What 2 Read Wednesday:"Life is a million different dots ..." Book Review: Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

"Life is a million different dots making one gigantic picture. 

And maybe the big picture is nice, maybe it's amazing, 

but if you're standing with your face pressed up against a bunch of black dots, 

it's really hard to tell."

-Rebecca Stead, Liar & Spy

Having previously read Rebecca Stead's Newbery Medal-winning novel When You Reach Me for one of my library science classes, when I stumbled across her latest novel, Liar & Spy, prominently displayed for the taking at our local library, I couldn't help checking it out.

The story centers around seventh grader Georges and his family's move from a house to an apartment after the loss of the father's job, as well as the absence of the mother as she seemingly works double-shifts at the hospital to support the family.  As Georges struggles to adapt to a new way of life, plus deal with a bully at school, he meets the homeschoolers (Bohemian extreme unschoolers) upstairs, twelve-year-old Safer and his younger sister Candy, and immediately becomes embroiled in Safer's self-appointed spying gig to determine what the evil "Mr. X" has been up to.

Throughout the novel, Georges figures out what it means to be a true friend, and that life can be hard, but worth it.  This novel was a very easy read, just like When You Reach Me, that moved quickly, and Stead's writing does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into the story, such that by the end of the novel, the reader's emotions are engaged effectively.

I would Liar & Spy, as well as When You Reach Me, for as young as middle-grade students, but older students and adults will find it just as captivating.


 

Top Ten Tuesday: "Keep your eyes on the stars ..."

"Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. 

Keep your eyes on the stars, 

but remember to keep your feet on the ground." 

Theodore Roosevelt

Speech at Prize Day Exercises at Groton School, 1904

This week I want to focus on ten museums/exhibits I hope to take SC to this year.  I am very excited we were able to budget in a membership to our local science and history museum, but it also includes reciprocal memberships to over 200 other museums around the country.  This opens up an allowance for quite a bit of exciting experiences as we are able to travel along with AC on his business trips, plus any family trips we may be able to fit in.

1.  Fort Worth Museum of Science and History:  This is the museum that is closest to us, and the one with which we have a membership.  They have a fabulous on-site children's museum, plus a great planetarium, which will fit in well with our study of astronomy this year.

2. Witte Museum/Mummies of the World:  I am very excited we will be able to tag along with AC after our Seattle trip to San Antonio, Texas and see this museum exhibit.  SC and I have just started with ancient history, and though we will not be to mummies and Egypt by the time we go, we have already talked about real mummies thanks to a McDonald's toy advertising for the movie Hotel Transylvania.  We looked at the pictures of the exhibit online and are both ready to get to see it in person.

3. Perot Museum:  This is a new museum that opens up in December and has been rumored to be awesome.  It is also a science museum and has a big astronomy exhibit, along with ten others, and an on-site children's museum.

4. Houston Zoo:  Last year SC and I got to tag along on a trip with AC to Houston, and it also happened to be on SC's fourth birthday.  While AC worked, SC and I went to the Houston Zoo, and I was blown away.  The Fort Worth Zoo near our home is always mentioned as one of the top five zoos in the country, but I actually preferred the layout and accessibility of the animals at the Houston Zoo.  I hope we get a chance to head down South again this year, and maybe take AC along with us this time.

5. Children's Museum of Houston: This is supposed to be one of the best children's museums in the US (according to the internet), and from the look of the website, it has tons of hands-on things for kids to do.  It would be a fun thing to add into a trip to Houston if we get the chance to make one.

6. Exploratorium: According to their own website, this is a museum of science, art and human perceptions.  They have a planetarium, various exhibits about living things, the body, and the world.  However, the most cool thing is the tactile dome, a maze in complete darkness that you have to get through solely by touch.

7. Lawrence Hall of Science:  It is too bad we won't make it back to San Francisco before the end of 2012, because this museum has an awesome-looking "Math Midway" that ends January 6.  Of course, they have a planetarium, plus a bunch of hands-on activities for kids.

8. Natural History Museum at LA County/Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits:  This is a museum I distinctly remember going to when I was SC's age, and it was such a neat experience.  Though we have travelled to Southern California many times, we have yet to make it to a museum, and this would be a great one to finally get to.

9. Children's Museum of Tacoma:  Since we will be heading to the Seattle/Tacoma/Portland area, we thought it might be fun to visit a kid-friendly museum while we were there.  This one is unique in that it has very specific playscapes to focus kids in one way or another.  For example, one playscape is dedicated to all things water, and kids are provided with aprons to keep them dry.  Another playscape is dedicated to messy projects, and still another to individual creations.  Sounds like it will be right up SC's alley.

10. Dublin Writer's Museum: Yeah, this one is all for me!

What museums would you recommend around the US?  Leave a comment, then see other top ten lists here:

Thankful Thursday: "A happy family is ..."

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven."

-Sir John Bowring

When AC and I met, I knew he was the one when I realized I could be even my silliest with him (I am usually a pretty serious person) because he did not feel it detracted from who I am most of the time, but rather added to my multifaceted personality.  On the flip side, AC also has various aspects of his personality that range from silly to serious, and blended together, we fit.  It is obvious that God created each for the other, and that our marriage was His plan all along.  Similarly, and this is something we tell SC all the time, she specifically was created by God to be our child specifically.  Even though I know this, it still is such a relief to me that SC is a little bit of each of us, plus quite a bit of her own, and like a puzzle, it works really well for us.

This afternoon, as I was preparing to blow my straw paper toward the back of the car at SC, I was struck by a wave of gladness that we are the type of family who blows straw paper at each other.  We are the type of family that makes funny faces at each other, and plays in the rain, and digs in the dirt, and spends endless time tickling.  We are the type of family that dyes our hair semi-permanent pink or purple "just to see how it looks."  To me, that means we stick together, no matter what (we blow straw paper at nice restaurants, too), and can take a break from the stress of life to just enjoy life with each other.  I am thankful that I have been blessed with a family with a great collective sense of humor, and that we have such a good time just being together.  I am thankful that God knows just what I need in my life, from the goofy-and-smart husband who indulges my football whims, right down to the beautiful little girl He has blessed us with.


What are you thankful for today?  Leave a comment, then check out what some other people are thankful for at:

Top Ten Tuesday: "It was the best butter, you know."

"The March Hare took the watch and looked at it gloomily: 

then he dipped it into his cup of tea, and looked at it again: 

but he could think of nothing better to say than his first remark, 

'It was the best butter, you know.'"

-Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

This week, for Top Ten Tuesday, I wanted to feature my surprising craftiness.  Last week SC was invited to an Alice in Wonderland themed tea party birthday party that required a "tea party" hat.  Not having anything on hand that would specifically do, we set out first to Target to find a hat, and then Hobby Lobby to get some supplies, and with input from SC, I crafted a grand tea party hat.  

So, in ten steps, here is how to make an awesome tea party hat:

(1) Purchase a plain, floppy-brimmed hat.  We got this one here, in black.  It was on clearance for $4 at our local Target store.

(2) Purchase/gather any supplies you want to affix to the hat.  Also, if you do not like the original hat color, purchase spray paint.  SC wanted everything on her hat (including the hat itself) to be purple, her favorite color.

• hat
• purple glitter spray paint (like Krylon 4-Ounce Glitter Aerosol Spray)
• tulle (we got two shades initially, but I only used one)
• wide ribbon
• floral garland
• large flower with detachable stem
• scissors
• hot glue gun & glue
• stapler

(3) Spray paint the hat (outdoors or in another well-ventilated area) so it is the color you want.  We wanted the purple glitter look, so used the glitter paint, but you could use any color or finish (solid, translucent, glossy, matte) that you wish.  

*The paint will make the brim much stiffer than it was originally, so if you wish for a super-floppy brim, you may want to just paint the crown and use a darker/less translucent tulle to add the color.

(4) Start pulling tulle off the first roll you want to use.  Fold one side upon itself in an accordion fashion, leaving the other end free.  Affix the folds together with a stapler.  Make sure the stapled side is more tightly scrunched than the open side, which will create a somewhat circular "skirt" result with the tulle.

You can do this without measuring up against the crown of the hat for a while, but eventually will need to wrap it around the outside edge to make sure you only use as much tulle as you need.  Cut the tulle off the roll when the "skirt" is complete.

(5) Using the glue gun, apply hot glue to the circumference of the crown.  CAREFULLY attach the tulle "skirt" to the crown with the staples up above the brim (so they will be hidden by the ribbon).  Again, be careful! The tulle is sheer and the glue will seep through, causing burt fingers.  

*At this point, if you wish to use a second layer of tulle, repeat steps (4) and (5).  We left it with just one so that the glitter paint showed through.  However, you could use multiple colors or even different widths of tulle to create a neat look.

(6) Measure out the length of ribbon needed to wrap around the crown of the hat, plus about 2 inches to fold over neatly.  Apply hot glue carefully to the bottom portion of the crown, directly over the staples, and up about an inch (or more if you have chosen a very wide ribbon) all the way around the hat.

CAREFULLY press the ribbon to the glued area of the hat starting on one end, going around.  Keep in mind that your ribbon probably will not lay flat.  If you chose not to attach floral garland, feathers or other items on top of the ribbon, you might want to choose a ribbon that isn't as shiny as the one I have chosen, which really shows all the wrinkles.

(7) When you have wrapped most of the ribbon around, fold the last inch under itself with a dab of hot glue.  Then affix the rest of the ribbon, adding a bit of glue on top of the already pressed ribbon to hold the folded-over end.

(8) Measure the appropriate length of floral garland (or you could use a feather boa!) around the circumference of the crown.  Decide how you want the end to look and cut to the appropriate length.  Place the garland up against the edge of the crown and, starting with the end, carefully pick up sections of the stem to apply hot glue underneath.

If your garland has larger flowers, you may want to add some extra glue under each of them to make sure they stay put.  Also make sure all leaves are pointing the direction you wish (so you don't see the backs) and add a dot of glue as needed.

(9) De-stem (with scissors, or some will just pop off) the large flower that will be the focal point of the hat.  Decide where you wish the focal point to be, but you can also use the flower to cover any oops spots or if you have a giant buckle (like I did) that sticks out even after everything else is on there.  Apply quite a bit of hot glue to the base of the large flower and press into place, making sure to angle it toward the front of the hat.  Hold the flower in place for a few minutes, because the weight of the larger flower might make it move before the glue cools and hardens.

*This would also be the time to add on large plumes or any other items you wish to tuck into the garland.

(10) Try the hat on the wearer!  Keep in mind the more stuff you add to the hat (including spray paint), the heavier it will be.

Any comments, advice or opinions are welcomed.  Don't forget to check out other "Top Ten Tuesday" posts here. 

**This post contains affiliate links.  Please read my disclosure statement.

"And then there is California."

There is science, logic, reason; 

there is thought verified by experience.  

And then there is California.

-Edward Abbey

This past weekend I traveled to San Francisco to meet AC after the Oracle OpenWorld Conference.  We had a great time together, and got to do some touristy activities.  

On Friday, we took the boat across to Alcatraz Island.  It was really neat to hear the audio tour, as told by a former prison guard.  However, I think much of the tour would have been better relayed through visual displays on the wall (to be read at leisure), or even a television documentary.  I was also amazed at how small the cellblock area was.  I had made assumptions that it would be very large, but it was only three short hallways, and three stories tall.

The coolest part of being on Alcatraz Island was that we had an unobscured view of the planes practicing for the Fleet Week shows.

Saturday we took the opportunity to head south of San Francisco to Stanford University.  Being from Texas, we love to watch football, and AC is a big fan of Stanford, though more specifically their band and the unofficial mascot, "the tree."  

We picked a great game to go to (they played Arizona), and had great seats, only three rows up in the corner of the endzone, that only cost us about $25 total.  AC was thrilled he could purchase SC a stuffed tree as a souvenir.  

We also went to a number of amazing restaurants, including Fog City Diner; Tiernan's Irish Pub, where I had a delicious shepherd's pie (which has made me impatient for January and Ireland);

TOWN restaurant in San Carlos, where we got to sit at the kitchen bar and watch the executive chef do his work; and Sear's Fine Food, where we had the most delicious breakfast (eggs Benedict for me) before heading to the airport, and saw actor Johnny Depp as he was leaving.

Of course, no trip to San Francisco is complete without a trip to Hubert Keller's Burger Bar (we went twice), and were thoroughly disappointed we could not get in to Kokkari, a devine Greek restaurant, due to the massive amount of people traveling to San Francisco for the weekend due to a large number of events in the city.

I also discovered a local bookshop called Alexander Book Co., which made me wish we had more (or any) independent book shops near our home.  This shop is the epitome of the local, independent bookstore, and I had extreme bookstore jealousy.

All in all, we had a great time spending time together, but we very much missed SC, who stayed at Grandma's house.  It is good to be home!

Feel free to leave comments in the form of suggestions, advice or opinions about anything I have posted here.

Thankful Thursday: "like an apple on a tree ..."

like an apple on a tree

hiding out behind the leaves

I was difficult to reach

but you picked me

-A Fine Frenzy, "You Picked Me"

Today I am thankful, first of all, to be back from San Francisco (where AC and I had a great time together!) and back to a normal next few weeks.  

However, I am also thankful that it is apple season, and specifically, honeycrisp apple season.  Honeycrisp apples are my absolute favorite, as they are just a little sweet and just a little sour, with the perfect crunch.  Honeycrisp apples are generally only available during the fall for a short season, and I am thankful that season is now upon us.

Also, I thought I would feature a recipe for apples that is easy and delicious: applesauce.  This applesauce recipe is modified from one I found in EatingWell magazine.

Ingredients:

3 tart apples (granny smith), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 medium apples (jonagold), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 sweet apples (gala), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine apple pieces and water in a large saucepan. 

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. 

3. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the apples are very soft and falling apart, about 30 minutes. 

4. Mash the apples to the desired consistency and stir in maple syrup and cinnamon.

Linking up today with:

Top Ten Tuesday: "... nobody sees a flower ..."

"Still – in a way – nobody sees a flower – really – 

it is so small – we haven’t time – and to see takes time, 

like to have a friend takes time."

-Georgia O'Keeffe

Ten Things I Realized Last Week

1. I cannot get all my planning done in one week.  I tried starting on History Odyssey while SC was at piano lessons, but I needed more space to spread out than the tiny bench afforded.  Also, I didn't have my computer handy, so I couldn't look up all the reading recommendations to figure out what is going to work for us.  No wonder so many homeschool moms spend all summer creating their next year's plans.

2. The tiny planner/calendar I bought is not going to fit everything I need to write down.  Even if I write small (which is fairly difficult for me), I still am needing more than one line per subject to make sure I have everything I need to know in the planner.  I have since created an excel spreadsheet that is modeled after the Sonlight lesson plans, but have yet to actually put any plans into this spreadsheet. 

3. We aren't going to really be able to start school until October 8.  This realization came as I looked at the calendar at piano lessons and tried to see how I would arrange the weekly lessons into the three sessions I have planned in my original schedule (two long on Mon/Wed, one short on Fri to finish up anything we need to).  Part of the problem is reflected in number one, that I cannot get everything planned in a week like I thought, and part of the problem is reflected in number eight, that we will be out of town for the next two weekends and SC will be spending that time with her grandparents.  Yay that homeschooling allows this manipulation.

4. I checked out more books from the library than I can read before I have to return them.  If you remember from a few weeks ago, I made a list of books that I wanted to read this year as I learn about the various styles of education.  Well, genius me decided that I should just check them all out at once!  Also, I got two young adult novels that recently came out that I want to read as well.  So, now most of my library books are due and I have barely even started on the pile.  Maybe after I send them back I will plan better to space them out over the course of the year.

5. I haven't read anything since AC came home from his last trip.  This may somewhat contribute to number four, but I also haven't read anything fun and relaxing.  Usually when he is gone I will put SC to bed and then turn on the tv for background noise while I read "fun" books.  Now that he is back, I try to spend as much time as possible with him in the evenings. 

6. SC has no emotional attachment to anything, including AC and I.  Due to this, typical discipline is not working.  I mean that you can explain to her that her behavior will exclude her from an activity, or that her toys will be donated to children who will take better care of them, or that she will miss out seeing AC come home or participating with me or AC in some activity due to her behavior, and none of this changes her behavior.  When we follow through with these explanations, like actually taking toys away, putting her to bed before AC gets home, or missing an activity, she gets upset, but only for a few minutes, and then she is over it and the behavior does not change.

7. I really need to quit having cheat meals with dairy or wheat because I feel miserable.  I do really well for a while sticking to eating Paleo, but sometimes I just really want a milkshake or a hamburger with a bun, and then I get into a rut where I eat them all the time.  Then it manifests into other things, like the amazing Dunkin Donuts Vanilla Chai Latte or breaded items like onion rings and chicken fried steak, and my allergies are back and I am rushing to the bathroom after every meal.  I love eating cleanly, just meat, fruits and veggies, and I don't know why I talk myself into needing these "treats" that make me feel so poorly.

8. We are going to be out of town for the next two weekends.  Also, these are both "long" weekends, as I leave Friday to head five hours south (see number nine), and then leave next Thursday to go to San Francisco with AC for a brief weekend trip.  This means we have a lot to do to get ready this week (including getting the house in order) so that we can be gone.

9. I am nervous about being a bridesmaid.  I have never been a bridesmaid before, and having only participated in my wedding (where there were no attendants, just AC and I), I don't know what to expect.  I also have to drive about five hours on Friday to get there for the rehearsal, and then drive five hours back on Sunday, all by myself because AC is leaving Saturday for a work trip.  I have never driven that long before alone, so I guess I am nervous about that too.

10. I think the creators of the advertising for Assassins Creed III have missed their target audience, because I am totally enamored with the commercials I have seen and really want to get this game.  Problem is, I don't really play video games, nor have the time to play something as complex as this one.  AC said maybe I should start with the free demo.