What I read in February

"These is My Words" recommended to: hopeless romantics, people who don't mind stark reality in a novel, historical fiction fans.






"The Hiding Place" recommended to: people who's hearts are beating, have an interest in the holocaust, like stories that are uplifting and anti-hatred.






"The Cater Street Hangman" recommended to: Jane Austen fans, mystery sans blood and gore fans, people who enjoy novels set at the end of the 19th century.






"Callandar Square" recommended to: people who enjoyed "The Cater Street Hangman" and want a reason to like Emily, people who like intrigue involving parlor maids, butlers, governesses and highly suspicious gentry.




"The Graveyard Book" recommended to: enjoyers of the macabre, lovers of a pleasant surprise with ominous beginnings, seekers of originality.






"A Red Herring Without Mustard" recommended to: Alan Bradley fans, Flavia de Luce fans, people who love finding secret passageways.

Dirty Confession: Bathrooms

It's not that I don't like cleaning the bathroom, it's that I don't like getting started. Let's be honest, getting started is more than half the battle. Vacuuming the entire house- No problem (Okay, unless you count the trouble of getting the kids to keep their rooms clean). Why is this? I'm thinking it's because floors are all one job. The bathroom is the shower, the tub, the TOILET, the sinks, the mirrors, the floor/tile, etc. It's so many jobs rolled into one that it sends my brain into frozen-in-fear mode just at the thought of reaching for my handy dandy cleanser dense bucket.

What is the answer? Motivation in the form of built up gunk? No way. That makes me even less likely to tackle the bathroom. Avoidance is king. I think the main keys are:

1. Do a little surface cleaning every day so that when it comes time to get down to the nitty gritty it won't seem so daunting.
2. Get one all-purpose cleaner for those quick wipe downs.
   
3. Don't have a lot of clutter in the bathroom. If the surfaces are covered it makes it much harder to do that quick wipe down. Keep everything stored out of sight.
4. Get rid of unnecessaries. We all have them. A few hours of de-cluttering the bathroom and getting rid of that bath salts that you'll never use will make future cleaning a breeze.

Like I said, once I get started it's not so bad. I look at the clock and it didn't take as long as I thought it would.Maybe you are already a bathroom pro, not me. As Alice said, "I give myself very good advice but I very seldom follow it."

What are you sinking about?

One of our family favorites that is inevitably quoted at every family gathering.

Nurtureshock

Katie Couric interviews Ashley Merryman (co-author of Nurtureshock) & Liz Gumbinner (author of the blog mom-101)

I read this book a few months ago and LOVED it. How often is a parenting book a page-turner? I literally could not put this book down. I think it took me 2-3 days to read it.
The authors discuss the science behind lying, bullies, cross-racial friendships and why they are less common in more integrated schools, why we shouldn't say "You're so smart", and much more! Much of the information introduced goes against what we have been led to believe about good parenting. Very interesting material, Highly recommended.

If you want to put this on your "to read" list but don't think you'll get to it for a while please check out the link above. It's a 30 minute video but very good. It will further peak your interest.

Napoleon Dynamite Dance Scene

It Never gets old... think I'm gonna watch it again, join me?

If Music Be the Food of Love...

Play on. Sometimes we all need to indulge. Although I have no need to drown my sorrows in song or excess (thank you, Orsino, for your lovely sentiments) I do have some music that brightens my day! I'm posting two songs that I LOVE LOVE LOVE. This first song has no video. The second I love for the video and the song. I just can't stop watching it!!!

'Nuther Song