Arthur: 21 Months

Getting so close to 2! I need to start planning his birthday party soon.

Likes: Cars, cars, and more cars. Oh yeah, and trains and planes and boats. Tickle fights. Chasing the twins.

Dislikes: Bath time. Not eating all the time.

Sleeping: Other than the occasional random wakeup, Arthur sleeps from 8:00pm to about 7:30am I'd say we're doing good. Nap time is another story. Arthur's currently on the nap for a day, don't nap for the next three to four days plan. I'm not the biggest fan of this plan. I would love for Arthur to actually nap more consistently.

Eating: Just about everything. I love that he actually eats what I put in front of him. Makes meal times just a bit easier. Now if we could figure out the snacking situation. He wants to eat all the time. It's getting a bit ridiculous now.

Playing: We've been working on kicking a ball lately. He also loves playing with all of his train tracks.

Out and About: We went to our usual monthly places Oakland Zoo, CDM, and Happy Hollow. We also attended a friend birthday party at a park and the pool. Our favorite new spot was the new Magical Bridge playground in Palo Alto. It was amazing! For a little bit extra, there was a jazz trio playing for some kids while we were there. Lots of fun. This past week, my mom came for a visit. We hit the zoo and the city for some great day trips.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Title: The Girl on the Train

Author: Paula Hawkins

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2015

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Ebook; 52 Books - W28; New Author

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

A must read according to lots of bloggers and best seller lists. And amazingly the book lives up to all the hype. Not very often that I like those hyped books. I loved how the unreliable narrators kept the reader guessing as to what really happened and who did it. Rachel was a very interesting character. On the surface, no one should like Rachel, but for some reason you feel for her. I couldn't stand Megan, but that seems to be the point. And Anna was the intriguing character thrown in the mix. Overall, a very interesting read. I definitely recommend it.

Music Monday - Zella Day "High"

Another big Alt Nation song. I'm really loving her sound.

OLW Catch-up

Let's take a look at what I did the past few months for my OLW. This year's focus is HOME. I got a bit behind and needed to catch-up and focus again.

My monthly intentions:

1. Twins' Room (May) -- I finished putting their room together before they arrived in early June. Done!

2. Twins' Scrapbooks (May) -- I started tackling their scrapbooks in late May and completely caught them up by the end of June. Such a huge task and it's now finished!

3. Summer Bucket List (May) -- Completed and things have been checked off already.

4. Library (June) -- My goal was to update my physical library both physically and digitally. I took a bag of books to HPB and started another one. I also made a spreadsheet of all my in progress and owned series complete with notations as to which volumes I need, which ones have been read, and other info. There's not a ton of picture proof, but I finished a few tasks from my list.

5. Catch Up PL Albums (June) -- I caught up all of our albums in June, but of course now we're not all done. That's okay, I've printed my pictures for June and am planning on finishing those pages next week.

6. Revisit Craft Area (July) -- This goal is next on my list for July. I especially need to organize the kids' crafts cabinet, paper cabinet, and random office supplies cabinet.

7. Closets (July) -- I tackled the black hole of a downstairs hall closet. I guess it's the coat closet, but considering we live in California, we don't use it for that. It's become a giant catch-all place that was out of control. I pulled everything out, filled an entire trash bag for garbage and one for Goodwill, and placed the things were were keeping back. And I even found space for my large Thirty-One box that holds all my party supplies. I call that a success!

Extras:

— I fed my creative side and joined a Design Team in July. Plus, I've been challenging myself with new card techniques, layouts, color combos, and designs. I've really gotten back into my card making this season. So excited!

My OLW Pages:

May - The prompt was "I Am." I chose to explain who I am in nine cards. Pretty simple prompt, but it was still fairly difficult. For the art element, I wanted to make my cards colorful. I inked up my brayer and covered the cards in a variety of ink colors. I added some washi tape as a little embellishment. I had fun making my "I am" cards. They helped to focus me for the coming months.

June - The prompt included a variety of questions. It was sort of a check-in with my word. It took me longer to fill out than I thought it would. The questions helped me recenter my intentions for the second half of the year. I definitely have things to work on...

July - The prompt was focused on music. I adore music and always find that songs speak to me. For this month, I combed through my iTunes library (and a bit of Spotify) to pinpoint nine songs that speak to my work of "Home." I added a small tag and some washi tape to compliment the song lyrics. This prompt was the most fun one yet. Loved it!

FF #25 Elsa Then and Now

For Elsa, I wanted to see the snow queen look but make it a bit more modern and sophisticated. I chose a simple white lace dress and built the outfit out. I added the blue heels as a nod back to her original outfit. The pearl bracelet and bag are classics. Finally I added some whimsical earrings and a jeweled headband to give her more connection to her snow queen character. Understated accessories, but they add that bit of sparkle I was looking for.

M Co prom dress

$46 - mandco.com

Nine West high heel pumps

ninewest.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors white tote bag

$375 - julesb.co.uk

John Lewis cuff jewelry

$19 - johnlewis.com

Allurez white earrings

$230 - allurez.com

Wrap headband

icing.com

Highlander Unbound by Julia London

Title: Highlander Unbound (Lockhart Family #1)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Star Books 2004

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 390

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books - W27; New Author

On leave from his Highland regiment, Captain Liam Lockhart comes to London on an urgent mission: to repossess the stolen family heirloom that could save his ancestral estate. He never dreamed it would involve surrendering his heart. But the beautiful and scandalous socialite Ellen Farnsworth sets his Highland blood aflame with a will as strong and reckless as his own. Though bound to Liam by a soul-searing passion, duty impels Ellen to commit a terrible betrayal. Now, driven by passion, pride, and vengeance that know no bounds, this fearsome Highlander will reclaim not only his family's ancient treasure, but the one daring woman he was meant to love for all time.

Eh. I wasn't super excited by this book, but it wasn't bad. I just didn't enjoy any of the main characters or much of the storyline. Not my series.

Lockhart Family (DNFed series)

#1 Highlander Unbound
#2 Highlander in Disguise
#3 Highlander in Love

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

My mom is coming in 2 days! I'm so excited! Can't wait, can't wait!
Inclusive playgrounds are amazing. Why aren't all playgrounds inclusive?
I have a hankering for watching some crazy big epic action film...
Cool breezy but still sunny weather is great
On a roll with my card making. Just lined up 8 more challenges for my design team. So excited!
Really going to miss John Stewart on The Daily Show.
Feeling energized from my recent encounters with friends.

Currently #11

Watching: After finishing all of Farscape, J and I are back to Star Trek. Currently we've been watching Voyager. I love Captain Janeway! Reading: Highlander Unbound by Julia London. Needed a bit of fluff after the wonderful, but consuming The Night Circus.

Listening: I recently picked up a few albums I've been eyeing for awhile. Currently enjoying Brandi Carlile's The Firewatcher's Daughter.

Making: Baby cards! We have four babies arriving in the next few months. Getting a jump on the planning and making some baby cards now.

Feeling: Excited because my mom is coming in 4 days! The twins are extra excited. Can't wait to do some fun stuff with all the boys and my mom next week.

Planning: Now that the twins' summer is almost over, I'm starting to shift gears and get into the nitty-gritty planning of the October retreat. Need to book the house next week and meet with my co-planner to start on the details.

Loving: We had a lovely park playdate at the (relatively) new inclusive playground in Palo Alto. We loved that space! Great variety of structures and activities. As an added bonus, there was a jazz trio playing today for another child's birthday. We had a nice musical accompaniment to our playdate.

Music Monday - Coin "Run"

Alt Nation has been loving this song lately and so have I. Loving it!

Sunday Sunset #15

Listening To: Silence. I love getting up before everyone else and checking my email, Pinterest, etc in peace.

Book finished: The Dark Glamour; What If; The Age of Innocence; Bait and Switch; The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up; The Lost Soul; Witches; The Art of Steampunk; The Night Circus

Reading: Highlander Unbound by Julia London

On the Nightstand: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Making Lists: Groceries. It's grocery day in the house... Here's to hoping I get to go alone without all the kiddos.

Around the house: No big changes, but it's house clean day. There's a long list of chores on the fridge and everyone gets to participate. I'm a super popular person today, ha ha!

From the kitchen: Nothing exciting. Although I'm getting back on the smoothie bandwagon this week. I miss waking up and making a yummy smoothie. My grocery list contains a few new green smoothie recipes as well as a new dessert and two new dinners. We'll see how they turn out.

Watching: J and I officially finished Farscape this week. I can't believe the ending before the miniseries. Ugh! I was about to throw something at the tv and I knew there was more. It was a good series, but now it's over. Time to start something else. Beyond Farscape, we started watching Mr. Robot and I am definitely hooked. J and I have some theories about what is really going on, but we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

Wondering: What should we do on our day trip into SF? I'm thinking the Musee Mechanique (request from twins and my mom), but then maybe North Beach for lunch?

From Nature: The high temps seem to be fading back into the high 70s, low 80s. Guess we can turn the AC back off and open the windows. I love having the windows open.

Project: Planning the twins' last two weeks here. We have a ton of activities and errands to fit in. Plus, my mom arrive next Saturday. Busy planning her week with trips into SF and a winery day.

Picture: Arthur and his cars.

Monthly Life Goals July 2015

Before I get to this month’s goals, let’s check in on June's goals and my progress.

30 Day Challenge: 30 Miles in 30 Days — Success! I've been trying to be more mindful of walking more and getting my steps in.
Stick with my capsule wardrobe with update —Success! I'm doing really well. It's starting to help me define what I really want to wear on a daily basis.
Start my Beatles song library goal — Fail. Completely forgot about this goal. Annoying...
Visit San Francisco with all three boys — Fail. Between camp and swim class, we just didn't have many open days in June to head into the city.
Start my TED talks goal — Fail. Never started this month.
Institute reading hour — Success! 90% of the days we have reading hour. It works well to give me some quiet time and the twins time away from their devices.
Do a twins and mom date — Fail. Schedules just didn't line up for this one.

This month's goals:

30 Day Challenge: Read 100 pages a day -- Instead of a time, I'm aiming for 100 pages from my current book a day.
Stick with my capsule wardrobe with update -- Doing well so far, but need constant reminders to stick with it.
Watch and review at least 10 TED talks -- Somehow I want to carve out some time to start going on this goal.
Do a winery visit -- I'm planning on going with my mom when she's here. Excited to spend a day with my mom at some adult's only places.
Get a pedicure -- Feeling the need for some me time this month.
Go on a date night with J -- Going to take advantage of my mom being here for a week and spend a night out with my special one.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Title: The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Publisher: Anchor Books 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 516

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; Fairytales; New Author

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

Can I give this book more than 5 stars? This has just secured a spot in my Top 10 books of 2015 and may just be number one. I absolutely adored this book. Let's break it down: The writing is just gorgeous. It reminded me of The Shadow of the Wind or Tolkien. Lots of description, but it never felt too much. I craved the descriptions of the various parts of the circus. By the end of the book, I could see every nook and cranny of the world. Beautiful! The characters may not all be likable, but they are fascinating. My favorite character had to be Tsukiko. I found her more than just a contortionist right from the beginning. As the story unfolded and we got more glimpses of her, I loved her more and more. I also really enjoyed some of the other side characters: Chandresh, Herr Theissen, Lainie and Tara, and especially Poppet and Widget. The main characters were also great, just in a different way. Some of the side characters seemed more real to me, but that seems to be on purpose. Marco and Celia are not really of this world and it comes through. Finally, we get to the story. I fell into the story on the first page and didn't come up for air until after I closed the book. Morgenstern weaves a masterful story jumping back and forth through time without confusion. I was always wanting the story to come to a conclusion but loathe to leave the world of the circus. I heartily recommend this book to anyone and everyone I know. I'm glad this is our book club book for early August. I can't wait to discuss with others.

The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan

Title: The Art of Steampunk

Author: Art Donovan

Publisher: Fox Chapel 2011

Genre: Nonfiction - Art

Pages: 127

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure (perpetual); OLW Home

Welcome to the world of Steampunk: a unique fantasy version of nineteenth century Victorian England imbued with today's technology, resulting in devices and contraptions that seem to have sprung from the mind of a mad twenty-first century scientist. The "steam" refers to steam power-as in fire-breathing machines of antique locomotion. The "punk" is an important reference to an outsider attitude. In The Art of Steampunk, Second Edition you'll discover the captivating and dynamic world of this emerging genre through the creative vision of today's leading Steampunk artists. No longer satisfied with the plastic design of today's mass-produced products, these artists are crafting a romantic new standard for modern goods by applying the characteristics of Steampunk. Their artwork consists of everything from jewelry and watches to light fixtures and clocks, every piece demonstrating hours of painstaking work and unlimited devotion.

I loved poring over the creations in this book. I definitely love the aesthetic of steampunk. I would love to incorporate the style into my house decorations. Not an overwhelming collection of steampunk, but little touches here and there. This book gave me some great ideas.

FF #24 Anna Then and Now

Maurices button shirt

maurices.com

3 4 sleeve blazer

$31 - newlook.com

Ladies costume

etsy.com

Paige Denim cropped jeans

$160 - mytheresa.com

Converse lacing sneaker

lordandtaylor.com

Independent Reign genuine leather purse

ahalife.com

Daniel Wellington kohl jewelry

$280 - coggles.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs charm earrings

stylebop.com

Who's Got the Videos?

Must see must see must see!

Love Stephen Colbert!

Scary scary.

Hee hee. I love these Jaguar ads.

I got chills watching this trailer.

Love watching the fashions roll by.

I really miss Leslie Knope...

Witches edited by Paula Guran

Title: Witches: Wicked, Wild, and Wonderful

Edited by: Paula Guran

Publisher: Prime Books 2012

Genre: Short Stories; Paranormal

Pages: 375

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Challenge

Surrounded by the aura of magic, witches have captured our imagination for millennia and fascinate us now more than ever. No longer confined to the image of a hexing old crone, witches can be kindly healers and protectors, tough modern urban heroines, holders of forbidden knowledge, sweetly domestic spellcasters, darkly domineering, sexy enchantresses, ancient sorceresses, modern Wiccans, empowered or persecuted, possessors of supernatural abilities that can be used for good or evil — or perhaps only perceived as such. Welcome to the world of witchery in many guises: wicked, wild, and wonderful!

Overall, a very hit and miss collection of stories. I really enjoyed a few such as "Walpurgis Afternoon" and "Basement Magic." But my favorite was definitely Neil Gaiman's story featuring Bod and the graveyard. The retooling of Rapunzel was also very intriguing. Unfortunately, many of the stories were dull.

June 2015 Wrap-up and Monthly TBR

Hop on over to Booksessed to participate.

June's TBR Pile (14/16):

J’s pick: The Martian by Andy Weir √
Carry-over: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Nonfiction: Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich √
Classic: Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton √
Book club Selection: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (reread) √
Random pick: 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce √
Debut Author Pick: The Night Circus by Erica Morgenstern
Library Book: Dead Wake by Erik Larson √
Book Club Selection 2: The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson √
Added: The American Plate by Libby O'Connell √
Added: Minimalist Parenting by Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest √
Added: Sally Heatcote: Suffragette by Mary Talbot and Kate Charlesworth √
Added: The Dark Glamour by Gabriella Pierce √
Added: What If by Randall Munroe √
Added: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo √
Added: The Lost Soul by Gabriella Pierce √

Picture Book Roundup:

Fast Train, Slow Train by Reverend W Awdry
Daddy, Papa, and Me by Leslea Newman
Zoe's First Book of Seasons by Heather Au
Search and Rescue by Britt Allcroft
Things That Go by Eva Steele-Saccio
Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey
Daddy All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas
Steampunk ABC by Karen Luk
Froggy's Day with Dad by Jonathan London
My Daddy is a Giant by Carl Norac
Tyrannosaurus Dad by Liz Rosenberg
Truck Stop by Anne Rockwell
If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff
The Monstore by Tara Lazar
Planes Fly! by George Ella Lyon
A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea by Jessica Law
Redbird Colors, Colors, Everywhere by Barney Saltzberg
Beach Babies by Puck
Demolition by Sally Sutton
Apple Pie ABC by Alison Murray
My Foodie ABC by Puck
Llama Llama Zippity Zoom by Anna Dewdney
Monkey Truck by Michael Slack
The Thunderbolt Express by Matthew Porter
Construction Kitties by Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges
Zoom Zoom by Robert Burleigh
Chick n Pug by Jennifer Sattler
Giant Vehicles by Rod Green
All Aboard by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Let's Paint by Alborozo
Machines Go to Work by William Low
The Dinosaur Tamer by Carol Greathouse
Farm by James Brown
Goodnight Daniel Tiger by Angela Santomero

1,000,000 Page Goal

Monthly Total: 3975 pages
Pages Remaining: 791,236 pages

Current Read - The Night Circus by Erica Morgenstern

Books Won (0)

Books I Gave Up On (0)

Challenges Completed

Nonfiction Adventure -- Part of my larger Nonfiction Adventure Perpetual Reading Challenge, I've met my goal for 2015 and will probably add to my total throughout the second half of the year
Read Your Freebies -- Woop! Another challenge done!

Comments - Wow! What a good month of reading. I went from thinking I would possibly read 7 books and ended up with 14 read. Even with the twins being here and tons of activities, I managed to make time for reading. I think the biggest help has been instituting reading hour during Arthur's nap time. Gives everyone some quiet time and me some reading time.

July's TBR Pile:

Nonfiction: The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan
Classic: This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Carry-over: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Story Collection: Witches edited by Paula Guran
Library Grab: Steamlust edited by Kristina Wright
Book Club Selection: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Debut Author Pick: The Night Circus by Erica Morgenstern