Peeping Friday

Can you believe another week has flown by?
And it is time again to peak into my humdrum life...LOL

Firstly this week began with the celebration of a milestone. Yup! That is so true. A milestone :-) My cousin's little boy turned 2....so difficult to believe. he is now a walking, talking little person and no longer the baby that we so affectionately called him. And to make his daddy proud, he is so much a little boy. Things with wheels are awesome! Outside is grand!

Happy Birthday Cole




Next glimpse is something dear to my heart.
Something that just melts my heart is to see an adult who is able to be responsible and grown up but comfortable enough with themselves to let that "inner child" shine. Such a person is my hubby. He has a high stress job which means he is in adult mode much of the day...however he knows how to enjoy life :-)
The other day he came home from a long day and went to say hi to our daughter who was in the backyard playing with some friends. Moments later I was hearing squeals of delight. I went to investigate and this is what I found.....





Now how can such a sight not melt a girl's heart...LOL
They all had a blast! And Sheridan had to grab these pictures to remember the day :-)

Beware the man of one book

One of my new year's resolutions was to increase the amount I read.
When I was younger it was not necessary to make a conscious thought to read, it was just something I did. I read kids books, novels, mysteries, romance, and my favorites (biographys). Eagerly I anticipated the journey that I would take with each new discovery I found at the library.

Then my university years hit, I stopped reading for pleasure because I had so much to do for the structured classes. When I married and became a mother, no time could be found to take these escapes and so my book reading was confined to Green Eggs and Ham or Barnyard Dance. Now don't get me wrong, these are great for the age I was reading to but a bit boring come the 200th time it was read.

Now that the rugrat is 10 and taking her own journeys thru books I have rediscovered my joy of years gone by.

You can imagine my disappointment, when reading various blogs, I discovered a reading challenge and then found that sign-ups were finished. Sigh!
Late again!!!

Disappointment turned to pleasure as I reminded myself that I don't need to be signed up to make the challenge for myself. SO I am challenging myself to read a book every 2 weeks for the complete summer...June 1st to August 31. And I am challenging anyone who reads this to do the same. If this is my goal then I need approximately 7 books for summer reading pleasure.

My list is as follows.....
1. Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy.
I cheated a bit and started yesterday at work.

2. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Loved the movie...time to read the book

3. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
June's selection for Knitting with the Classics

4. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Always wanted to read this but never have found the time

5. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
First big novel I remember reading without encouragement. Time to revisit this pleasure.

6. The Davinci Code by Dan Brown
With the movie being talked about right now....I think I want to see what all the fuss is about.

7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Saw the movie and loved it. I make a practice of not reading a book until after viewing the movie if possible. That way I can enjoy each for themselves and not compare. Borrowed the book but have yet to open it.

That list should keep me busy while sitting by the river while the rugrat is tubing or sitting in the backyard with a glass of ice tea. I think I should also include Sheridan in the challenge...therefore keeping up her reading skills. Any suggestions of good but simple girl books? She is 10 with some reading difficulty.

Good news on the resolution front too...I finished 3 more books in May.

First I read Life of Pi by Yann Martel. When I first got this book, I had no clue what to expect. Had never heard of it at any time before the book club chose it for a selection. I must admit I found it quite enjoyable! Kept me reading and really thru me for a loop at the end. If this story is true as the write hints, all I can say is life does make you stronger.

Next I re-read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This was the first "classic" book I ever remember reading. It has been a great pleasure to re-experience the silliness of a more stuffy time in history. This is a romance without the heroine being anything but true to herself.

And finally I was in the mood for a romance (happens from time to time), so I chose a Gothic Romance. Deception by Terri Lynn Wilhelm It was a good read but not too challenging. The heroine is in trouble and of course ends up crossing paths with her hero disguised as an rebel and outcast. Gasp! Who would of thought!! LOL
However, it was nice to see the characters develop and the story progress without too much escape from realism. It was a fluff book by some standards but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

So to date...in 5 months I have completed 9 books. Almost 2 a month...so I would say my resolution is being met.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr. Seuss quote

Fun with Wikipedia

I have notice while browsing the knitting blogs lately, that many like to play with Wikipedia. So....I have decided to play along :-)

If you want to play along, look up your birthdate in Wikipedia (minus the year) and list 3 events, 3 births, and 3 deaths from that day. Mine is August 1st.


Events
1498 Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to visit Venezuela
1831 London Bridge Opens
1936 Berlin Olympic games open

Births
1779 Francis Scott Key, American lawyer and lyricist
1819 Herman Melville, American writer
1935 Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer

Deaths
1464 Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici, ruler of Florence
1714 Queen Anne of Great Britain
1970 Frances Farmer, American actress

Gratitude Monday

Weekly affirmation
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.
-Meister Eckhart


I am grateful for.....

1. the ability to sort true friends from acquaintances
2. cherished family time
3. the ability to have compassion
4. having the time to help a person in need
5. the sun peeking thru the cloudy sky
6. time to just enjoy the moment
7. my approaching move
8. food in my fridge
9. clean clothes in my closet
10. a relationship with my significant other which gets stronger each day

Peeping Friday

I'm sorry to say...but I have been a very neglectful blogger when it comes to my peeping Fridays. With cleaning, packing, buying and selling, my life has been a bit hectic.

This morning I woke up to this.....

It was raining....cool and glummy!

Now I don't know about the rest of you, but this weather does not bring the energy out in me. It makes me feel sluggish and I just want to snuggle and in and do something totally self-indulgent.

I am like the old man in the nursery rhyme

Its raining! Its pouring!!
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed and bumped his head.
And couldn't get up in the morning!!

So instead I did this for awhile.



Total self-indulgence time...good book, snuggle blanket and cappacino.


I also cut out the pattern pieces to a revived hobby of mine...sewing.
Sheridan is at an awkward size...between kids and junior. Plus for some reason the stores in this community are not in cync with the seasons. No shorts to found anywhere but when there was snow on the ground you were surrounded by them....AWK!

Anyway....this is my latest projects.

As you can see - I decided if my daughter gets shorts, I should get something too.
I am actually starting to sound like her...LOL
Can't wait to finish this simple summer skirt.

Anyway...reality calls and work is waiting.
Thanks for peeping :-)

The Pod People have landed

I have always been one with no defined decorating sense.
I love dark vivid colors. There is no flow from room to room. If it feels good I paint it. Furniture wise I am not classical, traditional, country or modern. My home is hodge podge of things that just make me feel good.

I love chochkeys....things for display. And even though I have to dust lots of little things, each one holds a meaning or memory for me.

The same applies to my outdoor room.
And a couple of years ago I found these adorable face planters.


They add a bit of whimsy to my home and uniqueness. I have yet to see them anywhere else.

Best part...once I put them out this year my daughter sighed and said
"I guess summer is here!" LOL

The spoiler becomes the spoilee!

One of my greatest pleasures has been the SP (or secret pal) program.
I joined up for SP5 for my first experience and had a blast. Each SP since has been a pleasure.

Regretfully I did not join up for SP8 :-( With my impending move I decided I could not do justice to spoiling a deserving person properly.

Well tell me how surprized I was to open my mailbox and find a package the other day.


It was from one of my spoilees!!!
SP7 I had the pleasure of being Lindsay's fairy godmother. It was great to spoil a fellow Canadian. But what I didn't know is that she would turn around and spoil me as well. In my package I found a notecard, "Knit" button, and two books....Knit Lit and Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw. Both books are ones I look forward to reading this summer.

So a huge thank you to Lindsay. Your package brighten my day more than you will ever know.

Gratitude Monday

Weekly affirmation
Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those you hold well.
-Josh Billings


I am grateful for......
1. a tender kiss
2. the beauty of spring and all it brings
3. family time
4. the smells of fresh flowers
5. the brilliant colors in nature
6. anticipation of something new
7. my chimes ringing as the wind blows
8. time to snuggle in and read a good book
9. my beliefs
10. warmer and longer days

Monday's gratitude

Weekly affirmation
What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it—would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have.

-Ralph Marston



I am grateful for.....
1. The change of the seasons
2. waking up to my daughter's voice saying "I love you...your the best!" :-)
3. being able to spend time with my family
4. phone calls to family
5. the smell of clean clothes
6. a job that allows me flexibility
7. a husband who listens
8. money in our bank account
9. being able to sleep in one day a week
10. the ability to read and visit new places in my mind

Gratitude Monday

Will miracles ever cease...its actually being posted on Monday...LOL

This week's affirmation
The true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.
-Ann Landers


I am grateful for.....
1. Being able to snuggle in with hubby and daughter and do absolutely nothing
2. Days getting longer and warmer
3. meals being shared with family and friends
4. being able to see and experience the beauty of common things
5. being able to snuggle between two strong arms when life gets overwhelming...or just because
6. the unconditional affection of animals
7. each new day which brings with it a clean slate to write on
8. the beauty that color brings
9. the conveniences that my life brings
10. being able to forgive and forget

Peeping Friday

As those of you who actually read my babble have noticed by now I am sure....I have been absent for some time.

So today's peeping friday I decided to show you what my April was like.

Hubby came home one day and said "dear let's sell, downsize and improve our financial life". Being the wonderful wife I am....I jumped in with both feet!

First we needed to clean, declutter and get the house ready for viewing. I am a great collector of chochkies so this was not an easy task. You all saw the picture of my den. Well the rest of the house was comparable.

Our realtor has a service where she brings in an interior designer to stage the house. She tells you what needs to go away and redesigns each room. Not the easiest of tasks.

This is our house after she completed her job.




And this is what she had me pack away....ugh!



Then came the viewers. And they came in droves. The market right now is insane and after 8 days we were the proud owners of a "sold" sign.



After the reality set in that we were homeless.
So we hit the streets and browsed anything that was close to our criteria.
Nothing fit! Of course many were nice but each had something that needed to be added, fixed or changed. Then we walked into a house that just felt right. It was amazing! Looking around the house I could imagine my furniture in the rooms and actually living there. This had to be the one!!!!

After a few days of nailbiting and an emotional rollercoaster ride...we got the house :-) Remember how I said we were downsizing....change that thought...LOL
Somehow the house of our dreams is actually larger. How this happened I will never know.





Now comes the fun job of packing. We have 2 months and then onto our new future.
Everyone loves a new adventure.

Ban the books!?!?!?!?

Can you imagine not being able to chose what you wanted to read?
To have someone tell you what was appropriate or just to remove books from your life all together?

Our town's public libary just brought out a program for the youth to show what books are banned in what countries. They are encouraging them to read these "contriband" and offer opinions or just appreciate our right to chose.

I have been reading or been exposed to books as long as I can remember.
My first nursery rhyme book is still on my bookshelf today and I use to enjoy the stories my grandmother told me about me and the book. How I would amaze people who came to our house because I could "read" at such an early age. LOL Truth was I had heard the stories so many times that it was commited to memory.

When I turned 7 my grandfather took me to the town library and bought my first library card and this became a weekly tradition with him....me holding his hand and walking to the library to chose some new adventure to experience or country to visit.

I have surrounded myself with books but regretfully life gets in the way and reading has on more than one occassion fallen onto the back burner because of lack of time or energy.

This year I decided to make reading more of a priority.
Posting was a way to keep me accountable...however that means I need to post...LOL

Since Febrary...this what I have read.

Simply Scandalous By Carly Phillips
This is a quick and easy romance novel. Not really known for a challenge.
It was lighthearted, funny and total fluff.

You and Your Child: the joys, myths and challenges of raising an only child
by Patricia Nachman
This is a self-help styled book catering to the parent(s) of a single child. She uses lots of examples and different parenting styles...from the way we were raised to the way we raise our child. She even has a section for the divorced parent or remarried parent with other children. I found it an easy read and parts quite helpful.

On Secret Service by John Jakes
One of my favorite authors. I am a sucker for anything that takes place in the south and his books never disappoint. By mixing romance, history and good writing...this book was never going to miss the mark. Great read!!

The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio: How my mother raised 10 kids on 25 words or less by Terry Ryan
After seeing the movie of the same name staring Julianne Moore I just had to read the book and compare. The book had me right along with the family. I cheered on the successes and cried with the failures. The writer showed her mother's determination, wit and humor, and most of all strength. Movie was good...book was better.

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
What to say about this book? It was a struggle!
The old English and endless writing was not my favorite. I enjoy chapters...starts and endings of thoughts...not continuous dialogue which this contained. I persevered! This was the selection for one of my online lists and I was bound and determined to finish it. Once I got past about page 50 the story seemed to make a bit more sense but I still found the language a struggle. To help, I rented the movie. Big Mistake!!! The movie may have been loosely based on the book but may I suggest extremely loose. Didn't help in the least. I did finish the book though and it was worth it. The story was amazing! It would be interesting to find out if it really is based on a person's life or not.

So this is where I begin May....I think the next choice will be an easier read...but I am remembering how much I love to lose myself in the worlds of books.

Gratitude Monday

Quote for the week You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can't have it.
- Dr. Robert Anthony

Things I am grateful for....
1. A loving and supportive husband
2. a strong belief in life and what it has to offer
3. a sunny day
4. a quiet evening with me, hubby and daughter together
5. friends
6. a new home
7. being caught up on laundry...lol
8. an understanding boss
9. the smile and giggle from my daughter
10. a developing image of self (getting stronger each day)

belated thanks

This was my mystery package from Knitting with the Classics.
What a hoot!

The wool was luscious!!! And great name too...Ruby Red Slippers...visions of The Wizard of Oz are floating through my brain...LOL
The chocolate was hidden quickly. Wouldn't last in this house if I didn't.
And best of all - a book I have never read.

Thank you so much to my Mystery Swap pal. Your awesome :-)

Gratitude Monday

Boy am I far behind. Life just keeps getting in the way.
I figure, however, that a little gratitude can only make the week better.

So.....

Weekly affirmation:
My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.

I am grateful for....

1. a husband who will walk beside me, carry me or let me lead...whatever is necessary at the moment.
2. a daughter who sees the good in all things
3. friends
4. a sunny day
5. the love of a pet
6. a quiet moment to start my day
7. a belief in a higher power
8. family time
9. a good book
10. times of pampering

Gratitude Monday

Weekly affirmation: The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes.

I am grateful for:

1. A loving family
2. options in life
3. my morning alone time
4. the beauty of music
5. my adorable pets
6. the ability to help a friend
7. the ability to see life thru another's eyes
8. the ability to read
9. family meals
10. sunshine

Peeping Friday

Bit late...oops!


Hubby and I have decided to sell and move to a smaller home.
Well with this in mind...I thought I would share a picture of our landfill....I mean den! I promised Jane some months back that I would share a picture of my messy den since she was brave enough to do the same.

How in the heck do rooms get so cluttered...sigh

Gratitude Monday

My 10 reasons for being grateful this week....

1. a child who is finally overcoming her illness
2. finding time to cuddle as a family on the couch and just enjoy each others company
3. friends
4. the white fluffy snow that is falling
5. the quiet of each morning when I am alone
6. a warm home
7. my hot cup of French Vanilla cappacino
8. a job that I am good at and that allows me to work and still be with my family
9. my creative desire
10. another day to make life better

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Peeping Friday

As I promised, Fridays will have a special surprize.
While browsing the blog world one day I came across a knitting blog of a lady in Norway. Made By Mannehas something she does called Peeping Fridays. She posts a picture each Friday a picture that gives you a glimpse into her life. What an idea!

So today I start Peeping Fridays as well.

This week I have been nursing a sick child. She started with headache, and fever which has progressed to headache, sore throat, fever, dry cough and dizziness. Enough! Today we visited the doctor and he has put her on antibiotics to stop this invasion of germs.

As a mother, nothing is worse than dealing with a sick child. The feeling of helplessness is overwhelming. But with medication, liquids and lots of cuddles, and snuggles, my monster is now on the mend. And with any luck those nasty germs will find a new home far away from this house.