Crafting Adventures: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

 

Here's another look at what my kindergartener looked like for his school's celebration of Read Across America Day yesterday.  He decided to dress as the mouse in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

The outfit was really simple to assemble.  He wore a long-sleeved neutral colored shirt that we already had in his closet, and a pair of denim overalls.  I made him some ears (which admittedly were a bit too floppy) and attached them to an old headband, and I made a pillow for him to carry around shaped like a chocolate chip cookie.

Here's a really simple how-to so you can make your own cookie pillow!

Supplies:

-a circular pillow form

-light brown fleece

-dark brown fleece

-tools to measure, cut, and sew

1. Lay your pillow form on top of your light brown fleece.  Trace around the outside of the pillow, approximately 1/2 an inch away from the pillow all the way around.  Alternatively, you can measure the diameter of your pillow and draw a circle on your fleece which is 1" larger in diameter than the pillow.

2. Fold the rest of your light brown fleece in half.  Draw another circle the same size as the one you just drew. Find the horizontal diameter of this circle (that is, the exact midpoint line, running side-to-side) and then measure down 2".  Draw a straight horizontal line at this point, slicing off the bottom of the circle.

3. Cut out this new partial circle from your folded fleece, resulting in 2 identical partial circles.

4. Free-hand cut out some vaguely chocolate chip shaped pieces of your dark brown fleece.  Pin them to your full circle piece, randomly distributed around the right side.

5. Attach the chocolate chips to the front of the cookie by sewing all the way around each shape with a zig-zag stitch.  I use one with a short length and a wide width.  Go around twice to make sure it's good and secure.

6. If you wish, you can fold the straight edge of each partial circle towards the wrong side by half an inch and stitch them down to hem these pieces.  I chose not to do this as the fleece will not fray, but it could give your pillow cover a cleaner look.

7. Lay one partial circle piece on top of your cookie front, right sides together.  Lay the other piece on top of that, right side down, so that the straight edge overlaps the other piece's straight edge.  By this I mean that if your first partial circle shares its rounded edge with the top of your cookie front and the horizontal line lies below the center line, then your second partial circle should be flipped upside down from this so that its rounded edge lines up with the bottom of your cookie front and the horizontal line lies above the center line.  Secure all 3 pieces together with either pins or clips.

8. Sew the 3 pieces together with a straight stitch and a 1/4" seam allowance.

9. Turn your pillow cover rightside out and you will have what's called an envelope pillowcase. The overlapping pieces on the back can be spread open, you can stuff your round pillow form inside, and the back pieces can overlap again to keep it tucked in safe.

Check out this video on my Instagram page for a visual look at this tutorial.

Now, who wants a cookie?

Much love,

The Geeks

Read Across America 2023

 Does your school celebrate Read Across America Day?  It began as a celebration of Dr. Seuss and the way his books inspire kids to read.  Originally, the celebration at elementary schools across the country invited children to dress as their favorite Dr. Seuss character for a school day.  The celebration has evolved to encompass all beloved children's book authors, and kids are invited to simply dress as their favorite book character.  We love celebrating this day in our family- because we love wearing costumes, and we love books!  This year only second grade and below are dressing up at our school, but my oldest still wanted a chance to put on a costume, so we did a little photo shoot this weekend.

Here's our Anne Shirley, from Anne of Green Gables, making up stories and getting into trouble.  I'll share in another post about how I made this dress and pinafore out of a couple of thrifted bedsheets.

And here's my little mouse with his chocolate chip cookie, from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.  He's excited to use his chocolate chip cookie pillow for rest time today!

Who is your favorite book character?  Have you ever had the chance to dress up like them?

Much love,

The Geeks

Bookish Adventures: Room

*personal photo*

Oh, this book.

It seems I have a thing for sad books.  I thought I had a thing for sci-fi books, or fantasy books, or maybe YA books, but no, I have a thing for tragic, make-you-ugly-cry books, be they about kids with cancer or kids with dead parents or kids who just plain need a hug because of everything they've been through.  Basically, if it's a book about a young person in tragic circumstances, I'm all over it.

I have not yet seen the movie adaptation of Room but I'm sure you have, in which case you know exactly how beautiful this story is.  If you haven't seen it, I'm sure you've seen the trailers.

Room is a story about a young woman who was kidnapped and kept as a sex slave, gave birth to a baby boy, and raised him in their tiny prison until one day she smuggles him out so that he might rescue them both.  The story is told entirely from the first person point of view of the five-year-old Jack, who calls his mother Ma, and we never learn her name.  The one-room shed where they are held together has a television, so Jack grows up believing he, Ma, and their captor are the only "real" people in the entire world- a world comprised only of Room- and that everything he sees on television is fake.

This is a book about culture shock.  Imagine being thrust into the world for the first time after only ever knowing one other human being.  Imagine entering a world where you technically speak the language, but many words and ideas are still totally foreign to you and you're forced to learn by immersion.  Imagine leaving a cell where you actually felt safe because the only other person there devoted her whole life to protecting you, and gaining a freedom that leaves you vulnerable in an uncaring, hostile world.

This is a book about parenthood- and especially motherhood.  Although most of us, praise God, will never experience what Ma and Jack live through, all parents know what it's like to hold your newborn for the first time and realize that you would literally give your life for her, that nothing else matters in this world except this tiny perfect person.  The book reads as sort of an extreme case study in attachment parenting- to keep him alive and feeling safe, Ma continues to breastfeed Jack the entire five years that they live in Room, and when someone questions her decision to do so, she shoots back that of all the things he's been through in his short lifespan, is this really something that would damage him?  As Jack tries to adjust to Outside, he, in his innocence, makes observations about the way other parents treat their children- observations that hit you like a punch to the gut when you realize he feels pity for these families who have lived normal lives, not in captivity.

Finally, this is an incredibly pro-life book.  I feel like maybe an editor must have pointed this out to Ms Donoghue before publishing, because at one point Ma goes out of her way to say that her experience in no way invalidates society's "need" for abortion- a line that feels like a hastily written apology to those who might take offense to the author's stirring (if accidental, apparently) defense of those children conceived in rape.

All in all this is an incredibly powerful book, and even if you've seen the movie, I encourage you to read it.  (I need to get around to seeing the movie myself.)

What have you read lately?

Much love,
The Geeks

Oh, Internet... {85}

Our vacation is almost over and I'll be sad to see it end.  We've had a wonderful time visiting with family and celebrating my sister's marriage.  It's been so relaxing to not have any responsibilities and a mostly empty schedule, just talking and playing and showing off our lovely little munchkin to my aunts and uncles and cousins.

In the downtime, I've had the opportunity to catch up on some blog reading, and I found a few things to share with you:

Lovely Haley is once again using Jane Austen to teach us life lessons.  (I, for one, am in the camp of people who sort of hate Emma, though I love the story.  I guess it's time to revisit her.)

Catholic All Year has a refreshing take on teaching modesty to young children.

Julie at These Walls makes a shocking confession: she thinks social media is not entirely awful!  (I agree!)

I found this great post on A Gentle Mother with her take on the bullying epidemic in our culture.

There's a great post on Sweet Little Ones about letting go of perfect (something I need a lesson in every now and then).

Real Catholic Mom has a similar post this week about remembering whose image and likeness we're created in (hint: not our own).

What all have you found on the internet lately?

Much love,
The Geeks

Best of 2015

lulz, it looks like the star is growing out of Mr Geek's head // *personal photo*

Merry Christmas!  (Because it still is Christmas, don't let social media fool you.)

As it's officially 2016 now, I figured it's a- time to break the accidental hiatus that always always always happens on this blog in December and b- time to look back at the past year!

So here, in no particular order, are my personal favorite Our Geeky Adventure posts from 2015:

That Time I Took My Sister's Engagement Photos

My sister is getting married in May and has apparently also lost her mind, because she asked me to shoot her engagement photos.  They actually turned out rather good!

Crafting Adventures: Treebeard

We went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival in costume this year!  I did a couple of posts explaining how I whipped up the outfits for two hobbits and Treebeard the Ent.

Fashion Adventures: I Made Her a Skirt!

I shared with you my first foray into making clothes for this little goober (shown here talking to Daddy on the phone and explaining that we were in the middle of a photo shoot).

Fashion Adventures: Sweater Skirt

I got better at making skirts, and she got more excited about photo shoots.

Bookish Adventures: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I finally read Neil Gaiman, and now I want to read his grocery lists, no joke.

Bookish Adventures: The Martian

I also read The Martian and suggest you do, too, even (especially?) if you've already seen the movie.

Twenty Random Things About Mrs Geek

I shared 20 random things about myself, because, you know, I'm random like that.

Potter Talk: Tom's Worst Memory

Mr. Geek and I proved that even though it's been 8 years since the last book was released, it's still possible to come up with new Harry Potter theories.

Culinary Adventures: Pumpkin Pie Brownies

I made these brownies with a pumpkin pie layer in the middle and they were pretty gosh darn good, if I do say so myself.

Currently, Chief is... {2 years}

Our little goober turned two!  Our home is officially baby-less :(  But what an incredible two years it has been!

So those were my favorite posts this year!  Did you have a favorite post that I didn't mention?

Are you a blogger?  What were your favorite posts this year?  Share them over at Like Mother, Like Daughter, where I'm linking up!

Much love,
The Geeks

Oh, Internet... {83}

*gratuitous adorable toddler photo*

Aaaaaand we survived another week!  Every year I say I'm going to buy Christmas presents before Advent even starts, and every year I fail miserably.  I checked a few more off my list this week, but this weekend I plan to get the rest done- to include the ones I'm making myself.  Wish me luck!

The internet was way more productive than me this week.  Take a look!

Rabia at The Lieber Family (hey girl, I see you!) talked about creating a family time capsule- such a cool idea!

I wish Kendra at Catholic All Year would throw a Pride and Prejudice birthday party for me!

I love the look of this disco ball wreath from A Beautiful Mess!

Mary at Better Than Eden shared a beautiful reflection on how motherhood is a muscle.

Leslie at Life in Every Limb talked about That Time I Did Not Advent Right and I identified with every single word.

Along similar lines, Molly Makes Do reminded us that a little goes a long way when it comes to Advent.

Tacy at Picture a Skyline talked about The Difference Between Proselytizing and Witnessing- an important distinction to remember in an era of intense political arguments.

What awesome things happened on your internet this week?

Much love,
The Geeks

Bookish Adventures: The Martian

*personal photo*

I'm sure you've all seen the movie by now- we haven't, because babysitters are expensive and difficult to come by- and even if you have, you should totally read this book.

The Martian is so incredibly real that there's basically no need to suspend disbelief at all (although apparently the storm that starts the whole adventure is impossible) because Andy Weir really, really did his homework.  But it's not just the fact that this book is more science than fiction that makes it so gripping- our protagonist, Mark Watney, is so well-developed and so gosh-darn likeable that you desperately want to see him succeed, and you're on the edge of your seat the entire time, feverishly biting your nails as if there really were an American astronaut stranded on Mars that we're all trying to rescue.

Some have complained that it's difficult to dive in to the story because there is too much science, but I don't think that's a valid complaint.  No, Mark is writing his log entries with the knowledge that regular people will read it one day- people who are not rocket scientists- so he clearly and patiently describes the reasons behind the pieces of his plan without actually busting out the equations.  If there's anything that might make this book difficult to get into, it might be those log entries themselves- initially, the narration is entirely first person in the form of the mission log Watney is using to record what happened, how he survived, and how he plans to get back home.  These log entries are how we get to know him, and he becomes an incredibly well-developed character who is charming, obviously incredibly intelligent, and a master of dark humor- the quality that keeps his spirit alive against the odds.  But I did worry that this would be the entire book, and that these log entries would get a little old; I didn't want to end up resenting this character I'd fallen in love with because I was tired of being stuck in his head.  Never fear- the narrative style changes before you get a chance to get bored with it, as third person narration and actual dialogue intersperse themselves among the log entries.  In retrospect, that long, unbroken stretch  of log entries is incredibly important to set the tone and create the initial suspense- it's just you and Watney, thus reinforcing that our stranded astronaut is utterly and completely alone, with no other characters in sight, not even a disembodied narrator.  It's incredibly effective from both a character-building and plot-driving standpoint.

All in all, I'm glad I had a chance to read the book first, though I'm sure the movie is just as incredible as the critics have said.  If you're looking for a book to keep you company on your holiday vacation, The Martian is a good one!  (It's especially poignant for Thanksgiving- you'll certainly feel thankful to be surrounded by friends and loved ones, and for a meal consisting of more than just potatoes and protein packs!)

Have you read The Martian?  What did you think?  What books have you read lately that you'd recommend?

Much love,
The Geeks

Oh, Internet... {80}

I realize it's been a while since I did an Oh, Internet... so it's time to rectify that!  Here are some of the most awesome things happening on the internet lately:

Make it and Love it shared a roundup of handmade Christmas gift ideas- time to get started!

Miss Emma at A Pinch of Pixie Dust had the most perfect Hallowe'en costume this year (as always)!

Kendra at Catholic All Year wrote about praying for the dead with children- and how we shouldn't shy away from the topic of death with little ones.

Sterling Jaquith shared five ways to be the peace center of your home- a very timely read for me this week.

Allie at Everyday Adventures shared a beautiful reflection on savoring the simple moments together.

Do you remember the exact moment you discovered you were pregnant?  Daja at The Provision Room does!

Ashley at Between the Linens shared 7 books to read aloud with your spouse.

I'm really getting tired of "the mommy wars".  There's a lot of effort being made to make sure we moms don't feel bad about ourselves if we don't live up to our Pinterest expectations, but now, apparently, it's cool to vilify those moms who are, in fact, mistresses of the domestic arts.  Amy at Motherhood and Miscellany thinks that's ridiculous (and so do I).

Jessica at Little Fiat speculated about why Sherlock Holmes is having a moment right now in pop culture.

What awesomeness happened on your internet the past few weeks?

Much love,
The Geeks

Bookish Adventures: The Paper Magician

*personal photo*

I really wanted to like this book.  (That's an ominous way to start a review, isn't it?)

The Paper Magician follows a young woman as she enters into an apprenticeship with one of the last magicians who uses paper as the medium for his magic, though she had always dreamed of bonding to metal.  Just as she starts to master the basics of paper magic, her master is attacked by a woman who has become an Excisioner- a magician who uses human blood as the medium for her magic. Our headstrong heroine embarks on a journey to rescue the stolen heart of her teacher- by finding herself inside of it.

Like I said, I wanted to like this book.  The author put a creative new spin on magic, with magicians becoming experts in one material or another.  This means that paper magicians are able to do incredibly complicated origami that comes to life, and they are also able to bring into existence words that are written on paper.  Much of it appears to be frivolous parlor tricks- both to our disgruntled heroine and to the reader- but the practical aspects eventually show themselves.  (A giant paper airplane you can ride?  I could find uses for that…)  Our heroine is relatable- a headstrong 18-year-old with her nose to the grindstone to make a living for herself and feel less like a burden on her underprivileged parents.

But for me, that's where her likeable traits end. 

I don't always have to like a main character in order to enjoy a book- Game of Thrones is chock full of characters who are obvious villains that I would never consider friends in real life, but that doesn't stop me from sitting on the edge of my seat as I read about their adventures.  But it's kind of a requirement for a main character to not be utterly annoying, especially if we never have a chance to escape her at any course of the narration.  (Like a certain Katniss Everdeen- I almost didn't finish Mockingjay because holy crap what a whiny, annoying baby.). I can't quite put a finger on what makes this girl so annoying, but I think it comes down to the way she is written.

Charlie is a clever nickname for the author, perhaps used in an effort to combat the cliché that an author will sell more books if the reader believes she is a man- but you didn't fool me, honey.  You're definitely a girl.  Know how I know?

Because Ceony is a classic example of what fanfiction authors refer to as a Mary Sue- a fictional representation of the author herself so that the author might live vicariously through this creation and do whatever it is that the author has never been able to do, which, in most cases (as in this book), is win the heart of the hot guy.  (Another famous Mary Sue you may be familiar with is a certain Bella Swan- a girl whose personality has been peppered with flaws so that the author can say See, she's so realistic! even as she gets everything she wants throughout the course of the story and can seemingly do no wrong on her thinly-veiled romantic exploits that we're supposed to pretend are totally empowering adventures.)

Because yes, ladies and gentlemen, at the end of the day, when our intrepid magician-in-training finds herself inside her teacher's literal heart, she falls in luuuuuurve with him.  She discovers that she wants to rescue his heart so that she might have it for herself; yes, this awkward-yet-incredibly-intelligent teenage girl who would never consider herself to be attractive though she has perfect hair and soft skin and a tiny waist that we are constantly reminded of as we read about the skirts and blouses she clothes herself in every day- she hopes that this much older man who has been married once before and who is her teacher and also, obviously, incredibly attractive…she hopes he'll fall in luuuurve with her, too, and take her as his second wife.

And it's not like you don't see the romance coming from a mile away. 

The thing about Harlequin romance stories is that they all follow a pattern.  When we meet the two characters who are destined for a tumble in the sheets before the third chapter, we are greeted with a more detailed physical description than those of the other characters (unless, of course, those characters are temporary romantic diversions for our main character).  Our soon-to-be lovers are always thrown into ridiculous, completely unrealistic scenarios that no sane woman would want to find herself in because in real life he's a rapist, not the man of your dreams (I'm looking at you, Christian Grey) that lead to increasingly annoying sexual tension before the inevitable overly-dramatic bedroom shenanigans.  And finally, there's always some hint of danger about the hunk of man-meat that our heroine lusts after- for one reason or another, this relationship seems forbidden, and that's what ends up making it so delicious, to borrow every romance author's favorite adjective.

For the record- no, this book is definitely not erotica.  There is no sex, explicit or otherwise, though there were several moments when I though that's what the author was leading up towards, as she follows the formula for a classic trashy romance to the letter.  (Also for the record- that's not why I picked this book up.  Nothing about the description makes this story sound like it's meant to be a romance, which is why it's so damn disappointing when it turns out that way.). There's one point in the story where the magician inexplicably leaves for a period of time and his teenage apprentice decides it's a good idea to go poking around his bedroom and cleans his dirty laundry.  And more than one time she watches him working in the middle of the night.  And we discover that, not only is he her master as she completes her study of magic, he is also her benefactor; he funded a scholarship specifically for her after she lost hers when she makes a scene after an important man gropes her in public- a scene which we later find out he actually observed, meaning he's defending her honor in a roundabout way.  And at a time when we're supposed to be caught up in the action and suspense and worried about where the evil villainess is, Ceony has the time to reflect forlornly on the fact that the ex-wife of the man of her dreams has a much larger bosom than she does.

Classic romance novel fodder, there.

It just all speaks to the immaturity of the author, I think.  But more so than the ridiculous romance-novel-y-ness, the author clearly did not do her research about the time and place where her novel is set.

For whatever reason, this story takes place in Victorian England- probably because the author, like everybody else, is obsessed with Downton Abbey.  Again I'll reference my fanfiction-writing-days to define the word Britspeak for you- in the Harry Potter fanfiction community, all of the best authors were hyper-aware of the fact that the story was set in England and all (or most) of the characters were British, and no one wanted the story to sound like it was written by an American teenager, so you would seek out someone to Brit-pick your piece and make sure you didn't make any mistakes in your Britspeak.  In short, there are certain words and idiomatic expressions and slang phrases that are inherently British, and those that are inherently American, and if you wanted to write a convincing story about British teenagers, you wouldn't have them talking about cellphones or pants or cigarettes- they would use the words mobiles and trousers and fags (if those were indeed the words you were looking for- pants mean underpants to Brits, so be aware of the mental image you want to paint when your attractive characters meet in the early morning in your definitely-not-a-romance-novel romance novel).  And then on top of the fact that our author exposes herself as American, she also exposes herself as of the twenty first century through her missteps in word choice. I'm not suggesting that I wish to mistake this author for Jane Austen herself, but the story would be progressing along with a very modern feel and then suddenly there would be a random, off-hand reminder that oh yes, this is supposed to be the turn of the century, though our characters are conversing as if it were 2015 and the setting does absolutely nothing for the plot.

I think what the author was attempting to do was create a steampunk-feeling story, only with magic instead of technology.  She sort of accomplishes this by treating magic as if it's no big deal- the fact that our main character is a magician does not warrant additional explanation because there seems to be no concept of "Muggles" in this world, or of the International Statute of Secrecy (my Potter obsession is showing, isn't it?).  At first, it sort of bothered me that there was no explanation of whether or not people existed in this world who didn’t possess magical ability, and if magicians needed to do anything to hide their magic from them, but eventually I decided to let it go- after all, one of the things I appreciate most about George R. R. Martin's writing is that he doesn't take the time to explain anything to his reader, really, he just respects your intelligence and expects you to keep up. So I'm pretty sure the steampunkishness is the only driving force in the setting of this story- that and the fact that we're supposed to feel that apprenticeships are a normal thing that everybody does.

Between the whole bonding-to-a-material thing and the fact that magic is not an extraordinary gift in this world, you'd think I'd be praising this author for her originality and innovation.  Alas, I can't bring myself to call her original in her rules governing magic because it seems that, in addition to watching Downton Abbey while writing this novel, she was also bingeing on Once Upon a Time.  Yes, our buxom villainess goes around sticking her hands into people's chests and ripping out their hearts, and said people do not cease living.  In a departure from the Evil Queen's magic, however, victims of this empty-chest syndrome are not able to continue walking about as if nothing happened and do suffer in the medical sense.  So. There's that.

All in all, I probably would have enjoyed this book when I was a teenager and was able to enjoy things like Twilight purely as the fluff that they are, but nowadays if I'm going to invest my time in a book, I'd like it to be, I don't know, well-written.  Even just slightly.

Read anything particularly disappointing lately?

Much love,

The Geeks

PS Go enter my  giveaway for a $50 Macy's gift card if you haven't already! 

Oh, Internet... {75}

It's naptime on a Saturday- the perfect time for Mommy to catch up on her blog reading.  Here are some of the best things that happened on the internet this week:

I quite literally laughed out loud at this // *by XKCD*

Shayla shared a beautiful reflection on gardening and life over on Northern Exposure.  This was pretty timely for me, as lately I've been struggling with the need to better provide for my family, and stressing out because it's just not happening fast enough.  Perhaps I should take a deep breath and just grow where I'm planted.

Hallowe'en is right around the corner, which means it's time to blow the dust off my sewing machine and whip up some costumes.  So of course, I'm getting distracted by all sorts of awesomely simple crafting tutorials on the internet...

My little one loves wearing skirts, but she needs to wear shorts underneath.  Enter: this tutorial on Make It and Love It for a simple skirt with shorts attached.  Freaking.  Genius.

Also on Make It and Love It: this elastic bookmark with a big adorable bow!  I know several ladies who would probably appreciate this as a Christmas present...better get to sewing!

Bean in Love (who, by the way, was on the cover of Mobile Bay magazine, what??) shared this genius solution for a temporary change-up to a lamp shade.  (Spoiler alert: it involves elastic.)

And finally, the single best thing that happened on the internet this week (well, for me, anyway):

Catholic All Year shared an absolutely incredible post on How to Raise Good Little Catholics.  If anybody reading this blog is looking for gift ideas for my daughter's birthday and/or Christmas, literally any of the things Kendra links to in this post would be welcome.  Any of them.  (All of them!)

So what happened on your internet this week?

Much love,
The Geeks

Answer Me This: Father's Day Edition

Time for more Answer Me This on this hot, sunny Father's Day.

1. What's the best thing about your dad?

back before my dad grew his woodsman beard

I'd say the best thing about my dad is that he will always stand by his convictions.  Mom has always called him her rock; he won't ever give up on what he believes.

That, and he's a pretty great Papaw.

2. What's the best thing about your kid's dad?

That's right, Chief.  He does rock

The best thing about Mr. Geek is that he is willing to do anything for his little family.  Walk around the house singing to a crying baby at 2 in the morning?  He'll do that.  Sleep on what was essentially a sheet of plywood wrapped in fabric (the "sofa" in the hospital recovery room)?  No problem.

More important than his willingness to get his hands dirty, though, is his devotion to this marriage as a true partnership.  He doesn't view looking after his daughter as "babysitting"; he doesn't see vacuuming the living room as going above and beyond.

3. What's the best advice your dad ever gave you?

It wasn't fashion advice, I can tell you that much.

It's not so much advice that he gave me, but rather a sort of philosophy to live by.

He told me that you choose who you love, and I always thought that was terribly unromantic.

But now I get what he was saying.  You might not always choose who you're initially attracted to, but you choose who you love, because love is a choice, an action- not a feeling.  I'm so glad I finally figured out what he was talking about, because it's the foundation we've built our marriage on.  My parents have had a strong, solid marriage for 29 years now; I feel like that's a pretty good relationship to imitate.

4. What's something you have in common with your dad?

That whole being firm in his convictions thing?  That tends to translate into stubbornness and inability to concede when he's maybe kinda sorta wrong.  I don't know anybody who inherited that trait from him.  Nope.  No idea.

5. What's the manliest thing you know how to do?

I don't really like this question, because it implies that any talent can be "manly" or "girlie".  The only truly "manly" activities in the world are things like peeing standing up, and the only truly "girlie" activities are things like giving birth.

But there are plenty of talents and abilities traditionally assigned to men, and I can do some of them, too.

The most "traditionally male" things I've ever done are as follows:

-graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering

-drive (and prefer) a manual transmission

-replace the headlight in my car

-fired a weapon at a shooting range for fun 

-work outside the home and bring in the larger paycheck

-and yeah, I've peed standing up once or twice

6. Who is your favorite fictional dad?

image by Warner Bros, via Harry Potter wikia

Arthur Weasley is not a perfect father- he tends to want to play "good cop" by threatening the kids with, "Wait until your mother hears about this!" as opposed to enforcing family rules himself- but he loves his wife and children and does whatever it takes to protect them.

Sometimes Mr. Geek and I are a little like Arthur and Molly.  I even dream of having 7 kids one day...

Head on over to Catholic All Year and link up your answers!

Much love,

The Geeks

Answer Me This is Back!

Catholic All Year is once again hosting her summer link-up series Answer Me This and I'm so excited to participate!  Let's jump right in:

1. Any big plans for the summer?

Out on the lake on our Memorial Day trip

This summer is going to be pretty low-key, with a few visits with family.  We officially kicked off summer with a trip to Alabama for Memorial Day.  Chief and I briefly visited Roanoke Saturday- a friend of mine had her bridal shower and Chief spent the afternoon with "Aunt Biz", my baby sister who has an internship at the Mill Mountain Zoo for the summer.  My other sister, who just got engaged, will be visiting at the end of the month to do some marriage prep and help her fiance find a new apartment (which will eventually be their apartment, next summer, so that's exciting) and then we're all heading back down to Roanoke for the Independence Day holiday.  I expect we'll visit Aunt Biz a couple more times in the month of July to keep her company, since the drive is so short from here.  Then we have a wedding here locally to attend at the beginning of August that I'm very much looking forward to- I love weddings, especially when I'm not the one planning them!  Other than that, I don't think we'll be doing much around here this summer, other than maybe throwing a couple of cookouts and dinner parties.

2. What's the strangest thing you believed as a child?

Honestly I can't really answer this question.  My parents were always pretty direct with us as kids about the way the world worked- they would explain things truthfully, though perhaps more simply and more "kid-friendly", but never an outright lie.  For example, the answer to the question, "Where do babies come from?" was something along the lines of "When a Mommy and a Daddy love each other very much, they pray very hard, and then God gives them a baby."  Which is true, if extremely simplistic.  I never believed you could get pregnant by kissing, nor did I believe Mommy ate the baby and that's how the baby got in her tummy.  My parents were pretty elaborate about Santa, though; we sometimes got handwritten notes from him, especially the year that I heard him delivering his gifts in the living room and got up to investigate.  We woke to a stern note from Mr Claus explaining that if I had seen him, he would've been forced to leave our house present-less- luckily for us, I've always been basically blind without my glasses, so I didn't see anyone in the dark and got straight back in bed.  I totally believed the threat, though.  Does that count?

Oh, how about this- I had an imaginary friend.  My aunt was a teenager, and one time she was talking to her friend Jacqueline on the phone and she let me talk to her.  I was maybe 6, and I don't know what I would've talked to this girl about but I loved telling people that I had spoken on the phone to a girl named Jacqueline, and recounting the details of the conversation.  The more times I told people about this grand event, the more complicated our conversation became, until finally somebody called me out- "We were standing right there, you didn't talk to Jacqueline about that."  That's because it was a different conversation with Jacqueline, you see.  We were best friends now, and we spoke on the phone all the time.  And when we moved, Jacqueline moved, too- right across the street from us.  I'm pretty sure she was a full-fledged imaginary friend who would play with me even though nobody else could see her.  So yeah, Jacqueline- that's the craziest thing I ever believed.

3. What is your favorite amusement park ride?

Was there ever a doubt?

Mission: Space at EPCOT is, hands down, the single coolest amusement park ride I've ever been on.  It's an incredible concept, it is a mastery of Imagineering, and every single detail, from the queue to the safety briefing to the ride itself, are completely spot on.  I'm so glad Mr. Geek refused to let me chicken out on him- this ride is amazing.

4. What's on your summer reading list?

image via Amazon

I have a nice big stack of books I've received as gifts since Christmas (maybe even earlier) and it's really time I got around to reading them.  This one is the top of the list.  I think I'll renew my reading-on-my-lunch-break habit.

5. Have you ever fallen asleep in public?

On planes, in cars, on buses, between classes at a dance convention, during a movie very, very late at night that was not as good as I'd hoped it'd be, at work....

Yeah, all the time.

We were joking earlier when Miss Chief proclaimed, "Mommy sleepy," that, yes, since the day I got pregnant- since the day I became Mommy- I have been sleepy.  It's a permanent state of being.

6. What is your favorite smell?

He smells pretty good, too

Ooh, that's a tough one.  Either brownies baking in the oven, or a freshly bathed baby.

Two of the absolute best smells in the world.

Head on over to Catholic All Year and give your answers!

Much love,
The Geeks

Twenty Random Things About Mrs Geek

1. In high school, I thought I was being called to the religious life.  I felt a yearning to do something that made the world a better place, a call to be a teacher, and a desire to travel the world.  This led me to the conclusion that I should become a nun and live in Africa and teach at a school for girls.  (It didn't hurt that the daughter of my parents' friends did that exact thing and then came and talked to our parish about it.)  I also assumed I would be a terrible mother and felt no real call towards motherhood, leading me to believe that I shouldn't get married.  Basically my logic worked like this- women who were good mom material became wives and mothers, and women who were not became nuns.  Ergo, I was destined for the habit.  I don't think my parents ever wanted that for me, though, because they continuously pointed out that I was a little boy-crazy and constantly in need of a boyfriend, which I couldn't have if I was cloistered away somewhere (or, you know, in Africa, but I think they were in denial about that bit).  But then a nun pointed out to my mom that being a nun doesn't mean you can't like boys, so that line of reasoning dried up after a while.  It doesn't mean I didn't really struggle with my discernment to a vocation, especially as my senior year boyfriend and I got ever more serious and I realized the benefits of a potential marriage and a lifelong partner.  Sometime in my freshman year of college, even as I was realizing that this boyfriend was not the right match for me, I all of a sudden felt an overwhelming call to motherhood- I needed to (one day) give birth to my own children, no question.  I still thought I'd be pretty bad at it and struggled with the idea that my potential future children would hate me, but I inexplicably knew that it was what I was supposed to do.

2. I've always wanted to be a redhead.  In middle school and high school, I pestered my mom to let me dye my hair or at least get highlights, but she never let me- she always said it wasn't a good idea to damage my hair when I was still so young, and I think secretly she was afraid the color would turn out awful and I didn't exactly need any help in the awkward department.  First I wanted a dark chestnut brown, then goth black, then strawberry blonde, then cobalt blue, then real ginger red...basically anything but my mousy, dirty blonde.  By the time I got to college, I still had an itch for red hair, and the ability to do something about it, but I never pulled the trigger.  After we got married, I did the whole post-wedding chop thing, and I promised myself that when it grew back out, the next extreme hair-makeover I did would be to finally dye it.  Buuuut then I got pregnant.  And then, you know, the baby was born.  And now I just don't have time to get my hair done (though if I did, I'd want more of a maroonish red with dark undertones).  But I feel like if I dye my hair red now people will just think I'm copying my (beautiful) daughter...

3. My drink of choice is a whiskey and Sprite.  Maker's Mark, to be specific.

4. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite candy ever.

5. If I had to pick one city to live in for the rest of my life, I'd choose Blacksburg, VA.  It's a beautiful town and is consistently rated one of the best places to raise a family- it's not your typical college town.

6. I've performed with the Moscow Ballet.  It's really not as impressive as it sounds- when I was in middle school, they were touring their Nutcracker and auditioning for the children's parts in each town.  I auditioned and landed a role as a mouse for both the matinee and evening performance.  I know, I know, it's silly, but it was one of the only children's roles that had a part in both acts of the show, so I had considerable stage time compared to some of the other kids.  I brought my old pointe shoes and had some of the professional ballerinas sign them.

7. I secretly love Taylor Swift's music, even though I can't stand her as a person.

8. Hallowe'en is my favorite holiday because costumes!  Also candy!

9. If you're wondering what to get me for a gift-giving occasion, kitchen supplies are a safe bet.  Mr. Geek and I have a shared Google Document with a list of things I'd like for the kitchen in case he's ever stumped on what to get me.

10. Saint Augustine is my favorite saint.  Seven-year-old me had always seen saints as perfect, untouchable beings who I could never hope to live up to, but Saint Augustine was just a normal boy who became a very bad boy who completely turned his life around and made it to Heaven after all.  Of course, the more I studied the saints, the more I found stories of extreme conversion (which is kind of the point of saints), but Saint Augustine was the first to give me hope that holiness is truly achievable for all of us.

11. I hate snow.

12. Belle is my favorite Disney princess but Leia is a very close second.

13. Disney Imagineering has always been my dream job.  I'm still holding out hope that I'll get there one day.

14. Mr Geek and I recently discovered Archer and we LOVE it.

15. While I loved the Song of Ice and Fire book series, I'm not a huge fan of the TV show.  I only watched maaaaaybe half of season 1 of Game of Thrones and was just not impressed.  Part of what I like about the books is the pace- which, yes, is slow, because there is so much detail.  And not like Jules Verne details- it's not hundreds of pages describing the colors of the fish swimming by- but character-building details, so that when people do things that seem completely out of left field, it's at least not out of character.  The TV show, by nature of the medium, just feels so rushed by contrast.  Also I keep hearing about all the plot changes and I just have no desire to watch that, so.  Here's hoping he finishes the books...

16. I love the Disney show Gravity Falls.  Mr. Geek always asks me how old I am when he catches me watching it, and I tell him to shut up because it's super clever and funny.

17. I have a serious baby clothing habit.  I just can't help it.  Little Miss Chief has a completely full closet and I can't. stop. buying. it.

18. Iron Man is my favorite super hero because his super power is his BRAIN.  He's an engineer!  I mean seriously.

19. I'm not a beer drinker.  I'm not intentionally trying to be annoying or anything, I just prefer cider.

20. I'm very particular about the way I sort laundry.  I sort by color- like, individual colors- and then group like colors together so that in the end I do a load of whites, a load of darks, and a load of brights.  I could just sort them that way to begin with, but I have to have my process.

All right, there we go- 20 things!  What are some random things about you?

Much love,
The Geeks

Potter Talk: Tom's Worst Memory

Harry Potter is and will always be my favorite book series because every time I read it, I find something new- new insights into the characters or new, subtle themes I'd never picked up on before.  And Mr Geek is and always will be my perfect partner because the same is true for him.  The other night, we stayed up all night discussing one of his new theories, and it felt just like we were back in the middle of The Three-Year Summer (the period of time between the publishing of books 4 and 5).  This lively conversation inspired me to start sharing some of our theories and observances, and solicit your thoughts on the topics.  Sound like fun?

Hogsmeade, Orlando, FL // *personal photo*

So the other day, Mr. Geek brought up a really good point about Harry's worst memory- the one that he relives whenever the Dementors are near:

It can't possibly be his memory.

Harry was just over a year old when his parents were murdered.  There is no possible way that a 13-year-old kid can remember something that happened when he was a year old- especially not in such detail.  So why does Harry hear his mother screaming so clearly?  Why does he see a green light?  Why is he able to recall the order of events that night so very long ago, before his long-term memory had fully developed?

Mr. Geek's theory is that this is not, in fact, Harry's memory, but Voldemort's memory, and the connection established between the two of them is what allows him to experience it.  In other words, it's not his own brain remembering the night his parents died, but, rather, it's his connection to Voldemort that's allowing him to access the images and sounds of that night.

And he goes one step further with this theory.  Mr. Geek believes that this isn't just Tom Riddle's memory- it's actually Tom Riddle's worst memory, and that the Dementors are essentially triggering a memory stored in the horcrux inside Harry.  Now, obviously, the day his parents were murdered probably qualifies as the worst day of Harry's life, but, without this connection to Voldemort, he could never possibly have remembered it.  Harry was mentally, emotionally, and even physically abused by his family and schoolmates growing up- surely he has plenty of worst memories that he could relive in the presence of a Dementor.  But that fateful night could certainly qualify as Tom Riddle's worst memory- it was the night he lost everything!

Mr. Geek's final bit of proof is that when Harry escapes Voldemort once more in Godric's Hollow in book 7, their mental connection very clearly gives Harry the full view of the events of that night from Voldemort's point of view- from his walk down the street until the exact moment that the curse rebounded.

And his scream was Harry's scream, his pain was Harry's pain...that it could happen here, where it had happened before...here, within sight of that house where he had come so close to knowing what it was to die...

Voldemort's worst memory would most definitely be that of the night when he almost died, as, to him, this is the worst thing that could ever happen- his worst fear.

These arguments are convincing, but I'm not sure this is what Jo intended when she had 13-year-old Harry remembering a night from toddlerhood.

While a baby that young may not have developed a long-term memory, extremely traumatic events can have a psychological impact on us, even if we can't remember the events themselves.  It is pretty realistic that young Harry would dream about a bright green light, and you may even be able to convince me that he might dream about a woman screaming, though his subconscious might not be able to recreate the images his infant eyes had seen.  Furthermore, this might be one of those side effects of having magical blood- having a really good memory.  After all, Harry also grows up dreaming about his flight in Hagrid's motorbike, and Voldemort wasn't there for that.  (Mr. Geek disputes this argument by pointing out that if wizards had such great memories, then people like Ron could never do poorly on exams.  My counter-argument is that Ron would have to have paid attention during a lecture in order to remember any of it.  Mr. Geek's counter-counter argument is that Neville pays attention and is still not a stellar student.)  Or, perhaps, the Dementors are able to pull out something buried so very deep in a person's psyche and expound upon it, such that your worst memory could potentially be something you never actually remembered until the happiness-sucking Dementors are in your presence.  Furthermore, I think Jo's point in labeling this memory as Harry's worst memory- this memory his little brain was not capable of storing for that long- is to show us that the death of a parent profoundly affects a person for the rest of his life, regardless of how well he remembers the exact details of the death itself.  After all, most of the Potter series is Jo's own coming to terms with her mother's death many years after she was gone.

So what do you think?  Is this Harry's worst memory, or is it Tom Riddle's?  Is the whole thing just a metaphor for dealing with trauma, a plot device to give us a glimpse at what actually happened the night that Harry became The Boy Who Lived without having to just tell us about it, or was it intentional?  Did Jo intend for the explanation of Harry's memory of that night to be the horcrux Voldemort unintentionally left behind, or is this one of those "I'm not good at math or science" moments where she doesn't quite understand how the human brain functions?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Much love,
The Geeks

Bookish Adventures: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

It's been a while since I've done a book review here- a long while.  But I finally have time to read again, and although I'm not shooting for one book a month like I was way back in 2013, I do figure I can share my thoughts on what I read here, from time to time.

*personal photo*

I had never read any of Neil Gaiman's work.  I've seen Coraline and I've seen Stardust and I've obviously seen the episodes he's written for Doctor Who, but I've never taken the time to sit down and read any of his books.

I don't know how he knew- I didn't specifically mention Neil Gaiman as an author I'm interested in- but Mr Geek got this for me for Christmas when I had been dying to read it for some time now.  When he asked me what sorts of books I might like, I mentioned the series I had started but not finished- Divergent and The Mortal Instruments, to be specific.  But I think he secretly wants to pull me out of the rabbit hole that is YA literature I've fallen into since graduating college- or at least out of the more cliched bits of YA because, as someone famous once said, it seems we use the term "young adult fiction" to describe books that we actually enjoy reading.  But somehow Mr Geek knew that this was the sort of book that would satisfy my taste for sci-fi/fantasy and coming-of-age stories without being too terribly juvenile, and boy was he right.

This book is beautiful.  It's a little scary, in the way that Coraline is a little scary, and it's a little convoluted at times, in the way that Doctor Who is convoluted at times, but mostly it's just beautiful.  It's interesting- now that I'm a mother, I find it very difficult to read stories or watch movies where children are left on their own to get into dangerous situations.  Even though the stories would never get interesting if these children were not left to go on adventures, I can't help but sit there and wonder, "Where is his mother through all of this?!"  And it's equally heart-wrenching for me to read about children who feel neglected or unloved or alone- it makes me want to go grab Chief out of her crib and hold her tight and never let her go (because obviously I only have time to read when she's asleep).  But, of course, our protagonist would never learn anything about the world or about himself if he were not allowed to encounter danger, and he would never have the opportunity to be so very, very brave if he started out the story feeling secure and loved and whole, so eventually I am able to forget my annoyance with his parents- or at least push it to the side- and become engrossed in his adventures.

I think my favorite part of this book is the way the details unfold slowly- Gaiman only gives you information when you strictly need it, not all at once, and the boy's name is never actually revealed, he's just "I" and "me" the whole time, so that you can perfectly inject yourself into his brain and see the world through his eyes.  It is not readily apparent from the novel's opening that anything particularly fantastic is about to happen, although the title leads one to believe that there is at least a bit of whimsy in store.

I really don't want to spoil anything for you if you have not read it- least of all delicately unfolding plot or the truths about life that it reveals- so the only other thing I will say is that reading this book has confirmed for me that I need to go out, right now, and acquire every piece of fiction Neil Gaiman has ever penned and then try to control my appetite so that I don't gobble it up too quickly.

Have you read this beautiful book?  What did you think?  What have you read lately?

Much love,
The Geeks

Wordless Wednesday: Reading

Reading "Love You Forever" // *personal photo*

Much love,
The Geeks

Oh, Internet... {58}

It was so nice having a day off this week.  We slept in, lounged around all morning, and then went out and hit the sales!  That's my idea of a good day :)

And here's my idea of a good week on the internet!

I'm in the market for a new coat and I love this one from ModCloth!

I think I may be getting this for Chief for Christmas... // via ThinkGeek

Merry Pizzamas!  // via DFTBA

As always, Carrots for Michaelmas has a beautiful reflection on life on her blog this week- this time on marriage.  (She posted it the same day as my anniversary post...and managed to say what I was trying to say but much more eloquently!)

What happened on your internet this week?

Much love,
The Geeks