What I'm Into--November 2013

More like what I've been into since April--has it really been so long since I posted one of these?

Birthday boy.

Life

T-Rex turned one last month. The DDH turned thirty. We celebrated five years of marriage. It was a milestone month for everyone.

And our one-year nursiversary!

We had a little dinosaur (of course) themed party for T-Rex, which was fun, and the next weekend he stayed with Grandma and Grandpa while the DDH and I stayed two nights in a hotel and had a spa afternoon with massages and the works. It was awesome.

T-Rex cake made by my MIL.

Read and Reading

Oh gosh. I've been working my way through Jane Lindskold's Firekeeper series, which just keeps getting better and better. Definitely a must read for fantasy fans. Lindskold is from Albuquerque and I've met her several times; she is just the nicest person, and these books prove she's a good author, as well.

Carrying things in his mouth is a trick he learned from the dogs.

On TV

As T-Rex gets older, tv viewing gets pushed more and more firmly back to after his bedtime. We are way behind on all our shows, with a queue on Hulu a mile long.

Favorite new shows this season? Agents of SHIELD and Sleepy Hollow. Of the two, Sleepy Hollow is actually my favorite--the characters are excellent, though the premise is ridiculous.  

Once Upon a Time is having a better season than last, IMHO. We're so far behind that I'm not sure I've watched enough of the spinoff, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, to evaluate it properly, but it was growing on me.

I've also been slowly working my way through a rewatch of Firefly, which leads me to two conclusions: one, why did they ever cancel this show??? so good. and two, comparing Firefly to Castle makes me realize Nathan Fillion is getting old, which is sadface. Also three: WHY DID THEY CANCEL THIS SHOW?

Ride 'em, cowboy.

In Theaters

I have been waiting for an Ender's Game movie since the eighth grade, which was more years ago than I care to admit (umm, thirteen. or fourteen. ack). It did not disappoint my tempered expectations, but it wasn't the book, either.

I know we went to the movies at least one other time in the last six months, and certainly we've rented movies to watch, but I don't remember anything particular. Except--Man of Steel was surprisingly boring, and T-Rex loved The Sound of Music.

Birthday boys.

 In the Kitchen

We did about two weeks of a semi-Whole 30 in October. It was a disaster. For one, we simply cannot afford that much meat. Our diet relies heavily on legumes and grains and streeeeetching out the meat as much as possible. We did each lose about ten pounds, which was nice, and it did break me of what was getting to be an out-of-control candy habit. I guess it wasn't a total disaster. But it was very stressful, having to plan out every single bit of food that went into out mouths. That is just not healthy for me psychologically AT ALL.

I'm looking at getting raw milk come January. If the weather isn't too disastrous, we plan to visit the farm this weekend. So looking at the weather forecast...maybe next weekend.

I made some grain-free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins that were to DIE for. Eventually I'll get around to updating the food blog. Probably in another six or seven months. ;-)

Green chile stew at his birthday party.

First time tasting yogurt.

Music

It's FINALLY Christmas music time! My Pandora list knows pretty well what I like--but what's your favorite Christmas tune?

Rex and Meg.

Pat the bunny.

Linking up with Leigh at Hopefulleigh, like I used to before I fell off the face of the blogging earth. Check out what everyone else has been into this month.

What are you up to, friends?

Goodbye, November!

What I'm Into: April 2013

Is it really the end of April already? I'm not sure why I'm asking that, actually; it seems like it's been April forever. News events-wise, April really was the cruelest month, wasn't it? And it's been alternating a few days of hot and sunny with a week of cold and rainy all month: strange weather. Tired weather.

Here's what I've been up to:


Read and Reading

I've made the goal for the year to read at least one non-fiction and one fiction book each month, because it's too easy to just get sucked in to blog-hopping on my smartphone and never actually read anything of substance (not that blogs can't be substantive, but the brain reacts differently to words on a page versus a screen). I met that goal this month.


I blew through another bunch of the Temperance Brennan novels by Kathy Reichs. I wouldn't say these are stellar detective stories, but they're interesting because Reichs focuses each one on a topic so that it's almost like reading a short non-fiction book on Nascar or the Joint POW/MIA Action Command or diamond mining in Canada as well as a murder mystery. Quick reads, anyway.

I also read The Kingmaker's Daughter  by Philippa Gregory, but it was depressing, because everyone dies. Also: flashbacks to interminable college classes covering the literature of the War of the Roses.

For non-fiction, I slammed through Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber. And by slammed, I mean, I'm not sure it took me an entire twenty-four hours to finish it. I've never read a conversion memoir before, but I found this one compelling, if a bit overwritten (it's clear Weber is an academic. She can't help herself). Good stuff to chew on.

TV

It seems like most of our shows took hiatuses for most of April. Plus, I'm really not into TV these days. I spend too much time staring at screens. It continues to be the DDH's favorite activity, though, so there's that.



Movies

We saw and enjoyed Oblivion (I love weird science fiction movies) and Django Unchained, which was surprisingly funny. I know people are love 'im or hate 'im about Quentin Tarantino. Let's put it this way: both Django and Lincoln are set in roughly the same time period, and I know which one I would rather watch. I don't care if that makes me hopelessly prol; it's true.

Food

My CSA started up a couple weeks ago, and I'm having fun using up the different veggies we get. Also: does anyone know of anything interesting to do with pecans? So far I have about a pound and a half of local ones. The DDH and I don't really like them, but I hate to waste them.

May

T-Rex will be six months in May. This means I can finally go get my eyes tested and get new glasses. Also, that my baby is getting impossibly huge. Sniff.
 

What were you up to in April? What are you looking forward to in May?

What I'm Into (March 2013)

It was a busy March this year! St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and all kinds of other things going on. The month flew by. Here's some of what I was up to:


Read and Reading

I've made the goal for the year to read at least one non-fiction and one fiction book each month, because it's too easy to just get sucked in to blog-hopping on my smartphone and never actually read anything of substance (not that blogs can't be substantive, but the brain reacts differently to words on a page versus a screen). In February, I didn't finish a single non-fiction book; in March, I don't think I read a fiction one.


I did return Princess Academy by Shannon Hale on March 2, so I guess we'll count that. It was...fine. Not the best YA novel I've ever read, but not the worst. It did not inspire me to seek Hale's other works.

For non-fiction, I finished Siddhartha Mukherjee's The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, which I began last month. Maybe I'm naive, but I was not prepared for how devastating this book would be. It's an excellent, excellent book, and Mukherjee does a great job of tracing the history of cancer as seen through the lens of three or four particular kinds of cancer, though he focuses much more on the developments of the last century or so than of any older history of the disease.

But. While I was reading this, one of my good friends at church died of lung cancer. No matter what breakthroughs and success stories Mukherjee found in the treatment of cancer in the last century or so, I know how this story ends: without a cure and, for many, many people, without hope. It was hard to get excited or root for the small successes because I know the ultimate success is still so far out of reach.

Mukherjee is himself an oncologist, which greatly enhanced the book. He conveyed the mixed emotional bag doctors work from--the tension between caring about their patients as people and becoming inevitably, perhaps necessarily, inured to the suffering they see everyday, sometimes not even wanting anymore to fight the temptation to dehumanize their patients. It felt honest because it didn't always reflect well on him, and I appreciated that.

I also sped through In Pursuit of Garlic: An Intimate Look at the Divinely Odorous Bulb by Liz Primeau. While I'm tempted to pick up a copy to have on hand as a reference book (I grow garlic, as does the author), the book was not at all what I expected. I expected some sort of history of garlic, something more...narrative, maybe? But it's actually a garlic reference book (how to grow and cook with garlic) interwoven with a few of the author's personal stories involving garlic, including trips to two different garlic festivals. I don't recommend it as a book to read, but it would be useful if you want a basic introduction into using and growing garlic.

I've said garlic way too many times now in this blog post.

TV

Once Upon a Time, of course, continues to enthrall. Seriously.

Season Two of Game of Thrones came out on DVD, and the DDH, the MIL, and I watched it, having watched Season One together back at Christmas. It may surprise you, knowing what a big fantasy buff I am, but I've never read the books. The DDH has, and has been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to watch the show (we don't have HBO and it's not shown on Hulu or Netflix, so I bought him both seasons for Christmas). Now we have to wait until Season Three is released.

Not for children. Not entirely sure it's for most adults. But it's very, very well done.



Movies

We were so, so disappointed by Oz the Great and Powerful. Yes, I'm one of those people who has read the books, but Oz is really a prequel to the iconic movie and not based on the books, and that's fine. EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT IT WAS TERRIBLE.

Part of what bothered me about the movie is that Oz is weirdly anti-woman, even though it made no sense for the story and in complete opposition to the source material. L. Frank Baum was married to Maud Gage Baum, the daughter of the prominent suffragist Matilda Joslyn Gage, and the Oz books are strongly feminist. Almost all of the major characters are female. They are queens and witches (good and bad) and brave little girls from Kansas and sassy, outspoken hens and the adventures are about them and what they do. They rescue others; the rescue themselves--they are never (or rarely) rescued by men. They form close and powerful female friendships and platonic friendships with men (or male creatures, really; think Toto and the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion), but there are no romantic storylines in the books (at least partly because they are books for young children).

I'm not really one to drone on about wanting my entertainment to conform to some feminist ideal; I don't usually think there's some vast Hollywood conspiracy to present movies that aren't feminist enough. But when the industry takes source material that is so rich with powerful women and turns it into a plot-hole-filled farce about catty females waiting around for a man to step in and rescue them--it makes me wonder. Perhaps if the storyline had been compelling enough, I wouldn't be as bothered by the rest. Unfortunately, the story is so bad and nonsensical that I had way too much time to sit and reflect on all the other problems with the movie.

So. Yeah. There's that.


Food

Speaking of garlic, my trademark Easter recipe (or my mom's trademark Easter recipe) is asparagus with lemon and garlic. It was a smash hit at the in-law's Easter dinner.

Also, the DDH bought me a ceramic cast iron Dutch oven for Valentine's Day and I cook almost everything in it now. I love that thing.

April

With Easter over so early, April should be a quiet month. I plan to get the garden going and do some other yardwork once the weather remembers that it's spring. 

What were you up to in March? What are you looking forward to in April?

What I'm Into (February 2013)

Was it Woody Allen who had the quip about avoiding Februaries whenever possible? Usually I wholeheartedly agree, but this February was actually pretty great. The weather was lovely most of the month, but we also saw T-Rex's first snow! We had a nice Valentine's Day, and T-Rex and I got to visit with my brother, which was fun. All around a good month!

T-Rex and I in Norman with my brother.

Read and Reading

I've made the goal for the year to read at least one non-fiction and one fiction book each month, because it's too easy to just get sucked in to blog-hopping on my smartphone and never actually read anything of substance (not that blogs can't be substantive, but the brain reacts differently to words on a page versus a screen). Sadly, I really only met the fiction half of the goal this month.

For fiction, I read all of the Nikki Heat books by "Richard Castle." They actually improved substantially as the series continued, and the most recent one ended on a serious cliffhanger. I'll be watching for the next to come out!

In keeping with a tv-related book theme, I also read Devil Bones, by Kathy Reichs. The Bones tv series is based off the character in this book, who is based off of Reichs herself. I've read some of the other books, and they're okay. Interesting murder-mystery-type fare. But Devil Bones was really preachy and not that great.

For non-fiction, I have technically read the prologue and half the first chapter of The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. The topic sounded interesting, and it's fascinating so far, but clearly I'm not that far into it. It's a long one, though, so surely it's okay to count it for both February and March?

TV

Once Upon a Time, of course, continues to enthrall. The latest episode on Gold/Rumpelstiltskin? AMAZING. He's my favorite.


Castle had a great two-parter involving the kidnapping of Castle's daughter. So full of feels, as the internet says.

So on everyone-in-the-world's recommendation, we watched the BBC Sherlock. Oh. Em. Gee. I think I might die from how purely awesome that show is. It's only fault is that there's not a whole lot more of it. My mother claims they're scheduled to start filming the next season next month. I really, really hope so, because unfortunately I can see how the last season could have ended the series entirely--it was tied up very nicely in the open-ended way characteristic of the best books and movies.

Movies

The MIL watched T-Rex so the DDH and I could go on a linner-and-a-movie date on Presidents' Day. We say the new Die Hard. It was pretty much exactly what you would expect. Lots of shiny explosions and car chases; very little plot or substance.

Music

This. (Major language warning.)

You're welcome.

The Internet

This Wall Street Journal article sparked some interesting discussion with a Facebook friend.

Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer's decision to end telecommuting for Yahoo! employees depresses me, because working at home is saving my life right now.

I've jumped on The Lizzie Bennett Diaries bandwagon and wondering why it took me so long.

Have you met the spouses at Kathleen's Meet the Spouse linkup? This was fun! I introduced the DDH here.

An Australian billionaire is building a replica of the Titanic which will travel the original's ill-fated route. What.

Everyone who owns a dog already knew this was true.

Food

The DDH declared my condensed cream of mushroom soup-free beef stroganoff a success.

Look at this big guy.

 ...


I think that's all for now, folks.

Linking up with the lovely HopefulLeigh!

What are you into these days?

What I'm Into January 2013

The DDH had all of January off for FMLA and it was wonderful. It's so much fun watching him with T-Rex and seeing him bond with the little guy.

This month, T-Rex's behavior has stabilized a bit, and we're starting to get into a good rhythm (or we will, now that we're back to normal life sans Daddy). Hopefully this means I'll be able to get work done (my employer agreed to let me pick up hours working at home instead of coming back into the office, yay!) as well as hang out with him.

Ok, onward to the meme!

Read and Reading

I've made the goal for the year to read at least one non-fiction and one fiction book each month, because it's too easy to just get sucked in to blog-hopping on my smartphone and never actually read anything of substance (not that blogs can't be substantive, but the brain reacts differently to words on a page versus a screen). Anyway, I did well on that goal this month!

For non-fiction, I read The Scientist in the Crib: What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind. Highly readable cognitive science for babies. I loved it and am looking for something similar published more recently (this was 1999). I also enjoyed Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting. Also fascinating, though mostly what I got out of it is that apparently Druckerman's American mother friends just don't have a lot of common sense.

For fiction, I read A River in the Sky, a decent, relatively new Amelia Peabody mystery by Elizabeth Peters. I've also been blowing through the Nikki Heat books by "Richard Castle" that ABC publishes as a tie-in to the show Castle. They are surprisingly (and increasingly, as the series progresses) not awful.

TV

Once Upon a Time, of course, continues to enthrall (did you see I did Megan's weekly post on the series a couple weeks ago?).

Bones, Castle, Being Human, the usual. Oh! We started watching Go On because of the ads for it during the Olympics, and guess what? It's actually really good.

We've also been working our way through Weeds on Netflix, and it's...I don't know. I'm tiring of the shocking suburban criminal trope, I guess. My mom has recommended the BBC Sherlock and also Netflix's House of Cards (starring the Princess Bride!). Anyone else care to weigh in?

Movies

The MIL watched T-Rex for us one afternoon so we could see The Hobbit. Love. Though the DDH didn't realize it was only Part I and he was mad when it ended halfway through the story. Oops.

Clearly it's harder to go see movies in the theater now, and if we rented any this month I don't remember them. Oh wait, I think we rented Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and it was as expected, that is, campy and awesome both.

Music

I'm not a music person and never will be. Meaning, I love music, but I don't have Taste and I don't follow artists or find them. Oh well.

...

Given that I'm still trying to settle into a new normal life, I think that's all for now, folks.

Linking up with the lovely HopefulLeigh!

 

What are you into these days?

What I am into this month (October)



The leaves are hinting at change.

October! Oh, October. Nominally my favorite month, you were long and grueling and terrible and good all at once this year. My very last full month ever without kids. Weird.

Oh, for those of you who are curious, I did mostly finish packing my bags for the hospital, complete with clothes for me to wear on the trip home. I discovered that I'm too clever by half and had already packed the bag with shampoo and things (I keep my usual overnight bag stocked with essentials to make packing for short trips easier), and so I decided I might as well finish the job. Plus, the DDH informed me that I'm simply not allowed to die, so I guess I won't.

Anyway, here's the monthly roundup:

On My Nightstand: My favorite this month was a long novel split into two long books, Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis. Time-traveling World War II historical fiction. The awesomeness cannot be overstated.

Want to Read: Basically, you could wander over to Sheila's blog The Deliberate Reader, look at the list of books in her 31 Days of Nonfiction series, and count all of those on my want-to-read list. If you don't follow that blog, you should. Unless your to-read list is plenty long enough already, in which case, avoid it like the plague, because her reviews will make you want to read the books--more importantly, they'll tell you whether or not you actually would enjoy the book.

TV Show Worth Watching: Hi, fellow Once Upon a Time fans. Can we agree that this season is already levels better than the first? I think we can. Are you following along with Megan's weekly discussions over at SortaCrunchy? I tend to write novels about the episodes in the comments section, heh.

All the other usual favorites are back. Oh, a rec for fans of British comedy: Spy, starring Darren Boyd. The first episode of Season Two just came out and again, already loads better than the first. Another comedy the DDH and I are enjoying right now is Go On. If you watched any Olympic coverage at all, you remember the millions of annoying commercials for this show. Well, the commercials worked, we decided to check it out, and imagine our astonishment when it turns out to actually be pretty good!

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): No movies this month. Someone told me we should take advantage of our last opportunity to go see a movie together for many months to come, but sitting in those seats is just so darn uncomfortable right now.

In My Ears: Mumford & Sons Babel. I really ought to branch out more, but let's face it, I'm pulling out the Christmas carols in 23 days and that will be that until January 6.

What I'm looking forward to next month: I think this is obvious. Before the month is out, we will have a T-Rex outside the womb. I'm looking forward to meeting the little guy. Also, frankly, to not having to go to this job anymore.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: The looking-forward-to-not-working-here anymore thing is great. The not-getting-paid-anymore thing is not so great. We had to re-enroll in the benefits stuff for the DDH's job, and now I'm depressed.

The Garden: While my college roommate was in town for the shower, we weeded half of it.

Food: I am on a fast food/junk food roll, unfortunately. The problem is, by the time I get home from work, I have energy for one task. That task can be whatever thing needs to be done to prepare for T-Rex or clean the house or take care of the critters, or it can be "make dinner." "Make dinner" loses over and over.

The Craft Room: I think every room downstairs except the craft room now looks amazing. The craft room and the master bedroom need help now. Clearly, I will never actually have all the rooms of my house clean and organized at once.

How was your October? What are you looking forward to in November?

Here come the colors!

 

I'll admit I'll miss my pretty office window view. It relly can't be beat.

What I am into this month (September).

This is the view from the other side of my building than I
usually post. The smoke comes not from that tall building
but from the other side, as the Tulsa School of
Arts & Sciences burned down.

September has been a rough month. It's been busy, and most of the busyness has been good. But it's been sort of an emotional roller coaster, and a very rough time at work.

Anyway, here's the monthly roundup:

On My Nightstand: I devoured a long chain of novels this month. The most notable is After the Golden Age, by Carrie Vaughn. It's about the daughter of superhero parents who has no powers herself, but really it's about family and self-acceptance and power and all of that. Highly recommend.

Want to Read: I am getting closer to the end of the Luther biography. The problem is that I take it with me places to read and then lose it. Still. Oops.

TV Show Worth Watching: They're slowly coming back! Castle and Bones and Grimm and all the rest--and Once Upon a Time premiered last night. Squee! (Except the DDH has a meeting and I don't know if we'll be able to watch it tonight on Hulu. *cries*)

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): We rented a new Jason Statham movie, Safe, last week. Basically, this movie was designed to show off Jason Statham doing stuff. He gets to drive cars crazily, shoot people, have Epic Fight Scenes, all the fun stuff, and the movie people just didn't worry too much about if the plot tying it together made any sense.

In My Ears: I'm miffed at Amazon. I pre-ordered the new Mumford & Sons album, Babel, expecting to get it, you know, right away, and it didn't get here until Saturday. So all week I had to listen to people going on about how good it is. But. You know, they were right. The weird thing about Mumford & Sons is that I often don't even like their songs the first time I listen to them. But then I hear them again, and then listen again, and suddenly those songs have wormed their way into the very core of my heart. So good.

Links

Apparently I'm not the only one who has noticed that intArwebz are full of outgoing introverts chattering away at each other. Tanya Marlow shares her theory.

While I find myself grumbling at stuff on Patheos more frequently than not, this piece speaks to my irritation with doom-and-gloomers of all sides of the political aisle. Dear Christian, if the Thought of Either Romney or Obama Getting Elected Makes You Fearful, Angry, or Depressed, You Have What We Call a Theological Problem.



I seem to have lost my list of other interesting tidbits I collected around the internets this month. I'll be back to edit if I find it.

What I'm looking forward to next month: It was foolish to look forward to fall weather cool enough for sweaters in September, and I failed to drink even one pumpkin spice latte (or pumpkin anything, actually). Perhaps October shall do better. So many things to look forward to this month: two weddings, the baby shower, finishing things up. The last full month before T-Rex arrives (assuming he doesn't arrive pretty early). Halloween! I need to think of something clever for my costume this year. HALP.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: We have one, and it's doing okay, even with spending extra on baby things and renovation supplies. Yay.

The Garden: I may or may not contemplate planting more garlic this month or next.

Food: I failed to make dinner even once this week. We had fast food Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and a volunteer appreciation dinner to attend on Thursday, and honestly I don't even remember eating on Friday. I don't know. I'm having issues with hating food again.

The Craft Room: Is still not quite done and labeled, but it's being used for crafts, so what more can you ask for? And the office will need to be at least mostly done in the next couple weeks, since we have four or five people staying at our house for the baby shower, and the office is turning into our second guest room (with the bunk beds). And the nursery! The floors are done. It's looking so good.

The leaves are hinting at change.

How was your September? What are you looking forward to in October?

What I am into this month (August).

Hot and dry at the end of July.

So I maxed out my Picasa web albums and can't add any more pictures. And due to some strange photo-voodoo, spending all morning with their clunky interface deleting fifty pictures allows me to upload exactly three new ones.

Which means a number of posts that relied on images have been completely scrapped, and I have an irritating backlog of posts for the cooking blog to go up. If I can't sort this out, I'll have to go back to that irritating wired method of loading photos and, ugh, that's why I quit food blogging the first time. -_-

All that to say, I don't have an end-of-the-month view from my window picture for you. It's raining, which is good.

ANYWAY. After July completely disappeared with no warning, August sort of dragged on and on and on. Or at least this week has dragged on and on and on. I've been a day ahead of myself all week, but finally it is Friday and so if I can just get through today I get a three-day weekend. Huzzah!

Here's the monthly roundup:

On My Nightstand: I've been perusing cookbooks a lot lately. I only ever got a little less than halfway through Ratio because I kept stopping to experiment--which is a good sign for a cookbook! It's due back for realz now we mean it at the library today, but I think it's going on my Christmas list.

I've also begun scanning through On Food and Cooking, and it is proving to be enlightening, as well.

Want to Read: I am getting closer to the end of the Luther biography. The problem is that I take it with me places to read and then lose it. Oops.

Also a slew of young adult fantasy novels just came in for me at the library. Because I'm very highbrow like that.

TV Show Worth Watching: We're on the sixth and final season of Little Mosque, a strange and entertaining comedy about a group of Muslims in the Canadian equivalent of Podunk, Kansas. It's not exactly high art, but it's entertaining and endearing and Hulu has the whole thing up for free and that's pretty much the only kind of thing we watch.

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): Hmm. I don't think I actually watched any movies at all all month. Interesting.

In My Ears: My Mumford & Sons Pandora station seems to have gotten some new life in it. I'm enjoying the selections from M&S's new album, and whatever else is on there. My ears are still oddly sensitive.

What I'm looking forward to next month: Progress on all things baby. Fall weather. Pumpkin spice lattes and sweaters (though will my overheated pregnant body need sweaters? Unlikely). Finishing the nursery (one can hope). Fall decorating!!! September should be a good month.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: I officially paid off my car this month, which means we now own both of them free and clear. Huzzah! And the DDH just paid off the last of the credit card debt from when he was unemployed last year. So. Things are actually on track and okay, even with T-Rex. Double huzzah!

The Garden: Our sunflowers are very nice. That is all. Oops.

Food: I've been baking far too many cookies lately. In general I'm having fun in the kitchen, though I noticed last night that some of my heat/standing intolerance that plagued me in the first trimester might be back. It doesn't help that the DDH absconded with the stool I keep in the kitchen and I don't know where it is. Turns out I really relied on that thing.

The Craft Room: Is still in the same almost-but-not-quite-complete state it was in at the beginning of the month. And the office is still in the complete-disaster-area state it was in. Perhaps that could be a project for this three-day weekend.

How was your August? What are you looking forward to in September?

 

Imagine a picture of the courtyard and fountain when it's raining here.

What I am Into This Month: July

I apparently never took a beginning of July/end of June
picture. This is from early June, when life was green and not
one million degrees and in an emergency drought state.

I'm having a hard time believing July is over. Where on earth did this month go? It's been ridiculous--running around frantically at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

Here's what I've been up to in July, other than working, renovating, registering for baby things, etc., etc., etc.:

On My Nightstand: I'm still working very slowly through the non-fiction books that I've been reading the past few months. Summer interferes; it's simply not non-fiction book weather.

I did read Mockingjay, concluding the Hunger Games trilogy. I'm toying with writing a full review of this, though it's probably redundant. Suffice it to say, I thought it ended exactly as it should.
I also read the first book of Jane Lindskold's Firekeeper series, Through Wolf's Eyes. It's been a long time since I've read such straight, traditional fantasy. I find that I'm a little tired of some of the tropes at this point, but Lindskold treats them well, with interesting variations. I'm working on the second one now and enjoying it.

And I don't know who recommended A Discovery of Witches; it was someone in the blogosphere. Let me just say that this book, the first in a trilogy, is what Twilight should have been. Do you know what I mean by that? The books are, in some ways, eerily similar (vampire becomes obsessed with girl, girl falls in love with vampire, vampire for some unarticulated reason refuses to have sex with girl, etc.), but this heroine--the last in a long line of witches with some pretty kick-ass powers of her own--is much more likeable, relateable, and role-modelly heroine than whiny old Bella. I have the second one on hold and think a more detailed review (and a post on urban fantasy and kick-ass heroines) might be in order.

I've also been reading books on cooking: Forgotten Skills, Ratio, and a few others (most of which I checked out of the library based on Anne's recommendations in this post, which I heartily recommend). Theoretically I'd like to do more with my little ol' food blog, but if nothing else I'm enjoying learning the science behind cooking. I also made fresh linguine the other night for the first time in a long time because Ratio wants me to make all of the doughs forever.

Want to Read: Finishing the Introverts and Luther books would be pretty good right now. I also have the sequel to A Discovery of Witches on hold.

I've been collecting other recommendations all summer, but need to organize and prioritize them. Anyone have any for me?

TV Show Worth Watching: I'm half-heartedly following Hell's Kitchen (we're many many episodes behind). Gordon Ramsey would hate my food, I think. I pop in and out for other things the DDH watches: Royal Pains, Eureka, White Collar.

Of course, for the next two weeks, I'm glued to the Olympics. Much to the DDH's chagrin.

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): Yes, we saw The Dark Knight Rises. The Saturday it came out, so the day after the Aurora, Colorado shooting. The theater was only half-full, and I wonder if that can be attributed to fear, the fact that we picked the less popular, cheaper theater, or just that the movie's not as popular as it should be. Because. My word. Yes. There's a lot of there there, for an action movie, if you know what I mean.
In My Ears: Even my faithful "Like a G6" station irritates me now. Somebody toss me a musical lifeline. I can't listen to anything without getting a headache and wanting to scream.

What I'm looking forward to next month: Progress on all things baby. I don't actually have any plans for August at all. I have to hire someone at work to fill in for me. And I'm sure there's a lot of work to do, at home and at work, to prep for T-Rex's arrival. But I won't complain if the world would take it quietly for a bit. I need to soak in the last of my pre-baby days.

This is the second time ever the DDH and I have faced August without it meaning back to school for someone. I freely admit I miss my own elementary and high school days. And even college. But I'm glad he's done with law school.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: Our savings got a nice boost because we switched home insurance companies but apparently had already paid for this year's coverage or something, so the old insurance company mailed us a $3,000 rebate check. Which I guess means it's money we had already paid (and eep! that's a lot of money), but hey, bonus! So that's good. I'm still on track to pay off my car, and my boss even said that, though I shouldn't plan on or expect anything, the firm might actually pay me for part of my maternity leave. God does provide, one way or the other.

The Garden: I've even managed to kill off most of my herbs, though the sunflowers are still growing. Sigh. This year's weather required me to be way more on top of the poor garden than I was. I'm hoping to do a fall planting, though if it doesn't stop being one million degrees out every day, that's not going to happen.

Food: I'm finally back onto a routine and cooking regularly after all the vacationing and visitors. Check out Reality Chef for some of what I've been cooking. I'm experimenting with fresh pastas right now in the hopes of doing a nice comprehensive series over there. Delicious, but perhaps not as healthy it could be.

The Craft Room: I have little left to do in the craft room. Some labels, some shifting around of things. Clearing off my desk. It's beautiful. But I really do need to work in the office now. And of course I've been keeping you posted on the nursery!

How was your July? What are you looking forward to in August?

Oh! Also I got a new phone. See how much nicer the pictures
are? And also how the grounds crew can't keep the grass
green? Hot time, summer in the city....

What I Am Into This Month: June

Gray June morning.

The calendar turned over while I was on vacation, but here's what I was into in June:

On My Nightstand: I'm still working through Introverts in the Church and Here I Stand: A Biography of Martin Luther, both of which the DDH got me for Easter. This is still true. I did of course read and review Spirit-Led Parenting.

The DDH bought me a Kindle as a very early birthday present. So far I have only loaded free books onto it, because I have a hard time convincing myself to pony up ten or fifteen dollars for an e-book, which is what all the best-seller-type books I have on hold from the Library cost. If I'm going to shell out that kind of money, I want physical evidence to place on my shelf, y'know? However, I've been enjoying Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, which was free.

I'm also almost done with a re-read of A Wrinkle In Time, read and returned Catching Fire and am anxiously awaiting Mockingjay, and read the entirety of the last book in the Sisters Grimm series, The Council of Mirrors, on the first day of my vacation.

So I guess I've been reading a lot. I just haven't been reading the books I'm supposed to be reading.

Want to Read: Finishing the Introverts and Luther books would be pretty good right now.

TV Show Worth Watching: Still trucking along with Mad Men, but overall not watching much television, which is a-okay by me!

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): The DDH and I quite enjoyed Men In Black III, which we even saw in 3-D. That was the DDH's First Father's Day wish.

In My Ears: I am weirdly sensitive to sounds lately. The radio does not play anything good, and even my faithful talk radio gets on my ears' nerves (there was a primary election while I was out of town, the first I haven't voted in, and perhaps election season repetitiveness has something to do with that). About the only thing I can stand is my failsafe Like A G6 Pandora station--something about an unapologetic dance beat soothes me when nothing else will.

On that note (ha), do yourself a favor and check out this parody if you or anyone you have ever known plays role-playing games. I freely admit that thinking of this version may be one of the reasons why I love the original so much. Please note the comments arguing about what kind of wizard the chick in the video is, and be thankful you have Real Lives.

What I'm looking forward to next month: My birthday, obviously. Though I already got my big present (the Kindle), there should be ice cream and fun times at my mother-in-law's. The step-grandfather-in-law, Bob, shares my birthday. If I must share birthday celebrations, I will admit that I do not mind sharing them with an entertaining old person.

And Independence Day. No plans, but I shall not look a gift-day-off-work in the mouth.

You will be unsurprised to hear that I am still not looking forward to telling my boss I'm pregnant. Let me just say that my one-week absence permanently scarred the psyche of my poor assistant, and no one will like me when I tell them I'll be gone for a minimum of eight weeks. Sigh.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: We impressively paid cash for the entirety of our vacation. Yes, it helped that every time we turned around parents or grandparents were paying for food, gas, lodging, and entertainment...but we bought so much fudge. And wine. But no scary credit card bills looming! Amazing.

The Garden: My herbs survived a week of no watering, as did the sunflowers out front. I still have potato bushes that may or may not harbor potatoes, but everything else...dead dead dead. I fail.

Food: I ate so much this last week. So much food everywhere. I gained ten pounds. Now it's back to having to cook for myself, which really is all for the best.

The Craft Room: I know I keep promising a post on this, but truly. I startled myself with how clean it was when I walked in yesterday. Now to tackle the office....

How was your June? What are you looking forward to in July?

Zombies all around me; I be hacking them all up.

What I Am Into This Month: May

Lush and green.

On My Nightstand: I'm still working through Introverts in the Church and Here I Stand: A Biography of Martin Luther, both of which the DDH got me for Easter.

Umm, What to Expect When You're Expecting? Yeah, my reading list isn't that interesting lately. Since finishing Changer I haven't read any fiction. I need to do a re-read of A Wrinkle In Time and its sequels though, I think.

Want to Read: Oh I just said that already, oops.

TV Show Worth Watching: All of our shows are over for the season! *cries* I have a few suggestions to look up on Netflix, and we've started back up with Mad Men now that season finale season is over. So far season two is a bit faster paced than the first.

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): I think I've seen other movies this month (this month has been so long that I have no idea what I've done because I simply can't remember that far back).

But. Obviously, the important one: The Avengers. Oh, be still my happy action-adventure-superhero-loving heart. The internet has many interesting and insightful things to say about it; my pleasure is much simpler.

I just like watching hot guys run around blowing stuff up.

What can I say? I'm shallow.

If you like to speculate on the plot and the Marvelverse, try this. Author Carrie Vaughn has an interesting take (scientists as heroes) here. If you're of a feminist-critique bent, try this or this or any of the millions of other bickerings on the internet about Joss Whedon and anything he touches.

In My Ears: I still sort of hate music. Our "Like a G6" Pandora station gets me through housecleaning, and Mumford & Sons rescues me from the misery that is Tulsa radio stations, and that's about it.

What I'm looking forward to next month: A vacation! My parents and brother (and maybe sister) are coming in to town. Then my parents (and sister if she's there) are heading up to Michigan while my brother stays with us. Then the DDH, little bro, and I are trekking up to Michigan to meet up with our parents and my dad's family for a big ol' happy reunion at my uncle's cabin on the Lake Michigan shore.

I haven't seen my immediate family in more than a year, my grandparents and one aunt/uncle/cousin since my wedding, and the rest since way before that. High school, I think. It should be good. And my brother's a riot, so I'm looking forward to the car trip with him (he and the DDH may not be looking forward to a trip with a 20-weeks-pregnant chick, though...).

Also, my step-sister-in-law (the DDH's stepsister, though it feels weird to call his stepfamily that because his mom married C nine months after the DDH and I married, so it's not like he grew up with them or anything) gets married Saturday. Huzzah for weddings! I guess.

A sixtieth birthday party for a friend from church, my brother's 24th birthday (wait. that can't be right. Misha is almost twenty-four????), the DDH's first Father's Day, finding out what pronouns we should use with Critter (!!!!!!!!!!)...June has all sorts of good things in store.

Note that I still haven't told my work I'm pregnant...they'll have to find out soon, but I'm hoping to put it off until after my vacation (I don't want my boss to rescind my permission to go, because I'm going anyway and I'd rather have the next several months' worth of income than be looking for a new job).

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: Hi, did I mention the part where SEWAGE KEEPS BACKING UP INTO MY SHOWER? Why do I even bother having a budget? We hope to get it fixed before everyone comes to visit at the end of June, but that will wipe out our savings. Again (thanks, State of Oklahoma and your bs taxes). Unless it takes more than that, which means we'll just be adding debt to the pile. Sigh.

On the plus side, I think (depending on this sewage situation) that I'll be able to have Subie the Subaru paid off by October (aka before Critter's arrival and my non-paid maternity leave), which is almost a year early. Yay!

The Garden: We ate all the snap peas and then the heat killed those plants. I have potato bushes that I hope indicate thriving potatoes underground. It's almost time to harvest all the garlic. We'll see how anything else does, though, with it being so hot so early.

Food: I can finally mostly stomach food again! Thankfully the DDH has been stepping up and playing chef a bit more often lately, because I still overheat awfully easy when stationed near the stove, and some food just puts me off. But he grilled the most delicious steak (even well done it somehow still actually tasted good, and people, I like my steaks mooing) for Memorial day and tasty pork chops last night.

The Craft Room: Oh there's a post coming on this, my friends. Just you wait. You will be astounded. Kind of. I mean, it's not actually done yet (*hastily works to lower your expectations*), but progress has been made.

Beginning to yellow in the heat.

How was your May? What are you looking forward to in June?

What I am into this month: April

Still just greening.

On My Nightstand: I'm still reading An Omnivore's Dilemma and Changer (sidenote: if you want an eclectic, though-provoking author-blog to add to your reading list, I highly recommend Jane Lindskold's). I've started both Introverts in the Church and Here I Stand: A Biography of Martin Luther, both of which the DDH got me for Easter. I'm slogging or have slogged through a million billion baby books (or at least it feels that way).

I did actually read the entirety of Free Range Kids. Unfortunately, I then decided it would be a good idea to give it to the DDH to read, and he has proceeded to provide me with a list of the exact charges he would level against Skenazy after DHS took her kids and she ended up in his courtroom.

Never marry a lawyer, ladies. -_-

I also read all of Having a Baby, a pregnancy/baby book that my mom read when she was pregnant with me in the mid eighties, written by Danielle Steel (yes, that Danielle Steel, of bodice-ripping romance novel fame) and six of her friends who were all pregnant at the same time in 1983 or so. It was hilarious (please click the link and look at the cover. I implore you). And reassuring? Also, apparently less than thirty years ago women not only still drank while pregnant but drove around in cars with their babies on their laps instead of in car seats. What the what.

Want to Read: The books that I've already begun! Ouch. I blame the fact that I've been opting for naps and worry over reading lately.

Oh! If you want some excellent book suggestions from a variety of ladies 'round the web, check out Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy's Book Carnival going on today! Really some excellent suggestions.

TV Show Worth Watching: Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Castle, Bones. Community. Alcatraz. The usual.

The DDH and I have also been watching Mad Men on Netflix. We finished season one and are working on season two. That show is simultaneously BORING and engrossing. It is so. slow. Like snails high on weed crawling through molasses. And every last character is a jerk and/or a creep. BUT. They're all so fascinating, in a train-wreck kind of way. A gorgeous, beautifully costumed, impeccably set, stoned-molasses-snail train wreck.

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): We may or may not have rented a movie or two at some point. When it gets windy (aka every day in the spring), our internet gets unreliable because the giant untrimmed trees snag the cable that leads to our house. I feel certain the DDH rented some movies to remedy this, but I can't even remember. This month has been a haze of all-day-sickness and exhaustion.

More importantly: The Hunger Games. Here is my review: The DDH agreed to go see the movie after I had read the first book, but said that young adult novels are dumb and he doesn't read them. We saw the movie Friday night. Saturday he bought the first book on his Kindle.

In My Ears: I hate music right now. This is apparently my pregnancy aversion: noise.

What I'm looking forward to next month: More appointments. Starting to tell more people (though not telling work...I mean, I'll have to eventually, but I'm not looking forward to it. Or to deciding what my plan actually is about work in the future). This mystical sense of well-being and energy that I have been promised will be mine in the second trimester.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.
The Budget: I don't even know. We're fine right now. Still trying to figure out what's going to be what with my work situation in the next few months/years.
The Garden: I ate a snap pea off the vine yesterday. It was delicious. We also planted six tomatoes, four peppers, and a ground cherry plant on Friday.

Food: No @#%$ comment. Blech.

The Craft Room: Miraculously I did actually work on this some the other day and might even share my progress on here at some point.

What a difference a month makes--when that month is April!

How are you doing on your 2012 goals? What are you looking forward to in May?

What I am into this month: March.

We had one week of non-stop rain, but the rest of March has
been sunny and eighty.

On My Nightstand: Umm. I suspect I started out the month reading books, but I can't remember. I just keep slogging through baby books now...suggestions would be appreciated.

Ok, no, I'm still reading An Omnivore's Dilemma, and enjoying it. I'm reading a Jane Lindskold novel, Changer, that is making me homesick (Jane lives in Albuquerque and this novel is set there and in other parts of New Mexico). And I read the first book of The Hunger Games almost entirely in one evening while babysitting when the mom lent it to me. The problem is she only lent me the first one and there are approximately five million holds on the other two at the library.

Also, this. Painful and beautiful truth.
Want to Read: The items on my to-read list have only expanded, as I still haven't gotten my paws on a copy of Introverts in the Church or on the biography of Luther that I wanted. The library has neither. And like I said, I'm approximately hold number 5,678,934 on the second Hunger Games novel. So.
TV Show Worth Watching:  Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Castle, Bones (though now that I think about it I haven't seen Bones on Hulu in months...), Royal Pains. Community. I've watched an episode or two of Alcatraz with the DDH (he watches way more tv than I do and follows a number of shows that I don't (I think because he tends to watch tv while I make dinner), so I'm behind on this one. I'd like to watch it because it seems interesting, but he's refused to wait for me to watch new episodes, so...we'll see. But it's by the Lost people and stars Hurly).
Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): We saw This Means War last weekend. It was very good in that it was hilarious and lots of stuff blew up (yes, I'm a thirteen-year-old boy that way), but I'm iffy on the ending. It didn't seem quite fair somehow. We've also watched the first two The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movies (the actual Swedish subtitled ones (or is it Danish? Scandinavian, anyway)). They're intense.
In My Ears: I've been spending so much time outside on the back porch that I never turn Pandora on anymore. And every single song on the radio makes me angry right now for some reason (hormones? Maybe. Or maybe all the radio stations around here play crappy music). If I get around to caring enough one of these days, I'm going to go scout out all Leigh's suggestions on how to find great music.
What I'm looking forward to next month: I don't even know anymore! If we can be done with this all-day-semi-sick thing that would be great. And I heart Easter, and I get a three-day weekend with Good Friday off, but...I either don't know what to expect or I'm dreading things. Like telling my boss. We'll see, April, we'll see.

Oh! But the farmer's market is back the week after Easter. And that is the happiest of happy dances.

And theoretically my first ultrasound appointment will be in April. That will be exciting, to see Critter. ^_^

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.
The Budget: Yeah...so we've been doing really well with the budget (yay!). But admittedly we were supposed to get pregnant in the fall, not be having the critter in the fall. And as soon as I quit my job, the whole thing goes out the window. So obviously it needs some work.
The Garden: The plants I planted out there sprouted and...are still pretty much sprouts. This is disappointing. The pea plants seem to be growing really well, actually, but I was hoping for more progress from the lettuces and the carrots.

Food: Don't talk to me about food. I've been completely failing my cooking resolution, because standing up for five minutes makes feel like I'm going to pass out. I managed to make soup the other day and then almost threw it up yesterday. I did make another batch of granola bars and they are delicious. The only thing that helps my nausea is eating but the thought of food nauseates me...it's a conundrum.

The Craft Room: Is progressing, slowly. As, actually, is the office. The DDH cleaned up his half, anyway, and then some. This is good, as I'll need to have these rooms organized so I can actually find things and use them while toting around a baby (inside or out, either way movement will be more difficult). We also have to decide which room to turn into a nursery, and figure out when The Roommate is moving out (which is both yet more loss of income and sort of sad because it's been nice having another person around. But I don't think he'll want to stick around when there's a screaming newborn in the house).

How are you doing on your 2012 goals? What are you looking forward to in April?

Here comes the sun.

What I am into this month: February

The same view from my office window that I usually post.
We didn't get much winter weather this year,
but on Valentine's Day we did get fog.

On My Nightstand: I read Death Comes to Pemberley finally and...it was not as good as anticipated. I should institute actual Book Review Posts or something. The problem, I suspect, is that it was neither fish nor fowl, neither Jane Austen novel nor thrilling detective story. Meh.

Strangely, the Orson Scott Card novel was also rather disappointing. I mean, it read quickly and smoothly and that world will always be Real to me the way the best stories are, but...perhaps I am too old and not yet old enough to be charmed by the antics of precocious children. And sometimes you just never can cotton on to new characters in a series where the old ones are like dear friends. Y'know?

The Help. Lord, The Help. It's such a troublesome book. The period it discusses is troublesome. The balance of current race and gender relations is troublesome. That it's written by a white woman is troublesome--and yet, it's as much a book about gender as about race. In some ways, I don't know what to think about it because inevitably, I will offend someone with my opinion and that is a problem, as well as a whole 'nother topic.

But. In the end, it's just a good story. A good story about people who seem real--they're not all good and they're not all bad and some people are awful but even then they are people, as real people are. I enjoyed the pacing and the writing style, for the most part, the distinctive voices for each narrator. Read it for yourself, and I, for one, will not be offended by your opinion.

Either The Help or this next book was my favorite read of the month: How the Irish Saved Civilization. I am a sucker for a beautifully written, pedantic, scholarly sort of book when the author is just. so. excited. about his subject matter. It's why I loved my professor's books on Faulkner better than Faulkner's books themselves. It's why I will just as happily read Tolkein's scholarly articles as his fantasy novels. And it's why I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I've started The Omnivore's Dilemma. I read Pollan's In Defense of Food several years ago, and found in it a fellow food-spirit. He gave words to much of my own wordless food philosophy. And though I could do without the tossed off lectures on global warming and obesity and a few other screeds, those are refreshingly few and far between. Moreover, you don't get the sense that Pollan, like so many other green/food/environment/organic writers, dislikes man. So. Good times.

Want to Read: Introverts in the Church has been floating around the blogosphere book rec list lately, and Anne convinced me I should read it. Well, the library doesn't have it, so that's put a stop to that temporarily, until I can convince myself to spend Real Money on a book (am I a sucker for impulse-buying the entire stock of used book stores? Yes. Can I very often convince myself to part with money for a brand-new book? No) and order it from Amazon. I also have a couple biographies of Luther on my list (which, of course, the library doesn't have!), and I need to add in a few Fun Books or I don't know what will happen to me. Suggestions?

TV Show Worth Watching: Let's see. We finished United States of Tara and are now pretty much back to our regularly scheduled programs: Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Castle, Bones, Royal Pains. Oh! Community returns next month! *happy dance*

Movies I've Seen (in or out of a theater): I don't think I've watched a single movie this month, and that's okay. It may or may not also be a lie, but if I can't remember it, it obviously didn't make enough of an impression on me to be worth mentioning.

In My Ears: I am currently obsessed with this. A Pandora station seeded with Gotye and Kimbra has proven to be bliss, at the moment. I was glad to see a singer who can actually sing clean up at the Grammys this year. I'm tempted to steal Adele's voice box and have it surgically implanted in my own throat. Would that work?

What I'm looking forward to next month: The day for the men that God made mad! I mean, of course, St. Patrick's Day. I am precisely half Irish and half German, so St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest are practically religious holidays in my family. Corned beef and cabbage, Guiness, green things, my Irish punk rock Pandora station...happy (green) panda. I'm sure there's other stuff going on, but it can't possibly be as important. Oh! Except that it will be my parents' thirtieth wedding anniversary in March! So that's something.

Goal Progress: I posted some goals for the new year, and I figured these monthly wrap-up posts would be a good chance to check my progress throughout 2012.

The Budget: Yeah...well, we're continuing to meet our budget for paying off debts, and I've managed to save a good bit. But. Our sewage line backed up to the tune of one hundred thirty-five unexpected dollars. The DDH took a trip to visit his sick brother in Houston and bring him a bunch of food and cooking supplies (he was just diagnosed with Celiac's and of course the dorm meal plan contains nothing gluten free except plain lettuce). Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. It could definitely be worse, though.

The Garden: I daringly planted out a bunch of seeds the last weekend in February. I know! I'm really living life on the edge here. Post to come soon.

Food: I'm not sure if my renewed Reality Chef blogging habit is feeding (ha) my resolution to cook at least three times a week, or if my resolution is feeding (ha. ha.) the blogging habit. Either way, tis tasty.
The Craft Room: Post to come on this.
 

How are you doing on your 2012 goals? What are you looking forward to in February?

Sunny Leap Day, with the willows starting to leaf out and the
redbuds beginning to bloom!