was Grandma Lou, and it felt great to share time and laughter with such a fun bunch.  Besides Christmas festivities, our MN trip included experimentation with my new selfie stick, a night out with M & A, lots of snow play (!), watching a Vikings win plus the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler SNL (twice), finishing three - yes, three - 1000-piece puzzles, playing with cousin Expo, a day of rides and shopping at MOA, time spent playing pool and pounding on the drums, and food - so much food.  What a wonderful Christmastime!

Christmas Eve at M & A's.

 G Lou and Expo (and Bill Murray).

 The excellent hosts.

 Sisters.

 Cousins.

A hat only a Minnesotan can appreciate.

 SELFIES!

 

After multiple failed attempts on my part, Steve got this group shot with the selfie stick.  Everyone else agreed that I need lessons.

 Big Kids' Night Out!  We hit the Surley and 612 breweries before bellying up at the 1029 Bar.  At the end of the night we swung by Nye's for a goodbye bev before their doors close forever.  Good times!  (For the record, I did take this selfie, not sure why I felt the need to crouch and make myself even shorter.)

 For the longest, Emma has said she wanted a puppy bed from Santa for her puppies to sleep in.  We all got a kick out of how cozy she got in it, too.  She fell asleep in it at least two of the nights, and went straight for it one morning when she was still a little sleepy.

 MOA day!  Both girls had a blast.  Sara was in line for a roller coaster with Steve when I got these shots of Emma.  A little while later, she and Grandpa rode the log chute.  She sat right up front and enjoyed the ride, but did not enjoy being wet.  Luckily, we were in a place that sells lots of new pants.

 Auntie was the lucky chosen one to go on a couple different rides with Emma, including one that I think gave her whiplash.  I made it up to her with a glass of wine when she and I sneaked away from the group a little while later (we went to exchange a couple of Christmas items including a pair of serious mom jeans I received (which resulted in a lot of entertainment for everyone), and the wine happened to be right on the way).

 Sara really honed her pool skills this trip while Emma found her drumming rhythm.

Game faces.

The fun never ends in G & G's basement.

 Four Generations.

 Although we didn't have a White Christmas, what we got was just as good.  The first batch of snow came Friday night/Saturday morning, and we rushed out to play.  When the second round came Monday night, there was a LOT more white between us and the grass than in these first pics.  The girls loved stepping into it up to their knees.  One highlight was climbing to the top of the snowplow pile ... a thrill you have to experience to understand.  Sara made the climb to the top and declared, "This is a dream come true!"  Music to my Minnesota heart. 

Sara worked on perfecting the snow tackle, and Steve impressed both of us with his "snowboarding" skills on the sled.   

 Sledding with Auntie.

Yes, I let my kids watch the TF/AP SNL.  So sue me.  Sara is still talking incessantly about the "commercial" for the fire-inducing  hover boards.  She also took good notes during the "Meet Your Second Wife" skit and correctly concluded that since Steve is currently married, he could be a candidate on the show.  Nice.

 We set bowls outside Monday night to see how much snow would accumulate, and after about thirty minutes brought them inside more than half full.  The girls loved snacking on the snow, which Emma said tasted like strawberries.

 Did you and yours enjoy watching the yule log on TV this year?  My parents' fireplace is about three feet left of the TV, but the yule log was going with such force this year we could practically feel the heat without the real fire on.  If this is isn't already on your list of go-to traditions, tune in next year, and be on the lookout for when they poke the embers or throw in a new log.  You won't regret it.

When we got home tonight, the girls were thrilled to find that Santa had also stopped here, leaving new bikes.  It was already dark outside, so the riding will have to wait until tomorrow ... but they're ready to ride!

 And now 2015 has nearly come to an end.  I'm thankful for such a special holiday with family, and we are especially grateful, after all of the terrible storms in our area, that we had a house to come home to.  We'll head into the new year counting our blessings and eating Hoppin' John in hopes of many more for ourselves and all of you in 2016.  Happy New Year!

Wishing You the Merriest

Wordless Wednesday: Santa Edition