Flying Milk

Ten Things!!

1. For the second time this month, a gallon of milk decided, of its own accord, to fly out of the back of the car the second I opened it, bursting open and spilling all over the driveway. FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS MONTH! Boo milk.

2. See this? it's a picture of myself, taken with my camera. Notice I did not say camera phone? YAY! Thanks to wonderful friends and family, and the amazing generosity of Katie Cowan. This girl has a camera.

3. Now that I have a camera, I can document all the glamorous things that happen to me, like Rousseau dumping out a box of cereal on the carpet. It's a rite of passage at our house.


And Astoria thought it was hilarious, obviously.



4. Today is one of those days where every time I think about teaching Zumba tonight, I feel like i'm going to barf all over my new dancy shoes...

5. Look! new dancy shoes!



6. I have a strange desire to make a Hogwarts gingerbread house this year. Awesome? Or just nerdy?

7. I have seen Blair for a total of 4 hours since Thursday. Welcome to basketball season.

8. I love the way Elliot says "Chilly"

9. It seems as though I will not be completing my book list by the end of the year like i'd planned. I'm still going to make a push for it, but the small amounts of free time I have can either be devoted to reading, or finishing my sister's Christmas present, and well, my sister wins hands down.

10. Note to self and others as well: Watching The Walking Dead right before bed? not the best of ideas.

December Winner

We have a weeener!

Gregory!!
(I hope your Amazon Wishlist is up-to-date kid. I'm kind of a stalker, sorry!)

Yay!

Here's the problem though. I kind of want ALL of you to win. I'm not joking. I get SO excited when I start looking for books for people, you have no idea. And it is my intention that sooner or later, if you keep playing, everyone will win! So do not despair dear friends. (or dear family members, who will PROBABLY get books for Christmas anyway. I'm nothing if not predictable.)

I have a host of other things to tell you about, but it will have to wait till I can get my monkeys... I mean children busy doing something other than climbing all over me (Rou), whining for jam sandwiches (Astoria) or begging me to play Lego Harry Potter with her (Elliot). Till then, farewell!

Christmas Present for You!

My book giveaway #1 was a success I think. (Ruth, I'm really REALLY hoping to give you yours in person!) Thanks to everyone who played! So... wanna play again? If this gets annoying just let me know, but seriously. I like books, and I like giving them to nice people even more.

Reminder:

1. Comment on this post if you'd like to enter
2. After you've commented, you get additional entries if you:

• a. Are a follower
• b. Send me a picture of you peeking over a book and a link to your current reading list
• c. Tell someone else about the giveaway (and then let me know about it)

3. I'll choose a winner (through a random number selector) this Friday, and hopefully get it sent out the winner before Christmas!


In other happenings, Elliot and I unlocked this piece of awesome:



I promise I am doing more with my life than playing Lego Harry Potter with my daughter, promise.
Look at all these lovely little things I have on my plate

• TONIGHT is Blair's first basketball game of the season. The Parowan Rams shall conquer Milford most triumphantly!
• Still teaching 6 Zumba classes a week, AND getting my first ever pair of real-life dance Nikes in Blair's basketball shoe shipment (YAY team discount!)
• If work had a face, I would punch it.
• My kids are amazing. Have I mentioned that already?
• Working on a top secret Christmas present for my favorite seester. Laura, can't you just live closer so I can kidnap you to Denny's again? Or Cheesecake Factory (ooohhhhhhh.... cheesecake...)

Anyway. Enter drawing. Win a book. And let's be friends.

Chicken Dinner

So who wants a book? How about this kid?



Ruth!

(My blog BFF who i've never met. She actually won both times. :) Since we are friends on Goodreads, this one should be pretty easy. Yay!!!)


Or maybe this kid?


Carrie Rosalind

(Yay for new friends! I do love a good challenge.)

Congrats friends! (y'all need to e-mail me with your addresses. Okay? mary_gola(at)live(dot)com )

The next step is my favorite. Picking out the books. Oooooh I can't wait!

"And Otho?" (as Elliot would say) don't be too bummed if you didn't win this time. Because I just decided I'm going to do this every month. Back in March I decided that I was going to "Give a good friend a good book" every month. I followed through with it for about 3 months. So not only is it high-time for a comeback, this way i'll have friends to bug me about it if I forget.

OH and If you didn't win mine... You might just win Gregory's. Go there and enter now! Do it!


The next post will contain Halloween costume pictures. Ye have been warned.

15 to Finish the Year

Think I can get through all these by the end of the year? I think I can.

Also, tell me what you think about this: I was thinking about doing a giveaway. I don't have anything fancy or crafty to give you, but, I like books, and something tells me you do too. SO remember back a long time ago when I was giving a good friend a good book each month? well, It only lasted 3 months, and I can do better. But this time around, I was thinking that maybe if you followed my blog, or told a friend to follow, or something like that, I would pick one person each month, and buy them something off their Amazon wishlist. Would you be into that?

Reading Update

Recently, the book group I was in disbanded. Which affects me greatly since I didn't attend any meetings. Silly. So a couple spots were left open on the list. One has been filled with the Scott Pilgrim series. Partially in preparation for the film, which looks ridiculous, and partially in response to the urging of C. Joe. I trust his judgment when it comes to comic books.

The other spot on the list is still open. I'm still deciding what to fill it with. My plan is that my fall/winter reading list will be a bit more diverse. But I may not be ready to diversify just yet. It's okay though. I'm old and set in my ways. :)

I do like rounded corners.

Identity Crisis

First of all, I apologize for my font schizophrenia. It comes to this: I feel the need to express myself and my identity through fonts, and as it turns out... I have no idea exactly who that identity is anymore.
I used to, really! And not just in decorative lettering, oh no. I had a style. I wore band t-shirts nearly every day, I dabbled in pink hair, I made color-based posters out of ripped up magazine ads. I was pretty awesome.

So because I can't find a font that I feel truly epitomizes the real "me" I'm completely questioning my perceived identity.

That's just messed up.

So I finally finished the Mysterious Benedict Society. It was cute. Now I'm reading The Princess Bride and I realize why it took me so long to tromp through M.B.S. and why I am zooming through the marvelous Morgenstern abridgment. William Goldman can write. I know that selecting literature that is aimed at ten year olds may have something to do with it. I am not ten years old (well... not chronologically anyway) therefore I should have seen it coming. HOWEVER. Just because a book is aimed at younger readers should NOT be an excuse for lameness. Don't get me wrong, M.B.S. had some good characters, it had some real potential, and was all in all a moderately enjoyable read. But Harry Potter it ain't.

I'm a little over half way done with my summer reading list now, and have read only 3 so far that I would consider 5 star reads. Though that number may go up soon. Like I said, Princess Bride is amazing. I'm astounded it's taken me SO long to start it. I'm also reading One Hundred Years of Solitude (audio book). LOVING it so far.

Anyway. Tomorrow is Elliot's birthday. Hooray!!

And I'm considering taking up a collection for a new camera. Who wants to read a blog with no pictures on it? Not me.

add this to the collection

Meet the newest member of our little reading society:

(Incidentally, her blog is delightful. I read with pleasure.)

So, how is everyone doing on their summer reading lists? I expect updates you know, printed updates with full color charts, a detailed analysis on each book, multimedia presentations... you know that sort of thing.

right.

but I really would love to hear how everyone is doing

I'm totally killing my list. I'm like 15 books ahead of schedule. Ok, not really. I for the life of me cannot finish The Mysterious Benedict Society. Yes I realize that it's a book for 5th graders, but let's remember that most 5th graders to not have jobs, spouse and kids, and a kick-ass Zumba class to teach every week. (please come to my Zumba class?) As always you can track my progress (and Blair's as well) here. I'm also thinking that I need to be a bit more diligent about posting reviews of these books on my goodreads page.

Also, Happy Falker Satherhood to my dearest Blair, and my fantzastic Dad. I would estimate that a good 63% of my awesomeness can be attributed to these two fellows. I love you guys.


One last thing. Go see Toy Story 3.

Some Cool Guys

I have the pleasure of being acquainted with some seriously awesome guys, who are also world travelers. Today's ten things includes a few.

1. This guy. He's leaving this week for a most righteous and triumphant mission in Tokyo, Japan. My girls absolutely adore their Uncle Joel, and are really going to miss him. Blair and I will also miss him. Joel is an all around amazing kid, and I know he'll do great things. Good luck Uncle Joel!

2. This guy. World traveler extraordinaire. He is an amazing photographer, super daddy, not to mention he has exquisite taste in women (he's married to my very dearest friend in the world)
Go look at his site, if you are getting married in a strange and exotic land, or just want to get some severely bad-ass family photos taken. Kevin is the guy. (And Katie too of course).

Blog

Photography Website


Reading List

3. So... I accidentally bought some waterproof mascara last week, and I'm having a totally unnecessary crisis about it. I actually don't wear any makeup at all except for mascara, and ridiculous amounts of moisturizer (this Oregon native skin doesn't love living in the desert so much). But seriously, who wears this crap and actually likes it? It gets all smudgy under my eyes, I can't wash it off without going out and buying eye makeup remover, and for that price I may as well just go buy new mascara. grrr. lame.

4. On Friday, Blair and I thought we had been robbed yet again. We have had 4 packages go missing in the last 2 weeks, and we thought someone was stealing mail packages off our doorstep. I got so upset about it that I barfed in the wal*mart. nice. A day later we find out that our *special* mail carrier had put all of our packages in a lock box and *forgotten* to leave us a key.

Yeah.

You stay classy USPS. Luckily the Sees chocolate my mommy sent me for mothers day was not yet melted. Ahhh, silver lining.

5. Today for breakfast I ate broccoli, and a Twix.

6. I had a dream last night that I was going to try out for a roller derby team. I was practicing skating at the church building I attended as a kid. Oh, roller derby...

7. I've realized that I will probably never be a truly effective Zumba teacher, because I don't listen to the radio. How am I supposed to know what all the cool kids want to dance to?

8. Elliot is under the impression that a headache, is called a "head-egg". I discovered this when she told me that headaches are yellow and white.

9. There is this game that the Einfeldts like to play. It's kind of a weird cross between the telephone game and pictionary. Needless to say, it is amazing and hilarious. We all played it last night while we had Joel around. It's basically a wellspring of classic inside jokes that we can use to annoy people for ages to come. And for the record, the grim reaper welcomes you to New York. :)

10. I'm the teensiest bit behind in my summer reading list. If I can just finish A Passage to India by the end of tomorrow though, i'll be back on track. Bam.

Adendum

In response to my husband having recently finished Blood Meridian, I have decided to modify my list a wee bit. Perhaps someday I'll still get around to reading it, but... not right now. From what I understand, the writing is amazing, the dialog is amazing, but the subject matter is a little more intense than what this silly, sensitive mommy is willing to undertake at the moment. In its place I've decided to read a couple Sherlock Holmes novels, thanks to a rather kind and thoughtful gift from my excellent father.

I haven't done ten things in, like, a hundred years.

1. The amount of money I spend each week in diapers has officially dropped by 30%. About freaking time.

2. Remember how my husband is wonderful and awesome? Look what he got me for Mother's day:
And look at the result of this gift:


Bang. One down.

Thanks Blair

3. A conversation that took place today as the girls and I stopped by a field to look at some sheep:
Me - I hope those baby sheep remember to say happy mother's day to their mama sheep.
Elliot - MOM! Sheep don't say WORDS!
Astoria - How does a sheep say happy mother's day? BAAAAAAA BAAAAAAAAAA!!

Then we laughed loudly, and scared some sheep.

4. Toasted coconut banana macadamia nut chewy granola bars.

5. I got a new calling yesterday. Primary Activities Coordinator. Oh don't worry, I'm still teaching Sunday school too. Thanks.

6. Severely irritated with USPS right now. Seriously guys.

7. My obsession with Mo Willems is getting out of hand. Yesterday the girls and I wrote our very own pigeon book with illustrations and everything. It even has hot dogs in it. (What?!? WHAT?!?!?)

8. Blair is on his 5th day of no soda. In honor of this momentous feat, I celebrated with a rather large Dr. Pepper. You stay classy Maryposa.


9. I am teaching my first (kind of) Zumba class on Tuesday. I am totally unprepared, moderately mortified, and possibly questioning my decision to do this. However, I do have a dance choreographed to a Vampire Weekend song, so you know, i've got that going for me.

10. I'm pretty sure Blair has found his own "Personal Legend" (read The Alchemist) Wish I knew what mine was.


Last of all, in honor of Mother's Day, here is my most favorite poem on the subject. Please enjoy.

The Lanyard

Go now! Read it!

I'm Collecting Readers

These kids love books too! Won't you join us?

Bibliophiles Unite!

Summer Reading

18 books. 18 weeks.

I'm not in school anymore, so a summer reading list might not make a ton of sense, however I do like goals, and I do like lists. So I'm giving myself till Aug 30 (Elliot's first day of Preschool). In the spirit of diversity, I put a few books on my list that I wouldn't normally pick up. I tend to gravitate towards YA, and anything fantastical, so for me Vonnegut and Cormac McCarthy are a big deal. If you're into this, make your own summer reading list, and I'll link it here!

Here are my books. (green = currently reading) (red = finito!)

1. Something Wicked this way Comes - Ray Bradbury
2. The Magicians - Lev Grossman
3. The Alchemist - Paulo Coehlo (Greenslake ward book group May book)
4. The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart
5. Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
6. When you are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris
7. The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom (Greenslake ward book group June book)
8. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
9. The Princess Bride - William Goldman
10. A Passage to India - E.M. Forrester
11. Scott Pilgrim (the full series) - Brian Lee O'Malley
12. A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
13. Rift - Todd Petersen
14. A Study in Scarlet - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
15. And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie
16. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
17. The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum
18. Blankets - Craig Thompson

Also, I'll admit that probably half of these will be audio books. So what of it? You wanna fight about it? Anyway, It makes things like doing dishes, working on the Elliot/Astoria/Rousseau quilts, and long drives infinitely more interesting.

~Maryposa

***

So I have found myself in a new and weird spot in my life. No school. Leave it to me to be done with school . . . and then create a summer reading list. Anyway. Here are the books, in this particular order that I think I will tackle. None are re-reads (I don't think) and I am open to suggestions as replacements if there are a few that may not be as good as I hope.

1. 1984 - George Orwell
2. Blood Meridian - Cormac McCarthy
3. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
4. Notes From Underground - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
5. Haroun and the Sea of Stories - Salmon Rushdie
6. Fear and Trembling - Søren Kierkegaard
7. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
8. A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway
9. The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring) - J.R.R. Tolkien
10. Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
11. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
12. Dune - Frank Herbert
13. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - Bryan Lee O'Malley
14. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim - David Sedaris
15. Y: The Last Man - Brian K. Vaughan
16. Ulysses - James Joyce

Yes I know that some of these may come across to some of you as pretentious or otherwise but I spent a long time being pretty one tracked on my reading and I reserve the right to read a pretentious or especially bad book.

~Blair