Today I am thankful for:
1. Getting to connect with my awesome neighbor - even if it was on the phone. It is amazing that we live so close but have such a hard time getting together!
2. Q slept until 9:30 this morning, giving me time to drop Z off at school, pick up a surprise doughnut for T, and watch Grey's Anatomy on Tivo.
3. Getting the email notification that MY NEW COMPUTER will be arriving next week.
4. Getting off my rear and finally getting the master bathroom put to rights. It is huge and recently got a new piece of furniture, which threw everything else into chaos!
5. All of the laundry has been put away. Just in time to start another week's worth!
1.09.2009
My Friend Amy's Book Challenge - Poison Study Review
Here it is January 9, and I have read not one, but two books, thus fulfilling the reading requirement for My Friend Amy's Book Challenge for January. Yay me
This month I read Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. This a fantasy novel opens up with the main character, Yelena, in the dungeon having confessed to killing a man. She is rescued from the gallows and offered a position as a poison taster for the military dictator of Ixia.
I slurped this book down like a Sonic Coke on a hot day. I simply could not put it down. I liked the heroine because she was plucky and smart. The plot moved quickly and there were many surprising twists. Action. Intrigue. Romance. A little something for everyone. When I did put the book down - a girl has to sleep, yes? - I literally dreamed of the characters.
LOVED it.
As a matter of fact, I loved it so much that I immediately dived into the second book in the series, Magic Study. In this book, we follow Yelena's not so easy discovery of her native land of Setia, as well as her magic skills. Again, fast paced, lots of action and never predictable.
In my life before children, I would have read these books in a single sitting. If you like the fantasy genre, I highly recommend these books.
There is a third book in this series: Fire Study. I do not have it yet, as I am too cheap to buy it in hardback. I can not wait to read it!
Snyder has also started a second series set in Setia/Ixia. The first book is called Glass Storm and is based on a character introduced in Magic Study. I look forward to many books to come. I do love a book in a series!
This month I read Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. This a fantasy novel opens up with the main character, Yelena, in the dungeon having confessed to killing a man. She is rescued from the gallows and offered a position as a poison taster for the military dictator of Ixia.
I slurped this book down like a Sonic Coke on a hot day. I simply could not put it down. I liked the heroine because she was plucky and smart. The plot moved quickly and there were many surprising twists. Action. Intrigue. Romance. A little something for everyone. When I did put the book down - a girl has to sleep, yes? - I literally dreamed of the characters.
LOVED it.
As a matter of fact, I loved it so much that I immediately dived into the second book in the series, Magic Study. In this book, we follow Yelena's not so easy discovery of her native land of Setia, as well as her magic skills. Again, fast paced, lots of action and never predictable.In my life before children, I would have read these books in a single sitting. If you like the fantasy genre, I highly recommend these books.
There is a third book in this series: Fire Study. I do not have it yet, as I am too cheap to buy it in hardback. I can not wait to read it!
Snyder has also started a second series set in Setia/Ixia. The first book is called Glass Storm and is based on a character introduced in Magic Study. I look forward to many books to come. I do love a book in a series!
1.08.2009
Blog Love
I got my very first blog award! It is the Lemonade Award and I received it because Mel from A Voice For Moms thinks I demonstrate a good attitude with my blog: if life hands you lemons, make lemonade! This is especially humbling to receive from Mel, as she is unfailingly positive and supportive even when her own life has taken a difficult turn. Thank you so much for thinking of me, Mel.The rules:
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Nominate at least
3. Have your
*I am a little on the shy side and worry that people I don't know well might think this was all chain-letter-y, so I reduced the number to 5.
So here are my
- Dodi from It's a (Dodi's) Life - She gave me my very first comment from someone to whom I was not related. Her blog makes me laugh and wish we lived in the same town.
- Blue Violet from A Nut in a Nutshell - She always has an encouraging word when life with Z is tough. Plus, she doesn't hold my total blond moments against me!
- Jennifer from Rundpinne - We seem to be on the same wavelength and she has given me so many good ideas for my blog.
- Jamie from Kids... Me & RAW III - She cracks me up! Also, it was she who encouraged me to branch out and start The Button Box.
- Dana from Cherry Soup - She was my very first follower and always has something cheerful to say.
Also? I will call this my thankful list for today. I am thankful that I stumbled across all of these lovely ladies out there in the great big blogosphere. And to Mel, who warmed my heart.
1.07.2009
21/365
Today I am thankful for:
1. My mom-in-law putting Z down for her nap.
2. My mom-in-law watching the kids so T and I could have an actual date.
3. My mom-in-law feeding the kids dinner.
4. My mom-in-law getting the kids to bed before we returned from said date.
5. My mom-in-law cleaning my kitchen - not in a bitchy you-are-such-a-bad-housekeeper way, but in an I-love-you-and-this-is-a-nice-thing-I-can-do-for-you way.
Man, I love her.
Oh, and the date was fun, too, even if the movie (Valkyrie) was a total downer. We actually had stuff to talk about besides the kids. Huh. Guess that's why I married him!
1. My mom-in-law putting Z down for her nap.
2. My mom-in-law watching the kids so T and I could have an actual date.
3. My mom-in-law feeding the kids dinner.
4. My mom-in-law getting the kids to bed before we returned from said date.
5. My mom-in-law cleaning my kitchen - not in a bitchy you-are-such-a-bad-housekeeper way, but in an I-love-you-and-this-is-a-nice-thing-I-can-do-for-you way.
Man, I love her.
Oh, and the date was fun, too, even if the movie (Valkyrie) was a total downer. We actually had stuff to talk about besides the kids. Huh. Guess that's why I married him!
1.06.2009
Hide and Spank, Anyone?
Jeez Louise! Z is trying to send me to jail. I understand that she is strong willed, but I don't understand how such a smart kid consistently makes choices that make her life so unpleasant.
This morning, for example, she was playing on the floor of my office with her brother. Whenever he would reach for a toy, she would snatch it just before he could get to it, making Q howl in protest. I told her that if she did this again, she would have to leave my office and go to her spot. (I have a laminated circle on the floor at the entrance to the living room that says "Thinking Spot." That is where she goes for time outs.) Not two minutes later, Q is howling again and Z informs me, "I don't want to share." Like that is some sort of excuse for defying my instructions. So she went to her spot.
Now this next part is partially my fault. I'd sent her to her spot, but remained in my office to finish up what I was doing. When I walked into the living room, she was on her spot, but she had gathered up a bunch of contraband to take with her: a doll, the vacuum cord, and a toy suitcase. I told her to put the toys down because we don't have toys when we are on the spot. She looked my right in the eye and said, "No! I won't do it!" I gave her the choice of putting down the toys or going to her room (she hates playing by herself). I believe her response was something along the lines of "No! No! Never ever!"
I am really trying to cut down on the raised voices around here, so I took her hand to lead her to her room. She went limp, so I picked her up. I managed to make it upstairs before she managed to squirm out of my arms. I picked her back up and placed her on her bed. As I was setting her timer, she ran past me into the hall and bolted for my room. The little dickens HID from me. When I found her (she's a good hider), she got three swats on the hiney and I carted her back to her room and increased the time on the timer.
When the timer went off, she came downstairs. I asked her if she had learned anything. No response. Instead she shrilly demanded a treat. Wait, huh? I asked my question again and she said something incomprehensible in whine/wail mode. I told her that if she couldn't talk to me she would need to go back up to her room and think about it some more. At which point she started again with the "No! No! Never ever!" again. So back up to her room she went.
In total, she was up in her room for about an hour for what started out as the tiniest of infractions. Arg! I just don't understand why it has to be so unpleasant.
When I was teaching, I said the secret to classroom management was to maintain the position of head cat. You know, to let them know who was in charge. Hint: it wasn't them. My dad asked me the other day why I wasn't letting Z know who was the head cat. So I said, "Oh, I'm the head cat alright. It just isn't pretty. She is really challenging me." To which he responded, "Yeah, everyone I've talked to about it and I agree that she will be a challenge for her whole life."
Why does that feel like a life sentence?
This morning, for example, she was playing on the floor of my office with her brother. Whenever he would reach for a toy, she would snatch it just before he could get to it, making Q howl in protest. I told her that if she did this again, she would have to leave my office and go to her spot. (I have a laminated circle on the floor at the entrance to the living room that says "Thinking Spot." That is where she goes for time outs.) Not two minutes later, Q is howling again and Z informs me, "I don't want to share." Like that is some sort of excuse for defying my instructions. So she went to her spot.
Now this next part is partially my fault. I'd sent her to her spot, but remained in my office to finish up what I was doing. When I walked into the living room, she was on her spot, but she had gathered up a bunch of contraband to take with her: a doll, the vacuum cord, and a toy suitcase. I told her to put the toys down because we don't have toys when we are on the spot. She looked my right in the eye and said, "No! I won't do it!" I gave her the choice of putting down the toys or going to her room (she hates playing by herself). I believe her response was something along the lines of "No! No! Never ever!"
I am really trying to cut down on the raised voices around here, so I took her hand to lead her to her room. She went limp, so I picked her up. I managed to make it upstairs before she managed to squirm out of my arms. I picked her back up and placed her on her bed. As I was setting her timer, she ran past me into the hall and bolted for my room. The little dickens HID from me. When I found her (she's a good hider), she got three swats on the hiney and I carted her back to her room and increased the time on the timer.
When the timer went off, she came downstairs. I asked her if she had learned anything. No response. Instead she shrilly demanded a treat. Wait, huh? I asked my question again and she said something incomprehensible in whine/wail mode. I told her that if she couldn't talk to me she would need to go back up to her room and think about it some more. At which point she started again with the "No! No! Never ever!" again. So back up to her room she went.
In total, she was up in her room for about an hour for what started out as the tiniest of infractions. Arg! I just don't understand why it has to be so unpleasant.
When I was teaching, I said the secret to classroom management was to maintain the position of head cat. You know, to let them know who was in charge. Hint: it wasn't them. My dad asked me the other day why I wasn't letting Z know who was the head cat. So I said, "Oh, I'm the head cat alright. It just isn't pretty. She is really challenging me." To which he responded, "Yeah, everyone I've talked to about it and I agree that she will be a challenge for her whole life."
Why does that feel like a life sentence?
1.05.2009
20/365
Today was one of those days that the 365 Days of Grace in Small Things project is all about. Nothing big happened, but it was a good day. The kids had a cease fire. They both took long naps. It was rainy and gray outside, but I got to snuggle in my super comfy bed and read an AWESOME book (My Friend Amy's Book Challenge review to follow soon!).
Z came into my room about half way through nap time and asked if she could sleep in my bed with me. I was skeptical, but I said that as long as there was no talking and no wiggling she could stay with me. She promptly fell sound asleep. Z looks like an angel when she is sleeping. Griffin climbed up with us (a miracle in itself, as he has been wary of Z for her whole life) and rolled over on his back. Too. Cute. For. Words.
I looked up from my book and was overcome with a sense of well being. I have a good life. I do not love every minute of it, but it is mostly awesome.
Life is good.
Z came into my room about half way through nap time and asked if she could sleep in my bed with me. I was skeptical, but I said that as long as there was no talking and no wiggling she could stay with me. She promptly fell sound asleep. Z looks like an angel when she is sleeping. Griffin climbed up with us (a miracle in itself, as he has been wary of Z for her whole life) and rolled over on his back. Too. Cute. For. Words.
I looked up from my book and was overcome with a sense of well being. I have a good life. I do not love every minute of it, but it is mostly awesome.
Life is good.
1.04.2009
19/365
Today I am thankful for:
1. Super cool bloggers who say nice things about me.
2. Naps.
3. An affinity for computers that allowed me to throw up a business website in one evening. (Woot!)
4. Christmas Crunch makes a reappearance. We had to make the second half of the batch from before Christmas so that all the cereal wouldn't go stale. Unfortunately, tomorrow when the diet is supposed to start, I won't be so thankful.
5. Adobe Photoshop. See number three.
1. Super cool bloggers who say nice things about me.
2. Naps.
3. An affinity for computers that allowed me to throw up a business website in one evening. (Woot!)
4. Christmas Crunch makes a reappearance. We had to make the second half of the batch from before Christmas so that all the cereal wouldn't go stale. Unfortunately, tomorrow when the diet is supposed to start, I won't be so thankful.
5. Adobe Photoshop. See number three.
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