Saturday, January 26, 2013

Lois Lenski - book reviews: San Francisco Boy, Shoo-fly Girl, Corn-farm Boy

I recently discovered several new-to-me books at the local library. Lois Lenski's books have always been on my top choices for children, and when i discovered about ten out-of-print, expensive-on-amazon books, I couldn't NOT pick them up and take them home with me.

Here is a short run-down on the ones I was able to find:

  San Francisco Boy is about a young boy and his sister (and their other siblings, but the book's main focus is on those two) who move from Alameda, California to San Francisco. Most of the story is about the boy's struggle with homesickness and making new friends; his younger sister makes friends easily with their neighbors and shop owners. It is full of Chinese culture - and even some Italian fun, as well! - and a great read for anyone interested in life in Chinatown, California.

Shoo-fly Girl is about an Amish girl who is part of a large family. She helps the family grow their tobacco crop for sale, and has a pet crow that no one likes. She and her family learn to be friends with their "English" neighbors, all the while overcoming their prejudice. Reading this story was definitely fun, and recommended for anyone who is interested in the lives of Amish children.

Corn-Farm Boy is about a boy who suffers with rheumatism. He lives on a farm with his siblings; since he has to limit his physical activity, he "collects" animals as pets, doctoring them when they're sick. He tries his best to help the family as they try a new method of planting corn that makes them look foolish to the neighbors, but it pays off in the end. This is a great story for animal lovers and young boys looking for everyday adventures.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

butter typoes ;)

When I read something - anything, be it print, on the internet, on signs, etc... - my brain is on alert and ready to mock any typos or grammatical eras* I see ;)   I'm not sure when it started, (even though I myself sometimes use lowecase letterage or coin words), but any time I catch a typo (ad nauseum), I get a little excited. ... and sometimes a little frustrated that the world didn't help out those people enough to show them they could have a much better life if only....

Anywhoodle, I know I'm not the only one out there / they're still around / their influence makes me who I am ... ;)


What's the best / worst grammar/typo you've seen?  comments necessary!



Also, in the last week I've lost a whole pound of weight - that's equivalent to four sticks of butter! It doesn't seem like a lot in my head, but if I picture butter I feel so much more proud of myself!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2012, meet 2013!

It snowed on New Year's Eve, on New Year's Day, and today. It might not have been two feet of snow, but it was a decent salt-shaker's worth of snow in appearance as it fell from the sky.

We left my inlaw's house on NYE and as we were getting into the Jeep we got to catch fireworks exploding a few blocks away.  It was pretty super (and also pretty cold).

at Colonial's "Movie on the Lawn"
We've been married for 6 months and it seems like much longer(inagoodway). We've learned much about God's goodness in the Psalms in the past few months, and much about each other as we've dealt with job hunting, interviews, declined jobs, job offers that wouldn't be enough to live on, and  Still haven't been able to have the Michigan reception we'd planned on, but hope to soon. We've shared many meals with D's family, and learned to share what little we have with each other and D's grandpa (withwhomwe'reliving).

I've been working at Barnes&Noble as a "seasonal worker" - didn't have the 90-days-of-training that almost everyone else had, but I've done all right so far. We shall see if I am asked to stay on . . . I like working there, but it's hard to pay bills on only $7.50/hr.

Waiting for Grand Canyon to find me a placement - finally heard from someone today that all three of the schools I'd put on my application didn't have space.... so I took initiative and gave the guy who is supposed to be helping me get placed no less than 25 schools to call for me.
we shall see.

D and I have been scheming how we can get out of debt and move forward in our goal: alaska, airplanes, 6 kids, etc...
February 2011 at Beaners :) 
I've been hounding Pinterest for homesteading ideas, and gradually learning bits and pieces of how-to-make-it-on-very-little. Even though we still don't have our own place, we've been learning to live on very little as it is, and I've been learning to make freezer meals (and been trying harder to cook for possibly 3-instead-of-7 people)...

This year I hope to write more... Last year (11/2012) I attempted NaNoWriMo.... Made it to about the halfway point, but Thanksgiving / social activities got in the way, and I discovered it's incredibly hard to write when we don't have our own place... because inlaws just so happen to be very loud. :p  (sometimes loud is fun, but when trying to write or study, it's very distracting. . . at least, it is for me.)

I can't promise I'll write every day, or even every week.
Sally and I at the dogpark in Homestead :) 
I want to be a better writer, though, so I promise I'll write more.

I'll shoot for quality, too. I might post about something controversial, or simply share a recipe that my family enjoyed.
Churrasco Steaks at Mario's in Homestead





I might post a picture on occasion,


or something encouraging.

I might review a book, or a hotel, or an interesting landmark.
in love on the beach (FL 2011)

My blog isn't really thematical, but it is me. Coined words, silly phrases, and lots of creativity. A little bit of love for everything God made, and a lot of love for the Creator.

Stay tuned - this could be (more) fun!
<3 amanda="amanda" p="p">