December Reads Part 2

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos (Juvenile Fiction)

I laughed the entire way through Jack and Miss Volker's adventures as they wrote one obituary after another. With morbid humor, outrageous characters, a wild but strangely believable story, and at least seven books worth of similes and metaphors, I highly recommend this. The moment I knew I was going to love this book happened only twenty-four pages in.  Jack thinks Miss Volker is melting down her hands like gold, only she's really just doing a wax treatment for her arthritis. His reaction is priceless and I believe this moment lays the foundation for their unique and hilarious friendship. I began the Norvelt series (there are two books!) by reading the book but switched to audio at some point. The audiobook is read by the author and definitely adds to the charm of the story, so if you can, choose the audiobook! You will find yourself saying "cheeze-us-crust" whenever you have a freak-out moment, and at the same time you say it, you'll hear Jack Gantos saying it too.

I Love You More Than... by Taye Diggs and Shane Evans (Picture Book)

Though the language is a bit choppy, it's sincere and conversational. The illustrations are brilliant, which is no surprise because they're by Shane Evans. It's the type of art that made me flip to the copyright page to see how the heck he created it. It turns out the illustrations include a little bit of everything and, according to the copyright page, they're also made with love. Though I think all the illustrations are fabulous, the sneaker pages send my heart into orbit and are my favorites. This is definitely a contender for a love/Valentine's Day storytime.

Food52 Baking by the Editors of Food52 (Adult Nonfiction)

This includes one of the most moist yellow cake recipes I've ever had. My family didn't think the chocolate icing was that great, but it didn't matter because the cake was excellent. The overnight orange rolls are also pretty darn amazing as long as you have time to make the dough the night before and can wait an hour and a half while they rise once more after being made in the morning. 

this our hymn of grateful praise

If I were to describe my favorite music from 2018 in five words, I would choose uplifting, quirky, introspective, spiritual, and sweet. 2018's list includes a soundtrack I really connected with, one album I checked out from the library on a whim due to its strange name, and as always, a handful of artists I loved prior to this year.  Unlike other years, there is very little rap and wacky stuff. I didn't connect with most of the rap albums released in 2018. They were too serious or monotonous, and a couple favorites of mine even sounded tired. Likewise, a few of my go-to wacky artists who usually produce wild and interesting sounds, sounded too serious and flat, or were trying too hard.  I will refrain from mentioning names, as I understand artists express who they are at the moment their album is made, and if they're feeling like a stick in the mud at that moment, then it's totally understandable when their album sounds like that.

Overall, it is my belief that Christian artists kicked some serious butt this past year. Never have I had so many Christian artists in my top twenty. Because of this, 2018 is a very happy list. 

Here is my top ten list of 2018 albums (and a few 2017 albums I was unable to get my hands on until after the first of the year). Enjoy!

10. Rend Collective - Good News (favorite song - Counting Every Blessing)
9. The Shack Soundtrack (favorite song - Amazing Grace by for KING & COUNTRY)
8. Vance Joy - Nation of Two (favorite song - Take Your Time)
7. Brandi Carlile - By the Way, I Forgive You (favorite song - Every Time I Hear That Song) 
6. Josh Ritter - Gathering (favorite song - Train Go By)

5. Alt-J - Reduxer

This album punched me in the face (in the best way possible). Alt-J didn't need to remix his songs. They are brilliant on their own.  But he did it.  And it's bizarre and beautiful.  He collaborates with artists I haven't heard of, and they complement each other well.  House of the Rising Sun sounds like a rap lullaby of a family devastated by alcohol. The words are harsh and poetic but the rhythm is soothing and soft and feels like a couple clocks getting together to create some music. The first time I heard it I cried. It feels like I'm reading an entire book in a little under five minutes. The song, Pleader, spotlights the rapper, Sin Suela, and honestly it's just not enough. I'm ready for him to put out an entire album.  I haven't figured out what's going on in the song, but each time I listen to it, I throw 100% of myself into it in the hopes I will finally figure out what the heck is going on.  At about 3:35 minutes in, some kind of magical trap music, video game-sounding, robot hoedown thing happens, and it always makes me light up like a 1000 watt lightbulb made entirely out of incandescent joy. 

4. Lauren Daigle - Look Up Child



Lauren Daigle's voice is soulful, rich, and playful. Her growth as an artist and person is evident on this album, which is always special to witness.  The first time I listened to this album, I wondered if her next album may step away from her religious roots. But after a few more listens, I'm not so sure.  Look Up Child sounds a bit more spiritual than her last album, How Can It Be, which had firm religious roots.  She sounds like she's figuring out who she is and her relationship with both her God and her faith.  Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus is my favorite song.  Hymns are one of my favorite types of music, and I especially love hearing different variations of them.  Lauren Daigle's version is both pop and jazz, and also reminiscent of Lauryn Hill.   

3. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - How to Friend, Love, Freefall



When I saw this at the library I didn't hesitate. I immediately checked it out and played it in my car.  I was curious - what is a rainbow kitten and isn't the word, 'surprise' redundant?  I mean, I feel like I would be totally surprised if I saw a rainbow kitten. So yes, this band has my new favorite name, and as for their music?  Well, it feels a little like sitting in the middle of a room filled with rainbow kittens. Magical, blissful, trippy, and kinda raucous. They remind me a little of Modest Mouse, but they are definitely their own band.  They're soulful, weird, quirky, and fun.  There's harmony, but there's also mumbling and guitar trash-talking. I love Possom Queen, because it taps into that special place in my heart where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers live.  Now you understand why there's always pep in my walk!  It's because I've built a house for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who spend their days tapping away the rhythm of my steps.  Possom Queen plays with the song, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off.  You know the song I'm  talking about - "You like potato, I like potahto" with the trumpet acting sassy in the background?  There's also the song, Holy War, with its gentle and and perfectly placed, "Kaboom," which follows a helicopter noise that doesn't overstay its welcome.  It's Called: Freefall has some surprising harmony and Fever Pitch is the perfect song for when you're home alone and want to dance like a weirdo. "Let it simmer. Let it simmer. Simmer down please."  It's such a perfect album. More importantly, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are thrilled to have some rainbow kittens to share their afterlives with.

2. Andy Grammer - The Good Parts



This was my go-to happy album this year.  If you are looking for a slice of super-sweet pop pie, this is the perfect album.  Fresh Eyes is a love song about seeing someone for the first time every time (totally and wonderfully gag-worthy) - "you dress up just a little and I'm like, 'oooooh, damn.'" Naturally, it's my favorite song on the album.  It's a great album to dance to, and while it's not necessarily thought-provoking, life-changing, or unique, it's pure ear candy and I had it playing in the background for much of the year.

1. Sara Groves - Abide With Me



There are three things I ask from a Sara Groves' album.  Her voice must stand out, her tunes need to be simple and soft, and the presence of the piano must cling to her voice and words like a shadow. Her last few albums have been pretty loud and have strayed away from the simplicity I so hugely admire in her work.  The Sara Groves on Abide With Me is the Sara Groves I fell in love with on Conversations and All Right Here.  She even sings a song from Conversations, He's Always Been Faithful.  Though it's different and her voice is stronger on Conversations, I love it just as much because it's just so gosh darn cool to hear the same song sung by my favorite artist several years later. Yes, Sara Groves is my favorite artist, and has been since 2004 when her album, Conversations, was given to me by a tennis buddy. I lived in Springfield, Missouri at the time, which is where Sara Groves went to college.  My tennis buddy told me to pay attention to certain songs and lyrics, and they were the exact lyrics I needed to hear at that point in my life.  We all have our spiritual journeys, and listening to Conversations helped turn what was a rather confusing, frustrating, and negative journey into one that felt more comfortable.  Sara Groves gives each hymn sung on Abide With Me her full attention and inner beauty, which lights them up and makes them magical.  These hymns are also recorded in a 110-year-old church, so I'm sure this also has something to do with the magic.  

Here is my favorite song from 2018:

Sara Groves - For the Beauty of the Earth

December Reads

Surprisingly, December was a great month for reading. It felt like I was constantly dashing around like a caffeinated cheetah the whole month, so I'm shocked I have a double post. It helps that I spent the Christmas holiday walking the dogs (listening to an audiobook) and baking/cooking (cookbooks).

Enjoy!

Bea at Ballet by Rachel Isadora (picture book)

I cannot get enough of Isadora's illustrations. They're happy, bright, and perfectly capture the joy and excitement of little ones. I love the drawings of both Bea's and Sam's outfits, how the pianist has an earring/gauge, the simplicity of how the five positions are portrayed, and the attention to detail (barrettes in the hair, patterns on the clothes). Plus there's a bit of humor and self-acceptance in this book. This book may be small, but it's full of treasure and beauty.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maureen Goo (Teen Fiction)

Goo's writing style is hilarious, refreshing, and accessible. Luca is incredibly sweet, almost too sweet, and Desi is nerdy but doesn't have a lot of real-life skills. They're pretty funny together, and though a couple of Desi's "K Drama Steps to True Love" are flagrantly dumb and lacking any kind of judgement whatsoever, the two of them are likable because of how they interact with each other. I thought the best friends, Wes and Fiona, and Desi's dad were a lot more interesting than Desi, and I would have liked to hear more about them. The story itself is interesting. A part of me wondered early on about Desi and Wes, and also about the attraction between Desi and Luca. Desi's K drama clouds the relationship's credibility just as much as it clouds their actual relationship. Though I have mixed feelings about the characters and certain aspects of the story, I have decided I wholeheartedly applaud this book because the writing is excellent and Desi's slip back into playing games towards the end is actually a little endearing. Why? Because we're human and the flaws we struggle with don't just go away because we recognize we have them. Bravo to Goo for shining a light on something so darn tricky. I will leave you with one of my favorite moments. It happens right after Luca has dinner with Desi and her dad. Luca is both impressed by and jealous of Desi's relationship with her father. "'You and your dad...It's killer to witness...' 'What do you mean?' I asked...'That kind of relationship. The way you guys are. I've never seen anyone like that with their parents.' He was complimentary but there was something sad hanging on the edges of his words, as if this nice thing highlighted the crappy thing in his own life."

Good Cheap Eats in 30 Minutes (Or Less!) (Adult Nonfiction)

The title doesn't lie! My favorite thing about this book is how simple and easy the recipes are. I'm sure there are many, many people out there who knew about baking rice versus cooking it on the cooktop, I was not one of them before reading this book. Though this book has some great recipes (my family hasn't tried them all...yet), it will always be known as the book that introduced me to baked rice. The cashew chicken is currently my family's favorite recipe from this book. 

keep your head up

After lugging around Queen Ella in her wagon for roughly six months now, it was no surprise that one of her tires gave a loud pop on a recent walk. Robert put on his cape and came to our rescue. After inspecting the other tires, it was discovered they were all bald and seconds away from popping. We decided to go on a tire hunt.  The first store Robert called had all four tires.  Talk about luck!  



Thanks to Robert, the tires were changed in no time flat (haha), and Ella and I were on our way again.

If we hadn't been able to go for a wagon stroll that day, we may have missed all this beauty!

siblings, trains, and doll heads

Robert's sisters, Abby and Jennifer, and brother, Teddy, were here for a couple days of fun and awesomeness.  

I made ribbon wreaths for a few people this year. Jennifer's was my favorite.  I wouldn't be surprised if she finds a giant bug to hot glue to it.  Now that I think of it, I wish I had found a giant bug to hot glue to it.

We visited the Union Station and ran into one of my friends, Neal, who is a model train volunteer. He gave everyone behind-the-scenes tours and proved I have the coolest friends (it's true, I do).

From left is Abby, Jennifer and Neal.

Neal and Rachel.

You can't tell from this picture, but they're inside the exhibit.  

You can definitely tell from this picture though. Giant monster humans attack.  Panic ensues in Little Land.  Well, there wasn't any evidence of panic, but it's a little world.  We might have been too big to see it.

Neal is very enthusastic about a lot of things.  He's a brilliant writer (it helps he's a retired teacher and has the funniest stories), he's a movie buff, and as you can see, he loves trains.  Probably even more than Robert, who was absolutely thrilled by all the train talk.

From left: Teddy, Jennifer, Abby, Rachel, me, and Robert

We also ate a lot of great food (my favorite was Habashi House and their greek salad with pickles), goofed around, played games, walked the dogs, and went thrift shopping.  

As you can tell, Robert's siblings are super fun to shop with.  They were overjoyed when they found a barrel of doll parts at ScrapsKC.

finding our stride

Late November I started training the puppies on the dual leash, which is the leash that allows both of them to be walked at the same time.  Walking two high-energy puppies is a bit crazy, but they're doing really well.  Last week Margo joined me for my style of hiit (high-intensity interval training), and she actually did better than she does on a walk. Though I walked them both right before the hiit, Margo still had another poopy in her.  That was the toughest part - jogging with a bag of stinky.

While I developed a poop plan for the next hiit, Robert and I took the dogs to an easy hiking place on Sunday.  Robert suggested I try jogging with both of them.  This sounded absolutely nuts so naturally I decided to try it.  The puppies loved it. Plus they did an excellent job - stayed to one side, didn't get distracted, and had zero tangles with the dual leash.  

So it's official.  I have dogs who like to jog.  We did a a hiit on Monday and tested out the poop plan - walking to the nearest trash can and picking up the workout from that spot.  It's extra work, but nowhere near the amount of effort it takes to walk them and squeeze in a hiit afterwards.

Because I'm constantly changing speeds, I feel like there's little time for the puppies to make mischief. When we're walking for a stretch they look at me quizzically, as if they're saying, "hey lady when are we going to take out again?" Josie has an unending reserve of energy and makes the best faces while we are jogging. Margo doesn't seem to struggle as much with which way to go around poles when we're jogging, which has been a source of much aggravation during walks.  It appears we are finding our stride.

One thing I'm still trying to figure out is how have more speed variety. I used to have four speeds - run, jog, walk, meditative walk.  With the puppies, I can only manage two speeds - walk and jog. Running will take time and trust.  And meditative walking may just be bust until they're worn out (which hasn't happened yet).  

Yesterday I took them for a regular walk while Rachel pulled Ella in her wagon and a pair of joggers passed us.  The puppies saw this and started jogging after them.  We had a pretty good laugh about this.

I think this will be good for all of us.  I just need patience and possibly some extra energy, which I'm sure I have.  I just need to find it.

moon mice

December has been a very busy month for me so I haven't had time to post.  

Hopefully these bizarre picture book pages will make up for it!

Nothing strange about this:

Or this:

But then this happens:

The above book is Everywhere, Wonder by Matthew Swanson.

This is a totally different book (Katinka's Tail by Judith Kerr), but they kinda go together:

  

Josie and her rubber chicken

I have been battling one of those awful sinus infections again.  Thankfully, Robert has been taking excellent care of me.

Here is a video of Josie's perferred way of playing (and Margo's too). Josie is playing with a rubber chicken who has mysteriously lost one of its toes).

November Reads Part 2

The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk by Kabir Sehgal and illustrated by Surishtha Sehgal and Jess Golden (picture book)

I read this book seconds before a storytime when I had planned to sing The Wheels on the Bus. And I am SOO happy I did. I couldn't just add the book at the last minute, but I did tell everyone we were going to add a verse. I told them what the verse was - "the people on the bus go bobble, bobble, bobble" and showed them my interpretation of bobbling, which is what I now affectionately call the "waddle sit." Their reaction was hilarious. They loved it as much as I do. I cannot wait to use this book in a future storytime. The sounds and words are fun, unique, and will definitely inspire interesting conversations. This book is also super interactive. The first time I read it, I was driving, mooing, jumping up and down, and doing my new bobble move.

With a Friend by Your Side by Barbara Kerley (easy nonfiction)

This delivers a double punch of awesomeness - a positive, easy-to-understand message and beautiful pictures depicting people of all ages who live all over the world.

STEP Into Storytime by Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting (adult nonfiction) 

Each storytime plan walks the reader through an entire storytime, from the welcome song to saying goodbye. Each plan also includes an early literacy tip, which is like finding treasure. I really like the way Ghoting words her early literacy tips.

The Hen Who Sailed Around the World by Guirec Soudée (easy nonfiction)

The only bad thing I can say about this book is that there's not enough pictures. I want a day-by-day chicken diary. My favorite moment was when he said his hen, Monique, didn't like his music, she would give him a look that said, "Guirec! Are you serious?" I had a golden retriever who gave me this look when I listened to rap music.

Above, Monique is wearing a sweater made out of Guirec's winter gloves.

November Reads Part 1

November was another great month for reading, so this will be a two-part post.

Here are my November favorites:

The Heartwood Hotel series by Kallie George and illustrated by Stephanie Graegin (juvenile fiction)

This is a sweet and charming series about a variety of animals who run a hotel inside a tree. The characters are surprisingly multi-dimensional, the language is beautiful and complex for an early chapter book, and the story is engaging and has some surprising twists. This series also has lovely illustrations, which is a total bonus because the hotel and characters are vividly described and do not need the illustrations. I think this would make an excellent read-aloud book and I will be enthusiastically recommending it to animal lovers, people who love sweet stories about animals caring for each other, and anyone who wishes to be immersed in a magical world. Here is a favorite quote of mine: "'But remember, everyone's heart has hurts. Some more than others.' Did a hurt allow you to hurt others, though? Mona didn't think so. Still, she wondered exactly what hurts Tilly had." And Mona continues on, thinking about her new friends and whether they have hurts or not. It's such a beautiful display of empathy and so easy to understand, it nearly makes me weep with joy.

Be sure to take a look at the Heartwood Hotel website, where you can see a bigger picture of the tree and the different levels where each type of animal stays. You can also take a quiz to see which room would suit you best! 

A Couch for Llama by Leah Gilbert (picture book)

What a lovable llama!! And what a ridiculous story, but so funny and compelling you have no choice but to believe it. I have been looking for llamas and couches in fields since reading this, and I know that someday I'm going to get lucky and see such a thing. The llama's expressions are comparable to those of a beloved pet (his face goes from flummoxed to annoyed to complete adoration), the attention to detail is perfect (look for the spot on the couch that the llama chewed on), and the language is unbeatable. For example, "smooshy-mooshy, fluffy-puffy cushions."

Breathe and Be - A Book of Mindfulness Poems by Kate Coombs and illustrated by Anna Emilia Laitinen (easy nonfiction)

This is one of those rare books that checks all the boxes for me - beautiful language, stunning illustrations, and it's just as helpful as can be. I particularly like the poem, "When days crash thunder and throw lightning around I am still, watching. I am a calm umbrella inside the blue and gray storm." I think it's helpful to think of an image of something sturdy that protects us from the hurtful things around us and also from our own emotions, which can rain down on us just as much as the emotions of others. Before reading Breathe and Be, I can honestly say I never pretended to be an umbrella, but now I've been an umbrella a few times and it's fabulous. When it rains I pop open my canopy and can't help but giggle. Thankfully, laughter keeps the umbrella open.