April’s book club pick was The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. We came up with the idea of venturing in the the world of graphic novels because another #booknerd’s dad had received this book for Christmas & then left it at her house.
Hugo is thick y’all! Like intimidatingly so. Enough that it sat on the top of my couch for long enough that I kept having to renew it from the library before I got brave enough to open the first page. But when I did, I “read” 75 pages in just over 30 minutes. Gotta love pictures, especially intricate, interesting ones like in Hugo.
The story wasn’t super-duper, over-the-top fasinating to me. A ten year old boy living in a train station & the wonders he encounters there. But the pace of the novel was quick & that kept me coming back for more.
I think it would make for a great movie {clearly it did since Hugo won so many awards}. I’d definitely recommend this as easy light reading. It could be fun to read with children as, I’d imagine, the photos & story would keep them entertained. I’m interested in seeing the movie now too!
My parents came into town this past weekend for the consignment sale & to help get the babies’ room more set up. Friday night, we stayed up too late cheering on NCSU’s loss to Kansas. Dad put together the changing table that will be in the den. We also cleaned out everything left in the nursery except for Jason’s desk which he moved to the center of the room & covered in plastic.
Saturday morning came early, even with sleeping in. Mom & I went to Lowes, bought rods for the babies’ closet & picked out paint. After much looking & getting confused by all things green, with the help of two nice strangers, we chose Valspar’s Mountain Green {I think?}. Dad trimmed off the room in the blue tape. My aunt was recruited to help paint, so she joined my parents rolling away. Jason took apart his old, broken dresser then put together his new IKEA one. A college friend stopped by {hi M!} & we caught up while everyone else worked. I felt bad about that, but my Dad insisted I not paint.
nursery {take 1}
I love the color of the room! It’s brighter than we thought it would be, but I think it’s very cheery for a nursery. And will off-set the dark furniture we will fill the room with {polka dot baskets will go in dresser, Costco rug on the floor, trash can already lined with a wet bag}.
We did our first load of baby laundry Saturday! I folded blankets, bibs & hung up the new clothes we’d received as gifts. I then used the rest of the hangers we had as well as ran to Target for more hangers {I think 110 total!}, so I could hang up the newborn & 0-3 month hand-me-down clothes {thanks to J & A!} in their closet. The top shelf will be emptied off when the other changer/dresser is put together. I hung up the clothes stacked in the bottom Sunday & the rest will be cleaned out once the cribs are built.I also loaded the den changer with cloth diapers, covers & AIOs {that I have yet to wash} & the few newborn disposables & wipes we’ve received as gifts as well as elastic-bottomed sleepers & swaddlers. Can you tell the babies are pretty set for clothes?!
Sunday, we took another trip to Lowes for a cloth diaper trash can & white outlet covers after Mom & I went to church & a grocery store run. They left that afternoon & husband & I were both pretty tired. I got a second wind though & did another baby stuff laundry load. This time, I tackled the linen closet & washed & folded blankets, crib sheets & baby washcloths. I love that all of that is stacked & ready for the babies! I’d say my “nesting” urges have set in. 🙂
Over the years, I’ve heard great things about local consignment sales. Big over-whelming ones at the state fairgrounds, filled to the brim with fabulous deals. Y’all know I love a great deal.
One of the reasons I chose to join the local moms of multiples group was the fabulous things I’d heard about their sale. So when I heard the Spring sale date of last weekend, I called the fam to see if they’d come to town. The TMOTT sale opens Friday evening for members only & they allow pregnant members a helper as well as a five minute head start. I knew Jason had to work, so it was perfect that my mom & aunt joined me. I thought I could bring a helper as well as a guest {for $5}. I was mistaken about the guest though; the sale opens to members’ guests at 8p while we were able to shop at 6. It worked out okay though. Mom & Sue switched off as one would take things to the car & the other would shop or stand by our loot.
Friday night at TMOTT sale
So what’d we get & for how much?!
Here was our wish list. For my Nana at the beach, an inexpensive pack-n-play & sheets for it. For my mom {she has a crib already & had picked up a pack-n-play at a church sale}, cribs sheets, crib mattress pads, pack-n-play sheets. For my friend Beth, shoes for her daughter. For us, a second infant rock-n-play sleeper {recommended by multiple twin moms}, an Ergo carrier, a jogger stroller, pack-n-play sheets, bibs, matching or twin themed outfits. Also thought I’d look at breast pumps & bottles.
We found a Graco pack-n-play for Nana {$25} & the rock-n-play {in white for $20} in the large items area during the 5:45p preview/walk through & Mom ran right back to them when the shopping doors opened. I *think* there might have been one jogger stroller but someone quicker than us found & swiped it up. There weren’t any Ergo carriers & I got a little unsure when it came to used {by who knows who} breast pumps.
We also found the sheets, mattress pads, waterproof pads, bibs {boy, girl & neutral ones grab bags} & bottles {1 bag of small & 5 big Medela ones for $9} we were looking for. Four precious pairs of shoes for little R {$10 total}. I grabbed two twin/matching outfits; both 6-9 month sizes. One is blue/pink onesies that say Peace, Love, Twins & the other is matching long sleeve/pants outfits covered in red crabs. I love them both {although I forgot to photo them before I washed & gave our 6 month+ stash to mom to store}!
R's shoes, floor mats & sleeper
Not on my list, but I also purchased a soft boa blue/green Boppy cover {$4}, 20 ABC foam floor letters {$10} as well as an itzbeen timer {$6} that ended up being broken~our only sale fail {luckily I’d bought my two on sale & with Walmart gift card}. I don’t know how much Mom spent, but I spent a total of $77 dollars which was a total I’m really happy with.
The sale was really organized & much less chaotic than I expected. I’m looking forward to the fall sale & next spring’s sale for big baby clothes & shoes & walking toys!
Sarah Jio’s book has March in the title, so we thought it’d be fitting to make it my book club’s March pick. I finished The Violets of March quickly in at the beginning of February {I’m trying to read ahead before the babies’ arrival}, but I had held off on posting my review until after our meeting {& then I forgot & this post got misplaced in the shuffle}.
I was late to my book club on the night of the discussion {& missed all the book talk}, but the overall thought of the book was blah. There wasn’t a long passionate discussion. No one loved it that much. I’m sure a few ladies spoke out about really disliking it.
As usual, I didn’t *hate* it {it takes a lot for me to hate a book}. But I did think it was kinda predictable & yet unlikely. I wasn’t obsessed with any one of the characters. I wished we’d heard more on some & less on others.
I did love the scenery of Banbridge Island: the beaches, little restaurants, & plants. That made me wish for a beach getaway spot & grateful that I have one with my grandparents on OIB.
Would I recommend The Violets of March? I guess so. If you wanted a fluff book that wasn’t exactly ‘chick lit’ but still one you didn’t have to think too deeply about.
at BlogHer that is. Remember how last August I went to San Diego & roomed with three semi-strangers new best e-buds for BlogHer? {like you could forget since I blogged the heck out of that trip}
A couple months later, Alena announced that she too was pregnant. Holden’s to make his entrance in just about 10 weeks.
Then there was me & the trips turned duo coming most likely in June. At this point, we were beginning to suspect something special.
We turned to Diana & said, “ok, you’re turn”. So she drank the water too {she’d perhaps brought home a bottle?} & next thing we knew she was pregnant! We warned @BlogHer then that something was up with our room!
Then today, Diana went to her first ultrasound at 9 weeks and super boom, it’s TWINS!
Four roommates, expecting six babies between April & August. We are so excited!
FYI to those not trying to get KU in 2012/2013, don’t drink the water at BlogHer this summer… just sayin’.
April’s book club pick was The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. We came up with the idea of venturing in the the world of graphic novels because another #booknerd’s dad had received this book for Christmas & then left it at her house.
