(Trying to) Catch Up

Hi everyone!  It has been quite awhile since I've blogged.  I lost my cooking blog domain name (y'all come eat) so it was out of commission for almost two months.  I've now got to re-pin all of my recipes with the new blog name.  Frustrating.  Not a Google problem it turns out, but it involved tons of time connecting with Google.  I knew they had a help desk because I saw the Google movie (The Internship) earlier this summer!  But, they don't make it easy.

 

Anyway, it has been a super busy month, but really good.  I have 2 volunteer activities too many I think :)  I volunteer anywhere from 10-30 hours/week, not including computer time.  That's a ton.  The boys are doing well and David enjoyed a trip to D.C. last week.  We're looking at 3 trips in the next few weeks.  I'm ready for Fall Break!

 

Here are a few photos of our last month or so.

 

We have a new winery with outdoor seating.  I've been there quite a few times since they opened.  Here's Brennan enjoying the cheese plate.  The boys love going out to eat.

 

David and I went one night together.  Here is what I usually get with my glass of Riesling - hummus, vegetables, and pita chips.  It's delicious.

 

 

And David got this brie and apple appetizer with warm bread.  Soooo good.

 

Watching MSU football.  That's a lot of legs in one chair.

 

Thomas and I went to see The Mortal Instruments movie - we've both read the series.

 

Brennan loves to chill in the pool!

 

We're letting Thomas learn to driver in the driveway.  Here he is first time out pulling the car back into the driveway after I put the mower away.  Look at his hands on 10 and 2 like a good boy!  Today I taught him how to use the riding mower!

The children sang in church a couple of weeks ago and Brennan had a song leader role and a speaking part.  He did really well!  Here he is starting off the introit.

 

 

 

Big brother helping Little brother with a homework assignment.

I walked in to this and was so thankful that Thomas offered and Brennan accepted the offer, even though it turned out Brennan really didn't need any help.

 

If you're on facebook you've no doubt seen a bunch of running photos of Thomas this fall.  Our friend Dr. Porter takes great photos at each meet and posts them.  Thomas is doing beautifully in cross country this year.  His 3K PR (record) is 14:04 minutes.  That's a 7:30 pace.  His goal was to break 9 minutes which he certainly did!

 

 

One Saturday we were running errands and he asked me to drop him off about 2 miles from the library and let him run there and meet me.  I was very unsure about it because he would have to cross a couple of busy roads, run through a residential area that he didn't know, and he wasn't quite sure how to get to the library from point A.  But, given that he runs in some of these areas when he runs after school with his team, I finally agreed.  Then followed him, and circled back.  He did beautifully!

 

 

Brennan at an early Saturday meet.  It was chilly that day, but it's still pretty warm here.

And Thomas after the meet.

 

I was soooo excited to see Michael Buble in concert last weekend with girlfriends!!!

We were celebrating Maribel's birthday.

 

I haven't been to a concert in forever.  It was awesome.

 

Ammie, Maribel, me, Lupita

 

We were far, far away, but Lupita got some awesome photos

 

 

The concert was fantastic.  He has a knack for making a cavernous arena feel intimate.  On the last song, "This Song for You", he took the earpiece out and put the microphone away and sang it acapella at the end.  I couldn't believe everyone could hear him and it was absolutely beautiful.  Great show!

 

 

 Bright and early the next morning I had to be at our Youth Leadership scholarship program.

What a great program.  Thankfully I wasn't on this committee, but wanted to attend and work at the event itself.  The students start the process as juniors, going through quite a bit of leadership work to get to this point.  There were 191 seniors participating.   

 

The speakers at the day-long event were terrific too.

 

 

The parents joined after lunch for a speaker and the scholarship presentations.

 

 

 

 

We hosted a baby shower for our friends Matt and Megan last weekend.  I realize now these photos are all terribly out of order.  Oh well.

 

When Miss Mary saw Brennan she realized he had achieved it - the right to be photographed having passed his first adult in height!

 

 

Megan is in the middle below.  Their friends from Michigan and St. Louis were able to join us as well.  It was a wonderful afternoon/evening.

 

 

Megan and Matt are due in February, but this shower was for the adoption that takes place in October!

They are adopting two little girls from New Mexico!

Megan is an early education specialist so these girls are coming to the perfect family.

 

We were so happy to share this special day with Matt and Megan.

 

 I'm PTO President at Brennan's elementary school.  Our annual fundraiser, the Walk-a-thon, kicked off last week.  Here we are at the convocation.  This is Brennan's class (this is their 3rd year together as a class), and a couple of other kids from 6th grade.  They are really a great group.  Brennan's on the far left.  He thought I was taking a photo just of him.

  

 

After a(nother) trip to the library we headed out for a quick bite since Dad had a church meeting.  To my left, Thomas was reading a Calvin and Hobbes.  And across Brennan's reading Wired magazine.  Somebody needs to talk to Mom!

 

 

And that's it for the last couple of weeks.  I hope you're all enjoying the First Day of Fall!

 

 

 

 

New Screens on the Porch

 

David did a great job upgrading the screens on our screened-in porch this weekend.

 

This porch has looked like this for the 9 years that we've lived here.

This photo was taken a couple of years ago.

It's usually where the kids eat when we have a big group over.

 

We haven't done much to it.

 

This spring the porch was painted, and the floor was cleaned and stained.  We also got rid of some random outdoor furniture that we weren't using and just kept the swing, table and chairs.

 

 

David decided to replace the screens and did an awesome job.

 

They're hard to get a good photo of, but here's my attempt.

This is the before - 30 year old screens that were coated in pollen and we were unable to clean them.

You can see where the trim was holding the screens in this photo.  They were a dark, dirty mess.

I think this screen was kicked by toddlers over the years.

The porch door to the backyard also had torn screens on it, and the door dragged on the porch floor.  David fixed it all!

Here's part way through.  The new screen on the right is so clean that you can hardly tell there's a screen there!

And here's the after.  Much, much better!

Interior view of the after.  We're considering updating the furniture and lighting in the porch area.  I think we'd use it more if it was updated.

And, here are a few photos that Leslee took before we moved in 9 years ago.

 

 

Before and after from this weekend.

I can't tell you how much better it looks!

Thank you, David!

 



What I've Been Reading - August 2013

Hi, I have several books to share that I've enjoyed this summer.

Here are the ones I've Loved, Liked, and Thought Were Just OK.

 

 

Loved These Books

I always enjoy a book that is smartly written, with a mix of mystery and heart.

This is a great example.  I read that Liane Moriarty's "The Husband's Secret" was the "book of the summer" in Australia (her home country) and in Europe.  I was pleased to find it at our library.

 

It is set in present-day suburban Australia and involves a number of families who are connected through a series of events.  I rarely get through a book in 3 days, but I did this one.  I connected with the characters and carved out time to get back to it as soon as I could!

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - The Husband's Secret is a funny, heartbreaking novel of marriage, grief, love and secrets.

 

Another great mystery, very well written, that had me carving out time to read any chance I could get.  This was on a lot of Top Reads of 2012 lists that I'm just now getting to.  A teen is killed, and the story is told from the District Attorney's point of view.  The DA just happens to be the dad of the accused. 

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

 

 

 

Liked These Books

 

I never get on Twitter but one day I did because someone referenced something hilarious that Steve Martin tweeted and I wanted to check it out.  What I found were all of these references to Questlove's biography - famous and friends raving about it.  I know just a little about The Roots, but watch them on Jimmy Fallon.  Lo and behold, our library had a copy on order and I waited patiently for it to be my turn. 

 

I don't think I've ever read a musician's autobiography before, but I hear this one breaks the mold.  I especially loved his early years, how his fascination with music takes on a trance-like quality, and his deep, deep knowledge of the most obscure technicalities helped inform the thoughtful, sweet, gentle man that he is today.  The second half of the book was a deep-dive into the music industry as his group skirted stardom and held fast to making important, critically-loved, but not radio-popular music.  I really enjoyed this memoir, but it'll probably keep me from reading others because I can't imagine every musician who writes a memoir is this introspective, educated, and talented.

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - Mo' Meta Blues is a punch-drunk memoir in which Everyone's Favorite Questlove tells his own story while tackling some of the lates, the greats, the fakes, the philosophers, the heavyweights, and the true originals of the music world.

 

 

 

 

I can't remember why I didn't give this book 5 stars on goodreads, but I gave it 4 (a decision I take seriously upon finishing a book).  My friend Erin picked this up book a few days ago because of my recommendation and I was over-the-top excited for her.  I enjoyed it a lot. 

 

In summarizing this summer's books I see that the ones I probably enjoyed most all have a murder mystery as the background, but the stories are really character-driven.  This is a great example.  Set in Red Hook, Brooklyn this story could easily be true.  Some of the scenery exists in Red Hook, but not the disappearance of the teen.  Beautiful writing, great character development.

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - In Visitation Street, Ivy Pochoda combines intensely vivid prose with breathtaking psychological insight to explore a cast of solitary souls, pulled by family, love, and betrayal, who yearn for a chance to escape, no matter the cost.

 

 

 

David gave me this book a few years ago and I've been making my way through it for some time now.  This excellent book of short stories is clearly loved by many, as is the author who is now in his 80s.  I had not heard of William Trevor before, but I would say that if you love Irish literature, this book is for you.  While clearly different, I was reminded of Maeve Binchy's cast of characters.  Several of the stories are still vivid in my mind.

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - A marvelous collection from "the greatest living writer of short stories in the English language (The New Yorker).

 These Books Were OK 

 

 

I wanted to love The Art Forger.  A friend, whose recommendations I always listen to, mentioned this book in passing one day.  It's jumping off point is the true-life 1990 theft of $500M in art at the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston - art that has never been recovered.  Sounded like my kind of book.  While considered Historical Fiction, I didn't find out until finishing the book that none of the storyline or references to Mrs. Gardner's life were true in this account.  That made it pretty disappointing.  Even the Degas masterpiece at the center of this story was not real.  This disappointment keeps me from giving it a better rating.

 

But, if you know all this going on, it's actually a good book!  I would have easily given it at 4 had I not been so shocked to find out that it was entirely fiction, with only the true-life robbery being true.  I learned a lot about the painting and art forgery processes, which I can only hope are accurate :)

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - It remains the largest unsolved art heist in history, and Claire Roth, a struggling young artist, is about to discover that there’s more to this crime than meets the eye.

 

 

 

 

Another book that I really wanted to love.  Not that I think my children take advantage of their blessed lives, but I know they could (and I could too) develop a less entitled viewpoint on life.  I was hoping that I would learn some great parenting ideas that would help me subtly shift our entitled thinking.  Unfortunately most of the suggestions here felt like common sense.  My kids already have chores.  They ask nicely for things they'd like.  They earn money to buy splurge items, they help out in the community, they don't take David and me for granted or roll their eyes at us (yet).  BUT... if you know a parent who might be struggling with any of these concerns, this might be a great book for him/her. 

 

I did follow the advice on allowance, but I'll share that in a different post.

 

One sentence goodreads.com description - With irresistible humor and refreshing insights, Kay candidly details the ups and downs of removing her own kids from the center of the universe.

 

So, what are you reading?

Running, Boating, and Swimming

That about sums up our last couple of weeks.

Photos to share!

 

David took Brennan out to dinner one night to Mark Pi's.  The chef was so nice!  David mentioned Brennan's interest in cooking and he came out and showed how to make a rose from a carrot.  Then he brought out beautiful cheesecakes for David and Brennan.  So thoughtful.  It was quite a treat!

 

 

Brennan got his cast off!  He was anxious about the saw they used for about 2 weeks.  Turns out, it was quick and painless!  After a day or two of getting used to his arm again, he's doing great.  You'd never know it was broken!

 

 

 

Cross-Country!

Grandma Carolyn, this photo is for you.  He's dressed and ready for his first meet this past Saturday.

 

 

 

We all headed north to a big middle school cross-country meet. 

We know so many of the families who participate.  Our school tends to dominate these meets because we have such a large, organized team.

 

A couple of photos before the race...

 

 

 

 

 Thomas passed us twice.  The first time I was looking for a shorter kid and he passed me right by!  Here he is at the end of the race though.  He did sooooo well, and definitely PR'd.  He ran 14.56 in the 3K (1.86 miles).  Awesome job!

 

Here we are heading into the gym for awards.  Brennan always seems to know when I've got the phone out for a photo - he can't resist bunny ears.

Our boys and girls teams won.

 

Thomas's team at the awards ceremony. 

Two of his coaches up front.

 

 

Got my hair pulled up for Wine Club Saturday night.  It never looks this good when I do it.  Took a photo to replicate later.

 

 

 

Our friends Roger and Jan, and Charlie and Jayne hosted a boating pirate-themed wine club Saturday night.  It was so much fun!

 

We started at Jan and Roger's for appetizers.

(Jayne and Rosann in back, Lora, me, Karen)

 

 

Karen, Roger, and Lora

 

 

The men!

(Dave, Mike, Jeff, Barry, Greg, Roger, Charlie, David)

 

The back of Roger and Jan's house as we headed down to the dock.  I love their home.

 

 

About to sail the lakes before heading to Jayne and Charlie's for dinner!

 

I've never been on these lakes.  They were beautiful!

 

 

We all sang Yo Ho (a pirate's life for me) a few times over the course of the night.  Charlie led us on trombone and we had sheet music.

 

Relaxing after dinner at Jayne and Charlie's

(David and Greg)

 

 

Mary, Lora, Jan, Vinita

 

A final round of Yo Ho before heading back to Jan and Roger's for dessert

 

Charlie, Jayne, Roger

What a FUN night! 

 

 

Thomas has had a cold or something for the last 2 weeks.  Finally a doctor friend suggested having him checked for a sinus infection.  Here we are at Walgreens waiting on antibiotics.  Just hanging out, ready to get home.

 

Because we were having a pool party! 

A bunch of the middle school (and a couple little brothers) youth came to our house for a youth group kick-off party.

 

Have I mentioned that David refinished the slide this year?  The fiberglass coating was coming up, scratching everyone as they went down.  He did a great job.  It's now a navy blue.

 

 

Little kids LOVE Thomas!

 

Ice Breakers and Youth Group Games

 

And I always like to show recent gifts.  I have sweet friends.

 

Rebecca gave me this set.  How adorable!!  The high heel is cosmopolitan mix.  Can't wait to try it out sometime soon!

 

 

And aren't these the best wine glasses??

Mike had given Mary one of the red solo cup wine glasses, and I had seen the wine sippy cups online.

I was raving about them to my friend Christine, and lo and behold a package arrived.

 

Now that we are cast-less, on antibiotics, and well into school and Cross-Country season, life has slowed down a touch.  Hope you are having a wonderful end of August!