First World Problem of the day

So here's my first world problem of the weekend....The Boy and The Girl didn't have school Friday, so Mr IM took the day off and they stayed overnight at a new Holiday Inn in the mountains we've been "meaning to check out".  I had to teach (and didn't want to write sub plans or get a dog kennel reservation) so I stayed here.  Here's where the problem comes in...I (foolishly) decided that this was a good time to start watching The Walking Dead series...ummm...oops.  It doesn't help that several years ago I had a reoccurring dream that my cat was a zombie--I think that was directly related to watching part of Pet Cemetery. I seriously freaked myself out last night and considered locking myself in the bathroom until Mr IM and the kids get home....seriously...and the "best part"?  I haven't even finished episode 1 yet...If you come over in the next few days, beware of the cans on strings and the pointy sticks...especially if you're a zombie...

A lot of birthdays

My birthday was a couple weeks ago and Mr IM's was last weekend.  Because our birthday are so close, we often have one big party of a series of small parties.  This year I was thinking...the Mr. and I have actually celebrated more birthdays with each other than we celebrated before we met...that's a crazy milestone that we somehow met without realizing it...

That adds up to 23 birthdays celebrated together....crazy...and ...I don't know if we get to count his birthday this year or not, since he spent it with The Boy at a relative's condo while I spent it with the Girl getting ready for a school dance... hmm.

Chicken and Rice Cassarole

In honor of Mr. IM's birthday tomorrow, here is one of his favorite childhood recipes, as made by his mother.  I usually take too many shortcuts and he says mine isn't as good as hers.

This is a good weeknight recipe, as long as some prep is done before.  I usually leave this for a weekend though and make several recipes worth at once to freeze (it freezes well). My shortcuts (that the Mr. objects to) are:  Use 4 chicken breasts, either baked in the oven or (gasp) in the microwave;  use canned mushrooms, use "regular" rice (cook it first, mix it all together)....I've even been known to use celery salt instead of celery.
Enjoy!

Alice has another new friend!

After the Alice and Liberty friendfest over winter break, one would think that Alice had enough friends for now...But look, it appears that our new neighbors have provided her with a friendemy...

Look closely..we'd say they were friends, but I think this new kitty is trying to eat Alice's little bird friends...

Oh, pretty kitty...we hope your family takes you in at night....The (Sub)Urban Ranch has more wildlife than we'd like to admit sometimes...

Bear Goes After Dog Food

Mountain Lion Visits Castle Rock Neighborhood

Coyotes Prowl Castle Rock Neighborhoods

A Post about The Girl

Recently The Girl began a not so silent protest that there "aren't enough posts about" her.  This probably stems from the fact that she rarely says things like the Boyisms that so often are heard at our house.  (I think that is probably something to be proud of, for the most part.....just sayin...)
Since she also complains when I post anything about her on Facebook without clearing it first, this should be interesting.
So she appeared over my should while I was writing the first part and announced that I am now writing about her room.  She took my phone, took some pictures and emailed them to me.  Sooo...here you go..

Newly organized closet

Top of dresser--see her reflection in the mirror? Photos on left are of volleyball team and she and her friend E when they were 4.

New jewelry box from Grandma and Grandpa--notice "faculty" ID from my school in basket

View from the door

Another view, including stuffed "Indy" dog

Under the loft--comfy chairs (and stereo that needs to be set up)

lotion, hand sanitizer, nail polish and other pretty things....

The lace kitties were a birthday present to me when I was in middle school...making them...old?

Relaxing after the photo shoot...

2014 Reading overview

Drum Roll, please...the total number of books read by me in 2014 was.....98.  Although I'm still not sure I should count those two from December, they were really dumb...But I did read Unbroken, so that should count for several, right?  I'm trying to get better at linking my entries, I've been trying to think of the name of a book all morning, and can't, so I'm hoping that by linking entries I can follow my own train of thought...or not.  Here's what I thought about books last year at this time:
2013 Review
And here are my 2014 monthly reviews:
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

What I'm sure you all really want to know though is what are my top ten for this year....Well, here they are, in no particular order:
1.  Thrift Store Saints by Jane Knuth.  My mom recommended I read this book--I really enjoyed it.  Jane Knuth describes how she "accidentally" started working at a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store many years ago and what she has learned.  My mother-in-law is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul society and my mom works at a thrift store.  I had to order it from inter-library loan (or buy it for $10 on Kindle...I opted for free, but may still buy it--it was that good).  The book made me think about how sometimes "we" start a mission opportunity thinking about "all the good" we will do, when in reality, we are gaining more than our intended beneficiaries.  Anyway, good book, quick read...and there is a sequel!
2. Superior Justice by Tom Hilpert--A classic case of picking up something, thinking it was going to be "ok", and loving it.  This (also) was free on Amazon a few weeks ago and I thought it was set in the UP of Michigan.  Turns out it is set in Minnesota, but was delightful.  There is a (small) series of three books, all focused on a small town minister who just happens to solve mysteries.  I've actually read the first and the third...the last time I looked Amazon wanted $9 for the 2nd, so I passed, but when they show up at the library, I'm in!
3. Left to Tell:  Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza--This was recommended by one of my co-teacher's daughters who has spent a lot of time in the Rwanda, first in the Peace Corps and now as part of an internship.  Heather has a blog, I Kunda You: Life and Love Continue, if you would like to follow her adventures now that she is back in the US.  The book was very interesting--many of us have seen Hotel Rwanda, and Sometimes in April was standard viewing for our geography classes a few years ago, but both of those stories minimize the faith based portion of some people's experiences.  It reminded me a lot of The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, which I haven't read in years, but would like to read again now.  Left to Tell is a memoir/biography of Immaculee Ilibagiza, telling her amazing story of survival and walk with God before, during, and after the Rwandan Holocaust.  I believe there is a sequel, which I may look for later, describing her life since she left Rewanda.
4. Carry On Warrior (Glennon Doyle Melton)  Best book I've read in a while.  Glennon writes about her life as a mom.  Many of the chapters were originally on Momastery.com, and there are a few new ones.  Although I don't agree with everything she says, she is a good writer and gave me a lot to think about.  The story behind the title will probably make every parent who has ever witnessed a child melt down in a public place smile.
5. South of Broad (Pat Conroy) My book club read this for August, so I thought maybe for something new I'd actually read the "assigned" book.  I enjoyed the book--you can read the summary on Amazon. It is set in the south and follows a group of friends from the 60's through now.  I never think I'll enjoy Conroy books, because they look so long, and then I always do enjoy them.  Before I knew who he was, I "met" Conroy in Beaufort, South Carolina--we were there for a wedding and my toddler (at the time) daughter wanted to pet his beautiful dogs.  He was very nice and let her, then when he walked away someone with us said, "Do you know who that was???!!!"
6. Monuments Men by Robert Edsel...468 pages.  Bears little resemblance to the film, which was also good, by the way.  The book was well written, entertaining and informative...A "nice" World War II piece, with some art history, biography, geography thrown in.  I kept putting off reading it, afraid it would be dry and it keep me engaged.  Lots of characters though--there is a "guide" in the beginning of the copy I read so I could keep people straight.
7. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowlings)...455 pages.  I think Rowlings' mistake with her first post-Harry Potter book was that it wasn't a mystery, it was just a novel and the characters didn't do anything interesting...they just cursed and cheated on each other...I have to admit I never finished it.  I found out about Cuckoo's Calling, the first book in this series, (written under the name "Robert Galbraith") kind of by accident and ordered it from the library...Both Cuckoo and Silkworm are mysteries (as Harry Potter really is) and both are wonderful.  There is more "language" than in Harry, of course, and more gore..but good books.  The main character is an English Afghan War veteran who owns a private detective firm.  His secretary is awesome (she is my favorite character!) and many of the main and secondary characters have complicated personal lives that add to the story.  I really hope she continues with this series!
8. The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness...564 pages..The first book in this three book series was recommended to me by a friend and I tore through both it and the 2nd book...but there was a gap of about two years between book 2 and 3...so when I saw this one was coming out I read the "free sample" from Amazon right away...and was so confused I didn't buy it.  This series has a ton of characters, who all have complicated back stories...finally, I ordered the book from the library and, surprise, the book doesn't start where the sample did...it has some back story (whew!) so I could get my bearings, so to speak, and jump back into the story.  Once I figured out what was going on I didn't want to put the book down--loved it and it ended the series nicely...while possibly leaving the door open for more books or another linked series.
9. Moon Over Manifest (Clare Vanderpool) This is the first Newberry Award winner written in the last 15 years that I really enjoyed.  The Girl is going to read it with her class later this school year and we listened to it in the car.  The kids and I loved it.  The main character is a 12ish year old girl who is sent to live with family friends while her dad looks for work during the Depression.  Lots of interesting characters, good story, nice resolution.
10.Close Your Eyes and Hold Hands (Chris Bohjalian)--Don't ask me to pronounce his last name....I've read other books by Bohjalian and some were great (Sand Castle Girls) and others were just, um, weird. This one was about a teenage girl and a nuclear reactor meltdown in Vermont.  I noticed it while walking through the library and picked it up--very good read--horrifying on several levels, but very good.  Not scary like a vampire book, just "oh, my, some of these things really happen and what if others did?".  Worth the read.

This morning I ran across a blog entry at "We Are That Family" listing books to read with your family--it has suggestions from board books, picture books, read togethers, teen readers, and books for parents/spouses.  There are some books I want to check out--definately worth a quick look if you have a minute.

Also, a high school friend posted her top ten on Facebook this morning--some I've read and some I'm adding to my 2015 "to read list"--hope you find something on one of our lists to read!
M's list...with my notes :)

The 10 best books I read in 2014 {M's total for 2014 was 62}:

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton---haven't read it, it's now on my list!
Gone Girls by Gillian Flynn-read it in 2013 I think--great book!
I Love You, Miss Huddleston by Philip Gulley-haven't read it, it's now on my list!
Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring-haven't read it, it's now on my list!
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson-read it several years ago, good book!
Wonder by R.J Palacio-I keep saying I'm going to read it, maybe this year!
Divergent by Veronica Roth-read it, loved it...still irritated about the ending of book 3, but getting less irritated as time goes by...
I am Scout by Charles Shields-haven't read it, it's now on my list!
Three Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks-haven't read it, it's now on my list!
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers-I think I read most of it--it wasn't as engaging as the movie, but was interesting.

In other news I figured out the name of the book I was trying to figure out--The Double Bind by Chris Bojalian.  I think I read it in 2012 or 2013 so it doesn't make this year's "best of" list, but should receive an honorable mention as an all-time favorite.  

Happy Reading!

Random thoughts on my birthday (Version 39.5)

First of all, thanks everyone who sent notes, posted on Facebook, sent cards, found cake at work and shared it, listened to my tales of birthdays past.....so far it has been a great day!

The kids and I stopped for Jimmy John's on the way home...I was very unmotivated to cook and the leftover situation is sparse at best.  "We" have music lessons tonight so the rumor is that we are going out for a real dinner tomorrow (Yay!  Two nights with no cooking and no dishes?  Now, that's a birthday present!).   I've spent the afternoon saying to The Boy, "DON'T tell me what you got me...you only have to wait until Dad gets home!  SERIOUSLY!!! Loose lips sink ships!! Unless you got me a couch...did you get me a couch?  If you got me a couch I need to move the old couch!"

I've smiled all day as I read your messages and looked at pictures and remembered birthdays many of you have spent with me.  My secretary and I had a giggle over how I received a birthday message from someone I had a crush on when I was in middle school...giggle.  I think I've also convinced my friend, S, to bake (and decorate) a cake for me the next time I see her (yes!  she made our wedding cake---best cake ever!)

And the icing on the cake (so to speak) is that The  Girl was accepted to her first choice of high schools for next year...ah...very good!

Yay!  Thanks, everyone!

What I read in December 2014

Ten books this month, including two I don't think I should count--both free from Amazon...in fact, I didn't even write down the name of the author of one, so I'm not reviewing it.

1.  The Guardian (Beverly Lewis)--ok, I'm reviewing the five Beverly Lewis books as if they are one, because basically all her books are similar--Amish girl (or boy) has a problem (love life, or lack there of, usually) and has adventures while problem is being solved.  Usually nothing shocking or horrifying, usually the main character remains Amish, occasionally they become Mennonite, everyone goes to church, usually someone falls in love...good, clean, semi-mindless reading.  I don't think I've read any of these before, but after awhile they all run together, so maybe I have. The link leads you to her website.  According to my Aunt, Beverly Lewis lives in in my town, but I've never had that confirmed by anyone else.  The Guardian was available for immediate download from the public library (which is unusual, Lewis' books, both hard copy and electronic, are usually hard to get at the library) and the others were as well...so every time I finished a  book and was piddling around on the library website, there was another Lewis book. Ah.
2.  Close Your Eyes and Hold Hands (Chris Bohjalian)--Don't ask me to pronounce his last name....I've read other books by Bohjalian and some were great (Sand Castle Girls) and others were just, um, weird. This one was about a teenage girl and a nuclear reactor meltdown in Vermont.  I noticed it while walking through the library and picked it up--very good read--horrifying on several levels, but very good.  Not scary like a vampire book, just "oh, my, some of these things really happen and what if others did?".  Worth the read.
3.  The Last Bride (Beverly Lewis)
4.  The Bridesmaid (Beverly Lewis)
5.  Without a Trace (Colleen Coble)--Amazon is still saying this book is free--it was entertaining, kind of short, I think there is at least one sequel.  It was kind of predictable (a mystery), but a good winter break read (and it was free)
6. The Fiddler (Beverly Lewis)
7.   The Secret Keeper (Beverly Lewis)
8.  Rebecca (Adam Nicolai)  It was briefly free on Amazon, now it is $4.99, not worth it.  It was weird...seemed to be a book written to slam a particular church denomination for being uncompromising.  Had some weird plot things going on and I wanted to see what happened...but it wasn't really worth it (not "I want that hour back" bad, but not worth reading if you haven't)
9.  Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?  (Roz Chast)  Saw this in one of the weekend magazines or People magazine or something.  Roz Chast is an only child whose parents were in their 90's when she was in her late 40's.  This memoir talks about her relationship with her parents and the process of putting them in assisted living and cleaning out their apartment.  It was interesting, written as a graphic novel (she is a cartoonist) and funny in a dark way.
10.  Butterfly something, free from Amazon, don't bother looking for it, it was poorly written and smutty...

Throwback Thursday: Extreme Home Makeover, Dollhouse Edition

Many years ago my dad built me an awesome dollhouse for my Sunshine Family dolls.

My brother and I on Christmas morning 1977 (I think I said 1975 in a previous post).  Items to note..look for the dollhouse furniture in later pictures, its there!....the lovely wallpaper....matching Christmas jammies...and, yes, a box of Captain Crunch....proving the tradition is at least 33 years old...

 

Not my dolls...I found this photo on the internet...but, golly, that is them...Grandpa, Grandma (my version of Grandma lost an eye not long after she came to live with me), Mother, Father, and Baby Sweets (yep, that was the name on the package...I made my Baby Sweets clothes though...it came in a yellow sleeper, but apparently those didn't hold up well)  These treasures seem to be wearing their original clothes..amazing..

The Sunshine Family were shorter than Barbies, but that didn't stop the Barbies from moving in a few years later.  They just had to learn to walk around with their knees bent.

As time went on, even the Barbies had to move on, and the dollhouse moved first into my closet to hold sweaters and later into my parents (awesome) attic.  I should write a post about that attic...it was truly Nancy Drew worthy.  (Apparently the new owners "finished it" and it is now a master suite...it was better as an attic, but that is a story for another day).  When my parents moved from the Indiana house to South Dakota in the mid-1990's (again, a story for another day) my mom called and asked if I would like them to give away my dollhouse....I guess I threw a bit of a fit, because she took pictures of the movers putting it on the truck.

Things I want to know....is that a pile of trash or stuff to put on the truck?  Why are there only two movers, had they not seen that house?  

The dollhouse lived at my parents' house in South Dakota after their move, entertaining visiting children, until we moved from our tiny townhouse in Denver to the Suburban Ranch.  The summer after we moved in, my parents drove down, dropped off the dollhouse and took The Girl to their house for a few days before The Boy and I drove up to join them.  While they were gone, The Boy and I remodeled the dollhouse, bringing it up to code and modernizing.

 A before shot--the roof was blue, and the shutters red--note the "Sunshine" on the door for the Sunshine Family.











The roof received new shingles and the exterior paint was touched up--updated burgundy shutters and the plant stand outside the back door (which was partially peeled off, but the rest impossible to remove) painted over.

 1970's yellow and blue replaced by "wood floors", stairs, and door.  I did hate to paint over the clock, fireplace tools, and china cabinet--they were pretty cute.

 Just like a real house, the kitchen had the biggest make-over.  Note the lovely lineoleum...I'm pretty sure we had some that matched in one of the houses I lived in as a kid.  Unfortunately, just like in a real house, that darn flooring didn't want to come out...sooo....enter a trip to Hobby Lobby, to the doll house section...and ta-da...new flooring, right over the old (just like many houses I've lived in).  The stove is Barbie's 1980's era stove--but, it is a masterpiece (and fit so well) and the rest of the kitchen was a self-contained until that The Girl already owned (look at how the windows lined up though...awesome!)  The old cabinets and refrigerator moved to the garage...just like real houses!

The make-overs in the bedrooms weren't as extreme--mainly new pain and flooring when needed (carpet over the old...just like a real re-model?)  Looking at the finished product in retrospect I do notice that the remodeled version was a lot more pink than the original.  Hmm.

The finished, and furnished final product--some of the furniture (like the beds) were mine, while other pieces were new to the Girl.  And I have to say that the Barbie Convertible fit in the garage, even with a stroller and refrigerator, much better than the Barbie camper van or Sunshine Family Truck ever did...

Not my truck...but, um, creepy...

Not my van...but basically identical.  I think my mom still has my van, if anyone wants to make a deal...

Alice the Cat approved when she arrived in 2009--she even tried to stay for dinner, but was shown the door by the Barbies.

The dollhouse has been very happy in The Girl's room, but as mentioned in a post earlier this week, has met the fate of many a teenage girl's dollhouse...becoming a storage shelf, at least for now.

What I did on my Christmas Vacation

I'm tempted to write "nothing", because that is essentially what I did....I (almost) caught up on the piles of laundry and dishes threatening to take over the house, so I kind of feel like this was enough...but there were a few other items:

1.  Cleaned and re-arranged the Girl's bedroom (photos to follow, maybe, technology dependent).  We hauled out an entire back end worth of donations as well as a box of hand me downs for a friend's daughter and several boxes of "storage" or "move somewhere else".  And 2 big bags of trash...egads...For several years, the dollhouse that my dad made for me for Christmas in 1975 has lived in The Girl's room--my folks brought it here in 2008 after we moved in this house and while The Girl spent a week with her grandparents, The Boy and I remodeled the dollhouse (that would be a fun post, I'll have to find those pictures).  For most of it's time at the Suburban Ranch, the dollhouse has lived under The Girl's loft

The room has undergone a couple changes since this photo was taken, but essentially was the same.
The dollhouse now is following it's natural progression--when  I was about the Girl's age I dragged the dollhouse into my closet, used shoe boxes to store the dolls and furniture and turned the house into shelves for sweaters and t-shirts.  Last week, that was our project--now she has two chairs and a stereo under the loft--she's waiting for her dad to hook up the stereo and then she'll be in business!

2. Sledding--sorry, no pictures...there were a couple before the camera died from the cold, but only a couple.

3.  Baking and cooking.  Grandude was here for about half the break so I had an excuse to make cookies and to cook every night.  We had tortilla soup and chicken and rice casserole--even had lobster bisque for Christmas Eve.

4.  Napped.  A lot.

5.  Brushed the snow off my outdoor blow up decorations.

6.  Read a couple books (more on that in my monthly book post)

7.  Inventoried our DVDs (gee, we have a lot)

8.  Sort of cleaned my closet.  Sort of.

9.  Played some games of Rumicube, Life, Indiana Jones Life....with the kids

10.  Watched about a bajillion movies, including the entire Harry Potter and Fast and Furious series in order.  A few years ago we started watching the Harry movies all in order during break, this year we've added F and F...we're thinking of having an F and F party in the spring, before 7 comes out, so as we watched we also created a list of foods and drinks consumed in each movie so we can have a theme party...ooh, ah...(Although I have to say that the Harry Potter foods are more fun and easier to identify than the Fast foods--I kept saying, "wait, wait...what's he eating?  corn nuts?" rather than just looking at the spread on the table in the great hall...)

I'm sure I've forgotten something important, but it was a good break, even if these are the only things we did!  Now it is back to school!  Have a great week everyone!

Evolution of a "friendship"

Alice and Liberty have never been good friends...in fact, Liberty is scared enough of Alice that one of my fun games is to pick up Alice and wave her at Liberty to watch Liberty freak out.  Usually if Alice is by the back door, Liberty will refuse to go out and if she is by the fireplace, well...Liberty is usually found in the other room. Enter several days of cold, coinciding with all of us home on Winter Break and a nice cozy fire...and watch what happens...

Hmmm....They must be really cold to put up with each other....but wait...

 Has Liberty overcome her fear enough to stretch out a paw?!!

Oh, my goodness!  They are not only sharing the fireplace, but touching!  Crazy...But wait...

 Awww...look...it's like Liberty is hugging her...and wait for it...

Alice is ok with it....I missed the three licks Alice gave Liberty's ear because I was waiting for all you-know-what to break loose when Liberty discovered she was being touched by the cat...Stay tuned...if it stays cold, I might have adorable pictures of them actually cuddling...or a video of a 9 lb cat beating up a 110 lb dog...either way, it should be interesting!

Happy New Year!