Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

My children.  There were a few bumps today, but they did amazingly well for having been up past bedtime on Christmas Eve.

My husband.  Because when good dads get duct tape ties from their 11-year-olds on Christmas Eve, they wear them to church.

My niece and nephew.  They spent Christmas Eve and morning with us, despite my incredible hostessing skills that included moments like “um, your clean sheets are in the dryer…”

My family.  Because I love them, even though I didn’t see them today.

My in-laws.  Because I love them, and I love being with them, and the magnitude of that blessing overwhelms me.

Friends.  Because I have some amazing ones.

Snow.  Because who doesn’t love a white Christmas?

The birth of Christ.  Because He lives and loves me–and He makes it possible for me to repent and try again–and again.  (And again.)

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Okay, maybe not for everyone, but for me?  I don’t shop or get gas on Sundays (barring an emergency), so I had to make sure I was ready today (assuming I am), and this year that’s been a struggle!  That being the case, you get a short review of a short book, because hey, it’s sort of Christmas Eve, in a ‘Christmas Eve is two days long’ this year kind of a way.

I picked up The Journey That Saved Curious George:  The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey because Louise Borden writes excellent historical fiction and non-fiction, often about WWII–AND because hey, Curious George.  (We’re big George fans at our house.)  I was also thrilled at the prospect of my third grader being able to use it for her general non-fiction genre report, which is now done (Hallelujah!).  All that aside, however, it’s just plain interesting.  Although essentially an easy chapter book, there’s an impressive amount of information in this one.  Who knew that H.A. and Margret Rey were German Jews turned Brazilian citizens living in Paris when Germany invaded France?  I’m sure plenty of people did, but I didn’t.  Borden writes simply enough that my 8-year-old wasn’t bothered by the language, and Allan Drummond’s illustrations only add to the appeal.  If you are George fans, or non-fiction fans, or simply like an interesting-and-true-story, try this one.

And now, on to Christmas!

Okay, folks.  I was totally going to review a book tonight, but between laundry and cookie dough making and a little extra off-the-treadmill reading, I find myself unable to form enough coherent thoughts to make that work.  Instead, I’ll just pass on to you this year’s winner for the holiday-recipe-I-can’t-stop-eating.

Three words, people.  Potato Chip Fudge.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled holiday doings.

My friend Britt (at Confessions of a Book Habitue) passed Pamela Laskin’s Ronit & Jamil along to me when she finished it, and it’s been kicking around my room ever since.  Neither one of us cherishes “Romeo and Juliet” as a favorite play, but a retelling set in Israel/Palestine?  You’ve got to admit–it’s inspired.  I can’t honestly think of a better setting to make the story seem relevant today (although to be fair, I’ve had a few too many late nights, so there’s quite a lot that I can’t think of at any given time this month!).  The voices of the two teens are intentionally very similar, which requires a decently close reading but possibly makes for even more depth to the concept.  There’s a lot of physical longing–okay, maybe lusting–in the first half, but I do actually remember being a teenager.  (It’s certainly not inaccurate.)  The ending is perhaps abrupt, but again, I can’t think of a better way to marry her vision for the story with Shakespeare’s.

My biggest issue with Laskin’s retelling is really a personal preference; I’d rather my verse novels tip the scale on the novel side of things, and Laskin strikes me as a poet first.  She uses some specific forms of poetry that I learned about at one point but can’t remember the names of–college was a long time ago,  you know?–and pays specific homage to middle eastern poetry, which is as it should be.  Ultimately, for a poetic verse novel retelling of R&J, this is probably excellent.  For me as a reader, the premise rocked, the execution was less my thing, but the author’s note at the end made me happy.

You’ll have to tell me what you think.

I would never have checked Friendship Over (The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine, #1) out of the library if I hadn’t enjoyed Julie Sternberg’s “Eleanor” series so much.  (That would be the series that starts with Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie, in case you’re wondering.)  Her writing is simple and succinct and packed with feeling; it’s also laugh-out-loud funny when it wants to be.  When I saw she had another series, I thought–why not?

I wasn’t disappointed.  Friendship Over deals with real issues that kids face, and it does it without being saccharine or cliched.  What’s not to love?  If you’ve got a mid-elementary school girl who likes contemporary fiction, and you prefer her to read books with some actual substance rather than drivel, this series ought to be a good compromise.  (I actually ordered this one for my 8-year-old for Christmas.)  It’s a shorter, easier read, but it’s a thought-provoking one.  Let me know what YOU think!

…to think that I’d actually have the time or brain power to review the book I finished yesterday.  No, between dishes and exercising and making treats for the girls’ piano recital and shopping online for Christmas stuff, I’m poopered and it’s late.  On the other hand, my hubby and I did get to see “Star Wars:  The Last Jedi” today, so here’s my review of that.

Go see it.

Seriously, it was good.  It kept me guessing, too, and I didn’t see the ending coming.  I did spend the last third of it wondering when it was going to end–it’s a fairly long movie–but not because I wasn’t enjoying it; I just kept wanting to know which cliff we were going to be left hanging off of.  Possibly that happens with any middle movie of a trilogy?  (At least, if it’s not based on a book you’ve already read.  I wanted to throw Peter Jackson off of a cliff for a good two-thirds of “The Two Towers,” but that’s something else entirely.)

Yeah, just go see it.  I’m too tired to try and say more without risking spoilers, so I’m off to bed!

Okay.  The cards are maybe half done, and more things have been ordered.  Piano recital Saturday, followed by a family Christmas party.  And I have ideas for more people.  That’s something, right?

How are YOU guys doing with your Christmas prep?

All Christmas letters are printed AND signed.  Cards have been acquired, and the list has been found.  The dance recital is successfully concluded.

Someday I shall return to actual blog posts…

Cards have been ordered and will be picked up tomorrow, as well as gifts for at least 6 people.  A Christmas letter draft has been written, a gift for my dad should be in Idaho next week, and more piano practicing for the recital happened today (as well as dance practicing for THAT recital).  What shall I do tomorrow?

I spent the morning in our storage room, taming the chaos and (FINALLY!) finding the winter coat my two-year-old will be wearing this year, which means that my lower back is killing me.  Here, then, is a short review of unhealthy snacks, for your reading pleasure:

Hershey’s Gold Bar:  Weirdly delicious.  Even my hubby, who was disappointed when he read the wrapper and realized it wasn’t actually chocolate, liked it when he tasted it.

Hot Cocoa Oreos:  Mmmm.  These are tasty, too.

Trader Joe’s Scandinavian Tidings:  Hmm.  Love the white ones, the red ones are pretty good, and the green ones are just weird.  Gummy candy shouldn’t taste like a Christmas-Tree-scented candle smells.

What snacks are YOU enjoying this holiday season?