Our House in the Middle of Our Street

* Modified  by Caitlin Shetterly - This was a book I read a lengthy review about in  Taproot  magazine, and I thought it sounded really interesting. It's about GMOs, written from a journalistic and memoir point-of-view. The author developed an allergy from a protein sequence that is found in GMO plants, and went on a 5 year research journey that became this book. I also found it really fun to read because the entire first section (out of three) because a lot of it takes place in Nebraska, and Iowa. At one point, she is interviewing a scientist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (my Alma mater!) at a diary store that is literally yards away from the arboretum where Stefan and I were married! This book is heavy with science terminology, controversy, and philosophy, which not only makes me love it, but hesitant to recommend to just anyone. A lot of people may not find the topic interesting enough, or the writing too heavy to get through. * Upstream by Mary Oliver...

Day 22 - Kid library haul Day 23 - Knitting like a madman to finish Christmas slippers Day 24- Christmas jammies Day 24 - Silent Night hymn at church's candlelight service Day 25 - bonus-a boy and his dog, in his self-made cave

Day 15 - morning reading Day 16 - the babies cuddling after a morning hike in the snow Day 17 - Copper pulling the kids on the snowboard Day 18- Watching A Christmas Story Day 19 - snow fort Bonus shot (Days 20-21) Lu in the snow 

Day 1: Giving love to the giant farm dog Day 2: our first peek of snow! Day 3: Ani playing catch with snowballs + Copper Day 4: potentially the only picture in 2016 of just us Day 5/6: fort-building on Christmas break  Day 7: cozy Christmas in the basement suite

 Day 1 - playing in Blaine after some errands Day 2 - knitting for my grandma Day 3 - the paperwork for our  sponsored Compassion child  Day 4 - Ani decorating the tree  Day 5 - quiet hours while my kids are at co-op (!) Day 6 - a gorgeous and chilly day for a walk, after nearly 2 months solid of rain and overcast Day 7 - the goofball posing for me

via NPR * The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh - This debut novel from Diffenbaugh was one I heard recommended over and over again on my favorite podcast, What Should I Read Next? by Anne Bogel. When it became a book that my book club was going to read together, I jumped on it because I knew it'd be interesting. The main character has an uncanny gift with flowers and the meanings behind the bouquets she creates. This is a story about a little magic, and a little redemption. It was cute. *Taproot Magazine: Preserve - I always include these because they are ad-free and over 100 pages and I read them cover to cover. This issue was all about preservation, from the story The Jelly Maker to how to care for a cast-iron pan. I always find this magazine incredibly beautiful from the illustrations, photographs, and words, and I don't get too many magazines anymore, but this is worth every penny of the $40 that comes 4X a year. * Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White ...

My friend, Rebecca, from View from the Prairie Box , has been doing the DPP for years. I've loved joining her each December because it makes me realize I just have to snap a photo or two of something I'm enjoying, engaged in, watching my children do, whatever, and I have these awesome memories of our Advent and Christmas time to look through.  They don't have to be holiday related at all. Her friend Jenn , made this amazing Blue Room series last year (ack! I can't find it to link up to it, trust me it was epic), and I love following the facebook page to see how hundreds of people, all across the world, are now playing along. It's a pretty neat thing.  Go here to sign up, play along on your blog, IG, or the facebook page, and enjoy! All photos can be tagged with #DPP2016. Easy peasy.