Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell.
It begins with the death of Vic’s father.
It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle.
The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it.
But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

This is a story about:

1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.

It seems like people have either loved or hated this book, although I fall right in the middle. It was an enjoyable read but what really grabbed me was the charters. The characters really came to life for me.




A charming, warmhearted novel from the author of the New York Times bestseller A Man Called Ove.
Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy—as in standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-strangers crazy. She is also Elsa’s best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother’s stories, in the Land-of-Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas, where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal.
When Elsa’s grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa’s greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother’s instructions lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and old crones but also to the truth about fairy tales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

I really loved this book and love the way Backman tells a story. This book is endearing, funny, sad and even a bit strange. the characters in the book are well written. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the stories within the story, there were too many but I loved the book in-spite of that. 



 
 We are not quite novels.

We are not quite short stories.

In the end, we are collected works.

A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Chief Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who's always felt kindly toward him; from Ismay, his sister-in-law, who is hell-bent on saving A.J. from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who persists in taking the ferry to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.'s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, he can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It's a small package, though large in weight—an unexpected arrival that gives A.J. the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn't take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J., for the determined sales rep Amelia to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light, for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.'s world. Or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn't see coming.

This was a great book that pulled me in immediately. Go read it now!
 

This year Brody wanted to be a whack a mole game for Halloween, except he thought Whack a Brody would be better.  I agreed.





Sammy and Sadie loved the can can dancers on the Small World ride at Disneyland so much that they decided that's what they wanted for their Halloween costume.

I made my first trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats during Speed Week. It was every bit as cool as everyone says. I want to go back next year!


The Bonneville Salt Flats (for those that don't know) are found west of The Great Salt Lake in Western Utah, covering over 30,000 acres. The Salt Flats were formed when the ancient lake Lake Bonneville dried up leaving behind all of that salt.

 A few things to keep in mind when visiting the Salt Flats.

-The best time to visit the Salt Flats is in late summer when there is no water on the flats. You do not want to get stuck.
-Bring sunglasses it is incredibly bright.
-Wear sunscreen.
-Bring lots of water.
-Salt will get everywhere so plan to wash your car after your visit.



We brought some things to keep the kids entertained. The kids loved driving their remote control cars and Power Wheels truck in the wide open space. Of course the kite was really fun and they even tried throwing salt balls at each other. I shut that down fast. Ha!

If bringing kids I would also recommend bringing bandages. Sammy tripped and scrapped up her leg pretty bad. The salt is rough and stung her scrapes.

Our family went digging for fossils, yes real fossils. It was seriously so cool!

 Fossil Safari at Warfield Fossil Quarry in Wyoming was so amazing! They provide all the tools and teach you everything you need to know.


All you need to do is pack water, food, sunglasses, sunscreen, packing materials to bring your fossils home safely and gloves.  Also a hat, it is really easy to get sunburned there. You travel quite a way on a dirt road so make sure you have a full tank of gas. Fossil Safari does have an outhouse available.



When we first arrived at the quarry we were given our tools and then we were given a tutorial on what to do. Sammy and Sadie liked watching for awhile and then got bored since they were a little too young to be using a hammer and chisel. Travis and Brody could have spent the whole day there but we only stayed for an hour. In that hour we came home with over a dozen fossils.




Tip: keep your fossils upright instead of laying them flat. This will help keep them safe of the drive. Place towels or newspaper between them so they don't bump together. Bringing a large box to place them in helps.

My kids love doing little crafts for the holidays but I don't have the time to search all over for ideas and supplies. I love that Oriental Trading Company has Christmas craft kits all ready and assembled. It makes life easier on me and my kids get to do little crafting projects that they love.

This year we have loved assembling these little felt mice candy cane kits.


And another favorite of my kids are the foam gingerbread houses. They spent so much time decorating their houses and then loved displaying them in their bedrooms.





What kind of activities do you like to do with your kids?




Disclaimer:This is a sponsored post, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Thanksgiving I am reflecting on a few of the things I am thankful for in my life.

-My loving and supportive husband. I am even thankful for some of the hardships we have gone through because they have made us stronger and let us lean on one another.

- My children. They give me (and let me give them) unconditional love and teach me pure love, forgiveness, and patience. Being a mom has taught me so much about the important things in life.

-Good health.

-Faith.

-Family and friends. There have been many friends and family members in my life who have shown my family so much love and support through the years.


Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are a few more books I have liked reading this year and want to share with you.

The Lake House
The Secret Keeper (not shown in picture)
The Forgotten Garden
The Distant Hours
The House at Riverton
By Kate Morton
 
I read The Lake House by Kate Morton earlier this year and loved it so much that I had to read all of her books. There is not a single on of her books that I did not like. Go and read them all!


 Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

Just when Glennon Doyle Melton was beginning to feel she had it all figured out—three happy children, a doting spouse, and a writing career so successful that her first book catapulted to the top of the New York Times bestseller list—her husband revealed his infidelity and she was forced to realize that nothing was as it seemed. A recovering alcoholic and bulimic, Glennon found that rock bottom was a familiar place. In the midst of crisis, she knew to hold on to what she discovered in recovery: that her deepest pain has always held within it an invitation to a richer life.
Love Warrior is an inspiring account of how we are born to be warriors: strong, powerful, and brave; able to confront the pain and claim the love that exists for us all. This chronicle of a beautiful, brutal journey speaks to anyone who yearns for deeper, truer relationships and a more abundant, authentic life.

I loved the complete and brutal honest of this memoir. 

 
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Despite their differences, sisters Vianne and Isabelle have always been close. Younger, bolder Isabelle lives in Paris while Vianne is content with life in the French countryside with her husband Antoine and their daughter. But when the Second World War strikes, Antoine is sent off to fight and Vianne finds herself isolated so Isabelle is sent by their father to help her.

As the war progresses, the sisters' relationship and strength are tested. With life changing in unbelievably horrific ways, Vianne and Isabelle will find themselves facing frightening situations and responding in ways they never thought possible as bravery and resistance take different forms in each of their actions.

I couldn't put this book down. 

Return From Tomorrow by George G Richie 
At the age 20, a soldier George Ritchie died in an Army hospital. Nine minutes later he returned to life. What he experienced would change him forever.

This was a really quick read (like less than a day) with a really great message.  
 

 The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips
London, 1672. The past twelve years have brought momentous changes: the restoration of the monarchy, a devastating plague and fire. Yet the city remains a teeming, thriving metropolis, energized by the lusty decadence of Charles II's court and burgeoning scientific inquiry. Although women enjoy greater freedom, they are not allowed to practice medicine, a restriction that physician Hannah Devlin evades by treating patients that most other doctors shun: the city's poor.
But Hannah has a special knowledge that Secretary of State Lord Arlington desperately needs. At the king's Machiavellian court, Hannah attracts the attention of two men, charming courtier Ralph Montagu and anatomist Dr. Edward Strathern, as well as the attention of the powerful College of Physicians, which views her work as criminal. When two influential courtiers are found brutally murdered, their bodies inscribed with arcane symbols, Hannah is drawn into a dangerous investigation by Dr. Strathern, who believes the murders conceal a far-reaching conspiracy that may include Hannah's late father and the king himself.

This book has it all! Part mystery, historical fiction, romance, and more. If you like historical fiction then you need to read this book.

Driven to Distraction by Edward M Hallowell MD and John J Ratey MD

If you or anyone you know suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder I highly recommend you read this book!


What books have you read recently? 

You could say we like our treats at our house.


This year Brody wanted to be a Slurpee and Sammy and Sadie little birthday cakes. 

They have also been crazy about Traffic cones we got from Oriental Trading Company. They love making bike trails and obstacle courses with them.


They also have added selling candy to their lemonade stands but of course they end up eating most of it themselves.

Oriental Trading always has the best products for summer fun!

What have you been up to this summer? 

Have you noticed that kids these don't seem to play and use their imagination like we did as kids? With the ever increasing technology, gadgets and growing schedules playtime just isn't what it use to be. If you want to change this then check out Hide-a-boo Hideouts!

Hide-a-boo Hideouts are here to encourage play for all kids. Hideouts are forts that slip over a card table for easy set-up and are a home base for adventure. Created with a puppet backdrop on one side and on top, an aerial view map that's also a play mat. Hideouts are incredibly versatile, giving kids endless opportunities for creative and imagination inspired play.
Included with the Hideouts are printables called Teachables. They give busy parents on the go a built in and pre-planned way to encourage play and learning. Simply print out the Teachables from the website and Hide-a-boo provides lots of fun activities to keep kids imagining.
If you want a Hide-a-boo Hideout hurry and head over to Kickstarter and place your order because they will only be available there for the low price of $29 until July 14th.

Here is the quick, easy way to make ribs according to my husband (Trav the Butcher). He thinks this is the best way to make them.

First season your ribs using your favorite rub.
We were excited about trying this new
Smoky Bourbon Spice Set. It comes with three different seasonings. Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt, Bourbon Smoked Paprika, and Bourbon Smoked Pepper.

Cover ribs and bake in the oven for 2-3 hours at 200-250 degrees. Temperatures and time vary based on your oven. Then brown the ribs on the grill on medium for about 10 minutes.

Easy right?
 

Since the Olympics are just around the corner I thought I would share this free printable so you can make your own Little Olympian t shirt. Brody and I made this one for the last summer Olympics and he loved it!


All you need is a printer, iron on transfer paper, a shirt and an iron. Simply follow the instructions that come with your iron on transfer paper.

Tupperware has put together the perfect summer lunch set for the new upcoming release of Finding Dory. Plus the Fridge Stackables Family Set is perfect for summer picnics. I love mine!

To place an order email me at dianna@whateverdeedeewants.com

I just want to share with you that Graphic Image and GiGi New York are having their friends of friends sale. 15 % off site wide June 6th- 12th.
Go check it out!

Ready for another installment of Disneyland food you have to try?

You HAVE to try the Churro Funnel Cake from Hungry Bear Restaurant. It is one of my all time favorite treats at Disneyland. You can thank me later.
Hungry Bear Restaurant will have seasonal funnel cake flavors so this isn't always available.

The Creamy Corn Chowder (served in a bread bowl) from the French Market Restaurant was delicious! Perfect for those colder Disneyland nights.

People always talk about the Mint Juleps at the Mint Julep Bar. They are pretty good and worth trying at least once so I had to include them. Of course if you are like me you would prefer something sweeter, but definitely worth trying.



What are your favorite things to eat at Disneyland or California Adventure?

See all the Disneyland food posts here. 

One
Spring training is in full swing and I couldn't be happier, well if MLB showed more of the Cardinals Spring Training games I could be happier. But really I am so excited for baseball season. Go Cards!


Two
I am obsessed with the Tupperware Modular Mates. I have been working on organizing the contents of my kitchen and pantry for awhile now and I cannot put in to words how much I love these containers! They are the best and free up so much space.



Three
With Sammy and Sadie starting preschool this week I have realized how fast time with my little ones is flying by. My girls are not the easiest, in fact they can be down right hard most of the time and taking them out and about is no easy feat, but I have decided that I want to do more with them. Today we ventured out to the zoo and had a great time! Here is to more adventures with my kids!


Four
I am getting ready to revamp my family's 72 hour emergency kits. What do I need in them?

Five
I have the travel bug right now and wish I was planning another trip to Hawaii.

And just like that my babies are three years old! And they started preschool today! Where does the time go?


Because of Sadie and Sammy's speech delay, our school district placed them in an early 3 preschool class where they can get the speech therapy they need. Today was the first day. 
Dealing with the girls speech problems has been tiring to say the least. Lots and lots of testing, therapy sessions, working with the girls, etc but the hardest part of all of it has been the frustrations and tantrums because we just have not been able to understand them and what they are trying to say to us. The terrible twos are hard enough without having twins but imagine having the terrible twos with twins who are frustrated because their mom and dad can't understand them. Let's just say I pray for patience on a daily basis. Ha!


The girls were really excited to start preschool and we are really excited for them to get more help with their speech! Oh and an extra hour to myself twice a week.

Om a side note, trying to take a picture without at least one of these girls giving a thumbs up is hard.

With Disneyland (and all their yummy food) on my mind I decided it was time for another round of Disneyland food you have to try.


The nutty maple fudge found at Pooh Corner in Critter Country, is a tasty treat. It is quite rich so plan to share or save half for later.


The corn dogs in Disneyland are a must eat! They may possibly be one of the best corn dogs I have ever had. Found at the red wagon on Main Street in Disneyland.

Can you really go wrong with pulled pork? Nope. This a great way to get in a quick meal before hitting up your favorite ride. quick service, good flavor, it's a win. Found at California Adventure, Cozy Cone Motel. 


Ok, what are your favorite things to eat at Disneyland or California Adventure?

Here is another round of what I have been reading.


The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway.

I enjoyed reading this book. A very imaginative story that had me right from the beginning. Morgenstern is a great storyteller!




Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Two weeks before the events of this book, young Hannah Baker killed herself, but she left behind a sort of audio will that explained her reasons for taking her life. Each of those thirteen reasons involves cruel acts, misunderstandings, or guilty acts of omission that involve other students.

I don't want to say that I like this book because it about suicide, however I couldn't get this book out of my mind and found myself drawn to the characters. I liked the writing style and the message it sends.

All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

Of course anything during World War 2 always catches my interest so I had to read this. It is a great book! It took me a few dozen pages to get into this book but once I did, I fell in love with the characters. Very beautifully written.

Hi! It's time for a massive giveaway brought to you by Angie from My So-Called Chaos, myself, and a few other fabulous bloggers who've joined us this month. For the prize this month, Angie has chosen to give one lucky winner an iPad Mini and a Kate Spade Cedar Street Keyboard Folio. Before we get down to the prize, the prize sponsors have been asked to share what their favorite app is on their mobile device, and why. I love this question because it gives us an idea of what apps or social networks to pay attention to, as well as recommendations we should try for ourselves!

What is Your Favorite Mobile App?

Answer: A Social Media App

"My favorite app on my is definitely twitter because it allows me to communicate with my friends, family, and other bloggers!" - Kaci from Earth to Kace "I love Twitter. I can keep up with friends and the news all in one easy place." - Jen from Injenious Life

Snapchat

"Snapchat! I absolutely love being able to snap random pictures to send out to my friends. I also follow a lot of bloggers so seeing the un-edited sides to them is really neat!" - Sarah of Sarah Emily Blogs "Snapchat! I love that I can be a little more goofy and interact one on one with followers. Life isn't a perfectly edited photo and with snapchat you get to see the real side." - January from The Bouncy Ponytail

Instagram

"Instagram because I love looking at everyone's beautiful photos." - Alexis from Chemistry Cachet "Instagram! I love finding new people to follow so I can get even more travel inspiration." - Natalie from Cosmos Mariners "My favorite app is Instagram. It allows me to keep up with my friends and family and allows me to share all my pictures I love to take with those I love. It's my way of journaling my life and to me, it's so much easier than writing in a paper journal!" - Kim from United Moms Network "Instagram because a picture is worth a thousand words." - Linda from Brunch 'N Bites "My favourite app is a tie - Instagram - because of my love of photography and beautifully curated visuals and Periscope - I love the interaction on this platform and the sense of community it fosters, the boost of creativity it provides by allowing us to be exposed to a diversity of people and perspectives." - Tript of Footnotes and Finds "It's a tie between my city's transit app (so I'm never late for work) and Instagram (so I can browse some beautiful photos on my hour-long commute to and from work)." - Mar from T.O. & fro "I love Instagram! It's fun to see quick photo updates of people and find inspiration, discover new products, and share highlights from my life." - Lindsay from Lindsay Satmary

Facebook

"My favorite app on my phone is Facebook. I love the interaction it brings between family and friends. I have family and friends who live really far away and they are always updating their status with new images and news." - Ashley from Simply Ashley Nicole "My Facebook App because it keeps me easily connected to friends and groups." - Jessica from Two Married Geeks "I have to admit it is Facebook, I am such a nosey so and so, I love being able to keep up with everyone's goings on while I am on the move." - Sarah of Life in a Breakdown

Answer: A Productivity App

"1Password - It stores all my passwords at the touch of a button so I don't have to remember them or take time to look them up." - Darcey from Foodie and Wine

Blogging

"Hmm that's a tough one, but probably the wordpress app." - Blake from Glitter Your Dash "I love the Bloglovin app and use it all the time to stay up-to-date with all my favorite blogs." - Brittany of Grace, Love, Life

Photo Editing

"Photoshop Express because I'm always editing my photos!" - Jennifer from My Daylights "VSCO or Squaready for photo editing." - Kara from Fit Chick Nextdoor "Right now I'm loving the VSCO Cam app - the camera and editing tools help create beautiful photos from my phone or tablet." - Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen "VSCO- best photo editor app!" - Sylvie from Sylvie in the Sky "I love posting on Instagram so I use a lot of photo apps. I love Afterlight. There are a lot of great filters on that app. I also love to use the apps from the A Beautiful Mess girls to make fun videos and collages!" - Jessica of Living La Vida Holoka "Mextures. I love using it to edit and add some creativity to my photos." - Brianne of Everyday Runaway "PicTapGo - it makes editing photos easy! I especially love the preview it gives of each filter, so I can identify what I want the picture to look like even if I can't describe it."

Answer: Other Apps

"Besides the usual social media apps, I find myself clicking on this app called Neko Atsume at least a couple of times a day. How to describe it... hmm. Well, it's a ridiculous little cat game where you set out food and toys in hopes of attracting cats to your yard. They show up, eat food, play with the toys, and they have cute little butt holes. That's reason enough, right? I swear, I'm not crazy..." - Kimi from Kimi Who "I've been HUGELY addicted to the Covet Fashion app for some reason. It's kind of embarrassing, but I can't stop creating outfits. I even spent a couple bucks on it." - Anna from Anna in Wonderland "My favorite app is my Kindle app. I love being able to carry a million books right on my phone!" - Alicia of Snowstorm "MLB app or Disneyland app. I am obsessed with Disneyland and the St Cardinals." - Dianna of Whatever Dee-Dee Wants "My favorite app is Timehop! I love getting to look back at my good memories!" - Lucy of Coffee with Us 3 "Fitbit is my favorite app right now. I love tracking my steps each day and seeing how I compare to my family and friends!" - Jill of Run Eat Snap "Ibotta - I love it because it helps me save money! I can use a little more of that." - Kathleen from Fearlessly Creative Mammas "Calm because you can relax for 5 minutes hearing the sound of the rain." - Caterinea from Kate/idoscope "I love my Netflix app. We only have 1 TV in the house and I am all about killing two birds with one stone type of gal. When I'm cooking dinner, folding laundry, or doing dishes, I can watch one of my shows while maintaining my desire for a clean house. " - Amanda from Green Tea and Cotton

Enter the Giveaway