Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Quick recap? My youngest bloomed into a spectacular rash this week courtesy of the antibiotics she was almost done with; my son had a miserable week due to side effects from the steroid prescribed to help his cough. We have survived, kids have gone to various birthday parties, and I have started actually sealing Christmas cards. Wahoo!

Anyway. Last night was also our ward Christmas party, which was fun. We had dinner, there was a brief activity/presentation, and Santa came at the end; my hubby left right after the kids saw Santa to get a few things done at home, while the younger kids and I stayed and helped clean up. (At least my son and I did.) We finally headed home with leftovers galore, but it was a late night for all of us, made later by the fact that I was so close to the end of “Dragonbreath” #4: Lair of the Bat Monster that I stayed up and finished it. (Luckily, the littles slept in some.) Ursula Vernon is just always such a good time that I couldn’t resist–it’s the expressions AND the writing, and if your elementary schoolers haven’t read any of her books yet, they should definitely go under your Christmas tree. In this one Danny and Wendell end up in the jungle with Danny’s bat researching cousin Steve, where they come across (surprise!) an honest-to-goodness bat monster. Adventures ensue, of course, as you either know or will find out when you read the series; I’m passing it off to my son now, but I look forward to reading and reviewing the next one. Now I’m off to address more Christmas cards!

That’s how December’s going to be, folks–we’re just going to call it a win every time I post. Of course, it would ALSO be a win if all my kiddos could make it to school…my youngest developed a rash yesterday evening that bloomed SPECTACULARLY overnight, meaning I had to take her to the doctor’s before sending her to school (turns out it was an immune response to Augmentin with a scientific name) and my son STILL didn’t go to school today. He coughs and he coughs, but there’s nothing else really wrong with him. (Okay, lower appetite and higher tired levels, but that’s not necessarily shocking under the circumstances.) I told him he has to GO tomorrow and then if it’s bad he can call me, so we’ll see how that goes.

In the meantime, today I worked on our Christmas card (by which I mean I found pictures and sent them to Britt to work on), made homemade tomato soup with the majority of what’s left of the garden tomatoes, sorted the dirty clothes and managed one load of laundry, played chauffeur, and didn’t get tacos for dinner. Last night, however, I finished listening to Linda Holmes’ Evvie Drake Starts Over, and if I review it tonight, I can put it in a “leaving my house” pile, and what’s not to love about that?

Anyway. Evvie Drake has a totally engaging premise–widow rents space to a major league pitcher with the ‘yips’ and their initial “don’t talk about the husband or baseball” agreement doesn’t stick–and parts of it were impressive. Evvie’s dead husband manages to be more than two dimensional–although not likable–and Dean’s baseball struggles gave me a glimpse into a world I know very little about. The number of f-words bothered me enough that I didn’t even consider keeping the ex-library copy I picked up for cheap, however, and while Holmes got Maine geographically right, she missed the feel of it–at least for me. To be fair, non-New Englanders who are less bothered by language probably won’t care, and Holmes is at her most impressive in her portrayal of Evvie’s marriage and subsequent widowhood, so it’s a worthwhile read if that describes you. If it doesn’t, however, I’d skip this one, although not without regret.

I was going to review The Good Thieves yesterday, but there was a piano recital and Christmas decorating and then after my shower I got tired faster than I expected. Ah, well! The important thing is that I seriously enjoyed Katherine Rundell’s The Good Thieves; Vita’s mesmerizing 1920s adventure has an Eva Ibbotson flavor about it, as well as a bit of the feel of Splendors and Glooms. Her quest to return her grandfather’s ancestral home to him after a ruthless (and criminal) businessman steals it is fraught with danger, and I was rooting for her and the troupe of friends she gathers around her all the way. Definitely worth your time.

In the meantime, we need to figure out our dinner plans and continue trying to create Christmas order from our living room’s current chaos; have a wonderful Sunday!

That was yesterday, folks. I made appointments–SO MANY APPOINTMENTS–and registered my son for basketball and got Palmer his crickets and everybody I was responsible for where they needed to go and even put dinner in the crockpot in record time; I just didn’t finish the day with a blog post. And so you have me today, instead, after a two hour school delay so the roads could be cleared after snow in the wee hours, after getting my car registered and squared away, after making sure piano happened, and after tucking in 3 out of 4 kiddos so far. It works out nicely, too, because I finished the last few pages of Eric Gapstur’s Sort of Super during my youngest daughter’s piano lesson, which means I can review it tonight and have it ready for my son in the morning. Not that he’s not busy rereading the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” books and all, plus his current Battle of the Books book, but Sort of Super is ALSO Battle of the Books–AND a graphic novel. (It’ll be his last quick read on the list, I’m thinking, but I am proud of him for how far he’s gotten already!) Super is a debut graphic novel, actually, about an eleven-year-old boy who develops superpowers, his ultra-smart younger sister, and a nefarious animal-stealing plot; it’s fast-moving and less than 250 pages, and if you’re looking for a graphic novel to give your elementary schooler for Christmas, this one’s a solid choice. Wyatt’s the main character but his sister’s the brain, which gives it a nicely wide appeal, and the art is fun. (And I was surprised at how engaged I was after the first bit, since it’s less my thing.) Here’s hoping this helps someone with their Christmas shopping!

That’s what this morning was, folks. I headed to the library after dropping something off at the elementary school to find a sign saying SLC libraries were closed until noon because of the snow; from there I went to Walmart, where they wouldn’t let me make my return (even for store credit!) because it was over 90 days, I pulled into their curbside pickup only to receive (as soon as I’d parked!) a text saying my order was delayed and not yet available, and I headed to PetSmart from there only to find they’re currently out of small crickets. Seriously? And so here I sit, eating (admittedly tasty) leftover soup for lunch, preparing to review Christina Soontornvat’s The Tryout so I can slip it back to the library without my 13-year-old catching a glimpse of it. (She’s getting it for Christmas, so I’d prefer she NOT see the library copy I previewed just lying around.)

The good news is that Soontornvat’s debut graphic novel is excellent; it hits the kinds of themes that matter to middle schoolers–friendship shifts, the lure of popularity, efforts to try new things–without being unrealistic or bogging down in the awfulness. (Books that make me squirm half the time are painful for me, because I lived through junior high once already, you know?) It also paints a strong picture of the complexity of being half Thai in not-metropolitan Texas, and experiencing different perspectives through other people’s eyes can only help our ability to relate to those around us. This is a graphic novel that both kids and adults should be happy with, and I’m excited to put it under our Christmas tree!

(Our NAKED tree. But still.)

Seriously, though. On the 20th I taught Sunday School and our ward presented its Primary Program, which involved a musical number by the kiddos and me AND a musical number with the Primary kids and the youth in addition to the littles’ other songs and speaking parts. That night we finally had my 16-year-old’s birthday dessert, with my sister and parents over for good measure; the following morning I went to Costco, put soup in the crockpot, brought the crockpot to my aunt’s, took my oldest to one appointment and my son to another, and went with my older girls to that aunt’s house for a bridal shower for my nephew’s fiance. (Hence the presence in Utah of my sister, my brother’s family, and my parents.) Tuesday was my ‘hit Walmart for Pie Night and Thanksgiving shopping’ day, and two and a half pies got made before bedtime; I finished the half pie with my hubby on Wednesday morning before he left for work, after which we did virtual piano lessons (oh, the cough that lingers!), my second girlie got a significant haircut, and more pies were made before we packed for Clearfield and drove there to make the last one. Pie Night meant all the kids got to bed late, but the littles never sleep in much at Grandma’s house (the big girls, of course, were sleeping over with cousins). My fabulous mother-in-law made biscuits and bacon gravy for breakfast, which was lovely, and since we ate our Thanksgiving dinner around 4-ish, the day was a pleasant progression of NOT-rushed dinner preparations. Dinner was lovely as well, and there were some games, a slow stretch while missionary families talked to their missionaries, and then more games before we headed home. (We were thinking we’d stay over, but decided against it). Blessedly, ALL the kids slept in the next morning, and while people were still tired, we unpacked and cleaned while the World Cup played in the background. Yesterday involved more cleaning, more soccer, and a doctor’s appointment for the never-ending cough; my youngest gets a course of antibiotics under the assumption that it’s likely sinus infection-y by now. Today my hubby subbed in my daughter’s primary class after helping me try to set up the Zoom for our women’s meeting (the less said about that endeavor, the better); we got home in time for me to throw some pumpkin bread in the oven before heading back for tithing settlement, but we managed at least SOME of our Sunday family things. The tree even made it up, although it’s still naked!

Anyway. I haven’t the energy to list and review our pies tonight, so instead you get a brief review of Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away, which I finished listening to last night. I enjoy her stories of healing and reconciliation peppered with romance, and while this one felt weightier in some ways–the heroine’s spinal cord is crushed in a plane crash at the very beginning–it was still hopeful and satisfying and sometimes hilarious. The short story included at the end of the edition I listened to was a delightful surprise–a lead-in to her Things You Save in a Fire–and the whole audiobook was incredibly compelling for me. If you’re looking for women’s fiction with substance, growth, and happy endings, this one’s another win from Katherine Center.

And it started early, no less! Thursday night was Literacy Night at the elementary school plus a leadership meeting for the youth at the church (which my girls needed rides to, since my hubby was still at work). Being on the PTA board means I’ve got to be on time if I possibly can plus stay until we’ve cleaned up–although to be fair, my son was a big help with that, and my youngest had fun occasionally helping and running in the emptying gym with friends. Yesterday morning I started making pumpkin bars before taking the littles to school; after baking two pansful, I went to my knitting teacher’s house to learn how to finish my scarf while they cooled and then came back to frost them once I was done. (I finished it in time for the service project! Wahoo!) Then it was off to the school with them, where we set up for our ‘Thankful for Teachers’ luncheon and presided over (and ate at) said luncheon. I only did a bit of cleaning up before heading home to grab my youngest and take her to the doctor, where I got the ‘it’s a virus and try U,V,W,X,Y, and Z’ line. (It’s not that I didn’t believe him, but she’s my 4th–I was already doing everything except Z, you know?) When we got home from that the rest of the evening was relatively quiet, but this morning was the Primary Program practice at 9, which involved everyone but my hubby. (All the kids and I are singing one song, and the youth–including my older girls–are singing another.) The big girls left for their housecleaning job at 9:30 and I left at 10 because it’s Saturday and I have things to do before we go see a family friend in her high school’s production of “Newsies” at 1. Tomorrow is the Primary Program and I’m teaching for my Sunday School teaching partner, who had a stroke and really needs to take it easier than she is. And so it goes!

Anyway. Before I head back to my chores I also need to review Nest Egg, which I finished listening to at least a week ago. It’s the first in the ‘Aloha Chicken Mysteries’ and was recommended by my friend in Kanosh; the occasional Hawaiian words weren’t made easier by the audio version, but it was a fun story and I definitely didn’t see the climax coming. Saffron has inherited her late uncle’s chicken farm in Hawaii and is determined to clean it up, sell it, and get back to her life in D.C.; when suspicious things start happening, however, she is drawn further and further into the community. Cozy mysteries are more my friend Britt’s thing than mine, but this was entertaining to listen to and good enough that I’ll give the second book in the series a try. In the meantime, my chores await!

That pretty much describes Michelle Cuevas in a nutshell, folks. I finished her The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole the other night, and there were tears. On the one hand, this book DOES actually talk about caring for and feeding a pet black hole; on the other hand, this book follows eleven-year-old Stella as she struggles to deal with her grief after losing her father. Throw in a hilarious five-year-old brother, a hamster named Stinky Stu, and an epic journey full of surprises, memories, and Brussels sprouts, and you have a definitely bizarre and yet somehow fully relatable look at the ways kids figure out how to handle what life throws at them–and who helps them do it. I definitely recommend this one!

In other news, my oldest turned 16 yesterday, and I’m not ready for her to be growing up like this. The stakes get scarier and the choices get more serious, and I’m terrified even though she’s an amazingly good kid. Gaahhhh!

I believe I’ve already mentioned that nonfiction read-alouds are a harder sell with my 13-year-old, but Russell Freedman’s Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott captivated her about as much as it did me. It probably helped that she’s familiar with Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks, but the story of the boycott itself still grabbed her, and really, I shouldn’t be surprised. I am humbled and inspired at the thought of those who walked daily in the heat of an Alabama summer to win rights that should never have been in question, not to mention awestruck at the level of organization achieved by the intricate network of carpools and rides the leaders developed (and the sheer publicity required!). Freedman provides plenty of photos for context, and as always, his text is both informative and accessible. I enjoyed reading this for myself; I loved reading it with my daughter.

In other news, my son completed his science fair board more or less by himself and without prodding, and that was fantastic; less fantastic is knowing that my oldest turns 16 tomorrow. I am NOT ready for this!

I appear to have missed Veterans Day, which is unfortunate; it does mean, however, that I have THREE completed books to choose from this morning. What to review? What to review?

I suppose I’ll go with the heaviest, which also happens to be a)due and not renewable this week and b)the one most recently finished, since I’ve been reading it aloud to my 7-year-old and we finished it within the last half hour or so. Telephone Tales came onto my radar in 2021, when it won the Mildred L. Batchelder Award. (The Batchelder Award is reserved for children’s books originally published outside of the US and in a language other than English, and it’s intended to encourage US publishers to translate and publish children’s books from around the world.) The premise of Telephone Tales intrigued me–a collection of stories for children short enough to be told in in the time a payphone gives for one coin–and so I put it on hold at my library. It proceeded to sit on my shelf for over a year until I realized that it could be a read-aloud with my youngest, and while the stories were often bizarre to an American audience, she was interested enough that we persisted. (VERY bizarre to an American audience. I wish I could ask native Europeans who’ve read it what they think, because it felt European enough that they might not have blinked an eye.) Most (if not all) stories came with large, not-finely-detailed illustrations, and they ran from poignant to amusing to thought-provoking to really, just plain odd. The format makes it handy for a read-aloud, so parents with children old enough to process stories outside of their cultural experience might want to look into it; I’m still trying to decide exactly how I felt about it!