Dusting Off the Kindle

Confession: I read a book on the Kindle this weekend.

Every time someone new comes to visit our apartment, they take one look at our bookshelves (6 + tall bookcases), and say “Guys, have you ever heard of the Kindle?” (This is followed closely by: “There’s no way you can move all these books.” Au contraire. I have moved them multiple times between three states.)

My response is usually: “We have a Kindle!....somewhere.” (it’s covered in dust). Because, let's be honest, there’s just nothing like holding & reading a real book.

This weekend though, I was looking for a few books on my library’s website, and one of the books (The 100 Thing Challenge) was only available as an e-book. And it was available immediately. I went into the room we’re turning into a nursery, and found under a pile of papers: the dusty Kindle (much more dusty than any of our books). I downloaded the book, and just finished reading it yesterday. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty into it (the book & the Kindle.)

This week in Chicago, the weather has been brutally cold (like frostbite on our feet from being outside for 10 minutes cold.) Plus I’m seven months pregnant, and as much as I love our library, I was kind of excited about the possibility of instant access to a bunch of new books, without leaving my home or my pajamas.

I’m not anywhere near ‘switching’ to the Kindle, but I am wondering if I should take it with me on our vacation in two weeks (solving some of the ‘I’m almost at the end of this novel, but I’ll be gone for a week and need a few reading options on vacation but don’t want a suitcase that weighs a million pounds’ problem.)

The jury’s out on that one. For now, I’ll settle for having a little less dust on our electronic books.

Girl reading on a Kindle picture

Fall Projects

There is something that happens to me every year when fall comes around. As soon as the air gets crisper & the leaves start to turn, I get the urge to make something. I think I've had it especially bad this year (can you start nesting in the first trimester?), so I've been pouring myself lots of tea, turning on BBC Radio 4, & pulling out my sewing supplies.

I have big plans for nursery sewing projects (a play quilt for the floor, a pink & purple quilt for the baby girl!, travel-themed cloth blocks, a rain & cloud mobile, etc.).

I'm also starting a quilt for our living room (5+ projects. See? I have it bad.). The quilt was inspired by this quilt and I am using random fabrics from my collection. We used a lot of my fabric as centerpiece tablecloths for our wedding, so it will be fun to see them around the house & in the nursery!

Hopefully this urge to make things will last long enough for me to finish all of these projects! It shouldn't be a problem, with a long winter ahead before my March due-date, an endless supply of Tetley tea, & so many great programmes on BBC Radio 4.

Minneapolis Places: Great Harvest Bread Co.

When Daniel & I visited Minneapolis recently, we went to one of my favourite neighborhoods, Linden Hills. Just a few blocks from Lake Harriet, this is such a fun spot to eat, browse, get coffee, and visit the best kid's bookstore in town. 

When I lived in Minneapolis, I used to drive over to Great Harvest Bread Co. in Linden Hills every Thursday to pick up a loaf of their delicious spelt bread.

Great Harvest is a national chain that makes delicious bread (& cookies, scones, granola...) fresh every morning.

When you visit the front counter, they give out free (very large!) slices of bread. We tried the gluten-free bread & caramel apple bread, of course with lots of butter, and were not disappointed.

The Great Harvest in Linden Hills is a cozy spot to stop for a cup of coffee, a snack, & a few loaves of their wonderful bread. They even have a kid's corner, dog treats, & a mural of nearby Lake Harriet.

Chicago Places: Chicago Brauhaus

There are so many fun neighborhoods to explore in Chicago. One of our newest favourites is Lincoln Square (home of The Book Cellar). It is a German neighborhood, and since I love Germany (& German food!), my dad and I decided to try out the biggest German restaurant in the neighborhood, Chicago Brauhaus. 

The Brauhaus is right next door to one of our favourite Chicago bookstores, and across the street from a cute courtyard. Stepping in the door felt like walking into Germany! They even have music & dancing throughout the week.

We enjoyed the amazing food: brats, real German mustard, potatoes (my dad had the amazing potato salad), sauerkraut, and very European bread. It was definitely the most authentic German food I've had outside of my favourite German city, Rothenburg. Yum! 

Thanks for the great meal, Chicago Brauhaus! We'll be back!

An Easy Dinner: Baked Potato Bar

Now that I am cooking for three, I have been on the lookout for easy, healthy (& inexpensive) dinners. I really like making more complicated recipes when I have lots of time, good music, and the kitchen to myself. But when I am in a hurry, I like simple dinners, especially ones I can make without referring to a recipe. Enter another Childers' classic, The Baked Potato Bar.

It doesn't get much easier: 

Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (this varies depending on the size of potato). Each person gets a plate and a potato, to fill up with their choice of toppings: 

*butter

*black beans 

*corn (I use canned beans & corn & just heat them on the stove)

*brocolli (I like Trader Joe's frozen vegetables...just follow the directions on the back to cook. Surprisingly delicious.)

*bacon, broken into small pieces

*shredded cheese

*sour cream 

*salt & pepper

This is a super fun meal to make for company. Just heat up and set out all the ingredients beforehand. Be sure to make plenty! Something about the combination of cheese, bacon & sour cream seems to make people want seconds (or thirds...). Enjoy!

Minneapolis Places: Wild Rumpus

Wild Rumpus is a fabulous children's bookstore in Minneapolis. The name of the bookstore is based on the classic kid's book, Where The Wild Things Are & this unique bookstore lives up to it's name.

Besides having an amazing selection of children's books, Wild Rumpus is home to a menagerie of animals. From birds & chinchillas in cages around the store, to cats & even a chicken wandering among the books, there is plenty of entertainment at Wild Rumpus.

The staff here obviously know their kid's books, & stock excellent books for babies up to teens.

This bookstore is in one of my favourite Minneapolis neighborhoods, Linden Hills, and it is just around the corner from Great Harvest Bread Co. While we were in the neighborhood last, we stopped in to check out the newest children's books & to visit the pet chicken!

Wild Rumpus is one of the most unique & fun bookstores I've been to, & is definitely worth a visit next time you're in Minneapolis!

Minneapolis Road Trip

I love roadtrips and this weekend Daniel & I got to go on one of my favourites - a trip to Minneapolis. I lived in Minnesota for six years during junior high & high school, and every time I go back to visit, I am tempted to move back!

We drove up for the wedding of two good friends, Jason & Betsy, and had such a fun weekend! Lots of coffee, road trip snacks, and time with some of my favourite people.

Minneapolis is beautiful in the fall, and we soaked in the fall colours, fresh air, and lake views.

I got to introduce Daniel to some of my favourite Minneapolis places - Lake Harriet, Linden Hills, and Dunn Bros Coffee.

We had so much fun celebrating at our friends' wedding, and can't wait for our next trip back to Minneapolis!

Starved Rock Camping Trip

A few weekends ago, before the weather got cold, Daniel & I went on a fun camping trip. When we first started dating, we went to Starved Rock State Park with a group from church, so we were excited to go back this year.

We camped in a little spot in the woods and had fun walking around and seeing the other camper's sites. Starved Rock is about three hours from Chicago, and people are pretty serious about camping here: pop-up campers, picnic bench tablecloths, twinkle light, and coffee pots.

I packed some camping snacks (and of course muffins & the tea kettle!) and we enjoyed a night away from the city and reading time in front of the camp fire. The next morning, we went hiking at Starved Rock, then headed back to the city, feeling refreshed. I think we may have found a new yearly tradition!