Books! Whatcha Reading?

since getting my nook...i have been able to read more than i ever had before - partly due to the convenience of it all - buying a book from my couch! - carrying a 600 page book in my purse! - reading one-handed! and partly because my kids all sleep through the night, so i am able to lull myself to sleep reading. i find that if i watch TV or a movie before bed, i need to read to relax my mind...it is a natural sleep aid for me! the problem is that i can't quit a good book, so sometimes it ends up preventing sleep...

anyway - here is my book list from last year in order of how i read them:

1. Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Miller (i had started it before - so i read the last half on my nook)
2. The Maze Runner by James Dashner (awesome trilogy - young adult dystopian - highly recommend)
3. Freeing Your Child from Anxiety by Tamar Chansky (got this to learn more about Tics - very insightful)
4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (haunting and beatifully written fiction)
5. The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (highly recommend - part historical fiction - part murder mysetery - very fun!)
6. John Adams by David McCullough (did NOT think i would have loved this book like i did - biography about John Adams but written like a story)
7. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (part 2 of the maze runner)
8. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (another young adult dystopian - awesome!)
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey (hilarious! good short read)
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson (i really liked the first one...should have stopped there)
11. The Girl who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson (it was alright...)
12. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (i didnt finish - i was so over it - too political!)
13. Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos (young adult fiction - interesting read...not sure if i would recommend)
14. Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (young adult...although not sure why its young adult - such a sad life - about an orphaned girl who has to fend for herself on the river)
15. The Death Cure by James Dashner (part 3 of the maze runner)
16. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (look at me - how mature i am - i got so into this book!)


currently reading
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - just finished! loved it!
2. Sleepwalk with Me: And other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia - just finished yesterday! LOVED! a bunch of funny stories from someone born the same year as me, so especially funny...i am a big Birbiglia fan - based off his stories from This American Life more than his stand-up, but i could hear his voice the entire time i read, which i think is a good indication of a good story-teller!
3. Sense and Sensibility - by Jane Austen - currently reading
4. Hunger Games - by Suzanne Collins - already read them, but i am currently reading them with my husband to prepare for the MOVIE!!!

i tend to read about 3 books at a time - i like different options depending on my mood...just like movies - i can't watch a comedy every night...sometimes i am in the mood for something depressing...so i am like that with my books...so right now i am reading a classic and a fun fiction - i probably need a biography or something along those lines - any suggestions?

let me know if you have any questions about any of the books i read...and are there any other young adult fans out there? let me know your faves!

The Great Dough Experiment of Twenty-Twelve

this is probably the oddest of my kicks so far...especially considering that i still hope to lose 10 more pounds...this is probably not the wisest idea i ever had...but i decided during the holidays that i want to make a conscious effort to learn the art of bread making this year. 

Bodie just making pasta naked...totally normal...

i started with my mom's recipe and have made it about 3 times so far. i wanted to try a bunch of different recipes and figure out the different methods and ingredients and what difference it all makes, so then i moved on to Jamie Oliver's basic bread recipe...(i like my mom's better). i also made PW cinnamon rolls, and the Best Recipe Cook Book's pizza dough...holy schmoly...the best pizza dough ever! can i just gush about this pizza dough for a minute? so perfectly chewey and soft and fluffy and...oh dear...i might be drooling right now just thinking about it...so i guess i am saying if you were thinking about trying it out - do it! one recipe made plenty for my family - we had a bunch leftover, which happily went into lunches the next day. 

Fettucini drying

If you have any great bread recipes you would like to share -bring it! i am trying to make some sort of dough at least once a week..i mean once a month...i should say once a month, that way if i do more then...winning!

also - for Christmas my husband gave me a pasta maker and the pasta making has commenced! with great success i may add! it is quite labor intensive, but what a difference fresh pasta is! absolutely all worth it! 

i am not that far into my little experiment, but already i am starting to realize some very important things about cooking and family and preserving memories. i learned somewhere along the way that the olfactory nerve is the shortest nerve to the brain, hence the sense of smell triggers memories strongest. when i worked at an Alzheimer facility after High School part of my job was to bake bread in the bread machine twice a day - the purpose being aromatherapy. Hoping that just by smelling the bread baking would trigger memories (hopefully fond ones) for the residents. 

Handmade Tortellini - isn't it beautiful?

I thought about my own home growing up and smelling that smell when my mom would bake bread...and how many countless times i saw her kneading the bread and rolling it out...and what fond memories they are...so in a sense i think i am trying to create that home for my boys as well. a home full of yummy smells...so that when they are all grown up and out of the house, i will be with them with the simple whiff of baking bread. its a comforting thought...but also makes me feel a little manipulative...its all part of my evil sensory plan...mwa hahahaha!

but really...this is how we pass down our cultural ideas and values the easiest way - through food. with my husband's family being mixed and my family having their ways, food is one easy tangible way to share with our kids their heritage and values even. we had his Italian mom help us fill raviolis on our dining room table...i know it was a special time for Bryan and i love that we have pics like the first and last ones to show our kids they participated in this process. its showing them the value of doing it yourself, the value of more than one person in the kitchen, the value of taking time to do it. plus its just fun to play with your food! can you see the joy on bodie's face? 

its a journey anyway...and i think to get really good at anything you got to do it A LOT...and fail A LOT...and then try something else...and then go back to square one...anyway - you get it - its a process and i am excited about this one...and i know my boys are too - how awesome is fresh baked bread with a healthy slab of butter on it? pretty awesome...now off to find a bread diet weight loss plan ;)

Christmas Re-Cap - Handmade Goodies

i was absolutely horrible at picture taking this Christmas. in fact...not a single picture was taken on Christmas morning. i left my camera the night before at my Aunt's house and my little camera was out of battery and it just has become so difficult anyway to try to take pictures and manage chaos at the same time...so i let it go and enjoyed the moment and i am so glad that i did...but also a little sad i dont have the pictures now...i think we will be okay though...i think we can work through this.

i did manage to take some pictures of the Christmas jammies i made my boys. this was a total last minute decision in a rare burst of creative motivation...which doesn't come along too often...so i went with it.

i have had this Star Wars sheet i found thrifting for a while now...a couple of years at least. i have been total hoarder-crazy-lady about it because you NEVER find star wars sheets thrifting...i have been looking since high school....i was sorta way too into Star Wars then...but it pays off when you have three boys who love it too...at least bryson does...bodie still has yet to discover how awesome it is...but i have confidence that he will come to love it also...i will play jedi mind tricks on them...you will like this movie...you will wear these pajamas and think they are awesome...like that...

so anyway - i was looking at this sheet and just thinking that if i dont let it go, they will be all grown up and think Star Wars might not be as cool...so i thought if i cut it up right i would be able to squeeze out three pairs of pants.

i was happy that it all worked out...one of bobby's legs is upside down because i was running low on fabric...plus they were all made in one night so they are not of the finest quality made pants around. i used their existing pants as patterns to keep it simple and they do their job...boys are not so very hard since they lack curves, so they came together pretty easily. i made bodie's a bit long so that he could enjoy them a little longer. i wont say this will be a tradition, but it was fun to see them all matching...i dont ever do that to them...but its fun...its almost like - look! i have a set now! ha!

Recent Music Obsessions

i dont typically listen to music in the car...i should say when i am in the car alone...i prefer talk radio and have since high school...but i was recently turned on to this video and had to share - it has helped spark some interesting conversations...hoping you enjoy it too!




then that video sparked a girl crush on Kimbra...had to share this video too and i dare you not to fall in love with her a little bit :)

Barnes Boys Fashion - Golf Day

sadly these posts have died out since bryson started kindergarten and wears his uniform every day. on the weekends we have been doing soccer, then church/golf...so it seems like bryson rarely gets to wear normal play clothes these days. this weekend bryson had a golf lesson and bryan took bodie along too - getting him prepared for the next year or so...bodie is scary good already...its kinda freaky...and little bobby already knows how to hit the ball...i look forward to the future with my saturdays all to myself....and bryan with his foursome...but i think i have a while to go...

on bobby:

hat - H&M

shirt - H&M

on Bodie:

hat - thrifted

shirt - Penguin

pants - thrifted

shoes - puma

i found this vest at the thrift store and bryson loved it and he had a bow tie to match and so i asked him if he wanted to wear it. he told me that he didnt think golfers wore bow ties...i then showed him all these rad pictures of golfers from the 20s, 30s and 40s - with their knickers and argyle and sweater vests....he was totally into it - and i made him promise if he ever becomes a pro golfer that he has to dress like this...he pinky promised. so he wanted to pose like the golfers he told me...

on bryson:

hat - gorin

shirt - H&M

vest - thrifted

bow tie - thrifted

shorts - Shaun White for Target

shoes - Vans

look at this guy...he is so big i cant stand it...i keep wondering how i got a 6 year old all the sudden...so strange that they become little people...

DIY Varsity Shirt

i was at this festival the other weekend and this dude had on this vintage varsity sweatshirt and i loved it. i looked up some varsity "B"s online and found one in my old high school colors and made a felt one for bryson...i loved how it turned out...he was kinda into it too...which is nice -it is getting trickier and trickier to sew for that boy.

i am into these varsity sweatshirts too...may make some for some b-day presents - i have a bunch of fleece that may be good to use for it as well - but its all very nostalgic and silly to me...i told bryson he lettered in golf and he was like, "oh...awesome!" like he knows what that means, ha!

(i found that plaid fabric in the remnant bin at Jo-anns for couple bucks so i picked it up and made this little handkerchief for bryson out of it...super simple...took all of 5 minutes...it would be a great gift for a fashionable little guy, or gal.)

Bread Success! (and fail)

so...i got some crazy wild baking/cooking hair in my pants this weekend...i went nuts - i made 2 different types of pumpkin bread, a loaf of bread (fail), granola bars, soup and some healthy snack thing that turned out awful and my kids looked at me like i was poisoning them...dont you like us mom? why would you make that? i dont know...i was trying to be healthy...but baking and healthy is not always the best combinations...sometimes you just need "a litta bitta butter" as Paula Deen would say!

i have been thinking about bread and the smell of fresh baked bread and how i want my kids to have those smell memories. part of my job when i worked at this Alzheimer home was to do the bread machine every day as a part of aroma-therapy for the residents...there is something healing about bread. so i have made a sort of goal for myself to attempt it at least once a month for a year...maybe trying different kinds of breads and things, but of course trying to master or semi-master this amazing recipe.

i was trying to call my mom to get her bread "recipe" before i attempted bread, but no luck, so i printed one out from the interwebs somewhere and it was awful...and complicated...bread shouldnt be so complicated i dont think... i dont own a kitchenaid mixer...and it seems like every recipe i find in blogs and stuff for baking and bread calls for one...i dont know but my mom never had one and made bread just fine..so anyways - my sister was able to get her recipe and i wanted to share it- both for selfish purposes and knowing i can have access to it whenever i need...wherever i may be...and also for your benefit as well.

my mom and her sisters and cousins wrote down a bunch of family recipes for a family cookbook, complete with stories and everything...i thought it was so touching...wanted to share..


Basic Barmore Bread Recipe
1 cup warm water (see yeast pkg. for temp-not too hot or the yeast will die.)
2 packages dry yeast (rapid rise)

Mix together yeast and water: add 1 tsp. sugar and set aside for 10 minutes until bubbly.

Mix in:
1/4 cup soft or cooled melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup old fashion oats
1 tsp. salt

Add:
1 cup flour-mix together (Total flour will be around 3-4 cups)

After the flour is mixed in, continue to add in 1 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the mixture cannot be mixed easily with a spoon.
**warning**careful here:  the key is to knead the dough until it is no longer sticky. Grandma said that this is the key part to making a loaf and it is mostly by feel of the dough.  If you add too much flour, the bread does not rise.  Flour a breadboard and knead the dough until no longer sticky.

Butter a bowl and set the dough in the bowl.  Cover with hot towel and let rise 1 hour.  After 1 hour (it should have risen to twice its size)  punch down the dough.  Roll out with a rolling pin and roll to fit into a buttered loaf pan.  Cover with damp warm towel and let sit for 1/2  to 1 hour.  Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake the bread for 40-45 minutes.  Pull the bread from the oven and coat the top with butter to soften the crust.

"I had Grandma show me how to make bread when she visited my home when my kids were young. She would grab the butter dish and throw in an undetermined amount, then shake the salt in, handful of oatmeal, etc. It was so hard to actually stop her to get some sort of measurement since it was so random and fast. I'm sure this is how she had to make the 30 or so loaves of bread every day in Jungo, NV when she had to get up at 4:00 am and ride 20 miles to the ranch to bake and cook for the ranch hands.
But finally- after many failures- I was able to make a loaf that  resembled hers somewhat. This basic dough can be used to make cinnamon rolls or flavored bread of any kind by just adding different ingredients in with he wet ingredients."

My Lil' Gnome

a while back i went on this fleece hat sewing spree...i had one left and just remembered today...so i stuck it on my little gnome! i love it! garsh...is he the most delectable little gnome you ever did see? this little coat was a little early Christmas present that i could not resist - on sale from the nutmeg tree (on vacation now...sorry!) - other things happening in this picture i would like to point out...he is only wearing one shoe...which has since been found luckily - we are on the 4th pair of shoes for this kid- i dont know what his deal is...

also...those rings on the ground are golf instructional thingees...a birthday present for bryson...i am also hearing rumors about a certain someone installing a putting green in our backyard...hmmm...

in other news...i haven't done a zoodies update for a while now...cause i have been so busy with orders - thank you! i went on a zoodies making spree as well and updated the shop - all zoodies in stock should ship out in time for Christmas! 

Hope you are enjoying the Advent Season!

I Love it! Patchwork Long Beach Edition

Patchwork came in town to Long Beach on the 6th and I was able to pop on by for a bit. It was a rainy morning, but I was so happy to see that the venue still had a good turnout...i was able to cross a few people off my christmas shopping list and check out some amazing artists and crafts - i wanted to share some of my favorite finds with you!

1. Artwork by Andrea Zuill

loved her grumpy kid drawings and her halloween-ey stuff - i asked her if she is in any children's books
and she said that she was so close...that is where and what she wants to be doing. it will just be a matter of time before you see her art in books - don't you think?




2. Sass & Peril - prints

they had the sweetest little animals and artwork - perfect for a nursery or kids room...they also had fun tote bags and cards - loved them!




3. Pommes Frites - home decor




























i may have picked up one of these hollowed out books...but i could have bought a ton more! i loved them - so fun and sturdy and i could think of at least 10 people who would absolutely love it!

4. home spun vintage - kids vintage clothes

the bargain bin was awesome! she also had some pin on bow ties made from men's ties that were too good to pass up. i love the extra details she added to the pieces to give them a little more handmade feel. so cute!



5. Yellow 108 - accessories

they had such an amazing assortment of handmade hats. i wanted them to have some for kiddos, but i know a certain husband that would love to add to his collection!


and i lost the business card to the last little booth i wanted to share. i bought the sweetest little hanging succulent ceramic planter from this booth...forgot the name...but if anyone knows who i am talking about, please let me know so i can share!

if you are in the socal area - check out the next patchwork shows!

20 things I have learned/am learning about having kids

1. having 3 kids is quite different than being one of three kids in your family. i think it has something to do with responsibility...and the more recent love for peace and quiet.
2. repetition is apparently never annoying to kids...ever...even after 5,698 times...
3. the laundry is NEVER done.
4. either are the dishes.
5. lets just say all housekeeping is not the greatest at this point in our lives
6. i have made peace with the fact that at any given point, at least one of my children is not going to be happy with whatever is going on.
7. i have almost made peace when 2 lose it at the same time.
8. when its all three...that is when i visit crazy town.
9. i know a lot about furniture being used as ladders. and how they can be used. even if you think "no way" - they don't think like that.
10. little boys are the worst roommates in the planet
11. but i did teach bryson to replace the toilet paper roll, so at least one other person in this family does that now...
12. kids are the best teachers sometimes.
13. and the most forgiving people.
14. when my children wake they are usually the sweetest in the world.
15. 4:00 - 7:00 is when aliens abduct my children and turn them into whiny crazy spastic lunatics.
16. if i ever think i finally have a calm minute and i can call so and so...my kids remind me about 2 minutes later- no...no you can not mom...talking on the phone is absolutely unacceptable for a mother. the rudeness.
17. the idea of time to myself...is now just narrowed down to pooping.
18. kids have gotten me over the taboo of saying poop...sorry...
19. i will never be the same as i was before kids.

20. and that is for the better of all mankind. thank you kiddos!