My One Weakness

Our family is currently watching a BBC Series that is beyond delightful and clever. It is called "Lark Rise to Candleford". In it, one of the main characters-- a single, professional woman-- has any number of simple pleasures. It is a running joke throughout the series that in each episode (something different each time) something will be "my one weakness." My family loves this phrase. Today I have been indulging in playing with MY one weakness-- Books.

When I first met Robert, one of the things that I was attracted to-- among his many other amazing qualities-- was his incredible bookshelf. Not only was it VERY TALL, but it was full to the brim and neatly ordered. Really---love at first sight. At the time I was a starving student with little disposable income. I could buy books for school and nothing else. Also, I had been raised by my mom in a library and I continued this practice throughout college. Until. I. Met. Him......

Robert vehemently believes that a book you can't underline, annotate, or reread is not worth reading in the first place. I have been much converted.
Now, you see, the original bookshelf that drew me to the man is assembled downstairs and the holder of my children's/YA collection which, if you must know, is expansive and has been filled by my other One Weakness-- shopping at thrift stores. While many members of my collection have neon pink price stickers-- they are nonetheless amazing and when my children run out of things to read-- I don't have to hop in a car. I just send them down to the basement. I LOVE MY COLLECTION.

But lately there has been no room left in the inn. Too many great deals and finds and not enough shelves. There are never enough shelves. Digressing again.

Anyway: Spent the morning getting the kids books in order and spent the afternoon cleaning out my bookshelves. Aaaahhhhh. There is empy space. Time to get more books :)

A Little Note About the Jensen Cafe

Marie and Julie's Blog about cooking inspires me. THey seem to an awful lot of entertaining and socializing. I don't take as many opportunities to do those activities as I should, but I have to cook EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. The drudgery, monotony, distatefulness of this chore you cannot know. I have very simple tastes. I would be content each night to have a salad with a little meat on it and some lemon juice as dressing and a little feta for garnish. My family, on the other hand, have varied and emphatic opinions on everything that passes their lips.

I have a friend and in her family each monday was spaghetti, tuesday-- tacos, etc. through the week. THey always knew what they could count on. I would probably scream from the monotony. However, there is much wisdom in this sort of schedule especially from the standpoint of mommy's sanity. We, also, have a list of tested favorites that work well. This list has about 100 items on it. We call it the Jensen Cafe. There are enough meals on this list to keep my family's tummies happy for sure, but instead of doing the smart thing and rotating through favorites, I experiment a TON. Too much. The result is many whines, moans, and looks of dejection at dinner. So you can understand my excitement when an experiment works out.

Yesterday I was faced with the most horrible of foods--- A bag of freezer-burned chicken thighs. It was truly unappetizing. Wanting to remove it from my freezer, but not wanting to waste I tried to think of a way to use it. Crock pot to the Rescue. I dumped a half jar of picante sauce and a 1/2 jar of mild enchilada sauce-- already in the fridge and taking up valuable space and threw it in my crock pot. Result-- Amazing fiesta chicken that Rob put over his whole wheat pasta and I made a salad out of. And there's enough left over for Fajita-like things on Thursday. Not gourmet-- but definitely everyday. Waste not, want not. and Meat+Crock Pot+seasoning=Winner every time.

JENSEN Top 10 of '10

As it is September, more of a new year for me than January ever was, I'm doing a post of the top 10 books in 2010-- Not that were published, but that I read. Keep in Mind that my 2010 is more like a fiscal 2010-- Starting in September of '09

#1: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: This book makes me laugh out loud and cry the very next second. It is sweet and pure. Definitely my #1

#2: The Hunger Games: Wow! Very exciting, not-for-Youth YA Fiction that has you questioning if you could keep your values in life or death situations.

#3: The Lightning Thief: Really book 1 is the best. The others-- not so much. But love the mythology context. I like Percy Jackson for the same reason I liked The Work and the Glory and Fishers of Men-- I learned so much contextually that it didn't matter that the writing or storyline were a little thin. And you've got to love it when the home teacher asks who Achilles is and the kidlets know the ENTIRE story.

#4 The Tipping Point: I think Malcolm Gladwell is amazing. Two of his books make my Top 10 this year (because they weren't a series) He can tell a story like no other and give you the most amazing understanding of how things really work. I know that Freakonomics was kind of the first in this "Economics as social understanding" genre. And I like Freakonomics, too, but I think The Tipping Point and Outliers are better. Blink-- not so much. Tipping point is about what makes THINGS/MOVEMENTS great

#5 Outliers: See above-- Outliers is about what makes PEOPLE great.

#6 Freakonomics

#7 Scott Kelby Digital Photography

#8 Ella Minnow Pea-- Can't tell you too much, but DEFINITELY check it out.

#9&10 Wonder of Girls and Wonder of Boys: A must have for every parent.

KINDERGARTEN AFTERNOON PROJECTS

So, that which I intend to create/complete during my many afternoon minutes:

Jean Quilt for the Boys' beds
Cookie jar for the next wedding
Air vents replaced
Bathroom/ Laundry Painted
Hair Bows/flowers
Necklaces
Blinds put back on

Or maybe I'll just take a nap.

Inch by Inch . . .

Today I heard a very interesting quote that I thought was pertinent to so many situations

Inch by Inch, Life's a Cinch.

Yard by Yard, It's Really Hard.

In ways, it's pretty trite and cutesy, but in others, it's pretty wise. I always want to see the end. I spend lots of time hoping for something in the future and not enjoying the here and now. And sometimes when I look into the future-- because I don't know what it holds-- things seem dark or scary and very definitely hard. But if I really strive to enjoy the present, the moment, the journey-- I am easily contented and happy. Inch by inch. Moment by moment.

Below are some moments we had this Summer that were really great:

WE DID IT!!!!!!

Last Night we finished the Book of Mormon as a family. We have done a lot of starting and stopping over the past few years and, frankly, have not been very diligent. But last year we decided it was extremely important. I gave up my 6 a.m. gym aspirations (focusing on 9 instead) and every morning, in our bedroom, the three oldest would trek and we'd read. AND WE FINISHED!!! we celebrated with ice cream sundaes and we started over this morning with 1st Nephi. We love the Book of Mormon.

PRODUCTIVITY

Today is a momentous day. Okay. It won't actually be momentous until next Wednesday when Kindergartener's begin attending school, but we'll pretend that it is already here. I have five children in school. Thank you. I know. There is not enough face to contain the width of my grin. In addition to 5 children in school in the afternoon, I have one baby that, if carefully scheduled, will easily sleep from 12:45 (the Magic Moment) until at least 2:30 (When child #3 arrives home from his scholastic pursuits).
1 hour 45 minutes. 105 minutes. 6300 Seconds.

Of quiet time.

It's such a rare occurence. And, now-- it will be a daily one. So many words describe my feelings about this development

shock and awe

unimaginable--truly. I did not think this day would EVER happen.

Today was the first day. While Nathan was still hangin' with me all afternoon, I had to figure out a little Mario Bros. with him, make sure he had a pterodactyl chicken nugget, etc. But on Wednesday of next week our schedule will be thus:

Morning: Get everybody off to school. Drop Katie at the crosswalk, take N&B to the gym, run errands (hopefully not too many), Come home for lunch, drop N at the crosswalk, walk in the house, make a bottle, put B to bed, and do . . . whatever I want. Today it was folding the socks, cleaning the bathroom, cleaning out my sewing.

Tomorrow? Who knows. There is no end to the possiblities that await me in my daily 6300 seconds of bliss.

Wagon Jumping

Okay! Vacations are over. School is starting in 10 days and I'm BACK ON THE WAGON. Which wagon, you may ask? The organize myself, watch what I eat, exercise regularly wagon, seek spirituality-wagon. The beginning of school is almost better than January for me. I love the newness, the OPPORTUNITY for growth.
I am so excited that Nate is entering Kindergarten. We'll hang out in the morning, go to the gym (they like the daycare there), run a few errands, eat lunch, go to school, put Bentley down for a nap and enjoy a blissful 2.5 hours of childrenlessness :). I can't wait.