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.