books

I Write In Books

Posted on October 1, 2013 Written by Tonya

I have shared my love of reading before, how much I adore getting lost in the shelves at bookstores and how I collect books.

My nightstand has been taken over by must reads.

I’m always reading something and this year I have made a [successful] conscious effort to read more. A purist at heart when it comes to books, I can’t believe I’m actually considering adding a Nook or Kindle to my holiday wish list.

I’ve gotten a lot better about passing my good reads on to family and friends, but I can’t seem to let go of my favorites and after I have read something, I hang on to it for far too long because of a habit I have…

As a lover of quotes and words in general and how some authors have a magical ability to string them together, for as long as I can remember I have written in my books.

I underline passages and sentences that speak to me and are relevant to my life and then add them to a document I have on my computer.

My father did the same thing.

In fact, it brought me to tears when my sister, husband and I were cleaning out my parents house and discovered a box full of dogeared pages and post-it notes and lots of of pen marks in books he had read and needed to transfer quotes from to his own document. Like father like daughter, I suppose…

Here are a few of my latest and these are all books that I highly recommend!

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives by Hoda Kotb

The Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

How To Kill A Rock Star by Tiffanie DeBartolo

Have you read any good books lately?

Have you ever come across a book with passages underlined or notes written in the margins by someone else, like a family member? Did it add to or detract from your reading experience?

If you have an e-reader, which one do you prefer and why?

My Quotable Kid

Posted on September 25, 2013 Written by Tonya

While I have found joy in every age Lucas has been, four has been my favorite so far because his sense of humor and curiosity are in full swing.

I have my blog, where I share a lot of adorable Lucas quips and conversations, but I love having this book to document gems such as these….

Click on image to check out on Amazon… makes a great gift!

Hey look, I’m an a-hole.

I’m so happy that I am relaxing for a little while.

Old McDonald’s has the best hamburgers I have ever put my mouth.

Okay, sun I’m done with you today. You are too bright.

Oh, yay! There’s a hot tub!

I wonder if there is a school where you can come check on me during the day, because I miss you.

It’s a red light kind of day, mama.

I need to have one of every color Jordan almond right now!

Lucas: Do we still have my three wheel Scooter?
Me: Yes, I think it’s in the garage.
Lucas: Good, because want to give it to my baby. And I also want to get her a helmet with pink flames.

Lucas: What do you think the baby is doing right now?
Me: Just hanging out and growing and around moving a lot.
Lucas: Well, maybe you should eat a baby toy, so it has something to do.

Cringe worthy, heart warming, sassy, insightful, funny and smart, that’s my quotable kid!

This post was written for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop Prompt 5. Write a list of things your kids have said that that made you cringe.

Meal Patrol

Posted on September 4, 2013 Written by Tonya

Family meal time has always been one of my favorite parts of the day. Gathering together to unplug, catch up, inquire about each others days, laugh, share and nourish our bodies in the process, however, I’ve come to dread breakfast, lunch and especially dinner.

I loathe having to beg my son to eat.

I have grown tired of the negotiations that take place at our dining room table.

I hate being on meal patrol!

I know this is a common problem, but OMG, if Lucas would just eat, I would be happy. Honestly, I can handle the potty talk, drawl out bedtimes, and boundary testing if he would just EAT!!

All the sit up straight, face the table, stop touching your feet, watch your elbows, just two more bites, and try it, pleaaaaase aside, my husband and I struggle daily and nightly to get Lucas to eat anything. I understand his young palette is still developing, but he doesn’t even enjoy “regular” kid food. He won’t touch a French fry, chicken nugget, hot dog or dream of dousing anything in ketchup. What does he eat you ask? The list is very short.

Pasta.

Lots of pasta.

Tons of pasta!

But, it must be prepared a certain way; not too much olive oil, no fancy breadcrumbs on top or other garnish and he would prefer a cheese shaker on the side. Oh, and he likes to eat it with a spoon. So, in addition to being picky, he’s particular about his food too.

Carbs are his favorite food group.

Just recently he started asking for plain cheeseburgers from Old MacDonald’s (as he calls it) and as much as I hate fast food with a passion, I consider this a HUGE victory. It’s protein, right?

In talking to Lucas’ pediatrician, at the end of the day as long as his meals have been colorful (yeah, right!), she tells me not to worry, but I’m a mom and I will worry and I know that yogurt, a cheese stick and a half a banana can’t be all that nutritious for anyone.

I’ve tried a handful of recipes from Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food and let’s just say, they didn’t go over very well. My sleuth son was on to my attempt at getting him to eat better.

I consider myself a picky eater and now I fear I’m raising one too. Any advice for me or better yet, make me feel better, what parenting challenges are you facing?

A Proud Mommy Moment

Posted on July 15, 2013 Written by Tonya

First of all, allow me to clear away the cobwebs and spray a little Endust. It has been nearly three weeks since I last blogged, the longest unintentional break I’ve ever taken. I have to say I liked it.

A lot!

What have I been up to?

I turned 41, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the sun, at the beach and pool with my family and friends, riding my beach cruiser while wrangling my dog and trying to keep up with Lucas on his scooter and reading! I am completely devouring the Veronica Roth Divergent series and counting down the days until the third installment comes out. Anyone else hooked? Speaking of being hooked, I have also discovered Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Don’t ask!

Plus, I honestly haven’t felt like writing or sharing even though there is never a loss for subject matter and my head is buzzing with post ideas. I suppose I’ve been a bit lazy too. Blogging is hard work and those of you that pump out material on a daily basis, my hat is off to you now and forever. I truly don’t know how you do it.

At any rate, while my blog posts may be sporadic, I am not quitting, just enjoying life.

I recently had one of those “I’m so proud to be this boy’s mother moments” and wanted to document it.

I took Lucas to the park after school one day last week and I neglected to grab his scooter or helmet. I knew that there may be hell to pay. While he enjoys being pushed on the swings, playing in the sand, climbing on the monkey bars and sliding down poles, he really loves riding his scooter most of all and no park outing is complete with it.

As suspected, he complained at first but was overall okay with Mommy’s mistake.

Leave it to Lucas to notice a lone PlasmaCar. He inched his way towards it and promptly got on and zoomed away. I chased after him and told him that it probably belonged to another child at the park and he’d have to return it when asked. It took exactly three minutes before a little boy about his Lucas’ age came over and exclaimed, “Hey, that’s mine!”. Lucas gave it up without a fight and then proceeded to sulk around the park.

Next thing you know the PlasmaCar is available again and Lucas gives me that look and I give him one in return and tell him that he better ask the boy if he can ride it. “No, you, Mommy!!” he whined.

I give him a three sentence script, a kiss for luck, hang back a little and watch and wait. He runs back to me twice without having said anything to the little boy but getting closer to him each time.

I know this is a huge undertaking for a four-year-old and I know he’s nervous. But I also know he wants to rides that PlasmaCar and I am confident that he can do this. I keep encouraging him and ask him what’s the worst that can happen? The boy says no and that’s it. You’ll say, “Thank you, anyway.” and move on. I’m trying to teach him self confidence and social skills and it worked.

On his third or fifth attempt, he is talking to the boy and seconds later, he rushes over to me with the biggest smile on his face.

“He said yes!!”

Because their conversation was very short, I did double check with the boy and indeed, he had said yes!

Proud son, proud Mommy!

Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

Unwavering

Posted on January 25, 2013 Written by Tonya

It’s been sitting on my nightstand for months and I now know why I waited so long to read it, I needed these words now.

I know everyone and their mother has already read Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, but I finished it today and it did something I haven’t experienced from a book in a long time. Cheryl Strayed’s words reached a place deep inside me and I let them seep into my heart and soul making a profound impact.

Wild is inspirational and reflective of the struggles we all face in life. While reading, I made many parallels to my own life; the dissolution of my first marriage, my grief over losing my parents too soon, the rocky and yet oh so wonderful days of motherhood and not taking for granted the beauty that lies all around us, if we just stop to look, but the biggest comparison I made was to my infertility journey; the highs and lows and mammoth blisters in between.

Strayed is brutally honest about her weaknesses as well as her strengths and anyone going through any sort of hardship should read this book. I promise it will give you courage to help you face the hurts and overcome your grief as well as empower you to keep going no matter what the obstacles.

I have learned so much about longing and gut-wrenching pain over the last few years and I wonder how much more I can endure. It seems as though each heart break is more debilitating than the last and yet, somehow instinctively I know when our second child is placed into my arms, however and whenever that might be, just like Strayed’s final day of her 1100 mile soul searching hike, a dark, ominous cloud will be lifted and all of my doubts, struggles losses and tears will not have been in vain.

Few people have Strayed’s courage to live their own truth and to tell that truth without wavering. I admire her immensely, I am grateful for her words and hope in some small way that I am a tiny bit like her.

Click on image for source.

Have you read Wild?

My Only Resolution

Posted on January 2, 2013 Written by Tonya

I hope your 2013 is off to a super start! I spent the morning de-Christmasing our house. It only took three hours, one break to walk to the dog to Starbucks for a much need caffeine fix and one very patient little boy, who ended up being a very big helper.

As I gently wrapped each ornament, followed my struggled to get the tree out of its stand, swept up all the loose pine needles and re-read each holiday greeting card, I thought about what changes I’d like to make in the New Year.

Typically, New Year’s resolutions have never particularly worked (for lack of a better word) for me, but I did keep coming back to one thing.

All I really want from 2013 is to unplug and read more.

That’s it.

One hour a night.

Tops.

I think I can do that.

I know I can do that.

I owe it to myself.

Reading brings me so much happiness and I am ashamed to admit I only read 12 books in 2012 and I really wish I didn’t not have to count the 50 Shades of Grey series.

I am currently devouring Gone Girl, what have you read and loved lately? Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Care to share?

All of the images used in this post are from my Pinterest board aptly called books.

Blur

Posted on December 3, 2012 Written by Tonya

I almost bought my father, who has been dead for five years a Christmas present today.

A book, but not just any book, a $75.00 coffee table book: Fenway Park: 100 Years: The Official, Definitive History of America’s Most Beloved Ballpark

He would have devoured it.

He loved the Red Sox.

His last e-mail to me, the e-mail that will forever stay in my In Box was about recording the 2007 play off games (he and my mother lived overseas and could not watch the games live). The Red Sox were victorious that year against the Colorado Rockies in the World Series, but my father died before he even knew they were going to the Big Show.

I was actually standing in line at Barnes & Noble holding this beautiful 12 x 14 shrink wrapped book in my arms thinking how on earth am I going to wrap this thing?

And then it hit me.

I no longer buy my father Christmas presents.

“Dad” isn’t a name on my Christmas shopping list.

What the hell am I doing?

On one hand, I felt like a total idiot and on the other, it was so incredibly sad.

I put the book back where I found it and couldn’t get out of the store fast enough.

Why does our brain do that to us? Trick us into thinking someone is here that is definitely not, lets us get all the way to the check out line before reality sneaks up and reminds us of the harsh truth. So bizarre. So cruel.

As I rushed off to my car to have a good cry, I thought I should have at least looked through it. So, what does my dumb ass do? I returned to the store, picked up an unwrapped copy, found a quiet corner, thumbed through the pages, let the words and photographs blur and was careful to keep my tears from landing on the pages.

Last Tuesday

Posted on October 16, 2012 Written by Tonya

Chances are Lucas won’t remember the details of last Tuesday, but they will stay with me.

I woke up with a wicked sore throat and we tearfully bid his Daddy farewell for five days as he headed off to Pennsylvania for a car event.

We went to his swim lessons and I captured him on video swimming the entire length of the “big” pool earning him a promotion to the next level and a visit to the treasure chest. He excitedly chose a little rubber ducky, which has been a permanent fixture in the bathtub ever since.

We shared a turkey sandwich at Subway and then stopped at the super market for Kleenex, green tea, OJ and wine (for good measure, of course).

By the time we headed home, I was worn out and wanted to do nothing but lie down. I asked him if he would take a nap with me and as usual his response was, I’m not laying down, I’m not resting, I don’t need a nap.

Sigh.

I collapsed on the couch and put Scooby Doo on TV. Before the episode was over, Lucas got up and headed towards his bedroom. After a few minutes I crept down the hall to see what he was up to and this is what I found:

It suddenly didn’t matter that he wouldn’t take a nap.

I love this boy and we both love books!

Linking up with Galit (These Little Waves), Alison (Mama Wants This) and Tracy’s (Sellabit Mum) monthly link up, Memories Captured.

Between Fit & Comfort

Posted on October 2, 2012 Written by Tonya

I am thrilled to have Angela of Tread Softly (formerly known as Tiaras & Trucks) on Letters For You!

Angela has always been a big supporter of Letters For Lucas and I have always admired her writing, especially her contributions to Write on Edge, where she serves as Managing Editor.

We have a lot in common, apart from both being moms and bloggers, we both enjoy running and LOVE to read. Angela writes stellar book reviews and often for BlogHer Book Club. Her review of The Night Circus is one of my favorite and the letter she shares here today is equally insightful and clever. Please enjoy!

Dear Achilles Tendon,

I understand you might feel a bit left out; I’ve been verbalizing writing goals and talking about house projects and publicly scratched my plans to run a half marathon this month. I heard your little temper tantrum, stubbornly tightening up as I let go of my training plan and attempted to get in miles when and where I could.

Out of respect for your hurt feelings, I agreed to take a running break. So I’ve been passing time on an elliptical machine that leaves me unfulfilled—my coveted runner’s high can’t find me on those giant paddle-pedals.

I thought we’d reached a delicate understanding, dear body. I would close my eyes on running and let you heal. You would toe the line on other cardio equipment and keep the status quo.

I wasn’t expecting a rebellion.

Walking out of the gym that morning, tentatively stretching my heel all the way to the ground, the air held the unmistakable lightness of fall. No humidity hung between the street lights and the stars, and my sweat-dampened shirt felt uncomfortably cool for the first time in months.

I pulled my folded jeans out of their drawer and over my legs, unaccustomed to the feel of denim after a season of skirts and dresses and the occasional cotton pajama pants. Fastening the button was simple and they zipped with ease. As they had months before, within minutes the too-stretchy fabric would need to be yanked up time and again throughout the day.

They still fit—as they should have, since my running hiatus was only counting days. Yet the seams pressed uncomfortably into my legs. I slid my hands over the faded thighs, trying to remember if they’d looked exactly like this in April.

I resisted the urge to stride to the bathroom and jump on the scale. I wanted to scrutinize the numbers the way I missed studying the treadmill screen as I gauged my pace during faster intervals. Instead I bent to the floor, cringing a bit at the way the waistband felt against my waist. Touching you, my poor, sore Achilles, reminded me I still need time to heal.

But now I’m left wondering how much of my self-image is tied to my identity as a runner. Feeling strong and fit shouldn’t be connected to the sole act of pounding my feet into pavement or a moving rubber belt over and over again. But it might.

So dear Achilles . . . please heal. Accept my offer of rest, ease your soreness, and allow me to run again. If not, please call a truce with my brain and with my body image. Because fall and winter in Michigan are chilly and long and call for many more days of jeans.

Love,
Me

P.S. I’ll buy you new shoes this week.

Please follow Angela on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

As Seen On Pinterest

Posted on September 24, 2012 Written by Tonya

Let me first preface this post by saying I am not the craftiest mom on the block and I have burned rice at least TWICE, but I can ~~usually~~ follow instructions.

Pinterest, while it may be somewhat of an obsession for me, (I have pinned over 5000 things) it mostly makes me feel inadequate about my life, my body, my homemaking skills and my craft quota.

I daydream of being that wife and mother that presents her family with four course homemade meals daily, decorates to the nines for each and every holiday, (or and day that end in -y) travels to far-off exotic destinations, always looking stylish and chic while doing any of the above, hand makes everything and knows how to decoupage, macrame and fishtail braid.

Every once in a while, however, I come across an idea I fool myself into believing I can pull off.

Pinterest is a great place for inspiration but the the outcome rarely resembles the picture, at least in my case. But at least I try…

Here are three of my latest attempts that are worthy of sharing!

The Pin – Book Cover Art Work

Click on image for source and how-to.

The Project

I’m pretty happy with the way this project turned out and actually like it better than the pin. Lucas was very excited about it too, although you wouldn’t know it by his expression. O_o

SIDE NOTE #1: I was a little disappointed that I e-mailed the original crafter for some help and have yet to hear back.

SIDE NOTE #2: 3M Super 77 multi-purpose adhesive is super nasty sticky stuff! If attempting this project, wear gloves at all times. Just saying.

The Pin – Photo Ideas For Boys

Click on image for source.

The Project

Lucas is crazy about cars and was really into this shoot, especially the set-up.

The Pin – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Click on image for source and recipe.

The Project

A complete and utter fail!

Photos of food always look better than the real thing, so please refrain from licking the screen.

Ack!

This was a complete disaster, AKA #PinterestFAIL.

After cooling for over an hour, I shook the loaf out of the pan and it fell into itself. Maybe I used too much pumpkin puree, my other ingredients were old, or I missed a step but clearly this did not turn out the way it was suppose to.

For more Pinterest projects that I have tried, visit my board, aptly titled Pinterest Projects I Have Tried. Clever, no?

Have you made any Pinterest projects come to life lately? How many have gone awry?

Click on image for source.

Linking up with Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop. Prompt #4 Choose an item you recently pinned on Pinterest and…TRY IT! Was it a success or failure?

I Write In Books

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What I Write About