Book Review: Matilda by Roald Dahl

Summary:

Matilda is a prodigy. She is sweet, resourceful and reading classical novels by the age of 5. Unfortunately, her parents are simpleminded crooks who don't even notice. They send her to a horrible elementary school ruled over by the villainous Miss Trunchbull, a retired shot-put Olympian who hates children. But Matilda is determined to put things right. Determined to write her own story by mischievously solving problems Matilda learns to also look out for those around her.

Personal Notes:

I discovered Roald Dahl in fourth grade and have been an avid fan ever since. For Christmas I asked for his complete works and have loved introducing his stories to my children and husband. My husband particularly loved this story. That's the beauty of Roald Dahl; his stories reach every age. Dahl isn't afraid to explore dark humor, or mischief.

Why this book is important to read to your child: 

I think a lot of people misunderstand this story. Matilda understands that the adults around her aren't very nice, and knows that someone should do something about it. But she is small and quiet, so in a very smart and comical way she tries to teach the adults a lesson. I think it is a lighthearted way to show children that bullies can be outsmarted. I had some great discussions with my family about how we treat each other, what my own children's options are when someone picks on them, how we don't have to quietly accept inappropriate behavior from others (although I don't promote gluing someone's hat to their head as an appropriate option.) I think this book important because it is empowering to children to both have confidence in themselves if they feel someone isn't treating them correctly, and also being resourceful and using their head rather than lashing back.

Supplemental material:

The movie by Danny Devito is a family classic. I have loved that movie since I was little. But even more powerful is the new Matilda Musical! David and I were lucky enough to see this show a week after we finished reading the book and it was incredible. One of my favorite musicals of all time! It brought new power and life to the story. If you can get your hands on the soundtrack, do it. Tim Minchim (composer) is the perfect blend of intelligent wit and off-kilter humor for this show. It digs even deeper into the theme of self empowerment and was beautifully done.

Book Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

Summary:

Hugo is an orphan living inside the walls of a Parisian train station, fixing clocks and stealing croissants. When he discovers a broken mechanical man in the ashes of his fathers office, he is determined to fix it. Perhaps it will give him a secret message from his father. As he tries to steal parts from the local toy maker, Georges, he is caught and made to work for the old man. Magic, movies and mystery surround Georges, and Hugo is determined to find how everything connects.

Personal Notes:

It's a thick book, (534 pages!) but that's what is so fun about it! It is full of so many beautiful illustrations you and your child can tear through the whole novel in just a few days. (It took us about 2 hours total to read it) I give it 5/5! My six year old loved it as well. It offers a beautiful snapshot of the early days of cinema. It's full of fun mysteries and chase scenes, and will really get their imagination going.

Why This Book is Important to Read to Your Child: 

It was awesome to see the confidence on my kiddos face to know that he finished such a big book so quickly. The themes in the book were valuable and I feel like I was able to discuss some really important topics with my little guy. Some topics you can discuss are: homelessness, lies, perseverance, desperation, hope, resourcefulness, friendship, and creativity.

Supplemental Material:

There's a charming movie on Netflix right now that you can watch to celebrate finishing such a big book with your child. It embellishes the role of the station inspector and adds a layer of humor that we both enjoyed. Plus, the book talks about a lot of old movies, and shows stills from the films, but watching this movie, you actually get to see the clips that Selznick talked about in the book.

"Or Do Without..."

Use it up

wear it out

make it do

or do without.

This phrase was coined during the great depression, and as a kid, I often heard it in my own home. Many of us have retained this little tidbit of advice in the back of our heads, but think it doesn't apply to us during this era of prosperity. However... there's a vital bit to this phrase that I think we're all forgetting...

"Or do without."

In helping families de-clutter their homes, I've found that many of us have a fear of the future. We save small bottles of shampoo for vacations. We save electronic cords in case we find an antiquated electronic that needs it. Why do we do this to ourselves?

I believe the heart of this saying is not in abusing our possessions, or holding on to things that have no use for because we might need it in the future. I think this phrase means something much kinder.

Use it up: Don't be wasteful

How often do we throw out rotten leftovers? It's easy to give in to the urge of replacing what we already have before it has been used up. I think we could all take a lesson from Great-Grandpa and find a use for what we already have. I love the current DIY re-purposing craze because it brings us back to the heart of resourcefulness. We feel thrifty, imaginative... There are lots of reasons to feel good about this advice.

Wear it out: Let possessions serve their purpose.

Do you still have clothing in your closet with the tags on it? Why? Are you saving it for a special occasion? Do you have lotion that you haven't used since your last date? Why not pamper yourself when no one's around? We often save things for special occasions, but why not enjoy what we own now? It can brighten up a dismal day. It can spice up a lackluster room. You are allowed to love your items year round.

Make it do: Use the things you already have.

Do you find yourself buying clothing when you already have sufficient for your needs? People often own twice as many clothes as they actually wear. When we have this much stuff floating around, it causes clutter and stress. You'll find you can be much happier with "just enough", than with an excess. When you detox your closet and keep only things you truly love, you'll find it makes a difference when you go shopping. You'll be less compulsive, and aware of what truly makes you happy.

Or do without: Simplify your life by removing things you don't need.

There is a particular group of people that I find have more stuff packed into their closets and spilling out on their floors than most... I like to call them Provisioners.

"I might needs this when..."

"If it floods, I'll be glad I have this..."

"When my daughter comes back from college she'll want..."

Hardcore Provisioners refuse to throw things away based on fear. It is hard to get them to de-clutter because it's a literal leap of faith for them. They can't trust that they'll be fine without something if the time ever comes. But when they begin to let go, they are the most liberated. 

Disclaimer: I believe in provisioning to an extent. We are not talking about food storage, we're talking about clothing, backup items in case the first breaks, dusty closets smashed full of unused pillows... 

Conclusion:

People in the depression learned a new way of life. A level of resourcefulness and thrift. Many of us live on the opposite side of that pendulum. We are surrounded by plenty. It is time for us to learn a new way of maintenance. We can literally drown in our surplus if we aren't careful. Maybe take a step back from your home and think about how this phrase can apply to you. Happy tidying!

Rachel

Surviving Nanowrimo Without Caffeine

I'm not a coffee drinker. In fact, I don't do caffeine often. Last year however, when I read a Nanowrimo motivational essay, the first bulletpoint for success was:

DRINK LOTS OF COFFEE!

I laughed, but once I got in the thick of Nanowrimo madness, I realized that a caffiene rush could help propel my productivity. So, I began the tradition of starting each writing session with a mug of Stephens hot chocolate.

It was lovely.

I looked forward on those cold November mornings to my mug and keyboard. I can see how people get attached to such a calming moment with themselves. I finished my 50,000 words in just twenty two days of writing. It was incredible! 

Here is my proud first print of my novel! 
 

But this year, I don't have hot chocolate. I'm halfway through Nanowrimo, dreading every moment I sit down to my keyboard because I have no idea how to crush that many crappy words out of my brain. It is much, much harder without caffeine.

But I've learned a few things. Ways to dig deeper, and let go so I can accomplish my goals regardless of how hard the day is. First:


1. Take a moment to inspire yourself.

Meditation. Connecting with Nature. Praying. There are so many ways you can feed your soul. Writing is often a spiritual experience for me and I like to involve God in the process. I begin with a prayer, then spend a moment of mediation- not thinking about my book, but thinking about what I believe in. What matters to me. More often than not, those themes find a way into my writing and make it more genuine, complex and enjoyable.

2. Never hit delete.

I read somewhere that you can't create and critique at the same time. I love that sentiment. Critique allows for second guessing and backtracking, the two sure killers of momentum. Let your fingers run away with your keyboard. Let them spell out exactly what your mind is thinking, without worrying about sentence structure, consistancy, grammar, etc. You'll find that though you'll make mistakes, your words will be vibrant, raw, and impulsive. Your draft may be riddled with cliche's or plot holes, but those are things that can be fixed. Just finish the scene. You'll have an emotional guidepost to build onto till you have a perfect picture.

3. Don't expect a final draft.

Have you ever seen an animated film storyboard? The pictures drawn out are sloppy, often colorless, but when you pair them next to the finished product, they are unmistakably the same scene. The storyboard captures the emotion and direction the storytellers wanted to portray. When you are writing for nanowrimo, you are writing the storyboard. You are in no way completing a finished product. Don't stress yourself out by telling yourself that it is.

4. Get a support group.

I have an amazing, wonderful, lifesaving critique group called Writing Through Brambles that adopted me last year. They live two states away, but continue to let me skype in to meetings and read their work via Googledocs. All six of us are Wrimo's this year, and so for our most recent session, we did a skype write in. Most of our time was spent in silence, typing madly on our keyboards, but there was something about the sound of us all typing that made me feel so supported. Like I could actually follow through and do this! Every time I see their updates on facebook I am motivated and reminded that if I want to win, I should go get writing.

Now, time for me to get back to writing my novel. Cheers!

-Rachel

Chicken and Orzo Soup

     Fall is here, and one of the things I miss most about home are the bright yellows, oranges and greens of the trees. Some of my favorite memories are of walking through BYU campus, thousands of brightly colored leaves lining the sidewalks. This soup brings me a little closer to home. It is absolutely beautiful. All the colors of the vegetables really make this soup pop visually. The chicken and pasta together are hearty, and the thyme and corn add a little bit of sweetness. So if you're in the mood to make this season a little more nostalgic, this soup is a great way to do it. 
     This recipe is fast, and stands great on it's own. So, put away your sour cream and cheese, because this honestly tastes better without it. Also, if you have never used Orzo pasta before, you are in for a treat. It is small, and shaped like a grain of rice, so you can have a hearty "noodle soup" taste without the mess that comes along with longer noodles.
 
Recipe:
1 tsp. Oil
2/3 C. Diced Carrots
1/2 C. Diced Celery
1/2 C. Diced Onion
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper 
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1/2 tsp. Parsley
2 Breasts Diced Chicken (About 2/3 lb.)
4 C. Chicken Broth
1 C. Water
1/2 C. Uncooked Orzo Pasta
1 C. Corn
2-3 C. Baby Spinach
1 T. Lemon Juice

Step 1: Dice your vegetables and chicken. 

(*Tip: I have found this soup is easier to eat if the ingredients are similar sizes. Try to avoid having large chunks of chicken, medium sized slices of celery mixed in with all the naturally smaller bits. Keeping everything small also helps to evenly distribute the flavors, so every bite is balanced.)

Step 2: Heat the oil in a pan (I prefer olive oil) and saute the vegetables with the spices.

 Step 3: Add chicken. 

(*Tip: If you are using raw chicken, you can saute it at the same time as the vegetables. It helps cut down on dishes if you do everything in the same pot. Personally, I like to use a rotisserie chicken, because it has a better texture, and adds a little more flavor.)

 Step 4: Add broth, water, orzo and corn.

 Step 5: Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Just before serving, add the baby spinach and lemon juice. Let it cook just enough to wilt the spinach leaves.

Step 7: Serve and enjoy!

(*Tip: A little trick I learned while serving soup. If you fill the ladle up 2/3 full, then double dip the ladle, the surface tension of the soup will pull any drips off the bottom. This prevents you from dripping across your table, or counter as you fill up your bowls! Amazing huh!)

Personalized T-Shirt

I have wanted to make personalized T-shirts for a while now. My good friend Mighty and I got together to make them, and OH MY GOODNESS!!! They were so cute! It was so much easier than I thought it would be.

Supplies

pattern

iron on interfacing

iron on adhesive

fabric

embroidery floss

shirt

Step 1: Print out your template. I used a font named "Archistico". You can find the free font download here.

Tip* Depending on the size of your shirt, you will want to adjust the size of your font. Once you print it, hold it up against your shirt to make sure it's the right size.

Step 2: Trace the lettering onto your interfacing.
Tip* I used an iron on non-woven interfacing. The thinner, the better.

Step 3: Iron your interfacing on to a scrap of fabric.

Step 4: Cut out your letters.

Step 5: Iron your letters onto an iron on adhesive strip. Here is an example of what to buy. Iron on adhesive.

You can tell my spacial reasoning skills aren't all that great. I thought it would come out correct, but nope. It's backwards. Peel off the paper backing and you can stretch the adhesive off from around the letters.

Step 6: Prepare your T-shirt. Remove stickers, tags, etc...

Step 7: Place your letters in the desired spot on your shirt, then iron them on.

Here is what my shirts looked like at this point. They look cute, but the adhesive won't stay permanently so you'll have to do a little bit of hand stitching at this point to anchor them on.

Step 8: Using embroidery thread that matches your fabric, tie a double square knot at the end of your thread.

Step 9: Begin on the outer edge of the first letter and pull your thread through about 1/8th of an inch away from the edge. Just enough to catch the fabric, with a little extra showing on the outside.

Water storage- How much water do I need?

      Every year, My church organizes a "Provident Living Expo". It's an event meant to help families in my area prepare for emergencies. Three years ago, I was asked to put together a booth on water storage.
     At the time, there were several wildfires sweeping through the area, cutting off freeway travel and burning down homes. To top it off, the state was also in a severe drought. In fact it was so bad that Governor Rick Perry organized a statewide fast to pray for rain. I'll admit, people were a little more concerned about water storage then.
     I put together a pamphlet covering all the basics on water storage and passed it out at my booth. I guess I did an okay job because I've been asked to run the same booth for three years in a row. As the expo just came to a close this year, I thought "Hey! This would be a great blog series." So, if you're looking for where to begin when it comes to water storage, you're in the right place. And don't worry--- I'll keep it simple! First up...

How much water do I need?
The red cross recommends that you store 2 weeks worth of water for your family.

You'll need 1 gallon of water per day, per person.
So, to figure out how much you need, here is a handy dandy family worksheet! Print it out, and stick it somewhere to remind you to get it done!

One gallon per person will be enough for drinking and food preparation.  

If you want water for personal hygiene purposes or pets, you'll need to add additional storage. (You can cut down on water needs by storing baby wipes. That way you can give yourself sponge baths instead of having to store large amounts of water.)

One of the most important things about water storage is, if supplies run low, never ration water.  Drink the amount you need today, and try to find more for tomorrow.  Minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

I hope this motivates you to get started in your emergency preparedness. Just take it one step at a time, and before you know it, you'll be ready for whatever may come!