piles, pasta, pages

Confession: my craft room is an absolute disaster...like, Armageddon style. I almost took a picture as documented proof of my insanity. I decided this week that I needed to get our life better organized so naturally, I started by pulling all our giant storage bins out to sort through and re-organize. It was a great idea...for about 3 hours. Our Christmas bins are immaculate, but now the rest is in giant unfinished piles. True to form, I found myself leaving Hobby Lobby yesterday with another "but it's just one more teeny project" in hand (now sitting on top of all the piles). Did I mention that the other tutorial project I promised is also still not completely done? Sometimes, I find myself insufferable and just feel very blessed to have a husband who doesn't even blink at my giant fortress of crazy.

On a more productive note, last night I cooked the Pioneer Woman's Best. Ever. Lasagna. from scratch and it was absolutely fabulous. Meanwhile, our 90 degree kitchen had me meditating on the phrase "slaving over dinner". Please don't hate me for saying it, but I'm really looking forward to autumn and winter again.

                                                                                                                   

As a glorious distraction from my "disorganization castle", I've read three books this week:

A Great & Terrible Beauty - interesting and a quick read, this book really does have a little bit of everything: 1800s England, gypsies, magic, boarding schools, friendship, murder, mystery, and feminism. BUT...and it's a big but...I don't know if I'd necessarily recommend it to the young adults for which it was intended. It was pretty dark and had a couple scenes with too much semi-veiled sexuality for me to be comfortable with. All in all, it was a decent story but it would definitely fall in a "let's read it together so we can discuss things" category if my child was involved.

Now for two well-worth-a-glowing-recommendation selections.

First is Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle.
The very true account of her experience with
motherhood, Shankle's writing is delightfully
engaging, extremely witty, and obviously heartfelt.
The book is based on the upset of her expectations
with the reality of her life as a mom, and overall, it's
just wonderful. I highly recommend to any not-yet- or
already-moms. I imagine her stories are exactly what
my mom would say when asked to recount the truth
of mine and my sister's childhoods.

Next is The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith. Know
as "The Nester" this blogger-decorator is almost too
cool for words. It's Christian homemaking meets interior
decorating meets inspiration. Based on her experience
of moving 13 times and never getting to really settle down
in the home she always pictured herself owning, Smith
writes about creating a sense of home wherever you
live...even if you're just a renter. She's smart and funny
with a keen eye for decorating and simplicity that strikes
a huge chord with another blogger you might know
(hint - me!). I read it in one sitting at Barnes then
checked it our at the public library three days later just
to go through it again and make notes. Brilliant and
quirky, it's an uplifting read for almost anyone.

Other than a week-long Harry Potter marathon with Strider, that's about where we're at. 

Some great reads and lots on my to-do list for this coming week!