Lysomes, and Ribosomes, and Mitochondria, Oh My!

Today we made cell models out of play-dough and craft stuff. It was so fun! It all began yesterday when we walked past a Usborne book display at the Dr.'s office and of course I couldn't just walk past it. We left with, "First 1000 words in French", "100 Things to Spot in the Night Sky", and "The Complete Book of the Human Body". Isabel has been particularly curious about "the inside of the body" as she refers to it. I am very pleased with the book. Kelly had fun reading it with Belle last night and I was amazed this afternoon when I sat down to read it with her - she retained a lot of info. Her favorite organelle is the mitochondria which, she will tell you "gives energy".

While we were reading I remembered a cell modeling project from my school days and I asked Isabel if she'd like to make a model of a cell. I'm sure she had no idea what that meant but she enthusiastically said, "Yes!" I wasn't sure where to start so I googled "making a cell model". After reading a few different ideas and staring at diagrams I felt ready to start. We had a lot of fun and I suspect we will repeat this activity a few times. I usually struggle to "play" with play-dough but this activity was fun for both of us and now she's inspired and doing other things with all the craft stuff that is out on the table.

For anyone who wants to evaluate the accuracy of our model (I'm sure we made mistakes!) or who just wants to know, these are the parts of our cell models:

Cytoplasm - orange play-dough
Nucleus - red cotton ball surrounded by green play-dough (Isabel wanted her nucleolus to stay warm inside so it's not showing)
Endoplasmic Reticulum - long folds of blue play-dough
Golgi Complex - folds of yellow play-dough
Cytoskeleton - pipe cleaners
Lysomes - blue/light blue cotton balls
Ribosomes - small beads
Mitochondria - rotini noodles

Fun Weekend

Here's some pictures from our weekend. My sister Jill's friend came to visit and we took him to greenlake, our new favorite place to enjoy nice weather.

One for the Grandparents (click a pic to enlarge it)

I haven't posted any pictures for a while and I owe the Grandparents...

Books that changed my life

Insomnia is a great opportunity to catch up on things you’ve been meaning to do. I love the website: http://www.goodreads.com/. It’s fun to see what all my friends are reading and even better to have a record of what I’ve read for myself. I finally updated my bookshelves with the things I’ve read over the past few years – it was especially fun to rate them. Check out my list if you are curious. I included reviews of some of my favorites.

I used the rating system this way:

1 star – Not worth reading
2 stars – Ok but probably not worth the time
3 stars – I’m glad I read it, probably won’t or at least shouldn’t read it again
4 stars – Loved it, part of my personal classics lists, will read it again
5 stars – One of my very favorites, have read it many times and will keep reading it over and over

Within my 5-star category are a handful of books that have changed my life. I try to read these books every year. They are foundational to my family’s lifestyle and culture. They all support and compliment each other too. Each one calls for pretty intense and dramatic lifestyle changes. I consider it my life’s work to learn to live according to the principles in each of these books. When and if I do, I will be perfect. I’m trying to accomplish this with a small but consistent daily effort. I can measure the success of any given day, week or month by how well I followed the principles of these books. Here are my top 5 life-changing books:

1. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ

This is the central classic of my life. I try to read from it every day. I took Moroni’s challenge when I was 12 and my testimony of Christ has continued to grow throughout my life. Moroni wrote,

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

2. The Bible

I confess I have not completely read this book. I am halfway through the Old Testament. I have referenced it my whole life and am very familiar with the stories and I love it. I believe it is divine. I am amazed at how many references there are to the Bible in classic literature. You can’t fully understand the classics if you haven’t read the Bible. I will have more to say on this book once I’ve finished it.

3. A Thomas Jefferson Education

My life is dramatically different because of this book. It was a major part of mine and my husband’s decision to homeschool our daughter. It is about much more than just education. It’s about leadership and the purpose of life.

4. Eat to Live

I don’t know how anyone can deny the author’s conclusions about the right way to eat after reading this book. This is not a theory or philosophy; its conclusions are based on scientific fact, proven over and over by more than one group of scientists or doctors. I believe it fits right in line with the Word of Wisdom guidelines taught by my Faith. I followed the Eat to Live plan perfectly for 6 weeks and the results were astounding. I lost 12 pounds in just a few weeks, my very severe acid reflux problem went away within a week, my painful shoulder tendonitis disappeared, frequent migraines vanished, I slept spectacularly, and my complexion rivaled Nicole Kidman’s. I know I’m enthusiastic by nature but this is not an exaggeration. Staying on the plan is difficult and I have not done it consistently. As I resumed my old ways, all my ailments resurfaced but they disappear whenever I follow the plan closely. It is empowering to realize how much you can control your health without drugs.

5. Money: It’s not just for Rich People

My family’s finances will never be the same. We’ve never been horrible with our finances but we’ve also never been great. We’ve struggled to achieve our financial goals. This is the first financial advice that has made a material difference in our lives. Here are some of results of our efforts to follow these principles over the last year:

· Eliminated all credit card debt
· Husband received a pay raise that was retroactive for the previous 8 months
· Husband received multiple bonuses
· Finally established a significant emergency savings fund that earns interest every month
· Increased our retirement savings rate
· Finally figured out how to control our daily spending habits
· Learned many new ways to spend less
· Have increased our charitable contributions

In addition to all of these fantastic results, we have clarity about our financial goals and are confident that we will be able to achieve them.

So what are the books that have changed your life?

Roman Art

There's too many wonderful things to learn about and do! My latest obsession is Roman Art. I was very excited when I saw that an exhibit of Roman Art from the Louvre was coming to the Seattle Art Museum.

A few years ago I had the amazing experience of visiting some friends in England. It was a wonderful trip but I learned later what an opportunity I missed. I didn't spend any time learning about the art, history, architecture or other things I would be seeing in England before my trip. I was perfectly content with my experience at the time. It wasn't until I began to study art and history several months later that I realized how much art and history I had stood in front of without the ability to appreciate it. I was like a pig wallowing in creme brulee who couldn't tell the difference between it and Jello. I vowed to never make that mistake again.

So begins my study of Roman Art. I will be prepared when I come face to face with these treasures from the Louvre.

I started with a bunch of children's picture books on Roman Art, History, and Civilization. I've read through those and feel like I've got a basic understanding of things. Now I'm going to study the great Roman Classics. I'm getting my book titles from the list in the back of Mortimer J. Adler's classic work, How to Read a Book. The list is organized chronologically and includes what Adler considers to be the greatest books of the western world. He makes a compelling argument for reading and studying the books on this list. I hope to read them all. Right now I'm going to focus on the books written during and about the Roman Age. I'm beginning with Plutarch's Lives. I'll let you know how it goes...

Thanksgiving Obsession

Several years ago (when we still traveled for holidays), the night before Thanksgiving, our flight to Utah was cancelled. After a few devastating hours of disappointment I decided I better make sure we had some kind of a Thanksgiving dinner the next day. I rushed to the grocery store and grabbed whatever I could find. It was just me and my husband but that wasn’t going to stop me. In my world, you eat turkey on Thanksgiving no matter what. I had so much fun preparing the meal and Kelly and I had such a pleasant weekend together that we decided to make it a tradition. It’s been 7 or 8 years now (I’ve lost count) and we look forward to our own Thanksgiving every year. I love to cook but it’s time consuming and my favorite foods aren’t exactly healthy. So, I save the big stuff for holidays and Thanksgiving is the biggest food event of my year. We love to share the meal with family or friends but even when it’s just the two of us, I still go all out. Ridiculous? Maybe, but the fun is worth it for me and we never have a hard time finding friends to come share leftovers with us. That has become a tradition in itself.

Here’s my menu for 2007:

Core Menu
Turkey
Gravy
Stuffing
Rolls
Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry butter

Appetizers
Puff Pastry Brie Melts

Side Dishes
Green Bean Casserole
Baked Yams
Fettuccine Alfredo

Desserts
Pumpkin Pie
Coconut Cream Pie

Drinks
Hot Chocolate
Sparkling Cider

Figuring out how to prepare and serve a full Thanksgiving menu all by myself has been an exciting challenge. To that end, I’ve created a series of documents that help me plan and execute Thanksgiving each year. I can't upload the actual documents but I'll post the text of them here. They include my

Recipes
Shopping List
Thanksgiving Day Schedule

It’s everything needed to plan, shop for, prepare, and serve my 2007 Thanksgiving Menu. I’ve tested all the recipes multiple times and they are my very favorites. You could do three things with this info:

1) Use it to do exactly as I do for Thanksgiving. If you’ve never done Thanksgiving before I promise this will save you a lot of work and stress. You might want to eliminate a few dishes though your first time around.

2) Customize my plans to your menu and schedule.

3) Just read them and laugh at my obsession. You won’t be the first.

UPDATE: I can't figure out how to post the docs and they are all in tables so they don't post well on the blog. I'll keep working on this and find a way to post the info.

Gift Ideas

Thanks to http://www.organizedchristmas.com/, I'm halfway through my Christmas shopping. I am always on the lookout for unique and quality gift ideas and have accumulated a list of favorite stores and websites that I think everyone should know about. So here there are:

Red Envelope
This is a great place for high-quality, sophisticated, and unique gifts. I often get ideas from this site and then find or make a less expensive version. If you do purchase from them the packaging really makes a statement. I especially love the "Shop by recipient" feature of the website. They also have a catalog. Some friends and I recently figured out how to make our own $10 version of a $100 Famly Tree display that they sell. I'll post a picture of my tree as soon as it's complete.

The Land of Nod
I first found this store at the University Village Shopping Center in Seattle. They have a unique collection of old fashioned toys, books, furniture, and decor items that you don't see everyday. Again, you can get great ideas here and then find or make it for less.

Constructive Playthings
A friend just turned me on to this site. Toys for kids that actually require imagination and activity. I found some reasonably priced items and some over-priced ideas. My favorite section is "creativity" (from the left hand list on the home page). I want to get the Monet Art Activity Pack Item #: CHR-35L and the Masterpiece Board Books Item #: CHR-4L. I haven't ordered from them yet so I can't speak to quality.

Discount School Supply
I found this site while looking for art supplies. They have a broad and deep selection of anything and everything you might find in a classroom. And I think their prices are phenomenal. They offer free shipping on orders over $79. I once placed a large order that included lots of heavy items and didn't pay a cent in shipping. I was very happy with the quality too. Get a group of friends together and place one order to get the free shipping deal. Love their catalog too.

Dover Publications
Fantastic collection of classic books for all ages and interests. My favorites are the Dover Thrift titles that sell for as little as $1 each. We often give "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens instead of candy and cookies to friends and acquaintances at Christmas time. Thanks for the idea Alyson and Steve! I also love their art activity books and coloring books for kids. And to avoid shipping, ask your favorite bookstore to special order any title you want. They'll call you when it comes in and you go to the store and pay for it there.

Amazon.com
Did you know amazon sells more than books? My husband loves the electronics selection. This is where I go to actually purchase many of the ideas I get from other places. I almost always find the lowest price on books here. With free shipping on orders over $25 it’s a no-brainer. We are also big fans of the site’s wish list feature. We keep an amazon wish list for each member of our family. Anyone who knows our names can find our wish lists and it’s a fun place to dream. There are some pretty preposterous things on my husband’s wish list. Check mine out if you’re curious: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1WZQ3DI0GLD5N/

One of the best received gifts we found here was the annual Mathematics Calendar by Theoni Pappas. Every day on the calendar poses a math problem whose answer is the day’s date. It’s a unique but not too personal gift for the math geek in your life. I’m surrounded by engineers and finance guys so I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of this one.

Creative Custom Lettering
If you're remotely crafty and want to give an inexpensive, personal gift this site has some great ideas. They specialize in custom vinyl lettering that you can apply to nearly anything. Last year I made and gave a couple family name signs like this: http://www.creativecustomlettering.com/inc/iview/257?idx=16&p=3236.

Lillian Vernon
This site reminds me of Red Envelope, but a little more focused on items for the home. I often see items I like from this site listed in Real Simple magazine. Great ideas and they have great sales too.

So I've shared my list, will you share yours? What are the best gifts you've given or recieved and what are your sources? I'm always looking for good ideas...

UPDATE: A couple friends have emailed their ideas to me:

- homemade jam (made in the summer) for neighbor gifts
- http://www.mindwareonline.com/ they sell "brainy toys for kids of all ages." Looks great. I'm excited to explore this one
- http://www.rainbowresource.com/ this looks like a collection of educational stuff (books, workbooks, science kits, toys, games etc.) I was especially interested in their Holiday and Gift Section, then within that, the stocking stuffers.

Halloween

Isabel went through about 5 different costume ideas before finally settling on being an Angel. We were at the party store to look for a cat costume when we saw the angel costume. I asked Isabel what she thought about being an angel instead of a cat. She responded enthusiastically so I picked up the costume to check it out. It was only $10 which seemed reasonable - until I looked more closely. It didn't include wings, just a halo, and the dress was a flimsy, uninspired, piece of polyester. I noticed wing and halo sets nearby for $5. I said to Isabel, “Look at this angel dress. It’s not very pretty. Mommy can make you a more beautiful dress than this. What do you think?” She consented and we left the store with the wings and halo. I had a lot of fun making her robe. I had a general idea of what I thought it should look like in my head but I didn’t sketch anything out or make a pattern. I went through all of my white, gold, and silver fabrics and let that inspire me. I sort of felt like a designer, draping fabrics over her shoulders, tucking and pinning, and then sewing a little here a little there. It won’t win any awards but we were both quite pleased with the result. It helps that Isabel already looks like an angel. Forgive me for being a proud parent. Aunt Jill did her makeup and that was fun to watch. Trick or treating with our cousins, Luke and Mercedes, was a blast. Isabel and Luke really "got it" this year. Their excitement was catching. It feels like a second childhood for me.

Organized Christmas

This is on my list of top 10 websites that have improved my life: http://organizedchristmas.com/

This is my 4th year following the site's 6-week Christmas Countdown. My family's last 3 Christmases have been more peaceful, joyful, and meaningful than I dreamed possible, thanks to the countdown. I'm betting this year will be the best ever as I learn more each year from the countdown process.

This year’s countdown began 10/21/07 but it's not too late to catch up. It requires about 2-3 hours/week of work on Christmas prep and by December 1st, you are totally ready for Christmas. By nature, I'm an 11th-hour-addict but honestly, the last 3 Christmases, by December 1st, the only thing left on my to-do list was "enjoy the season". Try it, you'll be amazed!

The site has a sister site that I also love, http://www.organizedhome.com/. I especially love the section on freezer cooking. If you don't know what that is, you should. I find it euphoric to walk in the house from a day of playing tour guide for visiting family or friends, excuse myself for 5 minutes to take homemade lasagna from the freezer, pop it in the oven and then wander back into the living room to chat with everyone while the lasagna bakes. Within 30 minutes my guests notice the aroma of dinner cooking and start wondering how I did that while also realizing they are as hungry as they are tired from the day's adventure. I just smile and relax knowing that a delicious, home-made dinner is minutes away; relieved that I didn't have to persuade my husband to drag his tired body back out the door for takeout, and thrilled not to be wasting a week's worth of grocery-money on one dinner. And of course I share my secret with my guests – I can't keep something so good to myself!

UW Campus is Unbelievably Gorgeous in the Fall

We decided to tour the UW Campus Saturday and we couldn't have picked a better day. I wish we had taken more pictures. We were astounded by the architecture and landscaping. The library's reading room looked like a cathedral chapel. The leaves are all changing right now and the effect was marvelous. It was a storybook day.

A Lovely Day at the Seattle Center - Umbrella's Optional

Friday we visited the Seattle Children's Museum with friends. There is a fabulous exhibit there now called Moneyville. It was a little over our heads but would be awesome for kids that can read.

The weather was gorgeous and after enjoying the Museum exhibits we basked in the sun by the Seattle Center fountain. Isabel's friend bought her an umbrella from the museum for her birthday (usually quite useful in Seattle) and the girls insisted on using it in the sun.

Thank You Grandma!

Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) is a favorite around here and knowing that, GranMary created this gorgeous dress-up for Isabel. Belle wears it as often as possible and doesn't understand why it won't work for church.

Happy Birthday Isabel!

Isabel turned 4 this month. We celebrated with family and friends. In preparation for the event I asked her what gift she wanted and what kind of cake she would like. I was suprised by her very specific answers: An ironing board and a pink and purple cake with polka dots and Princess Belle on the top. She was pretty pleased with the results and can't wait to turn 5.

Blueberries for Belle

Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey is one of our favorite books. We got to live the story a few weeks ago when we went blueberry picking at a nearby farm. We even took a break to sit down in the dirt between the rows of blueberries to read the story.

Taking the Bus to the Library

The Seattle Central Library is one of our favorite places to go. It has the best storytime we've ever been to, fabulous book displays that are meant to be touched, stacks and stacks of books and adorable miniature modern furniture. We decided to take the bus with some friends this time--quite the adventure.

Getting our Little House on the Prairie Fix

Isabel dragged my barely used knitting needles out of a closet and said, "Mommy, I need to knit some clothing for my babies because they are poor and have no clothing (her babies are a couple of stuffed animals - an elephant and a dog). We have been reading Little House on the Prairie and I'm guessing that's where she got the idea. Wanting to encourage her interest in the domestic arts but aware that even a determined 3 yr old will not be able to wield two knitting needles I scrambled for an appropriate response. Then I remembered something I read several months ago about finger knitting with children. After a brief Google search I found this site: http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/FEATfingerknitting.html

15 minutes later we produced a small chain of stockinette stitch. (I hope my terminology is correct – I can barely cast on.) Isabel was thrilled with the process and the result. She needed my constant help but I don’t think it will be long before she can do it on her own. Family beware, you may receive some fingerknitted gifts for Christmas this year.

Long Live Hogwarts

SPOILER WARNING: Don't read this if you haven't finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and don't want to be spoiled!


As I turned the last page, read the last line, and closed the last of the Harry Potter Books, Deathly Hallows, I threw my arms into the air and shouted for joy. I was thrilled not just because Harry overcame death and sorrow but because Hogwarts did too.

I, like many fans, was dreading the end of the Harry Potter series—I felt like the magical world that so captured my imagination would suffer a kind of death with the end of the series. I was afraid that rereading the books would never feel the same again because I wouldn’t be looking for clues to tell me how it would all end. I also feared that the magical world and particularly Hogwarts, would be so changed that it wouldn’t feel like home anymore.

I relished the trip on the Hogwarts express at the opening of (nearly) every book, anxiously anticipating the adventures that surely awaited us (me and Harry) at Hogwarts. I knew we would face plenty of villains and danger but the laughs, thrills, friends, and triumphs would more than make up for it – in fact the evils enhanced my appreciation of the good. Neville’s 10 points to win the house cup at the end of SS wouldn’t have meant much without a year of Malfoy and Snape’s bullying and Neville’s own lack of confidence. And the hunt for clues was of course, the best part of it all; the exhaustive search for a tiny bit of information that would be the key to guessing the ending of the book and ultimately the ending of the series.

As the series progressed, returning to Hogwarts each year felt less and less like it should. The evils began to outweigh the good and in DH, it was a truly terrible place to be. I was heartbroken. Hogwarts was my escape, my safe place-- not just Harry’s. I’ve spent years now counting on a trip to Hogwarts to give me a laugh, lift me from a foul mood, and transport me from the daily grind into the wonderful world of Harry Potter. As DH progressed and I saw what had happened to dear old Hogwarts, I could hardly bear it. Hogwarts was dying along with Harry and I couldn’t see how JKR would ever be able to restore it to its former glory.

And then she did.

Through a series of amazing plot twists and her unique brand of genius, JKR brought Harry back to life, and with him, dear old hoggy warty, Hogwarts. As Harry and Ginny herded their family through King’s Cross, waved at all their old friends, and attended to last minute scolding’s and reassurances, I wondered how I ever doubted the permanence and reliability of Hogwarts. Of course it would always be there! Platform 9 ¾ will ever remain a gateway into the magical world.

I realized that the first read through of the series was a like a first kiss and the hunt for clues, akin to that terribly exciting, consuming, twitterpaited, beginning of a relationship. Both are fantastically thrilling and can never be duplicated but in a great relationship, it’s what follows that’s really amazing. I’ve reread most of the HP books at least 7 times and I’ve loved them more, every time. And it wasn’t just the hunt for clues that made it great—I discovered more to appreciate with every reading. It was like falling in love over and over again.

As I reached the end of DH, it didn’t feel like an end at all. It seemed to me, more like the closing of a circle. Jo’s beautiful ending breathed immortality into the series. I can’t wait to go back and read all 7 books with an understanding of the end in mind—there are now so many layers of meaning imbedded in this story that like Hogwarts, I doubt if I will ever discover all her secrets.

But I will keep seeking them—and now I know that the laughs, thrills, friends and triumphs will never end.

Long live Hogwarts!

Mommies and Daddies, get some rest!

I see so many exhausted parents every day. At the library, shopping, the park, church, anywhere families might be. When I hear about their sleepless nights and hopeless declarations like, “I don’t think I’m ever going to get more than 3 hours of sleep again,” I can hardly contain myself. I remember that exhaustion. I remember yelling out to my husband at 2 am “You better come take this baby for her own safety!” I also remember the glorious day I discovered “The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.” I was so glad to find advice that was practical and doable. The author, Tracy Hogg, doesn’t advocate anything extreme. She won’t tell you to sleep with your baby or suggest that you leave a crying baby all alone.

It took a few months and several readings (really – you need to read it several times before you’ll really “get it”) but I trusted Tracy and dutifully followed her method until my 2 month old began sleeping through the night. I remember the first time she slept from 10 pm – 5 am and I rushed to the gym in exhilaration – I felt ready to run a marathon! I continued to follow her method until Isabel was sleeping 12 hours a night and taking 3-4 hours of naps every day. At 2 years old, she is still a fabulous sleeper. I know every child is different and no one is going to get the exact same results but I truly believe in the principles Tracy Hogg teaches. She covers just about every area of childcare and I used most of it. I especially like her approach to personality and her charts that decode every facial expression, body movement and sound that a baby might make.

This is the book I recommend most often. I wouldn’t read it without the companion book, “The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems.” The author wrote it on her deathbed (she died from cancer in 2004), hoping to answer all the follow up questions parents had or ever would have. It contains some essential information that’s not in the first book. I also liked “Secrets of The Baby Whisperer for Toddlers.” It helped me recognize and work with my daughters emerging personality.

Consult the Baby Whisperer like I did and get some rest!

There's a name for people like me?

My husband has always teased me about my need to help everyone, everywhere. We'll be at a party with other couples and someone will mention how exhausted they are from getting up at night with their 9-month-old baby and I'll jump in with a monologue on sleep training. After a couple minutes I will notice his amused smile and realize I'm doing it again! Even though I know most people aren't looking for a solution to their problem - they are just venting - if I've got one, I feel compelled to share it.

I've also been known to drive my friends nuts with questions. I remember being in England with a dear friend who I love to learn from. After spending several days together touring the country, my litany of questions almost sent her into a nervous breakdown. I didn't realize I was driving her nuts - I just wanted to know everything about everything. She remains a patient and faithful friend of mine, who I continue to learn from.

It wasn't until I read Malcolm Gladwell's book "The Tipping Point" that I realized I was a Maven. He described one Maven he knew as "pathologically helpful." He said that we Mavens have an emotional need to solve other people's problems and that "To be a Maven is to be a teacher. But it is also, even more emphatically, to be a student. Mavens are really information brokers, sharing and trading what they know." How happy I was to discover I'm not the only one. This blog is my attempt to share and trade information without being quite so annoying. I'm sure you'll let me know if I've succeeded.

And by the way, I highly recommend The Tipping Point:How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. By Malcolm Gladwell.