Required Reading

Gone Girl.  So good.

That. Is. All.

No, seriously, I highly recommend this book.  It has been the first time in a long time that a book has made me want to stay up past my bedtime.

Now, I have to seek out others who have read it so I can discuss it with them.  And I have one friend in particular that I am going to push to read it because I am interested in her take on the dynamics presented as a major piece of the story.

In addition to the plot being interesting and well planned, the writing itself is excellent.  No one can accuse Gillian Flynn of phoning this one in.  Her spot on the New York Times Bestsellers is well earned.

I am leery of starting my next book, as I am not sure it can match up.  THAT is the bad part of reading something that is very well crafted.

New Birchbox Arrived

Guess what I found in my mailbox this week?  That's right - this month's Birchbox!

For those of you that missed the last post about Birchbox, it is a company that started as a college course project.  Two women obtain full sized sample products from various health and beauty companies and for a nominal fee ($10 a month) send out a box of samples to their customers.  If at any time during that month you fall in love with a product, you can order it at a significant discount.  You can accumulate points for orders, reviews and referrals and these points can be used to purchase other products.

Now, onto this month's Birchbox.

I'll admit, my excitement dwindled a bit when I opened it up.  This month was definitely NOT last month.  But, I think that is to be expected.

This was the highlight of the month for me.  I have worn Eternity since high school.  I switched once to Lauren and while I loved it, it makes me sneeze non stop.  So I went right back to Eternity.  However, I have been using this since it came.  And while it seems very strong at first, it mellows rather quickly and my family has commented "what smells so good" when I walk by.  Since I am not carrying a plate of chocolate chip cookies around, I am guessing it is me that smells so good!

I haven't tried this cleanser yet.  They included two small plastic pouches of it.  I'm not sure that is enough to determine if I like it.  My skin changes so much during a month that I feel I need to use something for at least a full cycle to know if it manages to earn a spot on my counter top.

I am a firm believer in the roll scent plays in our lives.  So this piqued my interest.  My kids were moaning and groaning about doing homework the day the package arrived.  I put some of this on their wrists and had them smell it.  I don't know if it really worked or it was psychosomatic, but they both seemed to perk up and get their work done.

Apparently, these are all the rage.  I have seen college aged bloggers comment about loving them, and one even posted on making your own cheaper versions.  See Katie make these here.  My daughter says a few kids have them at school, but are wearing them as bracelets.  I offered this to her and then found it on my fireplace mantle an hour later.  So not a big hit.  And they are expensive, so I recommend checking out Katie's blog, Let's Be Preppy to see how to make these on the cheap.

Isn't it ironic that in the photo of the full sized nail polish they included, you get a full view of my mini sized old lady hands?  I'm not a big fan of black, gray or dark nail polish.  I actually rarely paint my nails.  I love how my hands look when my nails are painted.  But I hate how they look when it starts to chip.  And somehow, finding time to remove and reapply nail polish has not been a priority around here.  By the time I can paint my nails, it is almost time for bed.

Included in the first picture, but not earning a photo of its own is the decorated zip lock bag they included.  Nice, but until a money tree pops up in the back yard, I am not paying for decorated bags.  Actually, even if a money tree popped up, I would and could find a thousand other uses for it than decorated zip lock bags.  So, no.

Have you joined Birchbox yet?

Gone Girl

Should have drafted some extra posts a few days ago to have ready to upload.  Because, this girl is gone - reading that is!

I have been on the waiting list at my library for weeks and finally, last night I got the call that Gone Girl was waiting for me on the hold shelf.  I know I could have bought it sooner, but I am a huge patron of the library and find that books aren't something I am willing to spend money on.  I have a few copies of some tried and true favorites, and a number of books I have bought used.  But my primary source is the library.  An added bonus is that I have become adept at reserving books before they are even released, and am often one of the first in que.  I will visit Amazon's best seller lists and find items by favorite authors or in a genre I favor and then open up the library's page and start requesting items.  Saves me a lot of money - which I use to buy my kids' books.

I have heard many a good thing about this book.  Just this weekend I eavesdropped on a conversation between two moms at my daughter's soccer game.  They both belonged to the same book club and one mom had finished the book and the other had just started.  Regardless of where they were in the book, they both seemed to like it.

I usually try to stay away from books and movies that others are raving about.  I'm usually certain that they will never live up to the hype.  I didn't enjoy The Hangover as much as I may have if I hadn't been expecting MORE.  I was excited to read Eat, Pray, Love and then hated it.  I wanted to see what all the fuss was in regards to Fifty Shades of Gray/Grey? (who cares really!) and found myself suppressing giggles through 90% of it.  I don't mean blushing "oh my" giggles.  I mean snorting giggles as I imagined the author with her bags of cash for writing like a 14 year old girl, both in style and skill.  

So, if I am a gone girl for a few days, it is due to Gone Girl.  I will be sure to update you and let you know if it is worth your time.

How Do You Measure a Memory?

The kids are growing so fast.  No more little socks or shirts in the hamper.  Instead, everything is sized 10, 12 or 14 and the socks can all be worn by me in a pinch.  Where did the time go?

One of my favorite favorites!

I think I love this one because of my daughter's face.  She's a bit of a ball buster, and here, it shows.

Christmas Day 2005.

Failed attempt to capture the ever elusive Christmas Card photo of 2006.

I just remember it being a very, very hot morning when I took this.

3 kids, 2 chairs.  That counts as typical around here.

Thanksgiving 2008.  Freezing.  Maine is AWESOME sometimes.

A beautiful fall day.

Current.

I've made a valiant effort to take, edit and save a bunch of pictures of the kids.  Both my husband and I have very few pictures of ourselves and our brothers while we were growing up.  There are many times I wish we had more and feel like this is a gift of sorts that I can give to my kids.  

I have also been very good about keeping my kids growth charts up to date.  We measure every birthday and every half birthday.  And every once in a while, we randomly stand against the wall and take a measurement.

But, my kids are outgrowing their charts.  Not literally, but figuratively.  The growth charts were gifts when they were first born and are very juvenile.  Primary colors and spots to slide 3 x 5 photos into, the  charts are no longer appropriate for my kids.

I saw online, through a Groupon deal, a growth chart designed to look like a large wooden ruler.  But even with the online deal, it would cost me almost $60 once I factored in shipping.   I may love keeping memories, but this gal is CHEAP!  And I thought the price was way too steep.  So I did what any smart 40 year old gal would do.  I called my Daddy.

My father is a jack of all trades.  He builds anything and everything.  I need to dedicate an entire post to all the things he has made for me.  So I knew he would know right away what a 6 foot board would cost me at Lowe's or Home Depot.  He told me it would be around $15.  And sure enough, he was correct - only off by 45 cents!

I bought a 6 foot board.  At this moment, I am trying to remember what kind of wood it is - and am just completely blank.  My dad would remember, but he and my mom are onboard a cruise ship right now and in international waters.  So cell phones are off to avoid huge charges (I mentioned I was cheap, right?  See where I get it?)  However, I know it wasn't pine, and it wasn't oak or maple.  I picked the wood to avoid too many knots.  If you decided to do this project, any type of wood would work.  It only matters what you want to spend.  Pine = super inexpensive i.e. around $11.  Maple/oak = expensive i.e. around $25.

This was the unstained board.  I sealed it with Minwax's clear wood sealer.

I stained the board on both sides and edges with a walnut stain.  I started with a lighter stain, but wanted a darker, more antiqued look.

After allowing the board to dry over night, I used a measuring tape to mark off all of the inches along the side of the board.  If you do this project, keep in mind that when you hang it, it will be a certain distance off the ground.  That means the bottom of your board won't be zero, it will need to be the measurement OFF THE GROUND.  In other words, because I only very low ceilings, and the board is 6 feet tall, the bottom of the board will be only 6 inches off the ground.  So the very bottom of my board is 6 inches.  One inch in, the first mark I make on the board will be 7 inches.  My 1 foot mark will only be 6 inches up from the bottom.  Does that make sense to everyone?  I would hate for you to go through all the work and then find you didn't make your marks correctly.

I used my father's t-square to draw a 2 inch line to represent each inch on the ruler.

A closer look.

I made the line longer for each foot.  Sharpie markers work great, but I did the first lines in pencil and then traced over them - using the straight edge to do so.  If I had messed up, I would have had to either start over on the other side, or sanded out the sharpie.  

I found a font I like on the computer and printed out 1-6.  I taped it on the board to help keep track of which lines were to be drawn as 2 inches and which I wanted to be 2 1/2 inches and then the foot marks which were even longer.

After drawing all the lines, I cut out the numbers (this was the most tedious part of the project).  Then I traced the numbers and went back and used a sharpie to color them in.

Here is the finished project.  

My father, being a genius, hung a hook on the back for me and made sure it was right at the 5'10" point.  Because it wouldn't matter how well I did the board if I don't hand it up accurately.  So, when I finish transferring all of my kids previous measurements onto this, and hang it in our home office, I know I have to place the nail at exactly 5'10" from the ground.  

I'm very pleased how well it came out.  Now, not only do I have a great tool to help keep track of my kids growth, I also created another great memory with my father.  I had so much fun making this simple project with him and the chance to learn from him once again.  

What I Wore Wednesday

Phew!  Another week half way done.  The days are speeding by so quickly.  Soon, I will be posting pictures of myself in woolen mittens and big LL Bean winter boots on Wednesdays.

For now though, its still capri's, short sleeves and dresses with bare legs.

But first, today's jewelry.  I've been taught by a very good friend that a girl really has to have SOME priorities!

Pearls are a great way to dress up a denim shirt.  

My silver charm bracelet - which I WON in an online contest!

This was the whole outfit.  

Land's End light pink, fit 2 capri pants.

Ann Taylor denim shirt.

Guess sandals.  (Found at Marshall's for $10!)

Yes folks, that is right - $10!  

Ignore my toe.  It got hurt.  I crazy glued my toenail back on and all seems well now.

I mentioned I'm a redneck on the inside right? Hence the crazy glue.

Bonus this week!  Extra pictures from Monday and Tuesday!

Target t-shirt.  On sale right now for $7!

Gap Outlet grayish/brown capri's.

Land's End driving moc's in dusty rose.

It was cold most of the day, so I threw on a sweatshirt.  

But I jazzed it up with this pin from H&M.

Eeek!  That carpet is going soon and I can't wait.  Looks even worse in photos.

But, this is the only full length mirror in the house and I change the second I get home so I can

walk the dog before the kids get off the bus.

This dress was a super bargain at the Gap Outlet. 

There was racks of them, marked down to $12 a piece.

And guess what I had in my coupon folder?

That's right, a $10 Gap coupon.

I didn't wear any jewelry except for my watch and a small strand of stones.  The picture didn't come out well, so I didn't include it.  So, I went with leopard print ballet flats.  They are from Target.  If you want to see some really good outfits that go with these shoes, check out The Pleated Poppy, a blog I link to every Wednesday for What I Wore Wednesday.  I actually found that blog when I tracked back an outfit on Pinterest that I loved.  Lo and behold, it was Lindsey, the author of the Pleated Poppy in an outfit she posted on a What I Wore Wednesday post.  

I didn't realize how often I wear running shoes or my Converse All Stars until I went back to work.  Today, a package arrived from Land's End with a pair of navy driving mocs.  I imagine that next week's post will have at least one (or two!) photos of me wearing them.  Or perhaps the new Tretorns I treated myself to.  

Check back next week to find out!

September 11th

I don't think I ever felt as alone as I did on the morning of September 11th, 2001.  It was the first September in more than two decades that I wasn't familiarizing myself with the inside of a classroom.  My husband had left for an extended business trip that morning and all the friends I had were back to work.  It was just me and my 15 month old.

And then.  And then.

My breathe shortens as I recall that morning.  The Today Show on in the background.  Then a commercial.  And then - the world changed.  Coming back from a commercial break, the first reports of an explosion.  A woman calling in on the phone to give information.  I don't remember what she even said, but I can remember the emotion in her voice.  And I remember Matt Lauer's, Katie Couric's and Tom Brokaw's lack of emotion.  Perhaps they were remaining professional, but I have never forgiven any of them for it.  Particularly after the second plane hit, followed soon after by a plane flying into the side of the Pentagon and it became clear that this wasn't an accident.

I can't begin to imagine what it was like that day for those inside the towers, in the Pentagon, on United Airlines Flight 93.  I can't do anything but offer up prayers for their souls, for the healing of both mind and body of those that survived that day.  In addition, I can promise to never forget, as much as I would like to forget.  I can promise to share my memories of that day, the fear, the sadness, and shamefully, the joy of knowing that my husband and brother in law were safe (although stranded in other airports).  I will never forget how alone I felt, when all the nations lines were busy with Americans trying to track down loved ones and achieve the same sense of relief I had, and I couldn't get through to my mom.  I will never forget the look in her eyes when she told me she couldn't have answered the phone anyway as she was on the phone with her bosses daughter in law who was inside one of the towers at the time.

I can also promise to share my memories of the days after.  Of lines outside blood banks; people waiting to donate.  Of  baked goods being delivered to local police and firemen, to ensure they knew they were appreciated.  Of people being a little bit kinder to one another.  

If you are so inclined, please take a moment today to send up a prayer - for those that died that day, for those that were injured, either physically, emotionally or both that day, and for those that came to the rescue.  If prayer isn't your thing, many communities are sponsoring blood drives or collecting food, in an effort to harness the spirit that emerged so strongly in the days and weeks right after the attacks.

And be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug and kiss today.

The Karate Kid

One of my all time favorite movies.  Doesn't matter what time it is on, or if I discover it at the beginning, middle or end of the movie, I am dropping everything and watching it.

Today, I went to my son's final karate tournament of the year.  And while it wasn't quite as dramatic, he did this:

And he did it well enough to earn a second place finish in open handed kata.  He also placed third in weapons kata, and fourth in kumite (fighting).

Unlike the Karate Kid, they use protective gear in tournaments.  Thank goodness!  I wouldn't want anything to happen to this handsome face: