Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Slipping through my fingers











It's New Year's Eve, and I've been very reflective -- and emotional -- this week about going back to work on Monday. I vividly remember a challenging night in late August when I was in the rocking chair with Owen, frustrated by him not wanting to go to sleep. I was letting it get the best of me when I stopped for a second and said, "You know, come January, you're going to wish you were back here in this moment so you'd better enjoy it now."
And I did. Despite some difficult moments, I've loved every minute I've spent with him in the last five months; in fact, I don't think I've ever spent so much time with one person, aside from maybe my mom when I was a baby. When I walked out of work on Aug. 5, Owen was still our "Lilo," and now he's all the things we love about Owen. While things will be different after Monday, I have to keep reminding myself that my time with him really isn't over, and that he and I will be just fine. It's just changing -- the first of many, many changes ahead. Still, that's the part that makes me a little sad. Colin and I just finished watching "Mamma Mia!" and this ABBA song "Slipping Through My Fingers" from the musical turned on the tears (again).
Slipping through my fingers all the time
I try to capture every minute
The feeling in it
Slipping through my fingers all the time
Do I really see what's in her mind
Each time I think I'm close to knowing
She keeps on growing
Slipping through my fingers all the time
...
Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture
And save it from the funny tricks of time
Slipping through my fingers...

I said to Colin, "All of a sudden we're going to turn around and we're going to be at his wedding!" Already, Owen has grown and developed so much, he's almost indistiguishable from the baby we brought home from the hospital. But it's been fun to see the person he's becoming, and I can't wait to see him crawl, run, jump on the bed. He's got a fantastic smile and coughing-up-a-hairball giggle. He loves hearing the alphabet song and just about any music he hears. He's discovered how to move around -- and roll over -- in his crib. He doesn't like to nap more than 45 minutes, much to my dismay. Sometimes it sounds like he's saying "hi" to us. He's got this new way of reaching out to me when he wants to be picked up. And he's got a really full head of hair -- some of it blond.

Speaking of his full head of hair, that's a line from his theme song, and there's another milestone we need to mark -- the retirement of his red panda shoes, also a part of his theme song. I made up this song while driving when he was a few weeks old -- there was one particularly unpleasant stop at a red light and I was trying to entertain him. Now I sing it to him all the time.

O-wen, O-wen,
O-W-E-N
O-wen, O-wen,
O-W-E-N
He's the cutest kid that's ever been.
(chorus)
He's got a full head of hair
And big blue eyes
He's got red panda shoes
And a smile that's a mile wide
O-wen, O-wen,
O-W-E-N
O-wen, O-wen,
O-W-E-N
He's a kid who likes to keep movin'
(repeat until pulling in the driveway or he falls asleep)

This morning, when we were getting him dressed, I discovered the red panda shoes are now too small, or at least they were too small with the socks he was wearing. It's just another sign he's not a little baby any more -- but at least I can take some comfort in the fact that the 6-12 month pair of shoes is still too big.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Centerfold

I took Owen to have some three-month pictures taken a month ago and this one cracks me up. I call it his Burt Reynolds shot.
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Rolling the other way

I have lots of updates to get to this week, but first I have to share Owen's new skill. The little guy managed to start rolling from front to back when he was just a few days old, but it took him a while longer to master going from back to front. In fact, it was his Christmas project, and he worked on it for days.

First, he'd get up on his side, but couldn't get any farther. Then he'd get his top leg down on the floor, but couldn't get himself over his bottom arm. Next he got up on the side and turned his head all the way around as he tried to build up some momentum, but still got stuck on that arm. Finally, on Sunday he gave himself the necessary last nudge and got himself over to his front.

He's now a pro and rolled at least four times today. I got one of them on video -- as you can see, he's pretty proud of himself!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Owen's four-month birthday

Owen is now four months old, and he's becoming a funny, charming, smily, joyful, determined and drooly littole boy. We lust love him more every day.

Here are some recent shots of the little fella -- don't you love his 80s-style feathered do?

Friday, December 5, 2008

Feliz Natal de Brasil



Feliz Natal! Our StalinBenester readers might be wondering what country we've chosen for our annual international holiday tradition. This year, we decided to leave Europe and looked across the Atlantic to Brazil, a country that's embarking on summer just as our winter gets going. Nothing wrong with a little wishful thinking, right?

For Owen's first Christmas, we'll enjoy watching him get a visit from Papai Noel, but it probably won't be like in Rio, where Papai Noel arrives by helicopter to a stadium filled with children. Maybe we will stage our own Auto de Natal, an outdoor Christmas play held in Rio, or dance to the bossa nova. And we'll have to put up a presepio, or nativity scene, as part of our decorations.

I'll have to do a little more research to find the best foods for our Brazilian meal. The book I got from the library about Christmas in Brazil suggests making an array of smoked meats, but I'm not sure I want to handle the beef tongue or pig's foot as suggested in the recipe. Maybe we should just go out to Samba, a Brazilian steakhouse in Madison, or I can make a tenderloin again like I did last year.

Last year, we celebrated Austria by watching "The Sound of Music," so any ideas for getting the essence of Brazil? ("City of God" was too violent and depressing, so I'm not sure I want to watch that again, especially for Christmas. "Blame it on Rio"? Maybe we should watch some old World Cup videos of Pele.)

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Turning a page

One of my stranger personality quirks is that I can become oddly attached to stuff -- inanimate objects that can't feel back. And yet, when I part with something that’s somehow meaningful to me, I’m left with a little empty spot inside. Growing up, my idea of cleaning my room was putting all the things I didn’t need in my room in a Red Owl supermarket box and taking it to the basement. One spring, my dad had to drive me back to the car dealership where he’d just traded in our old car. I was in tears because I hadn’t properly said goodbye to it. Not until he assured me that the T-top on the old Olds would soon attract a loving new owner did I feel better about leaving it. Dumb, I know.

But so it was with my bookcases. My two, six-foot tall oak laminate bookcases that had been with me since elementary school. I remember going with my mom to Scandinavian Design to pick them out and then setting them up in my room. I did my homework on one of the middle shelves, which had a door that folded down into a desk. And for 20-plus years, those shelves lovingly held hundreds of books. This is no small task for someone who reads and collects books like I do, and those shelves saw it all, from the Sweet Valley High series to Anna Karenina and the Wisconsin Blue Book. In high school, my ski racing medals dangled from a ribbon I had nailed to the top of one of the side boards. I pinned things like postcards of James Dean and Elvis, notes from my BFFs and a silk rose from Homecoming to a piece of cork board I had attached on the side. Eventually, I grew up and took the bookcases with me to New York, where they provided tons of storage – a necessity in my 250-square foot apartment. And despite the belief of the moving guy who delivered my stuff in Brooklyn that they never should have been moved in the first place, they made the trip back to the Midwest with me. In fact, they moved three more times: To my apartment on Gilman St., to the guest room of our Oregon condo and finally to our home on Blackhawk Ave.

The problem was, they never were quite balanced right on our old hardwood floors here. The shelves were starting to sag a bit. And with an infant who will soon be on the move, I wasn’t sure they would withstand the Toddler Test. We know it well – the bookcases were the first stop for many little ones who visited our home: Walk in, run to bookcases, push books to the back of the shelf. I knew the best thing was to pack up my books and get rid of them until our kid is older or we have a library. But after I realized it was time to give them up, it took me a few months to actually do it. I packed up one bookcase a month ago, but the sight of it sitting there empty made it look forlorn and made me sadder. Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer and quickly packed up the second bookcase so I could move them out and make some room for Owen.

I listed them on Madison Freecycle Friday afternoon, and within an hour, I had a taker. John from New Glarus wanted them for his two “voracious readers” at home – his wife and 13-year-old daughter. I sent him a photo, we arranged a time for him to pick them up. With that, they were on their way out.

As I dusted them Friday night, I started to have the qualms. Maybe I didn’t need to get rid of them. Maybe we could put them in the basement! Or the garage! I told Colin I was having a bit of lister’s remorse. Still, I went back to the fact that they were being taken by readers. I was giving them the best possible new home, where they’ll live happily with new readers -- a girl who once read seven books at once -- and house a whole new bunch of books. Freecycler John came this morning and loaded them up into his Red Taurus station wagon and now our living room looks a whole lot bigger -- and emptier. But I’ll turn the page to my next chapter -- exploring life with my son and making him a reader, too.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Giggles

Owen has a fantastic, hearty laugh that makes me giggle when I hear it build up from a few burbles to end with a squeal. Something about how I was shaking his rattle was hysterical and he unleashed this laugh for a good 10 minutes.

Owen's first Thanksgiving

We spent Owen's first Thanksgiving at home on Blackhawk Ave. -- we think he enjoyed the smells and the sight of all the food because he really wanted to eat when we were having our meal. (You can see from how he was splayed out on my lap that he was pretty stuffed when he was done, too.)

Here are some recent photos of the little guy, who you can see is getting blonder by the day. He's learned how to use one of the most important tools in the house -- the remote -- and is awfully good at looking cute. He's also making great progress at napping on his own -- I'll take four short naps in the crib over two slightly longer ones in my arms.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Sleepy Owen

We've got a tired little guy this weekend -- he and I slept in until 10:30 a.m. today, and he's in the middle of a deep nap again. Here's a few recent snapshots of Owen in his smilier moments.

For those of you keeping score at home, Owen was 15 lbs., 5 oz., when I weighed him on Tuesday.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Owen at three months

Owen has been very busy lately -- watching the Badgers with Dad, following last Tuesday's election results, learning how to grab things, smiling up a storm and seeing the Vikings beat the Packers.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween

Here's our little honey bear on his first Halloween.
 
 
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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

12 weeks

Well, the little guy is about to hit another milestone -- 12 weeks. He's also managed to double his birth weight, weighing in at 14 lbs., 2 oz., when I checked him yesterday. The best part is that he's got such an amazing personality going already. Whenever we're out in public, he's smiling and making friends -- the woman in line behind us at Target the other day was swooning, as were three leggy blondes who passed us on State St. and cooed. He also is "talking" up a storm with us and is really, really active. Our mornings usually involve him on our bed, kicking, moving his arms and letting off many hours of pent-up energy. Every day is something new -- on Sunday, for example, he reached for his giraffe and started chewing on it.

Here are some of our favorite recent pictures:

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Owen at two months

The little guy isn't so little any more! We were at the doctor Friday for his two-month checkup and he weighed in at 12 lbs., 5 oz. and measured 23 inches. He's certainly been eating a ton and getting in some longer stretches of sleep (although not as long as his mom might like), so we can see why he's growing like a weed.

It's been a while since we've posted some snaps of Owen -- and we've gotten a request for "pictures...pictures...pictures," so here you go. As you can see from the pictures, we're keeping him busy. Many of the shots are of him playing in his room or with his buddy Keegan. He's so strong and can really hold his head up well, but he still doesn't like being on his stomach, even when propped up on the Boppy pillow. We also went to an apple orchard outside of Madison a few weekends ago, although O slept through the whole visit. We were in Minneapolis so he could meet his Uncle Sean, Aunt Molly and Cousin Taylor, as well as his Great Grandma Maher. He also got to hang out with some pretty cool kids -- Grady, who took a liking to Owen's head, and Arija and Adam. And because it was such a beautiful day in Madison today, we headed downtown for one of the last farmer's markets of the season.



I'm trying to decide what to do for Owen's Halloween costume -- please vote in the comments section below.

A. A 1950s greaser (his hair gets all spiky in the front when combed just right)
B. A punk baby (again, the hair can be combed into a spiky mohawk and he has some cool Vans)
C. A baby bear
D. No costume (Colin, you can only vote once!)
E. A write-in suggestion

Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Happy Gurgler

Like I said, Owen is talkative. Here's some video of him chatting with us the other night and telling us about his day.

The Grunter

I'm convinced that as Owen gets bigger, he's going to be a very talkative fellow. He loves to make noises while he sleeps, while he eats, while he does just about everything. Sometimes it's his sleeping squeak, sometimes it's his happy gurgle. And then there is his grunting. He grunts all the time, especially in his sleep. This has kept us awake many nights, and during one of those late night grunting sessions, I had to consult Google to find out what it's all about. Turns out, there's actually something called "grunting baby syndrome." Here's a video of Owen during one of his naps so you can see what we mean.

Monday, September 15, 2008

The faces of Owen

If that picture wasn't enough to satisfy you, here's a bunch of shots from the past couple of weeks.

Enjoy!

Little O

 

Here's our favorite recent picture of our little guy and his dad. Owen is doing SO well, eating a ton (every two hours or so) and gaining weight, now over 10 pounds. I've got a bunch of pictures to post, but I'll start with this one.

We obviously think he's adorable, but based on the random comments from strangers, he's a charmer. A woman at the grocery store stopped me to say he's beautiful, and the lactation consultant with whom I met today was oohing and aahing about how handsome he is. We agree.
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Friday, August 22, 2008

Roll over, Owen

Here's some video of our favorite little guy -- now just more than two weeks old -- performing some of his feats of strength. He's barely on his tummy before he's rolling over to his back, which makes tummy time tough. We're thinking he's got an early line on the 2028 Olympics.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

In case you missed it...

Owen is already a TV star. Here's a link to a segment on Channel 3's 6 o'clock news the day after he was born.

Owen slideshow

You may have seen some of these before, but here are some shots from Owen's first week. Looking back at them -- and knowing how much time he and I have spent in the rocking chair feeding -- I can see that he's starting to fill out.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

O-Boy -- what a week!

What a week it's been. Four and a half days in the hospital, one failed attempt at induction, one C-section, zero blood transfusions (yay!), many hours in the rocking chair, many more diapers, several episodes of Mr. Cranky Pants and a few glimmers of a smile later, our little guy Owen is a week old already.

O is just our dream come true and we're loving every second of him.
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Monday, July 21, 2008

Maybe we should add Bret or C.C. to our list of names

Someone asked me today if I'm still feeling pretty well and my answer was a flat-out "no." As Colin put it, I've hit the wall.

For one, I've definitely been more comfortable in my life. When I started wearing the maternity clothes many months ago (how many inches of snow were on the ground then?) I couldn't believe that someday they wouldn't fit over my belly. Well, my friends, that day is here. I am left with few options in increasingly stifling weather.

Also, I want to meet this kid already. We can't want to see what kind of personality he/she has, although if last night was any indication, life should be pretty interesting. I was getting ready to go to sleep and Colin came up to say good night, and he also was talking to Lilo a little bit.

"Keep talking," I told him after I felt a little bit of movement. Colin said the only thing that immediately came to mind was the episode of "Scrubs" he was watching, in which a patient in a coma had a wish to have Poison songs played to him, so the hospital staff had a recording of "Talk Dirty to Me" playing over and over.

Sadly, I know all the words to the song -- Poison being one of my high school favorites, I'm somewhat (but not entirely) embarrassed to admit -- so I started singing it, with Colin joining me on the chorus. Wouldn't you know it, Lilo started rockin' in there, moving around and giving us some really hard fist pumps or kickin' dance moves.

(I should add that it also moves around when I'm singing in the car to things like "I Have Confidence" from "The Sound of Music," so its tastes don't just run toward hair metal.)

Here's to another 10 days!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

38 weeks

Well, here we are, just about at 38 weeks. At my prenatal yoga class last night, I commented how when I started going to the class at about 15 weeks, it seemed like forever until I'd be close to the end of my pregnancy. The weather could be a little cooler, and my feet could still be a little less swollen, but all in all I'm feeling pretty well and we're pretty well set and ready.

My good friend Gwyn is a really talented photographer, and she offered to take some pictures of Colin and me before the baby comes. Here's some of what she shot this morning -- thanks to her for capturing us so wonderfully.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Speaking of the Little One


The Little One is 33 weeks along right now, and we had an ultrasound this morning to check everything out. Good news -- it's growing and developing just like it's supposed to and it doesn't seem like there are any problems to worry about right now. Whew.

We did learn more about our child -- apparently he or she is shy, because one hand stayed in front of its face whenever we tried to get a good look at it. Still, we got a few shots, so let the debate begin about whether Lilo looks like Colin or me!

Swollen potatoes


As you can see from this picture (taken on a recent trip to Indianapolis to see the Wendlings -- more on that soon), I'm getting to the large stage of pregnancy. At 33 weeks, I can really no longer see my feet due to that giant tummy in the way.

So when I do get to see my feet, I'm a little surprised by them. For those of you who don't know, my feet are already a bit of a family joke, and one of the things that comes with late-stage pregnancy is poor circulation. Which leads to puffy feet.

The other day, I caught a glimpse of my ankles (can you really call them that if they're too puffy to distinguish?) in the mirror and made a quick dash to the couch to restore some circulation down there. "My feet look like swollen potatoes!" I said to Colin.

"No," he said back. "Just regular potatoes."

(By the way, I should add that he was trying to be funny, and I laughed.)

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Where has 2008 gone?

OK, so we've been a little busy and haven't blogged in a while. We've got good reasons...work (both of us), pregnancy (Stacy) and too many extracurricular activities (Colin, who is playing on two softball and one soccer team right now). We've also had a bunch of fun visits from friends and family.

Here's my old DePauw friend Sprite and her daughter Kathryn, who entertained us with a visit in April and showed us just how much childproofing our house requires.









In addition to hosting Stacy's parents and Colin's family over a couple weekends (No photos, note to self: be better about pulling out the camera once the baby comes), we also made the trip up to Minneapolis for a couple of days. Here's Molly and Taylor, the Glasgow Rangers fan.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

73

That’s how many books I plowed through this year, which may be an all-time record for me. I think 2008 may be more about quality than quantity, as I’m planning to attack some world classics and heavy non-fiction in the months ahead.
At the risk of sounding like a complete bore, here’s the list of my reads for the year.

1. Garlic & Sapphires – Ruth Riechl
There are a couple of themes for the year – food, Italy and English historical figures. This falls into the food writing category, an amusing memoir by the former food critic for the New York Times.
2. Echoes – Maeve Binchy
One of my favorite authors for breezy reads.
3. The Boleyn Inheritance – Philippa Gregory
This sequel to The Other Boleyn Sister falls into the English history category. Any of Gregory’s books – and I’ve read many, as you’ll see, are gripping reads.
4. Quentins – Maeve Binchy
5. Diners, Bowling Alleys & Trailer Parks – Andrew Hurley
6. Suite Francaise – Irene Nemirovsky
These two stories about occupied France in the early 1940s might be the first work of fiction written about World War II.
7. The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri
A selection of my book group, Based on the Novel, this was probably my favorite book of the year. The movie was top notch, too.
8. The Virgin’s Lover – Philippa Gregory
9. In My Hands, Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer – Irene Gut Opdyke
A loan from Kari and a story about true bravery during WWII.
10. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
Every year, I read either S&S or Pride and Prejudice to figure out once and for all which one I like better. I still can’t decide.
11. Gizelle, Save the Children – Gizelle Hersh & Peggy Mann
A really haunting and graphic memoir of life at Auschwitz. I read this in seventh grade and couldn’t forget it, and for some reason I searched it out again.
12. Garnet Hill – Denise Mina
13. Deception – Denise Mina
14. The Virgin Blue – Tracy Chevalier
15. White Doves at Morning (audio) – James Lee Burke
16. Lost & Found (audio) – Carolyn Parkhurst
17. Rockville Pike – Susan Coll
There are a few Coll books on this list – they’re pretty good satires of life in contemporary suburban Washington, D.C.
18. The Girl in Hyacinth Blue (audio) – Susan Vreeland
19. Nerve Damage – Peter Abrahms
A pretty forgettable book group choice. Sorry, it was my suggestion.
20. Bird By Bird – Anne Lamott
21. KarlMarx.com – Susan Coll
My doctor saw me reading this one and decided she’d recommend it to her own book group.
22. Acceptance – Susan Coll
23. City of Fallen Angels – John Berendt
Get me to Venice, now!
24. Striver’s Row (audio) – Kevin Baker
25. The Six Wives of Henry VIII – Alison Weir
26. The Breakdown Lane (audio) – Jacquelyn Mitchard
27. Saving Graces – Elizabeth Edwards
28. Innocent Traitor – Alison Weir
Weir moves into fiction and does it well with this story of the tragic Lady Jane Grey. Boy, did she ever get royally used by her family.
29. Brunelleschi’s Dome (audio) – Eric Ross
30. Evening – Susan Minot
Another book group pick; I was one of the few who liked the book better than the movie.
31. The Omnivore’s Dilemma – Michael Pollan
You will never look at your food the same way again.
32. Waiting for Daisy – Peggy Orenstein
33. The Kid – Dan Savage
34. One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding – Rebecca Mead
35. Crime & Engagement – Nikki Rivers
I only read this because the main male character and romantic lead was named “Colin Benedict.” Ha. I sent an e-mail to Nikki Rivers to ask if she was a fan but she never wrote me back.
36. Revolutionary Road – Richard Yates
This book – which felt so contemporary I had to keep reminding myself it was written in the 1960s – is up there with “The Namesake” for my favorite book of the year. I can’t wait for the movie in 2008.
37. I Love You Beth Cooper – Larry Doyle
38. The Book Thief – Markus Zuzat
Another book group pick. Once I got past a weird storytelling device, I got into it.
39. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – Ann Brashares
40. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling
The must-read of the year, up there for my favorite.
41. To Have and to Hold (audio) – Jane Green
42. About What Was Lost – ed. Jessica Berger Gross
43. The Dive from Clausen’s Pier – Ann Packer
44. The Last Summer of You and Me – Ann Brashares
45. The Lost Painting – Jonathan Harr
A really fun and quick read about the search across Europe for a lost Caravaggio painting. More Italy.
46. Free Food for Millionaires (audio) – Min Jin Lee
47. One for the Money (audio) – Janet Evanovich
My friend Megan told me how much she enjoyed the Stephanie Plum series of books, so I decided to check them out. I’ve now listened to six of them (see below).
48. Two for the Dough (audio) – Janet Evanovich
49. Tender at the Bone – Ruth Riechl
More food, this one a memoir about cooking.
50. Anything for Jane – Cheryl Mendelson
51. The Serpent in the Garden – Janet Gleeson
52. Three to Get Deadly (audio) – Janet Evanovich
53. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
This book was everywhere this year, including our book group. But it got us thinking and talking.
54. Last One In – Nicholas Kulish
A quick piece of fiction about the invasion of Iraq by a guy my age who worked at the Wall Street Journal when I was there. I’m not saying this because it wasn’t good, but this book woke up my “If that guy can write a book, so can I” reflex.
55. Still Summer – Jacquelyn Mitchard
56. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
Our book group had read The Kite Runner, and I enjoyed even more this story about the life of two women in modern Afghanistan.
57. Privilege & Scandal: The Life of Harriet Bessborough – Janet Gleeson
58. Olive’s Ocean – Kevin Henkes
59. Matrimony – Joshua Henkin
60. Four Seasons in Rome – Anthony Doerr
More Italy and some envy because of the fellowship that sent Doerr and his family to Rome for a year.
61. Four to Score (audio) – Janet Evanovich
62. High Five (audio) – Janet Evanovich
63. Girls of Riyadh – Rajaa Alsanea
64. Miss American Pie – Margaret Sartor
65. The Middle Place – Kelly Corrigan
This memoir of a young woman, her father, and their struggles with cancer was the read of an online book group. It sounds depressing, but it's acutually pretty light and funny at times.
66. Run – Ann Patchett
67. Persuasion – Jane Austen
Our book group went classic with this pick.
68. Hot Six (audio) – Janet Evanovich
69. Betsy in Spite of Herself – Maud Hart Lovelace
One of my favorites from the Betsy-Tacy series; I mostly re-read it because Betsy goes to 1910s Milwaukee for Christmas.
70. Waiting to Surface – Emily Listfield
71. Julie & Julia – Julie Powell
This is our next book group pick, and allowed me to round out the year with more food writing. But I really was drawn in by Julie’s yearlong quest to cook her way through Julia Child’s French cooking tome. I told Colin about the premise and he said, “See, all you need to do is come up with something like that for your book.” Hmm…I don't think I could do the aspics and brains, however.
72. A Mighty Heart – Mariane Pearl
73. Playing for Pizza – John Grisham
Again, more Italy with this light read by Grisham about a former NFL quarterback who goes to Parma to finish his career playing in the Italian league.