Book Talk

The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a new YA novel about Lex, whose brother, Tyler, recently committed suicide.  Neither she nor her mom are dealing well with or talking about the loss, and both have experiences that lead them to believe they have unfinished business with Tyler.  Lex is particularly haunted by a secret she's keeping: she feels she could have changed the course of events the night Tyler died.  Both sad and spooky, I enjoyed this book about Lex's journey with her grief and feelings of responsibility.  I think it will be popular with the YA readers and adults, too. 

Brunch at Ruby's was written by a friend of a friend, and I bought it for just a couple of dollars for my Kindle.  It's the story of three life-long thirty-something friends dealing with different issues in their lives but religiously showing up for their monthly brunch to catch up.  While I liked the various story lines - a cheater trying desperately to repair her marriage, a single woman taking care of her ailing father, and a high-end real estate agent who values money over love - I felt that the book tried to cover too much of each story over the course of too much time within too few pages.  In trying to cover so much, there seemed to be some inconsistencies in time frames, etc., so even thought the story itself was easy enough to read, I sometimes got lost.  Still, it was enjoyable ... would make a good pool read this summer.

I just finished The Boston Girl, in which Addie tells the story of growing up a Jewish immigrant in Boston in the early 20th century to her grown granddaughter.  Addie is rebellious in that she doesn't want to become her mother; she wants to receive an education, work for a newspaper, and adventure beyond her poor immigrant neighborhood.  She learns a lot of lessons and finds herself along the way, and then gives the gift of her memories to her granddaughter.  You will love this wonderfully written novel; must read! 

"He that loves reading has everything within his reach."

William Godwin

Wordless Wednesday

the weekend I'd been waiting for

Two of my favorite friends, Brooke and Leigh, came to town for a quick visit this weekend.  They flew in Friday evening, and we wasted no time finding a spot to catch up and laugh until we were sure we felt definition in our abs.

On Saturday before we hit the town, we had to make a stop at Kohl's.  We laughed about how we know we've gotten older when girls' weekend requires a trip there (coupons and all).  However, it was such a necessary stop that Leigh wore her purchase out of the store.  Any guesses on what it was?!?

We spent the better part of the weekend surrounded by some version of this goodness.  Friends who snack together stay together, right?

We all met in college and know pretty much everything there is to know about each other (and love each other anyway).  Life has led us down different paths, yet as the years pass and the dynamics of our larger group have changed, we always manage to find one another.  I'm so grateful for my friendship with these ladies - it's safe and honest and genuine.       

The hours flew by this weekend, and goodbye came too soon, but my heart is full. (So is my stomach.)

Three Things on Thursday

1. I'm sure you've heard about the Atlanta cheating scandal, and the educators who are going to prison because of it.  If you haven't, here it is in short: a handful of teachers and administrators changed answers on state standardized tests taken by students over a number of years, resulting in district ratings that sky-rocketed, and of course drew attention.  And now these people are going to prison.  Obviously what they did was premeditated and calculated.  They knew it was wrong and they did it anyway.  I could never condone something like that.  But they're going to prison. I can see the conversations now, "What are you in for?" "Cheating." Really?  I'm not saying that the actions taken by these school district employees were okay by any measure, but I certainly think they should stir some conversations about the impact of standardized testing on our public schools, the students, and the staff.  Especially in a large metropolitan district such as Atlanta, where more kids tend to come from poverty and scores tend to be lower, the pressure for teachers to prove their merit through student test scores is high.  The fact that capable, smart people felt the need to succumb to such scandal over something as silly as test scores speaks volumes about the state of public education right now.  And you all know that I am totally pro public education ... I believe in it wholeheartedly.  Unfortunately, many of the people who make the most impactful decisions about how and what we teach and test lack real classroom teaching experience.  Right now there are rapists, murderers, multi-offense drunk drivers, and other serious criminals living free, even after arrests and prosecution.  Meanwhile, a group of educators is behind bars for cheating on tests.  I know I've skipped a lot of important details, but to me, the big facts remain the same.  Something's gotta give.

2. This week I've hit my own personal pinnacle of terrible parenting.  On Monday, the pediatrician's office called to remind me that Sara turned six in December and wanted to know whether I planned to make an appointment for her annual check-up.  How embarrassing.  I took her in on Tuesday and spent most of the appointment time telling the nurse and doctor that I'm really not a neglectful parent.  Then yesterday morning, I totally came unglued.  Emma was in rare form - absolute defiance, huge tantrum.  I think it started over choosing her outfit (I always put out two choices) before it turned into anything and everything else, but I honestly can't remember because I was so close to over the edge.  I was so, so frustrated with her.  I finally managed to get her in the car to go to school, and carried her inside still screaming.  I could barely say anything other than "good luck" as I handed Emma over to her teacher, who was surprised to see her come in so upset.  But after I turned away and shut the door, I looked back through the window at her tiny, sad little face and instantly started hoping that she wouldn't remember how terribly I'd dealt with her behavior earlier in the morning.  I'm the adult ... I'm supposed to maintain my patience and composure.  I told myself this as I walked out of the daycare and back to my car, and then I cried the whole way to work.  I felt terrible for the rest of the day, and vowed to try harder to be a better parent.  I can't afford to screw this up.
 
3. Two of my college BFFs are coming to town this weekend.  Brooke and Leigh fly in tomorrow evening from Kansas City and Milwaukee, respectively.  I'm looking so forward to a weekend with true friends who are always just what I need when I need them.  I can't wait for them to get here.  Laughter, gossip, and wine will be enjoyed by all. 

set already, sun

Actually, we haven't seen much sun since April started (showers, as predicted), but it still stays light out so much later.  And although our mornings don't start later, our bedtimes continue to push back.  I appreciate the quality time together, but this mom needs a few quiet minutes to herself at the end of the day.  The chance to sit down without an immediate request for a snack or drink.  The opportunity to hear my own thoughts.  I know this is parenthood and I'm really not complaining, but seriously ... for the love, light skies.  

Our April started entirely more eventfully than I would have liked: with the stomach bug.  Emma started vomiting around 3:00 am on April 1st, so I took the day off to be with her.  She was pretty miserable.  At one point, she didn't even want to be held - which is so unlike her - and instead wanted to just sprawl on the tile floor.  She started to rebound mid-day, though, then kept down some saltine crackers and took a nice long nap.  She was well enough by the end of the day to ride in the wagon to pick up Sara from school.  It rained for most of the day, and obviously Emma and I weren't going to be going out and about, so the day off actually turned out to be pretty productive for me, and we were both up and back to school the next day.  The bug hit me Thursday night, but it was short lived and it seems to have skipped Steve and Sara, thankfully.

 Friday was a school holiday, so I took the girls to Paint 'n Party, which is a cute little pick-your-pottery-to-paint place.  There were a lot of people there, painting a variety of things.  After much looking and considering, we ended up with a princess and a girl superhero.  The girls had a fun time painting, and we'll get to pick up their creations on Saturday, after they've been in the kiln.  Sara can't wait to see what the finished products look like "all shiny"!  I see more Paint 'n Party trips in our future, and I think I'll even make a masterpiece of my own next time.

 

 After Paint 'n Party we went to the Easter egg hunt at Emma's school, where she refused to participate.  Had I been thinking, I would have brought her to school earlier in the day to warm up, but I didn't foresee her being shy and clingy around her teacher and friends when confronted with the opportunity to pick up dozens of candy-filled eggs.  I was wrong.  She did end up with a few eggs that her teacher picked up for her, but she didn't want any part of interacting during the festivities. She did, however, through a huge tantrum when the hunt was over and it was time to go home.  For a good two hours afterwards she kept telling me she wanted to go back to school.  Go figure.

Friday evening we dyed our Easter eggs.  They turned out beautifully, and in the process we added some touches of color to our poor worn and torn kitchen table.  The girls were excited for the Easter Bunny to see their eggs, and left him a plate of carrots nearby.  What bunny wouldn't love these faces?

 Sunday morning Emma was up early, and from our bedroom we heard the little click-click of plastic eggs opening.  Apparently she didn't need to wait on any of us to start her hunt ... so Steve and I rolled out of bed, Emma yelled for Sara, and before long the girls had collected all of the goodies the EB left for them.  It was pouring Sunday morning, so our hunt happened inside.  The Brittains came over later in the day for lunch and celebration. Luckily, the rain semi-stopped so we were able to play outside and get some fresh air.  After the three day weekend, I returned to work on Monday absolutely exhausted.  It was holiday and chocolate induced.

 

My mission this week, besides just getting out the door with as little frazzle as possible each morning, is to locate a new day planner.  I use the July-July calendar since I operate on a school schedule, and this year I'm after just the right one.  It has to have enough space for my daily to-dos and appointments, as well as plenty of notes pages, without too much extraneous stuff.  I would also like it to fit in my purse, so the standard 9x11 is too big. I picked up an inexpensive planner to get me through as my plans now run past June, but I think I'm going to bite the bullet and order a Plum Paper Planner.  I've looked at them online, and also considered the Erin Condren, but I don't think I can justify the price of the latter for my first online planner purchase.  Plus I've heard people say they love the Plum Paper.  I know some of you can appreciate the significance of my impending purchase.

Other than that, we're waiting on my parents to swing through at the end of the week on their way home to MN for the summer and fall.  We have a lot more rain in the forecast, and Steve and I have decided to go meat-free again for a while.  No real reason, just ... why not?!  Sara is taking a field trip to the Outdoor Learning Center tomorrow, which might as well be Disney World based on her level of excitement.  And Emma has decided that big girls don't get out of bed in the middle of the night ("only babies do that"), which has me wondering what other important lessons we may be able to impart through brainwashing.  Not that we'd ever take advantage of something as sweet as innocence.

March Out

I just feel like I have to squeeze one more post in before March ends.  It's hard to believe that we started this month with snow and we're ending it with temps near the 80s and sunny skies.  This past weekend was absolutely beautiful, and after many hours outside we are all sporting a little glow.  We went to the park, rode bikes (Sara's got the two-wheeler!), planted some summer begonias, drew with chalk, poured out a huge container of bubbles, grilled, and enjoyed evening driveway drinks ... what's not to love? 

At the park on Saturday, Sara hit it off with another girl who was there.  As a result, we were invited to the girl's older sister's birthday party on Sunday (also at the park).  So we went back on Sunday for the party and play.  While there, I met another mom who is from Hampton, IA, and who graduated from Iowa State!  We know some of the same people from Hampton, and had a great time chatting.  Her only flaw is that her husband is a Hawkeye, but I'm willing to forgive that.  It was nice to make some new connections.

Also on Saturday, I noticed my neighbor in her garage refurbishing an old desk she found.  She maintains antique booths as a hobby, and loves to search for good finds.  We were chatting and I mentioned our freebie piano, which shows a lot of wear and tear.  I told her I was thinking a professional might have to come take a look at it.  She said, "no way," and told me to go to the hardware store for Old English scratch remover (they make it for both dark and light woods).  I picked up a bottle that afternoon for about $6, and got to work on the piano, whose dry wood appreciated the lather.  Oh my word, it really worked wonders!  Obviously you can still tell that the piano is old with some bumps and bruises, but it looks a thousand times better than it did.  I sure love a cheap fix and a resourceful neighbor!  Now Steve and I are wondering how many other surfaces in our house could benefit from this magic formula.  (and so the project list grows ...)

For the most part, it's life as normal around here.  Some days we think our girls are 16 and 12, not 6 and 2, based on their attitudes.  Sara desperately wants to earn an allowance but acts put out about actually having to perform any tasks (although she is quick to seek recognition when she does get around to cleaning her room or something like that).  Emma has started crossing her arms, throwing her head back, and marching off when she's mad.  A couple days ago she burst into our room, crossed her arms, stomped her foot, and said, "Daddy is mean.  He said I can't paint with my fingers. Humph." Then she furrowed her brow and stuck out her bottom lip.  She's got the drama down.  I'm beginning to think that, while ages and circumstances change, kids really are just who they are.  They grow and learn and change, but I'm fairly confident that when they're 16 and 12, I'll see glimpses of 6 and 2 in my girls. 

I'm beginning to plan for summer.  Since I live life by the school calendar, I use a July-July planner, and realized today that it's time to buy my new one since my planning is now bleeding into August.  I'll have about 2 1/2 weeks off this summer, so I'm working on the logistics of child care, camps, travel, and of course just some R&R.  I start feeling myself get overwhelmed with everything that will happen between now and the end of the summer, so I have to remember to slow down.  One thing at a time: we have this Friday off of school for a "spring holiday".  I was thinking of taking the girls to the arboretum, but it's looking like the weather may not cooperate.  If that turns out to be the case, I think we'll go to Paint n Party.  Sara received a gift certificate for her birthday and has been begging to go ever since.  If we end up there, I'll be sure to post pictures of the girls' creations.

Welcome, April!

Book Talk

I have to start with a huge shout-out to my friend, Allison, who has hooked me up with most of the books on the "must read in 2015" list I referenced a while back.  So far I've read these ones:

For the Waverly women of Bascom, North Carolina, first frost always means mystery, or at least the unexpected.  When a mysterious man arrives in the small town, senses are heightened and the Waverlys know that if there was ever a chance of a normal, non-eventful first frost, this is certainly not the year.  High schooler Bay is learning firsthand that the family you're born into can impact beyond what you can reach, regardless of abilities and intuition, like it or not.  I liked this story.  It wasn't at all believable for me, but it was light and easy.  I wouldn't call it a "must-read", but it was enjoyable.  Wait until you can get it for a good price.

Landline struck a good balance between real life and the utterly impossible.  When Georgie realizes there is no way she can leave her job in LA to travel to Nebraska for Christmas with her husband and kids, she finds herself most comfortable staying at her mom's house rather than in her big empty house.  She finds an old rotary phone from her teenage days, and uses it to call her husband and daughters in Nebraska.  But somehow the landline connects her to the past, not the present, and she finds herself reliving/replaying conversations she should (did?) have had with her husband.  In the end, I think this story was less about a magic phone and more about the power of our conscience to guide us to what we know is right.  Well-written and highly entertaining (sometimes maddening), I'd definitely recommend it.

 If you're looking for something a little deeper, before i go should be on your list.  Daisy is 27, about to celebrate 4 years cancer-free, when she finds out that the cancer is back and it is spreading aggressively.  She has months to live, and decides to spend her time finding a new wife for her husband so there is someone to care for him once she's gone.  This story is heart-breaking, inspiring, irritating, and funny all at once.  The characters are well-developed and their struggles are real.  In terms of the book, some parts were better written than others, but overall, a really great story.  Get your tissues.

"Books are a uniquely portable magic."

Stephen King