Winding down... (and some reading recommendations)

One by one, the year's activities are winding down. Last week, Mika's softball season officially came to a close with their team dinner and the awarding of the trophies. At the rate we're going, we're going to be swimming in trophies by the time the girls go to college! What will we do?

This is the last week of school during which the girls will actually "do" something. Next week, it appears to be all fun. I'm still looking for books for Miss Mika, of course... and whatever happens to appeal to me. Here's the haul from last Friday's visit to the library's bookstore (donations)...

Can you believe the paperbacks are all $0.25?! Hardbacks are $0.50. I love that place. Marika's become really good at being patient while I browse. In case some of you haven't heard of Richard Adams, he's the one who wrote "Watership Down", an excellent book about anthropomorphic rabbits. He's one of the few authors who have been successfully selling novels with speaking animals. "Shardik" is another one such book of his (that's about a bear) - but I was really excited about finding "Plague Dogs", because I haven't read it yet. I was also happy to find a book by George Selden - he's the author of "A Cricket in Times Square". Best of all, I spent only $2 for all of these books. =)

And after doing a lot of thinking, I decided it was worth it to go back to the Goodwill Bookstore (paperbacks = $0.99 each), to look for those Little House on the Prairie Books until I had all nine. No such luck today, but I did score with two Paddington books (I'm trying to get Miss Mika excited about reading those). She had requested that particular Junie B. book because she didn't have time to read the one she checked out from the school library - everything had to be back within 2 days for inventory purposes.

Is it really any wonder, then, that when Daddy Dude bought me a Nook for Mother's Day, I asked him to return it? Not only did I think it was too expensive, but there's just something so wonderful about holding a book and flipping pages. Perhaps the biggest detriment, however, is that as a bargain book hunter... you don't save much money with a Nook. In fact, there are really no bargains to be found! I did like the fact you can use it to view pdf files (I am a big list maker). At any rate, the Nook was returned (Daddy Dude was very reluctant - I suspect he wanted to share the Nook). Maybe one day I'll let him buy me one... but maybe not until the house is filled with bookshelves... =)

And speaking of electronic books, our library has system that links up to an electronic library - you can "borrow" books for 2 weeks. The file expires after 2 weeks, so you never have to worry about an overdue fine. The electronic library was limited in selection, but I was delighted to find a best seller that was constantly being checked out and held at the local library - it's called "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. A couple of people had actually recommended this book to me and it is EXCELLENT. Apparently, they're making a movie of it - I think it should translate quite well to screen.

Other books I've read recently are "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenberger (marvelous!), followed by her second novel, "Her Fearful Symmetry" (really good!). I also got around (finally) to reading Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper", which was a great read.

And lest you think I have tons of time... I am a very fast reader. Coincidentally, that's also why I can read books twice... there's always more to pick up the second time around...

And last but not least - it's true... given time, things become chaotic. Mom and F. are coming over today so we have been cleaning frantically - both inside and outside - for the past 2 weeks. We had friends over on Friday and honestly, I thought it would be easy to keep clean until today. WRONG! The girls were impressed with the cleanliness, but saw it all as a chance to make a mess everywhere. You know it's getting bad when you DREAM that your children have made a mess of the house. On the bright side, at least it wasn't true. =) After today, we need to keep the house clean until Friday, when Michelle comes to visit. After that, I'm going to succomb to entropy and just relax a little bit... but if anybody else is going to visit me, please give me 24 hours notice to straighten up! =)

I couldn't quite finish the weeding, but think the yard is finally presentable. But, should I be glad that my back hurt more than my leg ligaments? On the bright side, I was delighted to find quite a few renegade tomato plants (I didn't plant them! And they're bearing fruit!). I'm not sure which vegetables to grow for the summer, but I better hurry up and decide...

Spring Has Sprung!

The signs are everywhere!

Flowers are blooming (Holly, these are from your yard! Yes, I had to edit it... sorry...)...

People are out for joyrides...

Crane flies are EVERYWHERE (folks, these are NOT giant mosquitoes!)... this poor thing already lost a leg... boo hoo... according to Wikipedia, adults either drink nectar or don't eat, so you don't have to fear they are bloodthirsty... =P

Marika's preschool class had a field trip to Lowes today. The class seemed to really enjoy themselves... especially the kid who was drinking water from the flowers... =)

Somehow, we were all inspired to go home and work on our gardens...

After a tour of the garden area, the kids were taught how to plant things. Marika got a pink dianthus and went to work. As soon as she came home, she dutifully watered it. Doesn't she look cute in her Lowes apron?

We also decided it was a wonderful time for her to plant her birthday flowers. Her good friends gave her some flower seeds and a bunch of gardening things, so we picked up some seed starter soil and fiber pots at Lowes and started the process. Now, we just have to wait and see...

(See, I knew those popsicle sticks would come in handy someday! =P)

It's a little known fact...

...that on both sides of my family, everybody has the innate ability to fall asleep anywhere. No, we're not narcoleptic or anything, but really - we can sleep anywhere! It was a very useful trait during college, when those 15-minute power naps in the library could help you make it through a long night of studying... looks like Marika is in good shape for those overnighters!

And in other news... we harvested our first cherry tomatoes. We had almost forgotten they were out there - which is why some are a wee bit wrinkled (apparently, there is quite a bit of weeding to do - again). Originally, we had one more tomato, but I accidentally knocked it out of Mika's hands and it bounced into Daisy's cage - where it was immediately pounced on it and devoured! :)

Meet Our New Gardeners!

They water! They mow! They edge! Sometimes one of them even fertilizes! ;) Who knew water guns could be so much fun? To the girls, they are just glorified water squirt bottles... (they are actually "painting" the tree, on the right).

Speaking of gardening, each day this week, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Mika is supposed to bring something specific to class. Today, it was a thank you note. Tomorrow, it is a flower of some sort (they suggested a flower from the garden or a hand-drawn flower). We decided we wanted to do something a little different but still cute, so we made tissue flowers today! It was a little difficult for Mika to do, but she did help. We obtained video instructions here: http://www.howcast.com/videos/288-How-To-Make-Tissue-Paper-Flowers. And now, Mika wants to make flowers for everyone!