The Tale of Despereaux

I read Ms. DiCamillo's "Because of Winn Dixie" and also saw the movie. I enjoyed her writing style. Plus, Niki loved this book, so I used Christmas gift cards to purchase it (*grumble grumble* I don't like that it has a "Now a Major Motion Picture" blurb on it. *grumble grumble*)

A Young Adult book (ages 7-12), this book is "cutely" written. Is that a word? I enjoy how the author is a story teller and speaks to us, gentle reader, as if we were sitting on the floor, hearing her read. She stops to explain things, to warn what is going to happen, pauses to explain the past, etc. Like an old friend telling you a story.

Despereaux the mouse is born tiny, with too-big ears and an even bigger thirst for knowledge, adventure and love. He won't behave like a mouse is supposed to! He's a gallant knight off to save his beloved princess. There are good guys, bad guys (rats! ew), silly guys and gals (a king who forbids soup. Despereaux's overly-dramatic French mom - loved her), naive nincompoops (Miggery Sow) and of course, a Princess named Pea.

It's a story about love that knows no limits or sizes. A love that will never be quite requited, but that is full of friendship and hope. A story of broken hearts (and ears) that mend a tad crookedly.

And soup.

More Mickeys

Haven't felt bloggy lately, so here are some pictures of hidden Mickeys. I took a day off from work on Wednesday to go to Magic Kingdom with some friends who were down from Atlanta at the park.

In Minnie's house, she had a figurine with Mickey windows.




In Minnie's kitchen, pots and two pans hanging make the shape of Mickey's head.





In line to Goofy's Barnstormer, there are several towers holding cooling fans. Only one has this hidden Mickey scrollwork.

While in line for the Barnstormer, I happen to look down and see this..

Isabel is holding hands with a girl. That we don't know. It was funny. The girl just grabbed Iz's hand and she was alright with it. They held hands up to the front of the ride. It was a COLD day (for us Floridians) and the static was everywhere.

Garden Spells

I judged a book by its cover, I did. I mean, look at it. Is it not a beautiful picture? I want that picture in my house. I judged a book by its cover....and I am glad I did.

This is the enchanting story of The Waverly family, mainly 30-something Claire, who live in North Carolina in their ancestral home. The Waverly's have a...knack for things that are a bit supernatural and are known are rather odd in their town. Their octogenerian cousin Evanelle gives people random gifts; cigarette lighters, clean sheets and pop tarts, flash lights, etc. Random until, that is, these people realize they need these items a day, a week, a month later. Claire has a flair for cooking and baking, aided by their enchanted garden. Claire knows which herbs create sought-after moods like satisfaction, happiness, forgiveness, etc. and her catering business is thriving. Everything in the garden is used...except for the apple tree. Don't eat from the apple tree, even if it throws those apples at your feet over a fence or through your bedroom window, as it likes to do.

Claire's orderly life is thrown askew when her younger sister Syndey shows up back in town after years of absence, with a daughter, and a new handsome neighbor moves in next door. Sydney left with the thought of never coming back to this town full of prejudices and disdain for her family, what could ever make her come back? Will she and her sister ever get along? Can beautiful, talented, regimented Claire ever let down her guard enought to dare to love, even if it means you might eventually get hurt?

The writing was charming. The characters are quirky (the family where the men only marry older women, the other family where the women are known for their sexual prowess) and made me want to live there. Ms. Addison Allen's debut book is a great read. Check it out. And love the cover too.

Do. Not. Mess.

with Patti Lupone.

YOU GO GIRL!!


Ms. Lupone stopped the show completely because people were taking flash pictures after being told not to during the performance.

She's a Hoot

Isabel's been going to Pre-K since August (she's also been sick since August, grrr, but that's another story). Pre-K has done wonders for her. For her first 4 years of life, she's been pretty much isolated from kids. We live in a neighborhood where there are hardly any kids her age and David really never took her to parks or anything. She did not know how to act around other kids and when her cousins came over during the summer last year, she would start crying when they would scream while playing around with each other. She thought they were upset or angry. Pre-K has been great.

Last week, David's hair was poufy. He was in dire need of a haircut. Right before picking her up from Pre-K, he hopped in the shower and combed his hair differently to tame the pouf. He walks in to her class to see her eating lunch with her classmates. She notices him and yells:

"HI DAD!!" (short pause) "What's going on with the hair??"

David calls me later at work, laughing, to tell me this. NO clue where she got this from but we thought it was hysterical!