C. Jane Reid

Saturday Outings: Ground Kontrol Arcade

2012-02-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Outing: Ground Kontrol Arcade
Details: An arcade featuring classic arcade games and a loft full of vintage and newer pinball machines. Open noon to 2:30am daily. Minors not admitted after 5pm. Snack bar open with limited food and beverage until 5pm, then open with full menu including beer.
Cost: As much as you care to spend. Games range from a quarter to fifty cents. Two nights a month free play parties and peak weekend hours have a cover charge, as do special events.

My husband found this arcade and fell in love with it because of its classic arcade atmosphere and large selection of pinball machines. He's been wanting to take our daughter and me there for quite some time, so when we found ourselves in downtown Portland, we made the trek.

It was an arcade just like I remember from my childhood. Rows of games, the beeps and dreedles of games like Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, the music playing overhead, and the sounds of the change machine spitting out quarters. No tokens used here, just good ole fashioned quarters.

I found my favorite old arcade game, Star Wars, and a couple of fun driving games. My husband wowed us by multiple free games on his favorite pinball machine, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and by getting the current daily high score on Ms. Pac-Man. My daughter got to try out games she'd only heard about and loved the driving games and the Spiderman pinball. We had fun watching her play our old favorites, like Star Wars and TRON. But the best was our three-player battle on the Pac-Man Battle Royale.

We took a break from gaming to have a couple of root beer floats and giant pretzels from the snack bar. We had been eager to try the nachos that my husband had been telling us about, but they don't serve it until after 5, and since we had our daughter with us, we wouldn't be staying until 5.

So we enjoyed a smaller snack, then got in a few more games. At my husband's encouragement, I visited the restroom before we left and found an awesome Pac-Man theme, with the game set in tiles on the floor and LED lights in the trench-like wall sink. And instantly wanted to convert our bathroom to that exact theme.

All told, I believe we spent about $12.00 for three of us to play video games for a couple of hours and $10.00 on food.

My Recommendation:
This was a fun outing and one we'll repeat. My husband is thinking about renting the place for his 40th birthday. I loved being back among the video games I loved playing as a kid and sharing the experience with our daughter. The cost of the video games was just right, with nothing over fifty cents. The snack bar was less than satisfying pre-5pm. The root beer floats were definitely worth the cost, but the pretzels were too salty. We couldn't always find the attendant on duty when we needed to (like to get into the bathroom). The place is pretty well packed with games, which makes it tight to get around in, especially given the number of folks coming in and out while we were there. But all of that was just like I remembered from old, so it was more nostalgic than annoying. It was a fun place to go for a couple of hours, and afterwards, it is in walking distance of Powell's City of Books, so we got even more out of the trip than I'd anticipated.

I highly recommend Ground Kontrol to anyone who has fond memories of arcades of old and want a chance to relive a little piece of childhood. This is not, however, a place for small children or anyone sensitive to crowds, confined spaces, or lots of noise and lights. But arcades of old weren't really either. Best of all, if you don't use up all the money you changed out, you go home with quarters and not worthless tokens in your pocket.

Fix It Friday: Oreo Cookie Balls

2012-02-17T09:02:00.000-08:00

I made these Oreo cookie balls for Christmas for two years running and then again just last week for Valentine's Day. I always hear how wonderful they are. My mom made them last week to take into work and heard the same. So I thought I would post the recipe. They are easy to make, if a little time consuming, well worth it in the end. I always give lots away because I'd sit there and eat five or six in a row if I kept them and I just can't afford to buy new pants.

Oreo Cookie Balls
makes about 3 dozen

1 pkg cream cheese, softened (leave out for several hours to soften as it won't to to liquid like it will in the microwave)
1 pkg oreo cookies (double stuff oreos will make creamier centers)
1 pkg chocolate chips + 1 T shortening
OR
1 pkg dipping chocolate (I use Candiquik, which I find at Walmart)

With a hand beater, beat cream cheese until it is fluffy. Using a blender, crush oreo cookies into fine crumbles (I do handfuls at a time so the blender doesn't clog up). Mix crushed cookies and cream cheese until consistency of sticky mud (will look that way, too).

Melt chocolate. Form small balls of cookie cream, about the size of a bouncy ball, and roll in chocolate. Set on wax paper to hard. If using chocolate chips, coating will still be a bit soft, so do not stack cookie balls. Dipping chocolate will form a harder coating which are fine for stacking.

For the holidays, I melt white chocolate chips and, using a fork, string it over the hardened cookie balls for decoration. For Valentine's Day, I set conversation candy hearts in the chocolate when it was still soft. Sprinkles just after dipped would work well, too.

Thursday Three: New Television Shows I'm Watching

2012-02-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

I don't watch much live TV. We only have basic cable, which limits possibilities. When I do watch live TV, it is usually PBS kids (I love Arthur, the boy loves Cat in the Hat, and the girl loves Wild Kratts). But I do watch Hulu Plus through the Xbox 360.

I've been following Castle since it debuted (I've been a fan of Nathan Fillion since he was on Buffy way back in the day) and will watch it every week, usually Tuesday afternoon when Liam is napping. I like to catch up on Bones when I remember it (again, I've been a fan of David Boreanaz since the Buffy days) and will watch several episodes in a row to catch up. But that's been about it for me for quite some time.

There are times I hear about a show just as it's ending (such as Stargate Universe, which was magnificent and I mourn its passing) or after it's already aired (like the first season of Downton Abbey, which I watched on Netflix).

Lately, however, I have come across three new, midseason starters that I have become quite enamored of. All are available through Hulu Plus (thankfully) and my husband and I are enjoying each show and watch them every week.

So for my weekly list of three, here is a little bit about each show and why I'm enjoying it.

Alcatraz
Fox, Mondays at 9pm

Synopsis: In 1963, over 302 inmates and guards vanished from Alcatraz Federal Prison. The disappearances were covered up by the government and no trace of the vanished was ever found. Until 2012, when inmates begin reappearing in San Francisco to continue their particular brand of crime. Det. Rebecca Madsen (played by Sarah Jones, who brings a nice sense of naivete to a gritty cop) is on the scene after one of the crimes and, through the help of Alcatraz expert and comic book shop owner Dr. Diego "Doc" Soto (played wonderfully by "Lost" alum Jorge Garcia), discovers a secret liar under Alcatraz ran by Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill, one of my faves) that is dedicated to tracking and capturing the "63's."

Review: This show is produced by J.J. Abrams, he of the "Lost" and "Star Trek" fame. I enjoyed "Lost," most notably after it aired so I could watch all the episodes in a row, since at the time of its showing, we didn't have Hulu Plus on the Xbox so it wasn't as easy to catch up each week. "Alcatraz" shares much with "Lost": the mystery that grows each week, a strong group of characters, many with hidden agendas, the use of back story to tell the whole story, and a place becoming as much a character as the people (in this case, Alcatraz, which, ironically, is another island). What "Alcatraz" has that "Lost" did not is a weekly formula for each show. We are fairly certain that each week a new inmate will reappear to commit crimes in the city of San Francisco and that Madsen and Soto will have to catch the criminal. And along the way, new information about Alcatraz from the 60s will be revealed and Hauser will be enigmatic about it all. The crime drama of catching the crook is interesting (mainly because I find Garcia's character great fun), but the real meat is the new revelations about Alcatraz and what happened back in '63 and how it is impacting the current time.

Recommendation: It is possible that this formula will get old after a while, but with compelling characters portrayed by competent actors (it is Sam Neill, after all, and he is just cool and I think I can safely say that I adore Jorge Garcia), so far I'm as intrigued by each new episode as I was from the first. I'd go so far to say that those who enjoyed "Lost," "Fringe," or a good crime drama will find this show interesting and worth the watch.

The Finder
Fox, Thursdays at 9pm

Synopsis: Walter Sherman (played by a very likable George Stults) has a unique gift he gained through a war injury: He can find things. Or people. Or places. He has never failed, and because of that gift and its record, he is hired by people of all backgrounds to find what they have lost. Aided by his legal advisor and friend, Leo Knox (the grand Michael Clarke Duncan), with some assistance from U.S. Marshal Isabel Zambada (a very lovely Mercedes Masohn) and the occasion contribution of teen gypsy on probation Willa Monday (Maddie Hasson, who does eye-rolling, hard-knock teen very well), Walter sets out each week to use his "finder power" and occasionally solves a crime, rights a wrong, and usually gets in over his head.

Review: This show is a spin-off from "Bones" and that is how we first found it, as an episode of "Bones." It was great fun, with a wonderful connection between Stults and Duncan as Sherman and Knox, and we knew we wanted to check it out when it aired. Cut forward several month and we finally got to watch the first episode. Again, fun, with good chemistry between the actors, a bit of a gimmick, but an entertaining gimmick. Fast forward several episodes and now it feels like the show is rounding out nicely. The characters are interesting, with growing back story and relationships. The actors seem to fit into the characters' shoes with growing confidence and capability, and the story lines are entertaining and diverse. The weekly dream sequence that Walter experiences while finding is great fun, as are many of his lines and philosophies. The show is formulaic, but not as much as "Bones," and there is more humor and just as much eccentricity in the characters.

Recommendation: This is just a fun show. It has occasional moments of drama, but not enough to bring it down. It is fun to see what new off-beat phrases and comments Walter will make each week and how deep the characters get into the mystery of finding what was lost. It isn't a comedy or a drama, but a nice blending of the two. I like how each episode has gotten stronger and I'm eager to see where this show goes. Highly recommended (and, since it doesn't have weekly images of decaying corpses, usually fine for children, like my 8-year-old, who doesn't like "Bones" because, well, gross!).

The River
ABC, Tuesdays 9pm

Synopsis: For years viewers tuned in to Dr. Emmet Cole's nature show, which also starred his wife, Tess, and his son, Lincoln. Then while on a expedition in the Amazon, Dr. Cole (played by the wonderful Bruce Greenwood), his crew, and his boat, The Magus, vanished. Six months later, his son, now entering his residency as a medical doctor, is ready to bury his father. But Tess (Leslie Hope, who does driven wife with secrets of her own very well) is not willing to give up so easily. At the urging of the network that aired their show for so long, Tess and Lincoln (a very likable Joe Anderson), their crew, and the daughter of one of the missing crewmembers, undertake a journey to find The Magus, its crew, and Dr. Emmet Cole. Their journey, however, will take them out of the realms of the natural world and into the workings of the supernatural in ways they could never have anticipated.

Review: This is a new show, both for us and for the network. It aired just a few weeks ago, but after only three episodes I'm hooked. I would call this a suspense, light horror show. The suspense is definitely there, and quite often I was at the edge of my seat, knees drawn up, flinching for fear. Light horror in that the gore is kept to a minimum, but the terror level of the characters is definitely high.

It is filmed like a documentary in the styles of Blair Witch (minus the nauseating shaky cam) and Paranormal Experience (lots of set cameras in the ship catching the events). The format of the documentary adds great depth to the show, and also adds to the suspense. I like the use of cultural legends and myths as the background of the events. I had actually heard of the one in episode two (the episode with the creepy dolls).

Recommendation: This show is creepy enough for horror-movie enthusiasts to enjoy, yet not to so gory as to turn off those of us who don't enjoy gratutious death and maiming. It is creepy (best not watched alone at night if you are sensitive to those sorts of things) yet compelling. The mystery of Dr. Cole's journey and what he was discovering and how that is now affecting his family and their crew is very well done. I'm eager to see where this show goes and hope it gets picked up for a return season as this season it is only scheduled for 8 episodes.

What three shows have you been watching lately?

Wednesday Whimsy: Candy Heart Pillows and Surprise Balls

2012-02-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day, I made two gifts for each of the kids: A candy heart pillow and a surprise ball. Both were quite easy (though you need basic sewing skills for the pillows).

Candy Heart Pillows

I found the instructions for the candy heart pillows at Sweetie Pie Bakery. I followed the instructions except for one step. When it says to sew the rectangle length of fabric that will make up the sides of the pillow into a ring, I did not, because when I did, the fabric did not quite match in a circle with the heart shape fabric. There was too much rectangle. So, instead, I omitted that step and went directly to sewing the rectangle to the heart, leaving two inches of the rectangle fabric overlapping off the edge of the heart and back-stitching a couple of times at the start and then again at the end, where I had an inch or two of fabric left over. Then, I following the direction up until the final end of sewing the opening closed. I tucked in the two edges of the rectangle, then hand-stitched them straight across, tucking the stitches in the folds as much as possible to keep them hidden.

I was very happy with the results. And the kids loved the pillows. They are big enough to actually use as pillows, too!

The little pillow I made by cutting out two heart shapes, then sewing on a piece of felt. I put right sides together and stitched all around, leaving a couple inches at the end (back-stitching a couple times at the start and finish to the stitches wouldn't pull out when stuffing the pillow). I stuffed it, then tucked in the edges and did the same hidden stitch to sew it close. It's a great size for a doll pillow.

Surprise Balls

I found the instructions for the surprise balls at MetroParent Blogs. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'd seen these for sale in a catalogue and was thrilled to find instructions. I picked up two rolls of crepe paper, one in white and one in red. I picked up four or five little trinkets for each ball and a handful of chocolate coins and some candy hearts. Starting with the largest toy (for my daughter, a mini Rubik's cube, for my son, a plastic toy steamroller). Wrapping with one color, I tucked in a trinket or candy every three to four loops. Then, when I was out of things to tuck inside, I cut off the crepe paper and taped a new color to it. I wound enough of this color to mask the first color completely, then cut it clean and tucked the edge under. I taped the end, putting a sticker over the tape. Lastly, I tied a ribbon around the whole ball.

The kids had a fun time unraveling the balls. My two-year-old didn't quite understand the unwinding, so I did it for him, revealing each treat slowly. He ate the candy hearts as fast as they came out. My daughter was thrilled when the toys surprises began to appear. It was fun watching both of them reach the center of the ball. I'll definitely be making more of these for future holidays.

Text Tuesday: "His Good Opinion"

2012-02-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

I'm cheating a little on my book review for today, because this book is special. It was written by my good friend, Nancy Kelley. She writes a blog and also is part of the driving force behind Indie Jane, a website and blog featuring indie writers and Jane Austen (what a great mix!). So this is as much a book review as it is a promotion for a book written by a good friend and an excellent writer!

His Good Opinion by Nancy Kelley
available in paperback or e-book format

Synopsis:
His Good Opinion is essentially Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's point of view. The story begins with Darcy rescuing his sister from elopement with the devious Mr. Wickham. We get the chance to see Darcy among his friends (Bingley) and family (Georgiana and his cousin Richard) before he is thrown into the mix in Hertfordshire. By chapter four, we are in step with the story from the original novel, but this time watching it unfold through Darcy's eyes. And those times when Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are parted, we get to see just what he was up to, and how he was feeling about Ms. Bennet in her absence. The novel ends in the same manner of the original, with Darcy and Elizabeth engaged, and while we do not see their marriage, we know it is inevitable.

Review
The Story:
Watching a favorite story unfold from a different character's point of view was great fun. I enjoyed Darcy's discomfort in public, and how it explained so much of his reservations and rather taciturn and unapproachable demeanor. Seeing an account of his whereabouts prior to the beginning of the original story, when he is saving Georgiana from Wickham, and the gaps filled in when he and Elizabeth are parted help round out the story very nicely. At no point did I feel that what Darcy was doing during those times was not in keeping with the intent of the original story, and the flow of his actions fit in almost seamlessly with the events of the story.

I enjoyed watching Darcy's growing realization of his own behavior and its effect on those around him. He truly grew as a character throughout the story, becoming, by the end of the tale, the romantic hero readers want him to be.

I also enjoyed seeing some of the other characters rounded out, such as Georgiana and Richard Fitzwilliam. The hints dropped as to a story featuring Colonel Fitzwilliam are tantalizing in the extreme.

The Writing:
Unlike many Austen knock-offs I've happened upon in the past, the writing in this book is a fine mimic of Austen's own style. In many ways, it is more approachable, leaving behind many of the anachronistic phrasings and stylings that might get in the way of modern reader's enjoyment of the story. The dialogue between Darcy and his fellows during moments not chronicled in the original match both in tone and language without trying to be pretentious.

Better still, the dialogue and many descriptions in the scenes taken from the original are just that: taken from the original and then molded into Darcy's point of view. What a delight to read a comment or action from Elizabeth and, knowing her thoughts from the original, see how Darcy misinterprets it. It added a depth to the story that can only be surmised in the original.

Recommendation:
Obviously, I am a great admirer of this book. Having gotten to be one of the early readers of it, I couldn't wait until it was available in print to own a copy myself. I'm enjoying reading a scene from Pride and Prejudice, and then reading the same scene from His Good Opinion. And having watched how much work and dedication Nancy put into the making of this book over the past few years it gives me great delight to say to everyone who has ever enjoyed Pride and Prejudice, "You must must must read His Good Opinion!"

Monday Matinees: "Ides of March" and "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1"

2012-02-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

Before I begin today's reviews, let me say that my crocus are blooming! And the tulips and daffodils have broken ground. It is lovely to see signs of Spring.

Now to the reviews.

The Ides of March
Synopsis: Campaign staffer Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) is an idealist and an ardent supporter of presidential hopeful Mike Morris (George Clooney). How Stephen has managed to keep his idealism in the world of politics isn't the question, but how long will he keep it as his beliefs are challenged, and how he will react as the cynicism of politics threatens to overthrow his idealism.

Review: This movie's strength lies around its phenomenal casting. Clooney does a wonderful job as Governor Morris, showing both the stage face a political campaigner must present to the press and public, and the unguarded moments behind closed doors that reveal the true man. Gosling is very credible as a seasoned staffer who has managed to keep cynicism at bay. The slow destruction of his trust and idealism is painful to watch, as is his reaction to that destruction. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti shine as two very different campaign managers. The outcome isn't a hero overcoming all odds, but how politicians and those who support and oppose them survive in the world of politics.

I honestly had no real idea what this movie would be about when I sat down in the theater. But as I enjoy most films Clooney has done, and always enjoy Giamatti, I was willing to give it a try. What I found was a quiet, psychological drama set in the world of politics and focused on the actions and reactions of one man as his world-view shifts from beneath his feet.

Recommendation: While I can't say this was a film I enjoyed, it was fascinating to watch. Clooney and Gosling and Hoffman played off one another very well, and Giamatti was great fun to watch, as usual. I found myself alternating between cheering for Gosling's characters and wanted to throw a shoe at the screen. I found the story to be parallel to the Frankenstein mythos, where a man who tries to save his part of the world ends up becoming part of the reason that world is destroyed. And in many ways, the endings are similar. Stephen Meyers becomes as chained his creation as Dr. Frankenstein does.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt.1
Synopsis: Bella and Edward are finally married. As their relationship takes that fateful, culminating step, an unforeseen result puts not only Bella, but the entire Cullen family, at risk. How will Bella's friend, Jacob, react to the new threat facing her and how will his choices, and those of Edward and Bella's, impact their friends and family.

Review: First, let me be clear. I am not a fan of the Twilight Saga. And I'm just going to leave it at that. I have, however, seen the first movie and found it entertaining enough. So when I went to see this, which is the fourth movie of the saga, my expectations were set very low. I was pleasantly surprised to find the movie quite watchable. There is true humor in it, at times giving voice to criticism raised against some parts of the book (which didn't go so far as to break the fourth wall, as they say, but was a nice nod toward critics of the book and was a fun moment in the movie). There are long gaps with not much happening, and at times the dialogue sounds more like it comes from an after-school special rather than a multi-million dollar-grossing film, but while I did roll my eyes a number of times, I didn't find myself wishing I were somewhere else like I expected I would. And, much like in the first movie, I found myself avidly wishing the movie were about Alice, or had more Alice, or maybe there could be a spin-off just about Alice (and maybe Jasper). I find her the most compelling of all the characters of the franchise, partially because of Ashley Greene's portrayal of her.

I do need to add a note about the score, which I haven't done yet before. I'm a huge fan of movie scores and tend to keep an ear open for them during films. I enjoyed Carter Burwell's score of the first Twilight movie more than the movie itself in many ways and own the CD, so I was hopeful that I would in the very least enjoy the score to this movie. I was disappointed, however. I don't know if the mix between the score and the dialogue was off or it just wasn't as strong of a score as I'd hoped, but I was disappointed in it. I found it repetitive and overly intrusive to the movie, though that might have been during those scenes when not enough was happening in the film to keep my attention and so I focused more on the music. Whatever it was, I don't think it was as good as the first film score, or even close to some of his more recent scores (the True Grit remake comes to mind).

Recommendation: All I can say for a recommendation is to address those who, like myself, are not fans of the series. If you must watch it, there is enough to keep you entertained (and plenty to mock, if that is the way you choose to exercise your criticism). I was pleasantly surprised at the range of Taylor Lautner's acting, had fun watching the members of the Cullen family, and enjoyed once more Billy Burke as Charlie Swan. And as I go to movies to be entertained, I was not disappointed. Not a stellar review, I admit, but one much more positive than I had expected to write before watching the show.

Game Day Sunday: Zombie Dice & Martian Dice

2012-02-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today I am reviewing two games, as they are very similar in style, yet differ in game play.

Zombie Dice by Steve Jackson Games
# of Players: 2 or more
Age Group: 8 years old and Up
Length: 10 to 30 minutes

Components:
Six green dice, four yellow dice, three red dice (thirteen dice altogether), instructions, dice cup. Dice are marked with images of a brain, footprints, or shotgun blast. The green dice have more brains printed on them and the red dice have more shotgun blasts.

Game Overview:
The goal of the game is to be the first player to collect 13 brains. The game has both elements of luck (rolling dice) and strategy (deciding whether to stay with the brains you've rolled or try for more and risk losing them all and the dice colors which add to the ease or difficulty of the rolls).

Game Play:
Player 1 begins with all the dice in the dice cup. Shake the dice, then without looking, choose 3 dice. Roll those dice. Keep any brains you roll. Set aside any footprints to reroll if you continue your turn. Any shotgun blasts count against you. Roll 3 shotgun blasts during your turn and your turn is over and you lose any brains you rolled. Keep rolling 3 dice at a time until you decide to stay with the brains you have or you roll 3 shotgun blasts. First player to reach 13 brains triggers the end game. The round is continued until all players have finished their turn (so it is possible to roll more brains and therefore win).

My Recommendation:
It really is hard to go wrong with a Steve Jackson game. And this is one of our favorite quick games. The game plays fast and it is fun to see one of the players keep risking his brains and then roll 3 shotgun blasts. We've played this with 2 players, 3 players, and up to 6 players and found it plays the same each time, and gets crazy fun with even more players. This is a favorite game for us to give to friends as gifts.

Martian Dice by Tasty Minstrel Games
# of Players: 2 or more
Age Group: 8 years old and Up
Length: 10 to 30 minutes

Components:
Thirteen dice printed with images of a death ray (looks like a spaceship), tank, human, chicken, and cow, instructions, dice cup.

Game Overview:
The goal is to be the first player to reach 25 points or more. This game has more strategy involved, as you must decide which dice of all of them you rolled to keep.

Game Play:
The first player puts all the dice in the dice cup and rolls them all. All tanks rolled are set aside. From the remaining dice, players decides whether to keep one type of dice (from chickens, cows, humans, or death rays) and sets all the dice of that type aside. However, chickens, cows, and humans can only be chosen once during this turn. Death rays can always be chosen. Player one can end his turn now or can continue by rolling all the dice not set aside. The first player to reach 25 points triggers the end game, and the end of the round is played through, so again it is possible to beat the first player with more points.

The trick to this is that if at any time a player has rolled more tanks than death rays, then the martians must flee and cannot keep any of the other dice captured and gets a score of zero this turn. So it is important to keep the same number of death rays as tanks. It is also worth more points to collect each of the three other types of dice, but there is always a risk of rolling more tanks, so that can be risky to attempt.

My Recommendation:
This is relatively new game for us, but we're finding we like it even more than Zombie Dice, which we've owned for over a year now. There is a little bit more to the game play, more risk based on both the choices you make and how the dice roll, and is great fun to play. We've only played this with 3 players so far, but I'm looking forward to trying it with more. Definitely one I recommend to anyone who enjoys themed dice games.

Saturday Outings: World Forestry Center

2012-02-11T14:52:00.000-08:00

Outing: World Forestry Center
Details: A non-profit discovery museum created to inform and educate visitors of all ages about forests and trees and their importance to our ecosystem. Open 10 am to 5 pm daily except holidays.
Cost: $9.00 adults, $8.00 seniors (62+), $6.00children (3-18), 2 and under free. Every first Wednesday of the month through 2012, admission is only $3.00 ages 3 and up.

I've lived in the Northwest for almost 13 years and though I have seen the building many times, I have never actually been inside the World Forestry Center. So last Saturday I decided that would be our family outing for the week.

My one real concern was how much my son, who is not quite 2, would enjoy it, but since it is called a Discovery Museum, I hoped there would be enough for him to get his hands on to keep him satisfied.

I needn't have worried. There was plenty for both the kids, and for my husband and I, to do.

The white water raft was the first thing the kids ran for. I delayed a bit, trying to read some of the information set around the base of the forest display as we entered. But we all ended up in the raft at some point. While watching ourselves on a television screen, we rocked and jumped along with the rapids. There was even a chance to pose in a photo at the end.

The kids then explored the forest display that takes up the center of the main hall. The trees reach three or four stories. The kids were more impressed with the fallen log to climb through and the stairs down below the trees showing the root system and the animals that lived there.

There was a forest fire-fighting section with the chance to try to land like a fire-fighting parachuter. My husband did the best. My son was more intrigued by the map display on the floor.

We got to plant mock-up saplings. This was my son's favorite display, because he got to dig.

Though he and my daughter enjoyed checking out the logging machine. There was also a computer game about taking down trees while sitting in a mock-up of the logging rig. It was hard. It took me 10 minutes to take down one tree.

There was a display of musical instruments made from wood. There were also puzzles attempting to reconstruct a tree ring and several examples of how to tell the age of a tree that amazed both my daughter and me.

Upstairs there is a walkway across the forest display for a closer look at the upper branches of the tree. There is information on the way forests impact different cultures of the world. And then we found the train car with maps and a running display in the window of travel through a Russian forest.

Then onto a safari through South Africa. We all enjoyed the safari jeep.

And then a cable car ride through the canopy of the African Rainforest. The cable car was on some sort of bouncers that made it rock when we moved around, simulating being suspended in air.

The special exhibit was on bats, with lots of information on them.

We spent about 2 hours at the discovery museum, then went outside to check out the logging locomotive on display. My daughter enjoyed being an engineer, if only for pretend.

My Recommendation:
I enjoyed the visit there and was glad we made the trip. The museum has a great deal of information, and the hands-on displays made it accessible to both of our kids. While it is looking a little worn around the edges, such as the stuffed animals used in the root system display and the rather older videos in the safari and Rainforest display, it didn't take away from our enjoyment. I would have liked to see more of an actual 'ride' through the rainforest canopy instead of a short film about the rainforest. Interesting though it was, it wasn't quite what we had expected stepping into the cable car. My daughter and I did ride the canopy lift ride, which took us from the ground floor to the ceiling overlooking the forest display. That was enjoyable and gave us a unique perspective to the entire museum.

While we most likely won't be making yearly return trips, I do think we'll visit again when my son is older. Though he enjoyed himself, he didn't get as much out of the visit as our 8-year-old daughter. In another couple of years, he'll be able to do more of the activities.

Fix It Friday: Giant Cookie Cake

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Groundhog Day

For Groundhog's Day, I had the sudden inspiration to celebrate with a giant cookie cake. Most likely, it was the posts on Cake Wrecks that got me thinking about cookie cakes and how good they could taste (even if badly decorated). Unfortunately, I didn't know where I could buy one. So I asked my group of Go To Moms in my local MOMS Club, and they didn't know either, but one (who makes the most awesome cakes and desserts) had made one herself not long ago. She forwarded me the recipe she used and suddenly I'm making my own cookie cake!

I didn't have a large enough pan for a full size cookie cake, however, but I did have two smaller round cake pans, so I divided the dough between these two pans and cooked them for less time than the recipe required. And then I made cream cheese frosting, divided it to make three colors with it, and decorated the cookie cakes myself. This was the first time I've ever tried to decorate using icing bags and tips. It does look like it's my first time, but I'm proud of them! Everyone has to start somewhere.

The original recipe can be found here.

This is the modifications I made to the recipe, along with the cream cheese frosting recipe that I use.

One for us, one for a friend. It's fun to share with friends!

Cookie Cakes

makes two 9 inch cookie cakes

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pkg semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add flour, salt, and baking soda until a sifter and sift over sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.
Spread in 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes until golden on top and pulling away from the pan edge. Cool cookie in pan on a cooling rack. Decorate with cream cheese frosting as desired once fully cooled.

After adding more frosting. Can't have too much cream cheese frosting!

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese (1/2 brick) softened
4 oz butter (1 stick) softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Add vanilla and beat until mixed.

Thursday Three: Crafts I'm Starting Soon

2012-02-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm always on the look out for new crafts to try, especially to make for holidays. I'm been working on sewing candy heart pillows for my kids for Valentine's Day, but I wanted to make them something else, too. And I'm trying to plan what I'll be making for Easter, too.

Here are three fun things I've made that I'll be making starting this weekend.

Valentine Surprise Ball

Valentine Surprise Ball

I first saw surprise balls in my favorite catalogue, Victorian Trading Company. And then I found instructions for making one myself through a link on Craft Magazine's Blog. I love this and will definitely be making them this weekend. I can't wait to find little trinkets to hide inside of them for each of the kids. I might even make one for my husband.

Bunny Peeps Bunting

We have a doorway the separates the wall along the living room and sitting room. The entrance is to our tiny hall, and it is perfect for hanging decorations for the holidays, as it is one of the first things visitors see entering our small house. Right now, I have a crochet heart garland hanging there, but I'm already planning for a shamrock garland for St. Patrick's Day. For Easter, though, I was at a loss until I found this Bunny Peeps Bunting. It is adorable and will be a fun sewing project to attempt.

Needle-felted Dinosaur Playmat

I've just learned the basics to needle-felting and, thanks to a very good friend, I have lots of supplies. I've been hunting around for inspiration for something to make, and when I found this mini play mat, it has inspired me to try a needle-felt version. The regular felt version would be fun and easy to make as well, but I really enjoy needle-felting, and with it I could actually make the volcano rising out of the mat where dinosaurs could be sacrifice to appease the Paleolithic gods.

What three crafts are you eager to make?

Wednesday Whimsy: Lucy's Pockets

2012-02-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

Lucy Locket lost her pocket,

Kitty Fisher found it;

Nothing in it, nothing in it,

But the binding round it.

-Old Nursery Rhyme

I first read the Lucy Locket rhyme years ago in a Mother Goose nursery rhyme book that I received as a baby shower gift when expecting my daughter. At the time, I thought it funny that someone could lose a pocket. Then I came across the usage again, this time to medieval dress. They didn't have pockets in their clothing, but instead wore a small bag off their belt that was often called a pocket. Having spent a few years as part of the SCA while in college, I myself wore a pouch off my belt while at events but never realized it was called a pocket.

When my friend Laurinda mentioned the possibility of turning old cast off blue jean pockets into some sort of little hanging bag or magnet to hold a pen and notepad, I recalled poor Lucy Locket and her lost pocket. I also remembered that I had been saving old blue jeans to use for a denim quilt.

I made six pockets in just a couple of days as gifts for my nieces and my kids for Christmas. I filled them with a little something, like a little compact with mirror and brush for the younger girls and a small game for the older girls. My son got a car in his. I decorated them with holiday buttons, but I also had the idea of sewing on their names with alphabet beads or applying applique patches but ran out of time to follow up on either of those.

Next time, however, I have the option to do so.

Here is the pattern:

Lucy's Pockets

Supplies:
one denim back pocket cut with 1/2 inch of denim remaining all around pocket seams
1/2 inch wide double-fold bias tape (I used 1/4 inch wide, which turned out a little trickier to work with, so will use 1/2 inch wide next time)
thread matching color of bias tape
buttons, patches, appliques, notepad, pens, trinkets, toys, treats

Instructions:
Iron pocket if necessary. Measure across top of pocket and then cut a matching length of bias tape. Fold bias tape over edge of denim, making certain not to cross edge of bias tape over seam of pocket. Sew bias tape onto pocket, backstitching at both start and finish.

Beginning with lower right corner of pocket, fold remaining bias tape over edge and sew, taking care to keep bias tape flat while sewing around bottom corners. At upper left corner, backstitch over bias tape onto the pocket, then sewing only bias tape to allow for a handle of four to six inches in length. Fold back onto right edge of pocket and continue sewing, backstitching at the corner. Trim bias tape 1/4 to 1/2 inch past edge of pocket and fold under, sewing to finish at beginning lower right corner.

Decorate pocket with buttons, beads, patches, or appliques. Add notepads, pens, trinkets, or small toys or treats inside.

I'm including a photo with notes to the instructions to hopefully make it a little clearer. Honestly, this is a very forgiving project and you can make several in one sitting. The important part is to make sure the bias tape is folded over the denim edge the entire time or you'll end up with gaps between the pocket and the bias tape and to be certain the bias tape isn't turned when reattaching after making the handle.

Have fun!

Text Tuesday: "Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow" by James Rollins

2012-02-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

Book review for today: Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins

Synopsis:
Jake Ransom isn't a typical middle school-aged boy. During his spring break, he won't be playing video games or hanging with friends. He plans on attending a book signing of the new release written by his favorite physicist, sitting in on a lecture about the cannibal tribes of Borneo, and excavating shellfish fossils he discovered in a rock quarry near his house. No, Jake Ransom is no normal middle-schooler, but most kids his age didn't have archaeologist parents who went missing three years before, sending their notebooks and a Mayan coin broken in half before they vanished. Jake wears his half of the coin always, and so does his older sister, Kady, a senior cheer-leader who has nothing in common with her younger brother except the loss of their parents.

His vacation may not have been a normal one for a middle-schooler, but what happens when he and his sister are invited to attend a special event in London makes the week he planned look perfectly reasonable for a boy his age. During the exhibition opening displaying the antiquities his parents discovered before their disappearance, something happens to Jake and Kady. One moment they are standing in front of the replica of the Mayan pyramid his parents discovered. The next, they are in the middle of a prehistoric jungle. There they encounter a Mayan girl and a Roman boy on the run from . . . is that a T-Rex?

But dinosaurs will soon seem commonplace compared to the strange and fascinating world they discover in the city of Calypsos, at the center of which stands the full-size version of the Mayan pyramid his parents discovered. Jake is certain that the key to their return home lies inside the sacred pyramid. To gain entry they must first win the trust of a collection of people from ancient tribes stolen from around the world. And then there is the shadow of the evil Skull King that even now is stretching over the lands of Calypsos, trying to steal the power of the pyramid for himself.

Review
The Story:
Young archaeologist. Ancient civilizations. An unknown evil. I was drawn to the story from the very beginning. Jake is a version of a studious Indiana Jones. He's had the training, but he's lacked the adventures, until now. And he's prepared for them, though not always in the manner he suspected. Surprisingly, his sister, who seems at the outset to be just another beauty queen in the making with her sights set no higher than the Captain of the Football Team and the next Big Cheer, turns out to be up to the challenge as well. They manage to hold their own throughout the adventures of the book, making allies and finding a niche for themselves among the people of Calypsos. Jake, the scholar, makes friends with the local masters of alchemy, men who study the magics of the land. Kady finds herself welcomed in the halls of the Vikings and discovers a unique comparison between baton twirling and sword throwing.

Jake also makes two close friends during his time in Calypsos: Marika, the Mayan daughter of one of the master, and Pindor, the Roman son of one of the Elders of Calypsos. The threesome manage to end up in the center of all the goings-on of Calypsos, which will, in the end, put them at the center of the Skull King's attempt to takeover the city and control its magic. The ways in which the trio, along with help fromKady, Pindor's older brother and Kady's squad of youthful Viking warrioresses, combat the evil of the Skull King is exciting and unique.

The Writing:
At first, I was leery of what I would find on the page of this young adult novel. But from the first few pages, I was hooked. The writing is descriptive but easy to read, with simply constructed sentences that don't try to do more than convey the essence of the story. It isn't Hemingway, for nothing is hidden under the language, but it is to the point and reveals just what the reader needs to know to paint a vivid and compelling picture of the scene and the characters interactions.

Better yet, just when I thought I knew what would happen next, something quite different occurred. The plot did not try to point me in the wrong direction, throwing up red herrings to lead me astray, but led me along naturally with the opinions and concerns of the characters, until they, and I, found out that we were mistaken. Sometimes to a dangerous degree.

And the Skull King, when he finally made his appearance, was not of the usual 'Mwahaha' variety of villain. He was terrifying in the manner of Voldemort or a Ring Wraith (and indeed shares qualities with both of these villains). What drives him hasn't been completely revealed, as this is only the first book of a series. But it is obvious that he will not stop to get what he's after and the depths of his cunning and plotting have only to be touched upon.

Recommendation:
I enjoyed this book immensely and have the second one on order now. The fact that I found the book sitting in a bargain bin made it all the more enjoyable, like finding a ruby sitting among costume jewelry. I recommend it for any enthusiasts of adventure fiction, and it is appropraite for readers age 12 and up. I'd set the age lower except it can be a bit frightening at times, and the loss of parents can be the hardest material for younger readers to handle. That said, mature 10-year-olds could easily handle the writing and language. My 8-year-old is probably up to it, except for the material (she doesn't do parent loss well in any medium). So I will hang onto my copy until she, or her younger brother, are older enough to enjoy the adventures of Jake and his sister. And by then, I should hopefully have the full set!

Monday Matinees: "War Horse" and "Anonymous"

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Before I begin with today's two movie reviews, let me just say "Happy Birthday" to me! And what a great way to celebrate, starting my blog with this fun new format.

Now on to the reviews:

War Horse
Synopsis: based on a children's book by author Michael Morpurgo and directed by legendary director/producer Steven Spielberg, "War Horse" is about a horse named Joey and the young man, Albert, who has watched him from birth, trained him, and then lost him to the army at the outset of WWI. The movie follows Joey's adventures as a horse during the Great War and the people he encounters along the way. Albert's story is not left out, as we encounter him as well, now a soldier in the war. The movie sets out to answer the question, Will Albert be reunited with Joey?

Review: This movie was class Spielberg. It was Amazing Stories meets Black Beauty during Saving Private Ryan. It was truly beautiful and disturbingly horrific at the same time. As someone who has studied WWI, I can attest that the scenes of the trenches and of No Man's Land were taken straight from images of the time, only this time in stark color. The history was sound for me. No glaringly off detail struck me at the time or in retrospect. The horse (or horses, as is often the case) who portrayed Joey was beautiful to watch, as were many of the other horses in the film, and while their personification was exaggerated, it was not done heavy-handedly. The other characters in the film could be a little two-dimensional, but given how many there were, the movie would have had to be much longer to give more depth. They were what they needed to be to help tell Joey's story, and that worked for me. The ending was nicely done, showing a depth of character that helped carry the story home.

Recommendation: If you love horses, this movie will, much like the story of Black Beauty, captivate and horrify you at the same time. If you like war movies, this movie will disappoint you on its lack of battles, strategies, and charges, but what is there is magnificently done. This isn't a good children's movie, however, and I'd restrain from taking anyone under the age of 13, and then only if they are not easily shocked by scenes of death and dying and extreme hardship on animals. This is one I'll definitely be adding to my collection.

Anonymous
Synopsis: Who wrote Shakespeare's plays? The academic debate is the heart of this movie as it supposes that Shakespeare, a rather over-the-top actor in Elizabethan London, isn't the playwright history purports him to be. Instead, it is the Earl of Oxford, who uses his plays anonymously to stir the people in outcry against members of the Queen's court and against the naming of James I as Elizabeth's heir. What follows is political intrigue told through backstory and contemporarily as Shakespeare claims the plays as his own, and the fame that goes with it, while the intrigues surrounding Elizabeth and her court turn into something like from one of the plays.

Review: As a former literature scholar and historian, I absolutely had to watch this movie. But I went into it expecting it to be awful. I was pleased to find that it was quite enjoyable. If I turned off most everything I knew about the history of the time. Great liberties were taken with the history of the Essex Rebellion (the basis of the movie was an historical event) and with the characters portraying historical figures and their lives. Some very interesting theories on Elizabeth's love life come out, which, given how little we really know of her private life, could be true, but then are taken just that one step further as to be something a playwright would create. The use of the plays is well done, mimicking the both the story and the political climate of the day. However, a familiarity with the plays or the history of the time isn't necessary to enjoy the movie. It stands alone and explains itself well within the confines of its length. The sets and the costumes were extraordinary, and Rhys Ifans was enchanting as the Earl of Oxford, the writer of Shakespeare's plays. Vanessa Redgrave played an aging Queen Elizabeth to perfection, and it is always a delight to see David Thewlis on the screen, this time as the elder Cecil.

Recommendations: Students of Shakespeare and of Elizabethan history will enjoy this film, or enjoy pointing out all the liberties taken in it to their friends or discussing the rather shocking theories put forward during it. Those who enjoys a good political suspense in period dress will not come away disappointed. Definitely not one for the kids (lots of sexual situations in this one--that Elizabeth got around). This is one I'd add to my collection as well. Better yet, I've gone back to the source material and picked up one of my favorites of Will's plays, Richard III, to read again. And that is still the highest compliment I can make toward a movie--it makes me want to learn more about it's subject.

Game Day Sunday: Arkham Horror

2012-02-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

In the spring of 2010, my husband decided to branch out into board games. Having been an avid video game player since there were only arcades to play video games, this was quite a move for him. The lack of interesting new video games helped, but I like to think that my occasional "I wish we could play a board game more often" finally sunk deep enough into his consciousness to help the motivation.

At the time we had mostly standard board games, the kind found in the games section of most department stores. True, we did have variations of many of those games, such as Star Wars Trivial Pursuit, Lord of the Rings Risk, and Pirates of the Caribbean Battleship. But we also had a few non-standard games, such as 221B Baker Street, Go, and Dread Pirate. I thought those games meant we had branched out creatively.

We hadn't even broke the surface.

After discovering three local board game stores (and completely falling in love with one of them, where my husband attends their open game night every Wednesday night), we learned that we had a long way to go to discovering the true depths and joys of board games. This weekly post will be about our foray into that old family past time, which has reached unforeseen heights in creativity and imagination (and rulebooks).

The first game my husband chose to bring home for us to try was Arkham Horror. As a horror aficionado, the Cthulu-inspired game appealed to him. As it was set in the 1920s and showed a picture of people firing Tommy guns from the back of an old Ford, he figured it would appeal to me. It has turned out to be a good example of how intense a board game can be.

Arkham Horror by Fantasy Flight Games
# of Players: 1-8
Age Group: 12+
Length: 2-4 hours

Don't you want to drive around in an old Ford firing a Tommy Gun at Cthulu?

Upon seeing the game, my first reaction was "It takes how long to play?" My second was "That's the rule book?" We persevered, however, reading through the 24 page rule book and examining the components as we set up the game. We quickly found that our table was just barely large enough to contain the game.

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

Components:
The components are impressive. A large game board and dice. Nine different stacks of location cards, five different resource cards, cards for blessings, curses, retainers, cards for special access to three different locations, tokens for health and sanity, tokens for money, tokens for portals, for sealing portals, for the countdown to the awakening of the Ancient One. Character tokens, monster tokens, character cards, Ancient One cards. And a rule book that would make anyone more accustom to the one-page variety pale with concern.

Game Overview:
The point of the game is simple enough, however. You are one of a group of investigators (or the lone investigator if playing alone). You are exploring the city of Arkham, encountering places, people, and evil nasty creatures who want to kill you. Through each encounter, you hope to gain the resources, both magical and mundane, to help you fight the evil nasty creatures and also to help close the portals the generate those evil creatures and that are opening throughout the city. Each sealed portal brings you one step closer to stopping the Really Evil Monster, the Ancient One, from manifesting in the city.

Should you fail to seal the required number of portals before the Ancient One appears, you must then fight the Ancient One. Trust me, this is not easy. But it can be fun!

If you close all of the portals (the number of which is based on the number of players) or defeat the Ancient One, you have saved Arkham and are victorious. If you fail to close the gates in time and awaken the Ancient One and then are defeated by it, you have failed and Arkham, and eventually the world, is destroyed.

Cthulhu's monster card. The numbers are the countdown of turns until Cthulhu awakens and tries to eat you.

Game Play:
The turn order for each round was unique for us. As this game is not competitive but cooperative, where each investigator assists the others in closing gates and defeating the Really Evil Monster, rather than each player taking his full turn, each phase of the turn is taken by each investigator before the next phase begins.

How it works is this: Say you have three players. Player one is the First Player, and therefore has the First Player token. There are five phase to each turn. Player one performs phase one (upkeep). Then player two and then player three each perform their upkeep (refreshing used cards, gaining any money due them, rolling for blessing or curse cards). Then back to player one, who goes to the next phase (movement). Then player two and player three each move. And so on until the final phase, Mythos. This phase is for the First Player only to perform, for he now draws the Mythos card that might open new gates, move the monsters on the board, and cause actions to locations on the board.

Now the First Player token moves to player two, who becomes First Player and the phases begin all over again.

There are several benefits to this rather lengthy turn order. During each phase, players can strategies as to the best use of their movements, their resources, and which gates to attempt to close. They can move toward one another to exchange resources, or to help battle monsters on the board, or help seal a gate that has been closed (sealing a gate means a gate can no longer be opened on that location--very useful).

It would seem like this sort of strategizing would make it easier to win the game. Actually, without this sort of strategizing, you are almost guaranteed to lose the game. Without working together, investigators don't have a prayer. However, it is possible to close all the gates and thereby halt the awakening of the Ancient One by working together. That does mean, at times, that an investigator sacrifice himself. Deaths are common occurrences in this game.

If you are unfortunate enough to awaken the Ancient One, strategizing on attacks becomes essential. It would seem, by looking at Cthulhu's monster card, that he only has 13 hit points, so you only need 13 successes to defeat him. Not so. Each hit point needs successes equal to the number of players to remove, so in the case of a 3 player game, you would need a total of 39 successes to defeat Cthulhu.

Thankfully, these successes are cumulative, so if you roll only 2 success, but I roll another 1 success, one hit point is removed. It is rare that all investigators survive the final battle. But what fun to claim that you avenged your fellow investigators by taking out the Ancient One with a final hail of bullets from your Tommy Gun!

My Recommendation:
This is not a game for the rainy day board gamer. This is an intense board game experience, one perfect for an avid role-player (such as we are) or those who enjoy day-long games of Risk. It is also not for players who do not like to lose, because of all the games of this I've played, with several different numbers of players, we've lost as many times, if not more times, than we've one.

It is a game that takes a few session to feel out all of the rules, and you'll find yourself going back to the rule book over and over again. Which at first was frustrating, as the book did not seem laid out as conveniently as it could have been.

While all these comments may seem like negative reviews of the game, this is still one of my favorite games to play when we have three or four hours to kill. It is a harrowing experience, capturing the sense of doom and despair that H. P. Lovecraft infused into his short stories. There are points during the game when it seems as though you have no chance at all of ever winning, which makes those rare times when you do all the more sweet.

Would I recommend this as your first foray into the wide world of board games? No, I would not. But as it was ours, I felt it was necessary to start with its review of my first Game Day post. It shows how complex board games have become, the cooperative aspect many games now encourage, and a sizable investment of time it takes to play them. I cannot say that Arkham Horror is typical of the games out there, but it is indicative of a growing type of game becoming popular.

If the game sounds interesting, I would recommend finding a local game store and seeing if anyone there can show you how to play. Many game stores now have store copies to play in the store and some have begun renting out games. And usually there are customers, like my husband, who are more than happy to teach the game to others.

TC's Rantish Recommendations:

True story.

There was a nun blazing across the city of Arkham on a motorcycle laying waste to dread creatures spewed forth by portals from another dimension.

That sentence alone should convince you that Arkham Horror isn't your typical board game, and instill enough curiosity to find out what the hell is going on with it.

Ahh, good ole Arkham Horror. This will always be my fond 'first time' memory of really taking the reckless, 'aw hell with it' dive in the crazy, wonderful world of hobby gaming. Originally published as a spin off to the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game in 1987, it has since been been given a massive overhaul by Fantasy Flight Games in 2005. I could rant and rant how awesome, fun, and 'off the rails' crazy and insane this monstrosity is, but instead I will list a few things I learned from this game and the things I discovered about hobby gaming in general.

1.) Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) will eat your soul, money, time, and drive you insane.

Much like the creatures spawned forth from the imagination of H. P. Lovecraft, the first time you spend the money to buy a FFG board game (which will cost you around $50-$60), and open the box, your mind will struggle to stay sane. TONS of components, chips, rules, and cards of various sizes. You will struggle to maintain your sanity. Then you will discover the advertisements for all the expansions that have been made. Board expansions, card expansions, pre-painted figures, custom dice... you can actually feel the instant your brain explodes inside your skull, and you are never quite the same again.

2.) Cooperative games kick ass.

Arkham Horror was the first board game I played in which everyone worked together to achieve the same goal. Nothing can bring a group of players together faster than surviving an adventure in Arkham, and it is always interesting to see how well players can cope with having to rely on others. Especially in the face of overwhelming odds. While I have played other cooperative games that, in my opinion, implement cooperative game play better (such as Forbidden Island, Pandemic, and possibly Castle Ravenloft), I am still awfully fond of Arkham Horror for this reason alone.

3.) Board games can capture the feel and fun of a pen and paper role-playing game.

No game has ever impressed me as much as Arkham Horror with its ability to establish a setting and let the player create their own stories. This game oozes with theme and captures survival horror so much that it gives Silent Hill and Resident Evil a run for its money. If you take the time to read all the flavor text, your character's back story, and make an effort to really get into the mood this game sets, you will be in for a great time. Again, while I have played other board games since that might do this better, such as FFG's own Mansions of Madness, Arkham was the first.

4.) It's OK to lose a game, and can, in fact, be a LOT of fun.

You will lose a lot playing Arkham Horror. In fact, it is a rare, triumphant event when you do win playing Arkham Horror. But the best memories of playing this game is when the group failed on an epic level, all hell broke lose, and everyone died many, many gruesome deaths. I personally will never forget being pelted by pieces of Carissa's former character from beyond time and space in the graveyard. Or watching a friend move a bad ass monster on their own character and realizing he was now completely screwed. For me, Arkham Horror is never about winning the game, but about experiencing the the game.

Well, there you have it. I look forward to injecting my own two cents on my wife's board game reviews. While we agree on this particular game in a lot of ways, there are several we simply don't. Hopefully I can at least provide some amusing commentary in the future.

Saturday Outings: Firstenburg Community Center Playgroup

2012-02-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturdays I'll take time to review places I've been and events I've attended in the SW Washington and Northern Oregon region. Usually, these will be family-friendly, but more adult oriented venues might show up.

Outing: Firstenburg Community Center Open Playgroup
Details: For ages 9 mo to 6 years. Playgroup is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 am to 11:30 am. Drop in style, arrive and depart as you like. Food and drink prohibited (except for water).
Cost: Parent and Child $3.75, each additional child $2.75. Punch cards available ($33.75 for 10 visits with free visit once punch card is filled).

Several of us moms met at the Firstenburg CC on Tuesday to try out their open playgroup. This was not my first visit, but it had been at least 5 years since I attended last. There have been a few changes since then, but for the most part it has stayed the same. It is a gym (or half a gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays) filled with toys that will make most toddlers drool.

There are toys to suit most childrens' tastes. Ride-on cars, wagons, mini basketball hoops with a variety of balls. Play kitchens and house, doll strollers, tea sets. Small slides with a short climbing gym, large blocks to build toddler-sized towers. There are toys for the non-mobile, such as exersaucers and playmats with infant toys.

For an hour and half my son went non-stop. He rode cars, he went down slides, he climbed through the climbing gym. He pushed toy lawnmowers (sometimes two at once), he pushed toy shopping carts, he rode in a wagon. And he still did not exhaust all the possibilities of play.

He had only one incident where he fell, tripping over one of the foam mats set up around the climbing gym. He was over it in moments and once again off to play. His was one of the few cries I heard during our time there. Given the number of children (I didn't make a count, but there must have been at least 20 to 25 moms and dads present) I found the chaos to be controlled and most of the children played well around each other.

That had been my experience over five years ago while attending with my daughter. The same mix of toys, though the number of them has grown. The same contained chaos of enthusiastic children and watchful parents. They have done away with the dancing and parachute play at the end of the playgroup, which is understandable given how many more children were present. But there is children's music playing the entire time, so impromptu dance parties are possible. And the parents still pitch in at the end to move all the toys down to the one end of the gym.

We had a great time and will no doubt be attending again. It is a perfect place to meet when the kids need more than a living room of space to run around, but the weather makes meeting at a park uncomfortable.

My Recommendations: Highly recommended for parents with kids walking age to preschool age. Given the craziness of all the running kids, I'd hesitate to take a crawler to this venue and any non-mobile child wouldn't get much out of it. Kindergartners will enjoy it once or twice but will probably find they are getting too large for most of the toys.

Here are several pictures of my son in action. The noticeable lack of other children in each picture was planned, as not everyone appreciates pictures of their kids up on the web. While it looks empty, trust me, it was not.

On the slide

Sporting two lawnmowers. Wish I could do this.

Shopping near the climbing gym

This motorcycle will do nicely

Vroom Vroom Vroom

Car shopping once more

Fix It Friday: Mac N Cheese Muffins

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Each Friday I'll share a recipe. It will be one that I've made and I do try to include the source of the recipe, be it book, magazine, or friend. I might even add a photo of the finished product. I won't, however, be including all the step-by-step photographs of the cooking process. As a collector of recipes, I find this habit pretty, but not helpful as it take up precious printing space when I'm trying to get a copy of the recipe. So what you'll find here is what you'll find in any decent cookbook: the recipe starting with the ingredients, followed by the directions. I try to add the oven temp at the top, because I prefer recipes that do this so I remember to preheat before I get down to putting the ingredients together.

As a member of the local MOMS Club, I attend several events each month, usually at someone's house. I like to take something to eat to share with the moms and kids. I'm finding, however, that my old standby, mini muffins, is wearing thin. I still enjoy baking them, and I'm narrowing down the best recipes to use, but I'm getting a little tired of just having muffins to share. As a treat they're fine, but oftentimes to get to an event on time, we're dashing out having had almost nothing for breakfast, and a breakfast of muffins isn't exactly the Breakfast of Champions.

No, what I find I'm craving now is something with protein! A little stick-to-your-ribs, fill-you-up-til-lunchtime grab and go snack that will satisfy both me and my very active toddler and all our friends.

My good friend, Lianne, has been tinkering with mini quiches (with great success), but she's part-French so she can get away with diving straight in to the fancy quiche-making. I'm not French, and I'm still figuring out all the nifty things I can do with a mixing bowl, a mini muffin pan, and an oven, so I'm starting more slowly.

I was inspired by a recipe printed in December 2011 Parents magazine*. The recipe was for Mac N Cheese muffins by a chef whose name I vaguely recognized. That recognition came with "gourmet chef" attached to it. I knew I'd never be making this recipe with its fancy cheeses, but I tore it out anyway. And then used it to make up my own recipe. Less gourmet chef, more midwest-raised housewife.

I presented my first attempt at one of the MOMS Club events a few weeks ago. And they were a hit! I've since made them for my family for an easy supper, and again, they were a hit! I'm still perfecting the recipe, but I'm happy with the bones of it, and so thought I'd share it as my recipe for the first Fix It Friday entry. The nice thing about this recipe is that if your child (like one of mine) is picky about vegetables, she can pick them off. Or you can chop them up finely and mix them into the mac n cheese and hope she never notices. Either way, I feel good that I'm at least offering the vegetables as part of the meal.

Mac N Cheese Muffins
(Note: feel free to use your mac n cheese recipe of choice, be it homemade or a box variety, as long as it yields about 4 cups cooked. I'm including the one I used so the recipe will be complete.)

preheat oven to 375 degrees

2 cups dry macaroni noodles
1 to 1 1/2 cups diced Velveeta cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
fresh broccoli florets
fresh cauliflower florets
grape tomatoes, cut in half
olive oil

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add dry macaroni noodles, cook 8-12 minutes until soft, but still firm. Drain. Return noodles to pot, but reduce heat to low. Add butter, Velveeta, and milk. Stir constantly until Velveeta is melted completely, coating noodles. Remove from heat.

Spray a 12 muffin pan with cooking spray. Spoon a tablespoon or so of breadcrumbs into each muffin cup. Gently shake muffin pan until bread crumbs coat bottom and sides of each cup. Gently tip pan to empty it of loose breadcrumbs over the sink.

Fill each muffin cup with macaroni and cheese until almost full. Add a few florets of broccoli and cauliflower and half a grape tomato to the top of each mac n cheese muffin. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Let sit in muffin pan to cool. Mac N Cheese muffins will not come out as muffins until cooled, so this step is important. Once cool, carefully remove muffins from pan and enjoy!

Makes 12 muffins.

--
* I've been getting Parents magazine for almost 8 years now and I highly recommend it to anyone with children or about to have children. It is informative, with great recipes and helpful tips, and I always come away from each issue with something to make, cook, or share with other moms. I encourage you to check out their website or pick up an issue.

Thursday Three: Joyful Items in My Home

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

For my first Thursday Three post, I thought I would share three treasures in my home that bring me peace and joy when I look upon them. And as a stay-at-home mom, finding a little moment of peace and joy can be the difference between Happy Mom and Ogre Mom.

Above my nightstand

This is a shelf above my nightstand that holds items that are special to me. My little cactus, which I shared yesterday, has a place of honor, as does my little stuffed unicorn (it is very soft to snuggle and my daughter often "borrows" it for bedtime).

The pot holds flower pens that I made last year and use for journaling and under the cactus is a stack of small journals. The top most is my monthly poetry notebook. I have one for each month of the year and keep the current month out to jot down poetry lines and ideas and sometimes little drawings. Beneath that are two craft idea notebooks. I had started the top one, then misplaced it, so I started the one below it. Then found the first.

Under those is my book of Egyptian stickie notes. Love my Egyptian stickie notes! And the very bottom journal is a special handmade journal that my dear friend, Laurinda, got me. It is my 'creative dream' journal.

Between the pot of flower pens and my little journals is a statue of Bast. I picked her at the Egyptian art exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art a few years ago. She is one of my most treasured possessions and makes me feel not only immensely happy, but full of inspiration and a little bit devious, too.

Over the shelf in the black frame is the copy of the first poem I ever wrote. I love seeing the rather immature hand-writing of my thirteen-year-old shelf and to be reminded of what was important to me back then: stories, nature, wolves, and elves.

On the shelf over my bedroom closet

The closets in our bedroom had no doors when we got the house, and since I can't stand sliding doors on closets and accordion doors wouldn't fit in the small space, I just hung up curtain rods and a couple of thick curtains. The magic of this is that I could keep the shelves at the top of the closet exposed to show off books and other treasures.

On part of the shelf I keep my Breyer horses. These are two of my favorites. I had them as a kid, though in a different color each. They were part of the Black Stallion set, the one of the right was The Black and the one of the left was Sagr. I haven't had those original horses for decades, but I kept thinking of them, so when I found them again for sale, this time repainted and packaged separately, I had to have them. I love that The Black is now a paint, since the horse I had as a kid was a paint, too.

Next to the Breyer horses is the Ancient Egyptian charioteer playmobil figure that my husband gave me for Christmas one year. Horses and Ancient Egypt? I was one happy girl! My daughter asks to play with it often, so it gets to come down and play nicely with the other playmobil figures we have. I simply love playmobil figures!

This little dancing plant was a gift to myself this holiday. She sits on the window sill over the sink, and I check her often throughout the day whenever I'm in the kitchen (which seems to be about 3/4 of the day) to see if she is dancing. She's solar powered, so she dances more the brighter it is outside. I grin every time I see her dancing and call my daughter over to share in the fun.

What three things in your house bring you joy?

Wednesday Whimsy: Tiny Crocheted Cactus

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

I found a fun crochet pattern by chance a few weeks ago. Tiny Cacti over at Gleeful Things blog. I knew I had to make them.

I have since made seven! I gave one to my friend's daughter, sent one to my aunt and one to the daughter of my cousin, gave one to my daughter (who made a special request), kept one for myself, and put two into my Treasure Box. I'll write more about my Treasure Box later. At the moment, I'd rather show off pictures of one of the cacti.

The pattern has three different types of cacti. I've made each. This is the most unique of the three. There is also a tall one and a short round one. The pattern includes instructions for making the pots or for using small clay pots.

However, since I was making these for kids as well as adults to enjoy, I made a few changes to the pattern. I enclosed the cactus in its dirt and added roots so it could be taken out of the pot. I also made the pot with two strands of yarn to make it stand up and stay open better so toddlers could return the cactus to the pot easier.

I highly recommend the pattern. I had a blast making these and will no doubt make more. I had the idea of using eyelash yarn as well as acrylic to give them a spiky look. If I manage to make them, I'll post new pictures.

From left to right: mine, my daughter's (they had to have the same flower), the two in the Treasure Box (one still needs a pot).

The Weird One that I sent to my aunt

I love her little smirk.

Half out of her pot. The roots are crocheted onto the closed bottom of the dirt.

Out of her pot. The wide dirt and roots coming out of the bottom make it look like she's in a skirt and ready to dance!

Text Tuesday: Nightstand Reading

2012-01-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is my nightstand. My clock, which doubles as a sound machine, is on the left, in front of my little drum topped with a wood bowl full of little trinkets and my chap stick and a handkerchief. Next to that are my journals, one for me and one each for the kids. Then the light-up globe of constellations, which is really neat to use as a nightlight when the kids climb in bed with me. My brand new kindle is perched in front of the frame holding pictures of the kids, right behind a triangular shaped rock full of holes, all on top of a cigar box full of little notes and drawings my daughter has given me over time. In front of the cigar box is a small stack of magazines, including my latest two issues of Mary Jane's Farm, one of my favorite magazine (which I need to renew or I'll miss an issue--GASP!). And then, completing the stand, are two stacks of books, topped with a woven paper basket my mom made me filled with bookmarks. I am in the process of reading or about to read all of these books. Plus a few that are new on my kindle.

To kick off the first of my Text Tuesday posts, I thought I'd make a list of the books I am actively or about to start actively reading. It's a good overview of the types of books I enjoy.

First, in my kindle, I am reading Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen (free download, yay). I have other books downloaded, but that is the one I'm actually reading.

And now, the actual books:

Eat, Pray, Love -- I started this book after seeing the movie last year. I enjoyed the movie, and I'm enjoying the book even more. I'm nearly finished with it, so I might do a little movie/novel review of it in a week or two.

The Family Kitchen Garden--I'm starting to think about my garden for spring, and this has become my favorite gardening book, so I'm using it to help dream and plan.

Adventure!--this is a system rules book for a role-playing game I am putting together for my gaming group. I'm anxious to start the game, but I've still got lots of planning to do. I'm nearly finished reading the system. I've used it before, but it has been a long while, so I thought reading up on it again would be wise. The system is set for a 1920s style pulp game (think Indiana Jones meets The Mummy).

Picture Perfect--Mom just loaned me this book. The only Jodi Picoult I've actually read has been her six issue run on the Wonder Woman comic a few years ago. That was excellent, so I have high hopes.

Blind Your Ponies--another loaner from Mom. I'd never heard of the author or the book. And no, it isn't about ponies, but that's about all I know about it at the moment.

Unusual Suspects-- an anthology of short stories in a mixed genre of mystery meets fantasy. I picked it up because it has a story by one of my favorite authors, Laurie R. King. It also has a Charlaine Harris story, for those who enjoy her books (as I do).

In the Valley of the Kings--this is a non-fiction book about the history of Howard Carter and how he found Tutankamun's tomb. I'm not far into it yet but enjoying it immensely.

The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes--another anthology, this one mixing Sherlock Holmes with the paranormal. It has been a fun read so far.

Americans' Favorite Poems--A collection of poetry put together by the Favorite Poem Project begun by former poet laureate Robert Pinsky. I began this when I decided to pick up writing poetry again. I read a couple of poems a week.

Like Water for Chocolate--a book I've read several times in college, but haven't revisited in years. I find it melancholy and inspiring.

The Italian Secretary--a Sherlock Holmes novel written by Caleb Carr. It has a great take on an historical event.

Wizard's First Rule--I started this a long while ago and need to pick it up again. I began it after I realized the television show I'd been enjoying, Legend of the Seeker, was based on this series. If I ever get both finished, I'll write a review of them.

Guardian of the Horizon--one of a series written by another favorite author of mine, Elizabeth Peters. I love Amelia Peabody stories and own all the novels (I think there are about 20).

My Life in France--I was inspired to buy this after watching Julie & Julia and wanted to learn more about Julia Child. And France. I love France.

Temples, Tombs, and Hieroglyphs--I have wanted this book for ages, but it was out of print. And then it was reprinted and I found a copy at OMSI when I visited their Egyptian exhibit last year (or was it the year before). It is a non-fiction history of Ancient Egypt written by the same author who writes my beloved Amelia Peabody series. And yes, she has the credentials to write a book of history.

Leviathan--I just bought this book last month off the shelf having heard nothing of it after being caught by the cover art and then the book's description. It is a young adult steampunk book set around 1930-1940. I'm looking forward to reading it.

A Moveable Feast--I had to find this memoir-based fiction by Hemingway after reading The Paris Wife, a fiction novel written from Hemingway's first wife's point of view. Hemingway's book was used for research for that book and I'm too much of an historian to neglect source material. This is a new edition put together by his grandson, with a foreword written by his son.

Quick Fixes--a collection of short stories written by F. Paul Wilson featuring his character, Repairman Jack. My husband introduced me to Repairman Jack and I've read several of the novels, but couldn't pass up the short stories. I've read another book of shorts by Wilson and find them so enviously well written and enjoyable.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane--another book I picked up, this time out of a bargain bin at a grocery store. The cover captivated me, as did the title, and when I read more about the book, I was hooked. A mystery about a Salem witch? How could I say no?

A rather lengthy way to show the types of books I read, but really the best way to do so. As a scholar of both history and literature, I lean toward well-written historicals, enjoy a good classic, and admire well-crafted short stories. I've read fantasy since I was in middle school, so there is usually a fantasy book tossed into the mix. And I fell in love with mysteries around the time my daughter was born. But what I truly enjoy is a good blending of genres, like paranormal or historical mysteries or fantasy horror. And books on Ancient Egypt. I've always enjoyed those. It is no wonder that my favorite series (Amelia Peabody) are mysteries set during the early 1900s about Egyptologists.

During the next year, the books will undoubtedly see a shift as I start researching for a novel edit I will be starting in the fall. More WWI books, less Egyptology. More Robert Graves and Wilfred Owens, less Ernest Hemingway (though I just finished reading about Hemingways' involvement in WWI as an ambulance driver).

Next week, I'll review book one of a young adult series that I have been reading. Mayan history, Romans, and dinosaurs, and a boy named Jake Ransom. How do they all fit together?

Do you have a book recommendation? Please let me know! I love to find new books to explore.

Monday Matinees: "In Time" and "The Way"

2012-01-30T09:35:00.000-08:00

I am a full-time, stay-at-home mom and homemaker, and after months of having my rare evening plans interrupted or having to cancel for one family matter or another, I realized that if I didn't declare emphatically the one evening that I would be going out, my rare evening plans would continue to be treated like the unwanted stepsister.

The problem was that I didn't have a weekly place to go. I didn't want to spend money to go out to eat every week, and without the guarantee of company, it wouldn't be very fun to do alone. And while I enjoy going to coffee shops and bookstores to write for a few hours, the bookstore closest to us closed (farewell, Borders) and most of the coffee shops close earlier than I could enjoy their decaf mochas and relaxing ambiance.

But movies! I love movies! And I rarely get to attend them anymore. But a movie a week at the current ticket prices? That was as much out of our budget as eating out once a week.

I am fortunate, however, that we have a glorious second-run movie theater in our small downtown. It is a wonderful place that had been closed for a couple of years but has since come under new management. The Liberty has become my one evening a week home away from home. I take a magazine and arrive 15 minutes early. Sometimes a friend joins me, sometimes I'm alone. I read for a bit, enjoying the lovely music and occasional old movie clip or old movie promo. And then I watch a movie that I might have been eager to see when it was first release and couldn't, or maybe I've never heard of it before.

Two and a half hours of me time in one of my favorite venues. And all for the budget friendly price of $2.50 (my night being their super-savers day of a dollar off each ticket). For $4.00 I can get a ticket and a bottle of water. For a few dollars more, I could treat myself to Junior Mints, too.

Since I started going, I have only missed one weekly movie, and I regretted it so much I vowed never to miss again (barring extreme illnesses or travel). Since the middle of December, I have seen six movies in seven weeks at the Liberty, plus caught one movie as a new release at different theater. Seven movies in seven weeks.

And so what follows is a brief review of two of those movie. Perhaps what I have to say might inspire you to check them out, or, conversely, avoid them at all cost. I'll be reviewing the rest on following Mondays with movies I've seen more recently.

In Time
Synopsis: Justin Timberlake stars as Will Salas, a young man who lives in a futuristic America where humans have been genetically enhanced to stop aging when they reach 25 years old. Money no longer exists and all debts and payments are made with time that is transferred to a digital clock set in each person's arm. Running out of time means instant death. After a chance meeting with a man who's lived for well over a natural lifespan (and still doesn't look a day over 25), Will inherits more time than his entire neighborhood put together. The lost time is noticed by the time police, who are now after Salas on suspicions of murder. What Will decides to do with the time could change his life and those around him, and perhaps the structure of the country's time economy.

Review: The world concept of 'In Time" is not new (Logan's Run comes to mind), but it was developed with a new spin and comes across as a vivid reality on the screen. Though it is unlikely he will ever be known as a character actor, Timberlake fits the role of fateful Will Salas well. He's likable and easy to watch on the screen, and while the character could have had more depth, it isn't necessarily needed in this type of action flick. There are moments when needs of the plot outweigh the credibility of a character's actions (would you really give away all of your time, leaving only a few minutes left, which then makes the climax of the movie all the more dramatic?), but if you squint hard and try not to look too closely to those moments of the story, you will enjoy the show more.

Recommendation: If you like action flicks that are light on explosions and heavy of character threat and quick get aways, you'll probably enjoy this movie. Rated PG-13, but I'd bump it up to 15 for kids sensitive to personal loss, violence, or sexual situations. I'd watch it again if it came on Netflix, but I won't be adding this to my personal collection.

The Way
Synopsis: Martin Sheen stars in this movie directed by his son, Emilio Estevez, who also has a role. Sheen is Tom, a father going overseas to France to claim the body of his only son, who was killed in an accident while attempting the El Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage of 800 kilometers. He decides to take the pilgrimage himself in honor of his son. During his long walk, he encounters several other pilgrims, three of whom take up the journey with him. Throughout the walk, each person's reasons for taking the pilgrimage is revealed, some with humor, others with great sorrow, but the question of Tom's true motivation remains open until the very end.

Review: I found this movie to be one of the most moving and beautiful films I'd seen in a long while. It is a quiet building of the relationship of strangers and the unique journey that brings them together, but also of a father's relationship with his son, one that can now change and grow only for the father. The movie doesn't try to preach or to be more than what it is, a look at grief and what drives us to find solace in grief, despair, and doubt. The movie inspired me to look at my own approach to dealing with these human conditions. It also made me want to take a 800 kilometer walk. Knowing that Sheen and Estevez were father and son only added to the depth of the movie.

Recommendation: If you enjoy character studies and travel montages, you'll come away as inspired as I was. Children and young teens are unlikely to take much away from this movie, but young adults could find it a moving tribute to the complexities of child/parent relationships. This is definitely a movie I intend to add to my collection. And watch with a handkerchief close by.

Redesign

2012-01-29T21:54:00.000-08:00

A new year. A birthday nearly upon me. Great possibilities and events coming my way. This is the perfect time to relaunch my blog with a new look, a new theme, and a new life online!

Each day I'll have a new post that follows a theme for that day of the week. I'm looking forward to the challenge of posting seven days a week. The weekly posts will look something like this:

Monday Matinees
On Mondays I'll write a review about a movie or television show. The movies will be either current releases in first or second run theaters or new DVD releases, though classics may turn up once in a while. Television shows will be most likely an overview of a series that can be found on DVD, Hulu Plus, or Netflix. I do try to avoid spoilers.

Text Tuesday
On Tuesdays, I'll talk about aspects of the writing process I'm encountering or review a book I've finished reading recently. As I read a range of subject, the book might be an out-of-print mystery, a non-fiction on history, or a even a board book for toddlers. I might ask my daughter to do a review of books she's reading, too.

Wednesday Whimsy
Wednesdays are craft days. I'll talk about current craft projects I'm completing or beginning and share patterns and ideas I've found in everything from sewing to crochet to online vision boards. Hopefully will include adorable pictures of my completed projects.

Thursday Three
Thursday will have a theme and I'll share three thoughts, comments, or random ramblings on that theme. Quite likely to include ridiculously cute pictures of my kids.

Fix It Friday
I'm cooking on Fridays! I'll share my favorite recipes and cooking experiences and invite others to share theirs.

Saturday Outings
I'll be exploring events and outings with my family and sharing our experiences and recommendations. Best for locals to the SW Washington and NW Oregon areas, but I'll try not to bore anyone from out of state.

Game Day Sunday
I'll review board games and video games on Sundays. As avid gamers, we do lots of both in household. I'm looking froward to sharing my experiences and my recommendations, including those the whole family can play.

I'm excited about the new direction my blog has and can't wait to explore each day's theme! I hope you'll enjoy it as well and maybe pass it along.