33 posts tagged “books”

• Had my youngest 2 children.  One in 2000 and one in 2002.
• "Retired" and became a stay at home mom in 2003.
• Spent 5 years in a book club.
• Served on church council and started directing 3 musical groups at church.
• Learned to play handbells.
• Made lifelong friends.
• Moved home to MT.
• Put a large addition on a house.
• Built a house.
• Entered my 30's.  I'm now on the downward side and I must say, my 30's have been the best!
• Traveled to Pittsburgh twice (Steelers games), Las Vegas, Jamaica, South Carolina, Wyoming, Minnesota, Glacier National Park, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Disney World twice, and Utah.
• Was part of a Babysitting Co-op.
• Became interested in landscape photography.
• Served on PTO.
• Volunteered with various groups.
• Said goodbye to one dog and hello to a new one.
• Started a blog ;)

Thumbs Down:

1. A woman looked at our house last week and just loved it.  She brought her husband to see it on Monday and he was very quiet except to say one of the bathroom's needed remodeling and they'd already done a lot of that on their current house.  Our realtor is hoping the woman just needed some time to talk her husband into it.  I'm afraid it was a woman who thought she needed a new house and her husband didn't. 
2. I was a crabby patty today.  It's not very often that I'm in a cranky mood all day but this was one of them.  Several little things that put me in the mood. 
3. My great uncle passed away.  He was my step grandpa's brother.  Grandpa died when I was 12 but he lived in town and I spent tons of time with him.  Out of his 3 brothers, this was the one I was closest to.  He and his wife have lived in AZ the past 10 years and had just moved back to MT to be closer to family.  I've made at least 3 trips to Billings and wanted to stop and see them but always had other things to do.  Now, I regret waiting.  I'd also like to go to his funeral tomorrow but it's not going to work out.  He has such a twinkle in his eye.

Thumbs Up:

1. We really are making good progress on the house.  We've started painting the basement even though we don't plan to totally finish the basement right away.  The tile is done in the foyer and Lily's bathroom floor and shower.  Ray's started hanging interior doors and putting on base trim so the carpet installer can come.  2/3 of the kitchen cabinets are done.  I need to get pictures of some of the lights Ray's installed because they are gorgeous!  We're very tentatively hoping to be in around the end of the month.  (No laughing, mom).
2. There's no school tomorrow so Ray's taking the boys hunting.  This will be Cody's first time going as an official "hunter" since passing Hunter's Safety.
3. The 1st quarter is done at school.  Cody really struggled the past few years but is finally taking school more seriously.  There is still room for improvement but he made the Honor Roll so we're very proud.  All his teachers had great things to say.  This is Jace's first year to receive letter grades and he earned all A's and B's.  He's also suddenly taken a huge interest in reading.  He's always hated reading but is now reading 300 page novels!!  Lily is also doing well.  All of the kids' teachers are very impressed with their transition into new schools.  It truly has been amazing and we couldn't have asked for the move to be any smoother.
4. Cody has started Middle School wrestling and his first tournament is Saturday.  Wrestling is such a different environment here.  In Jamestown, Cody was teased a lot for being a wrestler instead of playing hockey or basketball.  Here, wrestling is huge!  Last night, they had a photo shoot for their team poster!!  He's best friend here is also a wrestler and a super, nice kid.
5. Though the weather in October was awful, November is off to a gorgeous start.  It's even supposed to hit 60 tomorrow.

 

Show us what book is on your night stand.

Thumbs Down:

1. 20 miles of driving in heavy snow last night.  At least it was only 20 miles because it got a lot worse once we reached my parents' house.
2. Big Ben being injured in Sunday's football game.  It was terrible just listening to it on the radio without being able to see what was going on!
3. Having to go home tomorrow.

Thumbs Up:

1. Awesome skiing in Bozeman.  They got 10 inches of snow the night we arrived.  Two full days and I never fell once :)  Lily's getting way too good and scares me because I think she goes too fast.
2. Seeing lots of friends & family.
3. The awesome deal I got on Christmas ornaments at Cracker Barrel.
4. Having lunch with 2 of my best friends from school today.
5. Getting my very first cashmere sweater.
6. Reading 2 good books over the vacation and starting on a 3rd.
7. Winning at pinochle Monday & Tuesday nights.  Take that boys!

• Ray made it home last night.  It was soooo nice to have him back.  He'd been awake for 24 hrs so he took this morning off.  It was Cody's class's turn to lead the school's monthly Mass so Ray got to see it for the first time.  Cody was one of the singers.  After Mass, Ray & I had lunch at Perkins and then he decided he should go make sure the plant was still running.
• I simply must get my passport.  Ray's December meeting is going to be in Aruba or the Dominican Republic!  December is a horribly busy time but I'm really going to try and make it work.  I just hope some other wives are going or I won't know what to do with myself during the day.
• Lily passed into Level 3 of skating.  This is a huge milestone because now she moves from practice on Wednesday nights to Tuesdays.  That will really relieve our Wednesday night madness.  I also promised her a skating dress when she passed into Level 3 so I better start searching eBay.
• Lily starts swim lessons tonight.  Thursdays will be nuts for awhile now.  Swim lessons at 3:30.  Soccer practice at 5:30.  Football game at 6:30.  And tonight, I'm supposed to attend book club at 8:30 but it just ain't happenin'.  Exactly when supper is supposed to happen, I don't know.

After we were all exhausted from the Mall of America, we drove to Rochester to Mello's house.  We had a yummy supper of appetizers and pizza and watched the Olympics.  Melissa & her husband are wine connoisseurs and brew their own.  I'm not a wine fan so Ray had to drink mine hence the double fisted drinking.

Le-Ann and her 8 yr old son, Jared, came to Rochester with us while her husband and other 2 sons stayed in Minneapolis.

Melissa thought she should try out Lily's hair piece from Club Libby Lu.  Isn't it a great look for her?

At the MOA, Cody had a hat airbrushed with his name on it.

Melissa & her daughter, Bailey

Melissa's husband, Brian, decided to join our family

Cody wanted to try out their treadmill and was running on it when Jace decided he should try it.  Cody had our permission but we wouldn't have let Jace as he's a bit clutsy.  He finds the injury embarrassing so came up with the story that he was injured while bull fighting.

Sunday morning, Melissa made us this magnificent breakfast of pancakes, sausage, bacon, and fresh fruit.  Then, we went to visit a local winery.

 

 

I loved the old barn

To reward the kids for going to the winery, we took them go-karting

Cody & Joey

Our entire group

Next, Melissa took us on a tour of downtown Rochester which is pretty neat. 

There's a Barnes & Noble store located in a renovated theater

Reflections

 

I think I'll conclude today's post there as it's already getting long.

As I mentioned previously, this month we read

"Wicked" for book club.  The book was chosen because our book club founder who moved to Michigan last summer had moved back to the mid-west into Aberdeen, SD.  We decided this was definitely going to require a road trip one month for our meeting.  Aberdeen is home to Storybook Land, including the Land of Oz.  So, B thought it would be fun to stay with the theme. 

Unfortunately, only 6 of the 14 of us were able to make the trip.  We left around 4:30 and all piled into S's SUV.  When we arrived at B's, chicken kabobs were ready from the grill along with some wonderful bread (I absolutely have to find it), and fruit.  Dessert consisted of Better Than Sex cake.  In the past, I've never quite agreed with the title.  However, B's cake lived up to the name!  She also decorated her table with green in honor of the book.

We had a lively discussion.  I gave the book a rating of 3 on a scale of 1-5 meaning I feel pretty neutral about it.  The book held my attention but it was just so bizarre.  If I were going to use one word to describe it, it would be 'demented'.  There was a wide range of views on the book which always makes for the best discussions.  I have to say I enjoy it more after hearing other people's opinions which often happens.  We all feel compelled to now read the novel, "The Wizard of Oz", hoping it would clear up some of the questions we have about "Wicked".

The reason B's family moved back to the mid-west was because her husband decided to go into ministry.  They live in a parsonage right next door to their church so we got a tour which is when this photo was taken.  B is on my left.

I feel the need to share a little more about B because she's also a children's author.  She has her own publishing company, Bubble Gum Press, and has published 3 books so far.  My personal favorite is

If you know anyone in the military, this book is a must have!  I still can't get through it without crying and I don't know anyone in the military!  She's currently in the process of writing her first children's chapter book series.

Show us the book you're reading right now.
Submitted by Strive2Be.

This is for our August book club  meeting.  I'm about 60 pages in and its sure not what I expected. 

The first night that Cody spent in his new room, Lily slept with Jace.  They were up late with friends and we knew they'd get to sleep faster since Lily was whining.  The 2nd night, Lily again slept in Jace's room but this time on Cody's old bed instead of in the same bed as Jace.  At about 1:00 am, she came into our room and crawled into bed with us.  An hour later, Jace came and wanted to get in bed with us but there was no room.  Ray & I were really tired so Ray got annoyed and told him to go back to bed.  Jace rarely gets up during the night so I had a feeling he really needed us and while Ray was taking Lily to bed, I went to check on Jace.  He was sobbing.  Lily ended up waking while Ray was carrying her back to bed so he just put her in bed with Jace again and I laid by both of them for about 20 minutes.

Last night was the 3rd night for Cody to be in his new room.  He's doing great with it and didn't even have Rascal with him last night.  However, when it came time for bed, Jace started sobbing again.  Its really rare for him to cry like that and he finally spilled out that he wanted Cody back in his room.  He didn't want Lily, Rascal, or to go sleep in Cody's new room.  He just wanted Cody back.  It totally broke my heart.  He hadn't expressed any concern about Cody's upcoming move downstairs and I'd been too worried about Cody & me to consider how he might feel.  They've shared a room since Jace was born so it really should have dawned on us that it could be an issue.

First, I let Jace pick out a book for me to read him.  He ended up picking a novel so I said we'd read 2 chapters and then one more chapter each night.  We also let him have Rascal for the night.  After those chapters were read, he started crying again.  I laid down with him for awhile until I thought he was asleep but the moment I got up, he was upset again.  Then, Ray came in and sang and played guitar for quite awhile.  He thought Jace was asleep but he got upset when Ray left.  Jace is usually the first to sleep at night between the kids and it was now nearing 11 pm and we were getting tired & cranky ourselves.  We finally just had to initiate some tough love.  (It was like having a toddler again).  Jace's room is the original master bedroom in our home so it opens into the master bath, which opens into our walk-in closet, and then our bedroom.  We left all the doors open so we could talk back and forth, if needed.  He finally went to sleep.

At 1:30 am, he woke up.  I went in and laid with him for about 15 minutes.  The minute I left, he was up crying again.  I said I'd stand in the door for 5 minutes but that was it.  Once again, tough love was initiated.  I told him if he woke up after 5 am, he could crawl in bed with us.  I was amazed that he slept until 7 without waking up.  Of course, he did remember this morning that I had promised a sleepover and a new Webkinz if he did well at night.  He hadn't agreed to those ideas at the time so we'll have to work out the agreement.  If anybody has other ideas, I'm open to them.  If not, please pray that each night goes better.  I hate to see him hurting so much.

This was our selection for my book club in July.  We had our meeting last night.  I'd been excited to read this because I loved "The Kite Runner".  As opposed to "The Kite Runner" which is about the plight of men in Afghanistan, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is about the plight of women.  It begins shortly before the Soviets invade and ends post - 9/11.

The book is a fast read but about 2/3 through I had to put it down.  I simply couldn't read about the abuse anymore.  I waited a few days to pick it back up and that was about the time things began to turn around for the better.  It has what everyone in my book club would call a 'Heather ending'.  On a scale of 1 - 5 with 1 being hated it and 5 being loved it, I rated the book a 4+.  Aside from two 3's, everyone else gave it 4's and 5's so it was well received by the group. 

I do highly recommend it.  Its very eye opening and makes me damn happy to live in America.