Book Week

OK, so it is technically a school week. But mentally I'm finishing Spring Break!  So we are having a relaxing week, with a theme: Book Week. 

The first part of Book Week is a project we started over a year ago--our Book of Months. Each girls is making a book that walks through each  month of the year, describing what is special about that month, our family traditions for events that month, etc. The books may end up in the heirloom category--certainly for the amount of time the girls are spending on each highly detailed page of illustration!  But now the annual county-wide Author's Fair is upon us, and even though we started this project about 16 months ago, the girls are FAR from being done. I'd say they are only 1/3 of the way through their illustrations, with even less of the writing done.  This is with the project getting at least 30 minutes of work almost every school week since!  I am so glad my girls are engaging with the project so fully, and that they are making such meaningful illustrations--but I refuse to let the project go on another year!  Esp. because they have grown as people and artists over the course of the time we have worked on the project, so that they have started being dissatisfied with the drawings they made earlier and have then discarded them and started over.  A fine artistic choice, but one that could well lead to this becoming a perpetual book project!  So, forcing my children to labor over their drawings for hours at a time is the first goal of Book Week.

Perhaps it is appropriate that we just finished learning about illuminated manuscripts and the monks that made them--the children can at least be thankful they have a warm room to work in, they don't have to grind up their own coloring agents, and they are allowed to speak while working. Heck, they can even suck on some Easter candy while they work. Whatever will keep them happily working on it!

The second part of Book Week is even more fun: reading, reading, reading!

We do not own many pieces of furniture (understandable in a house our size!) but we have two big cherry bookcases we bought when we first got married.  One faces the front door, and holds more "school-y" books.  (I'll have to show you in another post.) This one faces the living room, and holds mostly fiction, with some non-fiction picture books mixed in. 

Sunny asked a month ago if we could spend Spring Break reading through the bottom two shelves of this bookshelf--the favorite picture books she doesn't really get much chance to read anymore, but which still give so much pleasure.  I thought that was a great goal! 

These are the two shelves we are reading through this week--most of our picture book collection.

 

This is starting at the right of the top shelf, which has picture books geared to a slightly older child (or the taller books that don't fit on the bottom shelf). Normally I enjoy keeping the shelves somewhat organized first by genre, then by author, with size variables accounted for--I know, I know--but with the crazy reading going on this week, they are currently a happy, disheveled mess.

Favorite titles from this first pic:

Homeplace

The Biggest Bear

The Scrambled States of America

Small Beauties

A Child's Calendar

This version of Snow White

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Lion

Yes, I am such a book nerd that I am going to show you ALL the books. Some of them are special friends, which is why I'm introducing you by name.

The Tale of Three Trees

The Fourteen Bears Summer and Winter

The Long and Dangerous Journey

Moses

A Time to Keep

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

Of course if you no longer have kids in this stage of life, you will be glazing over at this point. But if you love books, or memories of when your kids were young, or if you just want to snoop at my bookshelves just like you would if you came over sometime, here you go!

The Velveteen Rabbit (I'm not sure my edition is the best out there--so many versions of this story have gorgeous illustrations!--so I didn't link it)

This version of Little Red Riding Hood. I'm a fan of this author's work, and have quite a few on the shelf  by her.

This edition of Beauty and the Beast (alas, out of print and highly collectible--sounds like the affordable paperback is a shortened version)

The Maggie B

A Fairy Went a Marketing

Hiding over against the bookshelf wall to the right are the fragile antique books my mother has passed down to us from her own childhood. I keep them tucked away behind Stuart Little just so little hands don't grab them automatically. Out of sight, out of mind. ; )

The Kitchen Knight

The Water Hole

Now we get to the bottom shelf, with the books geared more for the earlier readers, and the books shorted in height.

George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends

This version of Mother Goose

Tuesday

The Giant Jam Sandwich

The Adventures of Mole & Troll

The Little House

Cookies: Bite-Sized Lessons

Norman the Doorman

Mama, Do You Love Me?

The Marble Cake Cat

As you can probably guess, a lot of these books are from my childhood.  : )

The Frog and Toad Treasury

Let's Look at the Jungle

The Fire Cat

The Best Loved Doll

Bears in the Night

The last books on the shelf to the right are not in the picture because they are large and have to lay on their sides--mainly Smiley's collection of Richard Scarry books. Those are favorites of mine just because they occupy him for good lengths of time while I'm helping his sisters with school. : )

Child of Faerie, Child of Earth

The Hat

Eloise Wilkins Treasury


Some of these books made me smile just reading the titles.  : )  I am only specifically mentioning my favorite favorite of those on the shelves.  But all the books on the shelves have to meet at least two out of my four criteria for what is worth the precious in-house real estate:

* The story has to be well-written.
* There should be something the child learns from the story, or it should broaden the child's mind, or ignite imagination in some specific way.  In other words, it has a greater meaning beyond the story itself.
* The illustrations should be exemplary.
* Or the book should be especially nostalgic for me, or someone special gave it to us.
* Bonus points if it makes me smile or cry every time I read it.

I have a loathing for pointless stories and silliness for silliness's sake.  I abhor twaddle.  It makes me so sad when an excellent story is printed with lame, uninspired artwork.  Yes, I'm a book snob.  But that does not mean I'm too picky--there are some books I love that have very silly elements (The Giant Jam Sandwich is a prime example)  but there is something about them that is clever and whimsical too. And condition does not bother me either, as long as pages are not falling out (and I can't just tape them back in) or the book is molding--what's inside the book is way more important than the outside. Often, the best books are no longer in print, so I am perfectly willing to put up with ragged old books if need be! 

There are a lot more excellent books on our shelves I'm not specifically mentioning because they are considered childhood classics (like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, and Where the Wild Things Are, and Madeline's Rescue.)  I just wanted to share with you some of the titles that you might not be familiar with. 

I also have a LOT more books in bins under the house. Most of them are more educational in nature, so have been separated and stored according to subject.  But there are also just a lot of good books that were not *quite* worth the in-house shelf space, but which I can't quite part with.  And a bin of broken books that require serious mending, but which I am sorry to part with (or can't replace). And a box of books to take to add to our little homeschool library we are starting at church. And a box of books to eventually give away. Ahem.

Have I mentioned that I love good books?

Happy Reading everyone!

(And if you have a favorite favorite picture book you want to recommend, please share it in the comments!)

the bed update

These posts I have been making are just so completely random--but that is how my life is at the moment!  As always, there are so many things I would love to say to you all, and so little blogging/brain-fresh time, so I find myself putting on hold telling you the things that are probably most important, and instead telling you the things that are easy to say.

But I am sure there are things I was sharing at the end of last year that you would like an update on--so consider this the first in a series of random updates! 

The bed project.

So, this has been going sloooooooooowly. However, we have made progress.  We are building four connecting bunks, basically two "L" shaped beds, one on top of the other.  We are using an antique bed we found locally for some of it, just because.  We have sourced and purchased and transported all the additional wood we should need to make the beds (DH wanted hardwood because it would be more attractive and stronger. Fine with me.)   I bought the fabric and at least most of the batting we will use to upholster the sleeping platforms (in lieu of traditional mattresses we are building in padding, and then the kids will have some additional personal bedding on top).  We have finalized the overall design.  DH has prepared his work space in the carport and the wood is ready there for the working.  In fact, he's out there right now "ripping" boards to get the sizes he needs to start the actual construction.

This is all really good.

We still need to hunt down a few specialty bits, to hold certain parts of the beds together as strongly as possible, esp. where we are using the antique wood.  And while the overall design is done, we need to finalize design of some of the trickier parts, such as where piece of wood are joined and how to make sure everything is well supported (while still meeting my requirements for being attractive).  So much goes into a project before the actual building begins! Then after he cuts the pieces, I will be sanding and staining them.  And then we need to get the plywood for the sleeping platforms and I will upholster them (that part should be the easiest--just wrap and staple, no finished edges to worry about).

So, most of the work is yet to happen.  However, I am choosing not to be discouraged by that--instead, I'm just going to be patient and content do my best to help each small step of the project go as smoothly and quickly as possible.  It's zen home makeover.  It's good for my spirit, and my marriage. : )  And I want to celebrate each step completed too!  With that in mind, I finally took photos of the beds, so we have "before" shots:

The original footboard, and one of the long sidebars.  The original bed is a 3/4 size. 

The headboard.  Photos taken at night, so not the best lighting.  As you may be able to see, especially if you double click on any of the photos to enlarge them, there is a finish on the wood that the antique dealer said was a milk paint finish, and it does have charm (just needs a good cleaning). But just last night we were debating whether we should just strip the wood so we can try to stain it the same as the maple we bought for other parts of the beds (the old bed is possibly maple--or cherry. Not sure.) I dunno--one more step to the process, and a tedious and messy step at that. But we might end up with one post that we are going to have to sand down anyway, which means that area at least might need to be re-finished. . . I welcome your opinions.  I wish DH would just let me paint over the old finish and then "antique" it. . . but he is not a fan of painted wood, so said I could only do that if we first stain it and then don't like how it looks.  (And if I go to the trouble of sanding and staining all this wood, you know I'm not going to want to paint over it.)

Anyway, the new beds are underway!

And it is none too soon.  The girls have definitely outgrown the single, and while they are still sleeping well at night, they are having trouble getting settled when they first get into bed.  They are staying awake longer, which might be somewhat from getting older and needing less sleep, but might also be because they are so snug together. 

Which so far has been fine, and even adorable:

Fall, 2013

And sometimes downright hilarious:

Sleeping tangle, Winter 2013

Smiley has been sleeping in the crib, which is set up under the bunk.  He still has plenty of room, and has been content:

The old bunk bed (DH's when he was a boy) has served us well:

Reading before bed

 

Doing school (or trying to)

And bouncing on bigger siblings

And general cuddling and bonding.

We're a close-knit bunch, and I think a lot of that has to do with how we sleep.  I don't regret a bit of the closeness they have gained from the old arrangement, and we even designed the new beds to foster the same kind of fun and sharing spaces. 

But I'm still going to be so happy when the new bunks are done!

It's a Fashion Show of Things to Go!

There are more things I want to write about that last topic. . . and I am setting the date for going private. . . but in the meantime, how about something not at all serious?  I'm in the mood for levity, and fashion, and cleaning out my closet--so I thought it would be fun to show you all some of the things I am finally letting go.

Let me just remind you that I am the anti-hoarder.  I enjoy nice things, but in this tiny house I have to be brutal at times choosing what nice things will earn their space, and I get so much satisfaction from letting things go (just as much as keeping only things that are useful or make me/my family happy).  So this past week when I was switching out the summer clothes in my closet for the winter ones, I realized I had some things in my closet all summer long that I never wore.  Like not once.  Clothes are only worth the valuable closet real-estate if I wear them, so I decided to take a step back and try to figure out why I didn't--and I realized that I am starting to feel the urge to dress "my age." 

So even though some of those outfits have long been my FAVORITE, I think are just too young for me now, and I wonder if I will ever enjoy wearing them as much as I did before.  This means it may be time to let them go, even if that makes me a little sad too.  But as my upper arms get saggier, and under my eyes gets baggier, I just don't feel good in those outfits anymore.

I also have never liked my legs, esp. the lower leg, and while skirts that hit above the knee are the most flattering for my leg shape (I'm pretty bowlegged from the knee down), they also flaunt my super pale, usually stubbly, starting-to-show-spider-veins legs.  Now I am not ashamed of my legs--they serve me quite well, and I refuse to let anyone tell me they are inadequate somehow because they are not tan and perfectly smooth!--but I also feel like there is no reason to put them on display when doing so does not help me feel more beautiful.  I feel more attractive in long skirts, and think long skirts suit my age better too.

**Disclaimer--please do not take ANYTHING I am writing and think these same things apply to anyone else!  I'll bet you look great in short skirts!   I am speaking only of my own style preferences, and the ways I feel about me.  The clothes I am drawn to are in certain styles, and some of them are rather unusual, and some of them I think I have outgrown.

So, enough talk.  The fun part is showing you!

Blouse and skirt both by Odille, from Anthropologie many years ago.

This outfit has long been my favorite FAVORITE.  I bought the two items from Anthropologie on sale so many years ago I can't even remember when, not expecting them wear them together because the pinks just don't match.  But. . . somehow I tried them together, and kinda liked the effect. . . and in no time this became an official outfit.  I would sometimes wear the skirt with a black t-shirt or tank too.  It is so pretty and floaty, and surprisingly practical--this was one of the few summery items of clothing I had years ago on the long road trip to Illinois and back.  I wore it driving, packing, doing pretty much anything!  I even remember distinctly having it on while hiking around Devil's Tower National Monument. : )  Pink is not my usual color of choice, so it has been fun to have such a nicely made piece to liven up one of my favorite colors to wear, black.

But.  The skirt has always been a little too big for me (like it rides on my hips), which has been convenient when I gained and lost around pregnancies.  But I am just a little tired now of having clothes that don't fit quite right.  I could have it taken in, but considering the whole bare leg in short skirts thing, I am not sure it is worth it.  Finally, I just wonder it is just one of those things I am unconsciously not reaching for because it no longer feels like "me." 

The blouse I might keep.  I just love it SO much, and it looks great with jeans.  Also, it developed a substantial tear in the fabric behind one arm years ago, and my brilliant mother repaired it so well you can't even tell--so there's real love invested in it! 

But.  I have other tops I wear with jeans and don't really need this one.  The tear behind the arm happened because it was a little snug when I stretched my arms forward, and so even though it has enough give now for most activities, it is not necessarily good for things that involve reaching forward. Like emptying the washing machine and dryer.  Like getting things out of the cupboards.  So it ends up being a blouse I put on for Sunday and then take off when I get home.  This is ok. . . but I do want to think about how much I will really wear it if I give up the skirt I have mostly worn it with. . .

A last funny story about this outfit:  I took it to IL for my 20 year high school reunion (don't we take all our favorites to those things?), and my two besties Susan and Mina and I had so much fun laying out clothes and planning out outfits for the various reunion events.  When they saw this outfit, they both vehemently said, "Uh, no."  They said the top was ok, but definitely not with the skirt.  I didn't mind their opinion--I knew it was an unusual combination, and trusted their fashion sense, and was glad for their honesty in the face of such important fashion events. ; )

But.  Back home in Santa Cruz, CA, only a few weeks later, I wore the outfit to a baby shower, and received at least three spontaneous compliments from women there.  I then received compliments at church, and elsewhere.  Every time the women did not just say, "you look nice,"--no, they specifically said how much they liked the two pieces together.  It was just cracking me up--because it was clear that while Mina and Susan knew what the rest of the world finds fashionable, they clearly did not have a pulse on our unusual area--an area where you routinely see bumper stickers with the slogan "Keep Santa Cruz Weird." 

More of my, um, "style."  I can't even remember where I bought the top, and the skirt I found either at Macy's or Ross--can't remember which.

Here is another favorite outfit--I even wore it to my sister-in-law's wedding rehearsal.  It was cuter back when I had boobs, but I still find its shape flattering.  I LOVE how it makes me look slim while not making me  suck in my tummy!  So I might keep the top, as it looks cute with brown pants. Except the only brown pants I used to wear it with have long worn out, so technically I don't know what I would put with this top except jeans.  And again, how many tops do I need to go with jeans?

The skirt is nothing special to me, and I just liked it because it was fun with the top--another mismatched yet complimentary pairing that I have enjoyed.  But I think it just looks a little too youthful for me now.  Now that I think about it, I might like the skirt with a different top, and would not feel it is too young. . . but since there's that whole legs showing thing. . . eh.  So maybe it really means it is the adorable and flattering top that is really too youthful. . .

And here's the final thing I wanted to show you:

Top I bought at a consignment store I think two summers ago.  Jeans I bought at Goodwill, which I LOVE and am wearing until they completely fall off my body.

This is another top that is a great color for me, and I thought was very flattering, emphasizing my miniscule bust and de-emphasizing my tummy.  I found it at a time when I was recovering from my last baby and really did not have many clothes that fit me, and it was just a few bucks, so it was worth buying.  But.  It is synthetic, which is just not my favorite to wear (all the previous clothes have been 100% cotton, except the black blouse which is rayon).  The only clothing items I have to wear it with are a long black skirt, which I admit looks a little outdated (call me weird, but not outdated!), and jeans.  And you can see, it's not the most fabulous on me with jeans. So even though I still like the top, I don't think I wore it once all summer.

So, there you go!  I'd love to hear what you girlfriends think of the pieces and my "too young" theory.  If there are any pieces you really like on me, please say so, because I'm still on the fence with some of them.  But please do NOT just say nice things for nice things sake--time for friendly opinions!  I'd also enjoy hearing your thoughts on your own wardrobes. Are there things/styles you have decided you are just not going to do anymore?  Do you tend to hold onto favorite things even though you don't wear them?   How do you pick your clothes? 

I'm in the mood to talk fashion, so if anyone else is in a similar mood, bring it on!

Welcome to My Kitchen--the photo tour!

 

Welcome!  Come on in!  This is what you would see of my kitchen after coming in the front door.  Of course the first thing one sees is books--lots of books.

 

 

 

But if you turn and look to your left, you'll see that the entry is also the start of the kitchen.

 

 

If you want to see any photo larger, just click on it

 

Please, walk this way.  Now you are standing in the middle of the kitchen, facing the front of the house. That is the front door off to the left, where you just came in, with my Dear Husband's vest and hat hanging there, the things he grabs when it's time to bring in more firewood.  This stand we use for the microwave is not my favorite, but it does the job, and even hides some of my bulk food storage underneath, which is helpful. It is graciously on permanent loan from DH's parents, as are the kitchen table and chairs.

 

When we first moved into this house, that is right where the fridge sat.  Old beat-up fridge right next to the front door--does that say class or what.  

 

Same view, just looking up.   The carved and turned wooden cups displayed above were made by my great-grandfather Troy Lager back in Southern Illinois.  Up there are also some pretty little turned wooden candle-stick holders--not heirlooms like the cups, but still beautiful.  I brought back all these treasures from my parents' house last summer.

 

I have to step back for a minute, to take a longer shot and help you get a feel for how the room starts all together. 

 

When we bought the bigger fridge, the only place to put it was in front of a window.  That bugs me, because we lose some light and it seems odd, but the only view from that window is the neighbor's house and bedroom window, so actually having the fridge there (and thus the curtains behind it always pulled closed) gives us more privacy.  Still, this has always in my mind been a temporary location.

 

The space next to the fridge by the window is just the right size for storing the rest of the antique wooden folding chairs, so they are ready for company.

 

It was not quite as dark in the living room as this shot would lead you to believe, but our house is pretty dim on a cloudy day like yesterday was. Still there is enough natural light for everyday living--I just turned on the lights to try to help the photos turn out.

 

 

 

For this shot I stood all the way in the living room at the foot of our bed/sofa.

 

When we first moved into this house, there was only one light in the entire kitchen-living room area--a creepy, buzzing, bad motel pull-string metal bathroom fixture over the kitchen sink.  So one of our first home improvements was putting in these lights, which I got on sale from Restoration Hardware.  My MIL proclaimed installing them was like "putting lipstick on a pig."  ; )

 

 

As you can see, most of the house is still wired with the original 1928 "knob and tube" wiring, which is actually much better wire than the stuff put into houses today!  We are slowly replacing it, and you can see where we need to finish the walls after re-wiring.  There were originally redwood valances that hung over both of the large windows and covered the curtain hardware, which we had to take down for the re-wiring.  One of these days we will put them back up, I'm sure. 

 

The one bit of beauty in my front yard--my little cottage flower garden, which you can see a glimpse of out the front kitchen window.  Someday with the fridge moved, this space could be a lovely little table nook.
 

There was a large, ugly door on that cupboard over the sink that was hinged on the right so it was obnoxious to use while cooking, so I had DH take it off years ago.  It too will be replaced someday.  Hopefully.

 

 

 

 

This photo cracks me up, because you can see that only hours after I had this kitchen as perfect as I could make it, there are already dishes back by the sink (at least mostly clean!) and stuff sitting out in use.  That yogurt container is my make-shift compost container--I'm on the hunt for something much more attractive that is worth the counter-space.

I tried a second shot with the lights off, to see if that would more accurately capture the colors of the wood and cabinets.  There is not really a corner for the trash can, so it usually lives there in front of the oven, and I just pull it out of the way whenever I need to get into the oven.  The stepladder is ugly but necessary, since most of my storage is up high. I have to move it too anytime I want to open the oven door fully.  That's ok--I use the stovetop most.

 

Why, yes, that is a gargoyle on the hutch.  Doesn't every kitchen have one? 

 

The things sitting out on these shelves probably say more about us than the rest of the kitchen (except for the fridge, when it is in full display).  Top shelf left is the family candy basket--where the excess holiday candy goes.  As hard to reach as possible. Next to it is a photo of DH and I in our Renaissance costumes, taken B.C. (Before Children).  And then comes the little pot my sister brought me back from Europe when she was studying there.  Then comes the liquor.  Finally, the tagine and platter DH and I hand carried all the way from Morocco, where we visited his sister when she was in the Peace Corps there (also B.C.). 

The best close-up I could manage.  I knew if I did not try someone would complain. ; )

 

On the middle shelf on the left is my collection of "special" loose teas (thank you for sharing from your international collection, Mom!) and my "girlfriend" tea pot and cups.

 

 

Then comes a hand-made covered dish we bought at an art fair back in Old Colorado City.  It's my only "special occasion" dish.  Then come the antique blue glass mason jars my dad gave me when they moved--which hold my everyday loose teas. 

 

All the things on the shelf used to be grouped in a manner which I found more aesthetically pleasing, but when I started to worry about earthquakes, I started to imagine the damage (and potential fire hazard) of things falling down onto the gas-burners. . . so this arrangement is not as attractive to my mind, but sets my mind to rest.

 

The bottom shelf of course has the most utilitarian objects, none of which merit description. 

 

 

 

Except for the jar of sea glass, exceptional shells, and other found treasures.  With some vibrant lichens we just brought back from Lake Tahoe on top!

 

 

 

To the right of the hutch you see the doorway to the bedroom.  With no door.

 

 

And if you look farther to the right, you see the standing cupboards that were here when we moved in, which constitute most of our in-house storage.  The missing door is to my side of the clothes closet DH and I share.  Next to it is the broom closet, and children's art supplies storage.

These cupboards are very, um, rustic, and are clearly not original to the house, which overall was well constructed, with nice details.  So one of these days I hope we will build new ones (they are not only valuable storage, but serve as a dividing wall between the kitchen and living room) and then the refrigerator will be here on the right, with the cupboards built around it.  Yes, we will lose inside storage space that way (and who knows where the vacuum will go then), but I think it is the most logical and potentially attractive place for the fridge.  

We really do have to make the most of our in-house storage, so we use the top of the cupboards too. 

 

Back to Monday night--after the ladies left, I just had to marvel at my sink cabinet, faucet, soapstone counter and sink.  I need to see them more often. ; )  I love everything about this little section of the kitchen, because this is one thing we planned and designed and made happen.  This is like a little glimpse of how cool our tiny, antique shack could be if we really put our hearts into it.  It gives me hope.

 

Thanks so much for coming by!