Arthur: 20 Months

Life has been so crazy lately that I completely forgot to write and publish this... So here we go. Arthur is now 20 months old! I can't believe were are so close to him turning two years old. Time is flying by!

Likes: Trucks, cars, planes, boats, trains, anything that moves; Food food and more food

Dislikes: Not eating all day; bath time

Sleeping: After a very rough 18-month sleep regression, we are back to normal. The last month has been absolute crap, but no more! Thank goodness! I get to sleep again.

Eating: All the foods! Arthur is such an amazing eater. This past month we found out that he really enjoys roe, calamari, and edamame. He is definitely my child.

Playing: Arthur is interacting more and more with other children. I love watching him socialize with kids and even resolve disputes. We still get to see our Mountain View friends but the drive does get to be a bit much sometimes.

Schedule:After the big sleep regression, Arthur has adjusted his schedule slightly. He is now going to sleep at 8-8:30pm and wakes at 7-7:30am. Plus he takes a 2-3 hour nap at around 1pm. I'm okay with this schedule. I get to sleep and I still get a bit of free time in the middle of the day.

Out and About: We hit our usual play spots: Happy Hollow, Oakland Zoo, and CDM. We also went to our local park a lot. Overall a good month of fun activities.

Top Ten Tuesday -- Summer TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join.  If you can’t come up with ten, don’t worry about it—post as many as you can!

Summer TBR:

1. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore -- I want to finish this trilogy before summer ends.
2. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin -- Really want to spend some time with this book soon.
3. Spellbound by Kristen Callihan -- Want to finish out this series.
4. One Chunkster (Dragonfly in Amber; A Dance with Dragons; The Mists of Avalon) -- I always put the big books at the bottom of the stack and never get to them.
5. Two Classics -- I have Age of Innocence in my TBR pile for June, but need to pick another classic from the shelves.
6. Four Nonfiction Books -- I have a ton on my list to read, just need to commit to them.

Spring TBR Recap (7/10):

1. Insurgent and Allegiant by Veronica Roth √
2. Yes Please by Amy Poehler √
3. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
4. Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
5. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin
6. 2 historical romances √
7. 3 nonfiction books √

Sunday Sunset #13

Listening To: The boys chat about Pokemon... trying to tune it out, but it's so hard.

Book finished: 666 Park Avenue; Minimalist Parenting

Reading: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton; The 100 Year Old Man Who... by Jonas Jonasson

On the Nightstand: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot; The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Making Lists: Grocery lists for next week. Ugh! The neverending task.

Around the house: The twins have been helping out around the house. Their help really lightens my weekly cleaning load even with their dirty additions. We're keeping it up.

From the kitchen: I made some homemade blueberry muffins the other day and they turned out more like blueberry cobbler than muffins. Not what I was expecting, but they were still good.

Crafting: Finishing up May's Project Life pages. Almost done and then I'm moving on to catching up the twins' scrapbooks. That will be a chore! The books are three years behind.

Watching: Picking up some random shows that we're currently watching: Farscape, The Newsroom, and Atlantis.

Wondering: What should we have for dinner on Monday night? The eternal question...

From Nature: We went from super hot temps at the start of the week to nice and breezy temps at the end of the week. Still enjoying the weeks' weather.

Project: I've started working on the October retreat. So far, I have three people (including me) confirmed with deposit paid. Very excited to get this moving along!

Picture: Someone made it very difficult to take my daily picture for my capsule wardrobe. But he is a very cute photobomber!

Photo of the Week #7

All three boys sitting in the fire truck at the museum. So adorable!

FF #21 Mulan Then and Now

For Mulan, I went in a very different direction. In the movie, she wears a lot of colors, but I saw her in neutrals with interesting accessories and patterns. This sweater drew my eye immediately. I love the bold graphics. To compliment the sweater, I added some structured accessories with lovely details. I love the black on black look of the earrings.

Tory Burch color block sweater

toryburch.com

Rosemunde black lace cardigan

$105 - streethub.com

Barbara I Gongini black skinny leg jeans

hlorenzo.com

Style & Co. wedge heel shoes

macys.com

Rosetti gray crossbody purse

kohls.com

Eva Fehren black pyramid earrings

modaoperandi.com

Beats Solo 2 Wired On-Ear Headphone Pink

amazon.com

Minimalist Parenting by Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest

Title: Minimalist Parenting: Enjoy Modern Family Life More by Doing Less

Author: Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest

Publisher: Bibliomotion 2013

Genre: Nonfiction - Parenting

Pages: 243

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Read Your Freebies; OLW 2015 Home

We’re in the midst of a parenting climate that feeds on “more”: more expert advice, more gear, more fear about competition and safety, and more choices to make about education, nutrition, even entertainment. The result? Overwhelmed, confused parents and overscheduled, over-parented kids. In Minimalist Parenting, Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest offer a fresh approach to navigating all of this conflicting background “noise.” They show how to tune into your family’s unique values and priorities and confidently identify the activities, stuff, information, and people that truly merit space in your life. The book begins by showing the value of a minimalist approach, backed by the authors’ personal experience practicing it. It then leads parents through practical strategies for managing time, de-cluttering the home space, simplifying mealtimes, and streamlining recreation. Filled with parents’ personal stories, readers will come away with a unique plan for a simpler life!

So it turns out that I'm already following most of the points from this book. But it was an interesting book laying out the minimalist parenting philosophy and giving specific tips. Mostly I liked reading about the tips. They gave me some good ideas of how to implement my own parenting philosophy. I also liked the guiding questions for each chapter. Answering the questions definitely helped to execute my more vague ideas and thoughts. I am not usually a fan of parenting books, but this one held my interest throughout.

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Noticed a rash on Arthur yesterday... hope it's not anything serious
• Haven't been to the pool yet this summer. Why? I have no idea, but I need to go soon!
• I am a minimalist parent. Reading the book and everything aligns for me.
• Loving changing out my Thirty-One bags for all my different activities. So many great options! Contact me for a party!
• Arthur's new obsession is closing all doors in the house. Doesn't help with air flow at all.
• Digging some new-to-me shows this week. My favorite has been Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown.
• Watching Parts Unknown made me want to find a Burmese restaurant. Never tried Burmese.
• Cannot wait until Saturday and the Thirty-One Catalog premiere! It will be my first consultant event with the company.

Currently #9

Watching: The last few episodes of Secrets and Lies. I blame my mother! She got me hooked while I was there in March. Thankfully the last few episodes are on Hulu.

Reading: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Finally getting around to this classic. And I get to watch the movie afterward!

Listening: AltNation has been replaying the Muse concert from Webster Hall. I keep catching a few songs here and there. Sounds like it was a good show.

Making: Finishing up my new catalog swap cards for my demo group. Arthur hasn't been napping very long this week so I've worked on these in little blocks of time.

Feeling: It's been unusually hot here this week. We had to turn on our air conditioning! Playing at the park made me hot and sweaty. Thankfully the temps have gone down a bit for today and the rest of the week.

Planning: J had to move his motorcycle class from Thursday to Friday. This opens up Thursday for an out-of-the-house activity. But what?

Loving: Finishing a bag of peanut butter m&ms today. They are my favorite!

666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce

Title: 666 Park Avenue (666 Park Avenue #1)

Author: Gabriella Pierce

Publisher: William Morrow 2011

Genre: Paranormal -- Witches

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; New Author; Book to Movie

Elite Upper East Side Witches Rule Park Avenue! 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce kicks off a wonderfully high concept and richly gothic contemporary series about the darkness lurking behind the gilded halls of New York City high society. For the original Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries fan who’s grown up and is ready for an edgier, more sophisticated read, 666 Park Avenue is the perfect paranormal diversion.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a few years now. I've just never actually picked it up and started reading. After reading, I have mixed feelings. The writing was good. The characters were okay. But there was something that felt a bit too much like The Vampire Diaries, etc. Too soap opera in its tone. I finished the book and decided that I would probably finish the series, but only because I sorta want to see how it ends.

Television Show:

Wow! That was a waste of my hour. The television show has basically nothing to do with the book series. As far as I can tell from the pilot, the only similarities are that there is a building in New York City and the main female character's name is Jane. That's it! And don't get me started on the acting. It was torture just getting through the first episode. I am officially not going back to the rest of the series. Done and done!

666 Park Avenue

• #1 666 Park Avenue
• #2 The Dark Glamour
• #3 The Lost Soul

Music Monday -- Elle King "Ex's and Oh's"

I am so addicted to this song right now! 

Sunday Sunset #12

Listening To: The twins' crazy stories... they are so weird sometimes!

Book finished: Fire; Dead Wake; The American Plate; The Martian

Reading: 666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce

On the Nightstand: Minimalist Parenting by Christine Koh; The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Making Lists: Grocery lists, twins' to-buy list (growing out of clothes!), library books to keep track of, my craft projects with due dates, summer TBR piles, shows to watch. It's a list bonanza around here!

Around the house: We've instituted a bit of a chore routine for the summer and I think it's going really well. Everyday one twin helps me cook dinner and one twin helps J clean up. Then the next night they switch. So far, we've had minimal complaining... I think it helps that I started this the day they flew in and have kept it consistent. The only day so far that we haven't done the routine was Friday night. We got takeout from Panda so no cooking and minimal clean up. But Saturday it was back the routine. I've also had them do one small chore each day. The other day one swept the dining and kitchen areas and the other collected all the trash from the house. Small, but chores that really help me keep the mess at bay with five people in this house.

From the kitchen: Nothing major to report. I stuck with some tried and true recipes for the twins' first week.  Next week will be more of our tried and true recipes. With everything going on, attempting something new and complicated doesn't sound like much fun. But maybe, I'll try a new dessert or breakfast pastry...

Watching: The first night here, the twins and J watched The Fifth Element while I went to a board meeting. From there, we started watching Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. I started watching it when J was at motorcycle class and the twins joined me. They actually seem to enjoy learning about other countries even if they won't admit it.

From Nature: Warmer temps this past week allowed the twins to spend a ton of time at the pool. Mostly they went down while Arthur was napping. I'm hoping to get down there soon and enjoy the lovely water.

Project: We're working on confirming our bucket list items. So far so good. We've already checked off the library, pool, and mini golf in the first five days!

Picture: Awesome mini golf action shot!

The Martian by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian

Author: Andy Weir

Publisher: Broadway Books 2014

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 387

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Reduction; Mount TBR; 52 Books -- W23; New Authors

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Holy moley! What a book! Everyone has been raving about this one and they were right. There is an amazing blend of science and suspense to keep my attention throughout the book. I actually read the first ~80 pages one night and then read the rest today in one sitting. It was too good to put down again! I was right there with Mark through every obstacle and constant boredom. I loved getting in deep with the science. Weir definitely did his homework. I know there are a few fictional concessions to traveling to and from Mars, but they weren't out of the realm of possibility. This book held me to the last page. Now I want to read more actual science about getting to Mars.

Photo of the Week #6

Loving the candid little moments between Arthur and the twins.

The American Plate by Libby O'Connell

Title: The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites

Author: Libby H. O'Connell

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2014

Genre: Nonfiction - History; Food

Pages: 330

Rating:  4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Read Your Freebies; Dewey Decimal - 600s

Dr. Libby H. O'Connell takes readers on a mouth-watering journey through America's culinary evolution into the vibrant array of foods we savor today. In 100 tantalizing bites, ranging from blueberries and bagels to peanut butter, hard cider, and Cracker Jack, O'Connell reveals the astonishing ways that cultures and individuals have shaped our national diet and continue to influence how we cook and eat.

Peppered throughout with recipes, photos, and tidbits on dozens of foods, from the surprising origins of Hershey Bars to the strange delicacies our ancestors enjoyed, such as roast turtle and grilled beaver tail. Inspiring and intensely satisfying, The American Plate shows how we can use the tastes of our shared past to transform our future.

An interesting, if a bit shallow, look at 100 different foods that came to be important to American life. I enjoyed the earlier chapters more than the later chapters. I felt like O'Connell spent more time on the food in the earlier chapters and then shifted the focus to social movements in the later chapters. Still I learned a bit about the history of some well-known foods. My favorite chapter was the one covering the Progressive Era. Great bites in that chapter!

FF #20 Aurora Then and Now

For Sleeping Beauty, I wanted to incorporate both colors of her dress in the ending sequence: pink and blue. I also wanted a feminine palette incorporating flowers. This floral top meets all my criteria. Paired with crisp white capris and some coordinating accessories, this outfit is perfect for the princess.

Oasis cap sleeve top

$38 - johnlewis.com

Topshop pants

$61 - topshop.com

Disney Sleeping Beauty Princess Aurora Cosplay Dress Halloween Cosplay...

etsy.com

Slingback shoes

$31 - newlook.com

Victoria Beckham pink handbag

$2,145 - harveynichols.com

Vince Camuto gold pendant

shoptheshoebox.com

Lipsy bracelet set

$22 - lipsy.co.uk

Video Bonanza

Too fucking funny! I died for about 5 minutes. 

I'm intrigued.

I loved the book series, but I fear for the tv series. Looks a little too glamorous in the trailer...

Stephen Merchant owns this competition!

This looks incredibly stupid...

I love these random lists. And I love John Green!

This seriously made me laugh way too much...

Quote Wednesday -- Bonoff

Home sings me of sweet things. My life there has its own wings. To fly over the mountain, though I'm standing still. -- Karla Bonoff

Monthly Life Goals June 2015

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

• 30 Day Challenge: 60 minutes of reading – Success! With my focus on reading, I managed 13 books and 4383 pages this month. Great goal!
• Put up kitchen curtains – Fail. I think we are destined to not have curtains in the kitchen. The bareness doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would...
• Clean out my closet for spring – Success! I completed this one the first week of the month.
• Plan a Favorite Things party for late May/early June — Fail. Never got around to this one. Maybe for July or August.
• Stay ahead of meal planning — Success! I'm still working ahead and simplifying my process.
• Fill out our summer bucket list notebook – Success! I updated our list for lots of East Bay attractions.
• Take books to HPB and clothes to Goodwill — Fail. But I did organize the bags to go. I just need to actually go!
• Make a Lasik appointment — Fail. Never got around to it.
• Document a Day in the Life -- Fail. I have the worst time remembering to do this right in the morning...

This month's goals:

• 30 Day Challenge: 30 Miles in 30 Days -- I really need to amp up my exercise. Maybe an easily attainable but consistent goal will get me motivated.
• Stick with my capsule wardrobe with update -- I jumped into this challenge yesterday. My goal is to stick with it, but also do check-ins monthly.
• Start my Beatles song library goal -- One of my 101 in 1001 goals is to listen to every Beatles soon. I'm think of at least starting chronologically and then maybe jumping around later.
• Visit San Francisco with all three boys -- I want to make at least one SF trip a month in June and July. We will probably end up at the CA Academy of Sciences or maybe the wharf area.
• Start my TED talks goal -- Another 101 in 1001 goal. I want to watch at least 100 TED Talks, but more importantly actually do some mini reviews of them.
• Institute reading hour -- During Arthur's naps, I want to have at least one hour of quiet reading. No electronics allowed except for my iPad if I'm reading a book on it.
• Do a twins and mom date -- I want to go out and do something with the twins sans Arthur. We will see how this goes.

Dead Wake by Erik Larson

Title: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

Author: Erik Larson

Publisher: Crown 2015

Genre: Nonfiction History

Pages: 430

Rating:  5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Nonfiction Adventure; Read Your Freebies: 52 Books  W22

On May 1, 1915, with WWI entering its tenth month, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were surprisingly at ease, even though Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone. For months, German U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era’s great transatlantic “Greyhounds”—the fastest liner then in service—and her captain, William Thomas Turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack.

Germany, however, was determined to change the rules of the game, and Walther Schwieger, the captain of Unterseeboot-20, was happy to oblige. Meanwhile, an ultra-secret British intelligence unit tracked Schwieger’s U-boat, but told no one. As U-20 and the Lusitania made their way toward Liverpool, an array of forces both grand and achingly small—hubris, a chance fog, a closely guarded secret, and more—all converged to produce one of the great disasters of history.

Ohhh. I saw this on the "Lucky Day" shelf (very new; no renewals books) and had to snap it up. I really enjoyed Larson's The Devil in the White City, so I figured this would also be good. And it was fascinating. Larson is a master storyteller weaving together all the narratives from participants in the event. It doesn't feel like a history tome. It feels like a suspenseful novel that just happens to be about a real event. My knowledge of the Lusitania, while probably more extensive than more people on the street, was fairly limited. I loved really diving into the passengers aboard the ship, the history of the u-boats, Room 40, and especially the inner workings of U-20. I sped through the book in just a few days. A definite recommendation for any history buffs out there.

Music Monday -- Taylor Swift "Bad Blood"

I'm not a huge fan of Taylor Swift, but this video is crazy epic.