smileface

is it mid-july already?

san francisco / june 2010

enjoying summer, are you? we've just had a week of temperatures in the high 90s. this is a mild miracle. the kids are brown and crispy despite my vigilant use of this. i tried.

have you ever woken up weighing 7 lbs. more than you did the day before? i hate you, skinny cow, you are a liar.

recently acquired books: 

1) redeeming love by francine rivers - christian harlequin romance. i'm serious.

2) the selby is in your place by todd selby - the popular blog in book form. love it.

3) the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society by mary ann shaffer. holy ass, this book. despite its utterly ridunkulous title, i gave it a chance. it's not gonna happen, i tried. if you want it, it's yours, i'll send it to you.

4) sh*t my dad says by justin halpern. do yourself a favor and read this book.

5) the 5 love languages by gary chapman. my husband is a words-of-affirmation-acts-of-service. i am a receiving-gifts-acts-of-service.

6) traveling mercies by anne lamott. just started this one, not sure what to think of it, but i do appreciate her frankness and honesty.

7) homegame by michael lewis. memoir on fatherhood. 3/5 stars.

8) the happiness project by gretchen rubin. this was given to me by an old friend who thought it reminded her of my blog. laur................

9) the girl with the dragon tattoo by steig larsson. i have no intention of finishing the trilogy if that means anything.

9) the help by kathryn stockett. black slave nannies in the south. can this book go wrong? i'll find out and let you know. :)

what have you been reading?

the doldrums

i am so excited about winter. it's been nonstop activity and travel since the year began, and i'm ready to welcome the next few months of quiet. peace. tranquility. (but that hardly means i'm going to laze around on my bum!)

the plan:

- to read the omnivore's dilemma by michael pollen; 

- to perfect one very complicated recipe. not sure what.

- to make a giant quilt out of the kids' old clothes

- to be darned sure that i make a dent on this list

- to teach the kiddos how to sew

- to learn how to play yahtzee and backgammon

- to bake 5 things out of scratch

- to clean and organize my crazy closet

- to get the kids their own library cards

- to fool around with kev's digital SLR, get some practice

(on a slightly somber note: the kids' hamster passed on to the afterlife yesterday. RIP dear little rhino. you were a sweet critter, and we loved you.)

book launch party

behold, the star wars lego visual dictionary. we had to be there, no question.

that's han solo. (i know, it's a crying shame.)

the first 50 to buy the book that day were rewarded with a limited edition darth vader figurine. so cool.

prize creations were on display.

costumes, mutually admired.

sabers, in proud formation.

this lady leia went uncontested in the adult category for costumes and took the prize. (the storm troopers are employees.)

do you see my angel in there? just another face in a sea of anakins.

little cutie was the only contestant cheering on his fellow competitors- what a sweetheart. (the prize went to darth maul, however. well-deserved, i might add.)

the playing field was much narrower in the girls' category, as you can see.

can you guess who won? (adult size XL t-shirt and commemorative button.) good times.

post-hallows eve

man, i was so incredibly unproductive today- it was awesome.

both my kids were suffering from what i'm refusing to believe was H1N1, but it very well could have been. i'm just glad its over, because there's only so much whine one can take before trying to crawl into a hole forever. if that's not how parenting has ever been described to you before, you need to wake up and smell the cheese!

i'm finally at the tail-end of a book it's taken me the better half of 6 months to finish. animal, vegetable, miracle by barbara kingsolver.

it's a nonfictional and autobiographical account of how she and her family committed to an entire year of eating locally produced, sustainably farmed foods. they grew probably about 80% (or more?) of their meals themselves. it's such an inspiring and informative read. two thumbs up.

have you read anything interesting lately? suggestions? i'd love to hear them!