Since my early days of hanging out with Wilder, Alcott, and Montgomery and more mature interactions with Janette Oke and Tracie Peterson, I’ve always had a soft spot for historical fiction. It is still my favourite genre to date. There is something about being transported to another time and place in history that absolutely thrills me – the experience without the discomforts.
I was hopeful when I requested a copy of The White City by Grace Hitchcock. I was excited when I received the notification that a copy was mine for the reading.
Intrigue & romance during the Chicago World’s Fair
The White City was set in Chicago during the 1893 World’s Fair. It is the perfect blend of historical fact and intriguing fiction. (I never knew the Fair was a hunting ground for a serial killer!) The elements of romance, danger, and intrigue were exquisitely intertwined resulting in a fast-paced, emotionally balanced tale.
I absolutely loved the headstrong, impetuous, intrepid, confident nature of Winnie, our heroine. She was also a book-lover, so what’s not to love? The romance element was delightful and I enjoyed the contrast between the two possible suitors. The portrayal of the era’s societal norms and conflicting desire for a woman to be her own person while being perceived as capable and intelligent was nicely depicted. There was no objectionable content for my friends who like their books G-rated (well, maybe PG with the focus of the investigation.)
An excellent read overall! I’ve already recommended it to a few of my friends. I look forward to exploring other titles from Ms. Hitchcock.
I was provided with a copy of this title via NetGalley, courtesy of the author and/or publisher. All opinions are my own, given with thanks for the opportunity to review this book.
Published by: Barbour Publishing, Inc., Barbour Books; Publication Date: March 1, 2019
Meal planning was soooo boring this week. I actually love trying to decide what to feed the family (in advance – not the actual day of. I hate trying to decide the day of.) This week, however, in an effort to stretch the paycheque a bit further (ahem, bathroom reno!) I took stock of everything left in the freezer. We didn’t need to buy any meat… so that’s good, but I don’t think I was as creative as I might usually be.
New cookbooks!
This disappointment may be spurred by the fact that 3 new cookbooks made it into our home over the last few days. I ordered Justin the Kid Chef book off of Amazon, I impulsively bought the Yum & Yummer one at Costco, and found a $2 copy of the Country Living Farmhouse Kitchen Cookbook on the clearance rack at HomeSense over the weekend. We have new recipes to explore for days and weeks and months!
Our meal plan this week is leaving an exception for food court food on Tuesday (dentist appointment at the mall right at the dinner hour) and a possible Valentine’s excursion with Justin & Kevin if Kaleb actually makes it to ski club this week. (Praying it won’t be cancelled again!)
Here’s our menu in no particular order:
grilled cheese & salad (possibly some broccoli cheddar quinoa bites with these. I had plans to make them yesterday, but plans went awry!)
eggs, toast, bacon, and fruit salad (Kaleb’s meal)
broccoli cheddar soup, salad, and fresh bread (Justin’s meal)
Ribs, hand-cut potato wedges, and veggie sticks (“Kevin’s” meal – I made him pick this one!)
Jerk pork quesadillas with salad (I have jerk pork left over from Saturday to use) – our meatless Monday meal will not actually be today
Asian salmon burgers (the recipe is the Asian Tuna Burger from the Yum & Yummer cookbook, but Justin read that you can substitute for salmon and decided he wanted to tackle two meals this week! I think we’re on to something!)
We still have some turkey strips and some bacon-wrapped medallions in the freezer if at any point we change our mind… plus, the remains of the 15lb bag of potatoes that doesn’t seem to be getting smaller! Options… so many options.
I ran out of time to do a full grocery shop… and again, am trying to stick to a food budget of sorts. I decided to use PC Express for our shopping. Our local grocery store has some amazing staff picking and packing and it just makes life so much easier in a hurry. Another bonus is that I strictly shopped from my list without the temptation of all the sales, end caps, and clearance racks. I loaded my cart online before bed one evening and picked up the next day at a set time in a designated parking spot with a quick phone call. I opted for no bags and just made sure I had laundry baskets in the trunk for easy unpacking of the cart. Bonus, they gave me a valentine and some chocolates as thanks! (Grocery shopping is always better with a Lindor at the end…)
Fantastic Little Reminders – Perfect for When Worry Strikes
Devotionals are hit and miss for me. I love ’em or I hate em’. They’re such a personal thing to read and if you don’t connect with the writing, it’s hard to get anything out of the text itself.
I was provided with a copy of Worry Less. Pray More by Donna K. Maltese to preview. I will admit I haven’t read the entire book. I’ve skimmed through quite a few entries (there are a lot! 180 readings and Scriptures – all dealing with leaving worry in God’s hands and letting go of anxiety.) One of my favourite snippets was this one:
“Let God’s beautiful rainbow amid the clouds be a reminder that He will make something good come out of the storms…”
Here is my review, originally posted on Goodreads:
This devotional is filled with quick and easy to read snippets to remind us that we do not need to live anxious or fearful lives. The entries are not deep. They are not exceptionally unique. They are, however, fantastic little reminders – bite-sized doughnut holes of inspiration – to snack on once in a while in a world where it’s easy to be consumed with anxious thoughts. I’ll keep it handy for those days that my mind needs quieting. Maybe less of a guide, and more a collection of sticky notes to reference quickly.
I was provided with a copy of this title via NetGalley, courtesy of the author and/or publisher. All opinions are my own, given with thanks for the opportunity to review this book.
Published by: Barbour Publishing, Inc., Barbour Books; Publication Date: March 1, 2019
This week I took the opportunity to crack open my copy of Midnight at the Tuscany Hotel by James Markert. It’s published by Thomas Nelson and sounded fascinating when I requested it from NetGalley. However, I only gave it a 3-star rating on Goodreads. I waffled back and forth between 3 and 4 stars, but something about the book just didn’t synch with me.
Loaded with mythology, art, beauty, damaged souls, and so many memories, it was an incredibly descriptive work. Colourful, lyrical prose flowed beautifully – Markert has an aesthetic way with words. Differences in theology aside – there were a lot of reliance and parallels to ancient mythology which worked with the artistic references and theme of the novel – the pictures painted in my mind were vivid and from that aspect, I was more than satisfied.
The storyline, however, while magical left me feeling a little lost at the end. (and in the beginning, and in the middle….) Part of me wonders if this was intentional considering the subject of memory (and/or subsequently, memory loss) and the effect on the human soul. At times, it was a little dry and I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending. Emotions were invoked, but as I set my tablet down when I finished the book I was figuratively scratching my head with a “huh.” It was a good book… but a strange book. It just didn’t hook me as an absolute favourite. One thing I loved, however, was the question of whether we should live our numbered days with fullness, or extend our days and live with less wholeness – is the return of memories lost worth it? My creative disposition appreciated the beauty of the arts so deeply woven throughout. The novel as a whole… enjoyed it? Yes; Liked it? Yes; Really liked it? Just not quite. 3.5 stars from me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Publication Date: April 9, 2019
If you live anywhere along the Great Lakes corridor, you were probably blasted with the ice storm. Slippery roads, mix of ice pellets and wet snow, yucky travel conditions. No one was surprised when they cancelled the buses for an inclement weather day yesterday… once again! (I feel like this is a record for January/February. Kaleb’s ski club keeps getting cancelled too – boo to that!)
My kids were home again. Emails and texts went around with leadership at one of my admin contracts regarding programs and meetings today – they were all postponed. I made the decision to work from home. Fortunately, I can tackle some of my essential commitments from the comfort of my couch and it also affords some time to dive into some of the research projects that get pushed to the side. (If you’d like to do a survey on what parents and caregivers look for in a playgroup for toddlers and preschoolers, click here.)
I called a pause to TV watching in the living room because I can only handle so much Spongebob before my irritability rises and my productivity plummets. Besides, the TV watcher had a speech to prepare. We worked side-by-side, laptops in hand, both investing in our projects. We broke for lunch. Then the contractor asked the boys to unpack the new vanity which took all of three minutes and me constantly reminding them to avoid scratching the vanity with their pocket knives, please and thank you.
The Box / 24 Home
We were left with a box. A big, beautiful box. A box in slight shambles and needing some TLC. The 11-year-old has transformed it into a hut of sorts – hinged windows, level on each side, double doors, and a shower mat as the flooring. It’s covered in green painters tape (whatever works) and is currently sitting in the middle of my living room. The construction alone (including things velcroed to the interior walls and ceiling) kept him occupied for hours. And I am thrilled. I am thrilled that he hasn’t outgrown the wonder of imagination. I am thrilled that a cardboard box still provides hours of entertainment. I am thrilled that he gets caught in the excitement of creativity.
I am, however, less than thrilled that I may have agreed to a 24-hour-box-fort-challenge (What? Something he learned on YouTube?) “Mom, you can fill up my water bottle and bring me snacks.”“If I put it the right way, I can still see the TV.” (Apparently, we’re not quite victorious over the screen yet…) “There’s enough room that I can have a pillow and blanket.”“I guess I can leave the box to pee.” (Oh, thank goodness! My relief knows no bounds.) As long as it leaves my living room, he can kill time in his box as long as he’d like to.
Here’s to big boxes and big ideas. Here’s to tape and pocket knives. Here’s to creativity and imagination. Here’s to thinking outside the box or, sometimes, being different enough and confident enough to even stay in it!
Our home is as old as I am. Unfortunately, she doesn’t show her age as well as I do. She’s a little more grey-haired and creaky-boned than a gal her age should be! She’s practical – ever practical – and does a fantastic job of keeping the elements off our heads (usually), but she seems to need a makeover rather desperately. She’s holding on to some elements of the 80s and she’s been reluctant to give them up (and not the good parts of the 80s like Cabbage Patch Kids or Sesame Street or side ponytails or neon leggings and bodysuits with leg warmers and headbands!) I really need to invest in some good wallpaper stripper – those borders and painted ceilings make me cringe.
When we moved into our home in late 2011/early 2012 we knew we would have some work cut out for us. We had grandiose plans of methodically taking our time and renovating the home on a shoestring budget, transforming the wrinkles and age spots into a comfortable modern, rustic nest. Unfortunately, the budget went to unplanned expenses and methodically became slowly became stalled. We’ve put paint on a few of the walls and my husband started to demo the second bathroom when we were at risk of falling through the floor due to the water damage caused by 30+ years of slow leakage. We’ve replaced hot water tanks, appliances, and our HVAC units. We’ve dealt with failing sump pumps, lawnmower expenses, and budget roof repairs. The house was livable, but not a thing like we envisioned.
After a year of my nagging, I believe Kevin got tired of the pressure regarding the bathroom. Before Christmas, he hired a contractor we know to come in and do the job for us. I am convinced this was a wise decision as the washroom was in worse shape than we realised when we started knocking tiles off the wall. Even though my wallet cries a little every time we make another decision, the overall project will be fabulous when it’s done!
I don’t think the bathroom will have quite the rustic charm I was initially hoping for, but every time I pop my head in to answer a question, I’m blown away by the transformation! No more mould-stained, crumbling and decrepit shower. No more cracked and stained vanity sink. No more ugly lighting. It will be a bright and clean usable space.
*Funny story about the paint, I wanted to use the 2019 colour of the year – Blueprint – but I was vetoed. It doesn’t happen often when it comes to the design of a project, but he was having none of it. So I looked at a bunch of swatches in store and didn’t buy a sample can and made my selection. I hemmed and hawed over a ton of paint chips and, wanting to avoid “just grey” again, narrowed it down to two choices – Oceanic Climate or Half Sea Fog. I chose Oceanic Climate – just a shade lighter than Half Sea Fog – on the same sample strip. Then somehow we’re paying at the cash and I notice that it says Half Sea Fog on the can, but can’t remember what I asked for! (Was it my fault? Was it his fault? Did I pass the chip the wrong way? Am I going crazy? Regardless, I am living with the mistake… but not loving it.)
Overall, we’re thrilled with the change in the room. The shower is bigger and brighter (no more dark-tiled hole in the corner) and the finishes are more modern as well. The floors have been grouted today and the plumber is coming on Friday. The finishing touches are going into place this week. Soon it will be THE nicest room in our house and we’ll have two toilets again – which is great because one bathroom was getting rough!
How is it February already? Last week it was so cold and I didn’t want to leave the house. Today it’s plus 8°C and it feels absolutely spring like! It makes me want to garden… mmm, rhubarb, lettuce, and zucchini, oh my! (Pretty much the only things I grow with any success… plus the crazy walking onions that do their own thing!)
Yesterday after church we had some brocolli cheddar soup that I had picked up from a local restaurant that I love. (They freeze and sell their soups!) We paired with a fresh cheese loaf from a local bakery. So good! Comfort food…
One of my goals lately has been doing the whole meatless Monday thing… but only at breakfast and dinner. Lunch still tends to involve meat for both kids. Baby steps. My decision has more to do with hiding things like beans in food and getting more veg in without complaints than any real altruistic motives. Whatever works.
Our meal plan this week will look something like this.
veggie samosas and mango salad (tonight!)
double stuffed turkey taco sweet potaoes and salad
frozen pizza and veggie sticks (K’s meal)
roulades with garlic mashed potatoes and whatever vegetables are hiding in the crisper
Because we’ve been doing so well sticking to the grocery list and the plan lately, I am giving myself leeway to do convenience food if I need to. I have some evening meetings to get to right at the dinner hour and other extra commitments here and there in general. No guilt. A fed family is as high as I’m aiming some days!
By mid-Friday afternoon, my brain is beginning to liquefy. I don’t work a traditional 40-50 hour work week. I don’t work a regular 9-5. I don’t work from a single office. I know that I have to be “on” come Sunday. I know I have client projects and prep work to tackle on weekends. I often work from home. I tend to juggle my family life with client obligations and can be found processing spreadsheets, checking emails, and designing flyers surrounded by piles of laundry, a cup of tea on the table, book close at hand, and the beast snoring away wherever he can find a warm comfy spot. (By the beast, I refer to my dog… not my husband. I can see how that last line confused you. The similarities are astounding.)
The flexibility of this arrangement has its perks. Inclement weather day? No problem! I’ll work from home. School assembly? Let me slip out of the office early and add an extra hour on Wednesday. Oh, you need that flyer tomorrow, but just got me the information I need? I’ll work on it after I make dinner, clean dishes, and tuck the kids into bed. You may just have to wait until I get them on the bus in the morning.
The downfall of being surrounded by the comforts of home while I’m supposed to be productive with other people’s projects, is, honestly, distractions. I have to work hard to balance family life, homemaking, and self-employment and it’s not always as easy as it sounds, especially as some days I resemble the dog in UP. (Squirrel!)
Balance is my own personal polar vortex. Distraction and non-productivity at one end. Hustle and accomplishment at the other.
Log in to Facebook to schedule a client’s updates for the week. Check. Get distracted by motivational videos. Uncheck.
Fold the laundry and write up the meal plan. Bookmark recipes for later. Check. Read one chapter before changing the next load. One chapter turns into 4. Uncheck.
Send out an update to support regarding some current client projects. Check.Research relevant information for said projects to support ideas and development. Get lost in a land of Narnia-like proportions with a ton of other ideas to save and develop for later projects. Uncheck.
Some days I get frustrated with my “bounce” – meaning I feel like I give some time to one thing, dive into another, and never quite settle on anything. Things get done… but it’s not all housework at once, or business at once, or sit and watch a movie without doing something else.
However, I’m learning to give myself grace. I’ve come to realise that just because I don’t follow a linear plan, it doesn’t mean I’m doing things wrong. I rely on checklists and if my to-do lists are being accomplished even if it means a few chapters of reading, followed by a load of laundry, followed by some document review, with some unscheduled brownie making or a lunch date with myself before I pick a new camp curriculum, that’s okay. No one is hungry. No one is waiting for important documentation. No one is losing hours from me (in fact, I’m probably owed some…) No one is hurt by my methods, so why do I allow myself to feel inferior as I juggle as best I can? I need grace.
I give myself grace to: allow myself to research. To pin. To dream. To follow rabbit trails. That’s okay.
I give myself grace to: take moments of rest. To find elements of humour. To be inspired by a blog, or devotional, or Facebook video. That’s okay.
I give myself grace to: fold ten loads of laundry. Forget one in the washer. Rinse. Repeat. That’s okay.
I give myself grace to: sit down for a reading session in the afternoon. Cook dinner. Spend time with my family. Ignore the emails pinging in after 7pm. That’s okay.
I give myself grace to: ignore the laundry basket. Ask the kids to quietly play elsewhere while I work. Leave the dishes in the sink. Develop a new flyer. Strategize a teaching plan. Update a product catalogue or website. That’s okay.
I give myself grace to: recognize that there is always room for improvement, but unreasonable expectations and pressure isn’t for me. Know that I work in my own way and am still productive even if my version of productivity isn’t the same as societal norms. Embrace rest, and boundaries, and balance amidst the hustle to get things done. Recognize that my own personal polar vortex may look like a whirlwind of chaos and a dizzying array of unrelated tasks to the outside world, but it works for me. That’s okay.
I was awarded a copy of Castle on the Rise (part 2 in the Lost Castle series) by new-to-me author Kristy Cambron. This book takes place in three eras of Ireland’s riveting history (present, early 20th century, and the 1700s.) It was not a time travel tale. It was a story of resilience, independence, family drama, love, loss, faith, and conviction.
The lives of the characters from each era were twined together in a remarkable tale detailing the struggles of Irish history and rebellions. Each setting was tied together through family trees and national loyalties, with the basis of the interactions focusing on a historical estate and neighbourhood pub. I found it fascinating and emotional to read.
It wasn’t an easy book to read – I put it down between chapters much more often than I usually do. This wasn’t due to boredom so much as just needing to let my mind change track between the different eras. The romance was clean and sweet, the troubles and trials daunting.
The modern characters weren’t as well developed (in my opinion), but it was a colourful novel that makes me want to pack my bags and catch the next flight to the Emerald Isle. Ths historical elements were beautifully written in vivid detail. It piqued my interest in so much more than the landscapes of this beautiful country. I want to know more about her history, culture, and people’s fierce pride and independence. Women were the unsung heroes of this tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Published by Thomas Nelson; Publication Date – 05 Feb 2019
We’ve had three snow days – AKA inclement weather days – in the last week and a bit. I’ll admit that with the drama of yesterday, when I heard bus transport was canceled again, the thought of having them underfoot made me quiver.
Fortunately, we’ve had heat and hydro and haven’t been truly snowed in. One day the roads were a bit slick. We weren’t truly stuck at home, but who wants to head out when the weather is icky?!
Since my boys started at this school, in JK and Grade 1, they’ve been bussed. There was a period of time that I would drive in as I helped with the breakfast program and they would bus home. Our policy has always been that if the bus is cancelled, they can stay home.
This has been easier for us than for others due to the flexibility of being self-employed with tasks I could do from home. Childcare has not been an issue. Boredom, however, can be a big one.
So how do we bust the snow day boredom? We become a bit more lenient with the screen time with movies, game systems, and YouTube. Not wanting to zombify the boys, however, we try to balance the electronics with other activities.
Here are some of our tried and true boredom busters:
Puzzles – the bigger, the better!
Board games
Books (they don’t love this one, but I still make them do it.)
Play outside or go explore in the woods (weather permitting)
Baking
Chores (another one they don’t love!)
Lego (not as popular anymore)
Cooking shows or wildlife shows (yes, it’s screentime but it isn’t superheroes or Spongebob.)
crafts or painting
I don’t think parents need to entertain their children every second of the day and boredom is great for spurring creative. I don’t see a problem with offering a list of suggestions though and spending some time interacting and making memories.
What are your go-to snowy day activities? What activities do you enjoy doing together? How do you survive snow day madness?
Life Love Laughter Linds 