Part 1: Reading
Summer thus far, for me, has consisted of quite a bit of reading. It has been glorious. I've finished these books:
1. Room (Emma Donoghue)
2. An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination (Elizabeth McCracken)
3. Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife (Peggy Vincent)
All were excellent. Room and 'Figment' were the "can't put it down" type and I finished each in about a day. All three made me cry. And laugh. I'd definitely recommend all of them. It's difficult to sell Figment because of the story line, but the reason I special-ordered it and checked it out in the first place was because I heard this blurb about it on NPR back in January. Baby Catcher gave me a much better understanding of the politics and money behind midwives and how they work in America. But it also had so many different birth stories and just reminded me of my continuous awe for pregnancy and birth and women's strength.
I'm also working my way through the following books right now:
1. The Happiest Toddler on the Block
2. Three Cups of Tea
Tea has been on my list for a long time, but I finally took the plunge and checked it out. I'm about halfway through and I love it. It's a bit dense and it makes me think, but it's so timely and informative. I've found my ears perking up whenever I hear news about Pakistan (every day) and I'm starting to have a little bit more context for understanding that part of the world. I do mean a little bit. But it's a start.
I'll probably keep the toddler book around as reference for a while, but I have so many other books to crack open after Tea that I'm not sure what's next. Right now it's looking like The Help and The Purity Myth will probably be next (I like to have 2 books going at a time, and I've been learning to love fiction again for a little mental break).
Part 2: Painting
I taped the hallway a while back, thinking it might kick-start us to get it painted. We've had the paint for a year now and just haven't done it! Then a week or so ago, I decided to prime it. (I've also randomly mowed the lawn and done other spontaneous things around the house just for the joy of seeing the fruits of my labors and feeling accomplished in a tangible way. It's the curse of the psychologist.)
Finally, Jonathan agreed to help and we mostly finished painting. Here is a little before/after shot for you. We really like it.
I didn't get exactly the same angles for the after shots as I had in the before shots, but you get the idea of it at least. What used to be the ubiquitous pale yellow of all eager home sellers has become our own version of a bolder neutral with dark brown (Sherwin Williams Plantation Brown) on the bottom and a lighter tan (Sherwin Williams Tamarind) on top. These are the same colors we painted the living room walls.
But why was I so inspired to get this hallway finished? Because I want to paint the kitchen cabinets white. And Sherwin Williams is having a big paint sale right now. So, once I finish touching up the hallway, we're headed out to get some paint and an electric sander and I'll be all set for tackling the kitchen cabinets. We've noticed that the pale yellow paint on the kitchen walls looks gross and lime-y now that it's surrounded by our warm browns, so we'll have to remedy that too. And I dream of a backsplash. We have plenty to keep us busy.
Part 3: Working
Sometimes, it feels like the semester hasn't really ended. I'm working in the clinic every day. I'm writing reports. Calling clients. When will it end?! Jonathan has also been super busy at work lately, so we're both counting down the days until we can get back to Kansas for some much-needed family time. Seriously counting down the days. 30 to go.
Evelyn has, of course, been working hard too! Her class has been reviewing all they've learned this year and getting ready to celebrate the end of the school year with a big fiesta! Here she is with her fellow Abejitas and las maestras, Elsa y Cristina.
Monica, Finn, __, Evelyn, Lorenzo, Meadow, __, Jack
Summer thus far, for me, has consisted of quite a bit of reading. It has been glorious. I've finished these books:
1. Room (Emma Donoghue)
2. An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination (Elizabeth McCracken)
3. Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife (Peggy Vincent)
All were excellent. Room and 'Figment' were the "can't put it down" type and I finished each in about a day. All three made me cry. And laugh. I'd definitely recommend all of them. It's difficult to sell Figment because of the story line, but the reason I special-ordered it and checked it out in the first place was because I heard this blurb about it on NPR back in January. Baby Catcher gave me a much better understanding of the politics and money behind midwives and how they work in America. But it also had so many different birth stories and just reminded me of my continuous awe for pregnancy and birth and women's strength.
I'm also working my way through the following books right now:
1. The Happiest Toddler on the Block
2. Three Cups of Tea
Tea has been on my list for a long time, but I finally took the plunge and checked it out. I'm about halfway through and I love it. It's a bit dense and it makes me think, but it's so timely and informative. I've found my ears perking up whenever I hear news about Pakistan (every day) and I'm starting to have a little bit more context for understanding that part of the world. I do mean a little bit. But it's a start.
I'll probably keep the toddler book around as reference for a while, but I have so many other books to crack open after Tea that I'm not sure what's next. Right now it's looking like The Help and The Purity Myth will probably be next (I like to have 2 books going at a time, and I've been learning to love fiction again for a little mental break).
Part 2: Painting
I taped the hallway a while back, thinking it might kick-start us to get it painted. We've had the paint for a year now and just haven't done it! Then a week or so ago, I decided to prime it. (I've also randomly mowed the lawn and done other spontaneous things around the house just for the joy of seeing the fruits of my labors and feeling accomplished in a tangible way. It's the curse of the psychologist.)
Finally, Jonathan agreed to help and we mostly finished painting. Here is a little before/after shot for you. We really like it.
I didn't get exactly the same angles for the after shots as I had in the before shots, but you get the idea of it at least. What used to be the ubiquitous pale yellow of all eager home sellers has become our own version of a bolder neutral with dark brown (Sherwin Williams Plantation Brown) on the bottom and a lighter tan (Sherwin Williams Tamarind) on top. These are the same colors we painted the living room walls.
But why was I so inspired to get this hallway finished? Because I want to paint the kitchen cabinets white. And Sherwin Williams is having a big paint sale right now. So, once I finish touching up the hallway, we're headed out to get some paint and an electric sander and I'll be all set for tackling the kitchen cabinets. We've noticed that the pale yellow paint on the kitchen walls looks gross and lime-y now that it's surrounded by our warm browns, so we'll have to remedy that too. And I dream of a backsplash. We have plenty to keep us busy.
Part 3: Working
Sometimes, it feels like the semester hasn't really ended. I'm working in the clinic every day. I'm writing reports. Calling clients. When will it end?! Jonathan has also been super busy at work lately, so we're both counting down the days until we can get back to Kansas for some much-needed family time. Seriously counting down the days. 30 to go.
Evelyn has, of course, been working hard too! Her class has been reviewing all they've learned this year and getting ready to celebrate the end of the school year with a big fiesta! Here she is with her fellow Abejitas and las maestras, Elsa y Cristina.
Monica, Finn, __, Evelyn, Lorenzo, Meadow, __, Jack
Umm... I used to know all the kids in her class but there have been some swaps lately and I can't remember two of the boys' names! I'll have to fill them in later. Also, people are still shocked by the uniform requirement at school but can I just say how amazingly simple it makes my life? No fussing over clothes. It's grab a red top, grab a blue bottom, and go. I absolutely love it.
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