tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89435417966708763612024-03-13T13:31:47.752-07:00Proverbs 2 Pursuit :: Wisdom "My son, if you will receive my words <br>
And treasure my commandments within you <br>
Make your ear attentive to wisdom, <br>
Incline your heart to understanding ..."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.comBlogger116125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-42404634478726575312015-12-24T05:53:00.000-08:002015-12-24T05:53:00.731-08:00Merry Christmas<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Luke-2-14" id="en-NASB-24988" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><i>“<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-24988M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-24988M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span>Glory to God in the highest,</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Luke-2-14" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; position: relative; text-align: start;"><i>And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Luke 2:14</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNeHNtOcVzE/Vnv34yrp8JI/AAAAAAAABsQ/n-zBauY7Os0/s1600/2015.ChristmasCard.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNeHNtOcVzE/Vnv34yrp8JI/AAAAAAAABsQ/n-zBauY7Os0/s400/2015.ChristmasCard.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-72964870226991064292015-12-23T12:36:00.000-08:002015-12-23T12:36:12.792-08:0010 FOR 10: Trip #11 Disneyland<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Whatever you do, do it well. </span></span></div>
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Do it so well that when people see you do it, </div>
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they will want to come back and see you do it again, </div>
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and they will want to bring others and show them </div>
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how well you do what you do."</div>
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Walt Disney</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Vn_Aw9Ewdk/VnsFGBNbAkI/AAAAAAAABr8/sJBGs8Hto_E/s1600/2015.peaceonearthdisneyland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Vn_Aw9Ewdk/VnsFGBNbAkI/AAAAAAAABr8/sJBGs8Hto_E/s320/2015.peaceonearthdisneyland.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>TRIP #11: DISNEYLAND</b></div>
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The first time that AC and I went to Disneyland together, it was on New Year's day, and all of the holiday decorations were still up. It was spectacular to see, and it is something we have wanted to share with SC for as long as we have been taking her to Disney. Fortunately, AC discovered an extremely cheap rate to LA for a weekend in December, and we ended up squeezing in an eleventh trip this year, rather than just the original goal of ten.</div>
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Many of the rides have a new theme for the holidays, so it is a very different experience than going at other times during the year. AC's favorite ride, the Jungle Cruise, becomes the "Jingle" Cruise, and the premise is that the holiday decorations have been lost and we must be on the look-out for them. The Haunted Mansion changes its decorations to become the home of Jack Skellington, the main character in <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas</i>, and as good as the original decorations are, these are exceptional. We went through twice this time. It's a Small World eschews its normal song for a mix of holiday ones, still sung in multiple languages, and all of the dolls are dressed in various holiday costumes instead of the regular "traditional" ones. Of course, the park as a whole is full of holiday decorations as well, and there is a holiday-themed parade that happens. All in all, it was beautiful.</div>
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Unexpectedly, there were some new things open in the Tomorrowland area for the seventh Star Wars movie, which we took advantage of while we were there. Space Mountain became "Hyperspace" Mountain, and images of star destroyers, x-wings and tie fighters were projected inside the dome as the roller coaster whipped through the darkness. The old Captain E-O theatre showed an extended preview for the new movie, complete with a summary of the first six films. The Star Tours ride included scenes from the new film, which was exciting. It definitely made us anxious for the seventh film to premiere the following weekend!</div>
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Thankfully, even though it was a very quick trip, we also got to spend a little bit of time with my family members who live in the area, which was an extra special treat!</div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><b><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In July 2015, AC and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, and previously had been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start in our tenth year (July 2014) and run through the end of 2015 so that we don't take too much time away from work. Hopefully these ten trips make this a celebratory year, one that stands out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</span></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #2: New York City</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-5-london-paris.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #5: London & Paris</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-6-london-oslo.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #6: London & Oslo</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-7-whistler-bc-canada.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #7: Whistler, BC, Canada</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/09/10-for-10-trip-8-southern-california.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #8: Southern California</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/12/10-for-10-trip-9-london-dublin.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #9: London & Dublin</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/12/10-for-10-trip-10-grand-cayman-again.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #10: Grand Cayman, Again</span></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-87125069902518239192015-12-23T11:53:00.000-08:002015-12-23T12:40:41.302-08:0010 FOR 10: Trip #10 Grand Cayman, Again<h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
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"so that the monotonous fall of the waves on the beach, <br />which for the most part beat a measured and soothing tattoo to her thoughts <br />seemed consolingly to repeat over and over again as she sat with the children <br />the words of some old cradle song, murmured by nature, <br />‘I am guarding you—I am your support,..."<br />Virginia Woolf, <i>To the Lighthouse</i></span></h1>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQPd7CWkW8Q/VnrvAKWMaYI/AAAAAAAABq8/khBsxGf6rhk/s1600/2015.cayman1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VQPd7CWkW8Q/VnrvAKWMaYI/AAAAAAAABq8/khBsxGf6rhk/s320/2015.cayman1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #10: GRAND CAYMAN, AGAIN</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For our final 10 For 10 trip, we decided to go back to Grand Cayman, <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" target="_blank">where we had visited last fall</a>. It was such an enjoyable, relaxing environment, and we all had a wonderful time before, that we felt we could all use a stint on a stress-free beach before the chaos of the upcoming holiday season, starting to pack up our house, and the upcoming move in the new year.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Originally we were not going to do any excursions, but AC heard about a <a href="https://www.turtle.ky/" target="_blank">turtle farm and sanctuary</a>, where they allow you to snorkel in a small lagoon with some of the smaller sea turtles and other fish. It was really fun, even though the snorkel mouthpiece was a bit awkward for us all to get used to.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-k1XKFjoX0/Vnr1Pa_-RBI/AAAAAAAABrQ/1vaUz0GOvoU/s1600/2015.caymanturtlefarm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-k1XKFjoX0/Vnr1Pa_-RBI/AAAAAAAABrQ/1vaUz0GOvoU/s320/2015.caymanturtlefarm1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We also remembered to take our waterproof camera, which resulted in a bunch of fun pictures. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_bpQmqFX14c/Vnr2aYSWVUI/AAAAAAAABrY/W_2LodOnGHI/s1600/2015.cayman2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_bpQmqFX14c/Vnr2aYSWVUI/AAAAAAAABrY/W_2LodOnGHI/s320/2015.cayman2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The other thing we did that was unplanned was that SC and I got to swim with a dolphin, after SC won a free excursion from the dolphin trainers who came to speak at the kids' club one day. The facility ended up being directly across the street from the turtle farm, so it was easy to decide to add that in. The time slot that we got, it ended up just being SC and I with the trainer for 45 minutes with a 35 year old dolphin named Luna. We learned so much about dolphins (they shed/renew their skin every 2 hours!) and it definitely is something we want to do again, maybe with AC as well next time.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoAYfHSI52E/Vnr6DTajq4I/AAAAAAAABro/C60yQpzeAIg/s1600/2015.cayman3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoAYfHSI52E/Vnr6DTajq4I/AAAAAAAABro/C60yQpzeAIg/s320/2015.cayman3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even though I love getting to travel to new places, it is nice to go back to somewhere comfortable that we are familiar with as well. It was the perfect end to our 10 FOR 10!</span></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"></span><br /></span>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In July 2015, AC and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, and previously had been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start in our tenth year (July 2014) and run through the end of 2015 so that we don't take too much time away from work. Hopefully these ten trips make this a celebratory year, one that stands out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-5-london-paris.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #5: London & Paris</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-6-london-oslo.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #6: London & Oslo</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-7-whistler-bc-canada.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #7: Whistler, BC, Canada</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/09/10-for-10-trip-8-southern-california.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #8: Southern California</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/12/10-for-10-trip-9-london-dublin.html" target="_blank">TRIP #9: London & Dublin</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-36481699967387379852015-12-23T10:40:00.000-08:002015-12-23T12:41:17.908-08:0010 FOR 10: Trip #9 London & Dublin<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"My heart is quite calm now.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will go back"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">James Joyce, <i>Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man</i>, Ch. 2</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #9: LONDON & DUBLIN</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second major trip that we had planned for our 10 FOR 10 was a trip to London to see <a href="http://hamlet.barbican.org.uk/" target="_blank"><i>Hamlet</i> at the Barbican Theatre</a>, attend an Arsenal football match, and then visit Dublin for a few days. I <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2013/01/thankful-thursday-it-looked-like-old.html" target="_blank">traveled to Dublin a few years ago</a> with my good friend AB, and I was keen for AC to come back with me. (<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2013/01/top-ten-tuesday-picture-of-dublin-so.html" target="_blank">Rereading my travel notes</a> from Dublin, I realize how new traveling the world was at the time!) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AC and I first spent some time in London, and actually saw a few places we had not already done. We started off at <a href="https://www.stpauls.co.uk/" target="_blank">St. Paul's Cathedral</a>, where we did the audio tour and learned quite a bit about its history. We hiked to the top and marveled at the glorious view of the city. It was a "typical" London day, overcast and chilly, but it created the perfect backdrop for the cityscape.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4vc0AM4jmyc/VnrcoFHAeRI/AAAAAAAABqE/7qvEsfrMjPY/s1600/2015.londonstpaulsview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4vc0AM4jmyc/VnrcoFHAeRI/AAAAAAAABqE/7qvEsfrMjPY/s320/2015.londonstpaulsview.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We also went to the Natural History Museum, visited with a number of friends who live locally, had lots of good food (including from the <a href="http://theribman.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rib Man</a> in Brick Lane Market on Sunday) and took tea at <a href="https://www.fortnumandmason.com/" target="_blank">Fortnum & Mason</a>. We went to the Tuesday night show of <i>Hamlet</i>, and it was done spectacularly. Benedict Cumberbatch played the part perfectly, and the staging was beyond what I could have imagined.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next morning we traveled to Dublin. We visited many of the same spots I had before, like Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and the Long Library, as well as Kilmainham Gaol and St. Stephen's Green.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IVaZxiZdq3E/VnrikOKsy8I/AAAAAAAABqY/_-mTzCW2GCk/s1600/2015.acststephensgreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IVaZxiZdq3E/VnrikOKsy8I/AAAAAAAABqY/_-mTzCW2GCk/s320/2015.acststephensgreen.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One thing we did that was sort-of new was we did a special tour at the Guinness Brewery, where we and about 12 other people got to go to a special, hidden bar area, and had a tour-guide/bartender who talked more specifically about the evolution of the beers that Guinness produces, and we were able to try a number of different ones. They also taught us how to pour a Guinness from the tap appropriately, and gave us a certificate showing we had mastered the art of pouring. It was really cool, and having already been on the regular tour myself, it was definitely a worthwhile upgrade. AC, of course, loved it all.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After just a few days in Dublin, we traveled back to London to go to our football match. We had different seats at a different angle than we had before, and it was a much clearer view than from the end. We had such a great time just being there, and Arsenal won, which meant that upon exit of the stadium, everyone was cheery and singing. It is such an awesome experience.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JqndvkPHGCU/VnrmUjOrGQI/AAAAAAAABqk/5w35n9R_bKE/s1600/2015.arsenalvevertonoctober.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JqndvkPHGCU/VnrmUjOrGQI/AAAAAAAABqk/5w35n9R_bKE/s320/2015.arsenalvevertonoctober.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is still a bit hard emotionally to be there and remember that for a brief bit London was to be our home (it is still our favorite home-away-from-home city). Of course we cannot wait to go back again to London, maybe with SC the next time.</span></div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In July 2015, AC and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, and previously had been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start in our tenth year (July 2014) and run through the end of 2015 so that we don't take too much time away from work. Hopefully these ten trips make this a celebratory year, one that stands out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-5-london-paris.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #5: London & Paris</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-6-london-oslo.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #6: London & Oslo</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-7-whistler-bc-canada.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #7: Whistler, BC, Canada</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/09/10-for-10-trip-8-southern-california.html" target="_blank">TRIP #8: Southern California</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-25544586703692688872015-12-05T17:34:00.000-08:002015-12-23T12:41:39.125-08:00"... the house allows one to dream in peace." New Home 2015 Update<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"If I were asked to name the chief benefit of the house, I should say: <br />the house shelters day-dreaming,<br />the house protects the dreamer,<br />the house allows one to dream in peace."<br />Gaston Bachelard,<i>La poétique de l'espace</i>, Ch. 1
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I mentioned <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/05/in-spite-of-everything-i-shall-rise.html" target="_blank">at the beginning of May</a>, we contracted to build a new home about seven miles East of where we are currently living. The home is in the perfect location to all SC's activities, AC's work and the airport, church, family and friends. It also has the benefit of being on a cul-de-sac with a yard large enough for a pool (both requirements AC had when looking for a new home). Finally, it is larger overall and laid out differently than our current house, which will help immensely with storage and traffic-flow issues we are having.</span><br />
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It has been about seven months since we signed the initial paperwork, and it has been incredible to watch our house become a house before us. This new neighborhood is actually on the path we drive multiple times a week to and from SC's school, so we are constantly taking a peek at what new thing has happened. We are still about two months away from closing, but after so long it feels like we are in the final, downhill push!</span><br />
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Here is a pictorial story from bare land to where we are now!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So now here are some of the most up-to-date inside pictures, though it seems like something changes and gets done almost every single day, so more has happened already. We popped by this weekend and there was a huge team working on putting all our light fixtures in.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m35ihqkMM6Y/VmOQDryjn2I/AAAAAAAABo0/GFhwNrchD9w/s1600/2015.newhomedec.porch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m35ihqkMM6Y/VmOQDryjn2I/AAAAAAAABo0/GFhwNrchD9w/s400/2015.newhomedec.porch.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It has been interesting (and exciting!) watching this house get built, and we cannot wait until it is finally ready for us to move in.</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-17869580773771607162015-09-22T17:20:00.000-07:002015-09-22T17:20:45.753-07:00"...if you dress for it." 2015/16 Project #3 True Bias Mini Southport Dress w/ Lining<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6ECpX0lOzs/VgHiUjw6LZI/AAAAAAAABjc/ps8wcBD5xxk/s1600/2015.minisouthport.finished1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6ECpX0lOzs/VgHiUjw6LZI/AAAAAAAABjc/ps8wcBD5xxk/s320/2015.minisouthport.finished1.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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"You can have anything you want in life <br />if you dress for it."</div>
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-Edith Head</div>
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Last Saturday, SC's piano teacher hosted a "jam session" for the kids to practice playing with some other musicians. SC picked "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," and practiced all summer. She was very nervous at first, but after a few trial runs, she did a great job staying at a steady tempo so that the three others (guitar, bass, drum) could play along. It was a neat experience.</div>
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For the performance, I decided to make her a new, fun dress. She had previously picked out a leopard print cotton from the clearance table at Hancock, and after looking around a bit, I decided to make the <a href="http://shop.truebias.com/product/mini-southport-dress" target="_blank">Mini Southport Dress</a> by indie designer True Bias. The clearance table fabric was a very loose weave, making it very thin, so I changed the design to add a full lining for both the bodice and the skirt, but it was simple to do. I chose a 100% cotton fabric in beige/nude that didn't allow any light through.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nMctxskt6N4/VgHly0i5a7I/AAAAAAAABj0/BqX0NjPB_rY/s1600/2015.minisouthport.cutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nMctxskt6N4/VgHly0i5a7I/AAAAAAAABj0/BqX0NjPB_rY/s320/2015.minisouthport.cutting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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First, for cutting, I had to relocate my "helper." Then, after comparing with SC's measurements, I decided to cut a size 8 at the shoulder and chest area, and then grade out to a 10 for the waist and skirt. I also cut the pattern pieces for the bodice front, back and the skirt out of lining as well as the leopard fabric.</div>
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To make the lining, I basically followed the directions for the bodice twice, once with the leopard, and then once with the lining. Then, when the directions called for using bias tape around the neck and arm holes, I simply followed those directions using the lining fabric, so that the wrong side of the lining faced the wrong side of the fabric. When I got to the bodice placket area, I folded the leopard back as instructed, and then used that edge as a guide to cut the extra off with my serger.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0h0poAFiFU/VgHlzE6PIWI/AAAAAAAABjw/Rca-mtpiVmM/s1600/2015.minisouthport.lining1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O0h0poAFiFU/VgHlzE6PIWI/AAAAAAAABjw/Rca-mtpiVmM/s320/2015.minisouthport.lining1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once the fabric was flipped appropriately, the lining fabric would lie inside the placket perfectly. On the neckline, I understitched all the way around, and made sure it was pressed crisp. After stitching the armholes with right sides together, I had to pull the leopard fabric through the shoulder strap to turn it so that both right sides faced out, away from each other. Then on the armholes, unfortunately since I was doing a full lining, I was only able to understitch as far back as I could cram my presser-foot, but it ended up being almost to the shoulder seam. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m7aaz_8Awu8/VgHlzIZ1t7I/AAAAAAAABjs/458ArxVpBgQ/s1600/2015.minisouthport.lining2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m7aaz_8Awu8/VgHlzIZ1t7I/AAAAAAAABjs/458ArxVpBgQ/s320/2015.minisouthport.lining2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I chose not to edgestich the neckline and the armholes because I didn't want the line. Also, since I was doing a full lining and it would be attached at the waist, I would not have to worry about a bias tape flipping up.</div>
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The making of the button placket was very simple and the instructions were clear. I did not have any problems figuring out how to get it to lay appropriately. The skirt and it's lining were simple as well, just a straight seam up each side. I turned the lining wrong side to the fabric wrong side, and then attached the waistband casing to the fabric right side, and then attached all that to the right side of the bottom of the bodice. There was a lot of fabric, with two extra layers, but I finished the seam with the serger and after pressing, it was not as bulky as I thought it might be.</div>
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The hardest part of the entire project was making the ties. Because the leopard fabric had such a loose weave, I had to be extra careful to not tear any of the yarn and leave a hole. It took almost an hour to get the first tie flipped right side out, but for some reason only about fifteen minutes for the second. It may be because I started using a wooden kebab skewer to press it through!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-HkFHyXTfw/VgHrlmnDTII/AAAAAAAABkQ/ratYKjWfrCs/s1600/2015.minisouthport.bowbutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2-HkFHyXTfw/VgHrlmnDTII/AAAAAAAABkQ/ratYKjWfrCs/s320/2015.minisouthport.bowbutton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Actually threading the ties and elastic through the waistband casing was easy compared to flipping the ties right side out.</div>
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Finishing up the dress with a hem, I cut 1 1/2 inches off the lining bottom and finished the edge with my serger, and then did the hem up 1/4 inch, and then 1 full inch.</div>
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Here is the finished inside, where the full lining is visible, plus the button placket.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPCuMl9dUMk/VgHvNk0AJJI/AAAAAAAABkg/n80GbgoEoa0/s1600/2015.minisouthport.lining3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPCuMl9dUMk/VgHvNk0AJJI/AAAAAAAABkg/n80GbgoEoa0/s320/2015.minisouthport.lining3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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And here is the final dress, front and back ...</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5WqWS0M1J1M/VgHvN1QoanI/AAAAAAAABkw/Oyym65KU_wY/s1600/2015.minisouthport.finished2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5WqWS0M1J1M/VgHvN1QoanI/AAAAAAAABkw/Oyym65KU_wY/s400/2015.minisouthport.finished2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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and in the rain!!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ViQUr8VTNo/VgHvN83_7HI/AAAAAAAABk0/eQ1wjcHcUng/s1600/2015.minisouthport.finished3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ViQUr8VTNo/VgHvN83_7HI/AAAAAAAABk0/eQ1wjcHcUng/s320/2015.minisouthport.finished3.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-45782752142338172832015-09-22T09:57:00.000-07:002015-09-22T09:57:01.286-07:00"We live in a web of ideas ..." 2015/16 Project #2Seamwork Akita Top<div style="text-align: center;">
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"We live in a web of ideas,</div>
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a fabric of our own making."</div>
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-Joseph Chilton Pearce</div>
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I am new to the world of downloadable patterns, and I wanted something simple to try for my first one. The <a href="https://www.seamworkmag.com/catalog/akita" target="_blank">"Akita" top from <i>Seamwork</i></a> magazine seemed perfect, as it is just one pattern piece. The boxy, drapey style is also very much in fashion right now. </div>
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The pattern was easy to print out and tape together. However, the way it is supposed to fit on the body, with some definition around the bust, and then drape, would make it look like I was wearing a tent. The size I was supposed to cut based on my bust measurement would leave a fifteen inch difference between my actual waist size and the finished waist size. Instead, I decided to cut the front of the pattern from the back, perform a 2" <a href="http://curvysewingcollective.com/tutorial-a-full-bust-adjustment-on-a-one-dart-bodice/" target="_blank">Full Bust Adjustment</a> (FBA), and then tape it back together and cut the size 8, matching my upper bust measure instead.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POM-mJ4MCsQ/VgGDGjMLJyI/AAAAAAAABio/uvgAl0mtw30/s1600/2015.akita1.fba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POM-mJ4MCsQ/VgGDGjMLJyI/AAAAAAAABio/uvgAl0mtw30/s320/2015.akita1.fba.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The splicing and spreading of the FBA was actually much simpler than I thought it would be, and since I didn't actually change anything on the shoulder area, it taped back together well. Since it is just one giant pattern piece, I did not have a large enough table space to lay it out and cut, so I ended up using the floor and moving my cutting mat around. This was also my first attempt at using pattern weights and a rotary cutter, and it is SO MUCH EASIER to go around curves than using pins and scissors. I don't think I will ever go back! However, it will be even better when our new house is finished and I have room for a large cutting table in my sewing and craft room.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7wNwpFHdrzA/VgGFPR7NmmI/AAAAAAAABi0/bZC0T1ojRLY/s1600/2015.akita1.cutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7wNwpFHdrzA/VgGFPR7NmmI/AAAAAAAABi0/bZC0T1ojRLY/s320/2015.akita1.cutting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used a 100% rayon challis fabric I found on the clearance table at Hancock, as I thought the drape would look nice. I essentially was going to make a potentially wearable muslin, and if I liked the fit and style, make another in a <a href="http://www.girlcharlee.com/" target="_blank">Girl Charlee</a> rayon challis fabric that I have had in my stash for over a year.</div>
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Unfortunately, this boxy style just looks terrible on me. While the top went together easily, it just isn't very flattering. I attempted to add a sweater, but that didn't help. What I really need is more definition at the waistline. I think I may buy a white belt to see if that helps, but I am not sure it will ever look as cute as it does on the pattern model. I am not sure the neckline will ever lay flat, either, though cutting the size at my upper bust measure should have fixed that.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-JsAlf6Oqg/VgGHYTYHN8I/AAAAAAAABjE/zSX8AC5-gJY/s1600/2015.akita1.finished.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P-JsAlf6Oqg/VgGHYTYHN8I/AAAAAAAABjE/zSX8AC5-gJY/s400/2015.akita1.finished.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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All in all, it was a great, simple pattern to try my hand at printing, taping and using a downloadable pattern. The instructions were clear, and on a different body shape, this might be a great top.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-84824136383840388422015-09-22T08:56:00.000-07:002015-09-22T08:56:27.003-07:0010 FOR 10: Trip #8 Southern California<div align="Center">
"My dearest friend, if you don't mind<br />I'd like to sit by your side<br />Where we can gaze into the stars</div>
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And sit together, now and forever<br />For it is plain as anyone can see<br />We're simply meant to be"</div>
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-"Finale," <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7BJ5QoeXLg/VgFstrYgm3I/AAAAAAAABhc/shfwfomeqWc/s1600/2015.anniversaryshirts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7BJ5QoeXLg/VgFstrYgm3I/AAAAAAAABhc/shfwfomeqWc/s320/2015.anniversaryshirts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>TRIP #8: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA</b></div>
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Trip number eight on the 10 FOR 10 was an unexpected tag-along trip to southern California that happened to coincide with our actual tenth anniversary. AC had some work to do in the Newport Beach area, and then took a few days off for the rest of the week to go to Disneyland, visit family, and play on the beach. SC and I spent the days while AC was working relaxing on the beach, walking the shops, and having leisurely meals. We also got to spend a good amount of time with my family who lives in the area, which was great. It is hard living so far away from them and only getting to see them once or so times each year.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qARWglq3J-U/VgFvywcqT6I/AAAAAAAABhs/2nas34RlRbU/s1600/2015.scsealbeach1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qARWglq3J-U/VgFvywcqT6I/AAAAAAAABhs/2nas34RlRbU/s320/2015.scsealbeach1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We spent the day of our tenth anniversary at Disneyland, and wore these awesome shirts I had done custom with our anniversary date on the back from <a href="https://goo.gl/C5sWNf" target="_blank">Otherworld Crafts</a> on Etsy. I could not recommend this shop more, as the shirts were done beautifully and faster than I could have expected. We all had a great time, and we love being big kids while we are at Disney.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yj-TY1MFCJI/VgF0AzpFEQI/AAAAAAAABh8/XfGBeHzAG2s/s1600/2015.ackcdisneyland1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yj-TY1MFCJI/VgF0AzpFEQI/AAAAAAAABh8/XfGBeHzAG2s/s320/2015.ackcdisneyland1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UVJsSPeZ-JQ/VgF0GISvA_I/AAAAAAAABiE/ORpKzVeMWsM/s1600/2015.ackcscdisneyland2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UVJsSPeZ-JQ/VgF0GISvA_I/AAAAAAAABiE/ORpKzVeMWsM/s320/2015.ackcscdisneyland2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We also spent an evening at the Hollywood Bowl, listening to the LA Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, which was beautiful and gorgeous. They played Tchaikovsky's <i>1812 Overture</i>, complete with fireworks. Unfortunately, SC fell asleep just before fireworks started, but she had a good time up to that point. We had seats high up, which was an interesting hike up the mountain, but the view was gorgeous.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sWbwJbdYz0U/VgF2wcvzCyI/AAAAAAAABiU/Dkd-HrVkTuk/s1600/2015.hollywoodbowl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sWbwJbdYz0U/VgF2wcvzCyI/AAAAAAAABiU/Dkd-HrVkTuk/s320/2015.hollywoodbowl1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We finished up the trip with a visit to the Discovery Cube in Orange County the morning before our flight back home. It was a neat space, and I wish we had more time there. We will definitely have to spend another day there next time we visit.</div>
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All in all, we had a fantastic, fun and relaxing time, and it was a great way to celebrate the day/week of our anniversary.</div>
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<i style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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In July 2015, AC and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, and previously had been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start in our tenth year (July 2014) and run through the end of 2015 so that we don't take too much time away from work. Hopefully these ten trips make this a celebratory year, one that stands out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-5-london-paris.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #5: London & Paris</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-6-london-oslo.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #6: London & Oslo</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-7-whistler-bc-canada.html" target="_blank">TRIP #7: Whistler, BC, Canada</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-17906399926932254392015-08-28T10:07:00.001-07:002015-09-22T16:11:35.500-07:00"Learn the rules like a pro ..." 2015/16 Project #1 New Look 0959/6259 Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Or77Eignp6w/VeCC5dS8woI/AAAAAAAABe8/WN5pFAXMGn0/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Or77Eignp6w/VeCC5dS8woI/AAAAAAAABe8/WN5pFAXMGn0/s320/2015.nl0959dress.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">"Learn the rules like a pro, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">so you can break them like an artist."</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-att. Pablo Picasso</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few weeks ago, when I was going through some of my previous pattern purchases (yay $1.99 sales) to see which project I wanted to start first once SC was back at school full time, I realized I had a few patterns which she is at the top size, and just barely even that. Unfortunately, I also have fabric for some of these patterns that I had already purchased, and needing to size up would mean I didn't have enough fabric to complete the project. Of course I could always just add that fabric back into my stash for something else, but just look at that super cute puppy fabric. I decided a new dress for the first week of school would be project number one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>2015/16 Project #1</b>:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/newlook/2013/6259/6259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/newlook/2013/6259/6259.jpg" height="200" width="137" /></a> <a href="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/newlook/2013/6259/6259line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/newlook/2013/6259/6259line.jpg" height="200" width="138" /></a></div>
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For this project, I used view C, a sleeveless dress with the longer skirt. This pattern has an interesting design, in which the the front side panels and middle skirt band are cut on the bias. In the example, a check fabric was chosen, so it is very easy to see the bias design. Here is a close-up of the front panels.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9-nmik5XPFk/VeCC6pAfwAI/AAAAAAAABfg/Nqx-D3qHFfU/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.5bodicedetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9-nmik5XPFk/VeCC6pAfwAI/AAAAAAAABfg/Nqx-D3qHFfU/s320/2015.nl0959dress.5bodicedetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In my puppy fabric, there is a very specific one-way design. I bought extra fabric in order to match this design; however, I did not buy enough fabric. The middle skirt band being cut on the bias took up an enormous amount of space when cutting the fabric (see the bottom picture below), and I couldn't follow the placement suggestion because then the puppies would not be going in the same direction all the way around the skirt band. I ended up with the bottom band having to be cut completely upside down in order to cram it onto the fabric with the curve! Luckily, the puppies still look cute, and it works because the bias-cut puppies are tumbling. I also cut the lining pieces upside-down because it fit better that way.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M2Ogos0fuZQ/VeCC5Mv5XgI/AAAAAAAABfA/BkzrWkA_rKw/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.2cutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M2Ogos0fuZQ/VeCC5Mv5XgI/AAAAAAAABfA/BkzrWkA_rKw/s320/2015.nl0959dress.2cutting.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The pattern adds fullness with inverted box pleats (my favorite kind to make), four on the front and then four on the back. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbDNLezSX0E/VeCC5U0X-qI/AAAAAAAABfE/nMaddbTZh1Y/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.3pleats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dbDNLezSX0E/VeCC5U0X-qI/AAAAAAAABfE/nMaddbTZh1Y/s320/2015.nl0959dress.3pleats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The pieces fit together perfectly, with only minimal attention to matching up seams and corners needed. The instructions were simple and made sense. The only part of the instructions I was unsure of was that it called for hemming the lower band before attaching it to the dress. However, I did it that way anyhow, and now I think that the bulk of the dress and the skirt already being attached would have hampered creating a straight, smooth hem.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cITEx7pxWIU/VeCC6Rg47fI/AAAAAAAABfQ/f3rQSWlTzGk/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.4hem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cITEx7pxWIU/VeCC6Rg47fI/AAAAAAAABfQ/f3rQSWlTzGk/s320/2015.nl0959dress.4hem.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I struggled a bit with the zipper, but that is because I need to practice zippers more. I opted for an invisible zipper because I like the look of them more, but I either need to find a source for invisible zippers that offers something other than the typical Coats & Clark brand (which require a special zipper foot made by C&C, and I don't have one), or find that special zipper foot. My own machine's zipper foot is just a few millimeter off, causing my stitching to be either too far from the zipper teeth, or directly on top of the zipper teeth. Also, somehow in all of the drama trying to get it in, the back of the dress now doesn't line up perfectly, but it is so tiny that I am probably the only one who will notice.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CKVSMVa5Kt8/VeCC6g8RZXI/AAAAAAAABfY/Z1LvBAyxzh4/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.frontback1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CKVSMVa5Kt8/VeCC6g8RZXI/AAAAAAAABfY/Z1LvBAyxzh4/s320/2015.nl0959dress.frontback1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is a close-up of the bow at the back, which went together perfectly, and is just the right size for this dress.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hjcZqk53Djg/VeCC7tC7nKI/AAAAAAAABfs/ry-X3n-M0D8/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hjcZqk53Djg/VeCC7tC7nKI/AAAAAAAABfs/ry-X3n-M0D8/s320/2015.nl0959dress.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, here is SC modeling her new dress before school today! The fit is perfect (I cut a size 8), with no changes needed, even though originally I wasn't sure there would be quite enough room in the bodice.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4eug9Qvz3A/VeCC7vtJrxI/AAAAAAAABfw/l6cbvpvMNMM/s1600/2015.nl0959dress.modelpics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4eug9Qvz3A/VeCC7vtJrxI/AAAAAAAABfw/l6cbvpvMNMM/s320/2015.nl0959dress.modelpics.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I hope to make view A & B, the bolero and leggings, next week as projects #2 & #3, so she can wear them along with the dress as (fingers-crossed!) the weather eventually turns a bit cooler.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-76262820811000601322015-08-26T07:35:00.000-07:002015-08-26T07:35:00.437-07:00"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them." 2015 Summer Reading Challenge <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them."</div>
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-Lemony Snicket, <i>Horseradish</i></div>
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When AC and I came up with the <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/05/it-is-likely-i-will-die-next-to-pile-of.html" target="_blank">2015 Summer Reading Challenge</a>, I honestly wasn't sure if it was actually doable, but I had confidence if anyone could read that much, it would be SC. Well, not only did she manage to read 10,000 pages from May 1 to August 15 to earn her $200 total, but we decided we would continue to count the pages she read between the end of the challenge and school starting (August 24), and she read an additional 1,500 pages that we gave her $.02 per page.</div>
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She decided to use her money to purchase a new iPod, because the hand-me-down one she had been using didn't have enough space, and wouldn't play any of the games she wanted well, or at all due to the updates not being accepted. She was very excited to finally get one of her very own, and with her own money.</div>
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If you are interested, here is the list of books (72!) and page count. She read mostly novels and "chapter books," though a few picture books as well. Some favorites that she discovered were the <i>26 Story Treehouse</i> series, by Andy Griffiths, the <i>School for Good and Evil</i> series, by Soman Chainani (which I also read, at SC's recommendation), and the works of Raina Telgemeier.</div>
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="263"></col><col width="142"></col><col width="100"></col><col width="77"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Book Title"]" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-family: 'courier new', monospace; font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Book Title</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Author"]" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Author</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"# of Pages"]" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"># of Pages</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"TOTAL"]" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000; border-right: 1px solid #000000; border-top: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; font-weight: bold; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">TOTAL</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Explorer: The Hidden Door"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Explorer: The Hidden Door</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Kibuishi"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Kibuishi</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,125]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,125]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bunnicula"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Bunnicula</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Howe"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Howe</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,98]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">98</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,223]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">223</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Whatever After: Sink or Swim"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Whatever After: Sink or Swim</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mlynowski"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mlynowski</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,165]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">165</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,388]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">388</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Whatever After: Dream On"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Whatever After: Dream On</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mlynowski"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mlynowski</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,157]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">157</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,545]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">545</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Whatever After: Bad Hair Day"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Whatever After: Bad Hair Day</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mlynowski"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mlynowski</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,165]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">165</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,710]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">710</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Contagious Colors"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Contagious Colors</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"DeWitt"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">DeWitt</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,265]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">265</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,975]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">975</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Freckle Juice"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Freckle Juice</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Blume"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Blume</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,47]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">47</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1022]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1022</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The 13-Story Treehouse"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The 13-Story Treehouse</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Griffiths"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Griffiths</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,239]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">239</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1261]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1261</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Encyclopedia Brown (Best Cases)"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Encyclopedia Brown (Best Cases)</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sobol"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sobol</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,123]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">123</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1384]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1384</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Encyclopedia Brown #2"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Encyclopedia Brown #2</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sobol"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sobol</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,78]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">78</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1462]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1462</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ramona the Pest"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Ramona the Pest</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,211]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">211</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1673]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1673</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dragons Beware"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Dragons Beware</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rosado/Aguirre"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rosado/Aguirre</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,153]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">153</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,1826]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">1826</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"26 Story Treehouse"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">26 Story Treehouse</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Griffiths"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Griffiths</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,368]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">368</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2194]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2194</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Whatever After: Cold as Ice"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Whatever After: Cold as Ice</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mlynowski"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mlynowski</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,163]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">163</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2357]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2357</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Whatever After: Beauty Queen"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Whatever After: Beauty Queen</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Mlynowski"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mlynowski</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,167]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">167</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2524]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2524</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Pinkalicious"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Pinkalicious</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Kann"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Kann</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,40]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">40</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2564]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2564</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bad Kitty Does Not Like Candy"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Bad Kitty Does Not Like Candy</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bruel"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bruel</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,24]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">24</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2588]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2588</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bad Kitty Does Not Like Dogs"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Bad Kitty Does Not Like Dogs</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bruel"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bruel</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,24]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">24</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2612]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2612</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ellen Tebbits"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Ellen Tebbits</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,180]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">180</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2792]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2792</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Henry Huggins"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Henry Huggins</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,176]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">176</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,2968]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">2968</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Encyclopedia Brown #3"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Encyclopedia Brown #3</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sobol"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sobol</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,96]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">96</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3064]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3064</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"39 Story Treehouse"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">39 Story Treehouse</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Griffiths"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Griffiths</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,344]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">344</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3408]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3408</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Grimm Conclusion"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Grimm Conclusion</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Gidwitz"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Gidwitz</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,344]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">344</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3752]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3752</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sachar"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sachar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,64]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">64</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,3816]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">3816</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ramona Forever"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Ramona Forever</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,191]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">191</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4007]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4007</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ramona's World"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Ramona's World</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,209]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">209</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4216]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4216</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Iron Trial"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Iron Trial</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Black"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Black</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,295]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">295</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4511]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4511</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Phantom Bully"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Phantom Bully</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Brown"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Brown</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,176]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">176</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4687]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4687</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Matilda"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Matilda</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dahl"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Dahl</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,240]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">240</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,4927]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">4927</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"In a Glass Grimmly"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">In a Glass Grimmly</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Gidwitz"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Gidwitz</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,313]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">313</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5240]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5240</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Ramonda and her Father"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Ramonda and her Father</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,165]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">165</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5405]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5405</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bad Kitty Gets a Bath"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Bad Kitty Gets a Bath</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bruel"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bruel</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,125]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">125</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5530]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5530</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bruel"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bruel</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,157]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">157</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5687]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5687</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Almond"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Almond</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,234]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">234</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,5921]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">5921</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Eerie Elem: The School is Alive"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Eerie Elem: The School is Alive</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Chabert"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chabert</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,90]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">90</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6011]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6011</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Happy Birthday Bad Kitty"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Happy Birthday Bad Kitty</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bruel"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bruel</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,159]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">159</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6170]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6170</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Puppy's Big Day"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Puppy's Big Day</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bruel"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bruel</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,155]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">155</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6325]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6325</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Game Over, Pete Watson"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Game Over, Pete Watson</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Schreiber"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Schreiber</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,225]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">225</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6550]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6550</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Frozen: Spring Fever"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Frozen: Spring Fever</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Disney"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Disney</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,80]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">80</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6630]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6630</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Grimmtastic Girls #3"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Grimmtastic Girls #3</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Holub"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Holub</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,182]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">182</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6812]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6812</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Marvin Redpost: Super Fast, Out of Control!"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Marvin Redpost: Super Fast, Out of Control!</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sachar"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sachar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,79]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">79</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6891]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6891</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Marvin Redpost: A Flying Birthday Cake?"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Marvin Redpost: A Flying Birthday Cake?</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sachar"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sachar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,76]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">76</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,6967]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">6967</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dogs Don't Tell Jokes"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Dogs Don't Tell Jokes</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sachar"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sachar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,209]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">209</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7176]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">7176</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"There's a boy in the girls' bathroom"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">There's a boy in the girls' bathroom</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sachar"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sachar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,195]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">195</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7371]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">7371</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"School of good and evil"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">School of good and evil</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Chainani"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chainani</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,501]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">501</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,7872]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">7872</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Floods: Good Neighbors"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Floods: Good Neighbors</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Thompson"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Thompson</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,213]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">213</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8085]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8085</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"SGE: World Without Princes"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">SGE: World Without Princes</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Chainani"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Chainani</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,512]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">512</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8597]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8597</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nancy Clancy: Secret Admirer"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Nancy Clancy: Secret Admirer</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"O'Connor"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">O'Connor</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,112]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">112</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8709]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8709</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nancy Clancy: Secret of the Silver Key"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Nancy Clancy: Secret of the Silver Key</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"O'Connor"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">O'Connor</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,121]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">121</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8830]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8830</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Nancy Clancy: Star of Stage and Screen"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Nancy Clancy: Star of Stage and Screen</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"O'Connor"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">O'Connor</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,120]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">120</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,8950]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8950</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rotten School: Big Blueberry Barf-Off"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Rotten School: Big Blueberry Barf-Off</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Stine"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Stine</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,128]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">128</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9078]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9078</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Miss Nelson Collection"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Miss Nelson Collection</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Allard"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Allard</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,98]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">98</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9176]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9176</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"BSC: Kristy's Great Idea"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">BSC: Kristy's Great Idea</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Martin/Telgemeier"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Martin/Telgemeier</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,181]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">181</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9357]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9357</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rotten School: Great Smelling Bee"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Rotten School: Great Smelling Bee</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Stine"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Stine</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,128]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">128</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9485]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9485</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Blume"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Blume</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,120]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">120</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9605]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9605</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Rotten School: The Good, the Bad & the Very Slimy"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Rotten School: The Good, the Bad & the Very Slimy</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Stine"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Stine</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,128]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">128</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9733]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9733</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Aliens for lunch"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Aliens for lunch</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,54]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">54</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9787]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9787</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Goldilocks and other tales"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Goldilocks and other tales</td><td style="padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,50]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">50</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,9837]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9837</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Grimmtastic Girls #5"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Grimmtastic Girls #5</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Holub & Williams"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Holub & Williams</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,181]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">181</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10018]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10018</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Grimmtastic Girls #6"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Grimmtastic Girls #6</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Holub & Williams"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Holub & Williams</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,179]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">179</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10197]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10197</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"El Deafo"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">El Deafo</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Bell"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bell</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,233]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">233</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10430]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10430</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Smile"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Smile</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Telgemeier"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Telgemeier</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,213]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">213</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10643]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10643</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sisters"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Sisters</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Telgemeier"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Telgemeier</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,197]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">197</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10840]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10840</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Road to Oz"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Road to Oz</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Baum"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Baum</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,136]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">136</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,10976]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">10976</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Scallywags"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Scallywags</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Melling"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Melling</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,27]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">27</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11003]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11003</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Dump Dog"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Dump Dog</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Morris"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Morris</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,30]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">30</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11033]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11033</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Earthquack!"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Earthquack!</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Palatini"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Palatini</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,14]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">14</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11047]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11047</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Miss Fox"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Miss Fox</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Puttock"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Puttock</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,23]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">23</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11070]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11070</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Baby that Roared"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Baby that Roared</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Puttock"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Puttock</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,29]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">29</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11099]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11099</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Marvin Redpost #8"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Marvin Redpost #8</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Sachar"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Sachar</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,81]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">81</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11180]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11180</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"The Haunted Library"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">The Haunted Library</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Butler"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Butler</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,127]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">127</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11307]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11307</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 21px;"><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Henry & Beezus"]" style="font-family: 'courier new', monospace; padding: 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom; word-wrap: break-word;">Henry & Beezus</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,2,"Cleary"]" style="font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Cleary</td><td data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,201]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">201</td><td data-sheets-formula="=SUM(R[-1]C[0]+R[0]C[-1])" data-sheets-numberformat="[null,0]" data-sheets-value="[null,3,null,11508]" style="border-right: 1px solid #000000; font-family: courier new,monospace; padding: 2px 3px 2px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11508</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My own summer book list is much shorter, and I only read half the number of pages (5600), but I did read some very good ones. I really liked the <i>School for Good and Evil</i> series, and I read both <i>The Wednesday Wars</i> and <i>Okay for Now</i> by Gary D. Schmidt. I absolutely loved <i>Okay for Now</i>, and it was incredibly written.</div>
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How did your own summer reading challenges go? Did you discover anything you would highly recommend?</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-78469854156881200462015-08-25T19:02:00.000-07:002015-08-25T19:02:50.915-07:002015/16: 2nd Year, Lower Elementary "and now we welcome the new year, ..."<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4b6bqpxF3Y/Vd0QT7icO4I/AAAAAAAABeQ/qS_FBL5Daj0/s1600/2015.secondgradepic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4b6bqpxF3Y/Vd0QT7icO4I/AAAAAAAABeQ/qS_FBL5Daj0/s320/2015.secondgradepic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"and now we welcome the new year,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">full of things that have never been."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Rainer Maria Rilke</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The lead-up to this school year was much different this year than it has been for the past few. With SC accepted to attend the local Montessori school, I didn't have any planning to do do, nor curriculum to buy. It was surprisingly stressful for me, as I had no idea what to expect going in, even though we had toured two Montessori schools. We didn't even get to buy school supplies, as everything is included in the tuition and fees. However, most importantly, SC was more excited than nervous, and that was a win.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Monday was the first day, and when SC came home, she said she was most looking forward to going back the next day (which is a dig at only getting to go for one day as a trial in the spring). Hopefully she will be just as excited to continue over the next few months!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For my first day, I went to the spa, read an entire book, tried out a new tea shop, and planned out a few sewing projects. I intend to attempt to keep blogging about what is going on, but there may be a much larger focus on sewing projects or cooking/baking than before, and much less specifics about schooling. Maybe I will get back to posting regular book reviews, too. As always, the ultimate goal of blogging for me is to share a little bit of our lives, and our continual pursuit of God's wisdom, all for His glory.</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-79270023067154958882015-07-13T12:21:00.000-07:002015-07-13T12:21:28.804-07:0010 FOR 10: Trip #7 Whistler, BC, Canada<div style="text-align: center;">
"It is not the mountain that we conquer</div>
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but ourselves."</div>
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-Edmund Hillary</div>
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<b>TRIP #7: WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA</b></div>
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Trip number seven on the 10 FOR 10 came about amid the drama and devastation of this past spring. As much as SC loves spending time with her grandparents, she felt left out from not getting to travel overseas with us on the past two trips. AC also needed a break, because as much as I was gone, he traveled to the UK for work at other times as well. We needed time to engage as a family, and to recover from the losses we had been dealing with. </div>
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It was decided that we would travel to Whistler, where SC would get to have her first ski lessons, because we were able to get some great deals on post-spring-break late-season skiing. Whistler is actually where AC and I took our honeymoon, so it was fitting that one of our 10 FOR 10 trips was to travel back there. We loved it that time, and were very impressed by how global the community there was. That was the first time I had ever been out of the USA! We went back when SC was an infant, though all she was able to do was sit in the snow and eat <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/zogs-dogs-whistler" target="_blank">Zog's</a> fries.</div>
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After attempts to learn both skiing and snowboarding, I am not into snow sports (though my friend L suggested I would be great on a snowmobile). So for me, this trip was low-key, relaxing and full of books, making tea, and taking walks in the woods. We signed SC up for two individual days of ski lessons, and after that allowed her to decide if she wanted a third day, which she did. AC skied in the way he likes best, out in the morning late after a leisurely breakfast and coffee, and then back early for a late lunch and a beer at the foot of the mountain, watching everyone come in for the day. It was nice for us to be together, but each have time apart.</div>
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She was a little nervous on day one, but was very happy when we picked her up, and told us she had a great time. She moved up from level one to two after just the first day, and after the third day of lessons was ready to start on level three, which takes the kids on blue runs. We got lucky and the third day of lessons was a Saturday, so they had professional photographers take pictures of all the kids and their classes. We have never bought these type of photos before, because they have never been better than something we could reproduce on our own, but these really showed just how much she enjoyed skiing.</div>
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On the last day SC and AC went out together, and he was impressed with how much she was able to do, though she made it clear that he was not her teacher, so she was not going to listen to any advice he had for her. Being so late in the ski season, the snow was very thin and wet, which made things a bit more difficult, but all in all, they had a great time. In fact, the only down of the trip was when we were driving back to the airport, a two hour winding trip down from the mountains into Vancouver, and SC got car sick. Luckily nothing happened <i>in</i> the car, but we now have in our memories what will forever be know as "The Vancouver Airport Incident."</div>
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The next ski trip we take will hopefully also be to Whistler, because we were so impressed with their <a href="http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/snow%20school" target="_blank">kids' ski lessons</a>. SC had three different teachers, and we could tell every single one of them understood the age group they were teaching, and genuinely enjoyed getting to pass on their knowledge of skiing. Next time we want her to be able to take a five day class, with the same kids and teacher the whole time, but that will require more planning than this quick trip did. Also, AC gets altitude sickness, and the peak of Whistler Mountain is only about 7,000 feet, which is lower than the bases of almost every mountain in Colorado. Whistler is just the place for us!</div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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In July 2015, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-5-london-paris.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #5: London & Paris</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-6-london-oslo.html" target="_blank">TRIP #6: London & Oslo</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-23230726892495470392015-07-12T20:02:00.000-07:002015-07-12T20:02:20.990-07:0010 FOR 10: Trip #6 London & Oslo<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">"I've the most extraordinary longing to say 'Bloody Hell'!"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Henrik Ibsen, <i>A Doll's House</i>, Act I (Nora)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><b>TRIP #6: LONDON & OSLO</b></span></span></div>
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This sixth 10 FOR 10 trip was a tag-along for me while AC had work to do in London, and then went to a conference that started in Oslo, Norway, and then traveled to Kiel, Germany on a cruise ship via the north/south waterway between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. </div>
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To start the trip off, we were upgraded into first class, the real one with the beds that lay down completely flat. It was incredible and so much more comfortable than spending hours cramped up in a seat that barely reclines a few inches. Once there, we spent the weekend in London wandering around. We discovered <a href="http://www.bricklanemarket.com/" target="_blank">Brick Lane Market</a> on the East side, which is open on Sundays and full of delicious food vendors. AC had to work the first days of the week, so I played the tourist and went to <a href="http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/" target="_blank">Kensington Palace</a> for the fashion exhibit, and the <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/" target="_blank">V&A</a> for the wedding dress exhibit. </div>
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We took a quick flight to Oslo on Tuesday night, and Wednesday AC had meetings to go to, so I spent the day wandering the main street area, Karl Johans Gate. I bought a scarf from a local shop, and wandered out of the way to find a local potter to purchase a beautiful coffee mug. I spent most of the day, however, at the National Gallery, which I was very pleased with. It had the most logical flow pattern, and related every national artist to what was going on with the rest of the world. I learned so much about not just Norwegian artists, but how they fit in relation to the worldwide art movements as they were happening. Of course I saw Munch's famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scream" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">Scream</a>, but enjoyed the rest of the museum's works just as much.</div>
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Wednesday night we went to dinner with all the other conference speakers, and then Thursday morning we embarked for the two-day conference. For me it was intellectually exhilarating, which is probably not what most spouses would say if dragged along on a technical conference. However, I am very interested in certain aspects of data technology, so I even sat in on some of the sessions. I also enjoyed getting to know so many of the other people that AC has the opportunity to work with, and had some pretty intense conversations.</div>
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The other thing I did on this trip was take the opportunity to read seven books from my "to read" list. Of those I read, my favorite was <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062309684/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062309684&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=MMCRZWY3TI7ISQHM" target="_blank">Elizabeth is Missing</a></i>, by Emma Healey (and I hope to review it soon). <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0989515591/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0989515591&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=EEAXS4RXR3IWS5EP" target="_blank">The Carnival at Bray</a></i> by Jessie Ann Foley and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594633665/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1594633665&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=44SLIYX6ZJW4NTIS" target="_blank">The Girl on the Train</a></i> by Paula Hawkins were both very good as well. </div>
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We only were able to spend a few hours in Kiel before turning around to head back to Oslo, and we met up with some local(ish) friends of friends who had set up an outdoor picnic, complete with sandwiches and drinks. AC and I stayed for a bit and then wandered some, but not too far into the city, since we had to make it back to the boat at a specific time. </div>
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Saturday morning we arrived back in Oslo, and then promptly flew back to London, where we spent the weekend before I headed home on my own. AC still had some work to get done and would be coming home at the end of the week. Even though it was a tag-along trip and AC had to work some, we both had a great time, and I would jump at the chance to tag along to this particular conference again.<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" target="_blank">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-for-10-trip-5-london-paris.html" target="_blank">TRIP #5: London & Paris</a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;">**This post contains affiliate links. Please read my </span><a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/p/disclosure.html" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #a7454b; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">disclosure statement</a><span style="line-height: 19px;">.</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-68740049907658605562015-07-12T19:48:00.000-07:002015-07-12T20:03:56.153-07:0010 FOR 10: Trip #5 London & Paris<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Paris was a universe whole and entire unto herself, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">hollowed and fashioned by history..."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Anne Rice, <i>Interview with a Vampire</i></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TRIP #5: LONDON & PARIS</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our fifth 10 FOR 10 trip was one for only AC and I, and one that required plenty of advance planning. We were to spend a few days in London, with the highlight seeing our favorite football team, Arsenal, play, and then head to Paris for a few days, including Valentine's Day. We ended up traveling back to London at the end of the trip so that AC could do some work, but that meant we were able to see Arsenal play again, which was just fine with me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will be honest, other than that we went to the games and spent some much-needed time with local friends, I don't remember much of what we did in London. I barely remember exactly what we did in Paris, because much of my memory of this trip is clouded by <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/05/in-spite-of-everything-i-shall-rise.html" target="_blank">the dog's problems</a> back home. I do know that we enjoyed walking around various parts of the city and having some much-needed time to really focus on each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In Paris we purposely did not do every tourist activity, because we hope to go back with SC in the future. We walked around the gardens at the Rodin museum, and made jokes about the number of sculptures that seem to have been done by someone other than Rodin, laughing at how we have no knowledge of how such large, elaborate works of art are actually made. We climbed the stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe and in a very touristy fashion marveled at the traffic patterns. We leisurely shopped on the Champs-<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.911111831665px;">Élysées. </span>We spent a day walking in Montmatre, and stopped to have coffee in the square when the rain started, and laughed at the other tourists with their cheap umbrellas that didn't begin to hold up to the wind and rain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We made it up all three hundred stairs at Sacré-Cœur, and marveled at the view. We watched the line of people standing in the rain, waiting to go up Notre Dame, and just listened to the bells ring as we chatted and had more coffee. We walked through the Jardin des Tuileries, though nothing was in bloom. We thoroughly enjoyed the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.911111831665px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Musée de l'Orangerie, and spent a significant amount of time viewing Monet's <i>Water Lilies</i>. The vastness of these paintings is overwhelming and extraordinary.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.911111831665px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We did not go up the Eiffel Tower, as that is one of the things I want to experience with SC, but the location of our hotel meant that we walked past it every day, at different times of day. We also did not go to any of the other museums (even though we had initially planned to), instead opting to spend our days outside, walking around, and stopping more than once for coffee. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We also ate so much delicious food, and enjoyed the ability to have a long meal with no one rushing us in and out. All in all, it was mostly a relaxing, romantic trip.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-for-10-trip-4-grand-cayman.html" target="_blank">TRIP #4: Grand Cayman</a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-38031398934288771022015-05-14T08:25:00.000-07:002015-05-14T08:25:25.949-07:00"It is likely I will die next to a pile of things I was meaning to read." 2015 Summer Reading Challenge<h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">"It is likely I will die<br />next to a pile of things I was meaning to read."<br /><span style="background-color: transparent;">-Lemony Snicket</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">SC is quite the reader these days, so attempting to come up with a summer challenge that will actually be a challenge for her hasn't been easy. Most parents and organizations that have challenges do it to simply get kids reading, which really isn't a problem here. However, we do want to continually encourage and reward her for the reader that she is. After some thought and discussion, AC and I finally settled on a simple "cash for pages" method, because SC has been very interested these days in picking out and buying things on her own.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, the challenge part comes into play with the final page goal, and there is a huge reward if she makes it. The challenge for SC this summer will be to read 10,000 pages. At a price of $.01 per page, that will earn her a total of $100 for the summer. However, if she can get to that $100 mark, then her prize will be doubled. Finally, AC decided that any book she writes a four sentence summary/review of (because that IS an area that she needs some extra practice), the earnings will automatically double as well. So she has the opportunity to earn $300 all for herself this summer, if she is willing to put in the effort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The challenge is running May 1 - August 15, which will give her some break time before her new school starts. The rules we have come up with are that any first-time read counts, including comics and graphic novels, but only novels and chapter books will count as re-reads, and each book will only count once, mostly because it is too difficult to verify if she actually read 100% of a book on the fourth or fifth time through. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So far she has just made it to the 10% mark of the challenge, though she has not written any summaries. We told her that instead of waiting until the end of summer for any pay-outs, we would give her the prize along the way, after each $10/1,000 pages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If she makes it to 10,000 pages by August 15, I have no idea how we will make next summer more of a challenge, or if this is one that we can do year after year. As much as I read, 10,000 pages in just a few months would definitely be tough!</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-19030093587530625442015-05-04T20:09:00.000-07:002015-05-04T20:09:55.401-07:00"In spite of everything I shall rise again ..."<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">"I felt my energy revive, and said to myself, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">In spite of everything I shall rise again: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">which I have forsaken in my great discouragement, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">and I will go on with my drawing.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">-Vincent Van Gogh, Letter #136 to Theo (1880)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 21px;">The past four months have been complicated and difficult for our family. At the beginning of January, we got news from AC's company that they would be looking into the cost of moving us to the UK for a year or two, and AC was instructed to begin handing off some of his responsibilities in the US, to travel a couple of weeks each month to the UK, and to direct his energy there. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">We were nervous about such a big change, but very excited. As a family, we began to take steps to prepare ourselves for this large move. AC and I modified our 10For10 trip #5 in February to include time in London for house hunting, and were able to add me onto a work trip in March using airline miles. We began to research schools for SC, as we knew it might be easier for her to transition into a new culture if she is able to be around other people more, but we still wanted to find one that allowed her to continue being herself, and focused more on whole life learning. We asked our good friends if they would be willing to live at our home and take care of our three cats, as they are a bit older, and we knew we would be living in a much smaller space. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">We also took our family dog, Rexy, to get a check-up at the vet, because we would be bringing him along. He had been having breathing problems for a while (noisy breathing), which in the past we had been told was caused by a soft palate issue, and it would need a quick, cosmetic fix. Our local veterinarian office had recently brought in a new doctor, and she was very worried when she looked at our pup. She told us that his breathing issues were much more serious than we had been told, and she could see him turning blue as he got excited and breathed heavy. She suspected that he had a bit of a collapsing trachea, which is apparently very common in small dog breeds, and ordered a fancy x-ray called a fluoroscope, that takes moving images. The fluoroscope confirmed that his trachea is collapsing, and not just a bit. It was collapsing to almost completely closed from the top of his neck, all the way down into his rib cage 2-3 inches. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">We were sent to a surgeon who has performed many successful fixes for this problem, but because of our dog's age (8 years old), the success rate would be much lower. Also lowering the success rate was the fact that the surgeon would not be able to get to the part inside his rib cage to fix it. However, after examining him and viewing the scan footage, she expressed deep concern that he would make it even the next few months without having a procedure done to attempt to alleviate his breathing issues. We chose to have surgical rings inserted on the exterior of the trachea, because the long-term success rate of those seemed to be higher, rather than an interior stint, which would build up scar tissue over the course of a year, and either need to be re-done, or cause irreparable damage. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">The surgery went well, though the surgeon mentioned afterwards that things were much worse once she got inside, and she was shocked that he had lived with such a large area of his trachea collapsing for as long as he did. We took him home, contained him so that he would not pull anything while running around, gave him all the medicines to help get him healed quickly, and just loved on him. After two weeks of recovery, AC and I had to go out of town for our 10For10 #5 trip, to London and Paris. We left our pup at a great boarding facility, and knew they would take as good care of him as if he were at home with us.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Unfortunately, the Sunday night before we were to come home, we were awakened by a call from the boarding facility that Rexy had stopped eating, and his behavior had changed dramatically. They took him to the emergency vet (which is, luckily, attached to the surgery center), and he was having serious problems breathing. After an x-ray, it was determined that one of the rings had cracked, and was causing tracheal collapse again. However, because of the place he was in recovery, his body was not responding well to the level of sedation needed to fix or replace the ring. He had a breathing tube in, but was only ok with the lightest level of sedation. Each time the doctor attempted to take him deeper, his vitals would tank. In the end, AC and I had to make the most difficult decision in our marriage to date, and from thousands of miles away. After talking to multiple doctors, including the surgeon, the option to attempt to extend his life had too low of a success rate, and could have gone wrong in an extremely traumatic way for Rex. AC and I have previously discussed quality-of-life issues, specifically with regard to ourselves/each other, and we decided we needed to make the most unselfish decision in this case, as we would if it were one of us struggling with life. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">When we returned home two days later, we had to go through the terrible process of explaining to SC what had happened. She had known that there was a risk involved with the surgery, and that his healing and health were not guaranteed, but it is one thing to explain that possibility to her, and quite another to explain that the dog she has loved all of her almost seven years wouldn't be coming home. I personally still struggle with little things every day, like hearing the dogs next door bark and him not reacting, or not hearing his collar jingle when I first come into the house. The worst for me is not feeling his weight on the bed, especially when AC is gone on a business trip. I never realized how much I counted on Rex to get me through the loneliness that comes with having a traveling spouse. As cheesy as it is, for me Rexy defined the phrase "man's best friend."</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Sadly, the bad news didn't end there. Just before AC and I were to leave on our next trip to London, where we hoped to begin nailing down housing options, and even pay a deposit on the awesome Montessori school we had found for Sophia, AC had a meeting with his bosses, where they told him that after looking into the company's own policies, it was simply too expensive to send us over there. After the struggles with the dog, specifically in an attempt to make sure he could come with us, the news that we would not be going to the UK at all was a devastating blow. To top it off, we had already "paid" for my ticket (through miles), and had made arrangements for SC to stay with my parents for spring break while we were gone, and we didn't want to disappoint any of them. The trip actually turned out excellently (and became 10For10 trip #6, but more on that in another post), but going into it, both AC and I were not in a happy place.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Things have turned around for us a bit. Since we weren't going to be moving to the UK, that meant AC wasn't going to have to keep traveling there for weeks each month, and was able to revert back to his one or two days at a time trips within the US. We cashed in more airline miles to take an impromptu family trip to Whistler, Canada, where AC and I took our honeymoon, and SC got to try skiing for the first time (10For10 trip #7). It was a much needed true vacation for all of us.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">We decided after finding that wonderful Montessori school in London to look around our area for one, because it has been a real struggle for us to keep up with the social needs of SC and get as much academic work done as we all would like. We have had a hard time fitting in with many of the local groups, so we either spend a lot of time driving around and meeting various friends each day, or we sit at home, all alone, doing schoolwork until it is time to go to SC's different activities in the evening. Luckily, we found one that will only take 30 minutes each morning to get to, and it seems just as good as the one we liked in London. It also goes through eighth grade, so if all goes well, we won't have to change schools or figure some other option out until it is time for high school.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Finally, we decided to go forward with our pre-UK plan, to move a little bit east toward both AC's office and the airport. Initially we were going to look to move this summer, but as we were watching the action on Zillow every weekend, we stumbled upon a new housing development less than three miles from my sister-in-law, closer to AC's office, but not so close that we wouldn't be able to reasonably get to SC's current activities that are near where we live now. We were not planning to build new, mostly because the new developments available in the areas we were looking were way out of our price range, but then this new development popped up recently, and it is exactly what we were having trouble finding in an older home. We are all very excited, though our finish date won't be until early 2016.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">So, that is what has been happing with us these past few months. Even though we will not be homeschooling in the near future, I will hopefully still find time to blog and share what has been going on with us as we continue on the journey toward the wisdom spoken of in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+2&version=NASB" target="_blank">Proverbs 2</a>.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-75116152131910337632015-01-14T02:00:00.000-08:002015-01-14T02:00:05.555-08:00What 2 Read Wednesday: "None of you are going to die..." Book Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"None of you are going to die</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and you're obviously not dead."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, <i>The Iron Trial</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Book #1 in the Magisterium series</span></div>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396560808l/20578940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396560808l/20578940.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having recently reread the entire <i>Harry Potter</i> series with SC, I was slightly skeptical of how good another book about a boy who just finds out he is magic and goes off to a special school would actually be. J.K. Rowling has set the bar pretty high. However, other than a few similarities (which would probably be present in ANY book about magical kids going to magic school), this book is it's own story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Callum Hunt is a twelve-year-old boy with a physical disability who has to go through the "iron trial," an entrance exam of sorts to the school of magic called the Magisterium. His father, who was a mage and went through the school, encourages Callum to do all that he can to fail, because he believes the Magisterium is a terrible place, fraught with death and war. He points to the fact that Callum's mother died just after his birth, because of a war brought on by the mages, as proof of this idea. Though Callum does his best to fail, he is still chosen to be an apprentice by the same master who taught his mother and father, along with an orphan boy, Aaron, and a girl, Tamara. Callum's father fights to take him away before the mages can gather them to leave, but is hauled out of the building, and Callum is taken on to the school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Black and Clare create their own world, with their own set of magical rules, and in some cases delve where Rowling does not dare, complicating the good vs. evil narrative in fascinating ways. For example, one of my (and SC's) favorite parts of the story is when Callum finds a wolf puppy in the woods. This is just after a huge battle with "chaos ridden" wolves, ones who have been infected (for lack of a better word) with chaos magic, the dark and potentially evil magic that "devours." Callum cannot help himself in rescuing this potentially dangerous pup, because he knows what it is like to grow up without a mother, and the pup (later named Havoc) not only brings Callum and his fellow apprentices closer together, but shows them all that there may be more to the magical dark area than the simple dictate "chaos wants to devour."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All in all, this is the perfect series for us to follow up a reading of <i>Harry Potter</i>. It is <i>HP</i> on steroids, and both SC and I are now firmly enveloped into the Magisterium world. We cannot wait until the second book, <i> The Copper Gauntlet</i>, comes out next September.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #293711; line-height: 19px;">**This post contains affiliate links. Please read my </span><a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/p/disclosure.html" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #a7454b; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">disclosure statement</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #293711; line-height: 19px;">.</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-22947397737311826722015-01-13T11:41:00.000-08:002015-01-13T11:41:25.742-08:0010 FOR 10: Trip #4 Grand Cayman<div style="text-align: center;">
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"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,</div>
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the world and those who dwell therein,</div>
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for He has founded it upon the seas</div>
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and established it upon the rivers."</div>
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Psalm 24:1-2</div>
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<b>TRIP #4: GRAND CAYMAN</b></div>
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Our fourth 10 FOR 10 trip was one simply for family time and relaxation. Over the past couple years we have been lucky enough to take a trip (though some through tagging along for AC's work) to an "exotic" beach location during the early winter months, and this year we planned one specifically to recuperate from the busyness that our life has recently become. Even on our other beach trips, there has always been an agenda of adventure or work, and while this one did have an exciting learning experience with some aquatic wildlife, most of the time we sat on the beach or lounged in the water. AC and I spent a ton of time talking about plans for 2015, while SC was in and out of the water all day, building sand structures, making friends with other vacationers, and looking at all the fish milling about with her scuba goggles. It was the most easy, relaxing, do-nothing trip we have ever taken! It is definitely on our list of places to go back to one day.</div>
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The one adventurous part of the trip was when we went to swim out in the ocean with semi-domesticated sting rays. We went on a tour that included a stop at "Stingray City," a sandbar out from the north side of the island, plus two snorkel stops over the various barrier reef chunks. The stingray swimming was interesting, though we will probably never do that part again. The water at the sandbar came up to my chest, and there were hundreds of stingrays of all sizes swimming at various ocean depths in and around all the people. I say they are semi-domesticated, because they are used to being fed, so they are curious and friendly, but they have not had their stingers removed, so your feet must stay firmly in the sand. With the water level up so high, and the surf moving you around, it isn't very easy. AC had an easier time staying in place because he is taller, except he was holding a squirming SC who was terrified of getting stung. She was actually fine until some of the other women in the tour group started shrieking, and then she got it into her head that she had something to be afraid of. The two snorkel stops were amazing, and we saw so many interesting fish. We saw a <a href="http://australianmuseum.net.au/Stars-and-Stripes-Toadfish-Arothron-hispidus-Linnaeus-1758/" target="_blank">"stars and stripes" puffer fish</a>, so many angel fish, schools of silver damselfish, bright blue tangs, a needle-nosed gar, and a <a href="https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/SParrotfish/SParrotfish.html" target="_blank">"stoplight" parrotfish</a>. Luckily, we didn't see anything scary or dangerous like moray eels, barracuda, giant grouper or lionfish. We regretted our decision not to bring any cameras at this point, though we did it on purpose so as not to be constantly looking through a lens vs. experiencing and relaxing. Oh, well! We did get a few fun shots from the cameras on the phone while we were on the beach.</div>
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Finally, if you know me well, you know that I collect artisan pottery (mostly mugs) from each location we visit. Usually I forget to do any research beforehand, which leaves us trying to cram in a last-minute unplanned trip to a local artist shop nowhere near where we are staying or going for the last day. This time, however, I made a plan and found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/3girlsandakiln" target="_blank">3 Girls and a Kiln</a> online, and was able to contact them about what they might have to offer and how to purchase. They crafted this beautiful mug with coral on one side, and the Grand Cayman motto (from the Psalm listed above) on the other, and actually delivered it to me at the hotel since I was leaving before the next craft fair day. </div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In case you missed the first post ...</span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-24-2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></span></span></div>
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Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" style="color: #a7454b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-3-panama-city-panama.html" target="_blank">TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama</a><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-15795386643771691202014-11-19T15:40:00.003-08:002014-11-19T15:40:40.336-08:0010 FOR 10: Trip #3 Panama City, Panama<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Todavía la lengua de Castilla</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ensalza a Dios bajo tu limpio cielo</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">y en tus noches de seda y terciopelo</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">la misma estrella de la raza brilla."</span></div>
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"Patria de mis amores"</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jycsmVf5Us/VG0Y9N7W4UI/AAAAAAAABTA/o5O2uYIvBuE/s1600/2014.panamacityskyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jycsmVf5Us/VG0Y9N7W4UI/AAAAAAAABTA/o5O2uYIvBuE/s1600/2014.panamacityskyline.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>TRIP #3: PANAMA CITY, PANAMA</b></div>
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The third trip on our 10 FOR 10 was a tag-along trip for SC and I, while AC had some work to do. We went a few days before his job started in order for us to tour the Panama Canal together, as well as some of the city. Then, SC and I actually left to come home the day he started working, so that she would not miss Halloween and trick-or-treating.</div>
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We flew into Panama City, through Miami, on a Monday evening and had a delicious dinner at an Asian-themed restaurant (SC had the most expensive meal - shrimp scampi!). From our hotel room we could see the lineup of ships waiting to go into the Canal, which was very exciting. Tuesday morning we set out early with a local tour guide to first spend a few hours at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miraflores_(Panama)" target="_blank">Miraflores locks</a> of the Panama Canal, and then touring the older portion of the city. The locks and canal system was one of the most interesting and amazing things I have ever seen. It was only more impressive to learn that none of the engineering and technology has changed in the one hundred years that the Canal has been in operation. I could have stayed all day watching ships traverse the locks, and am so glad that we were able to experience the Canal this way. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fJCM0wMhuJY/VG0h0sMdNWI/AAAAAAAABTU/ZSIQpAphYnk/s1600/mirafloreslocksystem1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fJCM0wMhuJY/VG0h0sMdNWI/AAAAAAAABTU/ZSIQpAphYnk/s1600/mirafloreslocksystem1.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-93nQTgQ_qhU/VG0h0gDinZI/AAAAAAAABTQ/WTt0hBQM76I/s1600/mirafloreslocksystem2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-93nQTgQ_qhU/VG0h0gDinZI/AAAAAAAABTQ/WTt0hBQM76I/s1600/mirafloreslocksystem2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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There is also a very impressive mini museum at the lock facility that gives a good history of the building of the Canal, as well as the history in the last one hundred years since the Canal opened. For a country that has such a close relationship with the US, and one that could potentially have ended in oppression and hatred, the display (as well as the behavior of Panamanians we interacted with) was positive. It was honest, though vague, about some of the past issues of protests to the US occupation and control of the Canal, but the fact that in 1999 via treaty the US handed over complete control to Panama seems to have wiped the slate clean and put the US back into the good graces of the Panamanian people. It also helps that tolls paid on the Canal have helped to give Panama a top 100 economy (based on GDP) in the world. </div>
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We had read online that at times tourists who are not fluent in Spanish can be taken advantage of or mugged, but having a tour guide who was obviously familiar to many of the people we walked past meant that no one bothered us. He did an excellent job prompting us all to ask questions, and making sure everything was repeated in both Spanish and English. The group was a mix of travelers from around the world, and it was interesting to hear the questions asked and what information other travelers were interested in learning. The guide was very well versed in the history of the country and city, and didn't seem to be worried when asked about some of the less savory parts of Panama's past. </div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">The old part of the city was beautiful, and we loved seeing the restored buildings, as well as the many empty shells waiting to be bought and restored. The current custom is to purchase the old shells of buildings, and then renovate the inside to one's own liking (be it residential or commercial), while restoring the exterior to its original glory. Below is an example of a shell, waiting to be purchased.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v883AuSFzfg/VG0kkmn3LbI/AAAAAAAABTk/sOEIVZ7sMxI/s1600/panamaoldcity1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v883AuSFzfg/VG0kkmn3LbI/AAAAAAAABTk/sOEIVZ7sMxI/s1600/panamaoldcity1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Tuesday afternoon and most of Wednesday SC and I spent relaxing, reading and hanging out at the pool at the hotel. AC had some other work to do for other projects, but was able to do some from the poolside and spend that time with us. We were not able to play in the ocean, mostly because the lineup of ships waiting for the Canal were probably making the water gross, but also because the Canal introduces fresh water into the ocean, creating a brackish area, which crocodiles love. We didn't see any crocs, but were not going to take our chances. Also, i</span><span style="text-align: center;">n spite of copious amounts of bug spray, I did manage to get bit by mosquitos a large number of times. Luckily, I did not end up catching anything from those bites, but I was a worried, even though I had read that the "disease infecting" mosquitos were more prominent in the jungle areas, which we were not extremely close to. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Thursday morning we spent a few last hours at the pool, and then SC and I headed to the airport to travel home, while AC went to work. We didn't get home until around midnight, and SC was exhausted, but still managed to trick-or-treat the next day! She was dressed as a Ravenclaw student (from <i>Harry Potter</i>).</span></div>
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<i>In case you missed the first post ...</i></div>
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<b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b></div>
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Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).</div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a></div>
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/11/10-for-10-trip-2-new-york-city.html" target="_blank">TRIP #2: New York City</a></div>
</span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-27537102045020064472014-11-05T12:11:00.000-08:002014-11-05T12:11:03.928-08:0010 FOR 10: Trip #2 New York City<div style="text-align: center;">
"So come let me love you ..."</div>
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-Damien Rice, "Colour Me In," </div>
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<i>My Favourite Faded Fantasy</i></div>
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<b>TRIP # 2: NEW YORK CITY</b></div>
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Our second trip on the 10 FOR 10 was one for just AC and I, and came about rather quickly. We are so lucky that, because of his work travels, we are able to utilize points for both airfare and hotels and can take advantage of things coming up like this one did. </div>
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One of our favorite musicians is the Irish artist <a href="http://www.damienrice.com/" target="_blank">Damian Rice</a>, and he has not published anything new, nor really toured (other than a few festivals) since 2007. I was lucky enough to see him locally for my birthday that year, and the show was incredible. Ever since, AC and I have kept tabs on him, and he has been on our "no matter what" list to see in concert whenever the next time was. We even looked to see if he was doing something small locally when I was to be <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2013/01/thankful-thursday-it-looked-like-old.html" target="_blank">in Dublin</a> last year. Then, Rice's social media pages exploded in early September with both an album release date and a small tour schedule. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to be coming to Texas, but NYC had a weekend date that was doable. AC bought the concert tickets while we were <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" target="_blank">at Walt Disney World</a>, and we started to plan what else we might want to do while there for two days. </div>
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We started the trip with a late brunch at this rooftop club called <a href="http://www.230-fifth.com/" target="_blank">230 Fifth</a>. AC had been there in the past for a work event and said the views were amazing. As you can see from the picture, it was a beautiful Saturday.</div>
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After walking around through Central Park, attempting to get a picture of the Alice statue without other people's kids and failing, and a little shopping because I forgot to grab my coat and the temperature was to plummet overnight, we headed to the concert.</div>
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To say that seeing Damien Rice (and doing only that on this trip) would have been worth it would be a huge understatement. We saw him at a crazy little club called The Box, and there were less than 300 people total. I wish I had the exact numbers, because even 300 seems a bit high. It was a very intimate concert, and almost everyone there was a fan of his, not just there for any show. I was pleased and delighted that other than a few people calling out requests for their favorite songs, more people were shouting things like "just play." The audience was starving to hear him, us included.</div>
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He played and sang beautifully, with a good mix of his older songs and some from the new album. The most powerful part, to me, at least, was before singing "Trusty and True," he explained that the song "is about a million things," and specifically having some <i>thing</i> against someone else. He talked about growing up in Ireland, and how the kids learn to hate the other religious groups just by the way their elders and those in authority act toward those who were not like them. He shared as a child seeing an expensive car in the village, and he and his friends wanting to scratch it because "they must be Protestants...because Catholics didn't have money." He said "you kind of grow up with ... this notion that you're supposed to hate that thing, and you think it's right, and ... it's totally innocent and it's not even yours; like, none of these thoughts really are any of ours, really if you look at them. You think you are yourself, but you're not." The song itself, when he played it, was beautiful and compelling. He sang the lyrics "if all that you are is not all you desire, then come." Then, he told the audience to sing along, repeating the words "come let yourself be wrong/ come, it's already begun" and I was hugely affected by it all. I don't know if I would have felt the same had I not traveled to Ireland recently, seen where the horrors of the Irish fight for independence had happened within the last century, but I deeply understood the bridge he is trying to build with this song. Here is <a href="http://youtu.be/OaL7m57p07Q" target="_blank">a link to a video</a> someone took of this song, plus the one before it. All in all, it is in my top 3 of concert experiences.</div>
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Sunday morning we slept in, and then wandered through the street food near Harold Square, sampling from a variety of little shops. We had afternoon tickets to see the show <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_is_Our_Youth" target="_blank">This is Our Youth</a></i>, starring Michael Cera and Kieran Culkin. It was be the first non-musical we had seen, and it was incredible. I was amazed to learn that it was written in the 80s, because, based on my own experiences, the life of the "typical" slightly-affluent (read: middle to upper middle class) high school and early college student has changed very little. And what was depicted in the play was not a good, happy life. It was sad, comedically depressing, and unfocused on anything but the now. Michael Cera did an excellent job playing the awkward kid he is always cast to play, but Kieran Culkin's performance of the minutely older, "wiser" 20-something was phenomenal. The entire play takes place over the course of two days in Culkin's character's apartment (see picture below), and the only other character is Tavi Gevinson, who plays the attempted love-interest of Cera. I was hesitant at seeing something that seemed so much smaller than the musicals we had seen in the past, but I shouldn't have been. AC and I both walked away thinking, and appreciative of the job done on stage.</div>
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We finished up our short weekend dining at the Michelin-starred Indian restaurant <a href="http://tamarindrestaurantsnyc.com/" target="_blank">Tamarind</a>. It was delicious. I indulged on wheat naan that was the best I had ever had (and worth the allergic reaction afterward) and enjoyed a simple tikka masala that was splendid, anything but basic. AC got something spicy, and we relaxed and enjoyed each other. It was the perfect ending to our short trip.</div>
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<i>In case you missed the first post ...</i></div>
<b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b><br />
Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).<br />
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<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/10-for-10-trip-1-universal-studios.html" target="_blank">TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-42150365630298745982014-11-05T09:19:00.000-08:002015-09-05T16:19:20.184-07:00What 2 Read Wednesday: "...to find the brightest wisdom one must pass through the darkest zones" Book Review: A Tale Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"You see, to find the brightest wisdom one must pass through the darkest zones. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And through the darkest zones there can be no guide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No guide, that is, but courage."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adam Gidwitz, <i>A Tale Dark & Grimm</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It should not come as a shock, dear reader, that SC is a huge fan of dark fantasy. I believe I have also mentioned that it is not something I was interested in as a young reader, so it has been a learning journey as I attempt to find quality children's literature in that genre. A few weeks ago, we stumbled across a Halloween-themed display at the bookstore, and having just finished <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2014/10/what-2-read-wednesday-those-people-who.html" target="_blank">the Elsewhere series</a> and needing a new audiobook read-aloud, I told SC to take a look at the books on the display, read the back covers, and pick something a bit spooky. Well, she did. Not only is this book spooky, but creepy and grotesque as well. And awesome and well written and wonderful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was happily shocked by <i>A Tale Dark & Grimm</i> and Gidwitz's authorial style. The novel is a retelling of a few of Grimm's fairytales, changed to interweave Hansel and Gretel as the main characters through each, juxtaposed with Gidwitz himself through authorial intrusion commenting on what is about to happen, or what has just happened, in the story he constantly reminds the reader he is retelling. At first, this intrusion is comical, with Gidwitz warning the reader that the tales are "as violent and bloody as you can imagine" and stating that if that sort of thing bothers you "we should probably stop right now." He also is constantly asking the reader to make sure there are no "little children" around because they will be scared and have nightmares. To be sure, this book is scary, with blood and gore, death, untrustworthy and selfish kids and adults (including parents), and I would not recommend it for a child who scares easily or who might not be able to see through this to understand the intentional theme throughout. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is this intentional theme that eventually evolves from the comedy as the story progresses, and Gidwitz becomes a side-kick (not a guide, which he specifically points out would not bring about the desired result of wisdom and understanding), seeing the story with different eyes and bringing about the palpability of the theme. For a children's book, there is an incredibly heavy theme, one that encompasses the brokenness of humanity, a recognition of that brokenness, purposeful change for the better, and finally a complete understanding of the brokenness in others, then forgiving and shouldering the burdens of said others in order to create a better world. Halfway through the novel, having shown Hansel to be selfish in some of the worst ways, Gidwitz intrudes to explain:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;">There is a certain kind of pain that can change you. Even the strongest sword, when placed in a raging fire, will soften and bend and change its form. So it was with Hansel. The fire of guilt and shame was just that hot.</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trust me on this one. I know this from personal experience. I hope that you never will, but, since you're a person, and therefore prone to making horrible, soul-splitting mistakes, you probably will one day know what this kind of guilt and shame feels like. And when that time comes, I hope you have the strength, as Hansel had, to take advantage of the fire and reshape your own sword."</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Again, for a children's book, this is deep. Gidwitz also writes in a way that there is no denying his intentions with his theme. One cannot read this book and not come away with an understanding that people are broken, but people can rise above that brokenness, and that others should both forgive and help shoulder the burdens of brokenness out of love, no matter what. He even creates a running conversation of this concept throughout the novel, breaking apart the term "understanding" and fashioning it into the concept of "under-standing...standing beneath them. Supporting them. Bearing their troubles and their pains on my shoulders." It appears over and over, this concept of under-standing, and examples of what that looks like in various situations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the end, in spite of the gore, blood and disgust at a very accurate portrayal of humanity, this book is worth reading because of the message Gidwitz successfully imparts. As I said above, if your child is sensitive to these things, I would wait until he/she is a bit older, but I would definitely add this to a long list of to-be-read books for the future. There are two other books in the series, and I have high hopes that they are just as excellent in terms of writing and intentionality.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“It's been my experience </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">that those people who seem the most 'normal' </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">are in fact the most dangerous.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Jacqueline West</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The Second Spy</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once SC and I finished the listening to the audiobooks of the entire Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, after contemplating starting the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> series but decided not yet, I stumbled upon the first book in The Books of Elsewhere series by Jacqueline West. This is another series that has a touch of magic and fantasy, and some horror-lite akin to <i>Coraline</i> by Neil Gaiman, which is SC's favorite genre. We decided to give the audiobook a try, and I was not only not disappointed, but hugely impressed with the quality of writing in these stories. After some research, I discovered that West has won awards for her poetry, which makes sense. She utilizes words in the Elsewhere books in a way that I have not seen/read in most contemporary children's novels. She is a true wordsmith.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The story of the Elsewhere series is about Olive Dunwoody, an eleven-year-old girl who, along with her math professor parents, moves into an historical home whose previous owner, Ms. McMartin, has recently deceased. Quickly after moving in, Olive notices that things in the house, which they purchased fully furnished with all of old Ms. McMartin's stuff, is a little off. For example, when the family attempts to move some of the paintings on the wall, it is found that the paintings are oddly stuck. Then, Olive begins to think that the painting she can see from her bedroom is moving. After an afternoon exploring the house, where Olive discovers an intriguing pair of spectacles, and learns that not only are the paintings moving, but while wearing the spectacles she can travel into the paintings to a place called Elsewhere. However, Elsewhere isn't the quiet place it seems to be, and Olive realizes that something, or someone, is not pleased that her family has taken ownership of the McMartin house. Each book in the series builds on Olive uncovering secrets of the house, and the McMartin family, as she tries to outwit and defeat an evil that has </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">prevailed for too long on Linden Street.</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">I would recommend these novels to older elementary children who are not easily spooked. However, if purchasing the audiobooks read by Lexi Fridell, she has such a sweet voice that I think some of the spook is lost by her reading it, and a younger elementary child who has a firm grip on fantasy vs. reality would love it.</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-89059465082080632452014-10-05T19:04:00.000-07:002014-10-05T19:04:03.466-07:0010 FOR 10: Trip #1 Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"Laughter is timeless. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Imagination has no age. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And dreams are forever."</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.5px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Walt Disney</span></span></div>
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<b>WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?</b><br />
Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take. However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels. I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different. So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together. I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can. I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work. So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).<br />
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<b>TRIP # 1: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA & WALT DISNEY WORLD</b><br />
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For our first trip, we decided to count the family trip we had already planned, visiting Universal Studios Florida (Harry Potter World!) and Walt Disney World. AC had visited both places when he was a child with his mom, but neither SC nor I had ever been. AC loved seeing what had changed (and re-staging some pictures his mom had taken), so it was very exciting and entertaining for all of us.<br />
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We started the trip with Universal, and specifically the new Diagon Alley area of Harry Potter World. It was absolutely incredible to see the creation of this fantasy world. There was only one ride, the <a href="https://www.universalorlando.com/Rides/Universal-Studios-Florida/Harry-Potter-And-The-Escape-From-Gringotts.aspx" target="_blank">Escape from Gringotts</a>, which is a 3D "multidimensional" ride that takes a group down to a vault, and then (with the help of the cast of the HP movies) back out, running from Death Eaters and Voldemort. Even with only one ride, there is so much to do and see in Diagon Alley, and all the shops will be familiar to readers of the novels. Parents can take their child into Ollivander's Wand Shop and experience a wand "choosing" them. <br />
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We had heard that the lines for this experience were incredibly long, and that they took a group of 30-40 people into the "theatre," where only one child would be chosen. However, we got very lucky, and visiting these places just after public school started was great. We were the only 3 people in the theatre, and so we did not have to worry about SC not getting chosen. It was an incredible experience and fun to watch as she was handed three separate wands, given instructions to point and something and say a spell, and then to watch her face as the reaction happened. Of course, after the "experience" the parents are then told that they now have the option to purchase the wand that <i>chose</i> their child. We had heard about the new interactive wands, and the ability to locate spots in both sections that would then create a reaction when the wand is waved in the special "spell" way, so we decided to go ahead and purchase her <i>chosen</i> wand. The interactive wand experience was really neat, and the amount of Universal staffers hovering around and helping make sure people are standing just so, and pointing the wands just the right way, meant that there were very few opportunities for frustration. <br />
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We also went into Madame Malkin's Robes shop, but decided on purchasing a Ravenclaw patch rather than the $100+ children's robes, and I know that Grammie will be thrilled to make highly authentic-looking robes. We tried regular butterbeer and watched an amazing puppet show that told the Tale of the Three Brothers. We had ice cream at Florean Fortescue's, and picked up some special candy and a purple pigmy puff at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. We snuck into the dark Knockturn Alley and the spooky shop Borgin & Burkes. <br />
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Then we headed to King's Cross Station to take the Hogwart's Express to Hogsmeade. It was very cool to see and compare this King's Cross Station to the actual one, where we visited when we were in London in the spring. The ride was fun, with the windows playing video, and shadows of the characters showing up in the hall outside the carriages. However, in order to experience this ride, tickets to both parks must be purchased for the same day, because the Diagon Alley area is in the Universal main park, and the Hogsmeade area is in the Islands of Adventure park.<br />
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This is where the original Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride is, where the line walks through Hogwarts Castle. We had lunch at the Hog's Head Pub, tried frozen butterbeer from a stand while we watched "students" from the school sing, and then purchased some chocolate frogs and other treats from Honeyduke's. This area also had the small roller coaster the Flight of the Hippogriff, and the much larger Dragon Challenge. SC wasn't tall enough for the latter ride, but we rode the former quite a few times. Again, coming when we did just after the public schools started, we rarely had to wait in line more than 20 or 30 minutes, which was very different than what we had prepared for!</div>
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We spent a total of two days at the two Universal parks, and not just in the Harry Potter area. The other areas were neat, especially the Simpson's part, but definitely not as thoroughly done as the two HP sections.</div>
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For the next week we went to the various Disney parks. Hollywood Studios was just okay, but we spent the least amount of time there, so we didn't get to see every show. We went to the Frozen Sing-Along, and that was really fun. I also liked the Toy Story arcade-style ride.</div>
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Epcot was very interesting. I loved each of the different country areas, and we ate so much good food. My favorite ride (and I think SC's also) was the Test Track, where each person/group designs a car, and then the ride runs through various testing conditions, finally giving a result on how well the design performed. </div>
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We spent quite a bit of time at the Magic Kingdom, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was very different from the Disneyland park in California. Even the rides that were supposedly the same, like It's a Small World, were different and interesting. SC loves the fast roller coasters, so we rode Big Thunder Mountain Runaway Mine Train four times, and she took AC on Splash Mountain twice.<br />
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The new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was a good combination of a new, faster roller coaster intermixed with some of the story elements of the older rides like Fantasyland at Disneyland. We got to meet up with one of SC's good friends BB one day, and they did some rides in Adventureland together. They also spent quite a bit of time playing pirates and swordfighting. We attended Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party one evening, and got more candy than we cared to bring home. The "villian" fireworks show and parade were awesome.<br />
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The final day we went to Animal Kingdom, but because we were staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, we were able to go on a special early-morning safari with one of the zookeepers. It was an incredible experience, where we rode on the "safari" ride from the park, but without the audio track playing. Instead, the zookeeper personally told us about the animals we saw, answered questions and told stories. It was worth waking up early after a late night of fireworks! The rest of the park was a bit disappointing, because they were doing so much construction work. The entire center of the park, where a lake is supposed to be, was walled off from view, making everything feel very closed and cramped. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our time there, and SC finally was able to get her face painted.<br />
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I am so glad we were able to take this trip, and we had a great time. I think we had a better time because it was much less crowded than was expected. I also think we did a good job not forcing ourselves to spend every single moment in the parks. Universal closed at 6 or 7pm, so we were able to go out into Orlando those two nights for dinner, and we met up with a friend who lives locally for a meal once as well, having some delicious, authentic Colombian food. We didn't push ourselves to stay for the fireworks shows every single night in the Disney parks, but made a big deal of the few we did see, and we allowed ourselves to sleep in, not worrying about being at the park as soon as it opened. Overall, I think this helped us have the best time possible. Even taking it "easy," we still managed to walk about 80 miles in the week and a half that we were in Florida!<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-59523523180043545832014-08-27T19:36:00.000-07:002014-08-27T19:36:04.815-07:002014/15: Year 2"... study hard what interests you the most ..."<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">“...study hard what interests you the most </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">― </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Richard P. Feynman</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I know I mentioned before that I was renaming the years from K/1/2 etc. to "Year 1," with this being "Year 2," but when we did our back-to-homechool pictures this week, I still but "1st" on there. That being said, today was our "first day," but we spent it at the Dallas Arboretum and then the Perot Museum to catch the end of the "Largest Dinosaurs" exhibit before it moves on. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">So, tomorrow will be our first day with our new "Year 2" schedule and curriculum. We are heading to DisneyWorld in mid-September, so our first two weeks will be a bit lighter, with the project-based subjects like history, science, and writing/literature not starting until after we get back. When we return, our schedule will be 8am-2:30pm on Mondays - Thursdays, with a few quick things like a spelling test and some different, challenging math on Friday mornings before piano lessons, with the afternoon free for field trips, meet up with friends, or just hanging out and free time.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">We put some of the subjects on the back-burner last year (or took them much slower) as we adapted to life, as I wrote about before, so some of what we are doing this year I had originally planned for Year 1. However, most of what I had planned for Year 1 was at least "1st grade" level, so I am not worried about it being "too easy" for this year. In fact, while SC is advanced in understanding-type subjects, things like penmanship are still on target for her age, which meant working ahead in some things means either I did most of the writing for her, or we adapted (or in the case of some stuff, we held off for this year). In the end, here is a look at the curriculum I have planned for Year 2:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>LANGUAGE ARTS</b>:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Language Smarts</b> </i>level B (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Language Smarts</b> </i>level C</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Jacob's Ladder</b> </i>Primary 1 (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Jacob's Ladder</b></i> Primary 2</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Vocabu-Lit</b></i> level B</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>SpellWell</b></i> levels A and AA</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Explode the Code</b></i> (various levels to reinforce phonics, not necessarily to teach reading)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Handwriting Without Tears</b></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>Reading Detective</b></i> Beginning</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>BraveWriter</b> </i>- <i>Jot it Down</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> *We are doing a fairy tale project all year that came from the Bravewriter book <i>Jot It Down</i>, where we will be reading and studying ten separate fairy tales from Perrault, Andersen and the Grimm brothers</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i><b>BraveWriter</b></i> - <i>Arrow</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i> </i>*The BraveWriter "Arrow" program is technically for 3rd grade, but we will be reading books on SC's level and modifying the dictation portions into copywork and more manageable amounts for her physical writing ability. We will not be following their choice plan for this year, as I was able to choose individual books from past years. Our list is:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Sarah, Plain and Tall</i> by Patricia MacLachlan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Turtle in Paradise</i> by Jennifer M. Holm</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>The Lemonade War</i> by Jaqueline Davies</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Charlotte's Web</i> by E.B. White</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Because of Winn-Dixie</i> by Kate DiCamillo</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Henry Huggins</i> by Beverly Cleary</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Detectives in Togas</i> by Henry Winterfeld</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson</i> by Bette Bao Lord</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>Harriet the Spy</i> by Louise Fitzhugh</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> <i>All-of-a-Kind Family</i> by Sydney Taylor</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>HISTORY:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">History Odyssey</i> Ancients (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">History Odyssey</i> Middle Ages (begin)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>MATH:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Singapore Primary Mathematics</i> </b>1B (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Singapore Primary Mathematics</i> 2A</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>Zacarro's <i>Primary Grade Challenge Math</i> </b>(begin)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Mathematical Reasoning</i> level B (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Mathematical Reasoning</i> level C</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">various logic books from Critical Thinking Company and others</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>SCIENCE:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding</i> </b>K-2 (begin)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>SPANISH:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Song School Spanish</i> (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Sabio Octavio</i> </b>grammar, math and reading/spelling</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>BIBLE:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Telling God's Story</i> </b>Year 1 (finish)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Telling God's Story</i> </b>Year 2</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b>ART/MUSIC/PHYSICAL ED:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><b><i>Meet the Masters</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">piano lessons, Broadway class at the local theatre, swimming, gymnastics and soccer, plus we got a subscription to a local symphony for the year and are very excited to be able to take SC to these concerts</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Also, part of the BraveWriter "lifestyle" is experiencing the stories of life through nature hikes, poetry tea parties, listening to all kinds of music, watching movies, ballets, operas, stage performances, and then being able to understand the narrative and retell the stories in your own words. This is one of the reasons I chose BraveWriter, as it encompasses so much of what else we will already be doing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">I hope everyone is off to a great start to their 2014/15 year, whether in their homeschool or in school away from home!</span><br />
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</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943541796670876361.post-52771726930785634272014-05-07T07:47:00.000-07:002014-05-07T07:47:25.649-07:00"...one's chances of survival increase with each book one reads."<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or better, one's chances of survival increase </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">with each book one reads."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Sherman Alexie</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Between this time last year and now, SC's reading skills have really taken off. I distinctly remember the energy she expended about this time last year to get through even one chapter of the fun Mr. Putter and Tabby series books. We read together every day, and she would be drained after just a few pages. Now, however, she is decoding words at a mid-4th grade level, and comprehending at a mid-3rd grade level. (Have you heard about the <a href="https://www.letsgolearn.com/shop/store/product/dora-diagnostic-online-reading-assessment/" target="_blank">DORA</a> test?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She cannot get enough of books, and we have had to deal with the quandary of her sneaking books past bedtime. I cannot bring myself to in any way tell her "no books" or "you shouldn't be reading." So, when we catch her reading past bedtime, I just take the flashlight or book light away and tell her that she needs her sleep, to have enough energy for the next day, and that the book will still be there in the morning. It is hard for me, though, because I understand the need to finish, and how wrapped up one can become in a good piece of writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the beginning of last summer, and into the fall, I had a "<a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2013/06/once-you-learn-to-read-you-will-be.html" target="_blank">reading challenge</a>," and we diligently wrote down each book she had read, tallied points, and she earned prizes. Very quickly, however, we had to adjust how points were calculated (away from number of pages to reading level), and then again (to extend the reading level). We ended up just tallying minutes, and finally stopped keeping track. I am not sure if the challenge helped give her that push she needed to become a reader or not, but she is just as likely (if not more) to closet herself away in her room, in her "reading chair," as she is to ask to play video games or watch the TV.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought it would be interesting to put together a list/progression of the books she has read on her own over the past year. Once we stopped keeping written track (because I just couldn't keep up!), I may not have them all or be in the correct order, but this is most of them. I have previously written about the first ten books she read <a href="http://proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com/2013/06/top-ten-tuesday-we-should-ask-him-what.html" target="_blank">here</a>, so I will start after that. I am also only going to link to a few of our favorites, rather than each one, for expediency. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This first part of the list is the one I diligently kept track of, June through November.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Title//Author</span><br />
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<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt; width: 259pt;" width="259"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Don't
Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="width: 162pt;" width="162"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mo Willems</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Almost</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Richard Torrey</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Born to Be a Butterfly</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Karen Wallace</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Should I Share my Ice Cream?</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mo Willems</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I'm a Caterpillar</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jean Marzollo</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bill Martin, Jr.</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Sid's Surprise</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Candace Carter</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Going to the Sea Park</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mercer Mayer</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Welcome to Royal Prep</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lisa Ann Marsoli</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Walk
the Dog</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062082051/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062082051&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=7KVEOHYUAUO57Q4B" target="_blank">Penny and her Marble</a></i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kevin Henkes</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Ring
the Bell</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Bear in Underwear</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Todd H. Doodler</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Spin
the Yarn</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hop on Pop</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dr. Seuss</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Cat in the Hat</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dr. Seuss</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Just Lost!</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mercer Mayer</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The New Baby</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stan & Jan Berenstain</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312581386/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0312581386&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=7SXF2TJFYNVX5T7L" target="_blank">Bad Kitty Gets a Bath</a></i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nick Bruel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby See the
Stars</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Run the
Race</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I Want my Hat Back</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jon Klassen</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0152009019/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0152009019&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=LIDZCTST7RJ3QPQG" target="_blank">Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea</a></i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Catch
the Cold</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Paint
the Porch</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Just a Little Music</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mercer Mayer</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty!</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nick Bruel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Missing Molly</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lisa Jahn-Clough</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Giving Tree</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shel Silverstein</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Bad Kitty Meets the Baby</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nick Bruel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142418277/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0142418277&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=4R5DVILUJVGBTZTA" target="_blank">Princess Posey & the First Grade Parade</a></i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stephanie Greene</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Play, Mozart, Play!</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peter Sis</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>My Trip to the Hospital</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mercer Mayer</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Write
the Book</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Fly the
Plane</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Spill
the Beans</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Pete the Cat: Rockin' in my
School Shoes</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Eric Litwin</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mr. Putter & Tabby Make a
Wish</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cynthia Rylant</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Lily's Purple Plastic Purse</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kevin Henkes</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Princess Posey & the
Perfect Present</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stephanie Greene</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hamster and Cheese</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Colleen AF Venable</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Madeline</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ludwig Bemelmans</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Princess Posey & the
Next-Door Dog</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stephanie Greene</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Princess Posey & the
Monster Stew</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stephanie Greene</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545418739/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545418739&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=IY5HANAPAXWMSC2O" target="_blank">Cardboard</a></i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Doug TenNapel</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;">
<td class="xl66" height="22" style="height: 22.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Princess Posey & the Tiny
Treasure</i></span></td>
<td class="xl65"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stephanie Greene</span></td>
</tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1gpjA_8ePtg/U2pE2E_cY0I/AAAAAAAABHc/SNbKC5km1W4/s1600/2014.SCreading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1gpjA_8ePtg/U2pE2E_cY0I/AAAAAAAABHc/SNbKC5km1W4/s1600/2014.SCreading.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />This part of the list is not in exact reading order, but rather alphabetical by author. I also do not list the various picture books she has read because I cannot keep track of them all. Our usual take from a library trip is 20-30 books, and we also go to Barnes & Noble to sit and read picture books a few times a month.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Jorje Aguierre</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596435828/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596435828&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=FVJ6KHREZCMCD6BX" target="_blank">Giants Beware!</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Annie Barrows</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811849090/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0811849090&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=56OEALRJDAIRA4M6" target="_blank">Ivy and Bean</a></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean: Bound to Be Bad</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean: Doomed to Dance</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean: What’s the Big Idea?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean: No News Is Good News</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean: Make the Rules</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ivy and Bean: Take the Case</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Nick Bruel</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Bad Kitty for President</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Bad Kitty School Daze</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596436719/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596436719&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=BB2OXSD2ZJM2M56N" target="_blank">Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble</a></i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Kazu Kibishi</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Copper</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Explorer: The Mystery Boxes</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Explorer: The Lost Islands</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439846811/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0439846811&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=J4GHUNKEOWAQBEPI" target="_blank"><i>Amulet: The Stonekeeper</i></a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Amulet: The Stonekeeper's Curse</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Mary Pope Osborne</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i>Dinosaurs</i></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i> before Dark</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i>The Knight at Dawn</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679824243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0679824243&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=SH2OQYY2ZRCW2ODY" target="_blank">Mummies in the Morning</a></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Ashley Spires</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554534194/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1554534194&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=ZV4GZOTMVZRDT6KE" target="_blank">Binky the Space Cat</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Binky Under Pressure</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Binky: License to Scratch</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Binky to the Rescue</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Binky takes Charge</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Doug TenNapel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Bad Island</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Ghostopolis</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545483832/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545483832&linkCode=as2&tag=pro2purwis-20&linkId=6U4LQRJ36XEXZMNV" target="_blank">Tommysaurus Rex</a></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The list also should include all the Berenstain Bears and Little Critter books she can get her hands on, plus anything <i>Star Wars</i> related that the library has. I still feel like I am forgetting some, but oh well. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">© 2012 proverbs2pursuit.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10951465429660129660noreply@blogger.com0