A Few Of My Favorite Things

It's Wednesday but it feel more like Monday. Another hectic day. It's cold. I'm tired. At times like these I think it is important to remember a few of my favorite things.

-One of my favorite things? Witnessing my kids' bravery.

My two oldest boys fought through nerves, drummed up some courage, and auditioned for the school musical. They were extremely nervous. It was a very thorough process as this is not your typical school play. The director, stage director, musical direction, technical director, and choreographer are all very experienced people (and very connected with theater groups in this city and call in favors for props and costumes) who amazingly give their time to our little school and pull off an amazing show year after year. 

Last year Joey had no interest in trying out for "Annie" and Tommy was too young (it is open to 4th grade and up). This year, when the boys found out that the the chosen musical is "The Wizard of Oz" they were both excited to try out. When they asked me to try out with them I was overjoyed. I have long been feeling the pull back to the stage but could not fathom taking so much time away from my family (the theater company I was associated with here practices about 3-4 hrs a night for 6 weeks), but being in a musical WITH my kids would be fantastic!

(This is me back in the day when I was on stage for 3 or 4 shows a year.)

Anyway, the boys and I tried out. Tommy is going to be a Munchkin (with lines!) and an Oz chorus member. Joey went through a longer audition process and he was called back to read and sing again for multiple roles. He even had to add his own dancing as he sang. It paid off. Joey is the Tinman. I will be playing Glinda, the good witch. Grace is SO excited that I will be wearing a big poofy dress. 

It is going to be a great show. The talent at this school is amazing and all the kids are so stinking brave! I never would have had the nerve to audition at such a young age. And so many boys! It is so awesome to see so many kids stepping out of their comfort zones and trying something new. Theater can really change you. I know it did for me when I was younger. I am so glad I get to be able to be a part of it and watch all of these kids experience it for themselves. I think I am just as excited as the kids are at this point.

-Another favorite? Reading. 

This is not new to me. What is new to me is learning to take a little "me" time. I have been carving out time for me to just relax and do what I want to do. Lately, what I want to do is read. When I finish helping the kids with homework after school, and then hand out snacks, I go up to my room, turn on the heating pad on my bed (it is like a heating blanket concept but it goes over your mattress and under your fitted sheet and you sleep on top of the warmth- soooo good), tuck myself into my blankets and read. I can't tell you how happy it makes me. Sometimes I even abandon my family in the evening for a bit of reading. More often than not a child or two will wander into my room with their books and read with me for a while too. It has been fantastic. 

It helps that I have had some amazing books to read as well. I have been taking suggestions from friends on Facebook and checking best seller lists and then I request them from my library and wait for them to come in. It is a great system and I've gotten some unforgettable reads. 

A couple of weeks ago I read Now I See You. It is a memoir of a young woman who learns that she has a degenerative eye disease that will eventually rob her of her sight. It is a heavy subject but the writer tells her story with such humor that it is not a depressing read. More uplifting, really. A very good read. 

After that book I jumped right into Big Little Lies. Liane Moriarty is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. She always writes such vivid characters and I love her plot twists and turns that you never see coming. Fantastic book. She is most well known for The Husband's Secret but that was not my favorite of hers. If you have never read What Alice Forgot then you are missing out. I think I have recommended that one before so now I am recommending Big Little Lies. Great book.

-A surprise favorite? Snow. Okay, maybe not the snow itself but what it brings. This past weekend we got dumped on. It was drifting snow so in some areas there was only a few inches but in many places the drifts were over two feet. Our backyard seemed to be a dumping zone and we had massive amounts of snow for the kids to play in. Even though the wind was whipping and the temps weren't very high the kids still went outside and played for hours. They built a snow fort and rolled around in the snow for hours. I just loved looking out the window and seeing my kids playing so nicely together. Lately it seems like they can't be in the same room with each other without fighting. Everyone is getting on everyone else's nerves. They are mean to each other and have zero patience. However, on Sunday the kids played nicely. I even saw Ben and Joey lifting Grace into the snow fort so that she wouldn't knock the sides down getting in. Loved it. 

And, of course, snow angels are everyone's favorite. Even if it looks like they are all just lying there playing dead. ;)

A real favorite? Child labor. Oh yeah. You got that right. With all the snow we had to shovel that back patio off 6 times and each time the snow was about 6 inches. I tried to keep the kids on top of it but the snow was falling SO fast. Do you see that bird bath in the background of the picture? Only the very top peeks out of the snow at the moment. We got a ton of snow.

- I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Todd usually brings me coffee and sets it in the bathroom as incentive for me to get up. Lately, I've been staying in bed until the kids get up and Ben and grace groggily drag themselves over to my room and crawl into bed with me. That morning snuggle is just one of my favorite things. It is a great way to wake up in the morning. Their warm little bodies, mussed hair, and morning breath tucked in close to me. I love it.

Just before I woke up this morning I had a dream that Ben was moving away to go to college but that he looked exactly as he does now. Basically, he was my little Ben going off to college. I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Next thing I know I'm waking up to Ben crawling in bed with me. It was just what I needed. I was so relieved. I was happy to wake up this morning.

-Ben's 8th birthday is on Sunday (probably one of the reasons for my dream, no?) and he is just SO excited. In our family we don't have big birthday parties every year for each kid. I know some people do that but we keep it low key. The kids will each get one or two big birthday parties (maybe for the 10th birthday and such). For their birthday my kids get to pick an activity they would like to do as a family (bowling, going to a movie, going swimming, going skiing, etc.) and that is what we do. Then we go out to dinner (birthday child's choice of restaurant), have the grandmas over for cake (many times they go to dinner with us too), and open a few presents. It is nothing extravagant but the get SO excited about it. Ben has been counting down the days to his birthday for weeks now. The fact that my kids get so excited about their little celebrations is definitely on of my favorite things.


So, there you have it. A few of my favorite things right now. Just writing that down has put me in a good mood. I feel better.

What are your favorites today?

Wild

I go through waves of reading one book after the other, to reading nothing for months at a time. I guess it all depends on how much spare time I have and how much mental energy I have left once I get to my spare time. This summer I was fortunate enough to be able to read many of the books that had long been on my "must read" list.

Many of the books were good and enjoyable, but there was one book that stood out in my mind. One book that I couldn't stop thinking about long after I'd put it down. One book that inspired me. Floored me. Challenged me. The kind of book that made me want to take off on my own for a once in a lifetime adventure.  

Wild by Cheryl Strayed was that book.  

The story is a biography about 26 year old Cheryl who has just lost her mother, is going through a divorce, and has very little family left. She feels as though she has no direction. She is utterly lost. A chance encounter with a book she sees in a store sparks her adventure hiking alone on the Pacific Crest Trail, a hiking trail that spans from the Mexican border all the way up into Canada. Throughout her journey she finds healing and strength, and truly finds herself again.

It is an amazing story and so well written. The book got in my head so much that I haven't been able to start a new book yet. My thoughts are still so entrenched in this book that I can't begin to take in new characters. The book really moved me. Stuck in me.

If you have not already read this book I HIGHLY suggest you pick it up. ASAP.

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And now, how about a book meme? Elaine from The Miss-Elaine-ous Life tagged me on Facebook and I liked the challenge so much I thought I'd bring it all to you.  

Normally, I would not participate because I am a big ole rule breaker and nonconformist (or lazy) but this one is about BOOKS so I had to. LIST 10 BOOKS THAT HAVE MADE AN IMPACT ON YOU. DON'T THINK TOO HARD OR TAKE TOO MUCH TIME. THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY YOUR FAVORITES BUT BOOKS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED YOU.

All 10 (okay, 13- remember the not following rules thing?) of these books are all on my bookshelves right now.

So, here is my list:

The Giving Tree- Shel Silvertstein
Travels With Charley-John Steinbeck
Embraced By The Light- Betty Eadie
The Bible
Wild- Cheryl Strayed
Little House in The Big Woods- Laura Ingalls Wilder
Pride & Prejudice- Jane Austen
What to Expect When You're Expecting- Murkoff, Eidenberg & Hathaway
Still Alice- Lisa Genova
It- Steven King
Poems- Maya Angelou
What Alice Forgot- Liane Moriarty
The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien

I won't tag anyone but I challenge all of my bloggy friends and readers to participate. I love seeing what books have shaped my friends and I've gotten some great book recommendations out of it.

Heavenly

We are back. Back from one of the best trips we've ever taken. Back to real life after experiencing a bit of heaven. 

Honestly, this trip could not have come at a better time. We needed this, Todd and I. Not just the warm weather and the relaxation but the alone time. The reconnection.

The resort (Live Aqua) was the perfect place to recoup from our winter. I can not recommend it enough. Todd and I have been to a number of all inclusive resorts and this one is definitely at the top of the list. It is currently ranked #2 of all hotels in Cancun on Tripadvisor. If you have the opportunity to go to Cancun then there really is only one place to worth staying. Live Aqua. 

The weather was hot, the drinks were cold, the service was outstanding, the food was unparalleled, the rooms were beautiful, the pools were gorgeous, and the beach was breathtaking. It felt like the trip of a lifetime.

I don't remember the last time Todd and I laughed together as much as we did on this trip. 

It was difficult to say goodbye to this perfect place but we are grateful we got to go for the few days we were there. It was worth every penny, in more ways than one.

Now we are back. The welcome home we got from the kids, the snuggles, hugs, and smiles, made me happy that our trip was a short one. We had missed them. And really, there is no place like home.

Today Todd is nursing a nasty cold, the kids are putting together LEGO sets they just bought with their birthday money, and I'm trying to think up one more fun day trip to take the kids on before we wrap up our spring break and real life truly hits.

But for now we will soak up these last couple of days and hopefully our warm memories will keep us cozy until the warm weather finally catches up with the calendar.

Reviews, Randomness, And A Recipe

It's cold. I'm cold. I hate being cold. I'm always cold. This cold is never ending. I'm done.

I realize I live in Wisconsin and I should be used to the cold winters. But here's the thing; this is REALLY cold. I'm talking COLD. Colder than Alaska, cold. Yes, Wisconsin has been colder than Alaska this year.

Normally in Wisconsin we have cold weather anywhere from October through March. The normal temperatures in December average around 34 degrees and in January the average temperature is 30. I can handle that. Honestly, I can.

But this winter? Yeah. This winter the average temperature was 8. And I think that is a lie. I can't remember the temperature being that high. February really wasn't any better.  I think our average for February was 12. The normal for February is 36.

Basically what I'm telling you is that for the past two months it has been AT LEAST 20 degrees colder than it should be on average. Most of the time it was about 40 degrees colder than it should be. And, well, I'm cold. It's too much. Even for Wisconsin.

*sigh*

I've been trying to stay warm by drinking steaming hot tea, wrapping myself in blankets, and reading.

I just finished the book What Alice Forgot.

"Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child.

So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, , she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over…" (courtesy of Kirkus Reviews on Amazon)

It is a touching story about life's twists and turns and what changes us. It is also made me very thankful for my life as it is right now and reminded me just how much I should cherish it. It was a very easy read and one of those books that you don't want to finish and you continue to think about it long after you do.

I ordered another new book too. Kicks Like A Girl written by my very own WI blogger friend, Green Girl!

"Gretchen Benton is the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding when she gets drunk, says exactly the wrong thing and feels alone in the midst of all the couples. She can’t avoid weddings—she’s a florist. She also can't avoid the thugs who break into her shop and assault her the following night. To combat her fear after her attack, Gretchen enrolls in karate classes at a local dojo. Soon she's caught between her handsome martial arts instructor and the cute cop assigned to her case. As she begins mastering the basics of karate (while sweating enough to make her mascara run), Gretchen learns that kicking like a girl doesn’t imply weakness, it means striking hard and striking with style." (courtesy of Amazon)

I am so excited to start reading it. I have to finish two other books I'm currently reading before I dive in, but I couldn't help but sneak a peek and read the first few pages. Before I knew it I was two chapters into the book. It is such a fun book with well written characters. It really sucks you in.  Go ahead and run on over to Amazon and order a copy for yourself! And congratulations, Melissa! I'm so happy for you! I know I'll enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed your last one.

One more review, people. This one is a movie review.

If you see ONE movie this year it has to be About Time. 

Yes, it is a time traveling movie starring Rachel McAdams but it is nothing like The Time Traveler's Wife (which I wasn't a fan of). This movie is much deeper, much funnier, and more profound. The acting and directing and music (oh gawd, the music)are all superb. I pretty much love everything about this movie.

The basic premise is about a young man of who finds out from his father that the men in their family have always been able to time travel. Not to any point in time. Just back in time and only to places and events that they have already been to and experienced. Each man in the family used the time travel for what was important to them. Some were ruined by their desires (money) and others benefited. The young man now needs to figure out what he will use this newfound ability for.

The movie comes to us from the creator of Love Actually. Another favorite movie of mine. About Time has the same feel, the same sense of British humor, the same type of fabulous British actors, the same wonderful British scenery. The first half of the movie is a romantic comedy, but by the end of the movie the plot becomes so profound and meaningful that I can barely think of it without a tear coming to my eye.

I remember seeing the coming attractions for the movie and not being impressed. I finally watched it after a friend of mine INSISTED that I watch it. And now I insist you watch it. I watched it while Todd was gone this past weekend (thinking it was more of a chic flick) and by the time I was done watching I knew Todd needed to see it as well. I rented the movie again the day Todd came home and we watched it that afternoon. To say Todd was affected by the movie would be an understatement. Now he is recommending the movie to everyone too.  It is GOOD people. Watch it. You won't be disappointed.

Now I feel like watching it again. I guess I'm gonna have to buy this one.

Okay. Onto the recipe.

I know everyone is always looking for yummy, sweet, healthy recipes and I have a great one for you. A very healthy banana bread. I found it online (I think Facebook) and adjusted it slightly.  It is super easy and SUPER yummy. Every other day the kids are begging me to make this banana bread so I usually double the recipe and make two loaves right away

.
Healthy Banana Bread

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs
3 mashed overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and stir. Mix in the applesauce, honey, and eggs and stir until batter is properly mixed. Add the mashed bananas and stir well. Batter may be lumpy.  Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan (9x5) and bake in the oven for approximately an hour (I leave it in just a little over an hour). Do the toothpick test to make sure bread is thoroughly cooked before removing from oven.

I change and add things to my recipe all the time. I usually add raisins, sometimes walnuts, and even diced apples. And before I put the bread mixture into the oven I always sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the top. Also, Todd's uncle makes his own maple syrup and always gives us big jars every fall and I use that instead of honey when I have it. So yummy. Hope you enjoy it!

My Hot Date

After a crazy weekend with Todd bow hunting on Friday, all of us traveling a total of four hours to a very worth-it birthday party on Saturday afternoon, Todd hanging with his bud on Saturday night, and a hurried trip to church on Sunday morning I decided I need to go on a hot date. The kind of date I hadn't had in years. The kind of date that I always treasured but have not treated myself to since before I was married. I felt like a guilty, cheating wife but I knew I needed it. I asked Todd if he would stay home with the kids so I could go on a hot date. With myself.

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I used to love going to movies by myself. I always felt it was so liberating. Not like the humiliation of going to dinner by yourself when you know people are looking at you with pity in their eyes. Going to the movies by yourself is a luxury.

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Todd told me over and over again that he would go with me to see Twilight, but I didn't want him there. He hadn't read the book (I can't even PICTURE him picking that book up, HAHAHA) and I knew the movie just wouldn't do it for him. I wanted to be able to watch the movie with unabashed teenager lust without feeling Todd rolling his eyes in the seat next to me.

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Todd and I threw the boys in bed for their naps and I took off a little early so that I could do some shopping, drive past the lake, and make it to the theater with plenty of time. As it turns out I shopped a bit too long and made it to the theater in just enough time to take yet another bathroom break (doggone pregnancy hormones!), grab some popcorn and soda, and find the perfect seat just as the previews started.

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I was a fabulous hot (doggone pregnancy hot flashes!) date. I thoroughly enjoyed having that time to myself. I don't know if I have felt that young in a long time. And of course I came home happy and refreshed just as the boys were waking from their naps. When Todd asked me if I was lonely I tried not to laugh too hard.

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THE REVIEW

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It is my recommendation that you DO NOT go to see Twilight if you have not already read the book. So much has been cut out of the movie that many of the scenes or character reactions would not even make sense if you didn't first read the book. Please hold off on the movie until you finish the book.

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That being said, if you like the book you will like the movie. The casting was perfect. I wasn't sure that Robert Pattinson was good looking enough to pull off the role of Edward but the first glimpse of him in the cafeteria changed all that for me. He carried it perfectly. There were a few over-acting moments from him, but easily forgivable in my mind. I do wish that they would have shaved his chest because his few straggly hairs were kind of distracting in some scenes. I think a bare chest would have given him a more "cold, stone" feel. And then also in some scenes the hair seemed to disappear. Maybe I'm just too observant. Other than that he was perfection.

(By hvyilnr on Flickr)

Kristen Stewart was a perfect Bella. She is a pretty girl without being unrelateable. She could very easily be your typical high school teenager. I was disappointed that they made her a bit more serious in the movie than in the book. In the book Bella has a great sarcastic wit, and it is seriously lacking in the movie. So much so that without it you wonder why Edward fell for Bella in the first place.

(By Wynter-Agoni on Flickr)

The only casting that I thought they got wrong were the two boys that were supposed to be crushing on Bella. First off, they made Eric appear to be gay and then the next thing you know he is sparing with Mike over Bella. Huh? And Mike? Isn't he supposed to be a hunky jock? He looked super nerdy to me. Mike is supposed to be good looking and cool enough that he gives Edward little pangs of jealousy and then amusement when Bella turns Mike down flat when he asks her to the dance. Neither Eric nor Mike seemed to fit for me. I thought they were either poorly cast, or poorly directed.

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The movie did a fair, but not great, job of staying close to the book. I realize there is a time crunch in turning this book into a two hour movie, but I didn't like how they changed the timeline of certain things around and how they changed scenes altogether. It kind of made me sad. One example is when Bella and Edward are having dinner in Port Angeles right after he rescues her for the umpteenth time. This scene is supposed to be a pivotal moment of Bella asking a million questions and Edward actually answering them for the first time. This scene was cut so short and then replaced with the scene in the woods at school the next day. I didn't like the change. You miss the whole building of the relationship between Edward and Bella this way.
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There were saving scenes though, too. Bella meeting Edward's family was fabulous. Loved it. The first time Bella sees Edward was awesome. LOVED the baseball scene. But I think one of my favorite scenes (though it is a small one) was again in Port Angeles when Bella was cornered by the group of guys and Edward comes speeding to her rescue. I think that was just about the sexiest scene in the whole movie. I think that was the first time I saw Edward as a SEXY, manly, hero (although the first rescue was pretty hot too). Whew. Makes me sweat just thinking about it (doggone pregnancy hormones!).
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Anyway, I really enjoyed the movie because it made the book come to life for me. It was so close to how I had imagined it in my head. And that is always a compliment for a movie. The only parts I didn't like were the ones that strayed from the book a bit. And I wish they would have showed the development of Edward and Bella's relationship a little more. I don't think there are any Twilight fans that would have been bothered if the movie was another half an hour longer but was able to go more in depth by doing so. It would have helped the story line tremendously. Was it a fabulous movie? No. Did I love it? Yes. And if you loved the book you'll love the movie, too.