Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Tonight I tried out this Southwest Quinoa Salad, and while I still have some left, I’m already looking forward to trying it again–with a bit of tweaking.  Here are the changes I’ve either already made or plan to make next time:

1.  JUST USE THE WHOLE CAN OF BLACK BEANS, ALREADY.  Seriously, why would you use a cup of black beans and leave about 3 T hanging?
2.  I might try Trader Joe’s frozen fire-roasted (or whatever) corn next time, but it’s January.  Frozen corn is clearly the way to go.
3.  I’m adding the cumin to the salad dressing next time.  Cooking the quinoa with it sounded nice in theory, but it made no discernible difference in taste.
4.  I threw in the juice of a lime after it had sat in the fridge for an hour or so.  It needed the extra acidity.
5.  I was generous with the tomato, because why not?
6.  I used green onions, because biting into chunks of raw red onion is hardly ever my preference.

Like I said, I’m looking forward to next time, because this one was tasty enough to tweak–and healthy to boot.  Let me know what you think!

I finished the third Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel last night, mostly because my second girlie was prepared to bug me until I did, and now I’m reviewing, because once she finds out that I’ve finished it there will be NO peace until I turn it over to the downstairs bedroom.  (She’s obsessed with graphic novels, ESPECIALLY with graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier.)

While I was reading Mary Anne Saves the Day, I finally realized a likely reason for the organization of the BSC graphic novels.  I’d been wondering why the graphic version of the series (that sounds wrong, doesn’t it?!) skips some of the original titles, but with the third one I realized that each installment in this version focuses on a period of growth in the life of the main character.  Coming of age might be a strongish term for it, but I’m betting that’s why the original second book was skipped.  Claudia’s growth period looks to be coming up, but dealing with a sister relationship should make for a stronger plot for it than whatever happened with the ‘phantom phone calls’ (that title rings such a faint bell with me it’s hardly even worth mentioning).  In the meantime, Mary Anne Saves the Day gives us a nice view of Mary Anne learning to cope with various issues, growing up a bit in the process.  (The fight among the BSC members dragged on a bit for me, but I AM thirty-eight years old.)  It’s a fun series, although I’m sure the nostalgia element helps.  Based on my daughters’ reactions, though, it’s fabulous for elementary age girls!

Pros:

1.  My littles’ room.  It’s cleaner and far more organized than it’s been in months–maybe years.
2. There are empty bins–and a full bin in my garage that was taking up space in the house.
3. Tonight–at long last–we completed the 2,000 piece Star Wars puzzle.  Some of the portions of outer space got really ugly, but it’s done.
4. My youngest is medicated for her secondary infection.  (Sinus or bronchitis–the doctor mentioned both.)

Cons:

1.  My living room.
2. My dining room.
3. To a lesser degree, my kitchen.

There you have it, folks.  You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs, right?  Every cook will tell you that.  (But look what happened to the cook!)  This week, well–I clearly have options.  Any suggestions on where I should focus next?

That would be the reason I haven’t finished another book, folks–also the reason that my current organizing project is only happening during the day.  All the faces and animals are mostly done–unless you count Vader as a face, although in puzzle terms, he’s definitely ‘more machine than man’–which leaves the ships.

Oh, and space.  (As in outer.)  Lots and lots and lots of space.

I could never resist a good puzzle, though, and my hubby’s been in the mood for them lately as well, so the books will wait.  In the meantime, I managed most of a storm trooper on a speeder bike tonight, so I’m off to the shower!

Really, I doubt anyone’s shocked by my lack of a post on New Year’s Eve; I was playing games and eating junk and enjoying myself with family.  Weren’t you?  (And if you weren’t, I’m sincerely sorry.)  Today, however, I have come to the conclusion that I can no longer put off reviewing what has to be one of the most bizarre books I have ever encountered.

I checked Confessions of an Imaginary Friend:  A Memoir by Jacques Papier out of the library because I read a picture book by Michelle Cuevas and enjoyed it enough to at least try one of her intermediate titles.  It took me months to get around to reading it, because HEY, my to-read shelves, but I finally did–and wowsers.  This book is WEIRD.

The premise is existential but amusing; Jacques Papier discovers that he’s actually Fleur’s imaginary friend, instead of her twin brother, and goes into a full-blown identity crisis.  Creative, right?  It’s when you get to Fleur’s reaction to Jacques’ reaction, and then the meeting of Imaginaries Anonymous, and the Imaginary Reassignment Office with its keyword issues…honestly, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly WHEN Confessions crosses the line between creative and just plain strange, but it most definitely crosses it.

At a gallop.

I did, however, find it wildly entertaining.  I don’t think I’ll pass it on to either of my older girls, but that’s only because I can’t see it being either of their things (although to be perfectly honest, I’m not sure what kind of “thing” this book would be, exactly).  I think if you have a child with an imaginary friend, this might be quite a good read; if you have children who thrive on the bizarre, well, they’d probably really enjoy it as well.  My one complaint with it as a whole is that the ending felt different from the rest of the book; it had a Disney-ish feel to it, which cast a “Toy Story” shade over the rest of the book in retrospect.  I would have preferred something a little more edgy.  More…well, bizarre.

You’ll have to tell me what YOU think.

I wasn’t actually planning on reviewing Jordan Stratford’s The Case of the Missing Moonstone; I checked it out for my mystery-loving oldest and just wanted to skim through it on the treadmill for kicks.  (How could you not be curious about the first book in a series called “The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency”?!)  It drew me in so immediately, however, that it definitely turned into far more of a read than a skim.  Ada is a hoot (oh, the Peebs cannon!), and yet her portrayal as definitely ‘spectrum-y’ gives the entire story an interesting depth.  The entire cast of characters is a hoot, really, and the style is fabulous.  If you like mysteries, the tv show “Numbers”, 19th century British settings, or literary jokes, this is a series for you.  (And maybe if you like reading about the early, early years of modern science.  I’d heard of all of the literary characters–I did major in English, after all–but not Ada, while my hubby, the information systems major, knew exactly who she was.)

Briefly, the series imagines Ada Byron, Mary Godwin, and Percy Bysshe Shelley as far closer in age than they actually were; the girls form a clandestine detective agency (their word, mind you), and Percy gets drawn into the adventure.  I’d hate to tell you much more, because you really deserve the joy of discovering it for  yourself.  In the meantime, I’ll just say that while messing with history is not usually my thing, Jordan Stratford rocked it–and I can’t wait for my oldest to read it so that I can check the next one out for both of us.

Okay, that was a totally cheesy title, but I’ve been waiting for months for Nathan Hale’s newest hazardous tale, and I’m really terribly glad that it lived up to my expectations.  (And then some, actually.)  Raid of No Return is about the Doolittle raid, about which I knew next to nothing; indeed, when I first heard the topic, I spent a few months thinking it was about the atomic bomb and the Enola Gay before realizing that it was something else entirely.  Once I got THAT straight in my head, I vaguely recalled something–a book?  a movie?–called “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” (only I thought it was sixty seconds.  Whoops.).  Beyond that, I had nothing.

Thankfully, Nathan Hale rectified that situation.  I now know what (precisely) the Doolittle raid was, what was involved in training for it, and what happened to the men involved, and I have to say–it’s all fascinating.  It’s also well told with Hale’s trademark mix of humor and research, making for a worthy seventh installment to a series that I hope continues indefinitely.  History buffs, grab this one and prepare to enjoy!

My children.  There were a few bumps today, but they did amazingly well for having been up past bedtime on Christmas Eve.

My husband.  Because when good dads get duct tape ties from their 11-year-olds on Christmas Eve, they wear them to church.

My niece and nephew.  They spent Christmas Eve and morning with us, despite my incredible hostessing skills that included moments like “um, your clean sheets are in the dryer…”

My family.  Because I love them, even though I didn’t see them today.

My in-laws.  Because I love them, and I love being with them, and the magnitude of that blessing overwhelms me.

Friends.  Because I have some amazing ones.

Snow.  Because who doesn’t love a white Christmas?

The birth of Christ.  Because He lives and loves me–and He makes it possible for me to repent and try again–and again.  (And again.)

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Okay, maybe not for everyone, but for me?  I don’t shop or get gas on Sundays (barring an emergency), so I had to make sure I was ready today (assuming I am), and this year that’s been a struggle!  That being the case, you get a short review of a short book, because hey, it’s sort of Christmas Eve, in a ‘Christmas Eve is two days long’ this year kind of a way.

I picked up The Journey That Saved Curious George:  The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey because Louise Borden writes excellent historical fiction and non-fiction, often about WWII–AND because hey, Curious George.  (We’re big George fans at our house.)  I was also thrilled at the prospect of my third grader being able to use it for her general non-fiction genre report, which is now done (Hallelujah!).  All that aside, however, it’s just plain interesting.  Although essentially an easy chapter book, there’s an impressive amount of information in this one.  Who knew that H.A. and Margret Rey were German Jews turned Brazilian citizens living in Paris when Germany invaded France?  I’m sure plenty of people did, but I didn’t.  Borden writes simply enough that my 8-year-old wasn’t bothered by the language, and Allan Drummond’s illustrations only add to the appeal.  If you are George fans, or non-fiction fans, or simply like an interesting-and-true-story, try this one.

And now, on to Christmas!

Okay, folks.  I was totally going to review a book tonight, but between laundry and cookie dough making and a little extra off-the-treadmill reading, I find myself unable to form enough coherent thoughts to make that work.  Instead, I’ll just pass on to you this year’s winner for the holiday-recipe-I-can’t-stop-eating.

Three words, people.  Potato Chip Fudge.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled holiday doings.