Our House in the Middle of Our Street

I had a great reading month. I slammed down a few books I'd wanted to read for awhile, finished quite a few kid read-alouds (and so many awesome picture books!), and generally enjoyed all of them. Here they are. * Scary Close by Donald Miller - I've wanted to read this book for awhile. It's Blue Like Jazz author, Donald Miller's, newest book meeting of his (now) wife, Betsy. It was part mental-health memoir, part leaving-behind bachelorhood and working on healthy relationships in preparation for marriage. I don't know if that sounds interesting to you, but I really liked it. Out of the books of his I've read, it felt like his most vulnerable, honest, and open. This would make a great gift to a couple who are engaged, though it could be enjoyed by anybody.  * Ancient Rome: How it Affects You Today by Richard Maybury - Reading this book (the third "Uncle Eric" book I've now read) is part of me intentionally searching out  more politica...

across the water is YVR airport in Richmond, behind me is Terra Nova natural playground I have made a yearly list for at least the past few years* and I enjoy seeing the outcomes, or what one or two morphed into, and what just didn't interest me enough to continue. Now that it's mid-February, I need to get that 2017 list out in the open. A lot of these have to do with trips I'll be taking in 2017 and I'm super excited to check some fun things off my bucket list! What do you want to do this year?! 1) Learn to make veggie pakora and crock-pot butter chicken 2) go to Portland with the family?  3) visit Burnaby Village and ride the carousel! 4) hike in Joshua Tree National Park 5) go to the San Diego zoo 6) bike the kettle valley railway (Kelowna) 7) us GF tempura to make onion rings 8) buy a better swimsuit! 9) go to the summer Seattle Renegade Craft Fair 10) visit the Brittania Mine with the kids 11) see La La ...

It's pretty much a lie that my daughter, my baby, is 8 today, but alas, so says the calendar and the time just keeps marching! Here is her yearly birthday interview. Happy Birthday, my sweet girl! What is your favorite color? purple Who are some of your friends?  Kathryn, Isla, Ashlyn, Rachel, Lukka What do you want to be when you grow up? a mom What makes you happy?  mom reading to us What makes you sad?  getting my feelings hurt   What is your favorite animal?   horses What is your favorite book?  Time Pieces What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?  spend time together What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?  spend time together What is your favorite thing to do with Lukka?  play What do you like to do with your friends?  play, crafts, talk What do you like to do outside?  play with Copper, play with Nya and Brody Where do you like to go?  to the Great Escape, the library What is your favorite fo...

* Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard J. Maybury -- Although I found this slim book in the LHEA (Langley Home Educator's Association) library to use for teaching kids economic principles, this is a subject I feel I know very little about, so I picked it up for myself. My kids are still young and really only understand money as gifts, and pay for chores. I know nothing about the history of economics, and although understand, generally, a few principles, I knew this would be a good primer. It was! I learned a lot from the 1-5 page chapters, easy-to-digest " Uncle Eric " book and went on a mission to read all of the ones I could find this year. See below for #2. * The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp -- This book is Ann's long-awaited sophomore book, after 1,000 Gifts. Although I don't typically enjoy Ann's writing style, I find I struggle to slog through the flowery and repetitive language, I do love her content, which is what matters most to me anyway...

crisp January morning in Vancouver Every year I make a little goal list of fun things I'd like to try; things I've never done, or just things I want to be intentional to make time for. They're fun (books read to the kids!), often simple (make an intimidating-to-me ethnic food), or they could be things that I've wanted to do, that with some strategic planning, will happen within the year(specific travel/outdoor goals). You can see my 15 in 2015 list HERE and then the final " What Happened, What Didn't " after the year was over.  Here's my original 16 in 2016 list I made at the beginning of last January. I like to keep one or two lines blank, because I can't always think of everything by Jan 1! 1) We got a dog!! Copper joined our family in August and he's been a great addition. Although we're still working on his struggles with other dogs, he's such a happy guy. He's always ready to play, go on a hike, walk, or bike ride...

Jasper, water, wool (keep reading to see how they relate!) Awhile back, one of my favorite Young Adult and children's authors, Caroline Starr Rose , told her blog readers that her newest book, Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine , was going to be coming out soon, and did anyone want to volunteer to read and review it?! Um, yes please**. I've been a fan of her writing since her first book, May B . came out, and then loved her sophomore book, Bluebirds , so I knew this third youth novel would be strong, even though it would be written in prose and not poetry like the first two.  The story of Jasper, the young boy on the front cover, and his brother, Mel, starts in a sad, dilapidated home devoid of a mother and a father who is emotionally unavailable due to grief and alcoholism. The two young boys struggle to stay out of their father's way, and hear about the Klondike gold rush. With fool's luck, street smarts, and the brotherly relationship, together thes...

Ani reading the Sibley while watching the ducks If there's one thing I love about a new year, it's a new batch of titles I'm excited to read over the coming 12 months. My 2016 list was a bit full, and what I found out over the last two years-here's 2015 's- (I think I was in denial in January last year), is that I need to start with a small list, because the book club books, new releases I can't wait for, and recommended books by my favorite people, podcasts, or magazines inevitably are the ones I read. I have so many awesome thrift store books-upwards of 20-that have been vying for my attention, so a lot of this list are those hopefuls. I average 60+ books a year, and if I have 30 on that list? Well, I can count on maybe 10 of those getting read. Maybe.  This year I'm finally being realistic. Right now on my list are 2 that I'm currently reading and will finish by the end of the week. One is a book club pick that I'll be picking up in abou...