tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14732420224047559612024-03-28T13:51:08.058-04:00Bumps Along the Waydianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.comBlogger1423125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-35197856259843680542024-03-26T15:00:00.001-04:002024-03-26T15:00:00.145-04:00Things I Like - March 2024<p><i><i><i>I always enjoy hearing what works for other people and I like </i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i>sharing
things I like, it's part of the reason I have a blog. I've been doing
these monthly posts for 10 years and they also provide a nice little
snapshot in my life at a moment in time! </i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>See more <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/search/label/things%20I%20like">here</a>! Some affiliate links may be included! <br /></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8El76kiBlvcJyDHpAjpUu6Eu-aeXILXcvFZcxoa0z_1o2C9zkK5NFOpTWdxw0tTSCJSmCTA3E7PNuuzBuOighFICEiV19TRfKGSBGIqLAHqfvu0Pnft0pDHZPupHzLbI7GhdIyYNgcMHADA7bN0Ypt-5PYFwkVwzUn_agEEXbcIol3xQHPFSjstRf4Wt3/s439/carpet%20tape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="439" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8El76kiBlvcJyDHpAjpUu6Eu-aeXILXcvFZcxoa0z_1o2C9zkK5NFOpTWdxw0tTSCJSmCTA3E7PNuuzBuOighFICEiV19TRfKGSBGIqLAHqfvu0Pnft0pDHZPupHzLbI7GhdIyYNgcMHADA7bN0Ypt-5PYFwkVwzUn_agEEXbcIol3xQHPFSjstRf4Wt3/s320/carpet%20tape.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>1) <a href="https://amzn.to/4cAbwMe">Rug Tape</a></b><br />This falls under one of those purchases that sound rather boring but turned out to be amazing. Also, another item that Sherry at <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com">Young House Love</a> recommended and, once again, she was right (we have different tastes in books, tv shows, fashion, etc. but her home recommendations have always been spot on.) The thing with rugs is that they move, even with heavy furniture on them. Like our bed or the couch. The ones that annoyed me the most were a rug at the top of our stairs and the rug in my room. The one at the top of the stairs didn't have anything on it and shifted CONSTANTLY. That was the first one I taped down and it was amazing and I was left wondering why I hadn't done that as soon as I bought this tape a year earlier. Then I was more motivated to straighten out my office rug and get that taped down as well. It's WONDERFUL to not have those shifting any more. The tape says it's easily removable but since I've only had it down for a few months, I haven't tried that yet. But, SO FAR, this is working very well.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUFEZkurJtABgyWMYbqoTrHhwTi1Yuxzsubo6WY31TmdQLet8bMr7FV_5hN8XVF4eSI26dG2-fuOlylsr8OSNt0rF1J8LIVX32dDH5MI9l15-pQS08e8NlcUmmw8hK1Ca620gtK1v-7jVORjMYg6-93vDnIlFTEdGEF-kCeJrcxytxx_4dmb1WfSHgPfU/s437/wart%20bandaids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUFEZkurJtABgyWMYbqoTrHhwTi1Yuxzsubo6WY31TmdQLet8bMr7FV_5hN8XVF4eSI26dG2-fuOlylsr8OSNt0rF1J8LIVX32dDH5MI9l15-pQS08e8NlcUmmw8hK1Ca620gtK1v-7jVORjMYg6-93vDnIlFTEdGEF-kCeJrcxytxx_4dmb1WfSHgPfU/s320/wart%20bandaids.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><b>2) <a href="https://www.target.com/p/compound-w-maximum-strength-one-step-invisible-wart-remover-strips-14-ct/-/A-78643377#lnk=sametab">Wart Bandaids</a></b><br />Also filed under boring things that are super helpful. One kid had a wart on his finger that we tried freezing off but that was too painful for him and we were not consistent at remembering the liquid stuff. I found these bandaids at Target and they have been great because he can put them on himself and he's actually pretty good at remembering to do it about every other night. I also had a string of warts on my bottom of my foot which hasn't really been painful but just annoying for a few years. I bought the <a href="https://amzn.to/4ar8bNt">foot specific ones</a> and they might work even better. I'm treating 3 different spots on my foot so it's taking awhile to get them all resolved but this is certainly easier than any other option we've tried. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DcQI3RKjM3CWasee18-0mdbzfcC5T1mzSUWxRq0hG8adH7evQ09pDXA0NjO-j_A90MdoEzOJB4yCiTRExbUD2nmiXrh0OXvBCjPY3-rhJVlXngTVj0hEnm7zlkbCBIQraLITwKYjntE2-lj8akgK3vqAn5D4s7YYM5wZjETxmKnM5cy6_QHfadaxSSIP/s1000/91xfZodt7RL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1000" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DcQI3RKjM3CWasee18-0mdbzfcC5T1mzSUWxRq0hG8adH7evQ09pDXA0NjO-j_A90MdoEzOJB4yCiTRExbUD2nmiXrh0OXvBCjPY3-rhJVlXngTVj0hEnm7zlkbCBIQraLITwKYjntE2-lj8akgK3vqAn5D4s7YYM5wZjETxmKnM5cy6_QHfadaxSSIP/s320/91xfZodt7RL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>3) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNsoXsyeUE0">"Don't Forget to Remember" by Ellie Holcomb</a></b><br />There is a picture book she wrote with the same name that we've had for years and we gifted it to many godchildren as well. I used to read it to Sam when *I* needed the reminder that "Don't forget to remember, God won't forget you." regardless of if he needed to hear that or not (who doesn't?? But he was also 3-4 when we read it often so maybe didn't have many worries at that stage of life.) It was years later that I downloaded the song and now it's one I play often, on repeat if I'm particularly struggling with something. It is reassuring and comforting when I need to remember what not to forget.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xrBOxkJWyC3qk-1RPI5uTqFkT99bhkQSBDauomBwWiRzOIzX1zCD4B7eBdKBFr3M22lY5VQ2GxiL_9zMz7PeB9KHeM1g0rQ9m3o3y0lLtsc_NLT1alm6UmI9jtnNfr7mW9Ir93w7Kum6syTxIC5jWtCLrttQLjJp9jO17iqvEmG6K-986NBYnl_lWra7/s300/ab67616d00001e0266d0be1d58efdc0a77e9b1ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xrBOxkJWyC3qk-1RPI5uTqFkT99bhkQSBDauomBwWiRzOIzX1zCD4B7eBdKBFr3M22lY5VQ2GxiL_9zMz7PeB9KHeM1g0rQ9m3o3y0lLtsc_NLT1alm6UmI9jtnNfr7mW9Ir93w7Kum6syTxIC5jWtCLrttQLjJp9jO17iqvEmG6K-986NBYnl_lWra7/s1600/ab67616d00001e0266d0be1d58efdc0a77e9b1ad.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><b>4) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM2KXVHdaP4">"God is Good (All the Time)" by Austin French</a></b><br />This is on our morning playlist and is a great reminder as we start our days - God is Good, all the time, even when we can't feel it. Sometimes I just need that reassurance or I'd like my boys to hear it too. Also, it's just a catchy song. I didn't even realize he was a Christian artist until I found this song (I had others by him before). Also, free to download via Freegal with our library login. <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJW7ON0csch79Qua1-rQCes7aLx-ZsoZsATl3rToQjTZk_hxxLRELwnMdGbeURrocA-8-K0ZiBDuIWgNn6oPCw2wztzEPdoMYaS3KNkr7XwJbwY2gA9Qo2Raz76HLCqvyTs3mgSOrGceJO-AIhq5cF8g2uOUNXPRt3nOtbv9OuYfqtislmpdgL1CI8MCH/s590/TMNT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="402" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJW7ON0csch79Qua1-rQCes7aLx-ZsoZsATl3rToQjTZk_hxxLRELwnMdGbeURrocA-8-K0ZiBDuIWgNn6oPCw2wztzEPdoMYaS3KNkr7XwJbwY2gA9Qo2Raz76HLCqvyTs3mgSOrGceJO-AIhq5cF8g2uOUNXPRt3nOtbv9OuYfqtislmpdgL1CI8MCH/s320/TMNT.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><b>5) <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877889/?ref_=fn_al_tt_6">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</a></b><br />Matt got the boys hooked on this, I think they were lamenting something they were watching being over and Matt's like "Oh, I'll find you something with ENDLESS episodes" (due to many remakes of it). This is on Netflix and the deal is the boys can watch it once they are COMPLETELY (besides coats) ready for school, until I say it's time to go. I'd like if something else motivated them but, also, if it saves our mornings I will let them have some Ninja Turtles if it keeps them moving. Sometimes it's 3 minutes. Sometimes it's 20. Depends on how motivated they are to move but they love this so much they are watching it the SECOND time through and even choose this over Sasquatch for their weekend screen time which is just CRAZY because Sasquatch was their favorite screen time for nearly a year. <i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><br /><br /></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><p></p><p><b>What have YOU been liking lately?</b><br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-28166391119153061862024-03-22T09:00:00.003-04:002024-03-22T09:00:00.251-04:00Hobbies: Puzzles<p>Thanks to various things I've been reading and things I've seen on the internet, I've given some thought lately to my hobbies. My main hobby is reading and I've come to realize more and more how much I need that time out of my own head in order to recharge my energy and calm my mind to sleep. There are times I really feel like my brain is short circuiting that few things besides a nap or some quiet time reading will fix. It makes me step away from whatever has me spinning in a way few other things do. </p><p>There is also running, although I've done very little of that so far this year, but that is more for healthy living than anything else. Although I wouldn't even think to count my inside morning workouts as a hobby the way I'd think about counting running, even though they are both fulfilling the same purpose. </p><p>There are certain hobbies that don't work for me such a knitting or crocheting. I know either would aggravate my arthritis to much to ever be a consideration. I'm not artsy nor do I have a real desire to be so anything like that is outside of my interest. I like baking but not when I am under stress or time constraints, partially why I despise making supper so much. I did years of making all of our bread and have not minded going back to store bought bread so don't feel like that's something I need to pick back up. I do garden and yard work when the weather is right for it but it's not something I ever crave to do although something I usually enjoy once I'm doing it. This could be something I pick up more of over time. I'd like to play the piano, I took many years of lessons as a kid, but we do not have space in our current house arrangement for a piano. <br /></p><p>This is in no way a complete list of possible hobbies, just ones I have done or have considered, however briefly, to do. <br /></p><p>I guess I could consider making photobooks as a hobby, even though there is an output that my whole families appreciates, I do enjoy doing them and having them done. It is not anything that is expected of me like people expect laundry to get done and meals to be made. I nearly always listen to podcasts when doing them, since I am nearly always doing them when the house is empty or after the boys have gone to bed and Matt's doing school. A sort of a hobby, even though I am making them for the family.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rPt9RQkPgPBpIVp3SDg0lSvgGqmpaK7ox0Gvw28oD5kEoDLZJbCrohUSbewvOeWiyNKiT4dVsx_5twbFyieNp2gdOR-MuIhj5wvw_5VYqCLdBU8TUcFuwho5V4765z948rsaRz5p2daIWI5ZumJGMJoNPf7Z7sw8isxFgOB0WtIuSYeshImaNLgk5ztm/s598/2023-12-22%2011.28.42%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7rPt9RQkPgPBpIVp3SDg0lSvgGqmpaK7ox0Gvw28oD5kEoDLZJbCrohUSbewvOeWiyNKiT4dVsx_5twbFyieNp2gdOR-MuIhj5wvw_5VYqCLdBU8TUcFuwho5V4765z948rsaRz5p2daIWI5ZumJGMJoNPf7Z7sw8isxFgOB0WtIuSYeshImaNLgk5ztm/s16000/2023-12-22%2011.28.42%20edit.jpg" /></a></div>The only other hobby I can have that I can think of is puzzles. Puzzles give me a brain break and the satisfaction of getting something done, even though the thing that is done is a puzzle that in no way needs done. And while I like finishing one, the real joy is in each individual piece that I find a place for. It's almost a little sad when the whole thing IS done....because that means I'll be starting a new ones and I dislike starting new ones the most of the whole process (flipping over all those pieces gets tedious). <p></p><p></p><p>One huge benefit to puzzles is that it keeps me awake during family movie night. We do family movie night nearly every Friday we are home (which is most of them) and I would fall asleep every single week until I started to make sure I always had a puzzle going. Sure, I pay slightly less attention BUT I pay more attention doing a puzzle than I would be if I was asleep. I usually keep doing my puzzle while Matt & I watch something when the boys are in bed. Again, this helps me stay awake. (Should the fact that I would fall asleep doing these every week be a sign that I should just go to bed? Maybe.) Sometimes I work on them during the day for a bit, while I am watching something (I do not spend the majority of the school day watching something but do sometimes while I eat and then keep it on another 20 minutes to do a puzzle or fold laundry or something.) </p><p>Puzzles are also nice to do while listening to podcasts, especially when my list is piling up. Or I'll work on one right after school when the boys are taking some down time before homework because it is much easier for me to step away from a puzzle than it is to step away from a book, especially if one of them are calling me away (as opposed to myself deciding to walk away...I dislike leaving a book unless it's at a chapter or other break). They were great to have going during our many e-learning days in January because I could work on a puzzle in little chunks of time between instructing them in their lessons. (And sometimes those were VERY little chunks of times, seconds at most.)<br /></p><p>Sometimes the boys help me (Sam was delighted to point out that on the recent 750 piece puzzle I finished that I only did 749 pieces because he found one) but I mostly do them myself. Although I wouldn't be opposed to trying a family puzzle, if they had interest. And were actually helpful.</p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr1FVBOCrJJfLMdyADMOdATHe1JkPpOgIwF0jLrzSPxDZLGpbI12IJmr03XaGju67_ddFryDA5Htgcj8bhdPKuzbK4RB-whoTtprTmTh7WPLeVy_9WphqV-WA1vYlezvg-0U4UIiqR9QCYON23fvSWMCvlHtdAAd3veVL2OuEXWyIGCRvNg5H7CILX9pG/s653/2024-02-06%2013.57.08%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr1FVBOCrJJfLMdyADMOdATHe1JkPpOgIwF0jLrzSPxDZLGpbI12IJmr03XaGju67_ddFryDA5Htgcj8bhdPKuzbK4RB-whoTtprTmTh7WPLeVy_9WphqV-WA1vYlezvg-0U4UIiqR9QCYON23fvSWMCvlHtdAAd3veVL2OuEXWyIGCRvNg5H7CILX9pG/s16000/2024-02-06%2013.57.08%20edit.jpg" /></a></div>There was a time, most of the time we've been married, that I did my puzzles at our dining table. The largest room in our house we call "the front room" and is part family room (couch, tv, shelves, books) and part dining room (dining table that we mostly eat at on Christmas and when we have people over but it's too cold to eat outside). It's also where homework gets done or various other table needs, we just rarely actually DINE there. <p></p><p></p>Then, a little over 2 years ago, I asked Matt to set-up one of these "Target tables" in my office. Right before we got married we bought 3 of these $15/each wooden tables from Target on clearance. They have metal legs and one was our kitchen table for over a decade (Matt has since made us a new kitchen table). They were all disassembled in the basement. They are light enough that I can carry it the ~7 feet from my office to closer to the tv for movie nights and they are nearly the perfect size for the puzzles that I do. I can sit at the window seat in my office to work on a puzzle (what I would do when my kindergartner was doing e-learning on my computer and using my chair) or I can spin my desk around to work on a puzzle and also see out the window (this does involve turning the table 180° from time to time). I was SO DELIGHTED the first time he set-up that table. It worked perfectly.<br /><p></p><p>The first one up for nearly 6 months before I got overwhelmed with life, stopped doing puzzles, and asked Matt to take it down. I didn't do puzzles in the summer then anyways. He set it up again in the fall and now it's been up for over a year. Sometimes I go a few days between puzzles, just life, but otherwise have nearly constantly had a puzzle going on it this whole time. Especially during Friday night movie nights, with few exceptions, I have one going. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmtiFDMlGhyphenhyphenrWH7b6bOM6nVhYCn6gfHjcceFSZLPiOJF-iIEXSW6MKcLLNBBQJXTo3q4wXfKDJ1KRNb4BCSas_UWXLU2iv1CuErEpWfIyQa3T4emjezIrpBI_ldSjGfKkz6zQDpv4e31Q5XUWctp1-xZpYLMVIyybrjzmPGCGMUnb4KEa6YnbaeTwgj2F/s635/2024-02-09%2013.01.26%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmtiFDMlGhyphenhyphenrWH7b6bOM6nVhYCn6gfHjcceFSZLPiOJF-iIEXSW6MKcLLNBBQJXTo3q4wXfKDJ1KRNb4BCSas_UWXLU2iv1CuErEpWfIyQa3T4emjezIrpBI_ldSjGfKkz6zQDpv4e31Q5XUWctp1-xZpYLMVIyybrjzmPGCGMUnb4KEa6YnbaeTwgj2F/s16000/2024-02-09%2013.01.26%20edit.jpg" /></a></div>I have accumulated a puzzle collection that hovers around 20 right now
and I know I have to limit myself to just one new puzzle a year at this
point. Our current storage space just can't handle more than that. But
I also know that 20 puzzles is a comfortable amount to own in that I can do them all every year as well as throw in some borrowed from family or library puzzles too. If I'm not
doing a puzzle regularly (every year), then why keep it? I also don't mind repeating some of my favorites
throughout the year. I've been asking for one new one each Christmas
and it's exciting to have that to do over Christmas break.
Although I've curated my collection enough that I get excited to do most
of the ones I have, over and over again. <p></p><p>Two tips I've picked up over my puzzle years. One is that I write the date I complete a puzzle on the inside of the box lid, for puzzles I own (I do not do this to borrowed or library puzzles). I haven't been doing this forever so these aren't complete back to when I started doing some of my puzzles pre-kids but I have been doing it for awhile and it's fun seeing those dates stack up (the one shown is one of the puzzles I've owned the longest). (And you can spot big breaks in my puzzle years when the boys were babies, I had just started to do puzzles regularly again, and wrote <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/03/puzzles.html">this post</a>, then we got Sam and newborn life was not conducive to puzzles.). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3di6zN8PdO1wOvDa5JJc-XXJTsrT4y7FDgAH64DJo8T3x5UY3AA09ZzX2SoY-A7ZfP9EJCg-GeJvj3ZiWwtuskkX1b62icLI-XW9SfrkD17nCzD4_5Dcna538oATR6pd2UnVsmi0CdQPuJ5xv1hcUbILZw59uCYliEYK8Hj9Vq1Rqe-5phGq8sD7ZfdJy/s482/2024-03-21%2013.31.52%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3di6zN8PdO1wOvDa5JJc-XXJTsrT4y7FDgAH64DJo8T3x5UY3AA09ZzX2SoY-A7ZfP9EJCg-GeJvj3ZiWwtuskkX1b62icLI-XW9SfrkD17nCzD4_5Dcna538oATR6pd2UnVsmi0CdQPuJ5xv1hcUbILZw59uCYliEYK8Hj9Vq1Rqe-5phGq8sD7ZfdJy/s320/2024-03-21%2013.31.52%20edit.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>The other is that I separate out the edge pieces when I put the puzzle away. Matt asked if this was cheating. I am adamant that it is not because sorting pieces is, by far, my least favorite part of a puzzle and trying to find all the edge pieces to start to just tedious and frustrating. Since I store many of my puzzle boxes on end (and not flat), I keep the edge pieces in a small ziploc (one I have probably gotten somewhere else and washed out), and the rest of the pieces in a larger ziploc (a great many of these we got with bagged, donated, breast milk in them for baby Sam). I also keep a rubber band around many of those "on end" boxes just to keep them from falling open. Then when I start a puzzle I dump out the edge pieces, get the satisfaction of doing that, and then move onto getting the inside pieces facing up.<p></p><p></p>Another note: I do not feel looking at the picture on the box or included inside is cheating. I didn't even know this was a thing until recently and then discovered that my brother-in-law swears that it is cheating and never looks. This is crazy. If I wanted to get endlessly frustrated and stressed by something I would pick up a different hobby. I am looking to relax and enjoy something so I look at the picture. Sometimes more than others but I still always have it out. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKqOHgcy2awNWbWPFftSTLu9Q900ePDD1q0-NKESPQP42wcFwy5yE7SSIuICKmk5mbDMpJdgOBsKpOd_RYFvY9GjxzYd1iU0KDLAtASoLEgCgFLcLRpvCxVIBWivX9qkxeJTmV5xd9_qS2uJ8U0j_tMgk665dzqwxG6CCrSwEuEeFVXrzjTCumC6njA3O/s450/IMG_4571%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKqOHgcy2awNWbWPFftSTLu9Q900ePDD1q0-NKESPQP42wcFwy5yE7SSIuICKmk5mbDMpJdgOBsKpOd_RYFvY9GjxzYd1iU0KDLAtASoLEgCgFLcLRpvCxVIBWivX9qkxeJTmV5xd9_qS2uJ8U0j_tMgk665dzqwxG6CCrSwEuEeFVXrzjTCumC6njA3O/s16000/IMG_4571%20edit.jpg" /></a></div>Some of my favorite puzzles (<i>affiliate links below, if you purchase through them, I receive a very small amount, at no additional cost to you</i>):<br /><p></p><p>Travel poster puzzles are fun because you can split up each little section and work through them. They move pretty fast for being 1000 pieces. I have <a href="https://amzn.to/3IJ8kQF">a world wide</a> and a <a href="https://amzn.to/4a6hTFo">US version</a>. <br /><br />I enjoy True South Puzzle Co puzzles even though they are a bit pricier. I have a classic literary location 500 piece that is fun but no longer on their website. I like this <a href="https://shop.truesouthpuzzlecompany.com/collections/pop-culture-maps/products/chick-flicks">classic Chick Flick</a> one and own and enjoy this <a href="https://shop.truesouthpuzzlecompany.com/collections/national-parks/products/acadia-national-park-whale-watching">Acadia one</a>. </p><p>Flow puzzles are some of my favorite. The ones I have are 1000 pieces but enough detail that they move pretty well. I have <a href="https://amzn.to/3TKPuyF">Everything is Made out of Magic</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/3vkKCai">All Good Things are Wild & Free</a>. The pictures are just fun. </p><p>I have had mixed luck with Lego puzzles. This <a href="https://amzn.to/4966eoF">Rainbow brick one</a> was hard until I figured out a strategy but then this <a href="https://amzn.to/4alsyvx">Space Minifigures</a> that I bought at Kennedy Space Center last summer was near impossible. It's the hardest puzzle I've ever done. I think I had it out for over 2 months. </p><p>Galison makes good puzzles. I have two with art by Michael Storring that have A LOT of white on them and, on pieces, it can be hard to tell if something is a person, tree, or brick. He makes MANY city scenes that are fun but more challenging than I've expected. I own <a href="https://amzn.to/3TJ6HIW">Bethesda Terrace</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/43oQ08Z">St. Patrick's Cathedral</a>. I think owning two of his is sufficient although I've gotten others from the library. There are many other Galison puzzles with charming pictures. I own this <a href="https://amzn.to/492UhzX">Spring Street</a> one which is fun to do this time of year. </p><p>Both my boys have gone through their own puzzle stages. We did floor puzzles for many years and I can't find the ones they had but they may have been Melissa and Doug. We gave our youngest this <a href="https://amzn.to/4am21yb">Space floor puzzle</a> a few years ago and did it A LOT (and then saw it for sale at Kennedy Space Center!). For his recent 6th birthday he requested a "500 piece puzzle I could do myself" and I eventually talked him down to a 100 piece puzzle, at least to start. We gave him this <a href="https://amzn.to/4998ifo">Woodland Friends</a> one. And we own MANY of the <a href="https://shininglightdolls.com/collections/puzzles">mini Saint puzzles</a> from Shining Light. My youngest in particular will do a bunch in a row, often while I'm reading books. We also have the <a href="https://shininglightdolls.com/collections/puzzles/products/saint-stickers-500-piece-puzzle">500 piece Saint sticker</a> puzzle on that page which is the one I have sitting on my table to do next, partially because it is one my youngest can do with me, probably from our countless games of Saint memory. </p><p>That is way more words than I thought I had to say about puzzles. It is nice to have something that I do purely for my own enjoyment, that produces no real functional outcome, and that keeps me awake during movie nights. It is certainly a hobby that I find joy in. I'd love to hear about a hobby that does that for you! I hope you have one!<br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-66924059087508394332024-03-19T09:00:00.113-04:002024-03-19T09:00:00.130-04:00{16} Garden Picture Books<p>It's about that time of year when I start thinking about what we'll be growing this summer. I'm not actually doing anything about it yet, but I have given it the smallest amount of thought. Last year wasn't a great growing year for us (the sunflowers never came up despite planting them twice!) but we tried some new things and need to recommit to eating more veggies. I am more interested, generally, in the flower growing, particularly the ones I can cut and put around the house. And most of our tomatoes went to my sister who does massive amounts of canning of sauce and she put those to good use! </p><p>We also start reading many picture books about gardening and things growing in the spring. It just feels spring-y to me, even though we aren't planting until mid-May or something (if we're lucky...sometimes it's June). We've read quite a few already in March and so why not share a list! These are almost entirely books about growing a garden, mostly the vegetable kind although a few flower ones might have sneaked through. I'll have to do another list about growing flowers! </p><p><i>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, links for which are included within this post, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping support this blog! Of course, utilize the library or shop used or from an independent bookstore if you prefer! </i><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/48ZEgdZ">Grandma's Rooftop Garden</a> </i>by Tang Wei, translated by Kelly Zhang</b><br />This is the one we most recently read that inspired this list! Granny might be old but she has built a wonderful vegetable garden on the roof of her apartment building in Chengdu (a city in China). She collects the produce that is thrown away at markets and composts it for her garden and then shares her produce with friends and family, either by making them food or passing on produce for them to use. Very sweet story and love reading about urban gardens all over the world!</p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/48Z746z">Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt</a> </i>by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal</b><br />This is one the first ones that came to mind when thinking of more books for this list. We love this over/under series, everyone of them is fantastic. This follows a young girl and her grandmother for a year through taking care of their backyard garden, what is going on that they can see but also what is going on under the dirt!</p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3TjuCNL">Badger's Perfect Garden</a></i> by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki</b><br /> Badger has spent months planning his perfect garden and gathering the seeds. When the time comes, he recruits his forest friends to help him exactly according to plan. Badger is already imagining how perfect it'll be when it starts growing. But then a rainstorm hits and washes away his seeds. Is all his hard work and organization ruined?</p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4ciAKhP">And Then It's Spring</a> </i>by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead</b><br />This is probably my very favorite spring book to read and I used to read it nearly daily to Sam when he was home with me. First you have brown, all around you have brown. A young boy and his dog are getting impatient with the long departure of winter and decide to plant a garden while they wait. Although a garden just means more things to wait on. </p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3THjMRZ">Diana's White House Garden</a> </i>by Elisa Carbone, illustrated by Jen Hill</b><br />Biography picture book about a young girl, Diana Hopkins, who lived at the White House during the administration of FDR during WWII. Her father was the president's chief advisor. Diana wanted to help with the war efforts and starts a Victory Garden at the White House under the tutelage of Eleanor Roosevelt. </p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3TFwZLY"><i>The Garden We Share</i></a> by Zoe Tucker, illustrated by Swaney Julianna</b><br />A young girl and an elderly woman bond over their work at the local community garden, planting seeds alongside neighbors and friends. By harvest the girl's elderly friend is bedridden but the young girl can still take her baskets of ripe tomatoes and sugar snap peas, sharing what they produced together. By the fall everything is different but spring always comes again.</p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3II9qvL"><i>Love Makes a Garden Grow</i></a> by Taeeun Yoo</b><br />Still a young girl working in a garden but this time with her Grandfather. The Grandfather works hard at his garden, teaching his granddaughter how to care for the plants and associates all the work and senses of the garden with him. As he ages his garden gets smaller but the girl never forgets what he has taught her. </p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/43pZ0e4">The Forever Garden</a></i> by Laurel Snyder</b><br />Honey works hard on her garden, pouring hours into it each day. Her young neighbor, Laurel, spends a lot of time helping Honey, weeding, watering, etc. But then one day Honey puts out a For Sale sign in her yard. She must move to care for an elderly parent. Laurel will miss her friend but, also, what will happen to this wonderful garden??</p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/4ceYd3z"><i>We Are the Gardeners</i></a> by Joanna Gaines, illustrated by Julianna Swaney</b><br />All about her children's young attempts at growing SOMETHING. The house plants that died before they finally figured out what they were doing and kept a whole garden growing. The picture here are especially charming. </p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3x6TVLg"><i>Thank You, Garden</i></a> by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Simone Shin</b><br />First, this one has a fantastic and beautiful cover. Second, this is about a community garden and how it unites the neighborhood as they celebrate all that grows there and the work it takes to make that happen. Not just growing plants, but friendships that grow too. </p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4amurYZ">The Gardener of Alcatraz: A True Story</a></i> by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Jenn Ely</b><br />The story of a man who was locked away at Alcatraz for counterfeiting but was determined to defy the odds and escape. Instead, he got a job tending the prison garden and a strange thing happened, he found new interests and skills and a sense of fulfillment, even behind the walls of Alcatraz. </p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4ciMyka">A Garden Called Home</a> </i>by Jessica J. Lee, illustrated by Elaine Chen</b><br />A young girl and her mother return to her mother's homeland and the girl sees her mother come alive in a way that she never does in their new country. Once they return home, the mother's smile disappears but the girl is determined the show her mother, through growing plants, that they can make their place in their new country as well. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4aBileH">The Imaginary Garden</a></i> by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher</b><br />Theodore loved her Grandfather's old garden but then he moved to an apartment where he can't grow nearly as much. It's just not the same. But then Theo and her Grandpa decide to paint a new garden and work together to create something growing, in a different way. Eventually that garden starts to take on a life of it's own. </p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3VnVFtP">Jack's Garden</a></i> by Henry Cole</b><br />A book about a young BOY working in a garden! This list has, unintentionally, been little girl heavy. This is a take on "The House Jack Built" but about a garden instead. He makes it look easy. </p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/491w5hi"><i>In Our Garden</i></a> by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Melissa Crowton</b><br />Millie has recently moved, across an ocean, and she misses her old home and ways of doing things. One day she has an idea - their school has a flat roof, that could be perfect for a school garden! She gets her teacher and classmates on board but it takes a lot of hard work to make a garden from scratch! </p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3wXVVFV"><i>What Grew in Larry's Garden</i></a> by Laura Alary, illustrated by Kass Reich</b><br />Grace thinks her neighbor, Larry, has the greatest garden in the world. He grows the most wonderful vegetables and Grace loves helping him with the watering, weeding, planting, pruning, hoeing, and harvesting. Whenever there is a problem they solve it together. Grace learns that Larry has big plans for his garden!</p><p>I'd love to hear if you have any picture books about garden we could add to our list! Maybe it'll be good luck to keep our garden more alive this year! <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUGzGxme-f0zfjAVUAuHr93qYvlcuCj9-e1q1Jw9l2dhWToUxQAbejvrzk_7HQkd1O4qQtqRGY7kluBzc2Wh9FwqDyObs00o_tIAfVWn3VCYWrklDPzTXKHwbAiOJQmRs87AMBYezBYDBe-xhmDuQFQJZXfH4GohTU0UtcbkSNe8M-eLxrrNorkJsUTxv/s625/2021-07-01%2020.36.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUGzGxme-f0zfjAVUAuHr93qYvlcuCj9-e1q1Jw9l2dhWToUxQAbejvrzk_7HQkd1O4qQtqRGY7kluBzc2Wh9FwqDyObs00o_tIAfVWn3VCYWrklDPzTXKHwbAiOJQmRs87AMBYezBYDBe-xhmDuQFQJZXfH4GohTU0UtcbkSNe8M-eLxrrNorkJsUTxv/s16000/2021-07-01%2020.36.49.jpg" /></a></div>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-12586838711070551032024-03-12T09:00:00.160-04:002024-03-12T09:00:00.128-04:00{14} Time Travel Novels<p>Recently, I was reading <i>Rewind</i> by Lisa Graff which is a middle-grade novel about a 6th grade girl time traveling from 2018 to 1993. I am sure the "being a time traveling 6th grader in 1993" is part of what made me want to read the book because although I have no time traveled, I nearly was a 6th grader in 1993 (I started 6th grade in 1994). Now, I was homeschooled, we didn't watch a lot of tv, mostly listened to music from the 60s on the radio, and didn't watch many movies that weren't animated so there is a lot of the wider culture of the 80s and 90s that we just didn't participate in. However, enough of the time period, the lack of cell phones, and all that was familiar enough. It was fun to be taken back to that time.</p><p>Reading that book also got me thinking about many other books I've read over the years with time travel as a plot device. Then the more I thought about it, the more I came up with! Not many of these could be classified as sci-fy-y, most are more "my life just jumped forwards (or backwards) and I don't know how to process this is what life will be (or was)". Really, who wouldn't be thrown for a loop if they all of a sudden got a peak at their life 5 years in the future. There would probably be many things that wouldn't make sense to life right now!<br /></p><p><i>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, links for which are included within this post, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping support this blog! Of course, utilize the library or shop used or from an independent bookstore if you prefer! </i><br /> <br /><b>1) <i> <a href="https://amzn.to/3wNv9jt">The Time Traveler's Wife</a> </i>by Audrey Niffenegger</b><br />Starting with an older title and one with the most obvious time travel in the title. (Amazon tells me I purchased this in paperback 14.5 years ago...I am 90% sure I read it on our <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2009/11/on-vacation.html">Seattle trip</a> a few months later.) This is one of those books that was EVERYWHERE and EVERYONE was reading. Henry is an adventurous librarian who time-travels completely randomly and without choice. Over time he has enough encounters with Clare that they fall in love and attempt to have something of a real relationship despite his not always being present or present at different ages really. </p><p><b>2) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3VcITy4">Time After Time</a></i> by Lisa Grunwald</b><br />This is a book that I have thought about MANY times and knew almost immediately that it should have been on my <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2019.html">favorite reads of 2019</a> list (instead of what? I don't know now.). This takes place almost entirely at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan and almost entirely during the phenomenon known as "Manhattanhenge" where the sunset lines up with the NYC street grid (I have never witnessed this but wouldn't mind doing so some day!). Starts in 1937 (historical fiction not centered around a war!) when a railroad worker sees a mysterious woman who seems just slightly out of place. Her clothes are nice but dated and she doesn't quite fit with Depression era New York. She disappears before he can talk to her and becomes fascinated by seeing her again. Having been to Grand Central isn't a must but is a nice bonus.</p><p><b>3)<i> <a href="https://amzn.to/43fgZn5">What Alice Forgot</a></i> by Liane Moriarty</b><br />I had thought many times that if I was in a book club, this would be one of the first books I would suggest to discuss...and now I'm on my 3rd year of being in something of a book club (is it a book club if we all read the same books approximately the same months but rarely discuss them?) and I still have no suggested this book to read. Alice Love is 29, in love with her husband and pregnant with her first child. The next thing she knows, it's 39, on the floor of a gym, in the middle of a divorce, and has THREE kids. She doesn't know how she got there or how her life became this and what the heck to do about it. So many good topics to discuss with a book club in this one! (I'd imagine...still have yet to do so.)</p><p><b>4) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/48OQjLa">All Our Wrong Todays</a></i> by Elan Mastai</b><br />This is probably the most sci-fi book on this list AND has the distinction of being the only one here that Matt has read too! (There was a stretch a few years ago when I actually got him to read books with some regularity! Which meant I was reading more sci-fi-ish ones in an effort to find some he might like). It's 2016 and Tom is living in a world where technology has solved all our problems. No war, no poverty, etc. But he's not happy because he's lost the girl of his dream so, since he has a time machine, he decides to try to fix this. And instead of fixing it, he ends up in our 2016 where there is war and poverty and a host of other problems BUT...he has a wonderful career, family, and the woman who might be the love of his life. So go back to the "perfect" world or stay in this one where his personal life is "perfect"? </p><p><b>5) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3PghY0M">Rewind</a></i> by Lisa Graff<a href=" "> </a></b><br />The book that kicked off this list and I talked about above. Easy to read since middle grade and transports to one of the more recent times (the 1990s). <br /></p><p><b>6) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3TbsUxQ">Kindred</a> </i>by Octavia E. Butler</b><br />This one is one we actually read for book club and maybe the hardest one to read on this list. A woman disappears on her 26th birthday from California in 1976 and comes to in Maryland pre Civil War where she isn't a woman just living her life but a slave who has no control over her own life. She jumps back and forth between the two times, eventually figuring how what pulls her back to slavery each time. It is hard to read the slavery portions, getting an intimate look at how hard life was for people forced into that life. BUT...also important to read it. I'm glad book club finally got me to read this one. <br /></p><p><b>7) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3wPzFOf">In Five Years</a></i> by Rebecca Serle</b><br />A more recent read (it came out in 2021...which isn't as recent as I thought). Dannie is very much a planner and everything in her life is going according to plan. Then, one night she wakes up, exactly 5 years in the future and spends one hour there. In a different apartment with a different ring on her finger and a different person in her life. She cannot figure out how this happened before going back to her highly planned life. She spends the next 5 years seeing how her life got to the point of that flash forward and if there is anything she can do to change it. <br /></p><p><b>8)<i> <a href="https://amzn.to/4caUu6P">In a Holidaze</a></i> by Christina Lauren</b><br />A Christmastime set Groundhog Day-esque book about a woman who is frustrated with her life but is determined to enjoy one last holiday at her family's cabin in snowy Utah where they always spend Christmas with two other families (I cannot comprehend people who never want to be home on Christmas.) She just wants whatever will make her happy...then there is the screeching of tires, everything goes black...and now she's on a plane to Utah instead of a car where she's going to start the same trip all over again. And then over and over and over again. She needs to break free of this time loop and wants to find her true love. <br /></p><p><b>9) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/43d9Tj6">The Good Part</a></i> by Sophie Cousens</b><br />Another very recent read, this one just came out in November 2023. Lucy is 26 and tired of everything. Tired of her job, tired of bad dates, tired of her bad living situation, and just tired. She makes a wish in a mysterious shop that she could just skip to the good part of her life. And the next thing she knows, she wakes up next to a mysterious man, a ring on her finger, in a fancy house, with two kids. If this is the "good part" she doesn't know anything about how she got here or who these other people are. Has she really skipped a whole chunk of her life. One of my favorite details of this one is that one of her kids figures out right away that this isn't his "real" mom and is convinced she's an alien. I do appreciate a good kid sidekick here! Also, demonstrates that maybe the hard parts of life are worth living through. </p><p><b>10) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3TvXinW">Sea of Tranquility</a></i> by Emily St. John Mandel</b><br />The most literary fiction of any book on this list, as you'd expect if you've read any other Emily St. John Mandel. This is a strange book to try to explain, there is so many different things happening and yet, she pulls them all together by the end in ways I wasn't expecting. This books skips around from Vancouver Island in 1912 to the moon 500 years later and a few other places in between. <br /></p><p><b>11) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Tb0G6j">This Time Tomorrow</a> </i>by Emma Straub</b><br /> Another pretty recent book (released less than a year ago) and one that flashes back to a time where I was close to the same age as the protagonist! Alice is on the eve of turning 40 (I read this last year when *I* was nearly turning 40) and her life is pretty good. Happy enough with her romantic status, apartment, job, etc. But her father is ill and something feels like it's missing. The next morning she wakes up in 1996, reliving her 16th birthday (I didn't turn 16 until 1999 but this is close!). She's shocked by being a teenager again, her high school crush, but also seeing her father fully healthy and vibrant. Past events take on new meaning and she has to decide if there is anything she would change. </p><p><b>12) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/48MPFhf">When You Reach Me</a></i> by Rebecca Stead</b><br />Another middle-grade book that I was really taken with when I read it many years ago. Sixth-grader Miranda (I like the recurring theme of 6th graders being involved in time-travel) has a fall-out with her best friend and starts to receive mysterious notes. The notes tell her she must write a letter and she can't tell anyone about her mission. She'd just ignore these notes, except whoever is leaving them is strangely good at predicting the future. Which is a problem because these notes predict that someone is going to die. When I read this, I was proud of myself for piecing together most of the mystery before it was fully revealed...until I remembered it was written for kids half my age...</p><p><b>13) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/49PorrG">The Life Intended</a> </i>by Kristin Harmel</b><br />Another more "alternate world" than time travel but that's close enough for this list. Kate's husband died suddenly 10 years ago and she never expected to find love again. But now she's planning to marry a perfectly nice man when she starts seeing her dead husband in her dreams. In really vivid dreams. Is she really ready to move on? Is he trying to tell her something? These dreams lead her places and a life she didn't expect. </p><p><b>14) <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3V8LbhS">Oona Out of Order</a></i> by Margarita Montimore</b><br />New Years Eve 1982 and Oona has her life ahead of her. At midnight she'll turn 19 and the year ahead seems to be a big one. As the countdown to midnight begins, Oona faints and wakes up 32 years in the future in her 51 year old body. She's greeted by a stranger in a beautiful house she's told is hers. Oona soon learns that each year she'll travel to another age at random. She's young on the inside but her body and the times are constantly changing. She never knows who and where she's going to be next! What to hold onto when this is your life?</p><p>Putting this list together made me realize that I generally like time-travel as a plot device or at least I did in all these instances! Maybe it's just fascinating to think about what I would be surprised by if my life suddenly jumped forwards or backwards. Backwards might be easier, since I've lived it already, but forwards would be more interesting, seeing the future. Always gives me a lot to think about, either way!</p><p><b>Let me know if you have read or plan to read any of these and what you think of them! </b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJn9aU_uU95Lf4ek07OyZViIdxxipwVXWjFu6gdnAsO7y-gv5daJbDUuy5E20wKptqML6XggIXAZu1LZalwSnfxlXq-3EtX7x5MkHy1JKqfwzysa1_X_uvxh-yLhNOT6LKn5_86zIfruw5jZsjeeH2eiumwlVU2lZe_Vn9yViuV1Ct1BTz2zgPRDVujx8/s600/2024-03-11%2014.08.29%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJn9aU_uU95Lf4ek07OyZViIdxxipwVXWjFu6gdnAsO7y-gv5daJbDUuy5E20wKptqML6XggIXAZu1LZalwSnfxlXq-3EtX7x5MkHy1JKqfwzysa1_X_uvxh-yLhNOT6LKn5_86zIfruw5jZsjeeH2eiumwlVU2lZe_Vn9yViuV1Ct1BTz2zgPRDVujx8/s16000/2024-03-11%2014.08.29%20edit.jpg" /></a></b></div><br /><p></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-61959569111781411322024-03-07T09:00:00.067-05:002024-03-07T09:00:00.150-05:00Looking back to February 2024<p>We are through February which means it's now spring and we've even mostly had spring weather so far this March! Not always sunny but even just the warmer temps makes such a difference on my mood. Life always feels much more doable in the spring, even after a rather mild winter like we just had. Plus wrestling is winding down which is exciting too!</p><p>The flu bug that we had avoided most of the winter finally caught up with us at the end of February. We all missed some work and/or school over the course of a few days and I'm still super congested but that really took it out of me a bit. Still playing a bit of catch-up on a few things but considering how much illness was going around all winter, feels like we didn't make out too horribly with it. <br /></p><p>I'm not going to do a full update on it but I wrote a post about my <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/53-days-to-spring.html">list of 53 items</a> to help me stay motivated that would cover the 53 days from when my boys went back to school after Christmas until the start of spring, March 1st. And I actually got all but 3 items on that list done! It really did help give me little mood boosts to feel like I was getting some nagging tasks done around the house, especially when I could knock out a few right in a row. Nice looking back and seeing all I was able to get done in the midst of the winter blues. <br /></p><p><u><b>Looking back: </b></u><br />
<b>1 year ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/02/travel-grand-haven-michigan.html">Travel: Grand Haven, Michigan</a><b><br /></b>
<b>2 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/02/making-our-stair-travel-wall.html">Making Our Stair Travel Wall</a> <br /> <b>3 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-molly-murphy-series-by-rhys-bowen.html">The Molly Murphy Series by Rhys Bowen</a><b> </b><br />
<b>4 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/02/book-love-flight-girls-by-noelle-salazar.html">Book Love: Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar</a><b><br /></b>
<b>5 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/02/11-picture-books-featuring-food.html">{11} Picture Books Featuring Food</a><b> </b><br />
<b>6 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/02/a-photobook-update.html">A Photobook Update</a><br />
<b>7 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/02/friday-five-5-paris-books.html">Friday Five: {5} Paris Books</a><b><br />8 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/02/making-list-and-checking-it-often.html">Making a List and Checking It (Often)</a><br /><b>9 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/02/attacking-problem-areas-painting-last.html">Painting the Office/Craft Cupboard (Finally)</a><b><br />10 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/02/kool-aid-cookies.html">Kool-Aid Cookies</a></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtpZGlgobEZs4DzaxbPIg-yBgJLBc7zL5wrBLCQYXGH4oTVsMzZbaGgEdYgMl2GKOot5kvnRaTvltN_5dAkNYEh-MJFIRcDf3XXnirVuK624vz2_uUB7wnDuD6Z3T8WhLflxqsdTmBTGgc9kEUtXWx04dcT8Jy17b0mTnx-55fCxljhMipGpiC6x17idp/s500/February%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtpZGlgobEZs4DzaxbPIg-yBgJLBc7zL5wrBLCQYXGH4oTVsMzZbaGgEdYgMl2GKOot5kvnRaTvltN_5dAkNYEh-MJFIRcDf3XXnirVuK624vz2_uUB7wnDuD6Z3T8WhLflxqsdTmBTGgc9kEUtXWx04dcT8Jy17b0mTnx-55fCxljhMipGpiC6x17idp/s320/February%202024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>1) This was early February and bulbs were starting to come up! So fun to see them growing a little more every day!<br />2) Reading with my tea and a treat.<br />3) A beautiful country sunset!<br />4) Pretzel with cheese means we're back at wrestling meets...<br />5) February was actually pretty mild which meant we could open up the porch more than usual. And I love the festive hearts.<br />6) Finishing up a puzzle with many pieces near my perfect shades of blue.<br />7) A ice cream sundae with Matt, celebrating Valentine's Day a little early, since it was on Ash Wednesday this year.<br />8) Watching the Super Bowl, eating buffalo chicken dip, having a drink. I did most of a puzzle while watching it!<br />9) I have so many cut out hearts from years of cutting up scraps of paper. It's rather handy when we need to make some Valentine's, can just pull from the bowl!<br />10) Sam and I played quite a bit of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pressman-4451-04-Tri-Ominos-Game/dp/B00V91E3JS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SYZOGCZ3GAQO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FtAKCNl6IU2VFEw-S3gWPEa_TNHWOysprll4rWh_JYBDHyBL6reDQkCmzGuF7KExdWyKrsuQV6tIzJ0bn5ODUUf0UQEeQsEZc2DsqdOEx0H2Bi2TGx9NvUKY6z1W3WxdELDNUrORGRtKc5ovanETn37bHfk29qrGznVmqXFomUpfs61sOJ3a3QveNDdV45RYqbGX0yvxp001QWQSG-dgQUfJUh5XqagQeeEKDdCBFJBYFd5sxnYOH8Ge9I2zVl5NyDqjyL4eZBGp82x5yrGWGmZhDh5vPbuyjg7saeGbhqo.-1Jdvs4iXvtXFEqpPCmaF5tNebnVp5MlKhvVO_wL5BQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=triominos+game&qid=1709692393&sprefix=trio%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1">Tri-ominos</a> which always reminds me of my Grandparents.<br />11) Downtown in snow to pick-up a gift card for our school auction/dinner (which I ended up having to miss for being sick).<br />12) Pretzels with cheese from Aldi. It's a near constant in our winter snack rotation. <br /></p><p></p><p><b><b>Books finished:</b></b> 14!<b><br />Miles ran: </b>2.05! A much warmer but harder run than in January!<b><br />
<b>Currently watching:</b></b> We've been so tired lately with getting over bugs that we've just been doing the longer edit of <i>The Office</i> season 2 on Peacock.<b><i> </i></b><br /><b>
<b><b><b>Most read post this month:</b></b></b></b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/06/new-york-city-4-days-1-2.html">New York City #4 - days 1 & 2</a> and then <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/06/mixed-drink-monday-fizzy-flamingo.html">Mixed Drink Monday: The Fizzy Flamingo</a><b><br />
<b>Luke's current favorite song: </b></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEWGyyLiqY4">"God's Country"</a> by Blake Shelton<br /><b>Sam's current favorite song: </b>"Happy Birthday"...he recently had a birthday. <b></b></p><p><b>March brings birthdays for both boys, the start of spring break, AND Easter. My boys having March birthdays sure has made me appreciate this month a lot more!<br /></b></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-45657476690256101282024-03-05T09:00:00.118-05:002024-03-05T09:00:00.253-05:00Reading Recap - February 2024<p>February felt like it was about two weeks after January felt forever long. Throw in a good flu bug, our school auction/dinner happening after months of planning (although, due to said flu bug, I had to miss it), Valentine's Day, Ash Wednesday, and wrestling season...there was a lot going on! I always lament the shortness of February, I could finish another book if I had an extra day or two! But even with all that happening, still got some books finished, including the one I had been reading aloud to my oldest for 3+ months! <br /></p><p>I'm very active on Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/superstar5622">here</a>, somewhat active on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/superstar5622/">here</a>, and linking up with <a href="http://www.modernmrsdarcy.com">Modern Mrs. Darcy</a> on the 15th! </p><p>Other book posts in the past month: <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-love-organized-living-by-shira-gill.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBnIzwBF3vfbcc_Nn5Cm1ViUq2xSKciB-Geri00jaaXDHbM84gwRivSekHLmdxnjuWsgt-3xfI_yP1Xb1kg6VFdROKlcBJNGp9JOFXMaj6xnMbMvJe37H4CN75rXEaYjEmzMcqudOeVcTJDT1K3NpF7Of2q7Q-H1UkGXug1Au_4iMA1S9G9Z0ranmA8pS/s16000/2024-02-09%2008.25.02%20edit.jpg" /></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-love-organized-living-by-shira-gill.html">Book Love: Organized Living by Shira Gill</a><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-love-welcome-to-oc-by-alan.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlhhcQsSQ0_dDWYqf91SJ7tqvcV0zFLw_i6M2NhuS2npWIhxufO3eKM449UiPBlbsWBCqPvjl-4OeobMYj1Qhh0ooyRB4ZU4sRUHBeM55YFa77x09DxrIrMxcep_F9FeWG57RH5__QWEoCqQcutSWzCnl9L05NHsiTUgsS4g4oVMN7IbgPrrVnd_D4SyN/s16000/IMG_5138%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/02/book-love-welcome-to-oc-by-alan.html">Book Love: Welcome to The O.C. by Alan Sepinwall</a><br /></div><br />And now everything else I read! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVxTZt7UjyB961MRbm0rJqr-Q-ypVRu5SqcTKzth4u9HrNh9gK357ENj2nsfDwBHsKAKWJr0zr9EgXczlNaxpIqMIHA-BkIKNVAPpZHFAxkdQpepa67LLnlulauNtJR-vgx7QeV-vWD9FLUU_Mcr-NIZhoZoJjx640Fo6wGSDakp-lEdiz7BDb7wf1VAw/s506/Reading%20Recap%20Feb%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVxTZt7UjyB961MRbm0rJqr-Q-ypVRu5SqcTKzth4u9HrNh9gK357ENj2nsfDwBHsKAKWJr0zr9EgXczlNaxpIqMIHA-BkIKNVAPpZHFAxkdQpepa67LLnlulauNtJR-vgx7QeV-vWD9FLUU_Mcr-NIZhoZoJjx640Fo6wGSDakp-lEdiz7BDb7wf1VAw/s16000/Reading%20Recap%20Feb%202024.jpg" /></a></div><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63899031-top-story">Top Story</a></i> by Kelly Yang</b><br />This is the 5th book in a middle grade series about very precocious pre-teens (or they might be 13 by now) who manage to get away with a lot. This is largely based on the author's real life experiences growing up as an immigrant in South California in the 80s and 90s but much of it really seems like a stretch (could a handful of kids really self-produce a newspaper in a matter of days that had big city newspapers concerned about their competition?? I don't think so.). But I still mostly keep rooting for these kids. <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60139504-how-to-keep-house-while-drowning"><i>How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing</i></a> by K.C. Davis</b><br />This is a book about keeping house when either your brain isn't inclined to think that way or if you are so over whelmed with life that you can't focus on what needs done. It breaks down the very small steps you should take when very small steps are all you can handle. This was a helpful read for those instances but maybe also for understanding people you live with who might process things like messes differently than you. <b>4 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157062582-the-mystery-guest">The Mystery Guest</a> </i>by Nita Prose</b><br />A follow-up to <i><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/03/reading-recap-february-2022.html">The Maid</a></i> and another good page turner. I don't read many mysteries so I didn't figure it out any sooner than the characters but it was also just a fun time getting to the answers. Worth reading if you liked <i>The Maid</i>. <b>3.75 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/103516977-wear-it-well">Wear it Well: Reclaim Your Closet and Rediscover the Joy of Getting Dressed</a> </i>by Allison Bornstein</b><br />I had it on my list to clean out my closet and dresser and so this was good timing to read shortly before doing that. It helps with naming your style and addressing what you need to dress like that. I named my style while I was reading it...and now already forget 2 of the 3 words. Hahaha, but I was inspired while reading it! 3.5 Stars<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58100280-the-cheat-sheet">The Cheat Sheet</a> </i>by Sarah Adams</b><br />I specifically read this Super Bowl weekend since I had heard it recommended in light of the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance. This book was written before all that was in the news but it was about a long-time friendship between a retired ballerina and pro-football player. It was cute but also felt like the version of the NFL that exists in the world where East High from High School Musical wins the state basketball championship. <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25893693-lilac-girls"><i>Lilac Girls</i></a> by Martha Hall Kelly</b><br />World War II fiction about 3 women, one helping refugees from New York, a German working in the concentration camp, and a woman forced to be in the concentration camp. I realized real quick this wasn't a good book to read right before bed because...it just wasn't relaxing. Important to know these stories and I am glad I read the book, as hard as it was at times. <b> 3.75 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62699937-play-for-me">Play for Me</a></i> by Libby Hubscher</b><br />Romance set at a New England boarding school between a female trainer and male orchestra director who don't really see eye to eye at first. It was fun and the boarding school setting was different. <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60372318-all-about-cookies">All About Cookies: A Milk Bar Baking Book</a> </i>by Christina Tosi</b><br />Not a big fan of cake, I've decided that cookies are about my favorite dessert. It's just so satisfying to eat a good cookie. We've gone to the Milk Bar our last 2 times in New York and in Las Vegas. Her compost cookies are some of my favorites so I was interested in a cookbook of just cookies. I marked quite a few of these to try but she also heavily encourages experimenting further with her recipes which is fun. <b>4 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44595007-indistractable">Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life</a> </i>by Nir Eyal</b><br />This was our book club book for February and one that I had suggested. I still find I can get very distracted, even on these days I am home alone. Some good research into how important it can be to singularly focus on one tasks as well as many tips to try to be able to do that (ignoring your phone is obviously a big one). 3.75 Stars<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60197314-betting-on-you">Betting On You</a> </i>by Lynn Painter</b><br />YA romance that drug on just a little too long for me. I know these are teenagers but, again, maybe talking once in awhile about real feelings would be helpful. It was fun and a page turner but could have used just a little more editing down I think. 3 Stars<br /></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61273814-the-house-is-on-fire"><i>The House is on Fire</i></a> by Rachel Beanland </b><br />I was a bit reluctant to pick this one up just because it didn't sound that interesting even though I really enjoyed this author's debut (<i><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-love-florance-adler-swims-forever.html">Florence Adler Swims Forever</a></i>). I started reading this when I was sick which made for a slow start but then I really did have trouble putting it down. About a real fire that happened in a Richmond theater, during a performance, nearly 200 years ago. Followed the story of 4 people who were affected by it, including 2 slaves, a stage hand, and a theater goer. Author's note at the back was especially worthwhile (she talks about which characters were heavily based on real people). <b>4 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><u>Read with Luke and/or Sam</u></b><br /><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62870434-the-adventurous-arctic-fox">The Adventurous Arctic Fox</a></i>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55575872-the-helpful-hedgehog"><i>The Helpful Hedgehog</i></a> by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams</b><br />I have been reading these aloud to Sam since last fall and he just loves them. We gave him a few for Christmas and a few more for Valentine's Day and he just got so excited, it was adorable. Sweet enough stories and I think in a few years he'll be able to read them to himself! <b>3.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43545020-harry-potter-and-the-goblet-of-fire">Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</a></i> by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay</b><br />I started reading this to Luke before Thanksgiving and we just finished it. You all, reading Harry Potter books out loud takes some time! A single chapter could take 30 minutes! But it really has been so fun to share with him. I've read this book to myself multiple times and it never made me cry. But, somehow, reading it aloud to my son made me get choked up more than once. Mostly towards the end and I had a bad cold (or the flu) when we were at those points so I could pass it off in a coughing fit but I was surprised at how emotional it made me. We have 3 big books ahead of us so I can't be sad yet about it nearly completion, it'll take us another year, at least!<b> 4.5 Stars</b></p><p><b>What have YOU been reading lately?<br /></b></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-79047338104052550622024-02-29T09:00:00.002-05:002024-02-29T09:00:00.159-05:00Things I Like - February 2024<p><i><i><i>I always enjoy hearing what works for other people and I like </i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i>sharing
things I like, it's part of the reason I have a blog. I've been doing
these monthly posts for 10 years and they also provide a nice little
snapshot in my life at a moment in time! </i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>See more <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/search/label/things%20I%20like">here</a>! Some affiliate links may be included!</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></p><p>The flu bug finally hit us here so really the things we have been liking most lately are Advil, nyquil, the vaporizer, etc. BUT...the boys are back in school and I am sometimes breathe out of my nose so trying to get back to regular life!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoVsQcjSpKt8ULEhDww84XuzPV0trwcIkCDTW-zuv6TCFxoA_QfpGHx57bScB6QKY-2hGb6emfpGIL3X74nZz3JuIo940ervwjAfYM412SGSPtqqjW34E3GzIXaemT_HCpEGWJe64JCEbFHuZNHnAs5pLGF4uhJif5FQqjfp55TZt4mQHe0S2Px5DeYxU/s484/wooden%20Target%20frame.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="361" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpoVsQcjSpKt8ULEhDww84XuzPV0trwcIkCDTW-zuv6TCFxoA_QfpGHx57bScB6QKY-2hGb6emfpGIL3X74nZz3JuIo940ervwjAfYM412SGSPtqqjW34E3GzIXaemT_HCpEGWJe64JCEbFHuZNHnAs5pLGF4uhJif5FQqjfp55TZt4mQHe0S2Px5DeYxU/s320/wooden%20Target%20frame.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i> </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><br /><b>1) <a href="https://www.target.com/p/5--34--x-7--34--rounded-rectangle-wood-table-frame-natural---threshold--8482-/-/A-86325304">Rounded Rectangular Frame</a></b><br />A small frame in our bedroom has been somewhat broken for years but when I was getting all the normal decor back out after Christmas, I decided that it was broken enough to get rid of and replaced it with one of these. I like the wood tone and the rounded edges is something just a little different. I bought 2 more just to have. <p></p><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViozhh8EDw1it-P1zpPoZsqpbQuJH8TQQCikw2E6RVLwMpAHeZ3CYyUUcXjMY_0F0vVQwjSpYjG922yU3H-b4ArXSUZD0CalS_8qloN5K5QoyzviTCFTco2brCPTNwIredaiS71T8ygGuh-9Cy8BB4NJJLqI9StmZ4oBIwpxQeKqFmP4bHpjcs7O3yjuv/s586/koala%20cookies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="285" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViozhh8EDw1it-P1zpPoZsqpbQuJH8TQQCikw2E6RVLwMpAHeZ3CYyUUcXjMY_0F0vVQwjSpYjG922yU3H-b4ArXSUZD0CalS_8qloN5K5QoyzviTCFTco2brCPTNwIredaiS71T8ygGuh-9Cy8BB4NJJLqI9StmZ4oBIwpxQeKqFmP4bHpjcs7O3yjuv/s320/koala%20cookies.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><b>2) </b><a href="https://www.target.com/p/lotte-small-koala-cookies-1-45oz/-/A-82397231#lnk=sametab"><b>Koala Cookies</b><br /></a>I found these last fall and they have become the boys' usual Friday lunchbox dessert (I split the box between them). I've stolen more than one when packing their lunches and they are pretty good. Chocolate filled little cookies. Maybe I should buy some just for myself sometime... (We got Matt a box of the <a href="https://www.target.com/p/lotte-small-koala-strawberry-cookies-1-45oz/-/A-82397331">strawberry filled ones</a> for Valentine's Day and he liked those too.)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavZuvsUDETTCKDkDzPpUm-dRNyOusH_rzAMgfw5rC7Iiflt1cB7hWPU9Bsl4ynn_8547n93nR3oGqHDmEhZUm1-UG44OH9rnmQYaMoI1mli5RkoBwCX1UzZEiKspCqAawRV2tVpNl3ecjao2pnAGS5e1lgDTE4lqcaKkAd7WXPx8cO80_m6SK6YMKAjxN/s368/green%20vase.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavZuvsUDETTCKDkDzPpUm-dRNyOusH_rzAMgfw5rC7Iiflt1cB7hWPU9Bsl4ynn_8547n93nR3oGqHDmEhZUm1-UG44OH9rnmQYaMoI1mli5RkoBwCX1UzZEiKspCqAawRV2tVpNl3ecjao2pnAGS5e1lgDTE4lqcaKkAd7WXPx8cO80_m6SK6YMKAjxN/s320/green%20vase.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><b>3) <a href="https://www.michaels.com/product/46-green-white-ceramic-vase-by-ashland-10731911">Green color dipped vase</a></b><span><b> </b> </span><br />I've been working (a little) on this gallery wall and when I ordered 20 frames for it, I got some Michael rewards to use. Some browsing on their site led me to this vase which I immediately liked and bought pretty soon after that (with the sale and rewards, I got this + the next time for a whole $4). I think it's fun shades for spring. I liked it much more than the "blue" one (which looked more purple to me). <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz6PK3F9n1KMbj2mafcNoeCKJFfs9rK2Ai1pmiKlyhaN6mr1ZbaZ22NVxH3Y2rhLLDU322l-Ao4LW8mGcRB5EwhFxwUAw4eYw9R-4msnK59yMbRLcHs7nx6skdPtTF7l1muzupkw6GsEpkZ5ceguqI2u6as_h8Gx_rIzVR_d5X-qot8Xd5ze5SwBL25Le/s449/wreath.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="428" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz6PK3F9n1KMbj2mafcNoeCKJFfs9rK2Ai1pmiKlyhaN6mr1ZbaZ22NVxH3Y2rhLLDU322l-Ao4LW8mGcRB5EwhFxwUAw4eYw9R-4msnK59yMbRLcHs7nx6skdPtTF7l1muzupkw6GsEpkZ5ceguqI2u6as_h8Gx_rIzVR_d5X-qot8Xd5ze5SwBL25Le/s320/wreath.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><b>4) <a href="https://www.michaels.com/product/st-patricks-day-welcome-wreath-wall-decor-by-celebrate-it-10732907">St. Patrick's Day wreath</a></b><br />Somehow I've started hanging wreaths on our back door too and it still gives me a little jolt of seasonal joy every time I go through that door (which is multiple times a day). I just switched to this one for St. Patrick's Day, a holiday Matt never mind that I shop for (he has no complaints about any Halloween or St. Patrick's Day decor...any other holiday doesn't need anything, according to him). Do I need extra things? No. But it's fun.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdOwQYyEW-m3qc8aqyySwSTooYz22VAVJgIZJUOF6YIpqISlG2pT3VQ52Pg4aKn6CKpQcVSfZnWNbJl529dFul_ih_onvhcCHakJTNn17HsoYBPAs9QYf65WbCVMT_Z1IRJxvGKF8WemkZIRRlmOfJ7INFsatJyJf4wfJ_NH7apLDdQ1T_sWykpNrP5CI/s512/favicon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdOwQYyEW-m3qc8aqyySwSTooYz22VAVJgIZJUOF6YIpqISlG2pT3VQ52Pg4aKn6CKpQcVSfZnWNbJl529dFul_ih_onvhcCHakJTNn17HsoYBPAs9QYf65WbCVMT_Z1IRJxvGKF8WemkZIRRlmOfJ7INFsatJyJf4wfJ_NH7apLDdQ1T_sWykpNrP5CI/w200-h200/favicon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><b>5) <a href="https://go.gethealthyutv.com/a52616/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiArfauBhApEiwAeoB7qFxvlN4iJanPVhbNyMIJzdP_1gCEDFXG2dxdcXwSEC0UgTOQzXiX9hoCgPYQAvD_BwE">Get Healthy U TV</a></b><br />I had been doing the same workout most week days for....way too long. I knew I needed to change it up but it just felt like way too much work to figure out what I should change it too. When Janssen talked about a deal to get a year of workout videos for 86 cents...I figured that was a good place to start! I signed up and then it took me a few weeks to figure out how to get the workouts on our apple tv (turns out...really easy) but since then...I have been loving these workouts. Not really in the last week being sick but before that I really did benefit from them. I was nearly immediately sore, knew I was working muscles in ways I hadn't before. I switch up my workouts constantly, usually picking a couple options the night before, depending on how much time I think I'll have. I especially like the Barre and HIIT workouts, usually doing around 22 minutes on week day mornings. (Although there are at least a few mornings a week I just get in 12 minutes). A year now costs $1.49 which is still a steal and definitely worth trying out for that price. There are just so many options at so many length and difficulty levels. <i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i> </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></p><p><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><b>What have YOU been liking lately??<br /></b></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-5142982652623306432024-02-20T09:00:00.061-05:002024-02-20T09:00:00.247-05:00Book Love: Welcome to The O.C. by Alan Sepinwall<p><i>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, links for
which are included within this post, at no additional cost to you.
Thanks for helping support this blog! Of course, utilize the library
or shop used or from an independent bookstore if you prefer!</i> </p><p>There are few non-fiction genres that I enjoy reading quite like behind the scenes of something. I read a fair amount of self-improvement type, parenting, time management, etc. and I appreciate so much of what I've gotten out of those but none of them are quite as fun to read as the history of a show I know so well.</p><p>Years ago I made a list on my phone of my top 10 favorite tv shows and top 10 favorite movies. I do not know why I felt the need to do this besides the fact that I do LOVE a list. I haven't updated my movie list since 2021 or my tv list since 2022 but looking at it...my top 5 shows would still be the same: <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/12/book-love-ill-be-there-for-you-one.html"><i>Friends</i></a>, <i><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-love-office-by-andy-greene.html">The Office</a></i>, <i>Cougar Town</i>, <i>The OC</i>, and <i>Hart of Dixie</i>. I have read and really loved books about Friends and The Office and I even told Matt that I really wanted an oral history of The OC so basically I manifested this book into being. </p><p>I can't talk about this book without first talking about my history with The OC. It came out the summer of 2003 as I was going into my junior year of college when it started and I cannot over emphasize what a BIG deal it became. I distinctly remember my favorite accounting class having a big discussion about it every Thursday or whatever (I think it was a Tuesday/Thursday class?) every week after the new episode. Everyone (except apparently me) was watching this in the first season. </p><p>I picked it up somewhere in the spring of my senior year when I was home for spring break and the rest of my family was at school or work. Matt's break didn't line up with mine so he mostly wasn't available either so I spent the daytime hours that week watching the first season of <i>The OC</i> on DVDs that I checked out from the library, one disc at a time. Somehow Matt got me to start watching it even though he wasn't around when I was going back to season 1. I think maybe we watched some season 2 VHS episodes him and his sister had recorded off the tv and then I had to go back and catch up. The big season 3 finale aired while we were on our honeymoon and I had to watch the VHS recording when we got home. (VHS recordings apparently played a big part in my <i>The OC</i> experience<i>.</i>)</p><p>The show went off the air in our first year of marriage but it was still one I could pickup and watch reruns of once I owned the DVDs (I still own all 4 seasons!). It's not a purely comfort rewatch like <i>Friends</i> and <i>The Office</i> but it so perfectly nostalgic for the end of my college years and transition to adulthood, even though it was largely about teenagers (largely played by actors older than me). When we went to <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2010/08/california.html">Southern California</a> in 2010 we stayed in Redondo Beach largely because that's near the pier where they filmed <i>The OC</i> beach scenes. We even ate pancakes at the diner where the kids ate pancakes in the show. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTw_hDKTQjmhBP3gp9xmFqlc5uKhGAaBxDWaAKUjOq8ZiUDG3gByZzpXRk2D3VYQT3UatLi4jp2sB4i5A29BrRxa87D8E-eCigA9bCF8DxFS2T_IkU-R1QpFIq10B4QO1yMa5YvoYkdR_GHIV4U2U8mD0yl5udewArfbgCB1aCA3pTRUvepMcOutwggah/s600/California%200151%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTw_hDKTQjmhBP3gp9xmFqlc5uKhGAaBxDWaAKUjOq8ZiUDG3gByZzpXRk2D3VYQT3UatLi4jp2sB4i5A29BrRxa87D8E-eCigA9bCF8DxFS2T_IkU-R1QpFIq10B4QO1yMa5YvoYkdR_GHIV4U2U8mD0yl5udewArfbgCB1aCA3pTRUvepMcOutwggah/s16000/California%200151%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>All this to say, as soon as I heard about this book, <a href="https://amzn.to/42O2uGL">Welcome to The OC bu Alan Sepinwall in conversation with Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage and the Cast & Crew</a>...I knew I was going to read it. It's the book I picked Matt to give me for Christmas (I love him dearly but we both don't trust him to pick out books for me. Although if he knew this existed he probably would have picked it for me.). I was already listening to <i>The OC</i> rewatch podcast with two of the cast members (Summer & Julie on the show) and was enjoying hearing the behind the scenes and I was definitely up for more.</p><p>The book covers how the show got made with a 27 year old show runner (SO YOUNG), how excited people were about it, the casting process, how most of the "teenagers" were already in their 20s. I had heard large parts of this before between different oral history articles and the podcast but this was a slightly more unbiased retelling. </p><p>A large part of the book is just covering how the show was started and the first season. The first season had 27 episodes which could be a show's entire, full run now, over multiple season. They burned through A LOT of story without a lot of thought of how that might affect future seasons of the show. And 27 episodes is A LOT of episodes to make especially while most of the cast is shooting to super stardom at the same time. </p><p>The other large focus of the book is the problem that was season 3, widely considered to be the worst season of the show. The BIG cliffhanger at the end of that season got a lot of pages. So many pages. Although, I think, that death really revitalized the show for the final 4th season. But killing off a main cast member is a big decision and this was heavily covered.</p><p>Much less time is given to possibly my favorite season - 4, the final one. It does feel much more light hearted and goofy than any of the previous three but you could also tell that many of the actors were just done with being on a tv show. However, those episodes are pretty delightful and some of my favorite to pop in for a rewatch. After how detailed earlier parts of <i>The OC</i> were covered, I was a bit let down by how quickly the end was wrapped up. Really feels like it could have been fleshed out a bit more but maybe the book rushed through it because that's pretty much how it happened in real life too.</p><p><i>The OC</i> doesn't have the cultural staying power that something like <i>The Office</i> or <i>Friends</i> does but it was a huge show among the age group we now call Millennials when it was airing 20 years ago. Sure, it's dated (flip phones!) but the coming of age story is something we can all resonate with to some extent, even if we aren't didn't do it in sunny Southern California. If you watched the show with any regularity, I highly recommend this book. Even reading about some of the tougher times, it really was just so much fun to pick up and relive. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJg1prVIncsX_dBUM5noZMcYYgqLheq5Tfw-NMG3WICt2IIFYsBX3axSjpBbt8n3rD-lJg9bWN8CoD7bKi2CW7qFU3fSlJ-eF6UsJBxqlssbBuKDoAWCIbYwwmYPZ_z1Mh4M7T5Dwou8HgXlwJ7H345kYUC3fG_CIO2u9p4iu0vjC4plr8ioWl_3sjt5Q/s450/IMG_5138%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJg1prVIncsX_dBUM5noZMcYYgqLheq5Tfw-NMG3WICt2IIFYsBX3axSjpBbt8n3rD-lJg9bWN8CoD7bKi2CW7qFU3fSlJ-eF6UsJBxqlssbBuKDoAWCIbYwwmYPZ_z1Mh4M7T5Dwou8HgXlwJ7H345kYUC3fG_CIO2u9p4iu0vjC4plr8ioWl_3sjt5Q/s16000/IMG_5138%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-36075801204287857322024-02-15T09:00:00.072-05:002024-02-15T09:00:00.361-05:00Losing SAHM status<p>Last fall I lost the job that I had most wanted my whole life and that was being a stay at home Mom. Well, I guess the job I wanted most was to be a Mom and that still stands but for the whole time I knew to think about it, I wanted to be able to stay home with my kids. My Mom was home for nearly my whole childhood, she went back to full-time teaching my senior year of high school, and I wanted to be able to do that with the kids that we wanted and worked so hard for. And, luckily, I was able to do that for 10 years. </p><p> I quit my full-time accounting job when we were listed for Luke (Hahahahahaha at the confidence that we'd get a baby within a year, which we did the first time but then never again). I went back part-time for a few months before we got him and then promptly quit again, at the beginning of April, at the very end of tax season for accountants. I was then home with the boys, nearly constantly, for 10 years, 4 months. I continued to work very part-time for pay, working once every few weeks until Luke was 9 months old and then working about one morning a week, most weeks, through when Sam started school almost 10 years later. So I worked 1-8 hours a week most of the time and the rest I was focused just on being a Mom. Well, a mom and a very part-time blogger. </p><p>There were many days during those 10 years at home that I just wished for an hour of peace and quiet. Just a little bit of time I could focus on one single thing without being interrupted. And there were years when nap schedules worked out that I could do that but then there were also the years when the boys weren't napping and even with afternoon quiet time, I didn't usually get real quiet time (there was always a lot of chasing them back upstairs). I don't think I realized how much my brain appreciated some focus time until I started getting big chunks of it when both boys were in school last fall. All of a sudden my brain remember what it was like to do one solid thing at a time (although, to be clear, I still regularly get distracted by my phone). But that was also my life for 10 years, getting "my time" while they were sleeping, either in the morning, during naps, or after they went to bed. And, of course, Matt has been a very supportive husband so I wasn't solely on kid duty in the evenings. <br /></p><p>The nearly 5 years I had at home with just our oldest were a lot more unstructured and laid back than the nearly 5 years I had at home with our youngest, just because by the time we got our youngest, the oldest was just months away from starting school so our lives soon revolved around a school schedule. I was just telling my oldest yesterday that when he was a kid he often got to sleep as late as he wanted (which then gave us problems at bedtime) whereas our youngest was up and out the door before 8am some 800+ school days before he started school himself. </p><p>Our days were spent reading stacks of books, playing games (especially as they got older), coloring, running errands, having play dates, going outside as weather permitted, baking, housework, reorganizing the house, etc. A lot of the same things I do now, just alone instead of with a tagalong buddy. (I've lamented to Matt more than once, when he has a school day off to do his own homework and I'm working from home, that my days when I used to color and play Monopoly Deal with our youngest were A LOT MORE FUN than working for pay). We made play forts and played play-doh and picked up all their many messes. I was probably usually thinking about all the things I'd like to get done too and also not fully engaging as often as I should have. </p><p>They were hard years but I never once wished I was working full-time or even more than I already was. We waited years to be parents and it felt like such a gift to get to stay home with them, as much work as it was. And a lot of that work hasn't changed since they are in school. I'm still doing laundry and going to the grocery store and doing housework and cleaning things out, I'm just largely doing it alone (although my sister and I usually go to the grocery at the same time so a niece and nephew will often shop with me which is delightful). <br /></p><p>I know I was frustrated many days about not getting the time to blog that I wished I could have. And I still cranked out a lot of blog posts some years! I know I felt guilty every time they got daytime screens so I could work more or blog more. The years were not always easy, days could be very hard. But, now on the other side of that time, I am so glad I had that time. <br /></p><p>I also know that part of the reason that the shift to being home alone during the school day was particularly hard for me was that we didn't realize our youngest would, in fact, stay our youngest until he was almost ready to start school. I didn't know that the last time I did things with him, when he outgrew a stage, that that would be it for us. We wouldn't have a napping baby again or a toddler or dry out the cloth diapers over the dining chairs. I truly soaked in my last few months with him at home because by that point it was becoming obvious that that would be it for my stay at home Mom days. There were a lot of things to grieve at once late last summer which made it all particularly challenging. Getting to decide and know your baby is your final baby really is a gift. </p><p>It still feels like an adjustment at times, after so many years of planning my day around afternoon quiet time I am still reprograming my brain around NOT having that, not trying to have everything done before 1pm or something. I still get sad dropping the boys off at school, particularly on Monday mornings. I still lament that I do more work for pay now and I'm not spending my day playing games and coloring. There are some things easier, definitely. I get to read in silence. I blog in silence. The house mostly stays clean all day unless I'm decluttering. I can hear myself think! But I also get nostalgic when I see SAHMs out and about with their kids. Those years, especially the toddler ones, seem so long ago already. </p><p>Those 10 years I had at home with the boys were truly a blessing and I hope they remember parts of them as fondly as I do. Now we're in a new stage and this is fun too, just different. Does anyone dream of being a bookkeeper?? Probably not but it's an easy job to do part-time and mostly from home where I can watch episode of <i>The Office</i> while I work and still switch laundry. And I still have after school hours and summer and all the breaks with the boys. Having them both in full-time school was a HUGE change, especially for me and our youngest. It's been 6 months and I still haven't fully figured out how to structure all this child-free time! But I also appreciate when my brain can think a little smoother and, hopefully, I can focus more on them in the after school hours because I will have gotten plenty of quiet hours during the day. It's all an adjustment, just like life. It would be boring if nothing ever changed!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrB1HdspAqSRN__FmDMH22-50eBmih3ri5yTbbI1IhzHpO10BZ0YOCE7bJYWRO-fAaNttLCt6jR8UEwQOYonSOKOFcLx1fkJ3alZPArivXYnJpBbyPdsOETWx-xlc3prFPNVdrR8EB93O90dGPxeL30FGd9Om2OvcuNirPTeE-5S_JNBp-kGjR0_njsAa/s450/SAHM%20status.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLrB1HdspAqSRN__FmDMH22-50eBmih3ri5yTbbI1IhzHpO10BZ0YOCE7bJYWRO-fAaNttLCt6jR8UEwQOYonSOKOFcLx1fkJ3alZPArivXYnJpBbyPdsOETWx-xlc3prFPNVdrR8EB93O90dGPxeL30FGd9Om2OvcuNirPTeE-5S_JNBp-kGjR0_njsAa/s16000/SAHM%20status.jpg" /></a></div>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-58164829915780661622024-02-13T09:00:00.055-05:002024-02-13T09:00:00.240-05:00Book Love: Organized Living by Shira Gill<p><i>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, links for which are included within this post, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping support this blog! Of course, utilize the library or shop used or from an independent bookstore if you prefer!</i> <br /></p><p>There is no better time of the year to think about reorganizing your entire house than in January (I'd give runner up to August/September when school starts back up). I realize I am writing this in February but similar pre-spring energy exists. I don't think there is any other time of year we spend more time inside our house than in January & February. Add in that January 1st "let's change my life" energy (that apparently only exists for some people but it definitely does for me) and it's a time of year ripe for some change. </p><p>My TBR has been getting clogged up a bit and could use with a cleaning (it's the highest it's maybe ever been at 88 books although, removing picture books to purchase request from my library and I'm at 74...which I should read TWICE that many books in 2024 but am also always adding books) so what I read when is partially just how timing works out and library availability is another big part. So it wasn't all January energy that had me reading this book last month but it certainly worked out well.</p><p>The book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3HTeVHD"><i>Organized Living: Solutions and Inspiration for Your Home</i></a> by Shira Gill, covers a few things that I really enjoy and appreciate. The author compiled mini case studies of the homes of 25 professional organizers and showcased how they live, or even just how they organize a particular room. I know pictures of beautifully organized spaces can be found all over the internet but in the book it also has the organizers explaining some of their reasons, some of their challenges. Seeing how the professionals do it was really inspirational. <br /></p><p>Besides just telling me how to organize, another thing I really appreciate is getting nosy into people lives. I LOVE hearing or seeing how others handle and/or organize particular parts of their lives. People with similar lives than me, people with very different lives than me. I want to see how people handle after school routines and kids' snacks and their laundry room. That's all things I deal with too. But I also want to see how someone could live in a tiny studio in New York or London or really anywhere but particularly a big city. How people live a nomadic life out of a camper. Home things that are just common in other cultures and countries but not how we do it in America. Those aren't lives I have or likely will and seeing how they handle things that are similar and wildly different from me. People are just interesting and inspiring, no matter how much we have in common. <br /></p><p>Before I had even finished it I had reorganized a drawer in the bathroom and moved things around in our laundry area. I always appreciate a fresh perspective and anything that helps me find even a tiny bit more storage space in our small home is a win! This book got me to rethink just the general flow of our house as well as how some of the nitty gritty is stored. It was inspiring and such a perfect read for early in the year.</p><p>Is my house drastically different now? It is not. I'm not sure how much my husband and boys even noticed the changes. But I did. I can know keep my extra bars of soap in the bathroom instead of 3 rooms away! That's not life changing but it is an improvement! Little things like that that just never occurred to me until I was presented with how other people keep them home. Use what works for me and just appreciate the pretty pictures in the rest of the book. </p><p>This was definitely a useful and fun read to start off the year and kick off some of that "let's not change our whole lives but maybe reorganize a drawer" energy. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zKGteP3w7t8UfBH6OgiDbZpx2Tryyg5n2h1GWXdsIRl_gU60ex1-QLiu0VrQmH8ZwfedtPc-Cw_V-KNHFymqTEpRys920B9qG2QDn-83bMZSO8AvisPulxmyzCW1Cxk3HnUXobsukrNsPHjfaaLoFAEH0AD7a4y8Ukseaavb2RFr8HxPoEzps2TRuZ2C/s537/2024-02-09%2008.25.02%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zKGteP3w7t8UfBH6OgiDbZpx2Tryyg5n2h1GWXdsIRl_gU60ex1-QLiu0VrQmH8ZwfedtPc-Cw_V-KNHFymqTEpRys920B9qG2QDn-83bMZSO8AvisPulxmyzCW1Cxk3HnUXobsukrNsPHjfaaLoFAEH0AD7a4y8Ukseaavb2RFr8HxPoEzps2TRuZ2C/s16000/2024-02-09%2008.25.02%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><p></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-82116588354908441732024-02-09T09:00:00.000-05:002024-02-09T09:00:00.142-05:00Looking back to January 2024<p>A pretty general consensus around the internet is that January was the longest month ever. Maybe it was just getting back to normal routine after all of Christmas and the different days that brings but it really was a month. It didn't help that our boys were home, what felt like a lot, the first 3 weeks back from break. Every week had at least a delay and an elearning day, sometimes more than one of either, which made it VERY hard to get back into a routine. Also to get momentum going on my jobs and various projects because no matter how much I planned my week, the school schedule would get messed up and all my stuff got pushed so I could be a teacher for the day. It was very frustrating. Then, when they finally had a full week back...I got a stomach bug which kinda knocked me out for 2 days. So January has been a month.</p><p>We're also back into wrestling season, Matt has a more intense school schedule (2 fewer classes but picked up 16 hours of clinicals a week), it's been a lot of cold which just makes me grouchy. However, we are about a month out from the end of wrestling AND it feels like decent weather is just a few weeks away. We will get there!! Trying really hard to stay optimistic and focus on the positive and it really is helping! <br /></p><p><u><b>Looking back: </b></u><br />
<b>1 year ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/picture-books-snowmen.html">Picture Book - Snowmen</a><b><br /></b>
<b>2 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/author-love-sara-ackerman.html">Author Love - Sara Ackerman</a> <br /> <b>3 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/20-favorite-picture-books-we-read-in.html">{20} Favorite Picture Books We Read in 202</a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/20-favorite-picture-books-we-read-in.html">0</a><b> </b><br />
<b>4 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/book-love-tree-grows-in-brooklyn-by.html">Book Love: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith</a><b><br /></b>
<b>5 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-whole-house-purge.html">The Whole House Purge</a> (I am never not in the middle of a whole house purge)<b> </b><br />
<b>6 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/01/front-room-shelves.html">Front Room Shelves</a> (still one of my favorite projects we've completed)<br />
<b>7 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/01/friday-five-5-things-im-doing-to-start.html">{5} Things I'm Doing to Start the Year Right</a> (still working on #1 but the rest are done!)<b><br />8 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-love-big-magic-also-why-i-think.html">Book Love: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert</a><br /><b>9 years ago:</b><b> </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/01/photography-part-2-do-something-with.html">Photography part 2 - Do Something With Your Pictures</a><b><br />10 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/01/office-renovations.html">Office Renovations</a><br /><b>11 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2013/01/things-i-like-january.html">Things I Like - January (I still have #s 2-5!)</a><b><br /></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheexd0kfFYiaxq9Fn3swHXhM4FyJAtHLlZnhvj_DCbFVLOVAh1js-21y46sNG-5pbXXBrW0qvHB3cJtCquVxnbnE7q_z_Obb56ts1ZW_xX1880O5tBP6fJs4b2d-3r9tfIX_Iz0B9qjIORev7R5ESDjcIUo-ds8BeHbEwOsMCMOpWpudt3_UcQSh0VlyZQ/s500/January%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheexd0kfFYiaxq9Fn3swHXhM4FyJAtHLlZnhvj_DCbFVLOVAh1js-21y46sNG-5pbXXBrW0qvHB3cJtCquVxnbnE7q_z_Obb56ts1ZW_xX1880O5tBP6fJs4b2d-3r9tfIX_Iz0B9qjIORev7R5ESDjcIUo-ds8BeHbEwOsMCMOpWpudt3_UcQSh0VlyZQ/s16000/January%202024.jpg" /></a></div><p>1) Donuts my first day back to work after break! I always LOVE a surprise donut day.<br />2) Family trip to botanical gardens where everything was still all Christmasy (this was over break) and it made me so happy. <br />3) I am in that picture if you zoom in.<br />4) Sam insisted on taking this picture of me with this tiny cactus.<br />5) Lunch at Electric Works downtown! Always fun to go there.<br />6) The long process of undoing Christmas. It takes me MANY days to get it all done, partially because I do a lot of decorating and also because I drag my feet quite a bit (it was all down mid-month!).<br />7) I was attempting to pack up a tub on our first surprise elearning day of the year...it maybe wasn't the best choice because then I had fussy kids about elearning AND a messy house.<br />8) Oh look...still undecorating. Someday I'm going to have enough bottle brush trees AND a space to display a big variety all together (I DO have enough bottle brush for that but not if I want them all over the house still!)<br />9) Had a pretty decent reading month though! That was good, the days the boys were in school at least.<br />10) The house feels so calm and clean once Christmas is put away! Plus, a rare sunny day.<br />11) Sam took this of me on an elearning day. I was doing my puzzle to distract from being grumpy about elearning.<br />12) Painting gone wrong. We were supposed to be painting SAM'S shirt (not on him) for 101 day at school (they dress up like dalmatians).<br />13) A date lunch! It still feels weird that we get childfree hours when Matt's off work.<br />14) My niece and I had nearly matching boots. Boots with the fur!<br />15) Tequilia sunrise, tastes like Chicago (at Matt's work holiday party which is always in January).<br />16) I ran so I got sorbet. It is a HUGE motivator in my runs. Also, not failing at my goals already in January.</p><p></p><p><b><b>Books finished:</b></b><b> </b>16! Good start to the year!<b><br />Miles ran: </b>2.15 miles! I RAN in January and it wasn't a horrible as I expected. I do not want to make a habit of it but I did it and survived!<b><br />
<b>Currently watching:</b></b> We're not in the middle of anything together! I'm still watching <i>The Office</i>, trying to catch up with <i>Office Ladies</i>. I usually watch that while I work...<b><i> </i></b><br /><b>
<b><b><b>Most read post this month: </b></b></b></b><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/reading-recap-december-2023.html">Reading Recap - December 2023</a> and then <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/06/new-york-city-4-days-1-2.html">NYC #4 - Days 1 & 2</a><b><br />
<b>Luke's current favorite song: </b></b><br /><b>Sam's current favorite song: </b></p><p><b>February is a shorter month AND is immediately followed by spring! That's exciting!</b> <br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-6831626530189670692024-02-08T09:00:00.074-05:002024-02-08T09:00:00.145-05:00{8} Things Saving my Winter - 2024 Edition<p>Winter is not my favorite. It's never been my favorite. This is mainly due to the cold and limited sunlight. I know I choose to live here for many reasons so I tolerate the winter but that's about as much as I can get myself to like it! We're about halfway between the calendar schedule of winter - winter solstice to spring solstice. As I've said many times, I consider March 1st to be the first day of spring so we are only a few weeks out! But I am linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy as I have for many years so here's what saving my winter, for these last few weeks of it.</p><p><b>1) Seat heaters in my car</b><br />I started a new workout series a few weeks ago which made me very sore for a few weeks. That, plus being cold, nearly all the time, has given me a new appreciation for the seat heaters in my Pilot. They make those early morning drives to school just a little bit easier AND help ease sore muscles a bit at any time of the day! I am never sad to have those.</p><p><b>2) Tackling small tasks around the house</b><br />In early January I made a list of <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/53-days-to-spring.html">53 things to get done</a>, 1 for every day from the start of school after break until spring. It has been SO motivating, when I have a few minutes to spare, to get these tasks, some of which have been nagging me for months or year, slowly checked out. I don't do one every single day, some days it just works to knock out a bunch, but seeing progress on what I've been able to do really has given some added purpose to my least favorite two months of the year. I LOVE spring but I am considering making a new list for that time too, just to keep me on tasks of little things that I'd like to have finished.</p><p><b>3) Working on a new gallery wall</b><br />This is one that I have been thinking about since I read <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/04/book-love-joyful-by-ingrid-fetell-lee.html"><i>Joyful</i></a> a few years ago and I am FINALLY making it happen. The frames are (mostly) en route to me right now and I've done multiple mock-ups on my computer of the pictures I want to print (and then have stared proudly at those mock-ups way too many times). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDqT19unrZdA3VvPIUpJlIB8evn4iMDf7SJ3wk1kRzt1q5WFZ-rvZV6S0VcWzBb_0F6MYny4NL0l8AhhQcrMvm3qiUgQ35H52O7a9InqVX1YV4Q6v3JvuDutCzKu6A9dEs_gFmYjMzb6WPSgLnTonfUTykyKtm7ADfrY94qBQHV6pc1UNbMnerMNQDYZ3/s1460/monops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="974" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDqT19unrZdA3VvPIUpJlIB8evn4iMDf7SJ3wk1kRzt1q5WFZ-rvZV6S0VcWzBb_0F6MYny4NL0l8AhhQcrMvm3qiUgQ35H52O7a9InqVX1YV4Q6v3JvuDutCzKu6A9dEs_gFmYjMzb6WPSgLnTonfUTykyKtm7ADfrY94qBQHV6pc1UNbMnerMNQDYZ3/s320/monops.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>4) <a href="https://amzn.to/3HXuP3D">Monopoly Deal<br /></a></b>With both boys in school I no longer get to spend my days coloring and playing games but when we have a bit of time between homework, wrestling, and getting kids to bed, I can usually rope at least my youngest into playing with me. Even if he's so vicious I almost cried our last game. (affiliate link there)<br /><p></p><p><b>5) English Breakfast Tea</b><br />I start looking forward to my morning cuppa about the afternoon before. I delight in it so much. I do make myself drink a full 24oz water bottle before I get tea, much easier on weekdays when I workout in the morning than on weekends when I don't, but that first sip of tea that's almost so hot it burns my mouth...I LOVE it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIObijmhz0xg7Ea7Yu_TbxjOb4Jo2bfU1ftEcw9RknKEG7ogUy1QaGqiCzJHTRQOVRu06XEvE7vDCStmiFwFkdC8ZQuFmtfLH4vzY3ZtvtteNKIvzhoBwXTRCocJj4ccCh53P8wCGcYhPWmYpkmwxhvd6yQdZRvZMGLlwaUfThQibNYNMYLqUXTc1Skw2d/s492/2024-02-04%2011.52.10%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIObijmhz0xg7Ea7Yu_TbxjOb4Jo2bfU1ftEcw9RknKEG7ogUy1QaGqiCzJHTRQOVRu06XEvE7vDCStmiFwFkdC8ZQuFmtfLH4vzY3ZtvtteNKIvzhoBwXTRCocJj4ccCh53P8wCGcYhPWmYpkmwxhvd6yQdZRvZMGLlwaUfThQibNYNMYLqUXTc1Skw2d/s320/2024-02-04%2011.52.10%20edit.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p></p><b>6) Reading</b><br />Always. On the days I come right back home from drop-off, I try to read for about an hour before I dive into anything else. I mean, I'll finish cleaning up the kitchen or eat breakfast if I didn't get a chance to and things like that but before diving into work or writing a blog post or anything, I read. So every time I say I feel really behind on everything...I mostly mean feel really behind on everything besides reading. <br /><p><b>7) Scheduling Posts</b><br />My sister and I are on the committee for kids' school's dinner auction, we handle all the marketing. This is our second year and it's more manageable this year! Part is that we've done it all before but also because late in the game last year I learned that we can schedule posts on the socials and that is seriously saving me. I've been batch posting and scheduling out things so I can do this when I have a little more energy and not at 9pm when I realize I hadn't posted what I meant to yet for that day. It is making it so. much. easier. And I can do this all on my computer which is nice too so the auction work doesn't use up the time I've allocated for myself for Instagram each day! (I know the password to bypass this limit but if I don't have it kick me out it can easily get out of hand.)</p><p><b>8) Planning for Summer</b><br />I spent January booking some things for summer and I was just texting with Matt earlier today about some more plans. This will be a strange summer with him still in school but having some things to look forward to, getting in some camping trips per usual, helps give me something to look forward to. Also, just know from experience that the summer will fly by so making some intentional plans now really helps us make the most of that time!<br /></p><p><b>That's a few things making these cold, dark months a little easier. How about you?</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href=" https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/02/9-things-saving-my-winter-2023-version.html">Winter 2023 List<br />Winter 2022 List<br />Winter 2021 List</a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/02/6-things-saving-me-this-winter.html">Winter 2020 List</a><br />
<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/what-is-saving-my-life-right-now.html">Winter 2019 L</a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/what-is-saving-my-life-right-now.html">ist</a><br />
<a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/02/7-things-saving-me-this-winter.html">Winter 2018 List</a><br />
<a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/02/8-things-saving-me-this-winter.html">Winter 2017 List</a></div>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-48936529864787490732024-02-06T09:00:00.128-05:002024-02-06T09:00:00.140-05:00Reading Recap - January 2024<p>Had a pretty good reading month to start the year! I always forget how much time CHRISTMAS and all the things takes up until it's all over. Feels good to be reading some books I mostly enjoyed AND chipping away at that TBR slowly but surely! <br /></p><p>I'm very active on Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/superstar5622">here</a>, somewhat active on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/superstar5622/">here</a>, and linking up with <a href="http://www.modernmrsdarcy.com">Modern Mrs. Darcy</a> on the 15th! </p><p>A lot of book posts in the past month: </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2023.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvB8M1C5L1be-fXX7Ys2jSrA_uY0-Gl0mc8wqi1AVWxx-nf1hwKnCk9dRmj8KzSCo_iInNgDKUWKeTB3CVvkYrFRovDYLpRy_Ubb3k_zRXDDGsB5jlJ7cROYCIxGer-SGqSZoWimk-UMbfMMeE52TWrpMDf5Qe-_TzGCrFCW5t3Oln0SfnYZJii9lt-r-/s16000/Favorite%20reads%20of%202023.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2023.html"> </a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2023.html">Favorite Grown-Up Reads of 2023</a><br /></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/reading-recap-december-2023.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4sL7KjUshp9IScdOhtx5o4D4Y9S6zBczfroQ9hrsL_8ijhCMjHWW9GIeKU9ikUmvJV2ah70OcvIaJ49CfvPjHk4ow7OyyWe5dxnJHC4Rm3oaLvTQFFlAzio8r1Pp5-BJQoxCfLH4vQJGps1cqIJ0P-3T2GxNkAPeNb1JPRT4_eNnBEfjPOw99bvv21iJ4/s16000/December%20reading%20recap%202023.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/reading-recap-december-2023.html"></a><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/reading-recap-december-2023.html"> December 2023 Reading Recap</a><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/25-favorite-picture-books-of-2023.html " style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-aQId-_Lqjmj-RddOgycjR0UBa4ZXnT9vo4c2hlaEQRGY5_tyo0-rJHGTllVKCoKDUhodXWDO56abT-DXLRLyYjDZx_jm3wY1qHflUZWflM-C-X6w_rdnBQfEBszw6mGV8veXSrKaj5KTuqPvU0i6UJNhcAYU2Iy3VdtsyFf90MRkG6N3KzSw4Gmpt1O/s16000/2023%20favorite%20picture%20books.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/25-favorite-picture-books-of-2023.html ">{25} Favorite Picture Books We Read in 2023</a><br /></div></div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/14-valentine-picture-books.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHC2P0HMgXcx_reP6_XSbdb0EbiusCp4zfym_uUog_REGv7eaE0nnLtM-4ygtIrz4nar8pwtW5ZkTlT8Vu-A8TihAVrOvjm4sA8V1tvuQCHCUpy9CyPDAQbH2JkC-Kw5rvlIWPYnChfS5gzBJ_WrMFvsf3JcjkbOlfMpwa9YiK4bbimsYF9alduUaoUSfk/s16000/2024-01-26%2011.38.19%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/14-valentine-picture-books.html"></a><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/14-valentine-picture-books.html">{14} Valentine's Day Picture Books</a> <br /></p><p></p>Now what I read in January:</div><div> </div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdBe5T29LQwuWRx3HfrfAtiXwQzDgxkgJFmaVNb4c8-yYsBjNkdmnoEIqhtVmu9o4HvI6qRexBAsgBHx6r01cQ5a71V0I6cQ6iYDgJPSNVaP9QRJzm2affu1KOJEfxTfai6ORtoNqCydpDIJmB079ANR_BtzoML6cW0AcIhsprRJSNi071VDnQ0xD0lPf/s450/January%202024%20reading%20recap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdBe5T29LQwuWRx3HfrfAtiXwQzDgxkgJFmaVNb4c8-yYsBjNkdmnoEIqhtVmu9o4HvI6qRexBAsgBHx6r01cQ5a71V0I6cQ6iYDgJPSNVaP9QRJzm2affu1KOJEfxTfai6ORtoNqCydpDIJmB079ANR_BtzoML6cW0AcIhsprRJSNi071VDnQ0xD0lPf/s16000/January%202024%20reading%20recap.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38357345-my-favorite-half-night-stand">My Favorite Half-Night Stand</a> </i>by Christina Lauren</b><br />I picked this as an easy read over Christmas break and it was that although a month later, I remember NONE of the details. Ok, read the summary. A bit cheesy and obviously knew how this would end. Maybe I'm just old or have been married a long time (both of which are true) but I do get a bit annoyed at couple in romance books that won't JUST TALK. JUST TELL EACH OTHER HOW YOU FEEL. <b>3 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125078664-nothing-else-but-miracles"><i>Nothing Else But Miracles</i></a> by Kate Albus</b><br />I LOVED <i><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/09/book-love-place-to-hang-moon-by-kate.html">A Place to Hang the Moon</a></i> in 2022 and was looking forward to her next book. This also takes place during WWII but set in NYC and not England. Three kids who are on their own while their Dad went to fight. But secretly on their own because the oldest brother is maybe 17, they aren't supposed to, legally, be on their own. Charming and I loved the sister's connection to the Statue of Liberty. It was not quite as charming as <i>A Place to Hang the Moon</i> but still excellent. <b>4.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65646968-mother-daughter-murder-night">Mother-Daughter Murder Night</a> </i>by Nina Simon</b><br />This had the vibes of <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/11/quick-lit-november-2021.html">Finlay Donovan</a> books but the mother-daughters here were not committing murder (accidentally or otherwise), just witnessing a possible murder and then getting very involved in the solving of the murder since the granddaughter was a suspect (and the one who found the body). A bit twisty, I don't think I knew the answer before the characters did so that was nice. <b>3.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112976857-the-good-part">The Good Part</a> </i>by Sophie Cousens</b><br />Ok, without looking closely at the cover, I thought this had something to do with hair and the front was scissors making a part. This might tell you how much I was paying attention. It had nothing to do about hair but a woman who is struggling through parts of her life right now, making a wish that she could skip all this hard stuff and just get to the good part. And then it happens and she has no idea what's going on. Her supposed 7 year old son is VERY suspicious of this alien Mom, she has to explain to this husband who she didn't know she had that she doesn't know him, etc. Was it really worth skipping the hard stuff to get to where life is supposedly good? I think this is my favorite of her books. Lots to think about. <b>3.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58024770-by-any-other-name">By Any Other Name</a></i> by Lauren Kate</b><br />A publishing world set romance novel where the twist is very obvious but revealed very early on. Felt a bit like an Emily Henry book but not exactly. I don't know, I wasn't very taken with this although it was a quick read. Under 300 pages I think. <b>3 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784759-beyond-that-the-sea">Beyond That, the Sea</a></i> by Laura Spence-Ash</b><br />Our book club book for the month and it was one I picked (each of the 4 of us pick 3 books at the start of the year and then we slot them in and have the whole year planned at once). A girl is set across the ocean to spend the WWII years with a brand new family while her parents weather the war in England. This girl spend ~3 years with this foster family while a lot of big changes are happening and she grows very close with them. Then the war is over and she goes back to England and those years in America have ripple effects on the rest of her life. There was a timeline at the bottom of the pages which was SO HELPFUL. Please, every book spanning long periods of time needs to have that. <b>4 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63876702-the-year-of-second-chances"><i>The Year of Second Chances</i></a> by Lara Avery </b><br />A young widower's deceased husband sets up a dating profile for her a year after he dies (really, he had just scheduled an e-mail for a year out telling her about it) because he wants her to get on with living. She has some terrible dates and some good ones. Finds some friends, grows closer to others, deals with her alcoholic mom and brother. There is a lot going on in her life. But maybe she'll have a second chance at love?? <b>3 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59251234-frizzy"><i>Frizzy</i></a> by Claribel A. Ortega</b><br />A quick middle-grade graphic novel I read on a Sunday afternoon. I believe a young girl with roots in the Dominican Republic but living in America (NYC maybe?) is struggling with her Mom over her hair. Daughter doesn't like making it straight. Mom thinks she'll fit in better if it's straight. An aunt steps in (I have a different heritage and different hair texture but I do many of the same things to my wavy hair that are described here.). A firming and uplifting. <b>3.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7926.All_of_a_Kind_Family">All-of-a-Kind Family</a> </i>by Sydnet Taylor</b><br />Another quick mostly Sunday afternoon read about 5 sisters and their parents living in the lower East Side of Manhattan at the turn of the 20th century (early 1900s). It was charming and quaint and oh so quick. But I do have the next book checked out to read...to myself again. <b>3.75 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005200-the-lost-library">The Lost Library</a> </i>by Rebecca Stead</b><br />A middle grade book that was fine. A burned down library and ghost librarians and a little free library with a dedicated cat. A few mysteries to solve and kids on the brink of heading to middle school. I read this so sporadically between other books, probably would have gotten more into it if I had read it less spread out. <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101160753-the-six">The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts</a> </i>by Loren Grush</b><br />This book especially hit after visiting <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/11/travel-cocoa-beach-florida.html">Kennedy Space Center</a> this past summer and seeing a real space shuttle and being near the launch pads where many of these women went to space from. Going through the late 70s and through the 80s of the first 6 women astronauts for NASA. Really focused on the space shuttle years since that's when these women were doing their first flights. Really went a bit deep into some of their shuttle loads (I don't care about all these satellites) and probably would have appreciated some of the things at KSC more if I had read this first (although it wasn't released until after our trip). It was fascinating and interesting.<b> 3.75 Stars</b><br /></p><p></p><p><b><u>Read with Luke and/or Sam</u></b><br /><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58592420-the-rowdy-red-panda">The Rowdy Red Panda</a></i> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43708864-zoe-s-rescue-zoo"><i>The Sleepy Snowy Owl</i> </a>by Amelia Cobb, illustrated by Sophy Williams</b><br />My 5 year old has LOVED this series. We read all 4 physical copies the library has and then one digitally. These are the 2 we bought him for Christmas. He was so excited to open them and then read them. We bought him 3 more to cover upcoming birthdays/holidays but then I'm going to have to purchase request the rest from the library. There are 24 in the series and they don't even have half! But sweet, easy chapter books to read with just him. <b>5 Stars</b>, per the 5 year old. <br /></p><p></p><p><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2421427.The_Last_Holiday_Concert"><i>The Last Holiday Concert</i></a> by Andrew Clements</b><br />I read this to both boys (Luke and I are still working through <i>Goblet of Fire</i>...it's a LONG book. Maybe we'll finish this month). Same author as <i><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/07/june-2022-reading-recap.html">Frindle</a></i> (which I also read them) but not quite as heartstring pulling. I would really like to see a school concert produced by the kids, at least around the 5th grade age. It would be entertaining and maybe then they'd hate it less. <b>3.5 Stars</b></p><p><b>What have YOU been reading lately??</b></p></div>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-24635050597209995812024-01-31T09:00:00.028-05:002024-01-31T09:00:00.141-05:00Things I Like - January 2024<p></p><p><i><i><i>I always enjoy hearing what works for other people and I like </i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i>sharing
things I like, it's part of the reason I have a blog. I've been doing
these monthly posts for 10 years and they also provide a nice little
snapshot in my life at a moment in time! </i></i></i></i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>See more <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/search/label/things%20I%20like">here</a>! Some affiliate links may be included!</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRcv7YO61FG8f3DdcbSZHJwEibM8lARl9w5tqAkDZC50DZHBIza9Tm8N_6FKydGqvUq7r6cOGd4Mh1SmLNsxOMIqMvf5Vgn6K0GiV82pI8bEwYUafzoPuT_XBpQLcvsu_irg3_mFPRCkKzIs8i3BYsTx8SMcO9dKWRDAZRvaBZ2qoKXti7qY-kRqMSOeF/s506/foot%20roller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="506" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRcv7YO61FG8f3DdcbSZHJwEibM8lARl9w5tqAkDZC50DZHBIza9Tm8N_6FKydGqvUq7r6cOGd4Mh1SmLNsxOMIqMvf5Vgn6K0GiV82pI8bEwYUafzoPuT_XBpQLcvsu_irg3_mFPRCkKzIs8i3BYsTx8SMcO9dKWRDAZRvaBZ2qoKXti7qY-kRqMSOeF/s320/foot%20roller.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>1) <a href="https://amzn.to/4bhqC8E">Foot roller</a></b><br />This was the item I wanted the most off my Christmas list, a fact I excitedly told my nephew when he gave it to me (and I had told Matt previously that if it wasn't marked as purchased on my Elfster, that he was going to have to buy it for me). I am rolling my foot as I write this post. I have rolled my feet while on a work conference call. I can roll my feet while doing nearly any seated activity, especially at my desk, and it just feels so good. I think this will be especially helpful when I am running more (although I ran yesterday!). I can't get anyone to give me regular foot massages (to be clear, I'm not giving them out either) but this is close to the same thing. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwpvHeFP3KLcen77XCfwhQGjvTjIQ9rPrNBxUFxU-Nf7wIbJTZZ1BF5SIkE0tGZ9t1C1sm4EY5vA2ar_dzAbeuCOABK41dj4pd9eOnNe8D6ITfGULXjNE0OFwPGHGBcBrfhNatO3XoQX5MpIrBGDoHL87kbDA4Y5beTBqWOQ_B27l7z_HBvxfUK98hla1/s483/tacocat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwpvHeFP3KLcen77XCfwhQGjvTjIQ9rPrNBxUFxU-Nf7wIbJTZZ1BF5SIkE0tGZ9t1C1sm4EY5vA2ar_dzAbeuCOABK41dj4pd9eOnNe8D6ITfGULXjNE0OFwPGHGBcBrfhNatO3XoQX5MpIrBGDoHL87kbDA4Y5beTBqWOQ_B27l7z_HBvxfUK98hla1/s320/tacocat.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><b>2) <a href="https://www.target.com/p/taco-cat-goat-cheese-pizza-card-game/-/A-79605686">Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza</a></b><br />We are very hit or miss when it comes to adding new games to our rotation. Monopoly Deal was a bit of a fluke last year. This is one I had heard good things about many times so I made it a family gift for Christmas and it was immediately a hit! I play the most with Sam but Matt will play if he's around. Luke isn't super into it but will play sometimes. It's easy to pickup and works for a wide range of ages. Like slap jack except you lay down cards (from face down in your hand so you don't know what they are) and say, in this order "Taco. Cat. Goat. Cheese. Pizza." and if the card you lay is the same as what you are saying right then, everyone slaps the deck and the slowest picks up the pile. There are 3 other cards with motion attached to them too but we worked our way into doing those. It's fun and easy.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26csccegna5fTsXfsSo2jRE79juxmrWUvWCLUWgNvJjTbNMCWLMiUw5fcC8nEr8LhbF1-IslKQwUZxoCDQRNkyFa4pTIw2WtpcKQXggSukXZVoFdZM05LTnWghepmHDbFwjPZ9Ww3f6u3BXq7DA8AgbnpkYDUxSvrV7NbJLZBnB0qJbEQvdN4P7QQVdM0/s515/us%20puzzle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26csccegna5fTsXfsSo2jRE79juxmrWUvWCLUWgNvJjTbNMCWLMiUw5fcC8nEr8LhbF1-IslKQwUZxoCDQRNkyFa4pTIw2WtpcKQXggSukXZVoFdZM05LTnWghepmHDbFwjPZ9Ww3f6u3BXq7DA8AgbnpkYDUxSvrV7NbJLZBnB0qJbEQvdN4P7QQVdM0/s320/us%20puzzle.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><b>3) <a href="https://amzn.to/3OlAXq1">Vintage US Travel Poster Puzzle</a></b><span><b> </b><br />I have accumulated enough puzzles at this point that I can really only add about one a year to my collection unless I want to get rid of some. This is one I put on my Elfster for Christmas and it was a fun one to do over Christmas break. Fairly easy to breakup the pieces into different sections and then tackle one at a time. Boys enjoyed finding places we had been on here too!</span><p></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRJ3U5EbSaSjCRiqlYs4PmC7fuIEbyxe77s_ZC6MfKXqH3wcXyO7T4v5XfFimcWlMJCcBTV3evylBhIMnhSU35ApSJLBVaC1Jx3hRauKTLBfRXa-qEfMstWsEvNhlfvy4Ikj5rFJTqAUGrttTfXUUfzvcydWYY_e7sg9ePAT_ppWFu2ODXC7P923kMd92/s406/magnetic%20cord%20ties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="406" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRJ3U5EbSaSjCRiqlYs4PmC7fuIEbyxe77s_ZC6MfKXqH3wcXyO7T4v5XfFimcWlMJCcBTV3evylBhIMnhSU35ApSJLBVaC1Jx3hRauKTLBfRXa-qEfMstWsEvNhlfvy4Ikj5rFJTqAUGrttTfXUUfzvcydWYY_e7sg9ePAT_ppWFu2ODXC7P923kMd92/s320/magnetic%20cord%20ties.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>4) <a href="https://amzn.to/3OhvRuT">Cord ties</a></b><br />Wrangling cords is not the worst part of having electronics in the house (that would be managing screentime for the boys) but it can be a pain. These were an impulse purchase but have worked out pretty well so far. And we could color coordinate some of them to help people (me) remember which cord goes to what (the boys' various watches and electronic robots and remote control cars...I don't know what goes with what!). I like an easy solution to a problem!<p></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEtPzjx-Js9BuKDoFn6qnkPtI0HasBhJT1gmdjMOh5omCo185Ecy92TKu6KB4fn9X6WH7bdKuyRQL2y5iGYSVC2psIJkBJmCIwLg4CnkdxuhnQhSgKblAwad1wbb4Nec0CB-_KAG50cHgh7KwGujEQss5e88C7xBR8nIb4hmNAGC6VW43RGRxQ8T6XyP5/s768/DP%20game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEtPzjx-Js9BuKDoFn6qnkPtI0HasBhJT1gmdjMOh5omCo185Ecy92TKu6KB4fn9X6WH7bdKuyRQL2y5iGYSVC2psIJkBJmCIwLg4CnkdxuhnQhSgKblAwad1wbb4Nec0CB-_KAG50cHgh7KwGujEQss5e88C7xBR8nIb4hmNAGC6VW43RGRxQ8T6XyP5/s320/DP%20game.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>5) <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dude-Perfect-The-Board-Game-Skills-Action-Game-for-All-Ages-5-Player-Game/2578089697?athbdg=L1100&from=/search">Dude Perfect Game</a></b><br />This was our main family gift and the boys were so excited about it. So excited they promptly launched a basketball into a return vent that bounced back so far, Matt had to tear apart basement duct work to get it out. We played this A LOT over break and it, like the Dude Perfect videos, is the perfect age range for our boys. There are sports challenges and spinning the wheel unfortunate and other things they do on the show. The only problem with the game is that the box needed to be a little bigger and come with some organization because there is NO good way to put it all away. It just ends up a mess. But, over break we didn't even put it away daily because we were playing it so much. We bought ours back in October or something but I happened to look at the Walmart listing in mid-December where it said it had sold something like 5000 copies in the last 24 hours. Crazy. <i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><br /></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><p></p><p><b>What have YOU been liking lately?</b><br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-53137080566913659932024-01-30T09:00:00.240-05:002024-01-30T09:00:00.130-05:00{14} Valentine Picture Books<p>Seasonal and holiday picture books make up a BIG portion of our picture book reading every year. I read 1,772 picture/board books to my boys last year and only about 700 of those were new to us. Meaning around 1,000 were rereads and while we do own a fair amount (you could say "too many") picture books that don't feature a specific holiday or season...a good portion of the ones we purposely reread every year are holiday based. I'd say somewhere around 700 of them (over 200 of those would just be Christmas) are seasonal rereads.</p><p>And, despite writing MANY book lists covering a whole hosts of seasons and holidays...I've never done Valentine's Day! I've covered:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span>{<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/18-winter-picture-books.html">18} Winter Picture Books</a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/03/12-picture-books-to-start-spring.html">{12} Picture Books to Start Spring</a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/04/21-easter-picture-books.html">{21} Easter Picture Books </a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/06/36-summery-picture-books.html">{36} Summery Picture Books </a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/08/12-picture-books-for-back-to-school.html">{12} Picture Books for Back to School</a></span></li><li><span>{<a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/09/9-picture-books-featuring-ghosts.html">9} Picture Books Featuring Ghosts </a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/10/9-pumpkin-picture-books.html">{9} Pumpkin Picture Books </a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/09/15-favorite-halloween-books.html">{15} Favorite Halloween Books </a></span></li><li><span><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-picture-books.html">{10} Thanksgiving Picture Books</a></span></li><li><span>And for Christm<span style="font-size: small;">as: <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-picture-books-night-before.html">The Night Before Christmas</a>,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-picture-books-reindeer.html">Reindeer</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-picture-books-christmas-carols.html">Christmas Carols</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-picture-books-mice-christmas.html">Mice & Christmas</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-picture-books-christmas-in.html">Christmas in New York</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/11/christmas-picture-books-saints.html">Saints</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/11/christmas-picture-book-flight-cookies.html">Cookies & Treats</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/picture-book-flight-christmas-trees.html">Christmas Trees</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-picture-book-flights-animals.html">Animals Celebrating</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-picture-book-flights-santa.html">Santa Stories</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-picture-book-flights-nativity.html">The Nativity Story</a>, <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmas-picture-book-flight-historic.html">Historic Christmas</a>, and <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/11/25-christmas-picture-books.html">{25} Christmas Picture Books</a></span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Valentine's Day is about the only semi-major holiday not covered! (Although, given the number of books we've read...I'm sure I could pull up some more niche holidays.) So, here we go with some favorite Valentine's Day books!<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span><i>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, links for
which are included within this post, at no additional cost to you.
Thanks for helping support this blog! Of course, utilize the library
or shop used or from an independent bookstore if you prefer!</i><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span><span> </span></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3UhNAXe"><i>Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch</i></a> by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Paul Yalowitz</b><br />This is my favorite Valentine's Day book, even though it's probably the longest on this list. Mr. Hatch is a lonely man who lives a lonely, repetive life. Then, on Valentine's Day, the mailman drops off a box of chocolates with a note that says "somebody loves you". Well, Mr. Hatch wasn't expecting that. He feels like a completely different person now that he knows somebody LOVES him. He bakes brownies for the neighbors, he chats with his coworkers. He makes friends. His life is all new. Then, the mailman comes back a few weeks later, tells him the box of chocolates was a mistake. They were supposed to go to someone else. Mr. Hatch is devestated to realize that nobody actually does love him. He tries to revert to his old, lonely, way of life only for his friends, coworkers, and neighbors to rally around him. The original note wasn't for Mr. Hatch but all of these people DO love Mr. Hatch. It's such a sweet story about reaching out. <br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3uc9zEb"><i>Snowy Valentine</i></a> by David Petersen</b><br />Jasper the rabbit is trying to find the perfect Valentine's gift for his wife. He's walking through the snowy woods where they live, stopping at many of their neighbors, asking what that gift should be. They offer suggestions but none are just right for Jasper Rabbit. He returns home defeated only to see that he accidentally made a ginormous Valentine for his love!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vIv8MX">Xo, Ox</a></i> by Adam Rex, illustrated by Scott Campbell</b><br />An epistolary picture book about a delusional Ox who falls in love with a gazelle from the movies. He, the Ox, keeps writing her love letters and does not get that she does not reciprocate. The confidence and perseverance of Ox is one that many parents have probably experienced with their kids (my kids never persevere better than when they are, repeatedly, asking me for something I've previously said no to). <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Ueru7I">Mirabel's Missing Valentines</a></i> by Janet Lawler, illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller </b><br />Mirabel has carefully made valentines to take to school and happily skips along on her trip there, passing many lonely or sad people. When she gets to school she realizes that her bag is empty. She's devastated that she can't share her valentines with her friends only to realize that all those sad and lonely people she passed along the way needed the pick me up that her dropped valentines brought. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/47KPgLO">This is Not a Valentine</a> </i>by Carter Higgins, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins</b><br />This book is NOT a valentine. It's not lacy or fancy or pretty. BUT...it will tell you where to find lucky rocks or the best hiding spots and about the joy of wishing for cinnamon buns. It's not a traditional valentine but it shares a kind of love all the same. <br /></p><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/49cpoK3">L is for Love</a></i> by Greg Paprocki</b><br />We own so many of Greg Paprocki's books and this one is a celebration of different themes of love and friendship with his charming drawings. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/490ErGI">Little Blue Truck's Valentine</a></i> by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Jill McElmurry</b><br />We also own all or nearly all of the Little Blue Truck books, even though, even my youngest is getting on the old end for these. Little Blue Truck is delivering Valentines to all of his friends on the farm, hoping he gets a valentine of his own!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/42cMrSq">Love Grows Everywhere</a></i> by Barry Timms, illustrated by Tisha Lee</b><br />A family grows plants to sell at their local market and learn about all the different ways love grows and can be shared. Kisses from Mom & Dad, songs from Grandma, playing with friends, a smile from a neighbor. Love shows it's self in many different ways!<br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/49aml4K"><i>The Friendship Book</i></a> by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin</b><br />Not a specifically Valentine's Book but the pink color and message let it sneak through as one. This is shares about friendship sort of love and what it takes to be a friend. We always like Stephanie Graegin's illustration, both of my boys will always point out that she also illustrated the Heartwood Hotel books!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4b4qFo2">The Love Letter</a></i> by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins</b><br />Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel are best friends and one day they each find a love letter in the woods. Somebody loves them but who is it? (This is, accidentally, the second Lucy Ruth Cummins illustrated book on this list!)</p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3HzC6GP"><i>Love Is...</i></a> by Diane Adams, illustrated by Claire Keane </b><br />A sweet story about a young girl who rescues a duckling, nursing it back to health. The girl grows to love the duckling but then has to learn that sometimes you have to let go of what you love in order for it to grow. A duckling can't live inside forever!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/48NGE8B">When an Elephant Falls in Love</a> </i>by Davide Cali, illustrated by Alice Lotti </b><br />Do you know what happens when an elephant falls in love? Probably not (DO real elephants fall in love?!?). Well, when an elephant falls in love they make some foolish choices, writes letters, and eats cheesecake. Reminder that the best things in life probably come with some waiting. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3ueAqzm">Consider Love: Its Many Moods and Many Ways</a></i> by Sandra Boynton</b><br />If you have children you've probably read some Sandra Boynton books (if not, look her up, she's great). Simple book that explores different forms and ways to love. Also, it rhymes. (It always feels like rhyming books read quicker.)<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3OkgW38">Plant a Kiss</a> </i>by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds</b><br />I've never read an even sub-par book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Here, Little Miss planted a kiss...and then watched it bloom. A reminder of the joy to be gained by being open and unselfish. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeaJewx1zgOoCSQBDm-Yh07WJJpQvUw1qZmVKr7s1SAHUZ7uMuE5ZnxJh1JnKMR62fsdZNeeBbCJM7QYg1sc3l0BP4nVbVo2diPgWDRccHlWN8Fi0LcZr60JNfPbnpNr3s_VoPz2Mp8YHnoCEgcERmHQPwj7bCUz4k3we9UhI3EIa3aPMXyqr7c2_riKv/s450/2024-01-26%2011.38.19%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeaJewx1zgOoCSQBDm-Yh07WJJpQvUw1qZmVKr7s1SAHUZ7uMuE5ZnxJh1JnKMR62fsdZNeeBbCJM7QYg1sc3l0BP4nVbVo2diPgWDRccHlWN8Fi0LcZr60JNfPbnpNr3s_VoPz2Mp8YHnoCEgcERmHQPwj7bCUz4k3we9UhI3EIa3aPMXyqr7c2_riKv/s16000/2024-01-26%2011.38.19%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-13652544398099866982024-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:002024-01-26T12:16:24.187-05:00Word of the Year: CONTENT<p><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/2023.html">2023</a> was, unexpectedly, a hard year for our family. The second half of the year, in particular, held a multitude of changes that just kept feeling like they were coming on after the other. The loss of my mother-in-law; Sam starting school ending my stay-at-home mom years; Matt going back to school; I picked up another part-time job; Luke picked up trumpet, serving at Mass, and is now in sports almost half the year. It was just a lot and some changes I feel like I am STILL adjusting too (it might be easier to adjust if the kids would have normal days of school in a row...we haven't had 2 solid full days in a row yet, 3 weeks in). But it's been a lot to take in.</p><p>With that in mind, I've been thinking about what my word of the year should be and then it hit me. <b>Content</b>. As in, being satisfied with life, not "blog content". Going into it, I expect this year to be a hard one, just with the simple fact that Matt will be in school all. dang. year. Plus, instead of having 2 days off to work on homework (and go on dates with me, help with school pick-up/drop-off AND be here to help with the boys' homework), he's now doing clinicals on those days meaning he has to fit in almost as much classwork as last fall but with less hours to do it. The last quarter of the year was A LOT of solo parenting on my part and I expect the same for almost the whole year this year. He's doing an intensive program that it taking a lot out of the whole family.</p><p>Then there is the whole turning 40 of it all (which also happened last year) and just the general life stage we are at with the boys' schedules and sports and on top of all of that...IT'S WINTER. (I hate being cold.) I knew, especially heading into January and February which would contain the bulk of the wrestling season, be cold, and the daylight so short (and so cloudy when the sun is up)...I needed to focus being <b>content </b>with life, even with all of it's challenges right now. Plus, I didn't realize how much Christmas was keeping my spirits up (the anticipation of it, planning for it, decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping, those 2+ weeks everyone was off) until I had to pack it all away about the same time everyone was headed back to school (maybe, sort of, when there isn't elearning). And now next Christmas is a really long time away.</p><p>It's so easy to dwell on the negative and what is going "wrong" in life. Does anyone get exactly what they expect? I am guessing not. I thought we'd have more kids, that I could handle all the schedules better, that homework wouldn't be the battle that it often turns out to be. I guess I just thought life would be easy? Hahaha. That's not the case for anyone. And there are things I can do to change my life circumstance but the biggest thing I can change is my own attitude. I can be <b>content </b>with where things are right now. Our boys are both still at home, at the same school together (I watch them walk up the stairs together every single day.). We are only dealing with ONE sports schedule (I was just telling Matt earlier today that the time will come when they might be doing the same sport but they will never overlap to be doing the same sport at the same school!). <br /></p><p>It can still knock me over to realize what a miracle it even is that we are a family at all. How easily either of them could have been placed with other families or kept by their birth mothers. It feels like it beats all the odds that they are brothers at all and the thought of that makes me weepy and so glad with how life has turned out. (Even if one or both of them have shouted in the last week "I wish you weren't my brother!" Do all kids do that? I don't remember ever telling a sister that but maybe I did.)</p><p>When I think about it like that, it's a lot easier to be <b>content </b>with how my life is right now, even with all of it's challenges. I don't want to wish away the next 11 months until Matt is out of school. We've talked many times about how old the boys will be then, even though it's just a year away. Nearly 7 and 12. What the actual what. (I am NOT coping well with the idea of my baby being 6 soon.) The boys will still snuggle up with me for books (the snuggling doesn't happen every night but I make dang sure the books do!). Sam will still hold my hand to cross roads. They still need us, very much, in their day to day life (although, as an adult, I am constantly surprised at how much I need my own parents still). </p><p>There is a lot of goodness in spite of all the challenges right now, for this year. Matt's year of schooling will be worth it, eventually, when he has a better work situation, comes home less stressed and exhausted (he's gotten a taste of that life with his clinicals so far...his new job will give him time to go to the bathroom at work!). The boys won't be home forever, a fact I think of constantly. Maybe it's a stretch to be excited about this year but I can be <b>content </b>and just <b>contentment </b>is a great feeling. Being <b>content </b>might be the bare minimum I can reach this year but that will be enough. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFd-ZcDQ7qOe-tMnDbq-AoQ1HnsPumcyDB7U-ze1HjO7UqpUe2TojMdwZYLO8S4NM1GQd3ylbaDfNtPjojXU7JLQPRSbWEnCIiiCurfGM9H0A5pYTZENfZdsTXCJg8PJhU6Cnaz0sVImRMkIiubHKbltNS5_d5fPY9x3ovDEXwqBx_15AvK27GDEQEStje/s600/2024-01-14%2009.59.46%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFd-ZcDQ7qOe-tMnDbq-AoQ1HnsPumcyDB7U-ze1HjO7UqpUe2TojMdwZYLO8S4NM1GQd3ylbaDfNtPjojXU7JLQPRSbWEnCIiiCurfGM9H0A5pYTZENfZdsTXCJg8PJhU6Cnaz0sVImRMkIiubHKbltNS5_d5fPY9x3ovDEXwqBx_15AvK27GDEQEStje/s16000/2024-01-14%2009.59.46%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><p><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/word-of-year-adventure.html">2023: Adventure</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/2022-year-of-fun.html">2022: </a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/2022-year-of-fun.html">Fun</a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/2021-small.html"><br />2021: Small</a><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/2020-early.html"><br />2020: Early</a><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/2019-discipline.html"><br />2019: Disciplin</a><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/01/2018-simplifying.html">e</a><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/01/2018-simplifying.html"><br />2018: Simplifying</a><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/01/2017-grace.html"><br />2017: Grace</a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/01/2016-living-intentionally.html"><br />2016: Intentionally</a><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/01/2015-curating.html"><br />2015: Curating</a></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-17835164580540054302024-01-24T09:00:00.186-05:002024-01-24T09:00:00.141-05:0024 in 2024<p>Christmas decorations are finally down (finished on the 15th...I would say that's the latest every but I know one of the first years we were married that I still had some things up in March...) so it's time to really start thinking about this year. Matt will be in school nearly the entire year (he'll finish right before Christmas 2024 and gets a few weeks off during the year) which just means this year will be a lot different than other years. Boys & I spend more time together and Matt's off (mostly in his office) doing his schoolwork. So this year just feels different but it's still going to be a good year! I am determined!</p><p>This is my 7th year of publishing one of these lists on the blog and I've mostly gotten a passing grade although never even hitting an A. May this year be the year!<br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/01/18-in-2018.html">18 in 2018</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/19-in-2019.html">How I Did</a> (25%) <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/19-in-2019.html">19 in 2019</a> | <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/i-got-passing-grade-on-19-in-2019.html">How I Did</a> (72%)<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/20-in-2020-list.html"><br />20 in 2020</a> | <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/how-did-i-do-on-20-in-2020.html">How I Did</a> (85.75%) <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/21-in-2021.html"><br />21 in 2021</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/how-did-i-do-on-21-in-2021.html">How I Did</a> (89.5%)<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/22-in-2022.html"><br />22 in 2022</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/how-did-i-do-on-my-2022-in-2022.html">How I Did</a> (86.4%)<br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/23-in-2023.html">23 in 2023</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/how-did-i-do-on-23-in-2023.html">How I Did</a> (79.5%)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFZP9CraYZtMj8TYrh8YXYWYQaQS20eC40oDFgX0ZKmqZsa1m4ofVY2_8Aa3HjLCMK1wXayaJ-5CLLvl34OK6lDzdwOvAJTE67AARuOja5hQkYneaWi4MIBDEwWAPKWejNDPQZDNFBec-P5XaU1lBnTqC0-v5Fs9-ByinQSidf6O3EETTi9pX0oK0hdSU/s600/2024-01-17%2014.15.03%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFZP9CraYZtMj8TYrh8YXYWYQaQS20eC40oDFgX0ZKmqZsa1m4ofVY2_8Aa3HjLCMK1wXayaJ-5CLLvl34OK6lDzdwOvAJTE67AARuOja5hQkYneaWi4MIBDEwWAPKWejNDPQZDNFBec-P5XaU1lBnTqC0-v5Fs9-ByinQSidf6O3EETTi9pX0oK0hdSU/s16000/2024-01-17%2014.15.03%20edit.jpg" /></a></div></div><p> <b><u>Inside Home Things</u></b><br /><b>1) Paint kitchen cabinets</b><br />Always good to start with where you failed the year before...I have a possible time blocked out for this though AND already have the paint for the lowers so I am slightly more optimistic this will happen this year!</p><p><b>2) Replace kitchen cabinet hardware</b><br />This one might be a little harder because I am still holding out hope that I can get the hinges moved inside the cabinets instead of mounted on the outside like they currently are. We'll see, either way I want to replace the pulls. It's still the ones that came with the house 18 years ago!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw38r1CSO38qSOe0Yg_REpkWZtGc21Ga4gSCJZRUAa98WpKEfHdK4ng5Nw3OJvxx7EZZUaMIGgHk6xIyNdZCNEFTsBD9M9cFqeYR6GrJ-AOZP7h4lMwP4d-37Wh3guXvnH4Ww5yxqkvvs5bXTmiAPUodZHjaogkjDBuoLHpLWDpdLC1Hi_82_QvJWe0sz/s450/2024-01-17%2014.15.56%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw38r1CSO38qSOe0Yg_REpkWZtGc21Ga4gSCJZRUAa98WpKEfHdK4ng5Nw3OJvxx7EZZUaMIGgHk6xIyNdZCNEFTsBD9M9cFqeYR6GrJ-AOZP7h4lMwP4d-37Wh3guXvnH4Ww5yxqkvvs5bXTmiAPUodZHjaogkjDBuoLHpLWDpdLC1Hi_82_QvJWe0sz/s16000/2024-01-17%2014.15.56%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>3) Make a gallery wall over the couch</b><br />This is one I've been considering doing for awhile and I think will finally do this year. I have frames kinda picked but need to do the math of how many I can fit. I've even had some pictures pulled for this in a folder on my computer for YEARS. (Although I did delete about half of those that I pulled all those years ago.) It might mean more frames to wrap at Christmas but would be exciting to finally do the gallery after I've kinda been thinking about it for years. (This is the wall the couch is on most of the year, we move it for the Christmas tree and then don't move it back until we're getting ready for the boys' birthday party in March.)<br /><p></p><p><b>4) Hang pictures of MIL</b><br />When my mother-in-law died last summer, my parents and sisters gave us a garden stone with a quote on it. I don't think I want to put it in the backyard but hang it on a wall in the stairs (it does have a hanger on it) and then hang two pictures with my MIL in them with it. (I've already printed one of them! The last picture we took of our family of 4 with Matt's parents.) Matt has approved this plan but we were waiting until after Christmas since there was something else hanging there then. </p><p><b><u>Outside Things</u></b><br /><b>5) Plant Dahlias</b><br />MAYBE this year they will take!</p><p><b>6) Run outside every month of the year</b><br />I have run every month, January - December, but never all in the same calendar year. I'd really like to do this and I WAS checking the 10 day forecast to see the possibility of it happening in January (I will not run in the bitter cold we've been having or on ice.) December is really the only other iffy month, I nearly always run, at least once, March - November and often in February. We'll see if I can make it happen.</p><p><b><u>Nagging Tasks</u></b><br /><b>7) Finish our will</b><br />We met with an attorney over a year ago, in late 2022, to start the process...but we've never finished it. We need to finish it. </p><p><b>8) Buy cemetery plots</b><br />Equally cheery...we've been talking about doing this ever since MIL died. Our parents will all be buried at the same cemetery so it makes sense for us to go there too...and I know it would, eventually, in DECADES hopefully, take a little bit of the burden off the boys if we got this taken care of.</p><p><b>9) Get a dumb phone for home</b><br />As we occasionally start leaving the boys home alone, we need a phone for them so they can get a hold of us. I want a dumb phone that can only text and call that we only give the number to a very select number of people, Matt & I, family members who live especially close, etc. </p><p><b>10) Sell a Lego Millennium Falcon</b><br />We bought a few a few years ago that have been sitting in our closet or under our bed every since. The Christmas we were engaged, I gave Matt one of these (neither version we have to sell) and it remains maybe the best gift surprise I've ever gotten him (this was when the internet was MUCH LESS HELPFUL for shopping than it is now!). We've been planning on selling one for months, we just need to actually do it. The price is 2-3x's what we paid for it! I even have a box it could ship in! (That was a holdup for a long time.) <br /></p><p><b><u>Food</u></b><br /><b>11) Try a new chicken recipe every month</b><br />I try to do a beef, chicken, vegetarian (mostly meatless pasta) meal rotation and we are severely lacking in the chicken recipes right now. And chicken is even easier to cook in the Instant Pot than beef! I need to find some more idea to round out our standards. Making myself try a different one each month is a start.<br /></p><p><b>12) Make a standard fall/winter and spring/summer menu plan with grocery list</b><br />I started this a few years ago, after <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/06/book-love-lazy-genius-kitchen-by-kendra.html">reading <i>The Lazy Genius Kitchen</i></a>, but haven't completely fine tuned it yet. (More chicken recipes would help.) I never got to the grocery list part of this and that would be very helpful. My current (not finished plan) is 3 sets of 2 week menu that we'd just rotate through. But I need to finish this up because menu planning is one of my least favorite tasks, even though I'm always glad to have done it. </p><p><b>13) Host 6 Cookouts</b><br />So close last year. This will be the year! Maybe!<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dzjYXcmeCFKxABmsPnVzWtJlxk10328OBPjglWHQaNNcxXYftWeWHtFvOEDDmNS14-Q0_qzOOGYX03RYxwUoZzX3SzVe5Zx6rNGcB2Rx76oGK8ohq4HBA7dgJh9Y0-Ee4g_I9NU8MCm77bTDq_TpjHj-VLzHNIGmg3g0CdPS079YVGDJuaex4EPzF_D9/s600/date%20Sept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dzjYXcmeCFKxABmsPnVzWtJlxk10328OBPjglWHQaNNcxXYftWeWHtFvOEDDmNS14-Q0_qzOOGYX03RYxwUoZzX3SzVe5Zx6rNGcB2Rx76oGK8ohq4HBA7dgJh9Y0-Ee4g_I9NU8MCm77bTDq_TpjHj-VLzHNIGmg3g0CdPS079YVGDJuaex4EPzF_D9/s16000/date%20Sept.jpg" /></a></div><b><u>Fun Things</u></b><br /><b>14) Go on 10 dates</b><br />We hit at least that last year. This might be harder this year since Matt should no longer have his day off every week (after 4 years!) since he has to do clinicals on those days but he has taken an extra day off (paid) work about every 3 weeks to catch up on schoolwork so we could still do some of these then. And there is also the times our kids are home too. I think we can get in 10.<p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKasQ3mOX1_HYQtFJ-DHBz9GI3n0d4s8EZ9tTK-vTZNI6do4F4ADr3cGEZ_eSB3lA5jp5_tpRwPP0JTDEVx5pN2USQTW2lyLM8cwmnPKL0x8F60hq5GzuNOZn1Js_2TJTV4utp7hJYizS8X1p_ApJLpsQs6lqjfnLtAOUUweUy-GhSQKQ0_QaI_nmh9NJ/s600/2023-09-08%2019.01.49%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKasQ3mOX1_HYQtFJ-DHBz9GI3n0d4s8EZ9tTK-vTZNI6do4F4ADr3cGEZ_eSB3lA5jp5_tpRwPP0JTDEVx5pN2USQTW2lyLM8cwmnPKL0x8F60hq5GzuNOZn1Js_2TJTV4utp7hJYizS8X1p_ApJLpsQs6lqjfnLtAOUUweUy-GhSQKQ0_QaI_nmh9NJ/s16000/2023-09-08%2019.01.49%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>15) Eat local once a month</b><br />This has gotten pretty ingrained into our routine ever since we started doing it years ago. We rarely eat from non-local restaurants besides the occasional fast food and have found many local favorites. <p></p><p><b>16) Finish 4 photobooks (2023, Luke, Sam, summer 2024 vacation)</b><br />Only one vacation this year with Matt's school schedule and I have the other 3 books nearly completely up to date! Maybe I'll spend less time on this this year.</p><p><b>17) Go to the Farmers Market 6 times</b><br />Last year we made it 4 times! I think we can up that a little this year, especially now that I know where both indoor markets are! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T37jUsEsbXSsgjJohz2roRLML3uD3K5j0lw-3kMF3pvlm_BztDah6gm1EfAOiwxhwITsIXJ0Aw8OAn4g3empuSU55Ohm3-9AUgQFSvpfeBNCDvv4fIaRio1B473dD904L8KVbYueppXcIvPhuyLT-EXTyfycayW1z6vOkzjwRGaX7yDRns4fSaJLfrfp/s450/2023-06-15%2011.01.43%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T37jUsEsbXSsgjJohz2roRLML3uD3K5j0lw-3kMF3pvlm_BztDah6gm1EfAOiwxhwITsIXJ0Aw8OAn4g3empuSU55Ohm3-9AUgQFSvpfeBNCDvv4fIaRio1B473dD904L8KVbYueppXcIvPhuyLT-EXTyfycayW1z6vOkzjwRGaX7yDRns4fSaJLfrfp/s16000/2023-06-15%2011.01.43%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>18) Get really good at family games we own but rarely play (1/month)</b><br />We got Monopoly Deal last year and played it constantly, almost immediately, to the point where we all got good at it very fast. That makes it easy to work into our game rotation. We have many other games we've never all developed that comfort with and I'd like it if we did. I don't know that there are 12 we don't play regularly but once we get through the unplayed ones we can circle back to ones we play but not super often. Plus, at nearly 6 and 11 (WHAT!?!?!?) the boys are good ages for this.<p></p><p><b><u>Helpful items</u></b><br /><b>19) Buy a grey sweater (to keep)</b><br />I have had the HARDEST time finding a grey sweater that I like enough to keep. The fit is always off, either too long or too short. I've bought and returned many because nothing has worked. It would feel like an accomplishment to find one I like enough to keep. And wear.</p><p><b>20) Dye a dress</b><br />There is a dress that I own that I like the fit and cut of but it is in a color that doesn't work with my skin tone. Too pastel and I need darker colors since my skin is so pale. I have the dress. I even bought the dye! I just need to do it (probably when the weather is a little warmer at least, for outside dying).</p><p><b>21) Figure out how to use Gmail better (clear-up inboxes)</b><br />Towards the end of college, I set-up a gmail address and that is what I have used for nearly 20 years. However, I have NEVER put the time in to figuring out how to best use it. One of the inboxes has 130 e-mails, some going back years (I still have one from a friend saying she can't make our wedding). I know there has to be a better organization system for this...I just don't know what it is. Also, there are places where I find TONS of realllllly old e-mails, like library notifications from years ago, that I thought I had deleted. WHY are those there????</p><p><b>22) Fix tags</b><br />I've been <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-big-project-photography-organizing.html">tagging my pictures</a> on my computer for many years. Windows changed how I can sort by those now so it's gotten harder to see where I've mistyped or accidentally combined some tags. Occasionally the wrong one pops up when I am tagging something and I've been intending to go back and fix these...for years. Probably need to start with writing down the wrong ones that I find. </p><p><b>23) Art books </b><br />This is a multi-year project with little forward progress. I have one kid who keeps asking to look at his...which has never gotten close to the printing stage. I'd really like to get these done. </p><p><b>24) Make a step on green project at school</b><br />What is that step? I don't know. But I am writing this after having done lunch duty at school and the waste is disgusting (who knew most kids won't eat oranges??? At least at school.). I actually have another meeting set-up with the principal next week (in the past by the time this publishes) so we'll see what we can get going. <br /></p><b>Let's see how this goes! If you make a similar list, I'd love to read it!</b><br />dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-34880501226692247772024-01-18T09:00:00.091-05:002024-01-18T09:00:00.140-05:00How Did I Do on 23 in 2023<p>Well, the moment of truth. I do not feel like this was my best year on this. When I wrote<a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/23-in-2023.html"> this list</a> last January I didn't know my husband would be going back to school in the fall which realllllllllly reduced the amount of time he had to help me with projects (putting it at basically zero). So I can blame part of this on that! But some of it was me too and how behind I got on so many things over the summer that took me basically a lot of fall to catch up on! I don't know my grade yet, let's see how it went! <br /></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l3H8K9IW8R8jLcCTmLB5MxguL3lwtDwI0RIgey0z7gOUV0f4o7jlf0wt-bqISbisZenlomf_qVdAu8Nh9ygJtaNnZEsshBdUlNiAik8PRVD-jS3xHESGtKG00R1MQQWG3fO-_v9jctALfkfwC5ImCSa8wyia3NhJ-a4Ifz3JR2n6uL2relEpGjEHx-pv/s709/IMG_4896%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l3H8K9IW8R8jLcCTmLB5MxguL3lwtDwI0RIgey0z7gOUV0f4o7jlf0wt-bqISbisZenlomf_qVdAu8Nh9ygJtaNnZEsshBdUlNiAik8PRVD-jS3xHESGtKG00R1MQQWG3fO-_v9jctALfkfwC5ImCSa8wyia3NhJ-a4Ifz3JR2n6uL2relEpGjEHx-pv/s16000/IMG_4896%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>Inside Home Things</b><br /><b>1) Reorganize bottom of basement stairs (100%)<br /></b>This was <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/09/cleaning-it-up-basement-utility-storage.html">one big project</a> Matt finished before school started. It's such an improvement over the decade+ mess that was there before.<br /><p></p><p></p><b>2) Paint kitchen cabinets (5%)<br /></b>I picked out a color for the lower and did test swatches. So I got that far. Matt has 2 weeks off between semesters in the spring and I am really pushing this to get done then (and maybe hiring a nephew to help me prep them so Matt just has to help with the painting and.....)<br /><p></p><p><b>3) Replace kitchen hardware (0%)<br /></b>And help with this too. See, I have really been pushing for hidden hinges, on the inside. Which has taken A LOT to work to source and we still don't have it all figured out. We have an old house and the cabinets may be original, around 90 years old. It's not an easy thing to find the right interior hinges for those!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy82chP-3A-vMpzmMTk7qM3Zn5rHJdpsJ_A4NTI8xNSrU4Uk1nQokJ6olq-3s_sqMzjEQbXNaFzCY3Vhyphenhyphena-9Q6Vle1n8EuzxGdFHWngSCMPbX_EnaifH2NTX4IO6DJ2MsvXhOvYe8Gae-Us6FlpOWg1CEkVeRVITUpw5xf608z2s3bxS_nx7JbMdCN9iyC/s600/2023-04-11%2016.38.24%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy82chP-3A-vMpzmMTk7qM3Zn5rHJdpsJ_A4NTI8xNSrU4Uk1nQokJ6olq-3s_sqMzjEQbXNaFzCY3Vhyphenhyphena-9Q6Vle1n8EuzxGdFHWngSCMPbX_EnaifH2NTX4IO6DJ2MsvXhOvYe8Gae-Us6FlpOWg1CEkVeRVITUpw5xf608z2s3bxS_nx7JbMdCN9iyC/s16000/2023-04-11%2016.38.24%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><b>4) Simplify fridge & back door (100%)<br /></b>That was a early one I knocked off and have mostly maintained it! (This was largely helped my relocating where we display kid art.)<br /><p></p><p></p><b>5) Replace bathroom light (0%)<br /></b>This has turned into just re-wiring the current one but it's another one that didn't happen (I blame school).<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbofWhRsoZhQudzL1OMSIwaQl1_m-B4Sq-GsSA4MDPq2KH7AkbStx-z63rmP3Jyv42rqsORM7Xu1SUWLZ8ZebbXJ9FjXnA4cEjTGI-HCBOJdtNeqIIxW1qkOapt6hSda_u924w6wrTSlcs9ip4W4UJEoR-x0zbOLJkfytYE1ULY0xxfhL21MucPOzOboU/s500/flamingo%20pillows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbofWhRsoZhQudzL1OMSIwaQl1_m-B4Sq-GsSA4MDPq2KH7AkbStx-z63rmP3Jyv42rqsORM7Xu1SUWLZ8ZebbXJ9FjXnA4cEjTGI-HCBOJdtNeqIIxW1qkOapt6hSda_u924w6wrTSlcs9ip4W4UJEoR-x0zbOLJkfytYE1ULY0xxfhL21MucPOzOboU/s16000/flamingo%20pillows.jpg" /></a></div><b>6) Make flamingo pillow covers (100%)<br /></b>Did this and they are delightful although currently packed away for winter. <br /><p></p><p><b>7) Do a thorough clean-out of a significant area once a month (100%)<br /></b>I did do a lot of simplifying and even more decluttering in 2023, finishing the "<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/04/purging-1000-things-in-365-days.html">declutter 1000 things</a>" challenge I was doing with two of my sisters (finished that on New Years Eve) so I'm calling it a win. <br /></p><p></p><p></p><b><u>Outside Home Things</u><br />8)</b> <b>Replace string light timer (100%)<br /></b>Yep, did this over the summer.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-JgOBwtG-ZhyphenhyphenUmg3D3_2CGB6MYTPSPDEYjctB6KSqZiik8L4vIp6Y9BESWGmEVoVo64DXJW72uYhmj8XPE8YvidoVkmxH6H7z8Coq0sPCEVXliAnJGr15k0n6iWViFf5iQkHWIZ2T5lGmka_0sjUbCZmpMofZd9AqtGG0aml7e1ojbXsqOZmJ6vl_Ufw/s450/IMG_4892%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-JgOBwtG-ZhyphenhyphenUmg3D3_2CGB6MYTPSPDEYjctB6KSqZiik8L4vIp6Y9BESWGmEVoVo64DXJW72uYhmj8XPE8YvidoVkmxH6H7z8Coq0sPCEVXliAnJGr15k0n6iWViFf5iQkHWIZ2T5lGmka_0sjUbCZmpMofZd9AqtGG0aml7e1ojbXsqOZmJ6vl_Ufw/s16000/IMG_4892%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>9) Make another raised garden bed (100%)<br /></b>One that lingered on the list for 2 years but did happen! I am bit surprised by that! We worked on this the first two days the boys were off school for the summer and then planted pumpkins which were a delight to watch grow!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_5ZYFtoOVyNUjAd489aPAy0oop0Jvg_GJcLZdjqgOV_HCsO6Ythkq_iFzp6yINbd1XlHtexjspe6uIWD-suG0P8lcnQy1slptQRFdS0cPqU023C21bvQGeiAAh2DJfkJXIfUT3jPZ-Clz-xjIpMJRfP6cJBi88-X40mmbk_v4jh7ZPEuCwZH_q57Y15U/s675/IMG_4891%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_5ZYFtoOVyNUjAd489aPAy0oop0Jvg_GJcLZdjqgOV_HCsO6Ythkq_iFzp6yINbd1XlHtexjspe6uIWD-suG0P8lcnQy1slptQRFdS0cPqU023C21bvQGeiAAh2DJfkJXIfUT3jPZ-Clz-xjIpMJRfP6cJBi88-X40mmbk_v4jh7ZPEuCwZH_q57Y15U/s16000/IMG_4891%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><b>10) Plant a vegetable that we will eat (100%)<br /></b>We planted green beans which we ate some of and carrots which we ate zero of. And tomatoes which Matt ate some of but I mostly gave to my sister for her to use in her canning.<br /><p></p><p><b>11) Plant dahlias (100%)<br /></b>I PLANTED them. They never grew (just like all our sunflowers) but I did plant them. I will try again.<br /></p><p></p><b>12) Host 6 cookouts (83.33%)<br /></b>I should amend that to "have people over 6 times" and then I could count the boys' birthday party but...that's not what I wrote. 5 times is still more than many other years!<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><b><u>Food</u><br />13) Bake with boys once a month (100%)<br /></b>I intended this to be more "teach the boys to bake something once a month" but really was just what I wrote...baking with them once a month, mostly Sam because Luke had little interest. But Sam & I baked every month!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOZ7W317FCjE-POWhucz5btn4KNCMwSTFyPGUpmHLaZtDspNO6AMN6Y1poEZBg_fwFuosb6y0Oj9IIxefrHfo7Ro6X1QBMGTeMTISXjqD1JHyfE49fZUROTDiNoaa5WcHGt9lke40_IPW7Osv66Pq2RyWa3MKalwF7_uOkadrDv8TUBE4mxClsGuLHtPb/s500/2023%20eat%20local.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOZ7W317FCjE-POWhucz5btn4KNCMwSTFyPGUpmHLaZtDspNO6AMN6Y1poEZBg_fwFuosb6y0Oj9IIxefrHfo7Ro6X1QBMGTeMTISXjqD1JHyfE49fZUROTDiNoaa5WcHGt9lke40_IPW7Osv66Pq2RyWa3MKalwF7_uOkadrDv8TUBE4mxClsGuLHtPb/s16000/2023%20eat%20local.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><b>14) Eat local once a month (100%)<br /></b>Easily at least once a month. I love an excuse to eat out (or, mostly, pick-up food and eat at home).<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Zm3Uv3Ku6eVmRvV-hnYvNgJe1RwTTexSufUjNdU4tyS2lRp8_xhrTXN9O2Wwqq0ZAh_TIGEkkq6OVXlLi8qL67OD_4TT1qHdBIiiwRqFS6XmpBHzeGGDhTGE6hlGksCwqafmhyphenhyphencjNwxzbOK4xKUDpLOVnDrQ-nqAHfsLBKuJ4bA-AdOzzljNjGcfCy6U/s625/2023-09-02%2011.28.17%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Zm3Uv3Ku6eVmRvV-hnYvNgJe1RwTTexSufUjNdU4tyS2lRp8_xhrTXN9O2Wwqq0ZAh_TIGEkkq6OVXlLi8qL67OD_4TT1qHdBIiiwRqFS6XmpBHzeGGDhTGE6hlGksCwqafmhyphenhyphencjNwxzbOK4xKUDpLOVnDrQ-nqAHfsLBKuJ4bA-AdOzzljNjGcfCy6U/s16000/2023-09-02%2011.28.17%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>15) Farmers market 4 times (100%)<br /></b>Yes! Only once to the outdoors market but Sam & I hit the indoor ones 3 times, once with Luke too!<br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaQLhhiQKseznqwxFxRsUjMmSdhRpDc94DmEuWWuRQS7N1OtMBpSpfZSetLdi9DFo0jqhYil47QBg9-5fzF_U7LZPlb4H5wIGP4r2YBRNyWP13mzT60Txbdo7WuWxGmWIUKotH2S2whAVFyVFrMfvOkVleyY9sreO51u6GPfNPXzTpmigEjLSgAerUKsK/s500/2023%20dates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaQLhhiQKseznqwxFxRsUjMmSdhRpDc94DmEuWWuRQS7N1OtMBpSpfZSetLdi9DFo0jqhYil47QBg9-5fzF_U7LZPlb4H5wIGP4r2YBRNyWP13mzT60Txbdo7WuWxGmWIUKotH2S2whAVFyVFrMfvOkVleyY9sreO51u6GPfNPXzTpmigEjLSgAerUKsK/s16000/2023%20dates.jpg" /></a></div><u><b>Fun</b></u><br /><b>16) Go on 10 dates (100%)<br /></b>At least 10, counting got weird once boys were in school and Matt still had his day off every week. We'd usually go out for lunch or breakfast every other week or so on those days.<br /><p></p><p></p><p><b>17) Finish 5 photobooks (San Antonio, 2022, Sam, Luke, 2023 vacation) (100%)<br /></b>I finished SEVEN! San Antonio (went in fall 2022), 2022 Sam, Luke, 2023 vacation to Cocoa Beach, 2023 trip to Chicago, and 2023 trip to Cuyahoga. Catching up on photobooks was a BIG project once the boys were in school. I have one page left in our 2023 book right now and am working on December for both boys. I'm MUCH more on top of them now.<br /></p><p><b>18) Read <i>Rose Code</i> by Kate Quinn (100%)<br /></b>Did this in the fall, it was a fantastic read and I'm glad I didn't kick it off my TBR for being long.<b> </b><br /></p><b><u>Useful</u><br />19) Make packing lists (100%)<br /></b>Yep, did that and use them. Have one for hotels, one for our <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/03/an-ode-to-koa-deluxe-cabin.html">KOA deluxe cabins</a>, one for Jellystone rustic cabins, and one for Air BnBs (largely similar but each place needs slightly different things!)<br /><p></p><p><b>20) Systemize keeping quotes from the boys (50%)<br /></b>I still never copied quote off Twitter which is where I documented a lot of the funny things Luke said when he was 2-3ish. I should do that.<br /></p><p></p><p><b>21) Art books (40%)<br /></b>I haven't touched these in months. 2024 will be the year!<br /></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbCN2rOCI98JHvAuzXsEpwJn32yTsegtdJwV-Tnht0ciYVktDTwy6tPRnwWRno2xbxyVXgwtkfWxcRxom1GJMEr9-ctcOmbAdZznK1c4PLkvai9D8RgDuuLILYKG_9-p4wdbLBn004AVRJL9YMd2JXu44SN5bnx8DELJe10mNq0rbsNnS_Fp_3f1CTG7r/s600/2023-05-12%2015.32.20%20edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbCN2rOCI98JHvAuzXsEpwJn32yTsegtdJwV-Tnht0ciYVktDTwy6tPRnwWRno2xbxyVXgwtkfWxcRxom1GJMEr9-ctcOmbAdZznK1c4PLkvai9D8RgDuuLILYKG_9-p4wdbLBn004AVRJL9YMd2JXu44SN5bnx8DELJe10mNq0rbsNnS_Fp_3f1CTG7r/s16000/2023-05-12%2015.32.20%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>22) Recycle sneakers (100%)<br /></b>YES! I intended to try it first for just us and some family but then I started a green club at school and the principal suggested we bump this one up so we did and got 104 pairs! That was A LOT of shoes but felt so good to have it done!<br /><p></p><p><b>23) Project at Luke's School (50%)<br /></b>Actually, there is quite a bit of momentum going on this right now, things picked up right after Thanksgiving. I really want to reduce waste and make things more sustainable and green there...it's just been slow progress. BUT there IS progress. Baby steps are still steps.<b></b></p><p><b>Final score...79.49%. Those cabinets were a bit of a grade killer. My worst grade since pre-pandemic! But...still got some things done and, with Matt in school ALL YEAR, maybe I'll make a list for 2024 that needs his help less! Hah. Still feel good about what I got done and will try to do better (or make an easier list...) next year!</b></p><p><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/04/23-in-2023-update-1st-quarter.html">1st quarter update</a><br /><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/08/2nd-quarter-23-in-2023-update.html">2nd quarter update</a><br /><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/10/3rd-quarter-23-in-2023-update.html">3rd quarter update</a></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/01/18-in-2018.html">18 in 2018</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/19-in-2019.html">How I Did</a> (25%) <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/19-in-2019.html">19 in 2019</a> | <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/i-got-passing-grade-on-19-in-2019.html">How I Did</a> (72%)<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/20-in-2020-list.html"><br />20 in 2020</a> | <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/how-did-i-do-on-20-in-2020.html">How I Did</a> (85.75%) <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/21-in-2021.html"><br />21 in 2021</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/how-did-i-do-on-21-in-2021.html">How I Did</a> (89.5%)<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/22-in-2022.html"><br />22 in 2022</a> | <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/how-did-i-do-on-my-2022-in-2022.html">How I Did</a> (86.4%)<br /><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/23-in-2023.html">23 in 2023</a> | How I Did (79.49%)</div><p></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-46527854756367712522024-01-16T09:00:00.143-05:002024-01-16T09:00:00.144-05:00{25} Favorite Picture Books of 2023<p>This was not our best year for reading picture books, on a purely numbers basis. Thanks to Luke starting sports which took up about 4 months of the year, all together, and Sam starting kindergarten which meant I was no longer reading just to him during the day...we read 345 fewer different books this year and it feels like we read many of our holiday favorite less times each than usual. This is just a result of my kids growing up but it does make me sad to see us reading fewer and fewer picture books each year (to be clear...we still read 1772 in 2023 so if we read 350 less each year...I still have some years to go). </p><p>However, that is still a lot of picture books we did read and my initial pull of books for this list was over 100. Sam particularly will pull books at the library (Luke mostly only picks books to read himself) that I will read to him but, especially if they are media books, they maybe aren't quite the quality as the ones I am curating for them. It does take some time to consistently have good books I want to read to my kids! Reading book lists, checking to see if the library has them in the system, requesting the holds or finding on the shelves, or purchase requesting if the library doesn't own them yet. BUT...the countless hours I have spent reading with the boys are priceless memories and I am already glad I've put the time into finding good books that keeps us all coming back.</p><p>These are 25 of our favorite books that were new to us in 2023. A few I know are older but somehow we missed until now. Most of the rest are new in 2023 or at least the last few years. I didn't pay attention to when a single one of these was published, just on what we liked in 2023! I also don't include seasonal/holiday books on these list or many biographies, although we read many in both those categories every year!</p><p>Here we go, in no particular order!</p><p><i>As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, links for
which are included within this post, at no additional cost to you.
Thanks for helping support this blog! Of course, utilize the library
or shop used or from an independent bookstore if you prefer!</i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIp8euAlmZBcgKRBXxkh6FbQYnzM2n6UMDT9ds3SRGQA27Ka5zB-l1lRpWyQxB23goeeekfgSN32gsU7zNk8_NallMoHdUbPmqwvCJj457H-HtfY4aVFmqgt6zNbsebGXL1S5JnWkufij_XrPTUS6Ic2HrB-oGO0PFvWfgayfC7yDwUd-A7Ivy6QgpzvH/s700/2023%20favorite%20picture%20books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAIp8euAlmZBcgKRBXxkh6FbQYnzM2n6UMDT9ds3SRGQA27Ka5zB-l1lRpWyQxB23goeeekfgSN32gsU7zNk8_NallMoHdUbPmqwvCJj457H-HtfY4aVFmqgt6zNbsebGXL1S5JnWkufij_XrPTUS6Ic2HrB-oGO0PFvWfgayfC7yDwUd-A7Ivy6QgpzvH/s16000/2023%20favorite%20picture%20books.jpg" /></a></i></div><p></p><p></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3TT6UJV"><i>Her Name was Mary Katharine: The Only Woman Whose Name is on the Declaration of Independence</i></a> by Ella Schwartz, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk</b><br />Did you know that there was a lady who had her name on the Declaration of Independence? Because I most certainly did not (they never taught that in history lessons). Mary Katherine Godcard was a newspaper publisher who boldly published and distributed the document after it was written, adding her name at the bottom for a printing credit. I like stories of ladies getting things done. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3NUhEUv">Summer is for Cousins</a> </i>by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Abhi Alwar</b><br />This isn't quite what our summers look like but we DO know the fun of summers and my kids definitely know the fun of cousins. Is there anything better than cousins in the summer?? Maybe not. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/48vf9k3">When You Can Swim</a> </i>by Jack Wong</b><br />This is one we happened to pickup when I had a kid in swim lessons for the first time so it came at just the right time. Learning to swim is always a good idea, for safety primarily but also for fun!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tNIKGg">Where the Wild Things Are</a></i> by Maurice Sendak, illustrated by Tammy Grimes</b><br />This definitely falls under "classics we missed until now". You all, there is a reason it's a classic. I mostly know it from the line "'Let the wild rumpus start', says Max" which is said in one of my very favorite movies, <i>The Family Stone. </i><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tUPn9C">You Are a Story</a> </i>by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell</b><br />A reflection on the many different things we can be and do, ways to connect with others like us and understand the differences in them too. Beautiful celebration of life. <br /></p><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/47x3KPd">What to do With a Stick</a></i> by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Paolo Domeniconi</b><br />What do you do with a stick? As a kid there are INFINITE possibilities and this book celebrates that. (My kids are partial to them being light sabers)<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vxwLgq">Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport</a> </i>by Caren Stelson, illustrated by Selina Alko</b><br />The heartbreaking and very true story of Czech kids who were sent out of the country, for their safety, during World War II. I nearly cried reading this, putting myself in those parents' shoes. So much bravery and courage required, all around.<br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3RY0QNE"><i>Oh the Places You'll Go!</i></a> by Dr. Seuss</b><br />Hey, did you know this book was good? Somehow this classic missed us until this year. <br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3RNhkYQ"><i>Pluto!: Not a Planet? Not a Problem!</i></a> by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Stevie Lewis</b><br />We love this space series by Stacy McAnulty, owning nearly all of them. I have a soft spot for Pluto as a planet, since I was taught as a kid that it WAS a planet and my kids are fascinated by it's de-planet-ization. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vtE9cJ">The Courage of the Little Hummingbird: A Tale Told Around the World</a></i> by Leah Henderson, illustrated by Magaly Morales </b> <br />A retold folk story about animals fleeing from a forest fire when the smallest, a hummingbird, starts scooping up all the water it can (a drop or two) and dropping it on the fire. The other animals mock it but the hummingbird is proud of it's effort. "I'm doing all I can." is stays. And that, is enough. That line stopped me in my tracks reading it. <br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3ScLG8L"><i>Yours in Books</i></a> by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo</b><br />This was very much reminded me of <i>84 Charring Cross Road</i>, both epistolary stories, with letters going back and forth between a bookseller and a customer. This was so charming with Owl realizing that he can share his love of books with others in the forest. <br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3vE2HzG"><i>The World Belonged to Us</i></a> by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa</b><br />I was not a black girl growing up in Brooklyn in the 1970s but I still resonated with this story about childhood summers, even if I am white, growing up in Indiana in the 1980s. Just that innocence of childhood. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3ShIzMV">G is for Gross</a> </i>by Greg Paprocki</b><br />(Also <a href="https://amzn.to/48Pcd1n"><i>U is for Universe</i></a>, <i>O<a href="https://amzn.to/3NYz5DA"> is for Ocean</a></i>, <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3NYz4Q2">P is for Pirate</a></i>). We have read nearly all of Greg Paprocki's alphabet books, his pictures are just SO FUN and with so many details. (I am the reason our library owns so many, I keep purchase requesting them.) My boys particularly liked this one about "gross" things. Puke, boogers, etc. <br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3vrBTma"><i>Jesus and the Miracle of the Mass</i></a> by Gracie Jagla, illustrated by Randy Friemel</b><br />I love all of Gracie Jagla's book, truly inspiring Catholic picture books. This is sharing the miracle of the mass with kids, even if the target audience has mostly been going to Mass since before they can remember. An explanation always helps answer questions they may not have known they had!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tI143E">Jesus in Space: a True Story That's Out of This World</a> </i>by Cecilia Cicone|</b><br />The true story of astronaut Tom Jones taking the Eucharist up to space on board the space shuttle. We read this after we had seen a real space shuttle so it extra resonated with us!</p><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3O2oVlv">Pumpkin Day at the Zoo</a></i> by Susan Meissner, illustrated by Pablo Pino</b><br />This is a bit seasonal but I suppose animals could eat pumpkins any time they could get one...I know our zoo gives at least some animals pumpkins to eat and play with but this shows many animals getting them, some we don't have at our zoo. These animals are all so excited about pumpkin day!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Oo9mov">The Scariest Kitten in the World</a></i> by Kate Messner, illustrated by MacKenzie Haley</b><br />I have a boy who really likes kitties and would desperately like one if only his mother wasn't so against nearly any kind of pet (we had fish). This kitty is trying to be super scary but it turns out...it's just cute. <br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3tTFBon"><i>The Worry Balloo</i>n</a> by Monica Mancillas, illustrated by Betty C. Tang</b><br />This takes place on the first day of school but works for any time for any kids (or adults) who tend to worry. Isla learns some coping strategies for when she gets too worries which, honestly, were helpful for me too!</p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4aXnP47">Upside Down</a> </i>by Katarina Macurova</b><br />I thought this one was very clever. A farmer teddy bear is planting flowers but one of them just seem different than the others. Meanwhile, under his field, a den of rabbits are most overjoyed to have a carrot growing into their home. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3NYkJTy">The Book of Blast Off!: 15 Real-Life Space Missions</a> </i>by Timothy Knapman, illustrated by Nik Henderson</b><br />Another space book that we read after Kennedy Space Center, even if you haven't seen rockets in person, fun and child friendly explanations of the space program and achievements so far. <br /></p><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3HeO4pl">Rick the Rock of Room 214</a> </i>by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Ruth Chan</b><br />Rick the Rock is a class pet but he LONGS to be a part of nature outside. Sitting on a shelf isn't that interesting. It would be much more fun to be a rock that explodes out of a volcano (personally, I'm happy NEVER exploding out a volcano). So Rick makes his way to the outdoors. It's not all he thought it would be. (No volcanos to be found, for starters.)<br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/41Xi1Uj"><i>Roxaboxen</i></a> by Alice McLerran, illustrated by Barbara Cooney</b><br />Another classic that we missed until now! Roxaboxen is a magical play land for a group of neighborhood kids who use their imagination to create a whole new world. Such a beautiful testament to childhood and imagination. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3u0uCt8">What's the Rush?</a></i> by Yiting Lee</b><br />Bunny and Turtle are great friends and are going to set off to climb a mountain. Bunny wants to go RIGHT NOW but Turtle takes his time, planning out and preparing for their trip. You all, I have read many books that celebrates seizing the moment BUT THIS ONE celebrates planning and packing. I felt so seen. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4205HCS">Mary and the Little Shepherds of Fatima</a></i> by Marlyn Evangelina Monge, illustrated by Jamie Stuart Wolfe </b><br />The story of Mary appearing to the three children at Fatima in Portugal over 100 years ago. Some of my nieces went to Fatima this summer for World Youth Day so this was especially appropriate to read to the boys before that!<br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tMWkd1">Pocket Full of Sads</a> </i>by Brad Davidson, illustrated by Rachel Mas Davidson</b><br />Rabbit is excited to go fishing with Bear but Bear can't help feeling like he's just weighed down by sadness, nothing seems to help. Very helpful for showing kids that it's normal to be sad sometimes and some little things that might fix it. <br /></p><p><b>If you've read any favorite picture books in 2023, I'd love to hear about them! </b><br /></p><p><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/25-favorite-picture-books-of-2022.html">{25} Favorite Picture Books of 2022</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/25-favorite-picture-books-of-2021.html">{25} Favorite Picture Books of 2021</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/01/20-favorite-picture-books-we-read-in.html">{20} Favorite Picture Books of 2020</a> <br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-36169500476889015522024-01-11T09:00:00.083-05:002024-01-11T09:00:00.348-05:0053 Days to Spring<p>As we neared the end of Christmas break last week, I was having a really hard time staying positive. Matt had 3 weeks off school and only had to work 3 of the 17 days the boys were off school (this is the most time he's had off around Christmas since we've had kids). It was wonderful after all the stress of getting him through his first semester of school, along with sports for our 10 year old and the start of full-time school for our 5 year old. I didn't realize how much I was really holding onto Christmas and Christmas break to get me through the fall. Until it was all over.</p><p>Staring down at January not only meant the cold and dark that I dread every year but also Luke's wrestling would be in full force, Matt would be back to school, he would be starting clinicals on what had been his 2 days off to do schoolwork, and it would be MONTHS until there was any sort of break (in fact, it's more than 6 months away until Matt & the boys are all off school at the same time again...and then after that it won't be again until Matt's done in December). </p><p>It was looking REALLY hard to stay positive. I love Christmastime and look forward to it all year and the thought of having to pack it all up was just another thing I didn't want to think about. Any sort of relief felt very far off with little to look forward to. Plus, winter is just so dang dark and cold. </p><p>So I counted the days until March 1st, when I declare spring has started (I do not care if anyone else agrees with me...March 1st is the first day of spring for me). It was 53 days from when the boys and Matt went back to school until the start of spring. Wrestling won't be done then but close to it and everyone is still in school but the thought of just some warmth, more sunlight, flowers blooming...that feels like something I can look forward to. </p><p>In order to keep myself distracted and busy for those 53 days I decided to make a project list. 53 little nagging tasks to get done, one for each day (even if that's not how they happen). Some of this might be overlap with my 24 in 2024 list (which I have yet to complete) but more it's just little tasks that I notice and think "I should take care of that..." and then I don't. I never realize how much time CHRISTMAS takes in my schedule until it's all done and I'm not at school constantly or planning a class party or anything. So this will help fill that void (along with maybe more reading and puzzles). Productivity or completing a project can usually help me turn a sad mood around so having a pre-figured out list to keep me busy should help. And if not, at least I will have gotten a lot of little things done! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvBcgRfWZ5QHZt0K8fWLlTzo4GacRIyZkVFIi9tUFwF4aOedNgVj3yuQizsVhioLXik-Ma_jc6OUfofI7-RY6HTaF34qdHmy4ZkhdXdhKELHTUjCVH0Fc3nF3HGeyxsrqhLBko4as5haCgDFhUBHxM_F5geskv5ur3G-h-d7KzjzdA607tB7QlRSo75NA/s600/2024-01-10%2014.36.50%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvBcgRfWZ5QHZt0K8fWLlTzo4GacRIyZkVFIi9tUFwF4aOedNgVj3yuQizsVhioLXik-Ma_jc6OUfofI7-RY6HTaF34qdHmy4ZkhdXdhKELHTUjCVH0Fc3nF3HGeyxsrqhLBko4as5haCgDFhUBHxM_F5geskv5ur3G-h-d7KzjzdA607tB7QlRSo75NA/s320/2024-01-10%2014.36.50%20edit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Clean under the buffet - dust bunnies galore</li><li>Tape down my office rug - it doesn't like to stay straight</li><li>Get rid of the coffee and end table that have been on our porch for...8 months</li><li>Get rid of rocking horse from the basement (this one has been done!)</li><li>Clean under the tv stand - again, the dust bunnies</li><li>Clean inside the tv stand</li><li>Tape down the upstairs landing rug - it NEVER stays in place</li><li>Clean sharpie off porch walls - this is more of an attempt...I don't know if it'll work</li><li>Reorganize the game cupboard - maybe the biggest project on this list...need to shuffle things around to account for new games.</li><li>Hang Valentine's Day hearts in windows - I've been doing this many year, using the same hearts! (they are very faded).</li><li>Clean out my clothes closet</li><li>Clean out my dresser clothes</li><li>Do a Lego set (I might have a backlog of sets to do).</li><li>Enter winter book list - our library switched systems last fall and I had to screenshot all my saved book lists in their old app. I only entered the Christmas lists because that's what I was checking out when the app went back up. I need to catch up the rest.</li><li>Enter spring book list</li><li>Enter summer book list</li><li>Enter fall book list</li><li>Fix Google Analytics - they upgraded this last year and I never fixed mine</li><li>Clean mealy bugs off my pothos - I successfully did this with one plant in December, need to do the other!</li><li>Paint touchups in the stairs</li><li>Catch up <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/01/a-decade-in-box.html">file box </a></li><li>Clean out file folders in file cabinet</li><li>Book our family camping trip</li><li>Book an early summer camping trip (did this!)</li><li>Book a late summer camping trip</li><li>Clean up box stash in the basement - started this after we were done wrapping for Christmas but need to clean it up some more</li><li>Transplant snake plant - it's mostly dead, I need to transplant the one live part</li><li>Dust behind our bed - I can see it with the gap in our headboard/mattress but need to do something about it because it's awkward to get to</li><li>Make another snowflake for a window - I have the window mostly filled but there is one gap left</li><li>Do <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/09/travel-chicago-part-2.html">Chicago</a> pages in Luke's photobook - I have the boys' photobooks caught up through November except for our 2023 trips.<br /></li><li>Do <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/11/travel-cuyahoga-valley-national-park.html">Cuyahoga</a> pages in Luke's photobook</li><li>Do <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/11/travel-cocoa-beach-florida.html">Cocoa Beach</a> pages in Luke's photobook</li><li>Do <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/09/travel-chicago-part-1.html">Chicago</a> pages in Sam's photobook</li><li>Do <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/11/travel-cuyahoga-valley-national-park.html">Cuyahoga</a> pages in Sam's photobook</li><li>Do <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/11/travel-cocoa-beach-florida.html">Cocoa Beach</a> pages in Sam's photobook</li><li>Finish <i>Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</i> with Luke - we started this in maybe November. It's a LONG book!</li><li>Sweep under the stove - you may think your house is fairly clean until you move a large kitchen appliance</li><li>Fill planter Dad made for Christmas</li><li>Replace plant on the kitchen counter - the one there died recently</li><li>Reset Speedway PIN - I have a lot of Speedy points I could be using for free frozen cokes (when I get them) but I don't know the PIN.</li><li>Plan boys' birthday party (although March is a BUSY month)</li><li>Buy some frames - a small part of a 24 in 2024 project, a starting step!</li><li>Pick some prints for said frames</li><li>Hit 100 things decluttered - although, if I'm going to hit 1000 again this year I should be more like 160, 2 months in...</li><li><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/11/helpful-hints-make-new-candles-and-get.html">Consolidate candles</a> - I burn the same candle all Christmas season, have for year, so in January I combine all the unburnt parts and make a bonus candle. </li><li>Log book quotes on Goodreads - I usually take a picture of a good line with my phone and let that languish on my computer forever, need to catch these up</li><li>Bake <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/02/kool-aid-cookies.html">kool-aid cookies</a> - before Lent starts!</li><li>clean kitchen picture ledges - not a place I dust regularly</li><li>photograph some of the boys' art - I am so behind on this project, I need to commit to working on it if I really want to do it!</li><li>Finish a puzzle - it'll probably be closer to at least 3...</li><li>Buy a plant that would stay alive in a windowless bathroom - does such a thing exist??</li><li>Buy a bouquet of flowers</li><li>Plan something for summer</li></ol><p>Is this list very random? Yes, it is. It's a "I wrote things down in the order they occurred to me". But I am excited to check a lot of these items off the long suffering and never completed "little things that I should just do" mental list? Yes. And I will take any enthusiasm for nearly anything right now! Spring is just about 50 days away! <br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-33381246489338824752024-01-09T09:00:00.127-05:002024-01-09T09:00:00.334-05:00Reading Recap - December 2023<p>The last couple years December has been a heavy reading month for me because I am, somewhat desperately, trying to hit some reading goals. December 2022 I finished 27 books. I was hoping to finish 29 this December but with about 10 days left in the year I had to accept that that wouldn't happen and settle for 24. That does make 2023 my least number of books finished since 2016 when I finished 140. I realize that 170 is still A LOT of books. And many of these are books I read every December, a full 14 of them I read last December too and some many more years than that! But I take great comfort in doing many of the same things, year after year, at even about the same point in December. It really signals to my overly busy brain that Christmas is coming!</p><p>I'm very active on Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/superstar5622">here</a>, somewhat active on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/superstar5622/">here</a>, and linking up with <a href="http://www.modernmrsdarcy.com">Modern Mrs. Darcy</a> on the 15th! <br /></p><p>Two other book posts in December:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-picture-books-reindeer.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyxY0wBG7AHdPRkMfBzIQRfSeXDgzpO60GexC2bDVLuq7f3bvGztnqQeJre3l6BEu96jO6a2-6pCNZg0XYeKZiHfbeR3jN3Hoj7Vb3uAzlvIhiv-fT_14aVsR6UEEHAHVyoYFijJ97c2Sg5cT3ZNLnL9ZinmTuYkTl5KvCLmJHvddqMuMUstkNr2rhF7x/s16000/2023-12-13%2013.25.03%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-picture-books-reindeer.html">Christmas Picture Book Flight - Reindeer</a><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-picture-books-night-before.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd56HBkR1-CfRjVfpI-nq1okuZ-T6OJlkrA3jhIhkd2NZNaCcVp1qZs8FbeBm7WsqkwJBRYQR65MLQVbF_WDGmDEvBV4IW7in0LKBn3d-XnKCg5klxiXMcMoGT4d_WAdZkDKaZti_ZiJihtU_X8OAvgX7qShEeKYCfZCDNRNYbolPAtvn2Kvi2HMgCp91/s16000/IMG_4063%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/12/christmas-picture-books-night-before.html">Christmas Picture Book Flight - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas</a><br /></div><div><p></p><p> And everything I finished!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOdU-_ULEEXk4oyXcSrg0_zCf0jf331gGTy4xZV2cxPAv2srdH1VJ8VLhxGuJiHX6ioxpqAtdt1a0t5ZvgpC3XMxMmGJuQg24tN5BkUMmGbyWUdxr-k0-_gznrLM8fDZhHYpzTjGsrWRFxKoXPLanbuKbImExLkinNWv3BOVZBQ-9EVuwuD4e1VtRNBGu/s500/December%20reading%20recap%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOdU-_ULEEXk4oyXcSrg0_zCf0jf331gGTy4xZV2cxPAv2srdH1VJ8VLhxGuJiHX6ioxpqAtdt1a0t5ZvgpC3XMxMmGJuQg24tN5BkUMmGbyWUdxr-k0-_gznrLM8fDZhHYpzTjGsrWRFxKoXPLanbuKbImExLkinNWv3BOVZBQ-9EVuwuD4e1VtRNBGu/s16000/December%20reading%20recap%202023.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62005119-faking-christmas">Faking Christmas</a> </i>by Cindy Steel</b><br />Part of the Christmas Escape book grouping, I have now read all 7 and this might be my favorite of the whole bunch. It was one of my <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2024/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2023.html">favorite reads of 2023</a>! I could definitely see myself reading it again in another December. <b>4 Stars</b><br /><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75665923-faking-christmas">Faking Christmas</a> </i>by Kerry Winfrey</b><br />It was library due dates that had me reading identically titled books back to back. This one is a modern retelling of <i>Christmas in Connecticut</i>, an old movie (1940s) that I then watched with my boys while we did our Christmas thank yous (they had a lot of questions). It was charming and fun. Also, a surprising amount about Legos (which should not be called LegoS but I am going to anyways). <b>3.75 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36813538-anne-of-green-gables">Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel</a></i> adapted by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler</b><br />This was so much fun to read. I reread the whole Anne series a few years ago although the first is definitely the best book. This was a fun, quick graphic novel retelling that was very accurate. Which I mostly know from repeated viewings of the Canadian tv version from the 1980s that PBS seemed to air often. <b> 4 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62226834-a-not-so-holiday-paradise">A Not-So Holiday Paradise</a> </i>by Gracie Ruth Mitchell</b><br />Not my favorite of the Christmas escape books, set on a Caribbean Island over Christmas. I just like to be home at Christmas and traveling over that just seems odd to me although I know plenty of people do it. It was fine. <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/648248.Finding_Father_Christmas">Finding Father Christmas</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4748388-engaging-father-christmas">Engaging Father Christmas</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28963771-kissing-father-christmas">Kissing Father Christmas</a></i> by Robin Jones Gunn</b><br />This was my 8th December in a row reading these, it's the series I read towards the beginning of December every year. Set in rural England, just a charming cast of characters and a sweet romance. I wrote a post about the series <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-love-father-christmas-series.html">here</a>. <b>4.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101673373-a-winter-in-new-york">A Winter in New York</a></i> by Josie Silver</b><br />I had A LOT of Christmas-ish set books on my TBR and got through most of them in December! This one was very much winter set and not so much Christmas. New York City but the author wrote a pretty authentic sounding NYC book never having been there! That was impressive. A lost recipe and long family secrets that you knew were going to cause some problems when they came out. Those types of books always make me a little anxious reading them. <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/291445.Yours_Forever">Yours Forever</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/291446.Starry_Night">Starry Night</a></i>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/291444.A_Promise_Is_Forever"><i>A Promise is Forever</i></a> by Robin Jones Gunn</b><br />These are the Christmas-ish set Christy Miller books that I have been reading for nearly ¾ of my life. I haven't read the whole saga in a few years, I remember finishing some later books when Sam was tiny, but I still pop in and read these in December. Particularly helpful because they are fairly short and I'm always trying to hit a goal. I wrote a post about the whole saga <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-love-christy-miller-forever-friends.html">here</a>. I own ALL the books in all the series (there are 6) but had lent the original 12 to my sister before I realized I wanted to read <i>A Promise is Forever</i>...so I had to read that one on my phone. <b>4.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75670216-a-december-to-remember">A December to Remember</a></i> by Jenny Bayliss</b><br />I almost gave up on this book because it was dragging. It was reading this when I realized I couldn't get through another 5 because of how long it took me to read this. Three long separated half-sisters come together after the death of their shared father to complete his will and final wishes. Small village in England. Very much solstice set and not Christmas. It didn't need to be 400 pages. <b>2.75 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51794633-fields-of-joy">Fields of Joy</a></i> by Ruth Chou Simons</b><br />This is a fairly short devotional with maybe 58 entries? My sister had sent it to me as part of a little care package when Sam started kindergarten. Luckily I had finished my other devotional in October so I read a page of this every morning and that got me through much of the rest of the year!<b> 4.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20706316-winter-street">Winter Street</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24819476-winter-stroll">Winter Stroll</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28962891-winter-storms">Winter Storms</a>, </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34219860-winter-solstice">Winter Solstice</a> </i>by Elin Hilderbrand</b><br />The other Christmas series I read every year. Personally, I think the first book is the best and they go downhill but the Goodreads rating go in the other direction. This was year #10 for <i>Winter Street</i> and then one year less for each of the next. I LOVE my annual time with the Quinns and I am always trying to finish these about Christmas Eve or Day (which means I start them about the 22nd). Although I was a few days past that this year. Wrote a whole post about these <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/book-love-winter-street-series.html">here</a>. <b>4.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17714302-the-greatest-gift">The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas</a> </i>by Ann Voskamp </b><br />My advent specific devotional that I've read for many years now. It goes through the Jesse Tree and the coming of Jesus. A nice pause in December crazy.<b> 4.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198331011-cabin-crush">Cabin Crush</a> </i>by Kasey Stockton</b><br />One of the authors of the Christmas Escape series wrote a book in a new series that came out this year that I just found out about in late December. This was about 175 pages about two families who do Christmas at Lake Tahoe every year. Girl from one family has long been crushing on the boy from the other family but it's been a secret since they were kids. Then things happen. <b>3 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16158535-a-hundred-summers">A Hundred Summers</a></i> by Beatriz Williams</b><br />The book I've read around New Years for 10 years now (finishing it ON New Years Eve the past 3, at least). It has Summers in the title but is largely set around New Years (and...also in the summer) and, if pressed, might be the book I'd name as my all-time favorite. Set in the early and late 1930s, telling the story of early romance and love lost and a giant hurricane. I love it.<b> 5 Stars</b><br /></p><p><b><u>Read with my boys (10 and 5)</u></b><br /><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29241341-the-lucky-snow-leopard"><i>The Lucky Snow Leopard</i></a> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24832237-the-pesky-polar-bear">The Pesky Polar Bear</a> </i>by Amelia Cobb</b><br />Part of the Rescue Zoo series that I've been reading with my 5 year old this fall. He LOVES them and would demand I give them 5 stars. The library only has 4 in physical copies and another 6ish digitally...we're blowing through these fast but if it likes them I am happy to keep reading them, at least the ones we can get our hands on! <b>3.25 Stars</b><br /></p><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43909470-how-winston-delivered-christmas-1">How Winston Delivered Christmas</a></i> by Alex T. Smith</b><br />This is at least the 3rd year I've read this to both boys. It's a chapter a day, adventure story of a mouse trying to get a boy's letter to Santa through the snow in a big city (London?) on Christmas Eve. It's charming and my 5 year old was especially insistent about reading it every day in December. <b>3.5 Stars</b><br /></p><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1961223.The_Best_Christmas_Pageant_Ever">The Best Christmas Pageant Ever</a> </i>by Barbara Robinson</b><br />I've read this to my older son for many years and now my younger one too. This book is near perfection (maybe don't need all the fat camp stuff towards the beginning...this was written in a different time) and I get choaked up at the end every. single. year. We read my childhood copy! <b>5 Stars</b></p><p><b>After so much rereading in December it's been fun to get back to new (to me) books in January. What have YOU been reading lately?</b> <br /></p></div>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-26214452076964401002024-01-04T09:00:00.088-05:002024-01-04T09:00:00.143-05:00Most Popular Posts of 2023<p>This, like most posts on here, falls in the category of "things very interesting to Diana but maybe not my general audience" (sorry). It never ceases to be surprising what is getting the most clicks in a year, in this case some that haven't shown up for awhile! I am pulling from different data this year since I never got around to updating my Google Analytics so I don't have those stats which is where I normally got these lists from. On my list to take care of in 2024!</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFmo5KLG2QO5SMpf7-TTvmpe-2lGaS_Dx3lKY0zMVEn7eeICTgmLIWMuF3o-VWi_Ad11niF1lsedcsWkYvVyOStY2xnxzSrbjXuXbeO03B1RoAU5PtfWm_Rf75h9Mge0H44E4kPIjg8BTLHVFLEg6TxCs1BYU7ad2CIEhX84j5T7G9NGtdhBoLcPxFULZ/s550/Cuyahoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFmo5KLG2QO5SMpf7-TTvmpe-2lGaS_Dx3lKY0zMVEn7eeICTgmLIWMuF3o-VWi_Ad11niF1lsedcsWkYvVyOStY2xnxzSrbjXuXbeO03B1RoAU5PtfWm_Rf75h9Mge0H44E4kPIjg8BTLHVFLEg6TxCs1BYU7ad2CIEhX84j5T7G9NGtdhBoLcPxFULZ/s16000/Cuyahoga.jpg" /></a></p><p><b>10. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/11/travel-cuyahoga-valley-national-park.html">Travel: Cuyahoga Valley National Park</a> (November 2023)</b><br />One of three trips we took this year, to one of our closest national parks that we never considered visiting until the year before we actually did. We really enjoyed our time there, especially the shorter drive than the summer before (when we drove to Acadia National Park in Maine). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibB3WC3Q2T9zms-4sJqAfiTBN0kR5MPJ0u4_p123kDN9FT0Yh-5KTBt2G9WhexQw_AYoWyeSxSIb65YSFCkueaIXm-PDiQV2tQGMRMHfZhsUIXVDiSAkLtTbp0OtIEpTPZ4v4Sd4hVtM2-Szy5q4awvBhSJ86igPYFSeGFyKZMNOPfqLCNxL5Y3NH8Vc7v/s577/IMG_1954%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibB3WC3Q2T9zms-4sJqAfiTBN0kR5MPJ0u4_p123kDN9FT0Yh-5KTBt2G9WhexQw_AYoWyeSxSIb65YSFCkueaIXm-PDiQV2tQGMRMHfZhsUIXVDiSAkLtTbp0OtIEpTPZ4v4Sd4hVtM2-Szy5q4awvBhSJ86igPYFSeGFyKZMNOPfqLCNxL5Y3NH8Vc7v/s16000/IMG_1954%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>9. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/12/diy-strawberries-cream-instant-oatmeal.html">DIY Strawberries and Cream Instant Oatmeal</a> (December 2017)</b><br />This one was a surprise. I still enjoy the instant fruit & cream oatmeals but was determined to make my own. I don't think I've made it again since the initial batch I made for this post but we did like it and I do think about it every time I see boxed instant oatmeal at the grocery. Maybe I should try it again! <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8vIN1rLjr9BggCork-Q1MtkdU-K2nzroUOvkdk7GLWQ22S2mQrPoU3yfNZtaqM40_FAnz5AHaVvSInac9zbaKGlKRivi53bMhGDeuiApifPpVD_hyphenhyphens3D5M_YBWQuUmdThORrcBooi6s48DmjWl_6BByeOhJllb3F4yqAwBpsYqmYnXYulj49_ZZ9LX0B/s476/P1200075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8vIN1rLjr9BggCork-Q1MtkdU-K2nzroUOvkdk7GLWQ22S2mQrPoU3yfNZtaqM40_FAnz5AHaVvSInac9zbaKGlKRivi53bMhGDeuiApifPpVD_hyphenhyphens3D5M_YBWQuUmdThORrcBooi6s48DmjWl_6BByeOhJllb3F4yqAwBpsYqmYnXYulj49_ZZ9LX0B/s16000/P1200075.jpg" /></a></div><b>8. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/11/homemade-handkerchiefs.html">Homemade Handkerchiefs</a> (November 2015)</b><br />This one was also a huge surprise. I am thankful to my past selves that were into different things so I have those skills, even if I don't use them all as often. And one of those is sewing. I used to sew A LOT, or at least A LOT more than I do now! And these handkerchiefs out of old bedsheets was the result of that. I still have them!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXA2-g2QRGQGSs_nkwgWKIP2umt6axpxtfKCQ80i0_QfrwFVgNArgwhAFslQqFMZzkxNSfko6R8RMKh5xQmh7Ct6XlsdixlftGMJ5ofJ5an5GqK_pXMAgzMNbeB6tGRkcgJSwHIRqm67xfK8H2wX04jxUEDyQbcuJaq1H9pmcYIAAqCgPFxhZoGfq6QnL/s682/IMG_3932%20edit%20text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXA2-g2QRGQGSs_nkwgWKIP2umt6axpxtfKCQ80i0_QfrwFVgNArgwhAFslQqFMZzkxNSfko6R8RMKh5xQmh7Ct6XlsdixlftGMJ5ofJ5an5GqK_pXMAgzMNbeB6tGRkcgJSwHIRqm67xfK8H2wX04jxUEDyQbcuJaq1H9pmcYIAAqCgPFxhZoGfq6QnL/s16000/IMG_3932%20edit%20text.jpg" /></a></div><b>7. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/07/icotw-coconut-pineapple-sorbet.html">ICOTW: Coconut Pineapple Sorbet</a> (July 2018)</b><br />This is one that has gotten a bump every summer since I posted it! Actually, a full half of this list comes from when I used to do weekly drink & ice cream posts in the summer (I am still AMAZED at how I managed that...because I hardly even blog anymore in the summer.). ...I've made a lot of ice cream but barely remember this one! I guess people like it!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xepnpDhVlD_HY8mIzrCYW8ZG_zpZHyTa0GLeoqF4ZUG7zwB4YSnTdB6uEG-wMJ8Q96wKaNxumQltWIalbMwrawTCoW6_dzIyTwBNPFhLuA-XPgrqF2q45U0OR7K7-dLj5kl2BdzeOA0DEKPm4N-GDbDLjd_HTowGKl_QmJ5dgkthMPbBEtHf7ly7cNqo/s655/IMG_5349%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xepnpDhVlD_HY8mIzrCYW8ZG_zpZHyTa0GLeoqF4ZUG7zwB4YSnTdB6uEG-wMJ8Q96wKaNxumQltWIalbMwrawTCoW6_dzIyTwBNPFhLuA-XPgrqF2q45U0OR7K7-dLj5kl2BdzeOA0DEKPm4N-GDbDLjd_HTowGKl_QmJ5dgkthMPbBEtHf7ly7cNqo/s16000/IMG_5349%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>6. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/mixed-drink-monday-cran-apple-sangria.html">Mixed Drink Monday: Cran-Apple Sangria</a> (December 2019)</b><br />Just like Coconut Pineapple Sorbet gets a bump every summer, this one gets a good bump every November/December. I think it's been on every top 10 list since I posted it, besides that first year maybe when it was brand new. This is one where I think I used to be good at food styling sometimes (always helps the Pinterest clicks)!<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzPNWTUGvJ2icSkjzxXf5quDm3_A1lFME90HcmWSIxxwy3elr0Yj8Ds-Zt4mEBaldh23bhu_OEU8FiQFRfiIksK0AfgxsFzXPYTIYU188_YBJ_X1kmGmNMYeP0fkUxinjHD2W2BdKmEy_LNoh8xJTpgdMWqOQkVeMQRt71mx2gV6F1oA2-seeX3JDADNA/s1600/Koolaid%20cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzPNWTUGvJ2icSkjzxXf5quDm3_A1lFME90HcmWSIxxwy3elr0Yj8Ds-Zt4mEBaldh23bhu_OEU8FiQFRfiIksK0AfgxsFzXPYTIYU188_YBJ_X1kmGmNMYeP0fkUxinjHD2W2BdKmEy_LNoh8xJTpgdMWqOQkVeMQRt71mx2gV6F1oA2-seeX3JDADNA/w400-h400/Koolaid%20cookies.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p><p><b>5. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/02/kool-aid-cookies.html">Kool-Aid Cookies</a> (February 2014) </b><br />Officially the oldest post on this list and one of the very early recipes I posted. I make these cookies exactly once a year, around Valentine's Day (although this year it'll be earlier since Valentine's Day is also Ash Wednesday) but we all really like them and they disappear very quickly. I'm very glad I have these in my cookie rotation. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHxEkhSJeeFtkK2Wog8_bvw9-1M51PgI-8lxYIXcKD_Q8Uh4QvGInkWgT8yKsNXAknucZmzfv0Vgym1nGsRUzMdsMqob5LjbhWKrgvq7-HQdYflyugTw3eJxPPsAD98JotfFTAEHU-N7JAJoKImC_-YONEUS5DxULhdxNnh2Wi2LPGZsUlEp22jwV86YY/s607/IMG_9244%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHxEkhSJeeFtkK2Wog8_bvw9-1M51PgI-8lxYIXcKD_Q8Uh4QvGInkWgT8yKsNXAknucZmzfv0Vgym1nGsRUzMdsMqob5LjbhWKrgvq7-HQdYflyugTw3eJxPPsAD98JotfFTAEHU-N7JAJoKImC_-YONEUS5DxULhdxNnh2Wi2LPGZsUlEp22jwV86YY/s16000/IMG_9244%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>4. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/07/icotw-peach-sorbet-no-churn-or-ice.html">ICOTW: Peach Sorbet</a> (July 2020)</b><br />Maybe one of the recipes on here that I use the most. I buy Peach Truck peaches every summer and I mainly do 2 things with them. Eat them plain (DELICIOUS) and make this sorbet (DELICIOUS). I only get to eat sorbet on days I run and getting sorbet can be a STRONG motivator, especially in the spring and fall when I am a little less regulated in my running (in 3rd quarter I have lofty mile goals that I am determined to hit). Most ice cream recipes on here I made just for posts, trying them out. This one my Mom has been making what feels like my whole life!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SjO6fsBiLZvniOP_W6zD4W5BLjrZ8IrkBd_3Zsy0Lbt_7i6Qm0sC6I5uFwEG6kp7YEqQKUzhwJkWcyYXaVmnNLEsFlvDR9GoVBvwvwzLhYzTooqZFWosOduiC4A-1lLeRnzR8bmV_dgR3yje8mZNyADV7OXyQi-ORdk5Gqw9gktAzceR9JbjHARtG8eB/s450/IMG_3968%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SjO6fsBiLZvniOP_W6zD4W5BLjrZ8IrkBd_3Zsy0Lbt_7i6Qm0sC6I5uFwEG6kp7YEqQKUzhwJkWcyYXaVmnNLEsFlvDR9GoVBvwvwzLhYzTooqZFWosOduiC4A-1lLeRnzR8bmV_dgR3yje8mZNyADV7OXyQi-ORdk5Gqw9gktAzceR9JbjHARtG8eB/s16000/IMG_3968%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>3. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/07/mixed-drink-monday-blackberry-long.html">Blackberry Long Island Iced Tea</a> (July 2018)</b><br />This one has been on the list before and continues to be one of my best performing drink posts, again, getting a bump every summer. I know I switched the flavor to blackberry from something else because I was making something else blackberry the same weekend (margarita maybe?). And, again, I remain amazed at my prior organization at making so many drinks and ice creams. What do I use that energy on now????<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMfur0M9xhQyRKz5kIebm5-g3Kgo4bCR_sNR2p8jxlGUAGXnoeptYhON45Hm8TNzrsCMTit9YPSBQdKpCr6TBBr9_cw-aByoPkTKuM1YQX21bdtTH1XGGcssqPpgptRhN0RVsL7GBG4_bh3j8m8SUFWCtEZ_tBTBrjviy8IKGT07picceCyVOFyTdjf3b/s450/P1290069%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMfur0M9xhQyRKz5kIebm5-g3Kgo4bCR_sNR2p8jxlGUAGXnoeptYhON45Hm8TNzrsCMTit9YPSBQdKpCr6TBBr9_cw-aByoPkTKuM1YQX21bdtTH1XGGcssqPpgptRhN0RVsL7GBG4_bh3j8m8SUFWCtEZ_tBTBrjviy8IKGT07picceCyVOFyTdjf3b/s16000/P1290069%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>2. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/04/stripping-laundry-style.html">Stripping: Laundry Style</a> (April 2017)</b><br />This had been my highest post for the last 3 years but finally got bumped, although it remains, by far, my best performing post ever. And, again, I have yet to do this again even though in the post I say I'm going to do it again a year later (which was when we got a surprise baby and I DEFINITELY didn't have the energy or mental strength to do that again at that time...or in the nearly 6 years since, apparently).<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bLzTpiemePyYAoz13Og3wjWHXRwwsz97iPc15i8iUbSOXy3dn3_v55cP1erg4Tb3nP25HPmOHG-NL-cY3_PRne_90GOMbs6oBXyHFO-qNq3FYqt68klTTa9Lm-bdGONnEhtTdmoeKmgYe1bGoAk_Saq9nGYPEXNZbMDaLTkBaWIoAxIpMBORa-67PPk9/s681/IMG_3813%20edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bLzTpiemePyYAoz13Og3wjWHXRwwsz97iPc15i8iUbSOXy3dn3_v55cP1erg4Tb3nP25HPmOHG-NL-cY3_PRne_90GOMbs6oBXyHFO-qNq3FYqt68klTTa9Lm-bdGONnEhtTdmoeKmgYe1bGoAk_Saq9nGYPEXNZbMDaLTkBaWIoAxIpMBORa-67PPk9/s16000/IMG_3813%20edit.jpg" /></a></div><b>1. <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/06/mixed-drink-monday-fizzy-flamingo.html">Mixed Drink Monday: The Fizzy Flamingo</a> (June 2018)</b><br />I made this drink for one single reason: it had flamingo in the title. I do not remember liking it particularly well nor are the pictures great. I have NO IDEA why it continues to perform so well. (my personal favorite drinks of all the ones I made...<a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/08/mixed-drink-monday-diy-margarita-mix.html">DIY Margarita Mix</a>, <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/05/mixed-drink-monday-homemade-honey.html">Honey Margaritas</a>, and <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/08/mixed-drink-monday-mucho-gusto.html">Mucho Gustos</a> - I make the coconut rimming salt every summer).<br /><p></p><p>Always surprising seeing what resonates. Maybe I need to get back to drink and ice cream posts??? Crazy they are still getting good hits all these years later! <br /></p><p><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/most-popular-posts-of-2022.html">Most Popular Posts of 2022</a><br /><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/10-most-popular-posts-in-2021.html">Most Popular Posts of 2021<br />Most Popular Posts of 2020</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/01/top-10-most-popular-posts-of-2019.html">Most Popular Posts of 2019</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-10-most-popular-posts-in-2018.html">Most Popular Posts of 2018</a> <br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-73597653533786546402024-01-02T18:00:00.001-05:002024-01-02T18:00:00.140-05:00Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2023<p>This post was hard to write this year! I had a good reading year but I think I had fewer standout favorites. I came up with maybe 2 on this list off the top of my head and didn't remember many of the others until I was going through my 2023 list in Goodreads. Then I remembered many I enjoyed! </p><p>A few stats:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>170 books this year</li><li>32 were rereads (19%)<br /></li><li>Finished 6 books with Luke (4%), 13 with Sam (8%), and 6 with them jointly (4%) (nearly all of those were also rereads included above. I was mostly reading <i>Harry Potter </i>with Luke which took MUCH longer per book than what I was reading to Sam.)</li><li>33 were books we/I own (19%)</li><li>33 were non-fiction (19%) <br /></li></ul><p>I read more chapter books to the boys (combined) this year but spent less time reading to them overall, that came out in fewer pictures books this year (300+ less!) due to Sam starting school and Luke doing sports in the winter and fall. I hate to think we are moving out of our picture book era completely, it'll be many years before we completely give those up! I also just spent less time reading myself this year, nearly 40 fewer hours, which shows in the number of books I finished for myself in 2022 (161) vs. 2023 (145). </p><p>Always fascinating to look back and see how all my reading came out in a year! I do put thought into what I read but not really at numbers or percentages until the end of the year! Now onto my favorites! As always, I do not include rereads since I obviously like those enough to reread them! I plan to do a post about all the books I reread every year or every other year with some consistency! <br /></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Note: Affiliate links abound below, I make a small (very small)
commission off items if you purchase through those links, at no extra
cost to you. I appreciate your understanding
and support! </i><span><i><span><i>Of course I fully support utilizing the library
or shopping used or from an independent bookstore! <br /></i></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span><i><span><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVJqS99uqjzGKiYhDOH5yLZ6GBYqScgs4xBV7A_22_26K7lZqTcJTYZpMrlUhYE4bOtoL3BJ1VpQjH5f6z2A16Et1UB4kvLwsWybwOCr6H5FgSGYjx7BUyVGf9_3hMM9PESXUpP488VPbCzX5BpNmyrcW9JTC9fK1NKcu4uCUasCUGhoRyMmya8t_lVuN/s775/Favorite%20reads%20of%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVJqS99uqjzGKiYhDOH5yLZ6GBYqScgs4xBV7A_22_26K7lZqTcJTYZpMrlUhYE4bOtoL3BJ1VpQjH5f6z2A16Et1UB4kvLwsWybwOCr6H5FgSGYjx7BUyVGf9_3hMM9PESXUpP488VPbCzX5BpNmyrcW9JTC9fK1NKcu4uCUasCUGhoRyMmya8t_lVuN/s16000/Favorite%20reads%20of%202023.jpg" /></a></i></span></i></span></span></span></div><b><a href="https://amzn.to/4aBctCV"><i>The Rose Code</i></a> by Kate Quinn</b><br />This book lingered on my TBR for over 2 years before I finally read it, I had to put it on <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/23-in-2023.html">my 23 in 2023 list</a> to get it done! I almost erased it many times from that list but I'm glad I stuck it out because it was a great historical read. Set mostly at Bletchley Park during World War II and the code breaking work the women did. Men did a lot of that to but the story mostly focused on the women, literally helping the Allies win that war. It is an incredible story about incredible women. I know there are more World War II books than anyone can read but this is certainly a standout in the genre, if you can get through 600+ pages (they went faster than I expected). <br /><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3U3tccj">Roomies</a></i> by Christina Lauren </b><br />This is one of those books in which the reading experience really impacted how much I liked the book. I was reading this entirely on our <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/09/travel-chicago-part-1.html">Chicago</a> trip, where the cover of the book looked very much like the view from our window! Christina Lauren can be hit or miss for me but this one is maybe my favorite of theirs. Fake relationship, New York City, behind the scenes of Broadway, and green card marriages. I wrote a post about this and gave it a semi-related book flight <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/04/book-love-flight-roomies-by-christina.html">here</a>!</p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3RRzJnI">Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most</a> </i>by Cassie Holmes</b><br />This
was a book club pick, either one that I picked or one that one of my
sister's picked from MY TBR list. Hahaha. (It an effective picking
strategy because they get many of their TBR books from what I've
already read...) I LOVE a good time management book because I am always trying
to tweak how to spend my time to make it more efficient but also more
worthwhile, more in line with my priorities which obviously include my
family but also needs to include some time just for me to think and
right my brain (i.e. reading and sleep and running). All those things
in the subtitle are things I am looking to do with my time and this laid
it out line by line how to do them. We read this this fall when life
was a different kind of busy than ever before and I really appreciated
this at that time. Definitely some things I need to put into practice
now that we are past the crazy of the holidays and that prep work. </p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vpuKDa">Faking Christmas</a></i> by Cindy Steel</b><br />It's rare a Christmas book makes this list although not <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2015.html">unprecedented</a>. I read a few books in this Christmas Escape series in 2022 but then purchase requested the rest from my library in early 2023 and finished the whole set in the last few months. This was my favorite of the bunch. Another fake relationship! And the CUTEST sounding little New England resort at Christmas! And ex-boyfriends and fraught family relationships. And a slightly stretched snowmobile accident and a convenient covered bridge! It was a delight to read over the holiday season and one I could see myself rereading another December. <br /></p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3RFSCtD">Same Time Next Summer</a></i></b> <b>by Annabel Monaghan</b><br />This is <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2022.html">two years in a row</a> her books have made my list! I enjoyed <i>Nora Goes Off Script</i> in 2022 so much that I pre-ordered this and was delighted when I got to read it this summer. Long lost ex's are reunited at their neighboring beach houses. She's engaged. He's just around. Things are rekindled. A fun romance, fun location I haven't read much in (Long Island), slightly older protagonists (although still younger than me...). I have already pre-ordered her 2024 release!</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3S3lEVe"><b><i>Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World</i></b></a> <b>by</b> <b>Gretchen Rubin</b><br />I
have read all of Gretchen Rubin's self-help books and always come away
with something from them. This one was about the five main senses (the 5
you learned as a kid) but also just about being more present. There
was a little bit of <i>The Happiness Project</i> or <i>Happier at Home </i>with
just seeking out experiences outside of the norm, trying to be a little
happier without major life changes. I have thought about and noticed
certain senses more since reading this. I really respond to her
approach and appreciate everything she's written for how it makes me
look at my own life.</p><p><b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3RKTjSl">Hello Stranger</a></i> by Katherine Center</b><br />I picked this book for Matt to give me for my birthday because I have never been disappointed by a Katherine Center book. Every single one has had a swoony enough romance and a story line I just can't put down. This one was about face blindness (a real thing!) and an artist who gets it, right before she's supposed to be doing the biggest portrait of her career. There is a vet and a neighbor and an illegal living situation in something of a closet. It was a fun read. I did a good job picking my birthday book!<br /></p><p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3H2yzQW"><i>The Spectacular</i></a> by Fiona Davis</b><br />A second historical fiction book! I've read nearly all of Fiona Davis' books and they are all set at New York City landmark buildings. She's done one at Grand Central and the New York Public Library among others. This one is set at Radio City Music Hall, a place I've walked past but never been inside. The early days of the Rockettes and a murder story line based on a real story. It was compelling and went behind the scenes of that famous building and the famous Rockettes. </p><p></p><b><a href="https://amzn.to/3H2dwOL"><i>Let Them Be Kids: Adventure, Boredom, Innocence, and Other Gifts Children Need</i></a> by Jessica Smartt <br /></b>Has
a parenting book made this list before?? Probably but it's been a few
years. This is about being both more hands off (let your kids be
bored!) but also more hands off (KEEP an eye on those devices and what
they can access on the internet!). I LOVED her approach, letting kids
be kids, in all the ways. Get dirty and messy but also keep them from
growing up too fast. Highly recommend. My kids are bored right now
because I'm not letting them have screens but instead they are playing a
card game my oldest made up. That's the kind of fun they need to be
having!<p></p><p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3H5tN5p"><b><i>Will They or Won't They</i></b></a> <b>by Ava Wilder</b> <br />This one makes the list because it was a book that I could not put down this summer. It's often the memorable books where I really remember the reading experience (I know I read a significant portion of this one sitting on my front porch before the boys were awake). This is fairly standard romance, two former co-stars (and ex's) come back together to film a final season of their tv show. They start off hating each other. Until they don't! I just remember really enjoying it and trying to sneak in more reading around all the parenting that was required at that time. <br /></p><p></p><p><b>What were some of YOUR favorite reads of 2023?</b> <br /></p><p><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2023/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2022.html">Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2022</a><br /><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2021.html">Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2021<br />Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2020<br />Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2019<br />Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2018</a><br />
<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2017.html">Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2017</a><br />
<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2016.html">Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2016</a><br />
<a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/01/favorite-grown-up-reads-of-2015.html">Favorite {Grown-Up} Reads of 2015</a> <br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-60801199911739262792023-12-29T09:00:00.100-05:002023-12-29T09:00:00.139-05:002023!<p>This year...has been a year. I realized at some point that we have a big change in our lives every 5 years. Fifteen years ago, at the age of 25, we bought our first jet skis (yay!) and my husband went back to school for the 1st time since finishing his initial program. Ten years ago, at 30, we became parents when we adopted Luke. Five years ago, at 30, we adopted Sam, Matt started a new job (same position), and Luke started school. </p><p>This year...this year. We turned 40, Matt's Mom died, Luke really started sports, Sam started kindergarten, and Matt went back to school (....again). </p><p>It felt like a year that just kept trying my sanity over and over and over again. As soon as I'd adjust to our new reality, something else would change. But let's back up to the beginning of 2023...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPcJ_W5hreZXc_D0nV_2Z6Bdh5e7gEQGPGaa04mPbVympQPKx106ZJwMiPgFtxOGAR7F5ZSDOuXbf_hFERixzW95DXOW2Jfs9ha5RwXRYbIgLHBa6oA__EsQ8HfSL7ZirlFjb1UzdBk3URRBAqOVhb_D7ZxhZVVyctJkQEMn5LmbNcEpN-QNBmZLJiyu-/s450/winter%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPcJ_W5hreZXc_D0nV_2Z6Bdh5e7gEQGPGaa04mPbVympQPKx106ZJwMiPgFtxOGAR7F5ZSDOuXbf_hFERixzW95DXOW2Jfs9ha5RwXRYbIgLHBa6oA__EsQ8HfSL7ZirlFjb1UzdBk3URRBAqOVhb_D7ZxhZVVyctJkQEMn5LmbNcEpN-QNBmZLJiyu-/s16000/winter%202023.jpg" /></a></div>Luke was wrestling which was our first experience with SPORTS. And you all, we were not prepared (I may have scared some of my sisters from ever putting their kids in sports). Sam and I spent so much time sitting in bleachers, waiting for Luke's short time on the mat. (Matt was at every meet too but he was sometimes helping or corralling kids.) Luckily, we had pretzels with cheese at nearly every meet, a fact that Sam reminded me of when I was lamenting the start of wrestling conditioning again this fall. <p></p><p>I am also on the committee for our school's dinner/auction which culminated in February but took up a decent amount of time the first two months of the year. That experience really was a teaching lesson and did give me confidence to start my own thing at school. And it was fun to work with my sister, on our own sub-committee of 2, enough that we agreed to do it again this year. March also brought big birthdays for both boys (5 & 10) and a total of 3 parties celebrating all of that. AND...the end of wrestling, right as it was starting to get warm enough for boys to get out energy outside.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMnenP8o7KUgPnmgBdZpWRLmemglFKUB1wc1GiWr-_vI-lLXBVuzP-dDx5qP3HYts7nnbQhTllqBWucS0zFD87Be2JhDDCxSkq4pLG_wNDjLWZPV2mhv7V3FwWEJP7UYt0uKb3gASr9a6iSXCCj9GPjg_1GqddJKCANA5JtwGlQfakPg88jdOe70pAMyg/s450/spring%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMnenP8o7KUgPnmgBdZpWRLmemglFKUB1wc1GiWr-_vI-lLXBVuzP-dDx5qP3HYts7nnbQhTllqBWucS0zFD87Be2JhDDCxSkq4pLG_wNDjLWZPV2mhv7V3FwWEJP7UYt0uKb3gASr9a6iSXCCj9GPjg_1GqddJKCANA5JtwGlQfakPg88jdOe70pAMyg/s16000/spring%202023.jpg" /></a></div>In April we made it back to Chicago, the first time in 19 years (we were there right before they dedicated the Bean last time!). It was our spring break trip and really was a lot of fun. It was nice doing a big city trip that was much closer than New York (although I am nearly desperate to get back there again soon too.) I started dreading the fall,when Sam would start school and I'd lose my dream job (being a stay-at-home Mom). I spent many hours crying and trying to figure out what all I'd do with my time, once I was childless all school day. But SUMMER and warmer weather and all that helped. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0ESZibMkzLWiVilDF9YpIJ0_Ss4pD5jqbFxnQKQLRm8Aub7Jou8t3woqBMY7RJJF-5yxOwaLM-5H7Y-JGk-SksvLuCn_etyt2F_wq7vrNcsRaoOXi6MmO0-OfzlhU0U71E9gCPMFFOVPcAxFtcBrn_qjN1JlAXkmdwDg55Gxpds2odEFYrdXYLhXOFfT/s450/summer%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0ESZibMkzLWiVilDF9YpIJ0_Ss4pD5jqbFxnQKQLRm8Aub7Jou8t3woqBMY7RJJF-5yxOwaLM-5H7Y-JGk-SksvLuCn_etyt2F_wq7vrNcsRaoOXi6MmO0-OfzlhU0U71E9gCPMFFOVPcAxFtcBrn_qjN1JlAXkmdwDg55Gxpds2odEFYrdXYLhXOFfT/s16000/summer%202023.jpg" /></a></div>Third quarter. This is when it felt like everything changed. Matt's Mom was emergency admitted to the hospital in the first part of the month and died the next day. That was unexpected and life changing. She had a truly beautiful send-off by the whole family, other than a longer life, really couldn't have asked for anything more. I still get emotional thinking about those 2 days in the hospital and then the week before her funeral. It was a lot. <p></p><p>Just a few days after the funeral we left for our long planned trip to Florida. I had about 1½ days to throw everything together but it was so nice to have a solid week of family time and a break together. Other than dealing with grief, it was a wonderful trip that all worked out much better than I expected. We followed that up with back to back camping trips, hitting up Jellystone again (2nd of 3 times for the year) and to Michigan. And then 3 days later school started. </p><p>Exactly one month, to the day, after my mother-in-law died, Sam started kindergarten, a day which I had been dreading for years but especially the last few months. That solo walk home was SO HARD. I cried his first 10 days of school. It was hard coming home to an empty house every day. I had thought we'd have another baby by the time Sam was in school and I could prolong my SAHM job for awhile, but no such luck. That was a really hard transition although I did get some time to catch up on the MANY things that had been pushed off for the past month (or longer). </p><p>Also in August Luke started running cross country, a sport I enjoyed more than expected. My sister had 3 of her boys running and we'd often meet at the playground during practice to let the kids play and we'd talk. That was really a bright point in the cross country season.</p><p>THEN, right after Labor Day, Matt went back to school. His is an intensive program where he was taking 18 credit hours this first semester and also working 32 hours a week, in order to keep our insurance and benefits. It. Was. Stressful. It's all remote but he was logging on for zoom class Monday - Thursday nights, plus watching lectures, doing labs, and lots of homework. Many cross country meets he'd watch lectures in the car, come out to watch Luke's race, and then back to the car to watch more lectures while the rest of the races ran. We have one more year of this although this first semester was his heaviest class load. But in January he starts clinicals, working for free! Yay. (And still working 32 hours a week for pay.)<br /></p><p>The third quarter had SO MANY changes. It's also my heaviest running time (I ran 226 miles July - September) but that may have helped keep me sane. You know, exercise, endorphins, all of that. When I look back at those three months...I really don't know how we did it.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Yc2jUSvKAOvc0RwrhCnd8iPBaoEcIRAp6cAhwgFgGS-vl5cEyfyYXmHCTzyw7oAahXcwu8KFZ9c1cTuILPAb_QCOlZBVOcd4-jm7BhNvkFz2ahSR102sZNXAJ7oTaOi42bTpfYODAtaR2qVDB1GVrYznJmeacrH1sRKdvbJRTbtWz826QtNaSTPTsNA9/s450/fall%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Yc2jUSvKAOvc0RwrhCnd8iPBaoEcIRAp6cAhwgFgGS-vl5cEyfyYXmHCTzyw7oAahXcwu8KFZ9c1cTuILPAb_QCOlZBVOcd4-jm7BhNvkFz2ahSR102sZNXAJ7oTaOi42bTpfYODAtaR2qVDB1GVrYznJmeacrH1sRKdvbJRTbtWz826QtNaSTPTsNA9/s16000/fall%202023.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Fall was more of the same, cross country season wrapping up, Matt very busy with school. A TWO month break from sports before wrestling conditioning started. I stopped crying every day Sam was in school (progress!). Settling into all the adjustments of the previous few months. We went back to Jellystone over fall break and it felt like a ghost town compared to all our previous visits over the summer (I am ALSO desperate to get Jellystone stays booked for 2024 but so much is uncertain with Matt's work & school schedules right now.) <br /></p><p></p><p>That brings us to now. Christmas and prepping and shopping for more bottle brush trees has really helped me stay positive, Christmas always cheers me up. December has proved to be flat out crazy with helping at school, working (I picked up another bookkeeping job this fall!), doing committee work, and prepping for Christmas (I enjoy the Christmas of it all the very most.). SO appreciating and savoring this Christmas break because it's the calmest life ever is for us. </p><p>It's been a year. A year that has tried my sanity on more than one occasion but we are still going. (I hardly mentioned the turning 40 of it all, man, I'm many months into that and still not sure what to think of it!) 2024 doesn't seem like it'll be letting up anytime soon but maybe I've figured out how to handle it all better?? (Maybe...no guarantees, AT ALL.) We'll keep going, chugging away, doing our best. This is life and it's not always easy. There is still much to be grateful for and much joy to be found, even if we just have to look a bit harder (when in doubt, pretzels with cheese always helps). <br /></p><p><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/12/2022.html">2022!</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/12/2021.html">2021!<br /></a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020.html">2020!<br /></a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/2019.html">2019!</a><br /><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/12/2018.html">2018!<br /></a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/12/2017.html">2017!<br /></a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/12/2016.html">2016!</a><br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1473242022404755961.post-32194150989473712962023-12-28T09:00:00.072-05:002023-12-29T17:43:01.950-05:00Looking Back at December 2023<p>It's the end of December! This month was a WHIRLWIND. Besides prepping for Christmas, work I almost completely and entirely love, there was just a lot going on! The boys were in school 15 days this month and I was at school around 10 of those days, for SOMETHING. I did my first real room mom duty for kindergarten and organized the Christmas party. Matt & I did some painting with 5th grade for an auction class project. Helped in the lunchroom, helped in the little Christmas shop they set up, attended a kindergarten Christmas program, etc. December was BUSY. Just busy. And we even had a decent head start on our shopping by November 30th! Already thinking of how we can make it a bit easier next year! Plus, Matt had finals in there. So that was a fun stress addition to the household.<br /></p><p>But Christmas has been wonderful and with his modified for school work schedule, Matt has more time off with the boys than any other Christmas break ever. So that's going be just so wonderful just to spend time all together before we're back to the grind of school, wrestling, and more school in January. <br /></p><p><u><b>Looking back: </b></u><br />
<b>1 year ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2022/12/10-item-christmas-gift-list.html">{10} Item Christmas Gift List</a><b><br /></b>
<b>2 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2021/12/christmas-season-decide-once.html">Christmas Season Decide Once </a><br /> <b>3 years ago:</b> <a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-media-to-consume.html">Christ</a><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-media-to-consume.html">mas Media to Consume</a><b> </b><br />
<b>4 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/mixed-drink-monday-cran-apple-sangria.html">Cran-Apple Sangria</a><b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/mixed-drink-monday-cran-apple-sangria.html"> </a><br /></b>
<b>5 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/12/book-love-ill-be-there-for-you-one.html">Book Love:<i> I'll Be There for You: The One About Friends</i> by Kelsey Miller</a><b> </b><br />
<b>6 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2017/12/12-christmas-hacks-of-sorts.html">{12} Christmas Hacks (of sorts)</a><br />
<b>7 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2016/12/christmas-at-grandmas.html">Christmas at Grandma's</a><b><br />8 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2015/12/adorable-wooden-christmas-trees.html">Adorable Wooden Christmas Trees</a> (I still set these all out every year! Beginning of an obsession)<br /><b>9 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/12/christmas-treats-crockpot-cinnamon.html">Christmas Treats: Crockpot Cinnamon Sugar Almonds</a><b><br />10 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2013/12/christmas-treats-raspberry-coconut.html">Christmas Treats: Raspberry Coconut Layer Bars</a> (these are Matt's second favorite of all the treats I make, after classic frosted sugar cookies)<br /><b>11 years ago: </b><a href="http://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2012/12/things-i-like-december.html">Things I Like</a> (I still own #s 1-3!)<br /> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPcthNApmdRk6NHDwiPU7-5T8SZSqNIRFEC2V4aJp45745Tk9A09p3WQvYysQUYAzO3vWFP9Urm9Hp_1CnKiEyxuTYpfxtUVeNlwbKZlzKxOa_dgrJ4iCAdOKIC7vn_JXLM8EXjna2BHPMWvzKUghR_V1fqCmRcmfDIXAe-9sNlmlTFp-zuqkyDplMTQ0/s500/December%202023%20recap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPcthNApmdRk6NHDwiPU7-5T8SZSqNIRFEC2V4aJp45745Tk9A09p3WQvYysQUYAzO3vWFP9Urm9Hp_1CnKiEyxuTYpfxtUVeNlwbKZlzKxOa_dgrJ4iCAdOKIC7vn_JXLM8EXjna2BHPMWvzKUghR_V1fqCmRcmfDIXAe-9sNlmlTFp-zuqkyDplMTQ0/s16000/December%202023%20recap.jpg" /></a></div>1) Decorating the tree...I found two different packs of ornaments in my favorite blue!<br />2) Seeing the Nutcracker for the first time in 20 years. Sam went with me and declared it "boring". Oh well.<br />3) Our final fish has died so I finally understand the grief of pet loss (...I was not attached to those fish.)<br />4) We took multiple detour downtown to see Santa and the wreath this month! <br />5) Warm enough to read on the porch in December! <br />6) Cutting out cookies with Sam, he stayed and helped through them all!<br />7) I found donuts when leaving work one day. I am ALWAYS delighted by surprise donuts.<br />8) Sam & I made these little guys (from a kit) while Matt & Luke were at wrestling practice. <br />9) Snowmen, I decorated these after the rest of my family had given up...<br />10) About the most snow we had all month (this is on the recycle bin...)<br />11) Driving through the Fantasy of Lights, at the park we hike through every October!<br />12) Our December date! Yes, more Santa sightings.<br />13) And back downtown later that same day to walk around the lights with the boys.<br />14) Matt took the boys shopping. On December 22nd. Which gave me about 4 silent hours at home alone! (Even with boys in school...that quiet time home alone didn't happen much this month.)<br />15) Reading in front of the tree with my tea. Also rarely happened.<br />16) Christmas evening at home finishing <i>The Best Christmas Pageant Ever</i> with the boys while they colored. A rare moment of bliss. <br /><p></p><p><b><b>Books finished:</b></b><b> </b>as of this writing, 19, but I'm hoping to make it to 24 by the 31st...I have 4 days...<b><br />Miles ran: </b>0.00. Taking the winter off, per usual. May get in a couple miles if we get decent weather on a day that works with my hair washing!<b><br />
<b>Currently watching:</b></b> Matt and I are still working on <i>It's Always Sunny</i> but will likely finish that over Christmas break and I'm not sure what's next!<b><i> </i></b><br /><b>
<b><b><b>Most read post this month: </b></b></b></b><a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2018/06/new-york-city-4-days-1-2.html">NYC #4 - days 1 & 2</a>, Mixed Drink Monday: <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2019/12/mixed-drink-monday-cran-apple-sangria.html">Cran-Apple Sangria</a> (always gets more hits in December), and <a href="https://happinessinthecrapiness.blogspot.com/2014/02/kool-aid-cookies.html">Kool-Aid Cookies</a><b><br />
<b>Luke's current favorite (Christmas) song: </b></b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_R4pR1hck">"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"</a> by Andy Williams <br /><b>Sam's current favorite (Christmas) song: </b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_R4pR1hck">"It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"</a> by Andy Williams</p><p>In denial that January is just a few days away. I AM NOT ready to say goodbye to Christmas! And not ready to dive back into the crazy schedules! Soaking up these quiet days while we have them!<br /></p>dianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09814404711133579948noreply@blogger.com0