50 Books in 2010--update #3 (25 weeks, but only 20 books)

I'm still committed my 50 books in a year challenge, but I am falling behind! With all the craziness of moving, C finishing up with school, and trying to settle into a new summer routine, I haven't been doing as much reading lately. Slowly but surely, I did work through 10 more books, several of which I enjoyed a lot. Here they are...

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11. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
I thought this book was great. I wasn't sure I'd get into it initially since the book is written entirely in letter format, but I was quickly drawn in by the characters, and ended up really loving it. Quite a sweet book that I recommended without hesitation to my MIL who also loved it. My own mom is next on the list to borrow it.

12. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
I enjoyed this book as well. Based on a very sad premise, this was a depressing but interesting look at the Holocaust from a child's point of view.

13. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson
This is second book in the Millennium Trilogy. It was fun to revisit the characters from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and I look forward to reading the final book in the series to see where things go from here.  I just picked up the 3rd book last week, so I am sure it will show up in my next book update.

14. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
I loved the Twilight series, so I thought I should check out the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series. It was an easy read, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I enjoyed the Twilight series. I never thought of myself as being really into "vampire" fiction, I was just drawn in by the characters in Twilight. The same didn't happen for me with this book. Perhaps it was too vampirey. I still may try out another book in this series though, since I know a lot of my friends did enjoy these books.

15. Real Boys: Rescuing our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood by William Pollack
I read this book in snippets over a few months while waiting in the school pickup line, in an attempt to figure out how to raise my two boys to be fine young men. It was filled with interesting anecdotes and gave me some ideas. Here's hoping I can figure it all out without screwing them up too much!

16. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
This was a cute book, focused on the detective exploits of an 11 year old girl. As a Harriet the Spy and Sherlock Holmes lover, and a girl who used to pretend to be a spy and solve crimes in the yard, this was a fun new character for me to discover. I look forward to reading Bradley's next book.

17. Raising Cain by Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson
Another "raising boys" parenting book. Can you tell what I've been focused on?!  While interesting, this book kind of stressed me out, talking a lot about sex, violence, drugs, and the struggles boys have in adolescence. Yikes! Can they just stay 5 and 3 forever?

18. Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner
I had heard of Jennifer Weiner's books (In Her Shoes, etc), but had never read any of them. So when I saw this one for $2 at a book sale, I figured I would check it out, even though I had no idea what it was about. It ended up being a fun, easy read about becoming a mother and the life changes that go with it. Not profound, but a good summer read.

19. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
I really enjoyed this book.  I tend to like historical fiction, and this story about a book conservator and an intriguing journey through the history of a unique book, was right up my alley. It was historical fiction for book lovers!

20. The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall
I always pick up Indian fiction (a small tribute to my heritage, I guess), and I love mysteries, so even though I had never heard of this book before, when I saw it at Costco I had to check it out. And I'm so glad I did, because it was a funny and interesting tale of a private investigator in India. The flow of the speech of the characters and their expressions brought back the voices of my relatives, and I couldn't help but smile as I read along. I am not sure if the author intends to write more books in this vein, but I sure hope he does, because I would love to follow "Vish Puri, India's Most Private Investigator" on a few more adventures.

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I really do want to succeed in reading 50 books this year, so here's hoping I can catch up some this summer. Two books a week will be tough, but I did pick up a few promising new books at the local library's 50c book sale! I've already started book 21, so we'll see how it goes...

NH Numbers

Last week we took a short family vacation to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. We all had a great time, and it worked out well for a relaxing post move vacation. I think fun was had by all. Here's a brief look at our vacation in numbers (and a few pictures)...

# of different license plates seen: 30 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 1 US government plate

# of holes of mini golf played: 36, and the boys begged for more.

# of motorcycles seen:  We stopped counting after reaching 111, but we surely saw several hundred as, unbeknownst to us, it was also "Bike Week" in the White Mountains. Largest group of motorcycles seen riding together: 22

 

# of gorges hiked: 2

 

# of glacial boulders seen: LOTS

# of ants, spiders, and beetles spotted and studied in depth by the boys: I have no idea, but it seemed that every other minute they were looking at some insect.

# of caves explored: 10

# of trains ridden: 3

# of hours at Story Land amusement park: 7.5

# of times the boys rode the roller coaster: 3 (this was the only ride they wanted to repeat)
 

# of times the boys needed to be carried during all of our long days: 0 (!!!!!!!)

They really are growing up! This vacation would not have been nearly as much fun last year.

Almost a month...

It's been almost a month since I last posted.

I had such high hopes when I started this blog. I was going to post 5 days a week, so I would never forget any of the funny things the boys did. But just like with losing weight and getting regular exercise, it's proven harder to stick with this goal than I thought. Life just gets too busy sometimes.

Soon after my last post, we moved. Which means that several weeks of our lives were focused on these.

We're mostly unpacked now. Just a few straggling boxes are left (which are the hardest to unpack because they're filled with things that we don't quite know what to do with). We would have been further along, but I just couldn't resist taking the boys to do things like this instead.

After all, we've never been strawberry picking before, so when the right weather and the right timing lined up, how could I waste that opportunity? And it was on our list of summer adventures!

Now that life is settling back into our regular routine, I hope to be back posting more. At least until things get busy again... I'll just keep doing my best. Even a little something has to be better than nothing, right?

Keeping them busy all summer long...

As pre-K is rapidly winding down for the year, the long stretch of summer is looming. This is not as much of a shock for me as it is for many other moms with school age kids, since I am used to having O home with me everyday. Still, the idea of being home with 2 active boys for months on end (without the break of school, music class, and our other regularly scheduled activities) is both exciting and daunting. While most of the other children in C's class are heading off to full day, multi-week camps, C and O will be staying home with me. Right now I have the luxury of being home with them, so I want to enjoy it!  But that means that the boys' entertainment will be completely up to me.

To that end, we are continuing our tradition of making a "Summer Adventures" list. In late spring, the boys and I sit down and come up with a list of all the fun things we want to do during summer vacation.  Making the list is a big part of getting excited for summer. C checks on the list every few days and can't wait until we start crossing things off it. Some will happen, and some probably won't. But, here is what we'd love to accomplish this summer:

1. Move (yikes!)
2. Explore all of the playgrounds in our new neighborhood
3. Take a family vacation
4. Swimming lessons
5. Join the library's summer reading program and read, read, read
6. Go Strawberry Picking
7. Go Blueberry Picking
8. Go on a Treasure Hunt in the Woods
9. Have a beach day
10. Go to a minor league baseball game
11. Go to a local racetrack and see a real car race
12. Play Minigolf
13. Bowling
14. Go for a hike
15. Visit local Children's Museum
16. Visit local Science Museum
17. Visit local Aquarium
18. Go to preseason football game
19. Visit Gramma and Grampa
20. Visit the local farm
21. Visit Zoo
22. Host BBQ 

Last year, our summer adventures list helped us keep a good balance between active outings and lazy days at home. I firmly believe that the boys need both, but I do better with at least a loose weekly schedule. 

What do you and your family have planned for the summer? I'd love some more fun ideas!

We are all artists.

C's pre-K class just finished a 3 week unit on art, culminating in a trip to a local art museum. I've been hearing about this unit in little snippets after school.. It's been interesting to try to figure out what on earth they've been doing from the one line facts that C chose to provide. 

"Art is shoes."

"Picasso didn't just do paintings, he also did sculptures."

"And then there were marbles, but my marbles kept falling out, so it didn't really work."

"We made stabiles. It's like a mobile but it's a stabile." 

"Kline painted with lines."

"We got to splat! The paintbrush wasn't allowed to touch the paper. Only to splat or drip. Like my friend Jack makes art." (I later found out that they had been studying Jackson Pollack.)

"We're all artists, Mom. Even you."

I was really quite bewildered. But I could tell that he was having fun with the unit, and maybe learning a little something too.

When I asked him how the trip to the museum was, he eagerly told me how on the way there in his classmate's car they watched "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and on the way home they watched "Mickey saves Santa."

But what about the museum? "Well, we looked at some art, and then we went to the bathroom, and then we had snack, and then we looked at a little more art and then came home." With a little more prodding, he did eventually say that they looked at a Mondrian painting and then tried to copy it.

So I was really surprised by the impressive display of their creations when the class opened their own art gallery this week. Even though the information didn't always come home, it was clear that they touched on all different types of art, from pop art, to line art, to sculptures, to still lifes, and quilting. Seeing all the kids showing off their work with such pride was wonderful. They knew that they really were artists. And that's the best lesson of them all.

O's tale

The boys were taking turns telling me stories this afternoon. This was O's tale.

"Once upon a time there was a Baby Mario. And a Baby Luigi hugged him. And then they got flushed down the toilet! HA HA HA HA HA! And then there was a little, little, little...no, a giant, giant, giant bear that scared them. The End!"

I'm not sure why I found this so funny, but I truly laughed until I had tears in my eyes!

Happy Mother's Day

to all the mommies out there...

...who wouldn't trade this job for anything!

Feeling like "that mom"

I like to think that I am raising my boys to be well mannered.  On their own, they behave quite nicely, and C's teacher has no complaints about his behavior in school. But lately, when the two of them are together, it's as if their energies collide and combust, creating a whirlwind of noise and running. It's not that they are having tantrums (although they have plenty of those too), it's more of a jubilant tornado. All that happy energy and noise proves very disruptive when we are in public, and makes me feel like "that mom".

You know the one.

The one that people roll their eyes at and wonder, "How can she let them behave that way?" or "Why doesn't she control her children?" When they are chattering and singing so loudly at a restaurant during lunch that two separate parties ask to be seated elsewhere as the server leads them in our direction. Or racing around the aisles in the shoe store (reminding me why I prefer to do most of my shopping online). Or playing "bonk heads" in the double cart at Costco. (They never believe me when I tell them that this is not a good game, even though it ends in tears every time.)

To all the tired and exasperated moms that I rolled my eyes at before I had children, I apologize. I didn't know. I had no idea that sometimes the energies of a 5 and 3 year old really can not be tamed. That boys truly will be boys. That sometimes asking nicely, bribing with snacks, and doling out time outs just doesn't work. 

I know now. Because I'm "that mom" too.

Water water everywhere...

Due to a major water main break, we spent the last few days without drinkable tap water. Until the "boil water" order went into effect, I had never really thought about how often I use tap water. A quick drink, wetting a paper towel to wipe a messy face after a meal, washing my hands, rinsing a toothbrush, running the dishwasher, all these things and more were off limits for 3 days. In fact, it was so automatic for the boys and I to just reach for the tap that I had to wrap a towel around the faucet handles to remind us to stop!

The novelty made it somewhat fun. As I washed and rinsed pots and pans in a basin full of previously boiled water, I felt like a pioneer woman. Yes, the paper plates, plastic utensils, and bottled water for drinking (and coffee making!) ruined the illusion a bit.

I got a glimpse of human nature in a local CVS when bottled water sold out right in front of me. Some people walked out with 16 cases just for themselves, smirking at others who got turned away. I had only wanted to pick up a couple of gallon jugs that I could use and then refill because I didn't have any pitchers to store boiled water in, but I got concerned when I saw the shortage and surrounding hysteria. Everyone was saying that this would last for a week or more. So I grabbed up a couple of cases too. I couldn't even have bought a gallon jug if I wanted to, since the shelves were completely bare.  I felt guilty buying into the "every man for himself" philosophy, but still took what I thought would be enough for us if the shortage went on for more than a week. And remained grateful that at least we could boil water. After all, the bottled water was just more convenient. It wasn't necessary. I can't even imagine what the scene would have been like if we had no water at all.

This situation certainly opened my eyes to what I have always taken for granted--having potable water whenever I want it. I also never realized just how much I use water every day! We did drink a lot of tap water before we heard about the order. Here's hoping we stay healthy! I'll raise a glass of water to that!

On Marriage

C: "Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to marry you!'"

Me: "Oh, you can't marry me. I'm your Mom."

C: "Why not? I love you the best!"

Me: "Because people don't marry their moms. And, I'm already married to Daddy, remember?"

C: "That's ok...I'll marry you again!"

Me: "You're very sweet. But, I am sure that by the time you are old enough to get married, you won't want to marry me anymore."

O pipes in: "Then I'll marry you, Mommy!"

I am soooo coming back to read this when the boys are older and don't want to be seen with their super lame Mom anymore.

Getting older

I am only in my mid 30s, but the last few weeks I've been feeling much older. I pulled a muscle in my back twice in two weeks, which left me hobbling around unable to stand up straight for several days each time. "Is this what it feels like to be an old lady?!" I asked Hubby repeatedly. I also noticed my first gray bang hair (I've had a few other grays before, but never in the bangs), and have overall just been exhausted. I guess the boys are picking up on these developments, because yesterday O announced:

"Mom, you're not three. You're twenty-hundred!"

Sigh...

How nice it is...

...to go for a hike without needing a stroller!

Stereotypes

Yesterday, while coloring, C mentioned that he was going to draw something pink. Pink is one of his three favorite colors (along with blue and green) and often shows up in his arts & crafts projects. Then he sighed, and said, "Mom. The other day in school, Millie laughed at me when I was riding the pink bike."
"She did?" I asked. "Why?"
"Because the pink bike is for girls, I guess." C said.
"How did that make you feel?" I asked.
"Sad," he said, with another deep sigh. "But I can ride the pink bike, right? Pink's not ALL for girls! Boys can like pink too, right Mom?"
"Of course you can!" I said. "It's fine that you like pink, and you can ride the pink bike if you want to."
"But, I forgot to laugh at her when she rode the blue boy bike today." C said. I pointed out that if he felt bad when Millie laughed at him, Millie would probably feel bad if he laughed at her, and he agreed.

It makes me sad that C is being pressured to conform to these gender stereotypes already. I've worked very hard to encourage all his interests, and even though he's always gravitated toward the more typical boyish toys (trains, cars, etc), he also has a play kitchen, and enjoys the book Pinkalicious. He loves to dance and be silly.

He just turned 5. Can't he still like pink if he wants to?

Hospitality

C: "Why did Daddy decide to be a hospitality doctor?"

Me: "A what?"

C: "You know, a hospitality doctor...A Paternarian!"

Cake Two

This past weekend we celebrated O's 3rd birthday, and with that came another adventure in baking.  This was a very hectic week for us, filled with illnesses and house hunting, and I just didn't have the energy to make another fancy cake. Cue the mommy guilt...now! However, O said that he wanted a Lightning race cake, and I think I managed to make that happen. Even though this cake was quite simple, just stacked rectangular cakes with an oreo cookie crumb raceway, O was thrilled that it displayed the final scene of his all time favorite movie CARS (Chick Hicks winning the race because Lightning is pushing the damaged King).

We also had a small party with a few of his friends, and Hubby noted that O was quite a stud, since all the guests were girls! We managed to get the group to play a party game (Pin the Sticker on the Lightning) and O seemed to have a great time.

Now he keeps announcing "I am bigger! I am Three!"

And I just can't believe it.

Imaginative Play

The Easter Bunny brought each of the boys a mini Lego set. C's was a pirate ship, and O's was a little house scene. We had fun coming up with some imaginative play that melded them both together.

The pirate came searching for the magic treasure chest that was hidden in the king's house. I'm not sure what Mater was doing there, but he was clearly important.

Who IS the Easter Bunny?

A conversation in the car, on the way to get egg dyeing materials...

O: "I love Easter Eggs! I want to have an Egg Hunt!"
Me: "Well, maybe the Easter Bunny will leave you some eggs to find."
O: "The Easter Bunny? Who is the Easter Bunny?"
Me: (hmmm...I guess he doesn't remember last year...he was only 2...) "You know...the Easter Bunny! The one who brings Easter baskets with candy to all the good little boys."
O: "But...who IS the Easter Bunny?"
Me: "Ummm....I don't know. But he's magic! Like Santa."
O: "Oh. But is he a guy? Or a bunny?"
Me: "He's a bunny. But a magic bunny."
O: "Maybe he turns into a magic guy...or...maybe he turns into A MAGIC RACE CAR!!!!"
Me: "Um...maybe? I don't know. I think he is just a bunny."
O: "Oh...(long sad sigh)...Or a magic tow truck??"
Me: "Sure!  I don't know how the magic works."
O: "Well, I love that Easter Bunny!"
Me: "You do?"
O: "Yeah, I'm going to give him a big hug!"
 

Lucky bunny.

April Fools

Driving home from school yesterday...

C: "Tomorrow is April First! That means it's April Fools Day, Mom!"
Me: "MmmHmm. Did you talk about that at school?"
C: "Yeah, on April Fools, you play tricks on people. So I'm going to play a trick on you! And on Daddy!"
Me: "Oh really? What kind of trick?"
C: "I haven't decided yet."
Me: "Did your teachers talk about what kind of tricks you could play?"
C: "A little bit. In Circle time. I know!! I could tell you that you have a snake in your hair!"
Me: "Oh."
C: "Or I could tell you that you're not driving! HA HA HA HA!!"
Me: "But...I AM driving."
C: "But, I could say that you're NOT! HA HA HA! April Fools!"

I just know I am going to be in big trouble when he actually figures out how this works...

Letter Maker

Last week in PreK, C's class focused on Anansi the Spider stories.  I wasn't very familiar with Anansi, but C tells me he is a "trickster" and there are lots of stories about him. One of the stories they read was about Anansi's children, all of whom have interesting names that describe their special skills ("see trouble", "river drinker", etc). For an activity that day, each of the kids drew a picture of what their spider name would be.

When I dropped him off the next morning, hanging on the wall amidst the ballet dancers, train builders, and taxi drivers was...

When I saw his creation, I couldn't help but smile at what he came up with. Anyone who knows C at all will realize exactly how perfect his choice was. Because how could my alphabet loving, early reading son be anything else?!

Rainy days are here again

Ugh. Another day of constant downpours. This is already the wettest March on record, and we're expecting a few more inches of rain today. I can see water starting to seep into the basement again, just like it did two weeks ago.  I spent several days learning to love a shop vac back then, and was hoping to never put those skills to use again! As of five minutes ago, there is only a small trickle of water slowly coming in through a crack in back stairs. Not enough to start cleaning up...yet.

So, for now, I think curling up on the couch with the boys, scarfing down some homemade chocolate chip cookies, and watching The Princess and the Frog is definitely in order.

I guess there are still a few good things about rainy days!