A book I read

I finished two books in January. Which will probably be two more than I finish the rest of the year. I've shared books before on here and I know no one actually cares what I've read but just in case someone wants to talk about it with me or wants a recommendation/warning, here we go again. The first one is The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson.

I followed Rainn on twitter and Instagram for several years and he almost never posted about The Office or Dwight. He was always posting about his wife, son, Zonkey, his faith or his charity Lidé Haiti. I found out he had written a book a few years after it was published and put it on my to-read list and just recently got around to it. 

Rainn has one of the strongest senses of self that seeps out of his words. He talks a lot about life events of course, but he talks more about how the things he has done and chosen have shaped him as a person. He discusses, life, God, religion, death and purpose in a way that doesn't close you off but rather makes you feel more open and hopeful and more understood.

A few favorite quotes because he says it better than I could paraphrase.

When you see a lifeless form, you realize so clearly that we are not our bodies. 

Stories not only entertain us but tell us who and why we are, and what we believe collectively and individually.

 I don't know anything.

I've read several books written by actors, comedians, or other creatives and Rainn's has been my favorite so far. 10/10 would recommend. Here is a link to buy the book on Amazon.

Magic

There are little things that happen each day (sometimes few and far between, but they still happen) that make my insides feel like someone stuck a little flame in there. I guess “warms my heart” would be the phrase I hear most people use but that sounds superficial compared to what I feel. 

It’s as if actual heat pumps out of my heart and spreads to my extremities.

It happens when Alice leans in to kiss Tyler. 

It happens when Tyler hugs me just a little longer, because he feels what I need.

It happens when Tyler kisses me and that makes Alice laugh.

Her laugh, every time she laughs. 

Tyler and Alice have this thing he calls cheek time. She lays her cheek on his and rests there for a while, calm as can be.

It happens when one of us hides and she looks for us. 

It also happens when she's super whiney and pulls on my pants until I pick her up. 

And it happens when either of them rest their head on me. 

Halfway How-To January 2018

I decided to call this a halfway how-to. Partly because I'm not really going to give you instructions for how to do it, mostly because writing instructions doesn't appeal to me. And partly because the way I do DIY projects is not exactly the most correct or efficient way to do them and may actually be the lazy way, and the method of least resistance. Therefore this information is not reliable nor is it detailed and complete. And you probably just asked yourself why you are still here. So see ya!

For those of you that stuck around, here are some photos of the most recent projects we've been working on in the Larsen home.

I've made ornaments for every Christmas since we've been married. I originally just wrote the year on the back with a sharpie and that looked okay. And there was the unfortunate year of 2015 when I thought it would be a good idea to use glitter ModPodge. PSA for anyone thinking they should use glitter ModPodge it is MOSTLY glitter.

But I think I've got it down now. I burn whatever I want onto the back of the slice. Then I ModPodge the picture onto the other side.

*Fun Fact: these wood slices are our wedding vases. Tyler cut them up for me and I've been putting them to good use ever since.

Then I put the hook into the top, cut that string and tie it on. These are my very favorite ornaments because they are memories. And I love that I get to make them all different and unique.

Over Tyler's last school break he built us a TV stand/media console/bookshelf. We'd talked about needing something with doors to keep Alice from her favorite game of pulling stuff off shelves (if you've watched my Instagram Stories then you know).