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Beautifully Mundane
It is early morning and I start another day. Tilly has an amazing internal alarm clock that insists on no more sleeping past 5:30am. Sometimes, it’s 5:33am. I would love to be one of those people that wakes up pleasantly, stretches and thanks the Lord for a new day. I am not. I would like…
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GHOST by Jason Reynolds
I miss Castle. I realize this isn’t something I need to hide (anymore.) But you have to understand, I started this secret habit back before it was cool. I was a full-fledged adult with full-fledged middle school and high school children when Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants first came out. I hid in my bedroom and…
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Basically I’m Ina.
Pardon me while I become a food blogger… -ha! Those cupcakes I blogged about the other day? Those are for when family is over or you want to impress your friends with foo-foo desserts. But after all the guests are gone and your kids are in bed, these are the cupcakes you make just for…
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Patio, Pups and Projects
Our neighbor had an intrusive tree removed last year that made a lot of sense for her. Cleared up her backyard nicely. But this spring I’m noticing how MUCH more sun we are getting on our back patio (and we got a lot to begin with.) The hardest adjustment to California from the Midwest has…
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A WOMAN IS NO MAN by Etaf Rum
I will admit, it makes me a little nervous to review a book that a) has been popular and critically acclaimed, b) promotes gender equality and c) (most importantly) is about a culture with which I have very little to no connection. So I step into my thoughts very cautiously. A WOMAN IS NO MAN…
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Big Monstera Tip/Advice
Basically, do this before it gets too late and you end up like me. (Sounds ominous, doesn’t it??) A quick backstory… Our monstera deliciosa was large when we lived in Kansas City. When we moved to California, we knew it couldn’t make the trip in our car so I cut a number of stems from…
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Build Me a Valentine (or three!)
Last year, Scott made us a trashcan box since our kitchen trash has to sit out in the open. We have put it through the workouts since then and it’s held up fabulously. Sooooo (…of course…) I wanted more! I wanted something similar to the trashcan for our laundry hamper. (By the way, I don’t…
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BROTHER AND SISTER by Diane Keaton
I am so very honored to have reviewed Diane Keaton’s new book, Brother and Sister. Thank you, Alfred A. Knopf for this gifted book.⠀ We know her as spunky, eccentric, quirky and free-spirited. We love her fashion sense and decorating expertise and admire her longevity in film.⠀ Her newest book, BROTHER AND SISTER, gives a…
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WHISKEY WHEN WE’RE DRY by John Larison
UH-OH!! I think I’ve made a terrible mistake. I just finished reading Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison and it might be the best book I read in 2020 – and it’s only January 13! ⠀ This book was storytelling at its lyrical best. WHISKEY was a gripping read – Midwestern true grit with…
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Low-key Organization
Okay, so California Closets it’s not. It’s not even a cool, interlinking IKEA closet. But for me, it’s exactly what I needed. Not to be a pollyanna, but buying this many plastic tubs made me a little sick. And yes I know…your organization isn’t the problem, your STUFF is. Yes, yes. Joy sparked, etc. etc.…
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THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I was in a bad temper and talking ill of folk and she turns around to me and says ‘Thou doesn’t like this one and thou doesn’t like that one. How does thou like thyself?’ Next year, I am determined to read more classics. When I find myself thinking, ‘Have I read this already?…
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A FINE ROMANCE by Candice Bergen
This has been one of my favorite memoirs to read. The original Murphy Brown TV show came out when I was in the throws of motherhood. I loved watching her show (from a VCR!) The writing was funny and her character helped me feel more secure in my own evolution as a woman. All things seemed…