"Back to life, back to reality"

Can it be? My last day before I report back to work.... Where has the time gone?? On this last day of vacation I've been blessed with a cloudy, cool (relatively for AZ.) and book-reading morning! Nothing better than staying in bed and reading first thing in the morning for me. It feels like true decadence.

What I did on my Summer vacation...

Remember the first thing you would have to write about when you returned to school each year?? As tomorrow is my "back to school/work" day I have been thinking about what I will say when someone asks me the question..."What did you do this summer?" Before I stumble over the word "nuthin'" I decided I better think it through and recall what I did with my time. So here goes!

BREAD!
After years and years of my family pleading for me to NOT bake bread, they are actually clambering for my bread. What changed? I took classes, grind my own grains and have the right equipment!! I am so pleased with my efforts and love having loaves of bread in the freezer. I have made bread ever other week this whole summer and appreciate the $$ saved. We're eating better and it's fun to share what I can finally do with someone else! Boy, does it feel like a monkey off my back!!

Tortillas!
While not as complicated as bread it's just another thing off my list of what I learned! Our tortillas have ranged from whole grain to tomato tortillas (thank you bountiful garden!) and fantastic corn tortillas with masa from Guadalupe. Yum! I honestly feel like a Suzy-homemaker, but what fun! I sure appreciate our pioneer fore-mothers who had to do it all!!

Spanish for the Slow!!
After 9 weeks you'd think I'd be better! I trudge on but I am so grateful that I teach 1st grade - they are very tolerant of my struggles with their language! I must admit that I'm pretty awesome at reading the language and I can understand kid Spanish, but when adults speak so quickly and if I have to answer - well...it's just not too pretty! I've taken a class all summer on Spanish for school personnel. It's moved rather quickly and I'm pleased with how well I'm doing. Now let's see if I can apply it to the real world! NOT! I am amazed at how much I remember from high school though, that drill and kill from long ago really worked. I can adapt to verbs and conjugations much better than most and I can skate by on weeks when I really didn't want to give it much effort. My goal is to be able to conduct a report card conference without a translator - yikes! We'll see!


Crunchy Granola - Sweet!
Something so easy and something so basic - what fun to perfect this recipe this summer. Can I say that I just feel like an Earth Mother?!?!

Book Pleasure!

She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.
Louisa May Alcott
I've spent the summer enjoying the "finer" print. While my "staycation" has kept me in the walls of my own home, in my books I have traveled to far away lands, across oceans, down the street, and to other worlds. Too bad the stamps aren't in my passport but that day will come. I'm grateful for the library and my own well stocked book shelves. I didn't even make a dent in my TBR pile - only added to it. Isn't life grand?!?

Dating on a Dollar - the research!
Rich and I are teaching a class on Dating on a Dollar in September and we've had a blast this summer doing all the research!! We've loved exploring, thinking outside the box, and spending the time on our own relationship! We've gone places we've never been and really feel like we know our community better. We've met great people and enjoyed dates in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I wonder if this is tax deductible?

Well telling someone what I did this summer may not be a one-word answer but more than anything I feel like I fed my soul! And that's the best gift I think I could give myself!

It's All Too Much

I went to the library to pick up my holds and was really excited to find It's All Too Much: An easy plan for living a richer life with less stuff by Peter Walsh. I put this book on hold about a month and a half ago when Rich read about it on Kelly's Cool Tools but I'm glad it came right now. It's rather serendipitous actually as summer is the perfect time to de-clutter my life.

This is not a book about "color-coded boxes and storage bins" as a strategy but instead revealed facts and ideas for why we keep what we do and how it can damage our lives. I began to see how I can let go of lots more and how I am "paying" too much to keep things and not effectively use them.

I am not a big self-help book reader and don't like "preachy" books much either. but I became a "preachy" person myself after reading and pondering this book. I can look at my home and my classroom with clearer eyes after reading this book and I have a real desire to own my things rather than the other way around.
As Walsh says:

"My job may be all about organization and decluttering, but I cannot say enough times that it is not about the "stuff." I have been in more cluttered homes than I can count, and the one factor I see in every single situation is people whose lives hinge on what they own instead of who they are. These people have lost their way. They no longer own their stuff - their stuff owns them. I am convinced that this is more the norm than the exception in this country. At some point, we started to believe that the more we own, the better off we are. In times past and in other cultures, people believe that the worst thing that can happen is for someone to be possessed, to have a demon exercise power over you. Isn't that what being inundated with possessions is - being possessed?" p. 219

4.0/5.0

Princess Ben

I love it when the library has lots of requested books ready for me. They arrived just in time for my summer read-a-thon!! I can't remember what led me to some of them but I love it when I crack one open and fall head over heels for the story!

At first I was a little worried Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock might turn out to be just another feisty princess story, and I've read a lot of them this summer. All the ingredients were there: unconventional princess, arrogant prince, horrible queen, locked tower, fire-breathing dragon, magical prophecies - you know, the same old fairy tale stuff! Fortunately this story kept me on my toes. Ms. Murdock manages to take familiar fairy tale elements and turn them upside down. See if you can find the story elements to other fairy tales hidden inside.

Oh, and the voice! Ben has an appealing wit, done in a style that sounds like it was written with a quill pen on parchment. She even sent me to the dictionary a time or two or three. Words like abstruse, benignant, sagacity and obfuscated are not in my normal vernacular yet each one was the perfect fit for this voice of the character.

Favorite quotes:

"Nay, Your Highness, you'd best stay clear of those two. Some folks have pasts that prevent a future." p. 267

"Sophia sniffed. 'Young people forever believe that kingdoms are made on the field of battle. Believe me, dear princess, they survive or perish not through warfare but through gestures and dances and incidental conversations. As you desire the preservation of your country, you must act on this reality.'" p. 301

Catherine Gilbert Murdock is the author of two other books; Dairy Queen and The Off Season. I have not read either book but have heard about them. I guess the fact that I come to the author later is a blessing - I wasn't expecting a certain style or character. What I got was a readable escape and a terrific twist. While I won't liken her totally to Shannon Hale (goddess of all fairy tales well written!) I will note that Ms. Murdock is right up there!! 4.5/5.0

I wonder what my next book holds??

Flashing By

Time is flashing by!! I can't believe that my summer is almost
over :( My carefree reading days are coming to a close. It can't be. My TBR pile only got BIGGER this summer.

I finished reading The Judas Strain this weekend. This was my first book by James Rollins and I was in for a rolicking ride.
Two marine biologists are diving in the Indian Ocean. They discover that the water appears to be infected with what looks like an algae bloom. Within hours plague-like symptoms start appearing on their bodies.
On Christmas Island, a mysterious epidemic is raging. This illness is attacking both humans AND animals. Any living creature in the water and on the land that comes in contact with the algae begins to exhibit symptoms, crazy behavior and eventually dies. Dr. Lisa Cummings and her colleague, Monk Kokkalis, of the SIGMA Force are dispatched to the island to help find the source and hopefully the cure.
On the other side of the world Gray Pierce thwarts the schemes of a murderous assassin - a killer who holds the first clue to the discovery of a possible cure.Time is an enemy as Pierce and an unlikely ally are drawn into an astonishing mystery hidden deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code.
Combine the centuries old plague, throw in Marco Polo, the Vatican, a twisted terrorist organization (really bad people,) heroes with the SIGMA Force (that would be the good guys) and James Rollins has a page turner! The man can write!
Rollins has an incredible ability to yank you right into a story and keep you on a wild roller coaster ride page after page. He builds likeable characters, horrifyingly possible circumstances and plot twists and turns that keep you gasping. I literally kept having to close the book to breathe.
This was my first book by Rollins. I heard him speak at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale and thoroughly enjoyed him and his stories. He wrote the novelization of the current Indiana Jones movie and was also there to talk about his newest book, The Last Oracle. The Judas Strain was the precursor to The Last Oracle and coincidentally my son gave it to me to read! I traded him my new book and we both enjoyed good reads!! Now I'm ready for the next one!

Summer house guests abound, schedules are full and the monsoon rain may make its return in today or tomorrow. Lets keep our fingers crossed! I went to lunch with my oldest son and his little family on Monday. We discovered Joe's Farm Grille (In Agritopia in GIlbert.) It had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network this week and my son wanted to go for lunch before they move away. Great food and a terrific location! They've revived the ol' family farm and farmhouse and it was so much fun to be there. Yum! Not only that, the company was great. I will miss my time spent with them. How can 125 miles seem so far?!?

Life is getting wild and busy and time is flashing by. Is it just because I am older? I swear I will make every encounter a memory so I don't forget and can hold on to things longer. I'll try anyway!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Monsoon rains, gully washers, dark clouds, thunder and lightning and saucer-size drops. I love them all. The air is full of waiting and suspense. I have always loved rain storms but I especially love the summer monsoons. The kid in all of us comes out in the aftermath too - skim boarding down streets, rushing through dips and splashing in puddles!

This weekend we were blessed with not one but two great storms. These were the knock-your-socks-off kind of storms that literally shut down freeways, flooded neighborhoods, and made even my tile roof leak. But I must admit that I love them all! They bring back great growing up memories, they smell like the desert is blooming and they provide an intimacy that seems lost on a bright and sunny day. Best of all I am grateful for rain in this desert.



Fun dates keep the smiles in our marriage! This weekend we continued our "research" into fun, cheap, and easy dates!! We laughed at ourselves as we dressed in vintage "cow" and got free food from Chik-Fil-A! Yum! We also enjoyed free Slurpees from 7/11 but laughed at their size - 7.11 ounces!! We have cataloged months worth of fun dates this year and it just proves to me that we are having as much fun now as we did when we were first dating, eons ago!


Great conversation!! I love when the give and take of conversation gets past the basics, the platitudes, and the niceties and into deep conversing! I have sons that I can really talk with. I love it when we have the time to really share and talk. My daughter and I are finding time to really listen and talk to each other. How I enjoy when good friends have time to really visit with me, when I just click with someone and you can instantly engage in great conversation. I cherish this kind of time and this kind of friendship. It takes work to set your own thoughts aside and to really listen to someone else but it is when spirit truly speaks to spirit and it's wonderful!!


Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!! We have been so blessed with a bounteous garden this year! I've learned how to use what I have ---- to can, bottle, dry, and create! Tomato soup, tomato salads, tomato sandwiches, tomato tortillas, tomatoes in every kind of dish you can imagine - Now it's pumpkin time! I've baked them and frozen them and added them to meatloaf! The zucchini have finished for the season but the freezer is loaded with bags ready to add to zucchini "crab" cakes, galabacitas, zucchini bread and muffins and even brownies. If nothing else gets done this summer it has been the summer of learning in the kitchen. I love the bounties of full pantries and produce baskets!


Books, Books, Books! I love the quote:
"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. " ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991
I grew up in a reading house, loved (and love) libraries, and still want to bring more and more books into my life. I've raised readers - and now teach little ones to fall in love with stories and books. Believe me, there is no greater job! Books bring me solace, comfort, companionship, adventure, and peace. I am empowered when I read a book!
"Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled "This could change your life." " ~Helen Exley

This post has been a fun one for me - I learned to add photos from my computer and from the web, I practiced focusing my gratitude for the day, and it feels great to count my blessings!

The Princess and the Hound

He is a prince, heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the animal magic, which is forbidden by death in the land he'll rule.

She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from true human friendship but inseparable from her hound.

Though they think they have little in common, each possesses a secret that must be hidden at all costs.

This summation from the inside cover seems a good beginning to the book, The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison. The cover is a beautiful draw and I was intrigued. Now keeping with the title I assumed that a princess or at least a female would narrate or guide this story, not so. The story is instead told from Prince George's vantage point, a twist for many a fairy tale. (But the luscious cover will probably keep those male readers away!)

I really did like this book, but felt it lacked something - some sparkle maybe. It certainly was not a riveting book, although I enjoyed getting lost in its story. The plot was uneven in places and began to lag towards the end. As much as I had been enjoying it, at one point, I glanced at how many pages I had yet to go to be finished and I felt that the author had already said it all.

I did enjoy George's emotional and poignant growth and found some of the supporting characters such as Henry appealing. I would have liked to see him more involved in the story.

This story is one that I have found difficult to explain to others without giving too much of the plot way and now find writing about it to be the same. I enjoyed the "ride" but don't know if I truly got my money's worth!

3.5/5.0

I got emergency babysitting detail for sweet baby Jase today. What a fun time I had playing with him. Of course I had forgotten how much time a little 14 month old needs!! We giggled, tickled toes, discovered and sang songs. Having this sweet little one in our lives makes us so happy. It seems like just yesterday that my little ones were this size and now they have babies of their own. Where did the time go?? Because of babysitting I missed attending a book signing in Glendale where I hoped to meet a fellow blogger. Please forgive me for not coming. I will try to come another time!!

Lunch dates with another good friend this week was a real refreshing treat for me. I don't get to do it often enough - but in these economic times it's probably a good thing. Guess next time I'll just invite others over for fresh garden salsa and chips!!

Rich and I are studying A Heart Like His by Virginia Pierce for our weekly FHE. We've started our experiment together and it's a great experience so far. We're motivated. We miss having so many others be with us, so we decided to kind of change our modis operandi!! We'll get back to doing Game Night soon as well. Boy, I like this not working stuff!

Blessings Abound!

Bountiful Baskets is helping us stay healthy and stocking our fridge and cupboards. Between it and a garden we never have to visit the produce section of the grocery store anymore! It has been a really great blessing for our kids who live on their own as well. Bountiful Baskets is a food coop available to anyone in the valley. They have distribution sites all over in the East and West Valley and soon hope to have distribution in Tucson and Yuma. We contribute a set amount of money and the coop negotiates a fruit and vegetable purchase. It truly does fill our basket! It is a 50%-50% combination of fruits and vegetables and is never the same. We've experienced tomatillos, leeks and collard greens and reveled in mangoes,pineapple, strawberries, limes and watermelon. I feel blessed to have discovered this all volunteer group!

Our garden is HUGE and producing massive amounts. We have had zucchini and yellow squash in all varieties - today I'm doing zucchini bread for the freezer! The tomatoes have all started ripening at once too. Salsa and canning are on the agenda this week. Yum! The tomatoes are as big as baseballs - what a hoot for 115 degree days in Arizona!

I am loving the grinder that Rich bought me for Mother's Day! I have conquered delicious whole wheat bread (now I am making 8 loaves every 2 weeks) and we love the whole grain tortillas I've been making. Breakfast pizza was a huge hit and now it's fun to keep dough in the freezer. I am having a blast! Jennie is enjoying learning with me - she's trying to learn everything she can before she leaves for college in August.

Last night I went to go hear James Rollins speak at the Poisoned Pen Bookstore. He was very interesting. He is a veterinarian from Sacramento, California who writes high action books that are a blend of Da Vinci Code and Indiana Jones! As a matter of fact he was asked to write the novelization of the newest Indian Jones movie. He talked quite a bit about that. I had a great time and was very motivated to read more of his books and share them with my sons. They will love them too I know!

Currently I am reading two books - my "upstairs" book and my "downstairs" book - The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison and Sway; The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by two brothers, Ori and Rom Rohman. Both books are so good and so different from each other. It's hard to remember to make the time for studying Spanish each day!

I love what I am learning from others who blog! I have met up with many old friends through their blogs and I really enjoy how they journal for themselves and others. I even learned a cool tip on using vinegar and baking soda to unclog slow drains!! That saved us $$ - a neat benefit. I am so technologically dorky that I don't comment much or post pictures (don't know how yet) but I feel like I am learning so much and gaining new friends in a new way!

With high temps outside it feels great to stay home and nest a bit. I'm afraid I'm not really good about getting lots of important things done but I am feeding my soul!