Storytelling

Storycorp (www.storycorps.net) travels the country collecting stories to be archived at the Library of Congress.
People sit down in a silver trailor in front of a microphone, put on headphones and tell a story from their lives. How brave. NPR plays one of their stories every Friday morning. It's so great, but I often miss the segment. I just learned that you can subscribe to the podcast for free. As Joan Didion's awesome new anthology reminds us, "We tell ourselves stories in order to live."
Here's the link:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4516989

Vacation Dreaming

This time of year, I start thinking about something like this:


When, in actuality, I should be thinking more along these lines:

That's right.

Real Simple Magazine has issued a special travel edition on news stands now.

I checked out a lot of the links mentioned and of them, this one seems most helpful: http://www.travelwithyourkids.com/

Some of the, "fool proof" suggested international trips make me both admire the parents who can literally (and spiritually) go the distance to get there, while simultaneously making me laugh Bridget Jones style (Aha. Ahahahahahaha...) at the thought of what it would entail for my little family to pull off such a trek. Either way, vacation is fun to think about.

Loveys

When A started her new school, they sent a list of what we had to bring each week. It was so endearing to me that they had this list of very practical things and at the top of that list was "Lovey" or "Comfort Object." I was so relieved to see that Bear would be welcome. (They do all sorts of great things to take care of the kiddos hearts and I just love them for it).
My nephew read from The Velveteen Rabbit at our wedding. We are a Lovey kind of family. I guess that's why this story on NPR appealled to me. I have not read the book yet, but it is definitely going on my list.

"Remember your favorite childhood companions? The stuffed animals you dragged through the mud, carried around by their ears, drooled on, dropped ... the ones now missing eyes or hair?

Although much abused and maligned, these companions — the blankets, teddy bears, stuffed bunnies and dolls — stuck by you day and night. Cheryl and Jeffrey Katz have created a tribute to these threadbare friends in their book, Dirty Wow Wow and Other Love Stories.

Below are two of Cheryl Katz's fuzzy favorites from the book.


A good rule of thumb when giving a gift is to choose something that you would want to receive. Even at three years old, Rebecca and her twin sister, Elyssa, had a sophisticated understanding of this principle. When their mother took them to the mall to choose a gift for their father's birthday, the girls chose Panda Brand.

Naturally, their father was thrilled with Rebecca and Elyssa's thoughtfulness, but admittedly uneasy with their request that he play with Panda and sleep with Panda. Every night. Not wanting to disappoint the girls or belittle their generosity, Dad honored their demands—until he developed a mysterious allergy to the bear. The girls, gracious as ever, offered to take care of Panda Brand for their father. And twenty years later, they still do.


Katie Kittenheart


When seven-year-old Alexandra spotted Katie Kittenheart in an upscale Pittsburgh toy store, she had to have her. Katie's startling blue eyes were hidden under an adorable puff of real white rabbit fur, so you could see them only by gently blowing on her. Though Alex didn't have a cat of her own, she possessed a modicum of understanding about feline grooming techniques, and she took to tidying up Miss Kittenheart with her own little human tongue baths. Small wonder that twenty-seven years later, Katie Kittenheart still looks alarmed."

Parental Teams

After seeing various interviews and the documentary, To Iraq & Back, featuring Bob Woodruff and his wife Lee, I was fascinated by Lee's perspective.

(BTW: The New York Times gave a glowing review of their book, In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing by Lee Woodruff and Bob Woodruff. It's still No. 1 on the NYT Bestseller Non-Fiction list).

I read somewhere that Lee was a writer too, so I searched for her prior work. I found this great article that she wrote for their University alumni magazine years before her husband's accident. I am amazed by her strength and her story inspires me to let go a bit. Here's the article: http://www4.colgate.edu/scene/may2002/lee_woodruff.html

A polished alternative to post-its

In my house, I find notes on the back of receipts and magazine subscription offer cards, but there's still as special place on my desk for correspondence. I am a sucker for good stationary. www.tinyprints.com has been my go-to for my daughter. But here's a new discovery for the taller people in the house.



I am crazy about these personalized stationary designs.
They make it look like you have your own marketing team behind you.
https://www.fabulousstationery.com/category/personal_notes/metropolitan/

Also, check out the “blush” styles (not pictured here) which the site describes as, “Sweet, sassy, and hip, with softer tones and floral themes. Think April in Paris.” I’ll say.




They can even make you a matching journal!

A Whole Teapot's Worth

Persephone Books of London
http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/pages/complete_book_list.htm

Wow! On the outside, these editions look like sleek, organized notebooks. On the inside, they are lined with fabrics designed by women to refelct the date and mood of the book. The bookseller prints what they refer to as, "mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women. The titles are chosen to appeal to busy women who rarely have time to spend in ever-larger bookshops and who would like to have access to a list of books designed to be neither too literary nor too commercial." Awesome. The concept and aesthetic are so great.

Persephone promises, "The books are guaranteed to be readable, thought-provoking and impossible to forget." Pretty and brainy! Perfect.

Sparkly Snack

Sand-Pail Popcorn from Coastal Living Magazine


1 (3.5-ounce) package butter-flavored microwave popcorn

Prepare according to package directions. Open carefully; pour into a sand pail.
Cheese Popcorn: Add 1 (1 1/4-ounce) envelope cheese sauce mix. Toss well. Yield:about 10 cups.

Mexican Popcorn: Add 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix. Toss well. Yield: about 10 cups.

Asian Popcorn: Add 1 (5 ounce) can chow mein noodles, 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts, and 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Yeild: 11 1/2 cups.