Theme Thursday: Rooms

Well here's the deal... the theme for this Thursday is rooms. And I was all like "cool." Then I Google image searched "rooms" and panicked a little bit. My house doesn't look anything like that. But I thought my house looked pretty good. It's like when you get dressed and you're feeling great and you catch sight of yourself hours later and you're just like no.

But I am up for a challenge. I cleaned on Tuesday night and did some reorganization. And then I waited for good light. (I may have read tips about taking pictures of rooms and they all say good light is key. Um hello I want to know how to make my house like a magazine not the same tip given for every photography style ever.) 

So rooms. Just off my kitchen, through my dutch door (LOVE IT) is my favorite favorite part of my house. The three season porch. 

Here's my porch in all it's glory. In true keeping it real mode, the pineapple and other plant life is supposed to be in my red kitchen, not my blue and yellow sun porch but someone aged 1 keeps trying to uproot them. 

Those chairs are so comfy and lived in our living room at the old house, even though they are indoor outdoor chairs. 

And my favorite part of the room is when you walk in the door this is directly across from you. And I loved it in the winter, but it is even cuter with hats and light jackets on it. 

 And because rooms gave me a good opportunity to take a picture of our newly redone closet to show my mom. (Hi Whome!)

Once upon a time when we looked at this house for the first time, the people who lived here before had this dresser in the closet that worked well in the space. Since, it's slanted and not your typical closet. We  tried to negotiate for the dresser in our initial offer but that fell through. Then they went and tried to sell us the dresser later. We said a big ol' no. 

In the 8 months we have lived here we have tried a few different things to make it work. It didn't. Last weekend Husband got mad, went to Home Depot and spent the next few hours in the garage with saws. Then he put this all together and suddenly the closet works. Score! 

Link up your rooms with Cari so I can peek at your house or wherever. I am super curious if someone is super good at room photography or has an awesome Pinteresty room or is really creative and able to think outside the box on this one. Then gear up because next week is bright and I am excited! 

WIRW

Possibly linking with Jessica for What I'm Reading Wednesday. Which I hope can be stretched to what I just finished reading. And that she posts a link up this week otherwise all my thoughts are a little less relevant. But still posted... 

1. If I am being honest the book I literally just read was The Very Hungry Caterpillar but that's not very exciting so...

2. First up in the recently finished category: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. 

This was our latest book club book. It is an entire book based off of Genesis 34. Like from The Bible. I was hesitant when it was described to me. This book had an interesting writing style to it. It wasn't pure story telling but it didn't just read like a novel either. I still can't decide if I liked that but I'm still thinking about it so that's something I think. There were a brief few pages that were super interesting and intense. Funny enough, the part that was taken directly from The Bible. Diamant sums up the entire book in one succinct paragraph at the end. Which is both frustrating and beautiful. It is a good message but it was also something to be inferred from previous four hours of reading. Book club was rescheduled so lucky you, I haven't had the chance to discuss it with anyone yet so you get all my thoughts. 

3. Next up in the recently finished category is Eleanor Brown's The Weird Sisters. 

I really enjoyed this one. It helps to know your Shakespeare a little bit, or at the very very very least your As You Like It, King Lear and Taming of the Shrew. It is interesting that Brown so nicely weaves the flaws of Shakespearean characters into modern counterparts who are similar to their namesakes in flaws but fully formed as individuals. Brown does a nice job weaving her own plot and story using Shakespearean elements and experiences. The story is simultaneously relatable and complex. It was just mindless enough to be a quick read novel but with enough meat to it to be more than just a poolside book. Not that I have a pool. 

4. After a thought provoker and a good read I needed a quick read so I went back to From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond. This was the very first book I purchased for my newly bought Kindle in February of 2011. There was a blizzard and everything was closed and I stayed in bed and read. It must have been something about that experience that was unreachable in July because this book read faster and less heartfelt a second time around. I don't know. Maybe it's that there's no surprise but, I hope I'm not spoiling anything here, she has 4 kids is, is still married and happy. (And filthy rich with the cattle, book deals galore and a cooking show...) I won't say I don't like this book, I read it all the way through again when I could have easily just stopped. But I will say I dunno I'll go back to it anytime again. In that regards, glad it's a digital copy. The number of metaphors and descriptions of kissing is astounding--it could be a case study.

5. And then since I am being honest and everything I am currently reading The Red House by Mark Haddon. 

I started this before The Weird Sisters and Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. First thing that threw me is all dialogue is not in quotation marks, it is in italics. Then I have to keep all the characters straight because the book is from all of their point of view and switches every few pages. Next up I'll have to power through and finish. Not sure where it's heading. Not sure I like it or would even recommend it but this in all truthfulness is what I am reading, today on Wednesday. 

Toy of the Week Tuesday

It's a gloomy, not raining yet kind of day. Which is okay actually. I don't mind a little rain and truthfully I was in need of an inside day. (I hope it rains enough for the weed roots in my sidewalk that I killed about a week ago to loosen up enough to remove them from the sidewalk.) But even though it's not raining currently it is dark enough outside that I had to turn on lights.

And you wouldn't know this about me, but I have an aversion to turning on lights even in the dark. So that's telling you something. Inside play it is today.

The toy of the week is the MegaBloks. Oh my goodness. Every last detail about them is fun. The fact you can build a car--that is fun. Putting them back in the bag? Pretty good stuff. Dumping the whole bag out all over the floor? That's even better. Conning Mom and Dad into building a giant tower to be knocked over? Um... you might as well call the fun police that's how awesome the MegaBloks are.

We have this set. I think I am glad he got this one for his birthday and not one of the themed sets. It encourages more creative play. Don't get me wrong, the construction site set looks darling, and I am certain it would be an instant hit. But I like the just building towers and running around with a piece in each hand right now. 

So we are listening to our favorite Pandora station (currently Annette Funicello) and playing this morning. Love it. 

Swimmin'

Woo! Almost through Monday already!

We had friends over this weekend, which was fun. They're moving back here and we are excited for them to be close! So we spent Friday night and during the day Saturday cleaning and prepping for visitors. We finished with a lot of time to spare, which was good. But then what are we left doing? You don't want to keep cleaning, because at a certain point you just gotta let go. You don't want to make a mess. Pacing nervously seems silly... maybe we are the only people who stress out this much about people coming over but our house is on HIGH anxiety until the doorbell rings.

We bought a swimming pool and we've used that yesterday and today... it's a hit. It's slightly bigger than a puddle so that one of us can go in with him. He loves splashing people so it's kind of the highlight. I bought a splash pad for C's birthday but since you have to have the water running the whole time it seems more impractical. He loves the water and being outside. He throws such a fit when we go inside, it doesn't matter how long he's spent out there. So if we alternate between the two water activities outside mixed in with some non-swim days I think we'll strike a good balance.

Showing off his amazing swimmin' skills.
Never mind the jungle next door.
They mow just enough to not be in violation of city ordinances.

The previous owners of the house left a bike rack in the garage, which is really handy for hanging up the pool/splash pad so they can dry and not be eaten. It's great. Especially since I don't bike and wouldn't have a use for it anyway. If you love biking, great, but I haven't enjoyed it since I was 14. Just really not my thing. But it is working well as a hang up the pool rack!

That's what we've been up to. And bonus, I found my swimsuit so I was able to go in with him today. It was fun especially since the heat and humidity are back with a vengeance.

Quick Takes on This Friday

I am feeling contemplative over my oatmeal this morning so... I think it's a Quick Takes Day.

1. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Memorial Day and Labor Day have it right. There's no arbitrary date attached it's just a Monday that people get off. I am sure I would be much more apt to enjoy Thanksgiving and 4th of July if they came with 3 day weekends. This whole random day off then back to work stuff is tricky.

2. Let's say Puerto Rico becomes a state. It is a distinct possibility. Does this mean that West Side Story will forever more be a period piece? I know it already is technically, but people like to update it and such. But America which is my favorite song BTW would suddenly become a whole lot less pertinent.

3. Blessed Pope John-Paul II is going to be a saint. Love it. Love him.

4. Amidst all fireworks going off like crazy last night, I pulled weeds from my sidewalk and watched The Parent Trap, which is one of my all time favorite movies. I am not a big go see fireworks girl, but if I had been, last night was the perfect night for them. Not buggy, not muggy.

5. I have been reading Kindle Library Books. There is something very nice about sitting on my buns, in my house and checking out and returning library books. And I have my card from my hometown, and my new town so that measly 5 book limit is actually a ten book limit and waitlist, shmait list I am flying through the books. Love it.

6. That being said, some of the books I have started and promptly stopped. Not really. In fourth grade there was a 4 chapter test rule, where you couldn't decide you didn't like a book until after the fourth chapter. The idea being that by that point you're probably engaged enough to just keep going. I still follow that rule, but even after 4 chapter at least 2 books had to go. But no problem and no special trip to return them was necessary. So I find myself taking risks with the books I get and wouldn't you know, some are pretty good.

7. In the time I started this I have read 2 board books, sang 3 songs, helped a toddler with his stuffy nose and finished my oatmeal. Awesome. 8 hours until the real weekend. :)

Theme Thursday: Freedom

I am so late with this post. But it is still in fact Thursday and I didn't notice the theme until late yesterday and I didn't know what to do with the theme all day...

I could be Patriotic, but I am not big on federal holidays and we didn't do much. Though we did wear red white and blue today. :)

So I am taking freedom lightly and going with this:

I love the freedom of bare feet. It is not always practical. But I love being barefoot. Years ago this was not the case and I wore socks all.the.time but now... free feet!! And I love little baby toesies sticking out of the all American blue jeans. And thank you past Americans who popularized blue jeans and "allowed" girls to wear them.

If you read this and you want to link up with Cari... do it! Freedom is the theme this week!

Perfect Days

Seriously the weather could not get anymore perfect.

Sunshiney. Bright. Upper 70s. We hit 80 yesterday. And zero humidity. None. I went ahead and placed my order for every single day to be like this until the end of time. I don't need changing leaves, rain or snow if every day could be perfect. Oh my gosh. Just gorgeous.

We went to a baseball game last night. The last time I went to a baseball game I went into Labor the next day. It was a little bit different with a toddler who just wants to run and run and run. Luckily our friends had a suite so there was plenty of space for running without interrupting the game for anyone. But the weather was so perfect by the end of the night I was almost wishing I had brought sweatshirts! Sweatshirts! In July! And C was wearing jeans!

Tonight I am going out with my friend for dinner and a movie. I don't know where we'll eat or what movie but I am pretty excited to get out and enjoy myself. And let my boys have some boy time. I suspect that though Husband would never say anything he'd appreciate some time just to himself at the house. Something he so rarely gets. Until tonight however I am going to bask in the wonderfulness that is this weather.

It's supposed to last all week! Praise be to Him! Even  the 4th of July. I am not a big national holiday girl. I love religious holidays but national holidays are a little overrated if you ask me. It's probably because I am not one for parades. I love that Husband has the day off however. We will be non-celebrating the holiday. I have never cared for fireworks. Back in the day, before we had a C, we had a tradition of going to a movie on the 4th of July. It is the perfect time to go. Everyone is at fireworks and movie theaters are dead! 2 years because we didn't see new releases we had the theaters completely to ourselves! But we have a C so will not be going out to a movie this year. That's okay at some point he'll be old enough and we can resume the tradition.

And it's really okay too, because I live in a town where holidays can't ever be on the holiday and the fireworks are Wednesday night. (Trick or treat is always the day before, St. Patrick's Day is the closest Saturday etc.) So it's possible that my movie theaters are dead statement would not be true anyhow. Whatevs. I am looking forward to staying home and enjoying life.