Blogs, Book Tag, Busy---Oh My!

This is the morning To-Do slate around our house, which I write out the night before. It's an attempt to give fewer reminders verbally, or in the worst cases, what we call nagging. Jonas, a reader now, has words---some of which may need explanation, like "girls," meaning the chickens (not all girls, we have some roosters, but we used to have only hens and it stuck), and "drainer," meaning the morning chore of emptying the dish drainer. Sylvan, a pre-reader, gets pictures (and a couple of words because I didn't think that even 3 years of art school would result in a realistic-looking pile of clothes to be put away, using chalk), which left to right are: lunch, putting the silverware away, rainpants, and toothbrush.

But the real headline of today is:
Sylvan lost his very first tooth!

In Blog News...
You may have noticed a new Favorite Stop, over at the right: Miss Smith at Home. I feel like I have encountered my Southern Hemisphere soulmate down in New Zealand! Yay Miss Smith, for leaving a comment and letting me discover your wonderously fun blog. I have been parceling out the archives, trying not to consume too many, too quickly, to make it last!

I was inspired to try this delicious sugar-free recipe for Muesli bars, that I first saw here. I overcame the celcius to farenheit conversion, as well as deftly adapted grams to cups, thank you very much. Sweetened with a combination of dried fruits and freshly squeezed OJ, full of yummy oats and cinnamon, they were deliciously sweet enough to satisfy everyone here. And no one was wound up unneccessarily before bedtime. (Susan and Matthew S. and Jenn, if you're reading, you better try these at home!) Perfect with my tea tonight!

Playing Book Tag
So then Miss Smith tagged me in a Book Tag. Here are the rules:
Go to the closest book to you, not necessarily the book you have just read, or your favourite, but the closest. Turn to page 56 and copy out the 5th line, followed by the next 2 to 5 lines.

This was hard, I did so want to cheat, for something fiction-y. But honestly, here is what was closest:
Life Lists for Teens by Pamela Espeland, subtitled "Tips, steps, hints, and how-tos for growing up, getting along, learning, and having fun." It's awesome, so full of great information for teens to have, like "Top Ten Reasons Why You Look Hot," "7 Ways to Tell if You're Flirting or Harassing," "Twelve Reasons to Tell the Truth," "12 Ways to be a Great Guest," "10 Reasons Not to Get a Tattoo or Body Piercing" followed by "...And 10 Things to Do if You Decide to Get One Anyway," "25 Quotes on Goal-Setting," and my librarian's freedom fighter heart goes pitter pat, "10 Books Some People Don't Want You to Read." I plan to leave this book lying about in a few years, hoping that some teen in my house will find something in its pages.

So, page 56, 5th line followed by the next few (more than the suggested, I couldn't help it), in the section "If You Live with Someone Who Drinks Too Much or Uses Drugs:"

"...the help you need to feel better and to have a safe and productive life.
Remember the 7 Cs:

• I didn't CAUSE it.
• I can't CURE it.
• I can't CONTROL it.
• I can take better CARE of myself by COMMUNICATING my feelings, making healthy CHOICES, and CELEBRATING myself."

Pretty great advice even if you aren't living with an addict, just as general rules for living with other people in a complicated world.

So, Chris (Muddy Puddle Musings) and Heather (Beauty That Moves) are you up for playing along?

And one last P.S.
I have just been accepted to graduate school to continue my library science passion; since I am almost done with my bachelor's at very long last, why not keep the fun coming? I will be studying online at San Jose State University beginning in January! Hooray...and GULP!