Joey's New Address

I'm so sorry to have neglected this site the way I have! But I promise, it was not because I was neglecting "Joey's" premise ... I've been working to make her bigger and better, and I believe I have done so. Please check her out here, at our new home ... Reading with Joey.

Sprout Spokane Collaboration: The rest of the summer reading list

Thank you for rejoining us! I appreciate you hopping around to complete the list with Joey  ……

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The only concern I have about reviewing this book is that I won't do it any justice. Nobody could. What I can say, though, is that The Book Thief is more than a bound collection of words on paper, it's an experience. The characters consume you and will break your heart.

The story is set during the Holocaust, and there's some debate as to whether this is a twist that shouldn't be revealed, but the narrator is not who you would expect.

The writing is spectacular, and character development is precise and haunting, but the beauty of the book is in its narrator. You instantly trust him, and although he is a neutral commentator throughout the book, you grow to love him and feel for him during what he occasionally describes as one of his busiest periods in history. The other character of note (although I believe they all are developed equally well, she just happens to be the heroine) is Liesel.

In one act of thievery, Liesel Meminger changes the path of her life and that of the unseen narrator's who takes an interest in the girl. The stolen item is a book, The Grave Digger's Handbook, found near her brother's graveside. With the help of her foster father, she uses the manual to learn to read. With book burnings commonplace in Nazi Germany, she has to risk her life at times in order to fuel her desire to learn.

Through Liesel, the reader experiences life and the good and bad it has to offer. Through our narrator, the reader experiences death and the good and bad it has to offer. And - most importantly - between our heroine and storyteller, the reader experiences something that we all look for in a book, a collection of characters -- some who are friends, some who are not -- who you will remember for a lifetime and pull from your bookshelf again and again.

Short Girls by Bich Minh Nguyen

Rough, perhaps, but still enjoyable.

Nguyen, author of Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, plays on the themes of family (sisterhood in particular), cultures, and the differences we find in both that tend to tear us apart as well as bring us closer – if we let them.

She focuses most of the novel on sisters, Van and Linny, and tells of how their lives intersect at their father’s citizenship celebration during a time of deep turmoil. Although each display impressive amounts of stubbornness, which allows for a long-standing family tension to get in the way of any type of reconciliation, both are more alike than either realize.

Straight-laced lawyer Van’s picture-perfect marriage is quietly falling apart, and fashionable party girl Linny’s secret affair with a married man is tearing her up. Without knowing it – or at the very least, without wanting to admit it – each are in desperate need of a sister to confide in. Being brought back together at this juncture in their lives is exactly what the other needs.

I’ll admit, it was the title that sold me (I’m only 4’11” myself), but I’m glad it did. I enjoyed the fractured nature of the sisters’ relationship, even if it was a bit trite and predictable on occasion. Nguyen is a talented writer who I’m excited to watch … er, grow.

Sophomoric at times, extremely touching at others, Short Girls is well worth a read.

Sara Gruen, author

I’m doing something different here and reviewing an author. One, in fact, who doesn’t quite yet deserve to be reviewed as an author on her own yet. As far as I’m concerned, someone like Stephen King or Richard Russo are the types of writers who would deserve their own space, not necessarily someone like Gruen.

The reason I am setting her apart, though, is because of the schizophrenic nature of her writing (so far, at least). I want to review her most-recent book Ape House, but there is no way, in good conscience, I can recommend that anyone go out and buy it. And the truth is, I wanted to like this book. I really wanted to. And for about 50 pages I did, but then it unraveled. Her writing held muster – which is a good sign – but the plot fell apart, almost to the point of being ridiculous.

On the other hand, I am completely head-over-heels in love with Water for Elephants. Beautifully written and truly original, Gruen’s story is set during the Great Depression and starts after the tragic death of Jacob Jankowski’s parents. Alone and penniless (soon after the funeral he discovers that his father’s farm and veterinary practice has been mortgaged to the hilt to pay for his college education) Jacob, an Ivy League veterinary student, literally hops a train and finds himself aboard a traveling circus car.

Without at job – and now without a home – Jacob seizes the opportunity to use his knowledge and love for animals to earn a living as the animal trainer for the traveling show. After befriending – and ultimately falling in love with – Marlena, a beautiful ex-ballerina and the star of the main event, he soon learns that behind the glitz and glamour of a circus production lays dark secrets and deadly jealousies.

A love story that is filled with passion, intrigue and a most unusual heroine, Water for Elephants is an absolute must-read.

 And, there you have it, a few of my favorites for summer -- or really any time of year, especially considering summertime really isn't that summery this year.  
 

Sprout Spokane Collaboration: Summer Reading List

I have recently collaborated with family-oriented and local-business-driven site Sprout Spokane to develop a summer reading list. Giddy, I jumped at the chance. Perhaps I over-jumped because I might have over-written.

First and foremost, if you haven’t had a chance to check out their site, you need to, right away. It’s chalk-full of ideas for families looking for something to do in Spokane and the surrounding areas, with an emphasis on locally-owned businesses (hooray!). The site also contains a wide array of parent resources, including a fun mom blog featuring local, spunky moms. This truly should be on your favorites menu as well as in your Facebook friends list.

Link to my guest post here and be sure to link back to Joey via Sprout for the list in its entirety. Yeah, I know, lots of links. It’s my fault for gettin’ too wordy. But I promise all of the clicks will be worth it … You’ll have a ton of new summer reads.

The PaperHOME: Sacrifice Fly

A couple of Spokane Indians’ tickets, a few too many sugary soda pops on top of a man-sized greasy hamburger on an already excited three-year-old’s tummy and a foul ball.

That’s all it took to create what is sure to be the highlight of our summer.

But wait. I’m getting ahead of myself.

As the kids have been getting older, we’ve started to venture out a bit more, taking them to a few events we think they might enjoy. Since the newly potty-trained twins have bladders the size of their grandfather’s, we have to be sure there are restrooms reasonably close to where we are sitting, for easy access.

But we hadn’t counted on what was going to happen next.

We’ve been experiencing – and cherishing – a lot of firsts as a family lately. The first movie-theater movie, first bike rides, first circus show. And we were lucky enough to be offered tickets to a Spokane Indians’ game recently. We wanted to make the boys’ first baseball game a memorable one, so we did it in spectacular fashion: We let them pick out their own souvenir Tshirts, order their own greasy burger for dinner and drink as much orange soda as they wanted (a BIG first for them).

Perhaps that’s where we went wrong. 

Brock (left) and Jack (right) enjoy the game with Alex.

We didn’t notice anything was off until after the seventh-inning stretch. Brock was looking a bit peaked, but I just assumed it was because he was exhausted. It was, after all, way past his bedtime. (As a side note, I’ve realized baseball fans are by far the most patient of all spectators).

It wasn’t until I heard him whisper the word that I realized we were in trouble. He only had to say it once, but I made him repeat it, just to be sure.

“Puke.”

So I did what any woman who wore the wrong shoes to a baseball game with two three year olds would do, I handed him to his father and asked him to make a mad dash for the bathroom. Dad came back, looking relieved and certain it was just a gassy tummy. But it’s never that easy.

The next time Brock felt the nausea creep up, he didn’t have a chance to warn us. He just leaned over and let it fly. This time he was sitting on daddy’s lap. And a foul ball was headed our way. Two things we mothers worry about, though we never expect them to happen within 90 seconds of one another.

Using the same caliber of dexterity being displayed on the field, Alex managed to grab the foul ball while balancing an open soda pop and a puking child. This splendid display of athleticism, however, came to a screeching halt when, while leaning back to retake his seat, Alex slipped and fell right into the mess.

As impressed as I was with my husband’s athletic prowess, I was even more impressed by the professionalism of the Avista Stadium event staff. They quickly and courteously cleaned up the mess and asked several times if Brock was ok. We will definitely be back. But perhaps we’ll skip the all-you-can-drink orange soda.

This foul ball gives new meaning to the term sacrifice fly.

This column was published in the July 13, 2011 edition of the St. Maries Gazette Record.

The PaperHOME

I think my site needs a dash of Joey. Grandma Joey.

Therefore, in an effort to channel her love of journaling, I am going to interlace snippets of our home life within the book and product reviews. In addition to promoting the store, I also hope to be able to use this site as a way to take a few moments to reflect and record the memories we are making before I lose them forever.

I have tried countless times to keep a journal of my life as a mother and have failed miserably. Maybe this is one small way I can do it. It will at least be a way to record some of the fun - albeit, censored - memories we make, as well as a good place to put the family into family-owned business for our loyal Paperhouse customers and Joey readers.

As the days have been getting warmer and longer and the kids getting older, we’ve been able to experience lots of firsts as a family ….

 … with the most significant being the first few consistent days of beautiful weather. We experienced the first family bike ride together on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes in Harrison, Idaho.

Followed up by ice cream!

And Joey’s first-ever cone all to herself.

The circus came to town and brought with it two separate firsts for us: the big show itself, as well as a lesson in clear and proper annunciation. The first “first” is quite obvious, of course. And as you can see in the photo, Joey couldn’t pull her eyes away. She especially loved the trapeze artists and an act that featured beautiful and very well-trained birds.

The second “first,” the one dealing with annunciation, took us a bit more by surprise. It’s always funny to hear grown-up words come out of a child’s mouth, and this instance is no exception. The boys had been talking about the circus for weeks, ever since they had started seeing the posters all over town. They would talk about all the things they’d get to see … the tigers, the lions, the clowns, cotton candy, sodas, etc. Except, I don’t think they ever said the actual word “circus.” When we got into the tent and after we had made our way to our seats, Brock sat down, scooted over to me and excitedly asked, “Are we here Mom? Is this the cervix?”

Jack (left, in black) and Brock (in yellow) are Cars nuts. Absolute fanatics. And they have been looking forward to the sequel for months. Alex and I wanted to make it special for them, so we made sure Cars 2 was the first movie they ever got to see in the theater. And we did it in spectacular fashion, complete with a jumbo bucket of popcorn and sodas … and four trips to the bathroom.

And perhaps the best first: my first long run since the St. Joe River half marathon. The run itself wasn’t the best part, although it wasn’t half bad … I ran a paved trail along the lake. But the best part was that I got to share it with my dad. He and I took off early Sunday morning; he rode his bike, and I ran the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes from Chatcolet to Harrison, about an 8-mile trek. The plan was to leave early enough to arrive just in time for church. That almost happened … I was just in time for Communion.

My only regret? No photo! Trust me, though, it was beautiful beyond words; the sun rising above the mountains, the stillness of the water, the emptiness of the path ... and especially the time spent with my dad, which didn't require any words. Father-daughter relationships rarely do, though. And perhaps that's what makes them so special.

Just in time for summer, a Weiner roast

It used to be that puzzle time on the kitchen counter was a pretty innocent way to spend an hour. Even if it happens to be while listening to the nightly news as I botch another recipe with my proclivity to confuse tablespoons with teaspoons.

But that was before Anthony Weiner got a hold of a camera and a Twitter account. Since then, watching the nightly coverage with two three-year-olds has made for a very interesting take on national news.

Rep. Anthony Weiner is the Democratic New York congressman currently entangled in controversy surrounding a photo sent over his Twitter account. The photo in question was intended for a 21-year-old girl from Seattle with whom the potential New York City mayoral candidate – and very married politician – had been socializing on the popular networking sight. Instead, it was sent in such a way that the content of the message was visible to all of the congressman’s Twitter followers.

The three-year-olds in question (like most of us will agree) understand that wiener is, quite simply, a funny word. And when it’s being used on a “Mommy show” – something they normally would tune out for being too boring and void of bright colors and silly bodily noises – it becomes a hilarious word. Now, like a recipe that sort of creates itself, pepper in the words “picture” and “photo” and strategically say them right after the congressman’s last name, and you have something these two young boys (and perhaps, many of us) consider sheer comic genius.

All during the six-o’clock news.

Obviously my problem isn’t with the word itself; I didn’t even bother trying to hide my own giggles. And it is, after all, the guy’s name. Not to mention the fact that I’ve been caught saying far worse while destroying an otherwise perfectly good recipe. It’s the arrogance – not to mention the icky-ness – of the act itself.

Weiner spent the better part of the past week playing footsie with the media, clearly hoping his charm and inconsistent brush-offs would keep them and all of their pesky questions at bay. Unfortunately for the congressman, the new era of investigative bloggers didn’t swoon over him the way young girls appear to. Like Larry Craig in the airport bathroom, his story never did add up, and that’s what’s offensive. Where’s the shame? The humiliation? My preschoolers even understand that – as silly as it is – it’s still embarrassing subject matter. 

The puns we can make are infinite and equally hilarious – to all age groups, apparently - and we all have a pretty good idea what the “tweet” consisted of. (I know a couple little boys who would gleefully tell you). But the truth is, lewd subject matter is well … subjective, so we should probably cut the guy some slack. After all, when you consider his voting record, it’s quite possible the “offensive” picture in question was merely a shot of a balanced budget.

This column was originally published in the June 8, 2011 edition of the St. Maries Gazette Record.

Book review: "Press Here" by Herve' Tullet

There are so many excellent kids’ books flooding the market (Dr. Seuss comes to mind, as do the Bright Baby board book series), that sometimes it’s hard to sit down and pick one to write about – or, in this case, gush over. The truth is, how good a book is really depends on the level and stage of development your child is in. And I’ve never found one single book that holds an older child’s attention as well as intrigues an infant more than Herve’ Tullet’s book Press Here.

Clever and effortless, Tullet’s work sets the stage for fun and interactive story time. Joey and the boys alike request it multiple times each day; Joey does so by pointing and babbling in its direction, whereas Jack and Brock say, “Mom, we wanna read that fun dot book.”

Author and illustrator of several children’s books, Tullet mixes simple art with even simpler instructions. But the reaction is anything but ordinary.

Each page displays bright, colorful dots with a sentence or two of instruction, such as “Five taps on the red …” The result of completing the instructions appears when you turn the page to find that the dots have either changed color, multiplied or moved.

The grandkids huddle around Grandpa for yet another re-telling of their new favorite book.

My three-year-olds enjoy it because they’re old enough to understand that what they have done has created a change but still too young to truly figure it out. They are intrigued each time we turn the page, even when they know what’s coming. Joey (who is now 15 months) doesn’t quite get that she has affected something, but is so enamored with the beautiful colors and interaction that it doesn’t matter. It’s truly a perfect book for children of any age.

My only complaint is that it’s not available as a board book. Joey is still too rough on books to allow her to play with this on her own, and if she had it her way we’d read it all day long and only allow for sippy-cup-refill breaks.

Book it to The Paperhouse

Alex and I are thrilled to be a part of the first annual St. Joe River Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K
this Sunday, June 12th. The Paperhouse -- as well as several other local businesses -- will be open the day of the race and will be celebrating with fun promotions and tons of great sale prices.

Created by St. Maries Gazette Record

The centerpiece of our special opening will be a visit from one of our favorite local authors, Travis Griffith. Griffith's first book, a children's story, Your Father Forever (makes a fantastic Father's Day gift) will be available.

Be sure to also stop in for our "Beat Devon to The Paperhouse" promotion. I'll be running the half-marathon (which starts at 8:15 a.m.), and anyone who stops by before I finish and spends $50 or more will receive 20% off his or her entire order.The best part ... I'm super slow, so you'll have LOTS of time to take advantage of this promotion.

A portion of the entire day's sales will be donated to the St. Maries Foundation for Education, a local non-profit organization dedicated to supplementing local schools with extra funding, something that couldn't be more important - or timely - considering the budget shortfalls and cuts that are sure to affect our schools.

Lots of great stuff going on during a very exciting day for our community. If you're in the area, we'd love to have you stop by and check us out.

Book Review: "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

I always do my best to be honest when people ask my opinion about a book. Even when it’s one that we’ve over-ordered, and I want more than anything to sell all 12 copies that are still sitting on our shelves, being dusted over and over. But when it comes to books, I can’t lie. After all, every reader knows after about 50 pages or so whether they are going to like a book or not. In fact, I always tell myself that if the author can’t grab me by the hundredth page, the book is a dud. 

Although Three Cups of Tea isn’t necessarily a dud, there are two major problems with it, the first being the author himself. He isn’t any good. It’s a helluva story; it’s just not told well.

The second problem is with the story itself, and the fact that there’s some controversy surrounding how much of it is actually true.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read the book, but since Greg Mortenson and his co-author David Oliver Relin have been making headlines lately, I thought I’d offer my two cents.

I’m usually a bit leery of memoirs, non fiction books or true crime stories to begin with. Memory is a tricky devil, so when you throw in the fact these memories are being written by another author (a poor one, to boot. Oh, did I mention that already?), you have the makings for an over-dramatized story with the possibility of imagined details that make what is supposed to be a true story … well, not true.

Three Cups of Tea chronicles mountaineer Greg Mortenson’s wrong turn down K2 and into the Pakistani village of Korphe. He is so moved by the villager’s kindness and the childrens' desire for an education that he returns years later to fulfill a promise to build a school.

The book details the hardships he endures, including being captured by the Taliban (one of the parts that is being disputed, which didn’t feel right as you’re reading it anyway), bringing in funding, materials and supplies and finding qualified teachers.

The book bounces you back and forth between Pakistan and San Francisco as Mortenson travels between the two, working to finance the job and bring materials and workers in to help with the construction. Although the transitions were a bit rough, perhaps they should be. They are truly completely different worlds, and Relin actually did a good job capturing that, detailing how Mortenson went from attending a fundraising gala in San Francisco, complete with all the glitz and glamor you would expect from a fundraising gala in San Francisco to a bouncy, sweaty jeep ride through a desert on the other side of the word a mere 24-hours later.

I don’t doubt that most of the book is, in fact, truthful and that Mortenson himself is a good guy. It’s just that when a story is good, you don’t need to embellish anything. Just tell it. 

It is definitely a story worth telling and perhaps even reading, I only wish Mortenson had chosen someone else to help him tell it.

Book Review: "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

This is one that Hollywood might actually get right.

From what I can tell from the previews, the casting is pretty well done. I’m not a Twihard by any stretch of the imagination (have yet to pick up a book in that series), and I don’t understand the fascination surrounding Robert Pattinson, but he is an absolute perfect choice for the role of Jacob Jankowski in Water for Elephants.

And if you would have asked me yesterday, I would have said Reese Witherspoon would do a great job as the lead female role, but that was before I saw her latest flick, How Do You Know. (Save yourself two hours. It was awful! I forced my husband to watch it, and after about an hour in, I was the one who turned it off). Either way, though, Emily Blunt would have been far better choice to play Marlena, the female lead. I realize I’m about five years behind the Emily Blunt craze, but she is absolutely amazing in anything she does, and this would have been no exception.

But I’m way off track here. If this were a movie review blog, it would merely be a series of posts of me whining about movies that simply wasted a good Saturday evening - especially when they mess with perfectly good books. But it’s not. This space is reserved for books.

And this happens to be one I loved.

I devoured Sara Gruen’s debut novel, Water for Elephants while on bed rest during my twin pregnancy, and I have to say it was the bright spot during my stay in the hospital (aside from the whole giving birth to healthy twin boys, of course).

Beautifully written and truly original, Gruen’s story is set during the Great Depression and starts after the tragic death of Jacob’s parents. Alone and penniless (soon after the funeral he discovers that his father’s farm and veterinary practice has been mortgaged to the hilt) Jacob, an Ivy League veterinary student, literally hops a train and finds himself aboard a traveling circus train car.

Without at job – and now without a home – Jacob seizes the opportunity to use his knowledge and love for animals to earn a living as the animal trainer for the traveling show. After befriending – and ultimately falling in love with – Marlena, a beautiful ex-ballerina and the star of the main event, he soon learns that behind the glitz and glamour of a circus production lays dark secrets and deadly jealousies.

A love story that is filled with passion, intrigue and a most unusual heroine, Water for Elephants is an absolute must-read. And as long as Hollywood doesn’t do anything stupid (like try to change one single thing about the story) it should be an absolute must-see.

Four weeks?! I've got some explaining to do ....

I look back over the past month and wonder what happened. I suppose it’s tough to pinpoint exactly where I’ve gone off track when you consider my days are a blur of refereeing twin fights and cleaning up every inch of the bathroom on an hourly basis (how do boys manage to consistently miss the toilet bowl but have the aim of an Olympic marksman when they challenge each other to a pee-off and the target is the neighbor cat on the move?).

But it seems to boil down to three things, just three small distractions that have kept me from working on my site: 1) No leisure reading time, 2) trying to harness Joey’s newfound curiosity for all things dangerous and breakable and 3) the acquisition of a sewing machine.

It’s no accident that some of the best writers are big readers themselves. The more you read, the better you write. Period. Regardless of your current skill level, reading will make your writing better. When I don’t make the time to read, there’s no inspiration to find the time – or right combination of words - to write, and it’s not something you can force. I certainly have enough material; I’ve read enough in the past to have plenty to review, just not enough gas in the tank to write a decent post.

Which leads me to Joey .... With only three years under my belt, I’m still relatively new to this parenting thing, but I’ve learned that - so far - the ages one to three are the hardest, and Joey is no exception. And although these years come with amazing milestones like walking and talking (she just said “Bye Daiyy”), they also come with an overwhelming curiosity and the grabby little hands that go along with it. She is utterly fascinated with the computer and wants to pound on the keyboard right along with me, so on the rare occasion inspiration has struck (I have a couple reviews about half finished) the second she hears that tap, tap, tap of the keyboard, she comes into the office to help. At least I have someone to blame for the typos.

And, lastly, my sewing machine. Probably one of the coolest birthday presents I’ve ever received. I love it. (Thank you Mom!) But it’s also proved to be more of a challenge than I ever could have guessed. I knew it would be an uphill battle: The small amount of creativity I do have doesn’t translate to textiles, or sketching, sculpting, painting or even color-by-numbers. 

But I just wanted to make a simple pillowcase. 

Five weeks later, it’s still unfinished. It’s been started and re-started. Done and re-done. And still sits in a comically over-sized heap on my couch. I know when something looks good, I know what I like when I see it ... a pretty painting, a beautifully sculpted clay pot or a fun new fashion discovery ... I just can’t create it myself.

But at least I can write about it, which leads me to this rather sloppy transition, a new fashion find, something truly unique made by someone truly unique herself. Poor Pitiful Pearl, a fellow blogger, mother of two and someone who knows how to harness her fashion inspiration and who uses her gift for a worthwhile cause, donating 10% of her profits to charities such as Casa Hogar Orphanage in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. I suppose I’ve added her into this post for a couple reasons 1) because in the small amount of time I’ve gotten to know her, it is evident she is a truly genuine person and someone who deserves a mention and 2) as a fourth reason for my absence … I’ve been too busy following her blog and shopping her Etsy boutique.

Me in my latest fashion obsession, PPP.

Luckily for me, I believe a big portion of writing ability is inherited, and even though it’s a skill that needs to be honed, I’ve hit the genetic jackpot. My sewing skills, however, are gonna need some work, but I suppose genetics gave me a bit of a nudge there as well, considering I’ll get a fair amount of practice hemming pants for three children the next 18 years.

Book review: "Your Favorite Seuss" a Dr. Seuss collection

Well I completely missed the boat on this one. I can barely pay attention to my own scribbled-all-over calendar of personal events to notice much else, so I guess it makes sense that I’m a few days late. But it sure would have been a great entry to post on his birthday. Happy belated birthday, Dr. Seuss!

His work is one of my favorite things to share with my children. I love his quirky style, and the clever ways his rhymes stumble off the tongue is just as much fun for the reader as it is for the listener.

A fantastic Seuss collection, Your Favorite Seuss, contains several of his most well-known pieces and some of my absolute favorites. The Cat in the Hat is my boys’ favorite story, followed closely by Oh the Places You’ll Go and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (MY favorite). There was a time last winter - while I was seven months pregnant with Joey and unable to do much else but sit and read to my boys - when I had nearly all of Cat in the Hat memorized. So well, in fact, I could recite it to my guys while we made dinner.

I think what’s the most amazing of all, though, is the fact that even though this book is chalk-full of great Seuss stuff, it doesn’t even come close to encompass the magnitude of his work. A great friend of mine recently had a Seuss-themed baby shower, and we played a lot of Seuss-themed games. I couldn’t believe how many stories are out there that I wasn’t even aware of, and I’m a pretty big fan of the guy.

So I encourage everyone to look beyond the over-commercialized Seuss and find some real gems.

A couple of my favorites:

 


What other good ones am I missing?

Book review: "Everything’s Eventual" by Stephen King

I hate how something as simple as a cold can come careening through your home and, inevitably, your routine. Our family has been bogged down with this cold/flu thing for nearly a month now, and although we’re lucky it’s nothing serious, we’re all still a bit irritated. Couple that with a semi-major home-improvement project and an in-law visit, and you’ve got yourself one very neglected blog. My apologies to my readers, all 19 of you.

I pick up my current read, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, and within five minutes, I’m asleep. Not because of the content (it’s a good book) but because I’m utterly exhausted.

So it got me to thinking, maybe I should pick up a quicker read, perhaps a collection of short stories. I always seem to forget about those when searching for my next book, and they are perhaps some of the most well-written types of stories. Think about it. You have merely a fraction of the space to tell a story that encompasses everything a novel would: a cast of multi-dimensional characters, a plot, some good dialogue, some sort of action and an ending. That’s tough and would take some concise writing. Which is what makes my choice of authors a strange one when reaching to my shelves for a short story: Stephen King. King is not necessarily known for his quick, punchy writing, but he is a master of short storytelling all the same.

I have a confession to make: I am a Stephen King junkie. A nut. I. Love. His. Work. One year for Christmas, my husband rounded up most (there are a few rare books that are either way too expensive or nearly impossible to get) of King’s work in hardback and built me a bookshelf to house them all. It is my prized possession.

Of course I’m still young, and I have a lot of reading to do, but as of right now, in my opinion, no one writes dialogue like King. (Richard Russo (Empire Falls) is a close second). Dialogue is an important part of any writing effort; it’s a big part of how characters are formed and even how scenes are set. While writing dialogue, authors become each character, slipping in and out of them as the conversations bounce back and forth.

King writes long, usually taking his books into the thousand-page territory with tons of distractions from the story and plot. Despite that, he is always able to hold my rapt attention, even when he takes three pages to describe a spot on a window. But some of his best stuff is in his short story collections, and one of my favorites is Everything’s Eventual.

This collection contains a wide array of King’s writing abilities, from what he’s best known for: the macabre; to what he should be revered for: his dramatic and haunting character pieces. My favorite bits of the book, though, are King’s musings before and after the printed stories. He gives a few sentences - just a blurb really - of insight into how the story came about. Even his casual words are so real, you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up because you can almost feel him behind you, reading over your shoulder.

Although I love a good thriller, and there are a couple doozies like The Road Virus Heads North and Autopsy Room Four, nothing chills me to the bone like my favorite story in this collection, All That You Love Will Be Carried Away. Mostly because it’s so sad and dark and yet is edged with a lining of hope. Or I should say, the possibility of hope, since we aren’t really sure how it ends. I’m usually horrible at remembering characters and plots, but there’s something about this one that sticks. It’s the story of a lonely travelling salesman, Alfie Zimmers who has a quirky habit of collecting bathroom-wall graffiti at his many stops along his sales’ routes. And who, almost as casually as I’m mentioning it here in this entry, plans to kill himself in a Motel 6. 

Maybe the hope-lined edge isn’t really there. Maybe I’m creating it by wishing for hope because the story itself is so bleak. Which I guess is why it has stuck with me over the years. Although there is no dialogue, you feel you know Alfie, and you leave the story feeling quite sad and alone, much the same way Alfie apparently did. And I like that. Not the whole feeling sad part necessarily but feeling something, anything.

And that’s what King does best. He makes you feel, and his collection of work runs the gamut of emotions: He scares you of your mind in Bag of Bones, makes you sad and even angry in The Green Mile, frightened yet determined in The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and connected to and hopeful for each and every character in The Stand. Regardless of what type of reader you are, a sci-fi nut, a horror junkie or a character-driven type, King has anything – and everything – you could ever hope for. And, thanks to my amazing hubby, I have nearly all of ‘em.

Pay it Forward

I am very flattered to have just won a Stylish Blogger Award! (Although, I must say, I'm not feelin' too stylish right now, sitting in front of my computer in sweats and a sweatshirt riddled with apple sauce stains and swipes of peanut butter) But I love that I'm included in this list! Thank you so much Small Town Mommy!


Here are the rules that go along with receiving this award ...

1. Thank and link back to the person that has given you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 blogs you have recently discovered.
4. Contact these bloggers and let them know about the award.
   
   

   

   Here are 7 things about me ...

   1. My life is exactly as it should be. I am blessed with three beautiful children, an amazing husband, healthy family and friends and the ability to run my family business with my husband. Although I didn't end up in Hollywood married to George Clooney like I was certain I would, I have never been happier, and my life just keeps getting better. (My husband even kinda looks like George Clooney).
   2. This is my first month as a blogger. 
   3. I am deathly afraid of spiders, snakes, beetles (well, bugs of any kind) and everything else that my boys are becoming interested enough in to pick up and run to me, yelling, "Look Mommy!! Wanna touch it?"
   4. I turned 33 yesterday (March 13th) and spent the day eating birthday cake and doughnuts.
   5. I don't feel so great today after spending yesterday eating birthday cake and doughnuts.
   6. I am only 4'11".
   7. I love professional football and am starting to get a bit peeved at the owners and players and wonder what we're going to do every Sunday this season.

   And here are 15 amazingly stylish, well-written and hilarious blogs that I am awarding. Check them out, read a bit, laugh a lot and give 'em some love ..

   Shopper Gal
   Coco Photography
   Texas Type A Mom
   The Meanest Mom
   The Thrifty Wife
   Mommy Only Has Two Hands
   Acting Balanced
   Library Girl Reads
   Reading with Tequila
   Emily's Reading Room
   The Type A Housewife
   Triple Duty
   I'm A Lazy Mom
   As the Crowe Flies (and Reads!)
   A Book Obsession
   
   If you are one of these lucky recipients, don't forget to pay it forward!
   
   Thank you!

Book review: "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger

So, I lied. At least to myself. When I started on this book review journey, I had intended to review books that I loved, books I wanted to savor and share with everyone else. And I meant that at the time. I mean, books that are that good are meant to be shared, and that’s the point of these reviews, right?

But there’s one book that I can’t stop thinking about. And it’s been almost a year since I read it. I suppose I’m hung up on the fact that I should have liked it. It was so close to being good but just wasn’t, and that bugs me.

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger had all of the makings for a great read: an interesting plot, a timeless (literally) love story, the potential for compelling characters and well-placed red herrings along the way. But it fell short. Instead of being whisked away into a book where anything was possible, the reader instead is bogged down in details and stuck in a truly complicated story with tedious dates and ages of people to try to remember.

The story starts confusing. And maybe it’s supposed to. We are talking about time travel, of course, and that’s always a subject that’s tough to weave into any tale, regardless of what medium is being used to tell it. But this was so confusing that it took away from the characters, and for me – a truly character-driven reader – that meant the story was doomed from the beginning.

I’m okay with some mystery, which is I think what the author is trying to establish, to twist her readers into the folds of the plot, only to upend us with big revelations and “aha!” moments. Except there weren’t any. Instead, it only got more confusing.

One thing I can say, the book is aptly titled: The time traveler’s wife is the only constant. She is the stabilizing factor in the story, the reader’s anchor. Clare Abshire is married to librarian Henry DeTamble who can’t control his tendency to time travel. And the only way to keep track of where you are in time is by where Clare is in the story.

Henry was born with the ability to travel through time, and with this ability he has been able to see and experience more than any of us could imagine, including meeting with younger and older versions of himself throughout periods of his life. Unfortunately for Henry, he can’t control it, creating a nuisance out of something that could have been one heck of a beneficial gift. He is able to feel the episodes coming on and is usually able to escape somewhere private for his departure, but his landing can never be planned. He arrives at his destination nude and penniless and never knows when he’ll make it back to his present time.

All of these factors lend to a pretty intriguing love story with what should be curious questions for the reader: How does Clare cope? How does someone, who lives an otherwise normal, linear life love - not to mention keep track of - a time-traveling husband? What is the potential science involved in this theory?

The only problem is with the last question in this sequence: Who cares?

Even despite her more-than-adequate writing skills, Niffenegger doesn’t make me care about the characters or the plot or the outcome. As Henry DeTamble can attest, special gifts are usually both a blessing and a curse, much like time travel or good writing skills coupled with a huge imagination. Niffenegger’s blessing is that imagination, which is also her curse because of the befuddling details required to explain her ideas.

Based on the cumbersome and clunky read that was The Time Traveler’s Wife, I’d think twice before I picked up another of Niffenegger’s books.

Product Review: Melissa & Doug Puzzles

I've raved about this company before, here. And now I have evidence of how amazing Melissa & Doug products are. In the same way that I rush down every morning and head straight to the coffee maker, my boys rush down and pull their Melissa & Doug puzzles off the shelves and onto the kitchen counter to play with while we make breakfast.

Here's what they did this morning ...

All.
By.
Themselves.

Brock pieced together all 50 states, and Jack rearranged the alphabet to spell his own, his brother's and sister's names.

Brock (sitting on the counter after being told countless times to get down) and Jack show off their new passion, Melissa & Doug puzzles.

Brock gives us a closer look at his states. His favorite ones? Louisiana, Florida and Idaho (of course!).

Jack proudly displays his jumbled-up letters. Two seconds before taking this picture, he had spelled out "Joey" (notice her peeking up at us from below the counter. So cute!). When I said I wanted a picture, he quickly destroyed his work and smiled proudly. Little stinker.

This isn't the first time and certainly won't be the last time you'll hear me go on and on about this company. We are 100% sold on their products, and as a testament to that fact, we made a HUGE investment in them last year, stocking nearly their entire catalogue. You really should come check it out and grab a few of their amazing products for your kids or grandkids.

Review: "Run Like a Mother" by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea

We all do it, and it makes sense. In fact, I believe it’s simply instinctual. And we do it so much, we just get used to it. We’re women, mothers, wives, personal chefs, personal shoppers, CEOs of our households, the list goes on and on, but the point is we wear several different hats. And they all fall under one job description: We’re mothers, and we almost always put ourselves last.

When I first became a mom, it seemed the saying “take care of yourself” was almost a buzzword of sorts, a phrase that was casually thrown around. But it seemed to be the first thing I tossed out the proverbial window. It felt right at the time, which I guess were my maternal instincts kicking in, focusing only on my children. But by doing so, I was wearing down far too quickly. So I started to take the saying seriously.

I got my act together, I exercised when I could, and I watched what I ate, and after a year had lost the whopping 80 pounds I gained while pregnant with my twin sons. Then to my surprise and utter joy, I found out I was pregnant again. The next nine months came and went, and I found myself back in the same position as two years before, 55 pounds heavier and never finding time to exercise or eat right.

Until I discovered running.

Discovering this newfound passion took root through one simple yet powerful human emotion: pride. Pride, and the accountability that it provides. I set a goal of running a half marathon and simply told other people my plans. Thanks to the power of pride, I HAD to do it. Too many people knew and were actually interested. It turned out to be one of the best things I ever did for my physical well-being and emotional health, which as we all know, become increasingly more important as we have children.

But it wasn’t all grit and ego that got me to complete the half-marathon and get to where I am now. I had help along the way … from a book.

Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving – and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity  by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea got me off the couch and into my running shoes more times than I can count. The book was essentially developed throughout email correspondence between McDowell and Shea. They had originally envisioned it as a magazine series for Runner’s World that detailed the highs and lows of balancing motherhood and marathon training but quickly realized that it was much more. And I’m glad they did, because it is.

Aside from having a clever name, this book is chalk full of motivation and - perhaps even more important – a sense of camaraderie. It’s very well written, with a “hey you, you’re a mom, I’m a mom, we’re in this together” type of feel. It’s often funny and always inspirational. My favorite chapter – and the one I turn to most often – is written by Dimity. It deals with motherhood being a life of nonnegotiables, that there are things that we, as mothers, have to do for our children and our family’s well-being. She makes a point that we should include ourselves in that category by making our health and fitness a nonnegotiable factor in our lives.

It was this thought, conveyed in Chapter Two that profoundly changed my outlook and, inevitably, my life. Now, like the puke-soaked sheets that need changed in the middle of the night, my bathroom slippers get tossed aside for my running shoes nearly every morning.

Running and motherhood are a lot alike. They both take infinite amounts of patience, dedication and stamina. Rest days help too. Running used to be something I despised, but now it’s my lifeline, my escape. It fuels me and makes me a better mom, wife and woman. Run Like a Mother is more than just a book, it’s a training partner, a confidant, a friend.

So, go. Run like the mothers you are, to your nearest bookstore (preferably to The Paperhouse) and buy a couple copies, one for you and one to give away to other mothers. The great thing about this book is that it’s for everyone, for mothers who don’t run or runners who aren’t mothers. We can all gain something by owning and reading it.

A quick photo journey of my first half marathon, October 10, 2010 in Spokane, Washington.

Making my way to the starting line. I was so excited and nervous ... and proud.

 Yep, this is exactly what you think it is. My twins, Brock and Jack, dropping trou near the finish line. I guess this kinda sums up the book and shows how motherhood and marathon training (whether it's for a half, full or ultra) require the same amount of dedication and patience.

 And this is why we do it. 

Our kids see everything we do, the good and the bad. So let's show them more of the good stuff.

Review: Stieg Larsson's Milennium Trilogy: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "Girl .. Fire" and "Girl .. Hornet's Nest"

I love getting caught up in a good book. Losing myself in the story - even for as little as 20 minutes - can help revive me; it almost makes me feel like I’ve been on vacation. (The only thing that tops that is actually being on said vacation while getting lost in a book). I find that it’s easier and easier for me to get emotionally involved with the characters and intrigued by the plot. Perhaps it’s the book selections I’m making nowadays … I’m not trying to read what I think I should be reading; I just read what I enjoy. I suppose getting older has its perks: no more trying to impress anyone.

And no books have made me feel as utterly engrossed as Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. The second I read the first word, I was interested. By the time I completed the first paragraph, I was gone, being pulled further and further into his character’s worlds. My boys were running naked through the yard (sorry 9th street), and I barely even noticed. These books made me get more than just caught up and involved … they made me downright negligent.

Larsson’s trilogy includes “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Girl who Played with Fire” and “The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.” The first tells the stories of Lisbeth Salander, a troubled yet brilliant young woman with a mysterious past, and Michael Blomkvist, an award-winning investigative journalist who works to clear his name after losing a libel suit and spending three months in prison. Their lives intersect as Blomkvist is hired by Henrik Vanger, CEO of successful Swedish company Vanger Enterprises, for a freelance assignment. Although commissioned as a family biography, the assignment is only a cover. Vanger’s real hope is that Blomkvist can use the information in the family history to solve a decades-old missing persons case, that of Vanger’s beloved niece Harriet. During his research, Blomkvist stumbles upon a dark family secret and, with Lisbeth’s help, solves the 40-year-old case.

The next two books reveal more of Lisbeth’s character and past, which includes her witnessing the horrific abuse of her mother by that of an international criminal. In an effort to protect her mother, she unwittingly becomes caught in a government cover up and a lifetime of abuses that lead to her being the top suspect in a double murder. The protagonists’ lives intersect once more as Blomkvist works to clear Lisbeth’s name of the murder charges.

The second book in the series, “Fire,” was my favorite. There were several “wow” moments, revelations that I didn’t see coming and that stunned me even more than the fact that my two naked boys were now hollering to the neighbors, attracting more attention to their lack of clothing and apparent lack of parental control.

But the redeeming and revenge-seeking nature of the “Hornet’s Nest” storyline is equally enthralling. You can’t help but cheer for Lisbeth in her pursuit to clear her name and the unconventional methods she uses to do so.

I liked Lisbeth and even admired her at times. I was endeared by Blomkvist’s intelligence and righteousness. The best compliment I imagine a writer could receive would be that their characters meant something to the reader, and that is definitely true of Larsson’s work. Combine that with an intriguing plot, great twists and even a little romance, and you have the makings of a pack of books that lends itself as a mini-vacation for a very weary reader who could use an escape from naked children and the other distractions of motherhood.

My only suggestion: Buy all three.

At once.

Because you will read all three at once.

Review: "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

The only concern I have about reviewing this book is that I won't do it any justice. Nobody could. What I can say, though, is that "The Book Thief" is more than a bound collection of words on paper, it's an experience. The characters consume you and will break your heart.

I suppose I can be a bit of a crier. Sure, I like to think I'm tough, but I'm not. And I certainly wasn't while reading Zusak's work. The story is set during the Holocaust, and there's some debate as to whether this is a twist that shouldn't be revealed, but the narrator is not who you would expect.

The writing is spectacular, of course, and character development is precise and haunting, but the beauty of the book is in its narrator. You instantly trust him, and although he is a neutral commentator throughout the book, you grow to love him and feel for him during what he occasionally describes as one of his busiest periods in history. The other character of note (although I believe they all are developed equally well, she just happens to be the heroine) is Liesel.

In one act of thievery, Liesel Meminger changes the path of her life and that of the unseen narrator's who takes an interest in the girl. The stolen item is a book, "The Grave Digger's Handbook," found near her brother's graveside. With the help of her foster father, she uses the manual to learn to read. With book burnings commonplace in Nazi Germany, she has to risk her life at times in order to fuel her desire to learn.

Through Liesel, the reader experiences life and the good and bad it has to offer. Through our narrator, the reader experiences death and the good and bad it has to offer. And - most importantly - between our heroine and storyteller, the reader experiences something that we all look for in a book, a collection of characters -- some who are friends, some who are not -- who you will remember for a lifetime and pull from your bookshelf again and again.

A couple thank-yous and shout-outs to get things started

This is a fun and exciting new venture for me and my family business, and I've had a lot of help even just to get here, to this post.

A big thank you to my friend Tessa of Shopper Gal http://www.shoppergal.com/ for her inspiration to get this thing started and great advice along the way. I have an absolute blast reading Shopper Gal's posts! Tessa is a little ball of energy and is full of motivation and fun new ideas.

And another huge thank you for the use of her FABULOUS photos to Colette of Coco Photography http://www.cocoportrait.com/. She came to St. Maries in October and did our family portrait. We had a wonderful time, and she got some amazing shots of us. She did so much more for us than just take our pictures, she helped us make memories. Thank you, Colette.