Look who's 31!
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.
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.
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.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
The hills are alive...
After we returned from a few days in Minneapolis and Stevens Point, we had a chance to enjoy our Austrian Christmas celebration. On Friday, we hustled home from work to put together our meal and settle in to watch "The Sound of Music."
I had consulted a few Austrian cookbooks, but because of time -- and taste -- constraints, I opted to buy some beef tenderloin instead of trying to boil beef. Colin took charge of making the meat and it was delicious. We also enjoyed an Austrian potato and apple salad, as well as a gurkensalat (cucumber salad). For dessert, we savored some butterhornchen (Viennese butter cookies).
After dinner we were transported from Vienna to Salzberg and the world of the von Trapps. One of the reasons we picked Austria for Christmas this year was so we could watch "The Sound of Music," which Colin had never seen...and which I've seen at least two dozen times. He was surprised at how much he knew about the story -- he kept saying, "I didn't know this song was from this movie!" He also now gets why my sister-in-law, Molly, has been teasing him that she's going to make him some pajama pants out of her living room curtains. But he was a very good sport and even put up with my singing.
Here are some pictures from our night -- Fröhlich Weihnachts und Glückliches Neujahr!
(P.S. In the car last night, we were discussing possibilities for next year's holiday selection -- Colin wants to get out of Europe...we're taking any suggestions if you have them!)
I had consulted a few Austrian cookbooks, but because of time -- and taste -- constraints, I opted to buy some beef tenderloin instead of trying to boil beef. Colin took charge of making the meat and it was delicious. We also enjoyed an Austrian potato and apple salad, as well as a gurkensalat (cucumber salad). For dessert, we savored some butterhornchen (Viennese butter cookies).
After dinner we were transported from Vienna to Salzberg and the world of the von Trapps. One of the reasons we picked Austria for Christmas this year was so we could watch "The Sound of Music," which Colin had never seen...and which I've seen at least two dozen times. He was surprised at how much he knew about the story -- he kept saying, "I didn't know this song was from this movie!" He also now gets why my sister-in-law, Molly, has been teasing him that she's going to make him some pajama pants out of her living room curtains. But he was a very good sport and even put up with my singing.
Here are some pictures from our night -- Fröhlich Weihnachts und Glückliches Neujahr!
(P.S. In the car last night, we were discussing possibilities for next year's holiday selection -- Colin wants to get out of Europe...we're taking any suggestions if you have them!)
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Frohe Weihnachten!
That's Merry Christmas to you and me. We're well into our Austrian holiday celebration. Here's a shot of our Adventkranz, a wreath with four candles, one of which we'll light every Sunday until Christmas.We also cheated a little bit and decorated our tree well before Christmas. In Austria, the parents decorate the tree and surprise the children with it on Christmas Eve.
We'll also be baking some hornchen cookies -- those are buttery Viennese nut crescents. Mmm...And with all the snow we've had in the last week, Madison is a regular winter wonderland, the kind we wish for every Christmas.
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