good stuff...

*Songs that just I just can't get enough of. Currently those songs would include "Runaway" (The National), "New Slang" (The Shins), "Janglin" (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), and "Cold October" (Escondido).

*Deliciously cool breezes coming through the window every night.

*A cuddly kitty in the lap while reading.

*Walks in the woods with my sweetie.

*Super successful thrifting trips.

*A night heron who calls in the dead of night. It always weirds me out a bit, as it's so loud and somewhat eerie, but it is so very, very cool.

*Rediscovering my love of scrapbooking.

*Listening to nature's songs as I sit working by the window...the tweets and chirps of birds...the clicks and hums of insects...the rustling of leaves in the wind...the croaks and splashes of frogs...

*Anticipating a fun, relaxing three-day weekend. A weekend that will include our 23rd anniversary. :)

*Mini book binges from Book Closeouts...and the way books make me think of people I love (this is so an Ana pile).

*The overwhelming feeling of being grateful for every new day.

*Getting to hear your good stuff in the comments. Pretty please...

good stuff...

(This edition has been written over the last few days.)

*This face:

*The sweet breeze wafting through the window this morning.

*It was in the wee hours of the morning and I still hadn't been able to fall asleep due to pain, and I was feeling frustrated, and yes, maybe a bit angry...but then I opened my eyes and the view out the window was so beautiful...what seemed like hundreds (though it probably wasn't nearly that many) of fireflies flashing throughout the trees and bushes. There's always fireflies out there in the summer, but I don't think I've seen them in such profusion since I was a kid. Glorious.

*A spontaneous trip to the antique mall with Rich, my favorite person to hang out with. Added bonus to the sheer fun of it--I managed to find a few small treasures that shall be Christmas presents for my Mom.

*Yellow bursts of sunshine popping up completely unexpectedly in the flower garden:

*Satisfaction in completing a project. Especially when it's for someone else. In this case, Craft Hope's latest project. The embellished flip flops that shall be mailed off today:

*Watching the first two episodes of Under the Dome last night with the whole gang. And being so excited about it that when I came upstairs I immediately went and pulled the book of the shelves to start reading it. ('Cause goodness knows I need to have yet another book going...silly me.)

*Anticipating this coming long weekend that has been set aside for pure pleasure. I'm a big fan of anticipation. :D

*The first couple ripe blueberries from our new bushes:

*Starting Ali Edward's Hello Story class today. Oh my gosh...already so inspired. Have filled an entire page filled with stories I want to tell using the first week's story structure.

And how about you--what's the good stuff of your life today?

documenting our life #ProjectLife style...weeks 7 and 8...

Before I provide that photographic proof that I am indeed still plugging away at Project Life, I want to thank Kelly and Trish. After pestering the ever-living crap out of them about doing Project Life with me, they've become my unknowing watchdogs. I can't possible give up if they're sticking with it, right? Yep, for once guilt is working for me. :P

With winter break last week, I did get a little behind. So I had to do two weeks this time instead of just one. But yay me--I still managed.

Week 7 spread:


A closer look at side 1:


And at side 2:

There was a lot going on that week, so I ended up needing two slots for the weekly "what we did" cards. This was actually a good thing as I just didn't take a ton of photos that week.

Close up of the journaling, in case anyone actually wants to read it:


Week 8 spread:

A closer look at side 1:


And an even closer look at this photo...just because it cracks me up every time I see it:


Inserts:

I got some lovely postcards from some lovely friends this month and really wanted to include them, but at the same time didn't want to cut them down to fit in the 4X6 pockets. Solution: Add a couple of 5x7 inserts and simply stick them in. Gotta love easy, right?

Side 2:


Again I needed more than one slot for the "what we did" cards:


And finally, it was time for another family favorite recipe (the recipe is inside the tabbed card):


So YAY--8 weeks in and all caught up! Only 44 more weeks to go. Sheesh...all of sudden, 8 weeks doesn't sound all the impressive.

*****
Okay, I know this is already a really long post, but I just *have* to add some good stuff. It's just been such a fabulous morning, not life-changing or anything, but just plain chocked full of awesomeness:

*My inbox was filled with wonderful! An unbelievably special birthday gift from an unbelievably special friend. I wish I could say more, but it's one of those things where it's just not my place to talk about it, if you know what I mean.

*More wonderfulness in the inbox--incredibly good news from another friend I love dearly. (And I really don't even want to say who, because I don't want to invade her privacy.) But it's the kind of news where I feel like going around and hugging everyone I see.

*Big beautiful snowflakes falling.

*Maybe my most exciting glimpse of wildlife on our little swamp yet--I saw a mink running across the frozen pond. So cool.

*Getting Gray out of bed in the morning is usually one of the low-lights of my day. He just can't sleep at night (never has been able to), and it's not till early morning when he finally zonks. Homeschooling lets me cater to his natural rhythms somewhat, but I also have to keep in mind the window of time in my day that I'm feeling my best with the fibro. Anyway, this morning's "wake up" went so so so well. And for that I am exceedingly grateful.

*The geese. There were seven of them out on the frozen pond. They came walking in single file, but then sort of broke up and spread out. And then they started shifting positions and whatnot. It looked so much like they were working out choreography for some big dance number or something, and I just could not stop giggling. Okay, maybe I am too easily amused, but frankly, I like it that way. :P

Here's wishing you all a day filled loads and loads of good stuff too!!!

good stuff...

*Cheese.

*Gray came up to me, gave me an uncharacteristic spontaneous hug, and said, "We've got the most awesome family ever." (We've been called a "weird" family [by our realtor] and an "unconventional" family [by one of Annie's doctors]...and I suppose all of these descriptions fit. But I love the way Gray chose to view us.)

*Having a freshly made bucket of laundry detergent, and knowing I probably won't have to make another batch until after Christmas.

*Yarn, glorious yarn.

*Incredibly affectionate kitty cats.

*And the not-so-affectionate ones, too.

*Battlestar Galactica. Finished season 3 this weekend. Gods, do I love this show! It keeps threatening to lose me, and yet somehow always manages to pull me right back in. I love the characters so much, and love them all the more because they frackin' piss me off and do stupid shit and make me want to smack them...you know, they're human. Well, some of them are anyway. :P Was I surprised by who was revealed not to be at the end of the season finale? Sort of, but then again, no. Added bonus points to season finale for using a Bob Dylan song...and surprisingly I didn't even mind what they did to it (I can sometimes be stubbornly unforgiving when people "mess with" favorite songs of mine :P ). So excited to start season 4. And luckily I have lots of crocheting to get done which makes for a mighty good excuse to sit in front of the TV/computer screen.

*Reading with Max. We finished A Hero for Wondla last night. Now we're eagerly awaiting the third book (not even sure when it's due out). But tonight we get to choose a new book, which is always such fun.

*Cozy fires in the fireplace, while snuggling up with Rich and reading The Stand together. (Yes, we're *still* reading it.)

*Finishing up a couple of Christmas presents this weekend. And finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on one of the rather big gifts I'm making. (Can't share pics yet.)

So what made your good stuff list last week???

good stuff...

*Happy news for someone I love dearly! Seriously, the kind of news that makes you literally jump up and down and smile and laugh and then call your husband to share the happy news. Yep, that good. :D :D :D

*Dewey's Read-a-Thon. So. Much. Fun. I want to especially thank Heather and Andi for putting Dewey so prominently back in Dewey's Read-a-Thon. The whole thing--just awesome.

*Maxidoodle's giggle. Oh my gosh, how it melts my heart. So few things about him are "little boy" anymore, but that giggle sure is. :)

*Short stories. Been reading quite a few of them lately. Just read one that delighted the snot out of me. Wickedly fun. "'Skin" by Michael Cadnum, whom I don't believe I'd ever heard of before, let alone read.

*Sneaking in bits of crocheting here and there. So many projects going.

*This face:

And let me tell you, there are definitely times when he should be quite thankful he's got a face that melts my heart. ;)













*Starting a new book and falling in love at the first paragraph. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers. It's going to be slow read because I just have so many other things going on, but that's okay...I think it shall be a nice book to slow down and savor.

What's the good stuff in your life this week?

good stuff again...

Life is good. It really truly is. So why do I feel this funk coming on? I'm fretting too much over the fact that summer is flying by and I'm not getting nearly as much school prep done as I need to. I've fumbled the ball yet again in not keeping up with blog reading and had to do the old "mark all as read" thing. (I told myself last month that blogging would have to go if I let it become stressful again, so I'd better shape up on this front--I really don't want to give up blogging.) I am sick to frickin' death of feeling so scatterbrained and unable to concentrate, sick to frickin' death of hurting physically (though I'd take that any day over mentally/emotionally hurting), sick to frickin' death of being so. damn. tired. all. the. time.

So yes, to remind myself how good life is, it's time to indulge in a little funk-busting and put together another list of good stuff. It seriously ought to be a weekly requirement for me as it does my mind a lot of good.

*Reading a couple chapters of A Hero for Wondla with Max this morning. God, I love reading with that kid.

*Having my *favorite* summertime supper last night--baked potatoes, corn on the cob, salad made with greens fresh from the garden, and slices of watermelon.

*Getting closer and closer to having our reading room in a usable state. Might even have pictures to show later this week.

*Even though we weren't able to get everything planted in the garden that we wanted to this year, what we did get planted seems to be doing well. *knocks on wood*

The radishes have come and gone now. They were huge and delicious. We're eating lettuce greens like crazy at the moment. This is a good thing.

Looks like we'll be eating our first kohlrabi by week's end. Can't even express how happy this makes me.

We've got carrots that are looking big and bushy, but I've no earthly clue when we should pick them as this is the first year we've ever grown them. :P And we've got buttloads of tomatoes growing now...in a few weeks I suspect I'll be canning, canning, canning. Still no blossoms on the beans or peppers though, both of which got in the ground a little later than planned.

*Gray had a friend sleep over last night, and they have been amazingly non-rambunctious. *knocks on wood again*

*We went and ordered new appliances (stove, fridge, and chest freezer) over the weekend. Nothing fancy. Just appliances that will actually work (or so we hope anyway :P ). We had set money aside from selling our house for this and other expenses of the move, but it is fast disappearing. In a sense, that's a good thing, because it means we're getting some things done around here.

*Our butterfly bush. It's not that I think it's the most gorgeous plant alive or anything, but gosh golly, it sure lives up to its name! I wish I'd kept a list, but I'd say we're probably in the neighborhood of about ten different species (butterflies and moths) seen on it. This hummingbird moth is one of my favorites.

*The fact that so many of you are kind enough to share the good stuff in your life. I feel such a wonderful boost of happy when I read about the good things in other people's lives. So, if you're willing...pretty please...

good stuff...

Last night after I'd put my book down to go to sleep, I started thinking that it was past time I did a "good stuff" post. While I have been plenty happy lately, it hit me that I wasn't paying enough attention to being grateful.

Then I awoke this morning and as soon as I turned on the radio I was greeted with the horrible news about the shooting in Colorado. With that heartbreaking tragedy, was it appropriate to write such a post? I've decided to go ahead. The truth is, tragedy and injustice and pain and heartache occur every second of every day. The vast majority of the time we never hear the stories. Because they aren't "sensational" enough or they happen "somewhere else." But it doesn't mean those stories aren't important. I'm not trying to downplay the horror of what happened in Colorado, and I hope it doesn't come off sounding that way. I think we can all relate to that helpless feeling, that physical ache that grips your stomach, that screaming in your head.

I mean no disrespect with this post. And in some ways, I think I need to write it more now than I did last night.

Good stuff:

*So many birds singing in the morning.

*And cicada songs in the afternoon.

*Almost keeping up with project life since I started over at the end of May.

*An antiquing date that Rich and I have planned for this afternoon.

*While I may not have a large number of friends, and I have no friends close enough to get together with more than very very very occasionally, the friends I do have are THE. VERY. BEST. IN. THE. WORLD. I really need to do more to make sure they know how much they mean to me.

*The absolutely heavenly cool breeze that came through our bedroom window last night. (I almost feel guilty mentioning that because I know so many haven't felt anything close to a cool breeze in a long time.)

*The feel of mud squishing through my fingers yesterday afternoon when Max and I mixed up a batch to make "pottery" with.

*A good blood pressure reading this morning.

*Eating lettuce fresh from the garden.

*Lottery by Patricia Wood, one of the books I'm currently reading...it is just such a feel-good, comfort kind of read. Just what I've been craving lately.

*Getting a few more boxes unpacked this week. (I know, I know--nothing like stretching this unpacking thing out forever. :P )

*Annie's neurologist appointment for her carpal tunnel went well--motor nerves slightly better, sensory nerves slightly worse...in other words, still holding her own and not yet needing surgery.

*Baby bunnies! Can almost always see one when I look over the whole back yard.

Care to share some good stuff from your life right now? I'd love to hear it!

on a less grouchy note...

The good stuff:

*Several inches of the fluffy white cover the ground for one of the few times in this very, very bizarre winter.

*Ana's truly gorgeous post on Mrs Whatsit from A Wrinkle of Time. Just gave me that totally warm and cozy feeling.

*These two:

*And these two:

Lucky feels the need to groom everyone these days. (Though Max is definitely his favorite.) Baker isn't thrilled, but is always a good sport and puts up with it. :)











*A whole day ahead with nothing on the schedule but homeschooling planning/prep. Will hopefully at least be ready to start the next quarter tomorrow, even if I don't get as far ahead as I'd like.

*Am reading so many varied, and satisfying on one level or another, books at the moment (Hiroshima, Epic, and Cane Toads and Other Rogue Species to name a few).

*Dean's Beans coffee is just such a good (and necessary) way to start the day.

*Having kept up (so far!) with my goal of reading an essay, a poem, and a short story every week this year. (Even if I did forget to post about it last week.)

*My warm and comfy fleece polar bear pj pants.

*Getting even more excited about putting in new gardens when we move, thanks to posts like Chris's. Heck, he's always getting me exciting about gardening. His enthusiasm makes me smile hugely. :D

*Starting this for Annie's birthday. Hopefully will even finish it in time. (If not, there's always next year, right? :P )

*Jean's promise to come visit this summer. :D

*Phineas and Ferb. What can I say, it never fails to make me laugh.

*My bread machine. Think I need to whip up a loaf of Italian Herb Bread for supper. Mmmmm...

*It's the last day of January. This means that barring tragic and unforeseen events, we've only got one month left until we move. :D

...Okay, tis almost time to take the littlest munchkin to the bus stop, and then I will need to buckle down and dive back into the homeschool groove (Gray is taking full advantage of his 4-day weekend and likely won't wake until noon, and Annie is off at MCC taking classes today)...but it was nice remembering that the good things in my life really do outnumber the bad...

my happiness project

A.K.A. "my friends project"...that's what I've been calling it as I've been putting it together. And it's certainly apropo...as it's been put together by some of my dearest friends. But "the happiness project" is definitely hitting the nail on the head as well. To be frank, I've been having a shitty time lately. A combination of life, my body, and my brain---mostly my brain. I've been struggling so very hard to pull myself out of this funk, but it is a struggle. I'll get there, I know I will...I'm already on my way. And my wonderful, generous friends are so much of the reason why.

This mega-project came about thanks to inspiration from Chris. See, he often sent me emails telling me that I should really watch this movie or that TV show. It dawned on me one day that I should really be writing these all down into a list. But instead I took the lazy way out and asked him if he would make me a list. :P A list of 50 movies/TV shows that he thought I should watch before I die. Then a few weeks later, during one of those many nights where I was laying in bed unable to sleep, I had a brilliant idea. An idea that made me so happy I could hardly stop myself from waking Rich up to share it. :) I decided to ask a few of my favorite people for lists.

I sort of feel like I should explain *why* I asked each person for the particular list that I did, but I don't think I could do the explanations justice. The reasons are just so personal. Not personal as in secret. But personal as in they have to do with some of the things I admire most about her/him and am continually inspired by in her/him and...oh, just so many intangibles that I would fail to express adequately in words. The reasons I asked different people for the same list are as different as each of my beautiful friends are themselves.

Before I post the actual lists, I want to thank each of you who spent your precious time making these lists for me. I really have no earthly idea if any of you know how much it means to me. And even more, how much each of YOU mean to me. I can't imagine my life without each of you in it. And I look so forward to thinking of you as I work on my "assignments." :)

So here are the lists (what I have of them to this point...I'll continue to update). There is no meaning in the order of these lists, other than I put them in the order I received them.

***Chris's List of Movies/TV Shows***
1. A Single Man
2. Party Monster
3. Stay
4. Phoebe in Wonderland
5. The Fabulous Beekman Boys-season 1
6. Murder Ball
7. Volver
8. X: The Movie
9. Brother and Sisters-seasons 1 thru 4
10. Downtown Abbey mini-series
11. Sherlock (BBC version--3 episodes)
12. Ru Paul's Drag Race-season 1
13. Lost in Translation
14. The Virgin Suicides
15. Marie Antoinette (directed by Sofia Coppolla)
16. Bend It Like Beckham
17. Daniel Deronda mini-series
18. Ratcatcher
19. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
20. Millions
21. Kill Bill 1
22. Kill Bill 2
23. Igby Goes Down
24. The Science of Sleep
25. 28 Days Later
26. Velvet Goldmine
27. Amelie
28. Firefly-complete series
29. Doctor Who-seasons 1 thru 5
30. Children of Men
31. Signs
32. The Village
33. The Lion in Winter
34. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zasou
35. Donnie Darko
36. Dot the I
37. Bad Education
38. Roswell-seasons 1 thru 3
39. Ponyo
40. Princess Mononoke
41. Everything is Illuminated
42. Chasing Amy
43. Glee-seasons 1 thru 3
44. Dancer in the Dark
45. Babel
46. The Hours
47. The Kids are Alright
48. Drop Dead Gorgeous
49. Black Swan
50. Requiem for a Dream
51. The Tree of Life


***Chris's List of Books***
1. Mirabilis by Susann Cokal
2. Interview with the Vampire by Annie Rice
3. The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
4. The Bone People by Keri Hulme
5. Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
6. Lisey's Story by Stephen King
7. Greenmantle by Charles de Lint
8. the Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
9. The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
10. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
11. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (essays)
12. The Sound of the Waves by Yukio Mishima
13. Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell
14. Norwegian Wood by Murakami
15. The Book of Flying by Keith Miller
16. The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
17. The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Fleweling
18. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (essays)
19. Bonk by Mary Roach (non-fiction/science)
20. Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
21. Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, An Exile's Journey by Joyce Zonana (non-fiction/memoir)
22. A Fine and Private Place by Peter Beagle
23. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
24. The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson (non-fiction/memoir)
25. Wetlands by Charlotte Roche
26. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
27. The Screwed Up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson
28. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
29. Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters
30. The Wild Things by Dave Eggers
31. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
32. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
33. Luna by Julie Anne Peters
34. Looking for Bapu by Anjali Banarjee
35. Mare's War by Tanita S. Davis
36. Push by Sapphire
37. Transformations by Anne Sexton (poetry)
38. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (non-fiction/memoir/environmental)
39. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
40. The Bells by Richard Harvell
41. The Armless Maiden and Other Tales for Childhood Survivors edited by Terri Windling (short stories)
42. London Triptych by Jonathan Kemp
43. The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson
44. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
45. Wicked by Gregory Maquire
46. Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
47. The Radiation Sonnets by Jane Yolen (poetry)
48. Habibi by Craig Thompson
49. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
50. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides


***Pat's Lists of Old Movies***
1. Murder by Death (Peter Falk/Alec Guinness)*
2. Ali Baba & the Forty Thieves (Maria Montez/Jon Hall)
3. Chaplin (Robert Downey Jr.)
4. Cry the Beloved Country (James Earl Jones/Richard Harris)
5. Dune (Kyle MacLachlan)
6. The Fisher King (Robin Williams)
7. The Grass Harp (Piper Laurie)
8. Her Majesty Mrs. Brown (Judy Dench)
9. Hope Floats (Sandra Bullock)
10. Marnie (Tippi Hedren)*
11. On Golden Pond (Henry Fonda)*
12. Patch Adams (Robin Williams)
13. Regarding Henry (Harrison Ford)
14. The Man Who Would Be King (Sean Connery/Michael Caine)
15. Whales of August (Bette Davis/Lillian Gish)
16. An American Quilt (Winona Ryder/Ellen Burstyn)
17. As Good as It Gets (Jack Nicholson)
18. Harvy (Jimmy Stewart)
19. Mr. Holland's Opus (Richard Dreyfuss)
20. My Left Foot (Daniel Day-Lewis)
21. Nell (Jodie Foster)
22. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Jack Nicholson)*
23. The Secret Garden (1949-Margaret O'Brien OR 1993-Kate Maberly/Maggie Smith)
24. Robin Hood (Errol Flynn)
25. Fried Green Tomatoes (Kathy Bates/Jessica Tandy)*
26. Cocoon (Don Ameche/Wilford Brimley)*
27. Batteries Not Included (Jessica Tandy)
28. The Law and Jake Wade (Richard Widmark/Deforest Kelly)
29. Arsenic and Old Lace (Cary Grant)*
30. The African Queen (Katharine Hepburn)
31. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (Spencer Tracy)
32. Boys Town (Spencer Tracy)
33. Little Lord Fauntleroy (Freddie Batholomew)
34. Ben Hur (Charlton Heston/Stephen Boyd)
35. The Grapes of Wrath (Henry Fonda)
36. To Kill a Mockingbird (Gregory Peck)*
37. David Copperfield (1935-Edna May Oliver)
38. You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (W.C. Fields/Edgar Bergen)
39. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939-Basil Rathbone)
40. The Quiet Man (John Wayne/Maureen O'Hara)
41. Casablanca (Humphrey Bogart)
42. The African Queen (Katharine Hepburn/Humphry Bogart)
43. The Thin Man (William Powell, Myrna Loy)
44. Love Finds Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney/Lewis Stone)
45. Grumpy Old Men (Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau)*
46. The Odd Couple (Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau)
47. Enemy Mine (Dennis Quaid/Louis Gossett Jr.)
48. The Abyss (Ed Harris)
49. Silence of the Lambs (Jodie Foster/Anthony Hopkins)*
50. The Lion in Winter (Peter O'Toole/Katharine Hepburn)
51. Medicine Man (Sean Connery)--bonus prize :)
(*Indicate movies I have already seen. Pat graciously offered to replace them, but since this was her original list, I opted to stick with it. After all, what a great opportunity to rewatch them, as I loved every one.)


***Annie's List of Books***
1. Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle
2. Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oats
3. A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
4. Higurashi When They Cry: Demon Exposing arc by Ryukishio7
5. Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayer
6. Other by Karen Kincy
7. Family by Micol Ostow
8. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
9. A Fair Maiden by Joyce Carol Oates
10. Sexy by Joyce Carol Oates
11. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
12. Luna by Julie Anne Peters
13. She Loves You, She Loves You Not by Julie Anne Peters
14. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
15. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
16. Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
17. Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
18. Summer of Fear by Lois Duncan
19. Goth by Otsuichi
20. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
21. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
22. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
23. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
24. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
25. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
26. Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
27. Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz
28. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
29. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
30. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
31. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
32. Wake by Lisa McMann
33. Undone by Brooke Taylor
34. Terrier by Tamora Pierce
35. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
36. The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga
37. After by Amy Efaw
38. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
39. Emily the Strange: The Lost Days by Rob Reger and Jessica Gruner
40. Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller
41. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
42. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron
43. Daemon Hall by Andrew Nance
44. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
45. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
46. Possessed by Kate Cann
47. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
48. Cursed by Kate Cann
49. Vacations from Hell by various authors
50. Am I Blue? by various authors


***Heather's List of Books***
1. Illyria by Elizabeth Hand
2. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
3. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
4. Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue
5. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
6. Shine by Lauren Myracle
7. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
8. Hate List by Jennifer Brown
9. Waiting for Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk
10. The Position by Meg Wolitzer
11. The House of Tomorrow by Peter Bognanni
12. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
13. Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
14. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
15. Beautiful by Amy Feed
16. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
17. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
18. Wise Children by Angela Carter
19. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
20. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
21. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
22. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
23. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
24. My Last Days as Roy Rogers by Pat Cunningham Devoto
25. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
26. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
27. Sleep, Pale Sister by Joanne Harris
28. The Color Midnight Made by Andrew Winer
29. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
30. Chocolat by Joanne Harris
31. Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady by Florence King
32. The House of Gentle Men by Kathy Hepinstall
33. Embers by Sandor Marai
34. Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman
35. Storyville by Lois Battle
36. Fearless Girls, Wise Women, & Beloved Sisters by Kathleen Ragan
37. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
38. Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English by Natasha Solomons
39. Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
40. Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
41. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy
42. Ireland by Frank Delaney
43. Margarettown by Gabrielle Zevin
44. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
45. The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
46. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
47. Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson
48. West with the Wind by Beryl Markham
49. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
50. Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
---
The bottom two come from a back-up list Heather made me in case I'd read any on the original list. And since she so sweetly made this back-up list, I'm adding all the remaining ones I haven't read. :D
51. Mister Pip
52. The Kite RUnner by Khaled Hosseini
53. The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Greer
54. Heaven Lake by John Dalton
55. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
56. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
57. The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh


***Heather's List of Fun/Challenging/Interesting Things To Do***
1. Make Tomato-Basil Jam (recipe from Heather)
2. Bake an apple pie from scratch
3. Make a strawberry cake from scratch
4. Grow five things you've never grown before
5. Paint a self-portrait
6. Make a huge granny square blanket (many pieces or one huge one)
7. Learn to knit, if you haven't already
*I'm making this "relearn to knit" because while I taught myself the basics a few years back I don't remember how
8. Crochet something you've never made before
9. Try a food you've never tried before, either make yourself or have someone else make it
10. Grow orchids
11. Learn how to make candles (Heather, you're going to do this with me, right?)
12. Learn origami
13. Finish one scrapbook album
14. Preserve five things for winter
15. Reupholster/refinish one piece of furniture
16. Make cheese
17. Make butter
18. Read a Pulitzer Prize winner
19. REad every book by your favorite author
20. Start keeping a journal of only good things
21. Visit a museum
22. Hike a trail
23. Go to the mountains
24. Go to the beach
25. Go camping
26. Buy yourself something you really want, but wouldn't usually dare buy
27. Get something new that you really need, but have put off
28. Go see a symphony orchestra
29. Go on a shopping spree (doesn't have to be a big one)
30. Get a manicure and a pedicure
31. Go on a picnic
32. Pick a month and blog every day
33. Try NaNoWriMo in November
34. Try NaNoBloMo in November (if NaNoWriMo ain't your cuppa)
35. Write out your (and your husband's) life story for your kids
36. Watch 10 movies you've always wanted to watch
37. Go on a second honeymoon (doesn't have to be anywhere fancy)
38. Try Marzipan
39. Go to a Christmas parade
40. Take a class in something you have always wanted to learn about/how to do
41. Make 20 cards
42. Make Heather an amigurumi fox
*this may be my favorite one of all :D
43. Take 50 pictures every month (can be of anything)
44. Grow a new fruit tree
45. Get a henna tattoo
*I got one at the Renaissance Festival last year and I totally want to get another one
46. Get a massage
47. Throw a surprise party
48. Take a cooking class
49. Get a makeover
50. Make everyone you love a least one present this year
---
And because she so sweetly made me bonus ones, I'm including them. :D
51. Have fresh flowers in you house at least once a month
52. Take a day (or half day if you have a hard time doing it) off every month to do something for yourself
53. Read 20 graphic novels you've never read before
54. Learn a new crochet stitch
55. Do 5 crafty projects a month
56. Try 5 new recipes a month
57. Write a poem
58. Write a song
59. Learn a musical instrument
60. Make Apple Cinnamon Jelly (recipe from Heather)


***Ana's List of Books***
1. The 10PM Question by Kate De Goldi
2. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
3. Paper Towns by John Green
4. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
5. Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
6. Ragnarok by A.S. Byatt
7. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
8. Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine
9. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
10. Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland
11. Possession by A.S. Byatt
12. Cold by Bill Steever
13. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
14. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
15. Among Others by Jo Walton
16. What Good Are the Arts? by John Carey
17. Temeraire by Naomi Novik
18. Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
19. Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay
20. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
21. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
22. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers
23. Kraken by China Mieville
24. Singled Out by Virginia Nicholson
25. The Magician's Book by Laura Miller
26. Woman by Natalie Anglier
27. The Odd Women by George Gissing
28. Saplings by Noel Streatfeild
29. Alas, Poor Lady by Rachel Ferguson
30. Consequences by E.M. Delafield
31. Passion by Jude Morgan
32. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
33. Nightingale Wood by Stella Gibbons
34. Love by Toni Morrison
35. No Name by Wilkie Collins
36. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
37. Atonement by Ian McEwan
38. Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
39. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
40. The Changeover by Margaret Mahy
41. Fledgling by Octavia Butler
42. The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson
43. The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak
44. There is No Dog by Meg Rosoff
45. Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
46. Gifts/Voices/Powers by Ursula Le Guin
47. Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
48. Virgin: The Untouched History by Hanne Blank
49. Emma by Kaoru Mori
50. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith


***Ana's List of Songs***
1. Vesuvius by Sufjan Stevens
2. Edward is Dedward by Emmy the Great
3. About Today by The National
4. Heads Roll Off by Frightened Rabbit
5. Ocean Breathes Salty by Modest Mouse
6. No Key, No Plan by Okkervil River
7. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Honey
8. Passing Afternoon by Iron and Wine
9. I Feel Like the Mother of the World by Smog
10. Where the Birds Always Sing by The Cure
11. O.K. With My Decay by Grandaddy
12. Go Long by Joanna Newsom
13. Tear in Your Hand by Tori Amos
14. Virus by Bjork
15. Thickets by Patrick Wolf
16. The Butcher by Owen Pallet
17. Rambling Man by Laura Marling
18. Behold! The Nightmare by The Smashing Pumpkins
19. Friends as Lovers by Zwan
20. Waltz #2 by Elliott Smith
21. Let Down by Radiohead
22. Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie
23. Lost Verses by DEath Cab for Cutie
24. Uncle Joe by Red House Painters
25. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths
26. Tonight We Fly by The Divine Comedy
27. Summer On the Westhill by Kings of Convenience
28. Finish Line by Fanfario
29. Listzomania by Phoenix
30. Njosnavelin by Sigur Ros
31. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town by Pearl Jam
32. The Only Living Boy in New York by Simon and Garfunkel
33. Somewhere There's a Feather by Nico
34. Oxford Comma by Vampire Weekend
35. Take You on a Cruise by Interpol
36. I See a Darkness by Johnny Cash (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy cover)
37. Samson by Regina Spektor
38. The Jeep Song by The Dresden Dolls
39. Instant Street by dEUS
40. Lady of the Flowers by Placebo
41. The Owl and the Tanager by Sufjan Stevens (Live in Gateshead)
42. The Bleeding Heart Show by The New Pornagraphers
43. Caring is Creepy by The Shins
44. My Lady Story by Antony and the Johnsons
45. Neighborhood #2 (Laika) by The Arcade Fire
46. Lost Cause by Beck
47. Wrapped Up in Books by Belle and Sebastian
48. Maria's Little Elbows by Sparklehorse
49. Cold Winter by Malcolm Middleton
50. Killing All the Flies by Mogwai


***Kara's List of Books***
1. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
3. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
4. The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller
5. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling*
6. Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death by Laurie Notaro
7. The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
8. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
9. The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance by Laurie Garrett
10. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
11. Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster
12. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
13. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins*
14. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger*
15. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
16. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
17. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder*
18. Native Son by Richard Wright
19. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
20. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
21. Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding
22. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
23. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
24. Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
25. Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan
26. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
27. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
28. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
29. Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
30. The Princess Bride by William Goldman
31. Pet Sematary by Stephen King*
32. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
33. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
34. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
35. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
36. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
37. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
38. The Green Mile by Stephen King
39. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
40. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner
41. Jemima J by Jane Green
42. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
43. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut*
44. The Firm by John Grisham*
45. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
46. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair*
47. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
48. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
49. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams*
50. Holes by Louis Sachar*
(*Indicates books I have already read. But instead of crossing them off immediately, I've decided to reread each of them.)

***Kelly's List of Canadian Books (Authors and/or Setting)***
1. The Romantic by Barbara Gowdy (I love Gowdy. She is an auto-read.)
2. The Weird Sister by Kate Pullinger (It’s about witches... She has never written anything like it since!)
3. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (A classic you may have all ready read...)
4. The Birth House by Ami McKay (Takes place near where I live.)
5. All Families Are Psychotic by Douglas Coupland (This book is just so strange that it is wonderful...)
6. The Girls by Lori Lansens (This book was a fresh take on relationships that you don’t generally see.)
7. The Onion Girl by Charles de Lint (Fantasy... The list looked strange without him!)
8. Jolted by Arthur Slade (I don’t even know what to say about this book. It is one of my favourite YA books ever!)
9. Turtle Valley by Gail Anderson – Dargatz (From the book description: ‘Part ghost story, part mystery, part romance, the novel transcends these genres and carries its readers into new territories of forgiveness and acceptance of the difficult choices we all must make in finding our way through life and love.’ )
10. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson (This book was a bit strange. It got a lot of attention when it came out.)
11. Ghost Rider by Neil Peart (Non-fiction. Even if you don’t like the band, I am determined to prove this book is worth reading!)
12. Madame Zee by Pearl Luke (I am not sure what to say about this book.)
13. The Outlander by Gil Adamson (Chris also read this and enjoyed it.)
14. The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan (Set in Niagara Falls and really good historical fiction.)
15. Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb (Not set in Canada, but Canadian author!)
16. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (First book in the Women of Otherworld Series.)
17. Cool Water by Diane Warren (This book is really good and went over really well when it was released.)
18. Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue (I simply like this better than Room, her famous book. I guess I just prefer historical fiction...)
19. Clara Callan by Richard B. Wright (Historical fiction.)
20. The Republic of Nothing by Lesley Choyce (Sort of set in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotian author, though.)
21. The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley (All sorts of awesome!)
22. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (Dystopian)
23. The Republic of Love by Carol Shields (Anything by Shields is good, actually. It’s been ages since I read anything by her!)
24. Kit’s Law by Donna Morrissey (Captures the east coast of Canada very well.)
25. Mercy Among the Children by David Adam Richards (I am afraid I read this book about 10 years ago and don’t entirely remember why I love it, but I know I did!)
26. Icefields by Thomas Wharton (I really did not go into this book expecting to enjoy it as much as I did...)
27. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson (I love Lawson’s writing!)
28. From Bruised Fell by Jane Finlay – Young (I stumbled upon this one time, really enjoyed it, but I still don’t think the author has written anything else...)
29. Heave by Christy Ann Conlin (Set in my neck of the woods.)
30. Saints of Big Harbour by Lynn Coady (Another book that captures the East Coast well.)
31. Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King (This book is just, well, random...)
32. This is My Country, What’s Yours: A Literary Atlas of Canada by Noah Richler (Best way to see Canada.)
33. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam (Interconnected stories. Actually very different than most of the other books on this list.)
34. The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet (Fantasy...)
35. The Gravesavers by Sheree Fitch (Also set in Nova Scotia.)
36. Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald (I remember when this was on Oprah. She is from Nova Scotia, so I was a bit excited!)
37. Galore by Michael Crummey (Newfoundland. He’s a great writer!)
38. A Spell of Winter by Helen Dunmore (Gothic novel that I just recently read for R.I.P. VI based on Eva’s recommendation.)
39.
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41.
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48.
49.
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***Rich's List of Books***
1. The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
6. Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer
7. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
8. The Passage by Justin Cronin
9. A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
10. Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
11. Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
12. A Primate's Memoir by Robert Sapolsky
13. Life in Cold Blood by David Attenborough
14. A Brief Tour of Consciousness by V.S. Ramachandran
15. Sleepless by Charlie Huston
16. A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer
17. Bedbugs by Ben Winters
18. A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut
19. Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation
20. Our Stolen Future by Theo Colborn
21. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
22. Flush by Carl Hiaasen
23. A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo
24. A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
25. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
26. The Sex Lives of Cannibals by Maarten Troost
27. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
28. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
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***Eva's List of Non-fiction Books***
1. Uncle Tungsten's Memoir by Oliver Sacks
2. News of a Kidnapping by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3. A Midwife's Tale by Laura Thatcher Ulrich
4. A Human Being Died that Night by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela
5. The Far Traveler by Nancy Marie Brown
6. My Mother's Wedding Dress by Justine Picardie
7. Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers by Stephanie Wellen Levine
8. Ghost Hunters by Deborah Blum
9. Shooting the Boh by Tracy Johnston
10. Complications by Atul Gawande
11. Samba by Alma Guillermoprieto
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***Eva's List of Documentaries***


***Jean's List of Creative Endeavors***


***Renay's List of Multimedia Goodies***


***Carl's List of Fantasy/Horror/Sci-Fi Books***


Yep, that's a lot of stuff to read, watch, listen to, do, etc. However, this is not a stressful sort of to-do list, but it's antithesis. I am going to revel in completing each and every one of these items. So many of these items have me downright giddy with excitement. And sure, some of the things on these lists scare the living crap out of me. And yet somehow, in this context, I think I'm going to having facing up to those fears. I know I said it earlier, but I just have to say it again--THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH each and every one of you who agreed to participate in my project. I love you all!

we interrupt our regularly scheduled programming...

Yeah, who am I kidding--like there's ever anything "regular or scheduled" around here. Haphazard all the way. But I had planned on finally posting about my mega-project today.

Yeah, but upon finding treasure in our mailbox this morning, that post will just have to be postponed...because I just have to share...

Is that not the cutest thing ever?!!! Created by my incredibly talented cousin-in-law/friend (with friend being the really important part). Seriously, is it any wonder that Jean is a constant source of creative inspiration for me?!! This is one of her latest endeavors--she's been making these beanie baby mutants. Here are some of her other incredibly awesome creations. Is she not just amazingly talented?!! And you know what--her heart of gold surpasses her talent, and damn, is that saying something!

(I haven't yet come up with a name for my little elefly/butterphant...I'm waiting for her/him to reveal it to me.)

more good stuff...

Because I need to remember there *is* good stuff. Because being on the lookout for it somehow seems to help. Because it's better than bad stuff.

*sigh* I am so not in a good place right now. But I'm working on it. I know things will get better. I do. But in the meantime, I think I need to use this place to help me focus on the good stuff. Because it really is there, even when it overwhelmingly feels like it isn't. So anyway, for the next little while, that may be all that gets posted here.

*Today was library day. As in the day that Annie volunteers at the library, and I get to hang out there for two hours. We load up our bags to make the most efficient use of our time while there, but it's not as productive for me as it used to be since Gray is now present to provide a healthy dose of interruptions. :) Still, this is one of my favorite parts of our school week. You know, because LIBRARIES = AWESOME!

*Fresh picked garden goodness.

And we didn't even plant cucumbers--just a rogue plant from our compost.













*Chris's apple butter! Mmmmm...

*I read three short, incredibly fun, graphic novels over the weekend while we were off "sort of" camping.

Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things

Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics

Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom

Annie had picked up these books at a used bookstore many moons ago...and when RIP rolled around, she put them in my pile and told me that I *had* to read them. Thank you, Annie! According to whomever decides these things, these are middle grade books. But they are by no means entirely tame. There's delicious darkness within the pages. And I enjoyed every minute of my time with them, more and more so as I read further along. Enough so that I'm really hoping I can come across the next volume more sooner than later.

*Also while pseudo-camping, I finally finished a farmers market bag for us. You know, just as farmers market season is nearing its close for the year. :P (Thanks for modeling for me, Annie.)