May 2017 Wrap-up

May's TBR Pile (6/11):

MVPA Book Club Selection: (Already read)
Series Pick: Roman Holiday by Jodi Taylor
Nonfiction Pick: The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto √
Read Your Book Shelf Pick: The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming
Discworld Pick: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Romance Pick: The Hidden Heart by Candace Camp √
Carry over: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Added: Step Aside, Pops by Kate Beaton √
Added: Anno Dracula by Kim Newman √
Added: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige √
Added: Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 1 by Danielle Paige √

Picture Book Roundup:

Super Rawr! by Todd H. Doodler
Lost Cat by C. Roger Mader
Bear is Not Tired by Ciara Gavin
Hot Rod Hamster and the Wacky Whatever Race! by Cynthia Lord
Patrick's Dinosaurs by Carol Carrick
Teachers Rock! by Todd Parr
T. Rex and the Mother's Day Hug by Lois G. Grambling

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 2286 pages
Pages Remaining: 721,051 pages

Current Read - Secrets of the Heart by Candace Camp

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Books bought/received (0)

June's TBR Pile:

MVPA Book Club Selection: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Series Pick: Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 2 by Danielle Paige
Nonfiction Pick: ???
Read Your Book Shelf Pick: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
Discworld Pick: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
Romance Pick: Secrets of the Heart by Candace Camp
Carry over: The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming
Short Stories: Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 3 by Danielle Paige

Movies watched

Iron Eagle -- J made me watch it. Total 80s cheese. And for the life of me, I can't figure out the geography of the movie...
The Hunger Games; Mockingjay Part 2 -- I finally finished the series. I liked a few of the sequences (the oil in the courtyard, so gross!), but overall I was disappointed.
Pete's Dragon -- Arthur and I watched this one night while J was out of town. Confused by the tone although the little kid that played Pete was great.
Logan -- Finally! This has been on J and I's list since it came out (we're parents of tiny kiddos, no movies in theaters for us right now). Such a different X-men movie, but I loved loved loved it! And that little girl that played X-23 was amazing!
Fire Birds -- Another J pick. This one was a complete Top Gun rip-off movie that was even worse than Iron Eagle. Didn't think that was possible!
Brewster's Millions -- I haven't watched this movie in years. A nice rewatch for Memorial Day Weekend.

TV Shows watched

Brooklyn 99 -- Since we finished 30 Rock, this has been J's go-to short fun show for lunch and random nights. I didn't watch every episode, but I did watch a fair amount of them. We are completely caught up with the series and man that finale was a killer!
The Magicians S2 -- Holy cow was that a crazy season finale! Where are they going to go in Season 3?
Elementary S5 -- J and I guessed the big Sherlock twist before it was revealed, but overall a solid series.
Doctor Who S10 -- We're watching this basically in real time. Love Peter Capaldi! And Pearl Mackie is pretty entertaining. Plus Michelle Gomez returns!

Comments - My reading just tanked this month. I was very busy and distracted and apparently just didn't prioritize much time for reading. I hope I get it back on track for June. I need some de-stressing...

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Tuesday -- Paramore "Hard Times"

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Dorothy Must Die Stories Vol. 1 by Danielle Paige

Title: Dorothy Must DieStories Vol. 1 (Dorothy Must Die #0.1-0.3)

Author: Danielle Page

Publisher: Full Fathom Five 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 377

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings; New to Me

These three prequel novellas to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die series follow the iconic characters from the beloved classic The Wizard of Oz as their lives intertwine to bring about the downfall of Oz. Dorothy begins a journey down a darker path. Glinda the Good Witch may not be so Good. And the Wizard realizes that Oz is his destiny. Kiss the land where troubles melt like lemon drops goodbye. Here there's danger around every corner and magical shoes won't be able to save you.

"No Place Like Oz" -- Oh so good! I loved this story detailing how Dorothy came back to Oz and became the Dorothy we know in Dorothy Must Die. I loved the reappearance of so many characters. And the explanation of the switch from silver slippers to ruby slippers is perfect.

"The Witch Must Burn" -- My least favorite of the three stories. Glinda is such an odd character. Even evil I'm not a fan of her at all. The story felt a bit convoluted and I just couldn't get behind it.

"The Wizard Returns" -- Much better than Glinda's story. I loved seeing the Wizard change from the Wizard we knew to a man without his memory to something different and a bit unknown. Can't wait to see what happens in the rest of the series.

Dorothy Must Die

#0.1 No Place Like Oz
#0.2 The Witch Must Burn
#0.3 The Wizard Returns
#0.4 Heart of Tin
#0.5 The Straw King
#0.6 Ruler of Beasts
#0.7 Order of the Wicked
#0.8 Dark Side of the Rainbow
#0.9 The Queen of Oz
#1 Dorothy Must Die
#2 The Wicked Will Rise
#3 Yellow Brick War
#4 The End of Oz

Next up on the TBR pile:

Quentin: 35 Weeks / 8 Months

Likes: Food, playing peek-a-boo, Arthur, snuggling, his blanket, all the toys (especially the dinosaurs)

Dislikes: Napping, not being picked up immediately

Someone dumped his tray and got his leg stuck...

Sleeping: We had a weird night this week where Q went to bed, woke up screaming about 45 minutes later, and was off an on screaming and crying for the next almost 2 hours. Thought he was teething, but Tylenol did nothing. I ended up holding him (while we was intermittently flailing) for almost the entire time until he passed out from sheer exhaustion. Woke up the next morning perfectly cheerful. No idea what was going on! Naps are still crap although he took a 3 hour nap on Saturday afternoon. Of course I was busy doing crop day and didn't get to really enjoy the nap.

Eating: All the things, except for my salisbury steak meatballs apparently. He wasn't a fan...

Playing: Loves to play with all if Arthur's toys specifically the dinosaurs. He's also into his stuffed animals and Sophie. As I write this, he's trying to chew on my headband. Everything's a toy when you're 8 months old.

Milestones:

Lots of babbling — Check! Q's making all kinds of crazy sounds now.
Understanding “no” — I'm going to say yes. If I say "no" he usually pauses what he is doing. He usually starts again, but he does pause.
Discovery of his penis — Nope not yet
Personality development — Check! He's different and similar to Arthur in so many ways.
Becoming more mobile — Check! Not quite properly crawling, but that doesn't stop from getting places.

Out and About: We had another park day this week. Tagged it onto an epic errand day. Throughly amazed no one had a breakdown. We also visited the Chabot Space and Science Museum.

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Life Right Now #14

As I look outside my window: Slightly foggy and definitely overcast. But the builds are singing.

Right now I am: Scrambling to write this as I completely forgot last night. My migraine this weekend may have something to do with that forgetfulness....

Thinking and pondering: When do I schedule all these summer activities?

On my bedside table: The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die #2); The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming; Roman Holiday by Jodi Taylor -- So many books, not enough time!

On my tv this week: We finished out S2 of The Magicians and S5 of Elementary. Otherwise we've been keeping up with the current season of Doctor Who.

Listening to: Not much this week. I listened to a few podcasts (daily NPR news, OBM), but not really any music this week. It was a weird week...

On the menu for this week: No idea! Clearly I need to meal plan today...

On my to do list: Finished scheduling classes for June and July, finalize our summer bucket list, list out my twins' related to-buys (snacks, clothes, etc), more blog fixing, read!!!, library drop, buy a car, move Q to Arthur's room, clean twins' room and bathroom, lots of other things I am sure.

Happening this week:

Monday - Probably a few errands; I kept forgetting that it was Memorial Day. We have no special plans and I'm sure J will be working.
Tuesday - Home day; cleaning
Wednesday - Home day; crafting
Thursday - Visit to Bay Area Discovery Museum, last one before the twins' arrive. Arthur's excited about the special Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood exhibit!
Friday - Possibly playdate on the peninsula
Saturday - A kid friend's birthday party
Sunday - Book club!

What I am creating: Working on catching up my Project Life albums. So far behind! I have been putting it off in favor of my memory planner and cards.

My simple pleasures: Baby snuggles, chocolate cake, a good book

Looking around the house: Toys are invading every room of the house. We need to do another toy round-up. Plus the twins' room and bathroom needs a once over clean before they arrive.

From the camera: Brothers playing

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Title: Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1)

Author: Danielle Page

Publisher: Full Fathom Five 2014

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 452

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual (YA Retellings); Popsguar - Character's Name in Title; Fairytale Retellings (I'm counting Wizard of Oz as a more modern fairytale)

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight. And I have a mission: Remove the Tin Woodman's heart. Steal the Scarecrow's brain. Take the Lion's courage. And—Dorothy must die.

Such a fun retelling of one of my favorite childhood stories. I loved the twists on each character while keeping true to Baum's original story. The Lion is truly terrifying. And we get elements of the rest of the original Oz stories with Ozma, the witches, etc. I sped through this book in only two days. I had to see where it ended, or should I say, where it left me hanging. Of course this is just the first book in the series. Thank goodness I have the rest of the series out from the library just waiting for me to die in.

Dorothy Must Die

#0.1 No Place Like Oz
#0.2 The Witch Must Burn
#0.3 The Wizard Returns
#0.4 Heart of Tin
#0.5 The Straw King
#0.6 Ruler of Beasts
#0.7 Order of the Wicked
#0.8 Dark Side of the Rainbow
#0.9 The Queen of Oz
#1 Dorothy Must Die
#2 The Wicked Will Rise
#3 Yellow Brick War
#4 The End of Oz

dc049a522d84b84f_PS16_JP_Living_2017ReadingChallenge_List_R2-259x1024.jpg

Next up on the TBR pile:

52 Weeks of Arthur 2017: W10-18

Yet again, I completely lost track of time and weeks. Continuing this project from 2016, I'll be posting a roundup of Arthur pics every 9 weeks. See W1-9 here. Weeks 10 through 8:

W17: Music time at Bay Area Discovery Museum

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto

Title: The Island at the Center of the World

Author: Russell Shorto

Publisher: Doubleday 2004

Genre: U.S. History

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual .(Nonfiction Adventure); Mount TBR; Popsugar - Bought on a Trip

The Dutch colony pre-dated the “original” thirteen colonies, yet it seems strikingly familiar. Its capital was cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic, and its citizens valued free trade, individual rights, and religious freedom. Their champion was a progressive, young lawyer named Adriaen van der Donck, who emerges in these pages as a forgotten American patriot and whose political vision brought him into conflict with Peter Stuyvesant, the autocratic director of the Dutch colony. The struggle between these two strong-willed men laid the foundation for New York City and helped shape American culture. The Island at the Center of the World uncovers a lost world and offers a surprising new perspective on our own.

I do love my history books and this one was amazing! Being a former history teacher, I have a basic understanding of the Dutch colony in the New World, but that understanding had a lot of holes and questions. This book gave me so much more knowledge. I was amazed at the complexity of the Dutch situation stuck between multiple English colonies, various native groups, and even the Swedish. I loved hearing the narratives of prominent players of the time. Adriaen van der Donck was my favorite. I had never heard of the man prior to reading this book, but he was so incredibly important to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Shorto does an amazing job of brining the people and places to life. He excels at tracing the settling of the region through growth and turmoil to the surrendering of the colony to the English. His argument that the culture of New York City owes itself to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam is compelling. Due to crazy home life, this book took me two weeks to read but it wasn't for lack of interest. If I could, I would have read it in one day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

I'm really looking forward to summer with the twins, but there's so much to do before they get here! Not to mention planning activities and meals.
Health insurance is way too complicated. Even with insurance, why is it so hard to find care?
Started a new-to-me YA Fantasy series (Dorothy Must Die) and it's just what I needed after a very good, but very detailed nonfiction book.
I hate cooking... seriously I'm so sick of making meals for everyone in the household. Just needed to get that out there. I'll still make food, because I like good food, but I won't enjoy the process.
The temperature went from 90 to low 60s. My body is very confused by all this!
Can't wait for our first beach day of the season (June 13th!)
I'm think I should get a new bathing suit. The three I have all fit strangely (granted one is a maternity suit). I would just like something that covers all my bits and doesn't require me to adjust every two seconds.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #9

Watching: When Calls the Heart on Netflix. It's such a stupid period drama and yet I'm addicted right now. I guess this is my follow-up to The Paradise.

Reading: The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto. Fascinating look at the settlement of New Amsterdam (now New York City). Reading it has been slow going because I've been so tired. The subject matter is very engaging.

Listening: Lots of NPR Politics episodes.

Making: Getting ready for the Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog launch with a party and open house this weekend. I've been making examples for make n takes and ones to highlight the great new products.

Feeling: All my tasks have deadlines fast approaching. I'm feeling a bit stretched thin at the moment.

Planning: Making plans for summer with all four boys. It's going to get a bit crazy in this house!

Loving: Impulse bought dark chocolate peanut clusters at Sprouts last week and now I am obsessed. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Tuesday -- Imagine Dragons "Thunder"

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Quentin: 32-34 Weeks

Likes: All the food! Seriously, anything I put in front of him, he will eat. His blankets, his rabbit, anything his brother is playing with, being outside, walks in the stroller.

Dislikes: Not being paid attention to, naps, bedtime because that means no more playing

Sleeping: Ugh! Napping is so not a thing in this household. Somedays he will take a nap and I even got him to take a few in his crib. But most days he just goes and goes and goes until bedtime. By then he's a bit of a mess.

Eating: Such a great eater. I think he consumes at least twice what Arthur does in a day. He loves sweet potatoes and broccoli. Gets super excited about yogurt melts and puffs. I can't eat anything and not give him some. He begs for food when he sees it.

Playing: So much play! He loves to explore on his own (getting close to proper crawling), but he really enjoys when people play with him, especially Arthur. Q and Arthur have been "playing" dinosaurs all week. Q loves when Arthur does the roars and he loves chewing on the dinos.

Milestones:

32 Weeks
- Repeating sounds — Definitely! His favorite syllable is "ma." He repeats it constantly!
- Holding two objects at once — Check!
- Starting to understand cause and effect — I'm going to say yes. He's starting to show signs so I think we are on track.
- Lifting arms up when wanting to be picked up — Check!
- Trying to standing — Check! He loves to stand on the couch looking into the kitchen. He's starting to try and pull himself up to that standing position.

33 Weeks
- Understanding “no” — Um... I don't think so.
- Furniture-assisted standing — Sorta check. He's not very steady yet.
- Playing with more complicated items — Check! He loves manipulating toys and other objects. He's even starting to understanding how to play with some of the more complicated toys.
- First words —Nope

34 Weeks
- Throwing things — Um... not really.
- Standing at furniture — Nothing except for the couch
- Fear of strangers — It's more of a contempt for strangers than a fear.

Out and About: Oh the places we go! It helps to have a big brother to follow around...

Mel's Play Place -- A few indoor play mornings
Diddalidoo -- A different indoor play place for Arthur's friend's birthday
New Parks - A few different new-to-us parks visited
Oakland Zoo -- Q loved the otters
Children's Fairyland -- It's such a weird time capsule. Not sure if Q liked it or was just weirded out.
Lots of walks in the neighborhood

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Life Right Now #13

As I look outside my window: Sun is coming up. I'm tired.

Right now I am: Up way too early and dreading the rest of the day. J has been working in North Bay almost all week meaning I'm alone with the boys from sunup until way after sundown. Super freaking tired over here...

On my bedside table: So many books to choose from. My reading has been super slow lately leading to an ever-growing pile on the nightstand. I'm hoping to get to some comics next (21st Century Tank Girl; iZombie) and then the Dorothy Must Die series.

On my tv this week: Not a ton of TV watched this past week. Arthur and I have been watching Escape to the Country on Netflix (think House Hunters but in English countryside). J and I are slowing getting through The Magicians S2 (two more episodes to go) and Elementary.

Listening to: Lots of NPR politics, although somedays it's not the greatest thing for my mental health.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Sausage Crescent Rolls; Eggs
Tuesday - Green Chile Pepper Jack Enchiladas
Wednesday - Chili
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Salisbury Steak Meatballs; Mashed Potatoes; Broccoli
Saturday - Pizza (crop event)
Sunday - ???

Happening this week:

Monday - Errands I imagine...
Tuesday - Home day; hopefully some crafting
Wednesday - Home day; Last Chance Card Class possibly
Thursday - Chabot Space and Science Center (our membership expires on May 31st)
Friday - Home day
Saturday - Spring Catalog Launch Party!
Sunday - Possible Open House Crafting

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Videos for a Spring Day

This looks like an awesome zombie film! Must add to my list.

Melissa as Spicer is amazing

So scary because it's so close to the truth...

I cannot wait for this movie to come out!

Hee hee!

Kenan as Neil is too cute!

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Music Tuesday -- Lindsey Stirling "Lost Girls'

Next up on the TBR Pile:

The Hidden Heart by Candace Camp

Title: The Hidden Heart (Agincourt #2)

Author: Candace Camp

Publisher: Mira 2002

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 410

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

With his life in ruins, Richard, Duke of Cleybourne, returned to his country estate to deal with the tragic loss he had suffered four years earlier. His plans, however, were interrupted by the arrival of Miss Jessica Maitland. The feisty, flame-haired governess had come to present her charge, Gabriella, as his new ward.

As if their unwelcome presence weren't bad enough, Jessica also revealed that Gabriella was in danger. Someone was after the girl's fortune— perhaps someone the duke knew only too well.

Another fun fluffy romance after a much darker pick. I enjoyed continuing the story of the Aincourt family with a story focused on Richard, Caroline's widower. Like most historical romances, the ending wrapped up a bit too quick, but I did enjoy the storyline and characters.

Aincourt

#1 So Wild a Heart
#2 The Hidden Heart
#3 Secrets of the Heart

Next up on the TBR pile:

Life Right Now #12

As I look outside my window: Sun is out. Flowers are in bloom. It's a great season here.

Right now I am: Drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying the relative quiet of the morning.

Thinking and pondering: How to accomplish all the big tasks before June 1st? The list is getting more complicated.

On my bedside table: Hoping to knock out a fluffy romance in just a few days after spending two weeks on Anno Dracula. I've also got some YA Fantasy out from the library that has been calling to me.

On my tv this week: J and I sped through Brooklyn 99 as our silly show. We also caught up on Last Week Tonight and Full Frontal. Still need to finish The Magicians S2. Arthur and I continued S3 of Avatar.

Listening to: Podcasts such as Pocket Talk and One Bad Mother. Apple Music channels such as The Mixtape (awesome 70s-90s music) and Alt Hits.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Chili
Tuesday - Lemon Chicken and Brussel Sprouts
Wednesday - Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos
Thursday - Chicken Pot Pie
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Salisbury Steak Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes
Sunday - Sausage Crescent Rolls; Omelet

On my to do list: Ugh. I do not even want to look right now. It's a long and complicated list.

Happening this week: A few events for this coming week...

Monday - Grocery and errands
Tuesday - Home day
Wednesday - Playdate at our house!
Thursday - Possibly a park day; Stamp club!
Friday - Home day
Saturday - Coffee and Cards Crafting
Sunday - Book club!

What I am creating: Hopefully I get a bit of time to work on my January - March Project Life pages and my April Memory Planner pages.

My simple pleasures: Cold brew coffee for those warm mornings

Looking around the house: The craft room is in better shape than last week, but it is still a mess. I want to finish getting it squared away before club on Thursday night.

From the camera: Not quite kid, not quite...

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

Title: Anno Dracula

Author: Kim Newman

Publisher: Titan Books 2011

Genre: Horror

Pages: 495

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Popsugar - Nonhuman Perspective (Vampires count!); New to Me

It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort Vlad Tepes, the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. Peppered with familiar characters from Victorian history and fiction, the novel follows vampire Geneviève Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard of the Diogenes Club as they strive to solve the mystery of the Ripper murders.

So this book took me over two weeks to finish. Not because it was bad, but because I didn't have time to sit down and actually read. In fact, I kept want to curl up and immerse myself in this alternate history where Dracula is real and rules England. I just didn't have time. I love love loved this book. The world is so rich and vibrant. London becomes a character with the various neighborhoods and the fog. I loved the characters, especially Genevieve. I immediately connected to her as person. Loved her outlook and involvement in the storyline. And it was nice to see so many literary characters represented. Such a great story. After picking this up on a whim while in San Francisco, maybe I need to seek out others in the series.

Anno Dracula

#1 Anno Dracula
#2 The Bloody Red Baron
#3 Judgement of Tears
#4 Andy Warhol's Dracula
#5 Johnny Alucard

Next up on the TBR pile:

Blog Delay...

Due to some of the ongoing background issues with the transfer, I'm going to take this week off from blogging. I should be back on Sunday for the weekly wrap-up post.

Life Right Now #11

As I look outside my window: It's super dark... Writing this late Saturday night after watching the newest Star Trek movie.

Right now I am: Thinking about getting a cookie...

Thinking and pondering: So much to do and so little time. Which task to tackle first?

On my bedside table: I went a little crazy at the library again and checked out the entire Dorothy Must Die series plus some comics (21st Century Tank Girl; Doctor Who).

On my tv this week: Arthur and I have continued our watching of Avatar. We made it into Season 3.

Listening to: Lots of podcast as I craft and clean. Plus, I've made it a point to listen to NPR's Up First while drinking my morning coffee.

On the menu for this week:

Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Sesame Tofu
Wednesday - Potato Bacon Casserole
Thursday - ???
Friday - ???
Saturday - ???
Sunday - ???

On my to do list: So so much... Too much to actually list out here.

Happening this week: We are planning on heading to Children's Fairyland in Oakland on Thursday. And stamp club is on Saturday morning. Otherwise we don't have any definite plans.

What I am creating: I need to finish out my retiring product cards and the May SSINK cards so I can play with the new stuff!

My simple pleasures: Cold brew coffee. I'm too lazy to make my own, but I bought some at the grocery store and it was delicious when the temps were high this past week.

Looking around the house: The playroom and crafting areas are due for a serious cleaning and organizing.

From the camera: Silly lounging baby