Our House in the Middle of Our Street

Well, whether I'm on a blogging break or not, I can't help but share the books I read every month; this month being a good one for reading. I'm also going to start including the novels I read aloud to the kids every month as well to help keep track of them. Some of them are classics and some of them are simple chapter book series that they enjoy. I generally have a running list of 1-2 books I want to read them in advance, so we're never without a book per week. Sometimes, like the current book, we take longer than a week to finish it, but that's generally the amount of time to finish a novel since I read it while they eat breakfast and lunch. Library picture-books are saved for bedtime and on their own reading during quiet time. My books * Yes, Please, by Amy Poehler /  I finished this book in March and although I loved the packaging of the book (color! shiny! random sectional pictures of Amy in drag!), the prose itself was a solid 3 out of 5. Not a bad mark...

Crescent Beach at sunset This week is the last week of my kids' winter programs, and the first week of our Spring break. The schools here go by trimesters, and we just recently finished our second trimester & portfolio time. As homeschoolers enrolled with a distance learning school that we love , we've been hitting it hard since the first week after New Year's with the books and have been full on with 6 programs a week including drive time from here to there. It's been really fun, and a great use of our time, to pack our schedule during the winter and as we're just getting to know new people. The kids looked forward to every single day because there was something fun (or maybe 2!) to engage in.  For the last few weeks or so, I've been thinking of pulling back here some to reignite some of the interests that I like to write about. I've felt pretty uninspired, but I think it's just because in my personal life has been full. Good, but full, w...

Crescent Beach trail in White Rock   * The Dip by Seth Godin This book was so tiny! I was surprised when I got it via paperbackswap and it's basically a novella. Well, a non-fiction one. A 70+ pager. I used to follow Seth's inspiring and interesting (and minimalist in the best sense) blog and I had wanted to read a book written by him. This one was on my PBS list and it became available (for free) so I snagged it up. I think I read it in one sitting and it was entertaining. It was about when to know if you need to quit, and when you need to keep waiting on the uphill slope because you're soclose and nearlythere . My recommendation? This would be an excellent gift for a recent high school or college grad. It's applicable to everyone, but I'd narrow it down even more. * A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle Well. This book was simply charming in every sense of the word. I was waiting no-so-patiently for my holds at the library and knew it'd be a week or two (...

Last weekend we spent a delightful Saturday in downtown Vancouver for a few reasons: 1) If we ever go to Vancouver, a Lemonade stop is mandatory. 2) I wanted to go to the meet-up of Simple Bites blog author Aimee Wimbush-Bourque, to celebrate her new book Brown Eggs and Jam Jars . 3) ...and, if it's going to be sunny in February, we're going to Stanley Park . When I originally asked Stefan if we could make a trip into the city for the cookbook jam (see what I did there?), he said sure, and even though we don't ever celebrate Valentine's Day, I felt pretty loved that he'd take me there even though he had no interest whatsoever, and would have to watch the kids while I was at the event.  The cookbook was the one item I was going to ask him for for my birthday the following month, so I convinced him to get it one month early so I could have it signed at the event. The book is beautiful and full of so many good things besides the delicious recipes, l...

Ani doing her sticker books at the beach What is your favorite color? Purple Who are some of your friends? too many to count, I can't keep track of them! What do you want to be when you grow up? Other than a dance teacher, I'd have to think about it What makes you happy? toys, books, movies, stickers, crafts, and I don't know what else! Ani trying her first taste of bubble tea (she thought it was gross) What is your favorite animal? cat and dog and panda What is your favorite book? the comic My Little Pony What is your favorite thing to do with Mom? Read books! What is your favorite thing to do with Dad? go to Tim Hortons What is your favorite thing to do with Lukka? I think, like, LEGO, and stuff What do you like to do with your friends? play with My Little Ponies and talk with them Ani with her birthday brownie cupcakes, cream cheese frosting and rainbow sprinkles What do you like to do outside? make a snowman Where do you like to go? To th...

enjoying a peanut-butter chocolate bar from Wendel's in Ft. Langley My 29 Before 30 list still has another two months on it, but I've really slacked this year. One item I knew would make it was "take my girl out for a gluten-free cupcake date". Out here there are enough gluten-free bakeries and shops to find and explore, and it just so happened I found one that I'd first heard of at the Vancouver Gluten-Free Expo , right near where we had to drop Lukka off for a class. Perfect! They didn't have cupcakes, so we got the next best thing: a chocolate peanut butter bar. This gluten-free bakery shared space with a bookstore in a historic part of the lower mainland that had beautiful scenery and adorable little store fronts along the main street. We visited Wendel's around 1:45 and it was still packed with the lunch crowd. The cafe is very tight quarters but all the employees shuffling around us were apologetic and very nice. We found a great spot ou...

Two sickies on a couch, to be followed by me on the floor Playing Slamwich , horizontally. Ditto Orchard , and having the kids hand me the pieces I'm accumulating. This free Transformers app , for him Our rolling luggage, which the kids have made into a bed, curled up into, and take turns giving each other 'rides'. The things they come up with when TV and computers aren't an option (when I've lost my ever-lovin' mind trying to yell with my nonexistent voice about the whininess of wanting to watch more TV) intermittent naps on the couch while they watch movies from the library. The first day or two, when none of us got off the couch (all 3 of us sick with the flu!). Can't really do that with babies unless they're sleeping, but a 7 & 5 year old? Totally can. Finishing a really good book, laying down. Cheerios, goldfish, popcorn and anything reachable and non-dairy. All the energy, people. It's really okay for them (and myself) to subsi...