Yellow Wallpaper

California: This is another state that had many books written about it. I really liked Our California , Pop's Bridge , Oranges on Golden Mountain , and Harvesting Hope . We also read a few books about the history of the state and colored the flag . I had a hard time deciding what to cook for dinner, and this ended up being the week that everyone got sick with a stomach virus so our dinner plans got all jumbled up. I finally ended up making a pasta dish that had asparagus and artichoke hearts in it, a big green salad with avocado and other veggies, and some oranges. Colorado: We read C is for Centennial (I wish the library had more in this series) and a book called Dreamplace about Mesa Verde. We also read a bit more about the Anasazi and other cliff dwellers (S-Boogie thought they were really cool) and a book about Rocky Mountain National Park. After coloring the flag we had some yummy beef and pinto bean chili for dinner with warm corn tortillas. Connecticut: This is another s

After finishing up our geography project with countries, the kids really wanted to talk about the 50 states. I wasn't sure it would be interesting, but we've actually found a lot of fun things to talk about for each state . Alabama: I discovered that Crayola has really fun coloring pages for each state, so we colored the flag and talked about some of the state symbols. We read a book about Helen Keller, a book about Space Camp, a book about the bus boycott , and a few books with general facts about the state. For dinner we had barbecued pork chops, southern corn bread (in a skillet!), and collard greens. Alaska: The library had many interesting books about Alaska. We read about sled dogs , landmarks , school children , seasons , Inuit culture , and the history of the state. We colored the flag and ate a dinner of baked salmon, rice, and blueberries. The kids loved eating the dinner and told me they were Alaskan bears eating salmon and berries to get ready for the winter. Ariz

Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi I read this a while ago, but it was our book club pick for the month so I read it again. I liked it just as much the second time; it is one of those books that immerses you into a world full of characters that are all interesting, complex, and so real that you feel sad when you finish the book and have to leave them behind. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson This book was better than I expected. Some nonfiction, while good, moves slowly. I found that I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to know what comes next. I think it could have benefited from better editing due to some repetition and a few instances that didn't feel as clear as they could have been, but other than that it really is a great read. Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell I haven't read anything by Sarah Vowell before and so it took me a while to get used to her style. I kept wanting this book to be something it wasn't, but in the end I started to l

Yesterday was my birthday, but the celebrating this year started on Saturday evening. Mr. Fob invited over some friends of ours and cooked us dinner: pasta with shrimp and some roasted vegetables. He also bought me one of my favorite birthday presents ever: a giant hunk of gourmet cheese from Costco and some crusty bread to go with it. After we let dinner settle, we played Settlers of Catan and tried some very tasty cupcakes from The Sweet Tooth Fairy (strawberry shortcake was my favorite). Then on Sunday we had family over to celebrate both my birthday and my sister-in-law's birthday, which happen to be the same day. Mr. Fob cooked French bread and lasagna, and other family members provided even more goodies for the meal. I received some very nice presents from everyone, including flowers, chocolates, kitchen items, and a new apron. Finally my 'real' birthday arrived yesterday mor ning. Mr. Fob's mother spent the night so she could babysit for us to have a breakfas