Time for Tea

I have this terrible tendency to get so enveloped in a book that it actually becomes my life (in my head).

I just finished reading The Good Wife Strikes Back.  I think I might have liked it, but I'm not really sure.  It surely made my life rather disconcerting for a week or so.  And it really really made me want to drink wine all. of. the. time.

I loved the way the author writes, and I loved all this crazy underlying symbolism in like, every sentence.

However, I'm pretty sure that I am a sommelier, my father just died, I'm a trophy wife to a politician, and I have a really clean fancy house.  And I eat bacon and bread and tea all the time. 
reality:  I don't know wine (I like pinot noir- that's all I know), my dad is kickin', I'd be a trophy wife if I got out of my pajamas at a decent hour, my house is neither clean nor fancy.  It's debatable whether or not I eat bacon, bread and tea all of the time.  Most of the time would be more suitable to say.

I also realize that I'm writing like an English woman.  Terrible? Disconcerting?  Rather?  Suitable?  uh huh.

Eat, Pray, Love

It seems the older I get (or is it the more pregnant I am? Maybe the more kids I have? Or would it be the more o r g a n i z e d I get?) the slower I become. Yes, yes, I am a ripe old age of 23 and I'm slowing down. This book I just read Eat, Pray, Love typically would have taken me 3 days. Uhhh, I've been working on it for a bit more than that. Although I am happy that that is the way it worked out because i loved it. and I miss it. You know how good books can be great friends. All you want is more, more, more? But instead the last page comes and you may laugh, may cry, may just leave with a smile, but the next morning rolls around a you're sure that you're missing a piece of you? Yes, well, Liz Gilbert, tomorrow will be a day that calls for Prozac in my Wheaties. My how I'll miss that book.

So, this may be my grieving process, but more likely it is my recommendation. Read this book. Elizabeth Gilbert is honest, relatable, and laugh-out-loud funny. But wise. Not pushy, though. Just somethin' good to chew on for a while.

Our Favorite Children's Books

An elderly lady at the bookstore came up to the girls and me and asked if her book selection for a two year old was satisfactory. I said (in a much more diplomatic way), "helllz no." She had Goodnight Moon. I know that one is supposed to be a hit, but frankly it creeps me and the girls right out. So, just in case you're looking for some books for tots, here is the best of the best. In my opinion, of course.

This one is a little bit long, but the illustrations can keep one captivated. You might want to relocate to Maine after reading it.

This is the only Olivia book we've read, but the girls are hooked and I get a kick out of it every time. I'll admit, however, that I learned to love it. It is a must-have-inflection-read. I think Eldest is going to be receiving the other Olivia books for her upcoming birthday.

We stumbled across this at the library and was a must buy. Great illustrations, and a tender story. Catch me at a hormonal moment and you might see some eye mist.

Oh, the Llama books. If you haven't read these, you're missing out. Again, they took me a bit to appreciate, and now I really don't mind reading them 4 times a day. Literally.

We will also be purchasing Llama Llama Misses Mama.

I grew up with the My Good Morning and My Good Night Books. They are short, sweet, simple, and the children in the

books look like my children. I'm not biased or anything, though.

I hate to tease you with this one because it is no longer in print. And don't go looking on Ebay for it because my mother already purchased them all. But do make sure to check your local library or garage sales! Sweet as can be.

Garrison Keillor is genius when it comes to story telling. Apparently he does a pretty good job with kids books, too.

Another favorite from growing up. Epitomizes the dreams of motherhood.

And just in case a kid (or mother) has every one of their favorite books and you're stumped for a gift idea, check this out. My sister gave this to me for my birthday; she put two illustrated pages together from Blueberries for Sal and had them mounted and framed. It's currently hanging in my kitchen (since the picture is of mother and Sal canning blueberries). Marvelous idea, huh?

You can find all of the above books (except for A Special Trade) at Amazon.

1080 Recipes

Have you seen this beautiful cookbook? It's called 1080 Recipes by Simone and Ines Ortega. It's like the Spanish Joy of Cooking. In other words, you can find almost any recipe in here, but it is a very basic version.

I was a total sucker for the colored pencil like drawings throughout the book. I asked my mother-in-

law for it for my birthday and she sheepishly gave it to me and said, "do you know it's a Spanish

cookbook?!"

Isn't it just so pretty?

I made recipe #270 tonight. Macaroni with chorizo and tomato. One dish meal, easy and yummy. Nothing to photograph. Basically a macaroni and cheese with, well, chorizo and tomato in it.

The book to me is less of a reference, more of an eye candy shop.