My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you are all doing well this morning! It is again freezing here, and I am wondering just where the warmer days are. For now I will have to remain content with my coffee, quilt, and cat to warm me. Today we have a first birthday party for Little Girl. I can’t believe she is one already! March is a big birthday month in our family; we have four different kiddos with birthdays, and Wyatt is the one to kick them off at the beginning of the month.

So what did I read last week? I managed to finish two books, and also finish up an audiobook.

I read What You Are Looking for is in the Library and The Bellwoods Game. I had started a different middle grade book for middle grade March but couldn’t get into it, so I switched it up to The Bellwoods Game, which I did enjoy. I absolutely loved the Aoyama book!! As for The Girls from Hush Cabin, I listened to that on audio and it was ok. It sort of slowed way down in the middle, with no real action, and then the end seemed to drag on.

Reading This Week:

This week I am reading Thimble Summer for middle grade March, and also The Magic All Around, which I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Posted Last Week:

Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Mini Book Review: What You Are Looking for is in the Library

Easter Basket Book Suggestions

Watching:

This week we watched Murdoch Mysteries and Death in Paradise. Billy also has us watching a show called Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale and it is really well done but it is very intense for me, and disturbing. It is not scary in a supernatural way, but it is in how ugly people can treat it each other. I think it is like a modern day Crucible in some ways, and everything is so out of hand in the show right now, chaotic and upsetting. Thank goodness we will watch the final episode of the season tonight. I am ready to move on!

And that is it from my neighborhood! What is going on in your world?

Hello everyone! The sun is shining brightly today and I am loving it.

We had a pretty slow week last week – until we didn’t! Thursday morning, I was rushing around the house as one does, and stubbed my toe very hard on my cat’s scratching post, that is apparently made of solid wood. It was instantaneous fiery pain, and when I looked down at my toe, I tell you, I almost passed out. It was bent at an impossible position and the bottom of my foot felt numb. I was in lots of pain and I knew I had to get it looked at. Unfortunately, I could not get Wyatt outside to the car and drive there alone with my foot the way it was – so I had to call my husband at work to come home. He came home, loaded us up, and drove me to the urgent care where they did xrays. And yep, my toe was dislocated at the middle joint. Which meant they had to reset it, which was not fun! The doctor was super nice, and brought a nurse in to hold my hand if I wanted, but I muddled through although it was kind of that lady to volunteer. The doctor took two tries and then boom, it was fixed. It instantly felt better but now I have to wear a weird shoe to keep it in place for a bit. The doctor said once it pops out like that the bones can be a little loosey goosey and slide back out, and I don’t want that!

Friday though I was back on my feet! I had to get cleaning because Wyatt was having not one but two birthday parties on Saturday! We have a big family and a small house, so for his birthday we had to have two separate parties. First up was Billy’s family. It was a really nice time, with Wyatt playing with his two cousins, T and J. They played board games for hours, opened presents ate cupcakes decorated with Peppa Pig characters, and had a blast. And thank goodness, every kid got a cupcake with their favorite character. (Suzy Sheep, Peppa, and George were the preferred characters)

We had about an hour and a half before my family was due to arrive. We did a quick pickup, then we had just enough time for a disco nap before arrival time. I knew my dad would be early, because that is how we roll in my family – fifteen minutes early for everything. And I was right, just saying. Wyatt had fun playing remote control cars with his cousin Mermaid Girl, and his super tall cousin Brayden, who is now a big 16 year old and over 6 feet tall, while little baby girl watched from the safety of her mom’s arms as the cars were zooming around everywhere and she would have gotten run over! She was teething and wanted her mummy most of the evening, although near the end of the night she did let me hold her for a bit. We will get back to that though.

We ordered pizza, had more cake and ice cream, opened more gifts, and played more games and laughed and just had a fabulous time. As it got later, people started to roll out, and eventually it was just Billy, Chrissy, the little kids, and me. Little baby girl got down on the floor and was toddling about, playing with Billy and Wyatt and me, and then falling on her bum. We got out Wyatt’s big drum and instruments and had a little jam session. It was such a nice end to the night, honestly.

I have to say though, Sunday I welcomed some quiet time! I went to online church, all snuggled up in my blanket with my coffee and that set the tone for the day. We were pretty darn lazy and it was ok. I feel like we have been running full tilt for two weeks, soaking up the moments in March and Sunday we were able to reflect on them and recuperate. We have had so many fun family filled moments this month, particularly his party day, with more to come with Little Baby Girl’s first birthday party this upcoming weekend, and then Easter, and I am looking forward to them all.

What have you all been up to?

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a wonderful March so far! We have had a very busy start to the month, with Wyatt’s birthday trip one weekend and then birthday parties the next- busy but fun, with lots of cousin time for Wyatt yesterday.

Read Last Week (and the week before):

I enjoyed both of these reads! A Cotswold Family Life was a little different than what I expected but I loved it; it made me laugh out loud multiple times, with some of Mackintosh’s stories about her family, as they are just moments every parent can identify with. I very much enjoyed it.

Reading Now:

I started What You Are You Looking for is in the Library the other night and I love it so much. I wish it wouldn’t have taken me so long to read it honestly. I am halfway through and I am sure I will finish it soon.

For Middle Grade March, which Lisa at Boondock Ramblings reminded me about, I have a stack of way too many books to read. I am sure I will only get to a few of them this month, and will just keep reading throughout spring. I am starting with Two Girls, a Clock and a Crooked House, which I literally picked up because I love this cover.

Finally, I am listening to The Girls from Hush Cabin, which has me super intrigued. I need to know what happened to Violet, but even more so, I need to know what happened at camp!

Posted Last Week:

Mini Trip Getaway: Shopping, Squirrels, and Starry Skies

Lately…

Revisiting For the Love of Rabbits

Watching:

So this week Billy and I have watched a few different things. We finished up the Mysterious Benedict Society and are bummed that they canceled it and that there are only two seasons. We loved it. We also watched Murdoch Mysteries, Death in Paradise, and Murder is Easy, which was really good. We also started Sanctuary, which is a witch tv show. We will see how it goes, but so far it is pretty decent. I am ready for some of my favorites to come back with new seasons!

And that is about it from around here! What has been going on in your neighborhood?

This is a reblog of a post I put up a year or two ago. I am still in love with these items, and have updated a few items with different versions. Since this post, I have purchased a few of my wish list items as well!

Spring is here! That might be a bit optimistic of me to say, as we had snow all day yesterday, just flurries, but it is bone cold. However, it is spring. I am going to keep saying it until it is real. And if you have hung around here long enough, you might remember that I reread Watership Down every spring. And that I love rabbits. And that I would love to add a rabbit to our family but I don’t because cats. So I enjoy the rabbits I see outside (I still get so excited every time I spot one!), and also, add them into our house in different ways…mainly through art and books and jewelry.. and I love the work that these Etsy artists have created!

(Contains Etsy Affiliate Links)

Rabbit Art Print by artist FainaLorah – I am having a having a hard time deciding on which print to get for the office! I have found so many I love, including this one. I just recently purchased a fox print from this same artist, and it is absolutely gorgeous. I am in love with this one as well – her work is just so rich in color and whimsical, that it makes me happy to just look at her pieces.

Hare Wildlife Portrait by John Silver – But then, this one is pretty amazing too. This signed piece is by an award winning artist, and is simply stunning, so very alive and has such a sense of movement in stillness. Just like rabbits and hares.

Rabbit Lover Watercolor by Alanna Cahill – I love the simplicity of this painting, and the story behind it is beautiful as well, about how animals help people to heal. This one shows life returning to the woman as she holds the rabbit, and is intended to convey comfort and healing and love.

Hanging Hare Hand Painted Ornaments by The Flint Path- These are absolutely beautiful! I can see them being used for a spring tree or saved for the winter holidays. Or both!

Bunny Earrings from SeedandSky– I don’t normally wear a lot of jewelry but these earrings are just so pretty! I love how springtime and little and delicate they are.

Rabbit Necklace with Pressed Flowers by Autumn Fields Jewelry- I love this unique piece that combines both rabbits and plants – two things I adore! Wyatt actually really likes this one too- he is sitting next to me today as I type and he commented oo mama when this was up on the screen. I have to agree Wyatt. It is very ooo!

Listen to the Moon pendant from Silver Wishes – I actually have this piece, Wyatt and Billy gave it to me last Mother’s Day and I am completely in love with it. I haven’t taken it off since I opened it up. Billy had it engraved to say “My son needs me” on the back – he said the rabbit’s alert posture made him think of me. I wanted to include it since I love it so much.

Teeny Tiny Bunny Knitting Pattern from Dot Pebbles Knits- What is this cuteness! It makes me wish I could knit but I lack the concentration, patience, and coordination. This is just so adorable!

Geometric Rabbit Etched Glass by Ausome Printing – Maybe I should start a collection of animal etched glasses, since we bought otter glasses for Valentine’s Day. If so, these are next on the list!

Hare Notepad by JoJo Stockdale – I have this adorable notepad and I love using it!

Rabbit Mug by Bread and Badger – I am in love with these beautiful handmade rabbit mugs. They feel like the perfect mug to welcome a spring morning in with.

And wow that list got long fast! I didn’t include everything on my rabbits and foxes Etsy Favorites list, but if you are interested you can check that out here.

Do any of you have favorite animals? Or something you collect? I would love to hear!

Lately, I’ve been enjoying Cream of Wheat with maple syrup for breakfast.

Lately, I’ve been putting down my phone and picking up my book more.

Lately, I’ve been giving myself permission to not get it all done and to not have to do it all right this second.

Lately, I’ve been taking more time for myself.

Lately, I’ve been dreaming of bright flowers and warm days and tomatoes and feta.

Lately, I’ve been reading nostalgic happy stories.

Lately, I’ve been listening with all my attention.

Lately, I’ve been drinking my first coffee of the day and really savoring it rather than multitasking.

Lately, I’ve been doing morning stretches with Wyatt.

Lately, I’ve been not worrying as much about checking things off the to-do list.

Lately, I’ve been taking walks.

Lately, I’ve been listening to things that uplift me.

Lately, I’ve been loving the color pink.

What have you been doing lately?

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful week last week! Ours was quite full! Wyatt had his Lokomat therapy twice, we had an appointment to pick up his new leg braces, and Thursday evening I went to my friend’s house for a gathering of my crew. Then the weather was so nice on Friday that I went crazy spring cleaning my house. By Friday night, I was exhausted and ready to just chill out in my pajamas and drink some tea!

This week is set to be busy as well. We are entering a period of many appointments for Wyatt and myself actually, and it seems like every week someone has an appointment or two! This week though, Wyatt has an appointment at U of M hospital at 7:45 am – and it is an hour away. So we are going to stay overnight again the night before, and I will probably drive out early and find something fun to do with him before we check into the hotel. It is just so much easier than hoping we don’t run into bad weather or traffic on the way to his appointment because you never know, and we would also have to get up sooooo early if we didn’t stay overnight.

Then in a more fun overnight, we are going away for the weekend for Wyatt’s birthday! Can you all believe this kid is going to be 9? We have a few things planned for his weekend away, and then when we get home we will have parties with our families. We have such a big family and such a small house though that we need to do them all spaced out! Lol. So Wyatt gets to have multiple birthday parties which is pretty cool – and lots of cake and ice cream!

Reading:

Last week I shared that I was making my way through a pile of cozy, gentle kid’s books, and I have loved every book that I have read so far.

So far, I have finished Winter Cottage, All-of-a-Kind Family, The Boxcar Children, and Miracles on Maple Hill. I have read Little House in the Big Woods a billion times so I may not make it to that one this time around. That leaves The Railway Children and Kildee House, which I am currently working on and should finish probably today. I plan on starting a memoir as well, A Cotswold Family Life, which was a Christmas gift from Billy. I have been waiting for the right time to start it and now seems just about perfect.

Posted Last Week:

Just one little post!

Wednesday Coffee Catch Up

Watching:

Billy and I are watching Murdoch Mysteries and The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is really cute and well done. I love that Tony Hale, who played Buster in Arrested Development (my fave character) plays two roles in The Mysterious Benedict Society. He does a fantastic job in both roles! This article describes the show as whimsical and weird, which is exactly what I like best, so no wonder I love this show. I guess I should read the books? Hmmmm. Maybe next time I go on a children’s book binge.

And that is it from my corner of the world! What is going on in your neighborhood?

Hello everyone! Today is supposed to be warm and sunny but you wouldn’t know it this morning; it is absolutely freezing right now! I am all covered up with my favorite quilt, which actually was made by my friend’s grandmother, and I am savoring this warm mug of coffee.

We had a fairly slow weekend, which was nice, especially since we were in the middle of a cold snap again. Wyatt and I spent Saturday morning under blankets on the couch, reading and watching tv, while poor Billy fixed our kitchen faucet. He was listening to his audiobook though and if I know my husband, which I do, then he was actually having a pretty good morning. Coffee, a task to accomplish, working with his hands, and a book? He was doing ok.

Later though we extricated ourselves from our cozy house and individual pursuits so that Wyatt could get his hair trimmed. My niece was getting christened Sunday and Wyatt needed to look a little less like a wild heathen wolf boy. So we trundled over to Billy’s mom’s house, where Wyatt’s grandma Bug cut his hair. Billy’s mom used to be a hairstylist, and when Charleen first moved to Michigan as a young 18 year old she used to work in a wig shop, making and styling wigs – including those for the Motown singers of the time. She worked there even until her boys were born, and she said she used to have Billy’s oldest brother, George, with her at the shop when he was a baby.

Sunday morning was the big day for little tiny bebe, who is no longer little tiny bebe, as she will be a whole year old in March! She looked so adorable, all decked out in her christening gown, which was actually mine when I was a baby! I wore it, my brother wore it, Mermaid Girl wore it, and now little nugget wore it. I love that so much. My mom took such good care of it over the years, you would never know that it was *cough cough* years old. It was just as pristine as ever. Little nugget looked so sweet, and she did amazing through the entire ceremony and at the party after. Although, she did get a little tuckered out…

Then back to Devin’s for a little party! Chrissy’s sister made these gorgeous cupcakes which were just as delicious as they looked. She used to make wedding cakes but no longer does that. She is a travel nurse and just doesn’t have the time anymore, although she definitely still has the skills.

The rest of the week has been filled with the normal everyday of life. School, work, appointments, with a little fun thrown in there as well. Painting, Billy making tiny mushrooms, building and playing, and special cheesecake cupcakes from our favorite pizza place.

And that is it from me this morning! I hope that you are all having a wonderful week!

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hello all! I have had a quiet few weeks, and I am easing back into the online world slowly. I am easing back into reading as well. I spent some time just reflecting and playing games and just chilling with my family and it was really a nice break. I am still pretty entrenched in cozy and gentle, and that even has extended to my reading. I read Winter Cottage by Carol Ryrie Brink, and after I finished it, I decided I wasn’t ready to leave the world of old, classic children’s books. So I went to the library and checked out a few, and added them to a few that I already own, and now I feel set up for a short while at least.

I just read Winter Cottage, which was delightful and I actually bought, and have started on Miracles on Maple Hill which I already adore as well – although there was a scene with mice that bothered me just as much as it bothered Marly, the main character.

The copy of Miracles on Maple Hill that I checked out is copyrighted 1956. I have been going to this same library my whole life, and my mom as well, since she was a little girl. I realized that my mom could have very well checked this book out and read it, the very same copy, when it was brand new. I asked her but she couldn’t remember if she had or not, but she said it was pretty likely, since she has been a big reader from childhood as well.

Right now these books are just for me, not yet for read aloud with Wyatt, and they are snuggly and comforting, and low stakes.

Moving on!

Posted Last Week:

February Favorites: Movie Thoughts: Amelie

Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up (and my return to blogging)

Watching:

Billy and I have been watching Murdoch Mysteries, and The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is so neat! We love it. We also finished up Tales from the Green Valley. We love the BBC Farm shows with Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn, and Alex Langlands, and Tales from the Green Valley is the first one of these and we finally were able to find it and watch it.

We also watched Amelie, one of my very favorite movies of all time.

And that is it from me today. How are you all doing?

Hello! So, Lisa and I were thinking about doing a month of our favorites – lists of favorite movies, books, etc, whatever we love – and then also watching and reviewing some of our favorite movies. Then, I had to take an unexpected break from blogging and now things are all a little up in the air! However, I am going to post a linky at the top and if anyone wants to participate in posting about their favorite anything, feel free to link up with us!

I started with watching one of my all time favorite movies, Amelie, starring Audrey Tautou.

Miramax summarizes this movie as:

A painfully shy waitress working at a tiny Paris cafe, Amelie makes a surprising discovery and sees her life drastically changed for the better. From then on, Amelie dedicates herself to helping others find happiness in the most delightfully unexpected ways. But will she have the courage to do for herself what she has done for others?

Amelie is a shy, introverted, daydreamer. Her parents were cold, unapproachable, and her imagination sustained her then, and it sustains her into her adulthood. She keeps to herself, the pretty girl from the fourth floor, when one day, upon hearing of the death of Lady Diana, she makes a discovery in her bathroom. Behind a tile, she finds a small tin filled with a young boy’s treasures. She resolves to herself that she will find the person it used to belong to, now forty years later, and if he is happy, then she will continue to do things to make others happy.

She is a bit of an imp, and does not go about her tasks straightforward. Instead, there is always a “strategem” involved, a plan, some of them very clever. As she goes about her new mission, her world starts to expand, and she even falls in love.. and not even that goes as you may expect. This is no formulaic, run of the mill, type romance.

Amelie is a bit of a mischief, an imp, despite her shy nature. It is one of the things I love about her character; she is not a typical “shy” movie character in all ways. She is unexpected.

And she has great style, I love all of her outfits. Just had to throw that in there.

This movie cinematically is beautiful. The colors are so saturated and rich, the music is perfect. And some of the scenes are so well thought out that they give me chills. There is one scene in particular near the end of the movie, where Amelie is baking in her kitchen, angry at herself, yet is daydreaming of a peaceful cozy scene, and there is a shift in the scene and well, you will have to see it. Or if you don’t want to watch the movie, you can see the scene here. Just know, there are huge spoilers- like huge, reveal the whole end of the movie spoilers!

Those beads.

This is one of those movies where when it ends, you just sigh, loudly and dramatically, one of those full body sighs, at how lovely it all was. Or, at least I do.

To say I love this movie would be an understatement. I used to play this soundtrack on repeat, as I cleaned or baked or wrote. One year I went as Amelie for Halloween. We are still inspired by this movie – after watching this movie on Saturday night, I mentioned to Billy on Sunday that roast chicken for dinner sounded delicious. There had been a roasted chicken in the movie, you see, and while it wasn’t important, not really, it kind of was. Well, my husband being my husband, made me a roasted chicken that night for dinner.

This is a movie for dreamers, and I can’t recommend it enough. 

Hi everyone. Things are sort of rough around here right now so I am taking a hopefully short break from the blog.

Peace to you all!