Book People

We are book people.  The words, the stories, getting lost in other worlds, discovering new ones...we are so book people.  

I love reading aloud to the kids.  

The kids love reading to each other.

They also love reading on their own.  

We are book people.

This photo is not staged.  Peyton was so into his book on the Fourth of July, he couldn't be bothered by all the firework business the others were plotting.

My Lucy is possibly the most book-ish of all of us.  Her picture should be next to the definition of "voracious reader."  Anywhere and everywhere Lucy has a book, always.  

Sometimes book people seem isolated and unsocial, but not Lucy.  She can jump from book world to real world with great ease.  In fact reading makes her come alive and engage more, after just one more page of course.

She doesn't just read, she takes notes and studies the books she loves.  I find notebooks full of details about her favorite characters.    From vampires to Ramona Quimby to Harry Potter to biographies of Helen Keller, Lucy loves them all.  

When I got a chance to review and write about Travels with Gannon and Wyatt, I went straight for Lucy, voracious reader extraordinaire.  At first I got an eyeroll which is what I always get when I suggest something.  I said we are book people, not super sweet people.  Lucy loves books, but she is a normal tween that is skeptical of any ideas I have.

But it was a book, so she read and read and read. And she loved. 

One part of this book that is so great is that it has a notes or journal section in the back of the book.  Perfect for my little note taker/researcher.

Travels with Gannon and Wyatt is a middle-grade adventure series written by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet.  They are based on the real-life travels of twin brothers.  The books are full of adventure and action. Click here for more information (http://clvr.li/GNrZxQ). They take the reader along on a journey to Botswana,the Rainforest and Egypt.

"It's really exciting," reported Lucy while reading the first book.  "They get in some really dangerous situations.  Like where they get surrounded by Rhinos in Africa."

Basically, the books had her at "adventure."

Lucy finished this book and quickly moved onto the next one in the series.

The Travels with Gannon and Wyatt series include:
Botswana (released May 2013)
Great Bear Rainforest (released October 2013)
Egypt (to be released January 2014)

The books are about twin brothers who travel to all corners of the globe in the tradition of the historic journals kept by explorers such as Lewis and Clark.

It gets the Lucy seal of approval.  And now you and your family can go on the adventure as well.  Just leave a comment and you could win all three books, just in time for the holidays.

Are you book people?  What kinds of books do your kids get lost in?  Or leave a comment telling us what your favorite book was growing up?

A winner will be chosen randomly next Tuesday, November 26.

And head on over to the Travels With Gannon and Wyatt Facebook page for the chance to win a Kindle Fire.  They are giving away three in the month of November.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Crazy Days, What I Know For Sure & #iPPP

I reluctantly rolled out of bed, hazy from the Tylenol PM the night before.

Poured a cup of coffee, yawned and stretched and tried to come alive...it's starting to sound like a Dolly Parton song (which is totally more than fine with me).

Hugged my middle school son who is taller than me by an inch.  He patted my back like we were strangers and then he was off.  I sat on my porch and watched his bus drive away (I have to do this every morning).

Back inside, I shuffled to the living room to hug the rest of the children that were awake and zoning out in front of the television.  

He's still sporting the short short bangs he gave himself, as well as a new bruise from football or wrestling or tag or some other rough game he plays.  But he really does make them look so cute.

Made my way back into the kitchen to pack lunches.  I watched Good Morning America while packing gluten-free, peanut-free lunches.

Coffee and the GMA gang.

I made pancakes.

I yelled at kids.  I hugged kids.  I bugged kids to eat their breakfast, brush their teeth, make their beds, wear their coats, gloves and hats.  "It's cold, we live in Michigan, you knew this season was coming?," I reminded.

I let the dog out.

I burned my hand on the pancake griddle. I cried.
Wade and I went to our fitness center. He went into the child care and I went to my kickass fitness class.  I even did yoga.  

Working on my fitness.  Yeah, that's a hole in my pants. 

I felt amazing.

We went home. 
I made Wade lunch.  I sent two emails. I folded laundry.  I let the dog out.

Wade and I went to his speech class.  I apologized to the teacher for forgetting his folder and waved good-bye.

I went home and hoped to get amazing amounts of "work" done on the computer while Wade was in his one-hour class.  I sent emails, I checked emails, I sent Facebook messages, I smelled smoke.  The space heater was on fire.  Flames, big ones, were coming out of the space heater I had placed right behind my desk chair.  I panicked and said "holy shit" 325 times in 30 seconds.  I searched for our fire extinguisher.  I sprayed the hell out of the space heater and put out the fire.  I updated my status on Facebook because I wanted someone, anyone, to know "holy Jesus, I just put out a damn fire."  Embarrassingly only a few people noticed (thank you Beth, Angela, Greta and Jodi, I love you).  I left to pick up Wade from speech therapy.  I told his teachers "um, I just put out a fire, can you believe it?"  

Wade rested on the couch with a snack.  I cleaned up fire extinguisher residue.  I cleaned the kitchen.  I did laundry. I let the dog out.  I felt scattered.

Wade and I took the dog for a walk.  The dog got away from me and ran and I let her, secretly hoping she would find a home where people had more time and love for her.  She came back.

I welcomed my middle schooler home from school with a hug.  He patted my back like we were strangers.

I vacuumed.  I called Tim to complain about my life and he said he had to go because a student of his was writing "we all die someday" in blood on the bathroom wall.  

My middle schooler did his homework while Wade and I went to the bus stop to wait for the other kids to get home from school.  I welcomed them with hugs.  

I hugged more, bugged more and made dinner.
I cleaned more.  I let the damn dog out again.

Grandma came to babysit (thanks Grandma).  I took my middle schooler to indoor baseball practice.  I had to get gas but had no debit or credit cards with me so I had to scrounge for change to buy $4 in gas.  Middle schooler said he was embarrassed.  I felt happy that I had $4 in change and didn't run out of gas.

I met Tim at parent teacher conferences.  Met teachers, talked, bragged, worried, patted myself on the back.

We went to the grocery store and bought a frozen gluten-filled pizza for the two of us and a bottle of wine for me. 

Came home to a loud house.  Said good night to a tired Grandma.  Let the dog out.  Marched kids up to their bedrooms. More hugging and bugging.  Read stories, talked about hopes and dreams and school lunches and weekend expectations.

Ate pizza.  Drank wine.  Wrote blog post.  DVR'd Parenthood and Scandal for what is shaping up to be an awesome Friday night with new shows and leftover wine.

Said good night.

A day in the life of mwah. Glamorous? No way.  Busy, exhausting, crazy, loud, full of hugs? You bet. I could do without some of it like the fires and Tylenol PM hangovers, but mostly these chaotic, no-rest days suit me just fine, I know that for sure (right now). 



Here's what else I know for sure (this week):

• Storytelling is art.  I went to a concert this week, a concert of stories.  I went to The Moth Mainstage & it rocked the house.  My friend said it best when she described the show as "refreshing to be in a room full of people who were captivated just by people telling stories, no flashing lights, no singing, nothing extravagant."  Check it out if it comes to your city.

• Old buildings can be beautifullllll.  The design, the detail, the colors, the everything.  This was The Fillmore Detroit where I saw The Moth this week.

• Holy shit, the advertising genius behind the new Jeep Cherokee ad totally gets my mid-life crisis.  I wish I could buy one right now.  Well done Jeep Cherokee, well done.

• Free stuff is awesome.  And giving stuff away is even awesome-er.  You can win this dress for your daughter, for your niece, for your neighbor's daughter...it is that time of year.  And it is totally adorable and designed by a creative, smart, inspiring mom.  Click here & leave a comment for a chance to win.

• I am LOVING this song- Counting Stars by One Republic.  Seriously. "Everything that kills me makes me feel alive," Um YES. Waaaaa.

• I don't have a problem with stores being open on Thanksgiving.  I'm not a shopper nor do I work at a store that is open that day, so I really have no place to be in this argument.  Buuuut...  I know people are worried about the workers, I just think we need to remember not everyone has a family they love or traditions or happy holidays.  I mean if Jo-Ann Fabrics would have hired me I would not have minded leaving my mother's house early to work on Thanksgiving.

What do you know for sure (this week)? What are your days like?  C'mon, we're friends, share what you know. 

Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Please come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed. 

I'm linking up today with my friends Greta from  Gfunkified.com and Robin from FarewellStranger.com for the #iPPP link up.  They host a link up where they encourage people to share "your funny, your yummy, your heartfelt, your favorite photos of the week" from our phones. 

Check them out.

Grateful

It's that time of year again...  

Tis the season to throw leaves up in the air and throw them around like you just don't care.

The time of year to be grateful for everything and let everyone know it on Facebook.  I have to admit, sometimes I get annoyed with everyone's gratitude.  It's not nice of me or very mature.  So in an attempt at being a better, more grown-up person, I'm giving it a go this year and taking part in the November Gratitude Challenge.  

This past weekend was full of things to be grateful for like:

Banjos.  I love the Banjo.  I dreamed of playing one my whole life, ever since I saw some distant relative play one at my Great Aunt Opal's house a million and five years ago.

Awesome duo at my favorite coffee shop jamming hard.  

Art and learning about kick ass, fascinating women from browsing the real books at the book store on an impromptu date night at Barnes & Noble.

The more I learn, the more I am mildly obsessed
with Frida Kahlo.

Dogs that like to help out with the raking.

She may not ever stop jumping on people or running into the street, but just maybe she'll help with the yard work.
Or chew up our good rake.

Neighborhoods full of so many children it looks like it's recess in your yard.

Good insurance, hospitals just around the corner and glue.  Peyton fell while playing with all the neighbor kids and he bit threw his lip.  I kept my cool and only swore once and took my crew to hospital to get Peyton's lip glued back together.

THE loom. I know so many people are annoyed with this thing. "3.99 for rubber bands! What the hell?!" I've heard.  Or "they are too distracting in school."  Well, guess what, I got my money's worth and then some when the kiddos kept themselves busy making bracelets and rings for the hospital staff in the ER.  It may have been just a little glue, but we waited a long time for that damn glue and I am forever grateful for the loom.

A sense of humor even in pretty yucky situations.  I may not be able to teach my kids the most appropriate coping skills, but they are learning to try and find the funny.  And share it and help others find the funny.  At the ER, JT was stealing the gloves, blowing them up and making us all laugh, even Peyton and his holey lip.

My kids.  I am so proud to be their mother.  I love their spunky spirit, their funny, interesting-ness.  I love that they support each other and worry about each other and care about each other.  I love that when one of them is hurting they rally, we rally.  

A worried Wade fully embracing our No Matching Socks! philosophy.

A pensive Peyton before getting the hole in his lip.

Oh man, all those people on Facebook are right on.  It feels good to make a list of stuff to be grateful about.  That means I have to stop making fun of them and grow up a little.  But I refuse to stop eye rolling when people post all the "share if you love your brother or mother or sister" quotes and pictures.  I just can't stop that.  But gratitude?  Yeah, I'll join in on that party.

Your turn.  What are you grateful for?  Do you participate in the November Gratitude Challenge?

Storytellers, What I Know For Sure & #iPPP

For some people, writing it down and telling stories is just what they do.  They can't help it.  Writing is like breathing.  Storytelling is like eating.  It's necessary.  It keeps them alive.  

It's just what they do.
Good or bad.  Published in a book or tucked away in a secret journal. It's always about the writing.

I'm part of that some people and it looks like Lucy is too.  She writes stories on scrap pieces of paper she finds.  She writes stories in her journals late at night in her room.  She even writes stories on white boards she finds in the minivan while waiting for her brother's indoor baseball practice to end.

I love this line in her story about one of her characters:
"Tie insisted on being called wild."  I love her mind.

Being a part of this strange writer people group can be an isolating journey sometimes...getting lost in stories and other worlds, people don't always get you.  I hope Lucy can find a good balance between her writer self and her social self.  I know for sure I can't wait to read her stories.

Here's what else I know for sure (right now): 

• Pink is a badass with a heart.  I went to her concert this week and was totally impressed with how joyful the whole show was.  She skipped and danced.  She censored songs because of the little girls in the front row.  All without losing her badass-ness.  Love her.

Two middle age moms with pink hair chalk livin' it up on a school night at the Pink concert.  So cliche, but so fun.

• Did you hear my big news? I'm going to be a theater producer.  Yup, my little kid dreams from watching Fame and Chorus Line are coming true.  I'm co-producing a Listen To Your Mother show here in Metro Detroit.  Read more here.

• I love reading blogs.  I've updated the list of blogs I love to read on the side bar. Go check them out.

• Speaking of blogs and writers and stories to tell, you should go on over to Mamalode.  The website is home to so many beautiful stories mostly about parenthood.  Go now. Check it out.

• This is one of my new/old most favorite song lyric ever and it's from one of my new/old favorite bands evah- The Avett Brothers (awesome lyrical storytellers).  A friend of mine asked if I'd heard this song (Spanish Pipedream), which I hadn't and now I love, love, love it.  And then I found out John Prine actually wrote it and I thought well, duh of course because I'm a new biggest fan of everything he's written and sung. 

Listen to Spanish Pipe Dream, you will smile.

• I love this woman.  You've probably seen this video, but watch it again.  Dancing has some amazing healing/happiness powers.  Read about her here.  

What do you know for sure (this week)? C'mon, we're friends, share what you know. 

Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Please come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed. 

All the pictures in this post were taken with my phone.

I'm linking up today with my friends Greta from  Gfunkified.com and Robin from FarewellStranger.com for the #iPPP link up.  They host a link up where they encourage people to share "your funny, your yummy, your heartfelt, your favorite photos of the week" from our phones. 

Check them out.