Lemony Sweet

Fablehaven is my favorite book series….ever! haha. I know...

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 13:12:13 -0500

Fablehaven is my favorite book series….ever! haha. I know it is meant probably more so for young readers than anything else but i absolutely love them! They are all full of mystery and adventure, and when you think you’ve got the plot figured out…think again! This series is totally clean and appropriate for any age group. I hate when i pick up a book only to find it is full of bad stuff and too many mushy gooshy scenes (I don’t do that stuff, haha!). Anyways, they are all so funny too.. i found myself laughing out loud too many times to count. Give these books a try, you will not be sorry!!

(image courtesy of warner brothers studio) Ahh the burrow. I...

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:42:44 -0400

(image courtesy of warner brothers studio)

Ahh the burrow. I absolutely love this place (not only because I am a big harry potter fan) but because it looks so warm and fun. I especially love their kitchen… so full of random knicknacks and mismatched items. I want to make a clock just like the one they have…. how cool would that be?? Hmm i wonder what my husband would say if he came home from work to find i had exchanged our kitchen decor for this one??

The Hunger Games!!

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:21:14 -0400

So i just finished a new series called “The Hunger Games.” There are three of them, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingbird. Oh my goodness! These books were sooo good! They are way more graphic and violent than the books I usually read, but the story line was so increadible I had to keep reading. Basically, it takes place in the future when there is no more “America” or surrounding countries, only one called Panem. In Panem, there is a massive dictatorial capitol that oversees all of the other 13 districts. The people in the capitol are super rich and want for nothing… while the people in the districts starve. Basically, district 13 gets fed up with this and has an uprising.. planning to defeat the capitol. The capitol prevails, and as a lesson to the other districts never to step out of line, they create the hunger games. Every year there is a “reaping” at each district in which the capitol will choose 2 children, ages 12-18, to compete at the Hunger games. While there, they will compete in a televised death match where there can be only one survivor. Everyone in the districts is forced to watch it on television.

The main character is Katniss, a teenage girl who takes her sister’s place in the hunger games. It follows her journey as she fights for her life, the lives of those around her, and also falls in love (more than once btw). This story was so good I could not put it down! There was one downside though, and it may be only me who thinks this… but the ending of the series totally sucked! haha. Ok so it wasn’t that bad..i guess i was just expecting….more? Anyways, this series was such awesome and totally unique! I recommend it to everyone!!!

This Week’s Lemony Sweetness: There are so many things in...

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:59:29 -0400

This Week’s Lemony Sweetness:

There are so many things in my life that are just ‘oh so lemony sweet’ every day. Things that make me smile and feel tingly inside, like having a mouth full of lemon candies. I love to look back on them and marvel at how blessed i have been. This week there has been no shortage of lemony sweet things and i thought i would share a few with you.

1. My first lemony sweet came from watching a neighbor through our back door yesterday. Every day I see this little old lady walking around the neighborhood. She weaves in and out of the apartment complex, up and down stairs, through the paths in the surrounding woods, and for miles out … just aimlessly walking. She always wears a brimmed hat and ALWAYS carries a shopping bag or two. I actually don’t think she ever goes home until nightfall. So anyways, my husband and i came to the conclusion long ago that she must be doing it for the exercise, wanting to stay in shape at her old age. Yesterday however, I learned one of those lessons you only learn by paying particular attention to your surroundings. I observed the old lady walk passed the grass outside my door, then stop, turn around, and pick something up. I wondered if she had dropped something or saw something interesting. To my amazement, she picked up a stray piece of trash, tucked it in one of her shopping bags, and kept moving. Why had I never noticed that before? I often wondered how our complex and the surrounding neighborhoods could remain so clean with SO MANY people!!? I had no idea that every day that quiet little old lady was walking around picking up the trash that so many dis guard without care. The thought still makes me smile and I am pondering making her something very sweet…and of course lemony…to say thanks!

2. My next lemon is very short, but very sweet. My son, now 13 months, would rather be outside than anywhere else. Yesterday while walking around the courtyard I noticed that he had spotted a squirrel. He froze where he was, lifted a stubby little pointer finger, and said, “Mom..that!!!” He then proceeded to chase it through the grass and around the trees, until he spotted a new one and would gasp and say ‘Mom..That!!!!” and then take off again. We spent quite a while chasing those little things around and as i watched his little face light up every time I couldn’t help but smile and think… life is good :) .

3. My last lemony sweet took place last night, after taking care of a very busy baby. It was almost midnight and after such a long day of cleaning and running around I proclaimed to my husband that i was just going to sleep on the couch that night. I tell him goodnight, curl up with a pillow, and begin to drift off. The next thing I know, I wake up to find I am being carried into my room and placed on my bed. I woke up this morning with a big grin on my face, grateful for the sweet man that i married.

до свидания

Mindy

PRACTICAL MAGIC BLOG PARTY!! While googling the movie Practical...

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 00:37:00 -0400

PRACTICAL MAGIC BLOG PARTY!!

While googling the movie Practical Magic the other day (honestly can’t remember why) I came across a blog party being held for the movie this weekend! Since it is one of my all time favorites, i decided this was something I HAD to be a part of!

Why do i love the movie?: I love the small town and all its little superstitions. I love how everyone just KNOWS that the Owens women are witches and accepts it as part of their daily lives. I love the house, (what i wouldn’t give to live in a place like that!) and it’s surrounding gardens. I even love the little table they sit at in their front yard. I think the Aunt’s are absolutely the funniest things; meddlesome as they are. I especially love Sally’s character, in the book and in the movie. The book version reminds me a lot of myself… I’m a very rooted individual. Oh yeah, and i love how every one of the Owen women have crazy long hair! (Luckies). Basically, I just find the whole story so whimsical and refreshing I can’t help but watch it over and over!

My contribution to the party is stemmed from two quotes: “Always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.”

” He really loved my mint-oatmeal shaving cream. He couldn’t stop eating it.”

So, in honor of blog party I made two wonderful smelling soaps! The first is Rosemary-Rose scented to represent their garden. The next is Oatmeal Mint (super yummy smelling btw) in honor of, well, her shaving cream? Well anyways i found this to be such a fun project and a great way to keep the feel-good moments of the story alive. Plus, mixing fragrances and making soaps = very Sally-esque. haha.

btw…if you had fun reading this and would like to follow my blog please do so! I am just starting this so it would be great to make some friends!

Mindy

Fall is my favorite season! Let me re-phrase this, fall on the...

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:54:22 -0400

Fall is my favorite season! Let me re-phrase this, fall on the east coast is my favorite season! I love being outside now, feeling the crisp cool air, watching the leaves change color, and chasing my crazy baby around as he hoards yellow leaves and acorns in his little hands… hehe. I have recently come up with a list of ways to enjoy the season as a family, and first up was to go apple picking! The farm we found was huge and had everything from herbs, to vegetables, to fruits! We made out with a huge bucket of apples and a handful of blackberries! Too fun! It made the perfect intro to fall trip!

Ok this is totally random, but i ran across this in the grocery...

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:24:31 -0400

Ok this is totally random, but i ran across this in the grocery store and had to get it. I am a sucker for houses decorated in pale colors and vintage furniture! This is an old shack this lady found in the woods and redecorated (I’m hoping its somewhere near her property so she can look after it!) Anyways, I was amazed to see what she did with the place, its soo pretty! I especially love the loft bed, it looks like such a cozy place to sleep!! I can’t wait to have an actual house to paint and decorate!

Welcome to my brand new blog! Here i will be posting my thoughts...

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:52:40 -0400

Welcome to my brand new blog! Here i will be posting my thoughts on great books, my various projects, and pretty much anything that makes me happy! First order of business, my new favorite books… Green Angel and Green Witch by Alice Hoffman! Each book is less than 200 pages long, but gives the reader such a lasting impression. Note: Its not the kind of series you read for a good story. I found the whimsical writing style to be the main reason for my liking it. It was so refreshing after reading so many terrible books lately! In it, you see the world through this girl, Green’s eyes and you can’t help but feel like you’re reading about some dream world where everything is as simple as the plants she grows. It has tons of great quotes and lessons, however it can be a bit depressing at points (mainly when her town get’s blown up). Oops! Well anyways, it is a great quick read!