Books, Recipes, and Parties...oh my...

How much can I cram into one little post? I guess we'll find out. Let me start with my thoughts on February's book.

Thereby Hangs a Tail - Spencer Quinn

This is the second "Chet and Bernie Mystery" in the series. I will admit that I found the story in the first book to be a bit slow, but I LOVED the fact that it was from the dog's point of view. Chet is an awesome narrator. Easily distracted, but entirely loyal to his partner and dedicated to his work, Chet is easy for any dog owner/lover to relate to. Sometimes I believe his thoughts would be echoed perfectly in my dogs' heads. The story in this book was more interesting to me as well, and Chet didn't disappoint. There are times in this book (as well as the first) that I was laughing out loud. I'll admit that I identified the bad-guys long before the end of the mystery. So far I would definitely recommend these books to anyone who loves dogs. The stories are entertaining and the books are really runny. Readers be warned though: Chet does occasionally run into people who are less than savory and who aren't inclined to be nice to dogs. (This book was better than the first in that Chet didn't get into nearly as much trouble.) And you know, I'm still trying to figure out what breed he might belong to. :)

Second, let's talk about the new recipes I tried this week. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but you can find the links here:

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/12/slow-cooker-parmesan-honey-pork-roast.html

and here:

http://norikoburky.com/?p=91

The first was a crock pot honey parmesan pork roast. And it was good. We'll definitely be adding it to our recipe list, though we probably won't be making the gravy again. Josh and I both thought it was too overpowering. The second, the creamy avocado lime pasta was pretty tasty when it was fresh, but after a couple of hours it turned an unappetizing brown and lost much of its flavor. This is definitely I dish I would recommend serving almost immediately.

And what's next? Oh yes. Parties. Last night was Josh's birthday party. I have been planning a murder mystery dinner. I was very excited but very nervous at the same time. This really is the first "theme" party I have planned. It was a lot of work, but I am happy to say that it seemed to be a hit. We had 24 people, so I had to break us up into three groups. Our time period was ancient Rome, and nearly everyone came dressed up. Here are some pictures:

There was a lot of noise in my parents' basement, as everyone really seemed to get into character and "arguments" (fake of course) and accusations were flying everywhere. I am relieved it's over, but glad that it was a success.

At last, but definitely not least, our little man is 7 months old today! Some of his favorite things include his My Pal Scout, which he got from his Auntie Kathrine, jumping in his jumparoo, kicking his feet (and kicking, and kicking, and kicking), and eating "real" (baby) food. His favorites so far are sweet potatoes and bananas, but I have to say that the only thing he hasn't liked is peaches. He is sitting up on his own now and is working really hard at learning to crawl, but I think he still has a long way to go. He has discovered his voice for sure, and alternates between shrieking and blowing raspberries at everything.