Weekend Update and Hip... hiphop... hiphopapotomas

We had such a jam-packed weekend that I thought I should probably blog about it. :)

Friday: I got to leave work a couple hours early (yay!) and we headed to Ashton for a quick trip. On the way, I learned that my darling husband hadn't known until earlier this year that the sign outside of Aurora that says "Blackberry Farm" was about actual berries. He had always thought it was a place where Blackberry phones were manufactured or something... Anyway, we got a good laugh out of it and my impression of how Nana was going to react when we shared that with her. (read: I was spot-on!) We had a laid back night with Nana and Papa and watched The Proposal and the last half of Steel Magnolias. Then off to bed.... kind of. The pups aren't so good away from home and even though they had their cozy crates, they didn't do so good at sleeping. Brandon had them out at 2 am. I was up with them at 3 am. Then, after a 7 am text from my cousin, I gave up on any additional sleep time.

Saturday: Up bright and early! Brandon and I ventured even further into the country (quite the adventure for Brandon. He was very excited by the antlers on some guy's gate) for a brunch at my cousin Heather's house. We made some chocolate chip pancakes (my "niece" Kaylynn was a great little helper and only 1 cup or so of Bisquick landed on my foot). Heather made us cinnamon rolls, fruit and yogurt parfaits, and some awesome fattening, real bacon! Kaylynn lead us on a walk with Jilly (Becky's pup) and had to show us her bridge over their little creek. It is always so nice to catch up with my sissies. I don't see them nearly as often as I'd like too.
After our walk in the country we headed back to Ashton.... for nap time. I was exhausted from not really sleeping the night before and there is just something about curling up on your couch at home. I have napped on that little couch since I was in high school and it's just comforting. Nana, of course, was yelling at me that I should just nap in the bed... just like old times. Then, after nap time... bath time... for Sophie. She smelled. Nana was not going to tolerate her stickiness for another second. So, she got a bath.
Brandon and I then headed up to the Stauffer's for a taco dinner! It was so great to see my college friends and roommates again, and to catch up with some old acquaintances (read: ex's mom. :)) and eat yummy, yummy Stauffer-food. I had a great time with Erin, Liz, Janna, and Kasey at dinner. My favorite quote might have been "Oh like a pet-a-file" haha Oh so inappropriate Erin. After dinner was Janna's concert, which my little cousins went to as well. Dax and Jag were basically little angels during the concert and I was very proud. My roommate is freakishly talented. It's always amazing to hear her play. I feel so blessed to know such talented people and I hope she will still talk to me after she's famous. :)
When the concert was over Dax and Jag informed me that we had to go because Nana was making them macaroni at home. So we dropped them off, picked up the girls, and headed back home. I was having a serious allergy attack on the way home and was so tired that I made Brandon play 20 questions with me to stay awake. I think it took him from DeKalb to Naperville and probably 50 questions to get Hippopotamus. Yep. I totally had him stumped. I was laughing so hard on the way home at some of his questions and overall puzzlement. It was great.
I guess I will include Sunday, because it technically is still weekend, but... I worked. After work though, I went to my in-law's to watch the Emmy's. I took the girls with so Brandon could have some quality study time to make up for being so busy this weekend. I think the Best Dressed of the night goes (for me) to Jane Lynch. Love her. lots. And.... can  I just BE Christina Hendricks (even though I don't love the dress)? va va vavoom!

And even though I don't love her, Kim K looks fan-freakin-tastic

The worst of the night for me... maybe because they looked like they hated their own dresses: January Jones and Anna Paquin

Ok- enough Emmy fashion!

Well, I think I have now delivered on everything I promised a couple posts back except for the weekend away with friends. Sadly, the friends are no longer coming and we will be shortening the weekend away by one night. BUT- we are still headed up to WI over Labor Day weekend. I am for sure looking forward to blogging about Brandon's reactions the the craziness that is The House on the Rock. :)

Nana says "dumpcake", I say "Cobbler"

Whatever you call it, It was delish! I got this super-duper easy recipe in a cookbook from our pastor's wife, which she gave us for our wedding. Now, don't judge me that it has taken me over a year to get around to cooking this crazy-easy cobbler. So, here are the ingredients:

Yep- 4 things- that's it. 2 cans of any fruit pie filling you want, a yellow cake mix, and a stick of butter.

Step 1: Dump the pie filling into a 9x13 non-stick pan, like so....

Doesn't it look yummy already?

Step 2: Soften butter and mix yellow cake mix w/ it until moistened, like so....

Step 3: Spread on top of fruit filling (I was doing a little light reading while I was cooking - love Steig Larsson)

Now, bake for 1 hour at 350.

While this was baking the other night, Brandon and I enjoyed a very adult dinner:

Pigs in a blanket and white cheddar macaroni and cheese :) And some peas to make it healthy. lol

After dinner.... time for dessert!!!

We had the cobbler hot over a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Now... the taste test:

And the verdict:

It's GOOD!! :)

I'm not gonna lie, it was delicious hot and over ice cream, but it might be even better cold. We have been eating it straight out of the refrigerator out of the pan. It is amazing! Thank you Kim Rogers for the adorable cook book and wonderful recipe!!

Self-Grooming the Girls: Successful- I think...

Brandon and I had to make a quick visit to Dog Patch (an awesome pet store where we got both of our girls! I highly recommend it!) on Saturday. Well, it is never actually a quick visit, especially when we take the munchkins with us. Sophie loves exploring the store with all of the new scents and sights and people to lick! Izzie kind of has to be dragged around through the store. She is much more timid than Sophie in these situations. Anyway... We saw some grooming equipment and realized that if I do self-grooming with the pups it would pretty much equal the cost of one trip to the groomers to get the equipment. Then, every time I clip them myself we will saving that money and the clipper would pay for itself in one use. We figured this was a better plan than just using one of Brandon's old electric razors which had been the original plan. So, the plan was to clip the hair first, then bathe, and finally clip the nails. Here are the supplies:

And here are some before pictures of my scruffy babies

We prepared by blanketing the bathroom with an old blanket that the dogs have inherited for catching doggy hairs. I have towels set aside for the future bath as well. I also put some treats in here for bribes.

We decided it would be easier to do Sophie first. The groomers always tell us how great she is to work with and Izzie has some anxiety about even being brushed, so I wanted to get familiar with the new equipment on Sophie before I attempted Iz. Well, I immediately started trimming her dry with the longest attachment (3/4 inch). That was too long so I went  a bit shorter (1/2 inch) and that was still a little long so i ended up using the 3/8 inch attachment. The clipper did get caught in her hair some, which she absolutely did not appreciate. I stopped the clipping and brushed her out really well before I continued. Things went pretty well for awhile after that. I think we both started to be exhausted after an hour or so... Who knew a tiny dog could have so much hair? She started to get irritable and was snipping at me some, even with Dad in her face giving her treats and lots of love. By the time I was trying to trim up her paws and face with scissors she was completely done with me, started snipping at me, and I handed over the scissors to Brandon. He was able to trim up her paws after a short break, then I went back to doing her face and ears. I left her fur longer on top of her head because i want to grow their top-knots back in. I do not care if the groomer thinks they look like they have pineapples on their heads- I think they are adorable with the pony tails. Izzie kept coming in and out of the bathroom checking up on Sophie and trying to scam for treats. After the trim and a short potty break I grabbed Izzie to do some trimming. I had decided not to do a full haircut with her because her hair isn't as thick or long as Sophie's. It also doesn't curl up as much, so I decided not to torture her or myself by cutting her hair. I trimmed around her face and ears with the scissors, just to clean her up a bit. Then we attempted the nail clipping. This was the part I was most apprehensive about because I was so afraid of hurting them. Brandon held her while I clipped and she cried and whined and tried to get away. I did end up clipping all of her feet though. Then, it was Sophie's turn for the nail clipping. She put up such a fuss that I gave up after 2 paws. Here was the bathroom after the grooming.

I then gave them a bath and Brandon towel-dried them. Izzie is afraid of the blow dryer anyway and I wasn't up for holding down a struggling pup any longer. They then ran around the house like crazy while drying off. After I showered and had a much-needed glass of wine I brushed them out and future tortured them by putting bows in their hair.

The finished product:

All in all, I would say the grooming was a success. It was more time-consuming than I expected. I think it took a least 2 hours to cut, trim, and bathe them (and I didn't even use the trimmer on Izzie). This will have to be an all-day project in the future. They do smell good and look adorable, but I wasn't able to get Izzie's tear stains very well and they aren't nearly as polished as they are when they get groomed by professionals. It was good to have this extra hands-on attention with them though and we did notice an irritation in Sophie's ear that we may not have noticed otherwise. If I were to buy another clipper I would to make sure it was cordless and could be charged. The benefits of this would be to be able to do the trimming outside to avoid the fur flying everywhere and the cord did get in the way a little bit while we were trimming.
 The rest of the night Sophie was exhausted. She did nothing but curl up next to me (apparently I was forgiven for earlier) and sleep.

Book Review: The Astronomer by Lawrence Goldstone

The Astronomer by Lawrence Goldstone

1534, Paris. A student at the Catholic Collège de Montaigu, serving as a courier for the Inquisition, is murdered by members of an extreme Lutheran sect for the packet of letters he is carrying. His friend and fellow classmate Amaury de Faverges - the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy and an expert in astronomy and natural science - is recruited as his replacement and promised a decree of legitimacy if he can uncover the secret that threatens to overturn Catholicism and the reign of François I. Working undercover, Amaury journeys south to the liberal court of the king's sister, Marguerite of Navarre, the alleged heart of the conspiracy. The deeper he probes, the more Amaury is forced to confront his own religious doubts; and when he discovers a copy of Copernicus's shocking manuscript showing the sun at the center of the universe, he knows the path he must follow.

I'm not sure if you can see it, but on the cover there is a subscript that reads "A Novel of Suspense". Well, I am not sure what that means to this author, but for me I expect to be on the edge of my seat, desperate to know what happens next, not able to put the book down. Well... that was sooooo not the case with this book. The first half was a big snooze-fest for me. I literally had to force myself to read it. If my mother-in-law didn't have the book I actually wanted to read, I do not think I could have choked this down.
It wasn't until Chapter 16 that I felt mildly interested in the plot. That says a lot for a book that basically starts off with a murder in the night over secret manuscripts!  I mean, come on, even that sentence screams suspense!
The main character, Amaury was a tid bit boring and not all that likable and through most of the book is wishy-washy and indecisive. (I feel like this is a trend with the recent books I have read) The man who is murdered in the beginning is a dear friend of Amaury's and apparently got himself mixed up in some religious conspiracy. For much of the first half of the book I thought that Amuary had been the other guy's lover with the way he talked about him. I mean, I know it was the 1400's, but still he spoke very passionately about his fallen friend, even going as far to say that they mirrored one another souls. (Apparently, I was wrong - he hooks up with a few women throughout the book and eventually the love of his life... I hope her soul mirrors his too)
Amaury decides to take up the post that his friend had been murdered over. This was to be a double agent of sorts for the Inquisition. He is to spy on and infiltrate a group of Lutheran radicals. Much of the book is wasted on the debate of Lutheran vs. Catholicism. They are even some grizzly execution scenes of heretics! (People get burned at the stake and it is a fairly gross description) Amaury loves science and is a faithful little Catholic, which is un-heard of at this time. In the midst of his spying, he comes across a manuscript from Copernicus (who is a grumpy old man when we meet him) scientifically proving that the Earth revolves around the sun. Now, all of this heliocentric science is causing an uproar of epic proportions and the Catholics are saying that Lutherans are trying to disprove Genesis 1:1 due to the order in which God creates the Earth and the Sun.
That is basically the gist of it. There is some murdering, pillaging, traveling, torture in a dungeon and some true love all thrown in. Amaury finally makes a choice on what he wants to support (Science of course) and runs off to save Copernicus from being murdered by Catholic assassins. Like I said, it took me 16 Chapters to become interested, and that's probably just because I am too stubborn to stop reading a book. I was OK with the way it ended, nothing hanging and no main characters knocked off in the last pages... but it still left something to be desired.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 A little better than just OK, but not Great.
 
( I am still looking for a good Book Worm pic, and since my rating today includes a half I didn't want to put up a pic of the Worms... half of one just wouldn't be right. lol)

Feeling Restricted and Confined

So, I had this great idea that I wanted to start a blog about books! I have a passion for reading, which I have had since I was a kid, and wanted to share my reading and opinions with someone! In college my 2 roommates were the absolute best to talk about books with- I mean, we even had a communal book shelf! I spent many days lounging about and reading for hours on end with Liz and sitting in Janna's doorway telling her about my latest book. However, since I have been introduced to the world of blogging, I feel contained and restricted only being able to write about books. I have so many other passions too! So, since it's my blog and I can do whatever I want here, I have revamped! I am going to be able to cover a much broader range of topics that are important to me in my life. This is probably going to include some fun redecorating projects, random pics and stories about my baby girls (eh hem dogs), cooking attempts and disasters, some traveling, and of course, books!
Here is what you have to look forward to in the next few weeks:
1. A review of The Astronomer, which I am currently reading.
2. A quick weekend trip to WI over Labor Day weekend with some friends
3. A new recipe I got from our Pastor's wife for a fruit cobbler (I am particularly excited about this one)
4. A possible attempt at self-grooming my pups (Groomers are expensive and we are on a budget.) I say possible because the prospect is a little daunting and I don't want my babies to look like naked mole rats. They are too cute for that:

 Izzie and Sophie!

Izzie-poo

Miss Sophers

Well now I feel free to express myself more completely! I am now incredibly excited to continue with blogging!

The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

Bartholomew Fortuno, the World's Thinnest Man, believes that his unusual body is a gift. Hired by none other than P. T. Barnum to work at his spectacular American Museum—a modern marvel of macabre displays, breathtaking theatrical performances, and live shows by Barnum's cast of freaks and oddities—Fortuno has reached the pinnacle of his career. But after a decade of constant work, he finds his sense of self, and his contentment within the walls of the museum, flagging. When a carriage pulls up outside the museum in the dead of night, bearing Barnum and a mysterious veiled woman—rumored to be a new performer—Fortuno's curiosity is piqued. And when Barnum asks Fortuno to follow her and report back on her whereabouts, his world is turned upside down. Why is Barnum so obsessed with this woman? Who is she, really? And why has she taken such a hold on the hearts of those around her?


 
 
 
I judged this book by its cover and the similar setting of Water For Elephants - a book I completely adore. It definitely fell short of my lofty expectations. Maybe without the comparison of another circus-themed book I would have enjoyed it more.... but probably not.
I'll tell you what I did like about the book. I loved the setting- late 1800's, right at the time of Lincoln's assassination and the end of the Civil War, New York City, in Barnum's museum of oddities and freaks. Love it. So much potential in the setting alone! I love the idea behind the characters. A cast of freaks (literally) filled with a rubber-man (Ricardo), a strong man (Alley), a fat lady (Matina), a giantess (Emma) and our main man, the world's thinnest - Barthy, as his friends call him, and of course, the formidable P. T. Barnum. Now, I have no idea what the real Barnum was like, but I am guessing the author's portrayal isn't too far off. She sets him up as a man of power, ruled over by his slightly scary wife. He loves money and oddities and is always running off to find the next big/shocking act. The narrator eludes to some, let's say, inappropriate interactions with some of the more young and alluring acts. He is a bit full of himself and fancies himself as a god of his kingdom. I will get back to what else I liked after I explain a little more about the plot.
Our main character, Bartholomew, is dear friends with Matina. They have a relationship of sorts and a deep-seeded friendship. Barthy is quite content in the beginning of the novel and feels that he enlightens others by his "gift" as he calls it. Then he gets sucked into the saga surrounding this new act that arrives. Her name is Iell. (pronounced I-L - stupid name if you ask me). Now, Barthy becomes smitten and then completely obsessed with this woman, which becomes the central reasons for all of the actions that move the story forward. I am not quite sure, and neither is he, why he is so drawn to her. I cannot figure out her character until the very end of the book and was left guessing most of the time if she was friend or foe. (I will tell you- I so did not see the twist in her story coming.)  He's like a Jacob pining for Bella - the way the wolf-pack sees it. It's just sick and sad, and you want him to get over it. Barthy is a tid bit wishy-washy for me at times. One minute he is happy where he's at, the next he wants to save Iell from this life as a freak and wisk her away somewhere. Then he thinks he wants to be with Matina, but no he loves Iell. Ugh. He also ends up alienating all of the people closest to him over this Iell. Barthy  has a questionable and dark childhood, which you get glimpses into throughout the story. He was sent off to the circus in his teens, by his uncle who was left to care for him after his mother was institutionalized and his father died. You get to see, from a very young Barthy, flashbacks to traumatic times in his childhood which lead to exactly how his gift manifested. It is highly irritating though, because in the midst of every flashback, he gets disturbed by someone, just before he recalls something important. I am not kidding- this happens at least four times. I wish she could have come up with a more interesting way of breaking up the flashbacks, but alas, I didn't write the book. I felt like this book did not live up to its potential at all.
The other thing that I did like from it has to do with the cover art. The bird escaping from its cage. One of Barthy's duties at the museum is to tend the exotic birds, a task which is very soothing to him. He does begin to feel as if he were a caged bird, like the very ones he cares for. I liked the message in this book that you can escape, so to speak, from your circumstances and change your life-path. "You have a choice" is a resounding message throughout the story. It did seem to have a bittersweet ending for Bartholowmew though.
 
And now... for the unveiling of my new rating system....
 
Drumroll please....

I give The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno

2 out of 5 BookWorms. - It was just OK, but not great.

Reading Preview

Since my blog is focused on reading and reviewing books, I thought I should give a quick preview of the books on my Up and Coming Reading List. I will try to do this every-so-often. I can't promise to stick to this list or go in any particular order, but I do want to give the very few of you that do follow my blog the opportunity to read along with me so there can be more discussion on the books I review. I would love for this to be more interactive. So, the next six books on my reading list... actually they are sitting right next to me on my coffee table (well, except one, which my mom-in-law has) are in no particular order....

1. The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

Bartholomew Fortuno, the World's Thinnest Man, believes that his unusual body is a gift. Hired by none other than P. T. Barnum to work at his spectacular American Museum—a modern marvel of macabre displays, breathtaking theatrical performances, and live shows by Barnum's cast of freaks and oddities—Fortuno has reached the pinnacle of his career. But after a decade of constant work, he finds his sense of self, and his contentment within the walls of the museum, flagging. When a carriage pulls up outside the museum in the dead of night, bearing Barnum and a mysterious veiled woman—rumored to be a new performer—Fortuno's curiosity is piqued. And when Barnum asks Fortuno to follow her and report back on her whereabouts, his world is turned upside down. Why is Barnum so obsessed with this woman? Who is she, really? And why has she taken such a hold on the hearts of those around her?

Just an FYI- I am currently reading this one. :)

2. The Astronomer by Lawrence Goldstone

1534, Paris. A student at the Catholic Collège de Montaigu, serving as a courier for the Inquisition, is murdered by members of an extreme Lutheran sect for the packet of letters he is carrying. His friend and fellow classmate Amaury de Faverges - the illegitimate son of the Duke of Savoy and an expert in astronomy and natural science - is recruited as his replacement and promised a decree of legitimacy if he can uncover the secret that threatens to overturn Catholicism and the reign of François I.


Working undercover, Amaury journeys south to the liberal court of the king's sister, Marguerite of Navarre, the alleged heart of the conspiracy. The deeper he probes, the more Amaury is forced to confront his own religious doubts; and when he discovers a copy of Copernicus's shocking manuscript showing the sun at the center of the universe, he knows the path he must follow.

 
 
3. Strength In What Remains by Tracy Kidder

Deo arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Having survived a civil war and genocide, plagued by horrific dreams, he lands at JFK airport with two hundred dollars, no English, and no contacts. He ekes out a precarious existence delivering groceries, living in Central Park, and learning English by reading dictionaries in bookstores. Then Deo begins to meet the strangers who will change his life, pointing him eventually in the direction of Columbia University, medical school, and a life devoted to healing. Kidder breaks new ground in telling this unforgettable story as he travels with Deo back over a turbulent life in search of meaning and forgiveness.

Note: Non-fiction. I don't read a lot of these and am trying to broaden my horizons

4. Silas Marner: The Weaver of Ravenloe by George Eliot

Gentle linen weaver Silas Marner is wrongly accused of a heinous theft, and he exiles himself from the world-until he finds redemption and spiritual rebirth through his unselfish love for an abandoned child who mysteriously appears one day at his isolated cottage. Somber, yet hopeful, Eliot's realistic depiction of an irretrievable past, tempered with the magical elements of myth and fairy tale, remains timeless in its understanding of human nature and is beloved by every generation

This was a recommendation from a friend.



5. The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

Julie Barenson’s young husband left her two unexpected gifts before he died – a puppy named Singer and the promise that he would always be watching over her. Now, four years later, twenty-nine year-old Julie is far too young to have given up on love. She may be ready to risk caring for someone again. But who? Should it be Richard Franklin, the sophisticated, handsome engineer who treats her like a queen? Or Mike Harris, the down-to-earth nice guy who was her husband’s best friend? Choosing one of them should bring her more happiness than she’s had in years. Instead, Julie is soon fighting for her life in a nightmare spawned by a chilling deception and jealousy so poisonous that it has become a murderous desire . .
Ok- Don't judge me for this one. I got it for 10 cents at a garage sale and am still up in the air about reading it because I heard it was terribly sad.

6. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson

Two seriously injured people arrive at the emergency ward of the Sahlgrensa hospital in Gothenburg. One is the wanted murderer Lisbeth Salander who has taken a bullet to the head and needs immediate surgery, the other is Alexander Zalachenko, an older man who Lisbeth has attacked with an axe.

I cannot wait to read this one. My mom-in-law currently has it. Books 1 &2 of this series were great and I am so looking forward to the exciting conclusion!

So... I am being a blog whore

I have decided that I do not love my current blogging venue on Vox.com, so I am straying and trying out another site. In essence, I am becoming a blogging whore. My blog mostly focuses on the books I read and my opinions of them. I will maybe re-post a couple of my latest entries on blogger and see what kind of feedback I get. I might not completely abandon my first flame of blogging at Vox.com because my college roomies are on that site too and it is a nice way to keep up with each other, but I am definitely going to explore my future with Blogspot.com