More Olympic Fun

We have had so much fun recreating Olympic moments.  This project has taken on a life of its own.  Crazy.  And crazy fun.

Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli 

Dominique Gisin and I were both shocked there was a tie for gold in the Women's Alpine Downhill.

Johnny Weir has all the best outfits.  

Really.  Is there anything he hasn't worn?

Our oldest filled in for us one night.

Bode Miller won a Bronze.

We were challenged to recreate a crazy figure skater pose.  Challenge accepted!

The five year old wanted to get in on the act.  She thought Kate Hansen's dance moves were pretty cool.  

I am both proud and embarrassed to admit that we have created all these pictures with things from around the house.  We now have friends volunteering to help us clean out our closets.  

Winter Olympic Fun

I have been too busy watching the Winter Olympics to do much of anything else the past six days.  While watching the men's figure skating on Thursday night, I realized that Brian had almost the same shirt as the Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu.  I posted about it on Facebook, and my sister demanded a picture.  I posted the picture for fun, and it seemed to amuse our friends.  Since we love to make people laugh, we couldn't stop.  Here is what we have done so far:  

As Yuzuru Hanyu

As a member of the Bermuda Team

Twizzlers for the twirlers

As Travis Ganong, U.S. Ski Team

Trying the Johnny Quinn method for exiting a bathroom

Bob Costas' Olympic Eyes

The Journey to the Heaviside Layer

Our cat, Odo, died today.  First of all, yes, he was named for Odo on Star Trek:  Deep Space 9.  See that word "Nerd" in the header up there?  

I adopted Odo from animal control in Lubbock, TX in August 1997.  He was about six months old at the time.  I had spent one night alone in my apartment for grad school and was insanely lonely.  I thought I might get a small dog that would be happy in an apartment.  I had always wanted a cat but had never been allowed to have one due to my mother's allergies.  I went to the shelter and looked at the dogs.  I also went in the cat room more for fun than anything else.  There was a little orange and white guy that just called to me.  His name was "Keiko" (which is the name of a woman on DS9).  I went and looked at more dogs.  I told my friend who was with me that I just wanted to go back and see that cat again.  This time, I left the shelter with him.  He was promptly renamed Odo because he was my Chief of Security.  I am also pretty sure he was a shape shifter.  I had never had a cat before, and I didn't know you weren't supposed to wrestle with them.  I spent the next few months with scratches from finger to elbow from playing with the cat.  I went home to Irving many times, and he rode along in the passenger seat, in my lap or sometimes on the floor board under my seat.  

Once, we spent the night with my sister in a house she shared with a mutual friend in Fort Worth.  At some point in the night, Odo got into the kitchen and ate half a loaf of bread.  The top half.  He ripped into the package and ate the top of every single slice of bread.  

We had many nights alone, just me and the cat.  He comforted me when I was sad.  And kept me company when I was lonely.  He purred so loudly there were times I thought I might never sleep again.  He showed me exactly why the phrase "scaredy cat" exists.   

Odo adapted well to moving back to Irving and living with my parents (in the farthest part of the house from my mother).  He seemed fine moving again to live just with me.  My lease was up a month before our wedding, and I went to live with my sister.  Odo moved in with Brian.  They bonded during that time, especially the night that Odo made crazy noises and nearly caused Brian to have a heart attack.  That's what happens when there is a roaming cat in the back yard and only a glass door to separate the two cats.  

The day we brought Bug home from the hospital, Odo was right there, at her side, checking her out.  He didn't steal her breath or smother her in her crib.  He gave her space and even let her pet him once she was older.  He was great with all the kids and spent many nights sleeping on Tad's bed.

I told Brian tonight that I think Odo taught me a great deal.  He taught me to be patient.  He taught me not to get too attached to my stuff, especially furniture, since he was just going to scratch it and shed on it.  Oh, and puke on it.  He might even pee on it.  He was great practice for having kids.  I got plenty of practice cleaning up after his messes.  I took him to semi-emergency vet appointments.  I chased him through the house to take him to get shots.  If these things didn't help prepare me for motherhood, what did?  

I don't know if I will ever have another cat.  I still think of myself as a dog person, who just happened to love this cat.  He was a great friend and will be missed.  

Bye, Odo.  I love you.

*"The Journey to the Heaviside Layer" is a song in the musical CATS.  One cat each year is selected to travel to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn.*

Books Read in 2013 - Part II

I was working so hard on getting a jump on my 2014 reading goal that I may have forgotten to finish my 2013 list.   That error has been fixed.

Divergent by Veronica Roth - This is the first book in the Divergent Trilogy.  A friend suggested this to me as a way to gradually get myself geared up for reading The Hunger Games.  I have a difficult time with dystopian novels.  Something about this one drew me in right from the beginning.  Maybe it is the simple background of the main character, Tris.  I really don't know how to recap this book without giving too much away.  Tris has to decide if she wants to stay with the faction where she was raised or move to a different one at 16.  Her choice brings danger to her and also helps her realize her strengths.   It has some graphic parts, but they fit with the story.  The movie version of this is coming out soon, and I can't decide if I want to watch it or not.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling - First of all, if you haven't read Bossypants by Tina Fey, stop reading this right now, and go read Bossypants.  Better yet, listen to the audio book of Bossypants.  Bossypants.  Just wanted to say it again.   Back to this book . . . Mindy Kaling is fantastic.  She and Tina Fey are my imaginary best friends.  Kaling's book is part memoir, part lists, part genius.  It's the story of a good kid who worked hard and became a writer for The Office.  Kaling tells about her flaws and her strengths (the flaws are funnier).  The audio book of this is also fantastic.  It is read by Kaling, and when you listen to it, you can pretend she is in the car with you.  Or maybe that's just me.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth - This is the second book in the Divergent Trilogy.  Once again, I don't want to give too much away.  I didn't like this one as much as the first, but it was still a page-turner.  I read it pretty quickly while on a car trip with my parents and kids.

How to Be Black by Baratunde Thurston -  One of my friends mentioned that she was reading this, and it sounded interesting.  It was not only interesting, but also funny.  Thurston writes for The Onion and uses his wit to discuss his upbringing as a black boy with a radical mother but who attended mostly-white schools.  Thurston writes for all races and does a great job of putting the reader at ease from the beginning of the book.  I enjoyed that he used not only his experience but also called upon a panel of contributors with varied backgrounds to discuss several topics.  This was definitely a departure from my normal reading, but I really enjoyed it.

The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner -    I loved all of Weiner's early books.  The last couple have been a bit more difficult for me to get into.  I picked up this one to give her work another try.  I enjoyed this story of a woman, Ruth, who is trying to make it as a writer in Hollywood.  Ruth was disfigured in a car accident as a child.  Her parents were both killed in the accident, and she was raised by her grandmother.  The story is about Ruth's home life as well as her career.  Weiner recently had a sitcom on ABC Family that was cancelled after one season.  Knowing that she had experience in TV writing made reading the book more enjoyable.

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan -  This is the fourth book in Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series.  It follows his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.  You an read the HoO without reading PJO, but I think it is more enjoyable to read the PJO books first.  Since this is the fourth book in a series, I don't want to give too much away.  I really enjoyed this book.  It is written from the points of view of several different characters - like the other HoO books.  I was very glad that one of my favorite characters, Leo, narrated several chapters.  I thought that part of the book dragged a bit, but over all, it was a great read.  Don't get me started on the fact that they changed narrators for this audio book.  I am currently listening to it, having a new narrator is jarring.

I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella - I have read several of Kinsella's books.  They are total fluff chick lit.  Quick, fun reads - often with pink covers.  This one is no different.  Poppy loses her engagement ring and phone on the same day.  She finds a new phone in a trash can, and begins using it.  She soon is forwarding messages from the former assistant of a businessman, Sam.  Sam is in the midst of several deals, and Poppy starts helping him all while looking for her ring.  Hijinks ensue.

Books Read in 2013 - Part I

Before I get started on my 2014 books, I thought I'd revisit the books I read in 2013.  I started keeping a list of what I read in January, but I think I missed some.  Once I started this post, I realized that is was going to be very long.  Instead of a monster, super wordy post, I'm going to break it into installments.  Here is the first bit:

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom - This was a gift from my husband for Christmas last year.  I knew nothing about it going into it and really enjoyed it.  It is the story of an orphaned white girl who is raised by black slaves on a plantation.  As she gets older, she begins to work in the big house and eventually enters in to white society.  She lives between two worlds and sees the good and the bad in both.

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close - I had this on my Pinterest board of books to read.  A friend saw it and sent me her copy.  I honestly don't remember much about this one.  It is about three friends who are single and trying to make their way in world where "everyone is getting married".  Chick lit. Not bad, not great.

Three Simple Rules:  A Wesleyan Way of Living by Ruben P. Job - This is a fantastic little book.  I am serious about the little part.  The hardback is about $5, and can fit in my back pocket.  John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist Church.   This book is based on his rules:  Do No Harm.  Do Good.  Stay in Love With God.  Sounds pretty simple, but once you really look at the rules, you realize they aren't quite as easy as just being a good guy who sits on his couch and prays.  I taught two Sunday School lessons (one for my adult class and one for our 12th grade class) and one program for United Methodist Women on this book.  It would be a great gift for a graduate or anyone who needs a quick read that really packs a punch - in a positive way.

Unbinding Your Heart:  40 Days of Prayer & Faith Sharing by Martha Grace Reese - I read this as part of a church-wide Lent study.  I am going to be 100% honest when I say that I did not want to read this book.  I am not big into evangelism.  It's just not my spiritual gift.  It's not even in the top 10.  I was worried this book was going to fuss at me about not going out and knocking on doors.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I did enjoy the prayer aspect of it.  There are sections for weekly reflection on different prayers and styles of praying.  I read this book while undergoing iron infusions for anemia, and it reminded me to pray for the others in that office.  That was probably the biggest impact that it made on me.  I still pray for all the patients, the doctors, the nurses, the receptionist and even the fish every time I sit in the waiting room of that oncology/hematology office.      

Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck - This is the second book in a series.  Billerbeck is a Christian Chick Lit author.  I have read most of her adult books, and I am now working through her teen books.  Daisy is in her final days as a senior in high school and is trying to make some changes partly because of her fairly strict religious upbringing.  She doesn't do anything too crazy, but does ruffle a few feathers.  I think this is a fun, fluffy book that I will be okay with my daughters reading.  Of course that would mean that the oldest would have to put down her adventure, action and fantasy books.  Oh, and historical fiction where it seems like all the characters die.  Maybe I should force her to read this happy, fluffy book to even things out a bit?  (Don't worry, I don't really force books upon my children.  If I did, the oldest would have read Harry Potter much, much earlier.)

My Sister the Father by Meri Whitaker - This book is one of the books on the UMW Reading Program list.   One of our members had given a brief review of it at a meeting, and it sounded really interesting to me.  It was interesting, but the writing style just wasn't my cup of tea.  Whitaker is a minister assigned to a Native American reservation mission in Oklahoma.  The book is a series of short essays about her work and the people she met along the way.  Some of the essays are as short as only one or two paragraphs.  Some are several pages long.  It would be a good book to keep around and read in little bursts.  I carried this book around with me for months before I finally forced myself to just finish it already.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - I can't remember how I came across this book.  It may have been suggested by a friend.  It is a cute book about a woman (Alice) who wakes up on the floor of a gym and thinks she is still a newlywed expecting her first baby even though it's been ten years, and she is in the midst of a divorce.  Alice spends the book putting the pieces together to figure out how she has gotten so far from where she was a decade ago.  It's a fun read, but also caused me to think a bit about if ten-year-younger self would be happy with where I am now.  I hope so.

Stay tuned for Part II.  I know you are holding your breath in anticipation.

Ringing in the New Year With a Space Western

Yes, you guessed it.   The nerds in this house are finally jumping on the Firefly bandwagon (chuck wagon?  covered wagon?).  We watched the first four episodes tonight.  I still can't figure this show out.  It's a western.  It's in space.  Ok, we've done that before with Star Wars, but this is nothing like Star Wars.  Well, other than the fact that Mal is a Han Solo type.  Alright, we've got Han Solo with horses.  Maybe it's Cowboys & Aliens (which we also haven't seen).  But, wait, there's lots of Chinese stuff.  There is a minister.  There's a doctor.  In the west.  Maybe it's Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman?  Don't forget the prostitute.  She was on How I Met Your Mother.  I am beyond confused.

I am trying to decide what I think about the characters.  Mal is okay.  Like I said, he's a bit of a Han Solo.  I love Han Solo.  I dig his holster and suspenders.  (Mal, not Han.)  I find the doctor interesting.  Maybe I connect with him because he seems almost as confused as I am.  The women are weird.  Jayne is a stereotypical muscle man, except when he isn't.  Book has some work to do with these folk.  I think they may end up corrupting him eventually.  Maybe not, since it only lasted one season.

I will keep watching.  It is way better than Arrested Development, and I stuck with that for the entire mess because everyone said it was soooooo good.  The music on Firefly is also way better than "The Final Countdown".  Thanks for nothing, G.O.B.

Wreathapalooza

The days before Thanksgiving to the early days of Advent 2013 were Wreathapalooza around here.  Between my sister, our cousins, my kids and me, there were eleven wreaths made.  I don't have pictures of all of them, and I don't have step-by-step pictures for any of them, but here are a few pictures with a bit of info about them.


This is one we made for our new baby cousin.  It is a styrofoam wreath form with dark pink, light pink and white tulle tied on it.  The gems had sticky backs as did the foam "Baby Girl" stickers.

We didn't know her name yet, so we left a blank space for it to be added.  Our aunt (her grandmother) added her name in sparkly stickers.

Our cousin hung this wreath on her hospital door, and it was adorable.  The nurses thought it was really cute.  I need to give my sister about 90% of the credit here.  I did cut a bunch of tulle.

This is my ornament wreath.  It is made with shatter proof ornaments strung on a wire coat hanger.  Add a tulle bow, and you are all set.

All of my kids made ornament wreaths for their doors.  This is my son's in progress.  We didn't have enough ornaments, so we filled in with tulle.

Here is the finished product.

These were all very easy to make and didn't cost much either  - $11 or $12 for the shatter-proof ornaments and tulle that we had around the house.  We did have to scrounge for wire hangers, but my mother had some for us.  Thanks, Mom!