Tales From a Mom in Training

A Great New Book

2011-08-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this as a goodreads first-reads giveaway.

I really loved this book. It is well-written and so unique. I did have a slight nagging on occasion that Max and Shelly's attraction to one another could have initially been more believable, but, as stated, the nagging was slight. And the rest of the story more than made up for it. I loved the characters and all of the stories on the "slight detour." It's amazing when an author can spend so much time recounting side-stories, yet still develop the central characters so much. This is Sotto's first novel, but I hope not the last!

My one major complaint: Where is the recipe for the baked eggs? Must...have...baked...eggs!

View all my reviews

Why Have I Not Read This Already?

2011-06-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

True Grit by Charles Portis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was only a few minutes into True Grit when I knew I would love it. I felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of continuing it. And while the story itself is not wholly spectacular, Mattie's voice is. I loved every moment of it. This book submerged me completely in another time and place. I have only read a few Westerns, but I usually enjoy them (see: Lonesome Dove), but True Grit is definitely at the top and I plan to read it again. And probably again.

**Audio Version: I was very impressed by the narration, even though a couple of the voices were a bit shaky. And I was slightly distracted by occasionally hearing swallowing, etc. But she definitely had Mattie's voice down and Rooster's as well. And there is no doubt that the story lends itself to verbal storytelling.

View all my reviews

The Map of True Places

2011-05-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to win this book through a goodreads giveaway and I am so glad! It was on my "to-read" list anyway, because I did enjoy The Lace Reader (which, also taking place in Salem, leaked into this book a few times). But I liked this one so much more. I was slightly worried at the beginning because I was afraid that too many story-lines were beginning in various places in time. The fact is that it all comes together artfully. There is a lot of suspense and I literally didn't put the book down for the entire last half! The characters are well-written and complex. Every person is completely three-dimensional.

There are a lot of loose ends that need tying up by the end. There is a point where they all start clicking into place (some things predictable--some not so much). But all in all things come to a satisfactory end despite some heartache and loss.

It is nice to read something that isn't entirely in the normal vein of thinking. This novel has several elements that you just sort of give yourself over to because they are so intriguing. I will definitely keep my eyes open for more books by Barry.

View all my reviews

Read this Series! (Start With Book One)

2011-03-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I zoomed through this book as my house (specifically--laundry) crumbled around me. And it was worth it. I love the characters. Almost no one is angelically perfect or completely evil, so it is sometimes unclear who to root for. I found myself sympathizing with the bad guys and wondering if some of the good guys are really bad. I don't know how I will manage until the third book is published later this year. If I had one complaint it would be that I couldn't always reconcile the action with the provided map. That always bugs me. But that is seriously minor in the scheme of things. What a great book/series!

View all my reviews

I'm Sorry Natalie, Another Book Review

2011-03-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had a sense of impending doom as I read this book. And as much as I enjoyed reading what was happening in the moment, there was so much apprehension as I progressed through it (rather quickly, I might add). I also can't say that I was completely surprised with the outcome, although there were a few slight surprises. But the way the novel is written makes, what might have been formulaic in another author's hand, something very beautiful and touching in a completely non-cheesy way.

I don't know anyone exactly like Tully, and I think she is an extreme most of the time. But her character is consistent--even as she changes and grows. Kate is a little easier to relate to. They both annoyed and angered me at times, but I envy their relationship and will miss them now that the book is over. I have a feeling, however, that this is not a book that I will forget any time soon.

View all my reviews

Another Flower Book

2011-03-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't like this as well as the first, but it is a pretty solid second in a series. The central characters from The Pink Carnation shift to the background as others take center stage. That fact didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. There are situations where, based on the first book, I thought I knew where they would go. And I was wrong. That is not to say that there isn't any predictability, but this was a pretty original story. The story-within-a-story is the main focus, but Eloise Kelly--researcher of all things Pink Carnation related--and her story inch along. I am not sure if an entire week has passed in the real world. But it is interesting enough and I like Eloise.

I might take a slight break from this series, but I have every intention of returning. I love that there are several more out there that I really don't have to wait to read.

**Audio Review: I enjoyed Kate Reading's narration in the first book that I decided to continue with the audio.

View all my reviews

The Awakening

2011-03-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally! After about 20 years on my to-read list I have finished it! I don't know why I thought this would be a daunting read. It is relatively easy to read, but very complex in its themes and tone. I wonder how I would have viewed it had I read it 20 years ago. I think that motherhood has allowed me to see it through different eyes.

Edna is extremely selfish, once she is "awakened." But does she have the right to be? Just because she came to certain realizations after committing to a life as a wife and a mother (and very particular ones at that), should these realizations be suppressed?

I think that every wife and mother can relate to Edna on some level. But her actions are so completely foreign to me in this day and age that, similarities aside, it is hard for me to grasp her complete embrace of selfishness. I don't think she was that confined in the first place, but the reality of her perceived oppression can't be denied. There were times when I began to think that she is completely oblivious to the duties she is abandoning until she makes it clear that she is well aware and, aside from a slight twinge of guilt, she doesn't care.

I am glad I read this (I wanted to read along with my 15 year old). The overall feel of this novel will remain with me for a long time.

View all my reviews

Should be easier...Right?

2011-03-02T20:47:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what makes a death anniversary so difficult. I mean, he is no more gone today than he was yesterday or last month or last year. That said, it is still impossible not to dwell on that horrific day four years ago.

But this year one significant thing has changed for me. Over the years I have struggled to call up a picture in my head of the "before" Erik. The Erik before the drugs and the illnesses. It has been heartbreaking for the "after" Erik to be forever present in my mind when the "before" Erik was around for so much longer. But a few months ago, without going into too much detail, I had a poignant dream. In the dream I saw Erik. We were in a theater of sorts and my siblings and I were gathered around him talking about who knows what. It didn't seem to matter. What was important was that he was himself. His smile was genuine and there was that certain sparkle that he always had in his eyes. He was my brother Erik.

The peace that dream has given me is no small thing. I think about it often and I it begins to replace the ill Erik in my mind. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that seemingly small yet profound thing.

Another recent positive note is that a friend of my sister's kindly and amazingly took bunches of Erik's old shirts and make quilts for each of his siblings and my mom. She also made a pillow for my dad and grandma. They are AMAZING!! I will cherish it forever.

I am sure this day will get easier as the years progress. But I hope that it will never cease to be a day that we reflect on our brother and how much he will always mean to us. Love you, Erik!!

Pink Carnation

2011-02-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every once in a while I read a book and wonder how in the world I hadn't heard of it before now (thank you, Becky!). The Pink Carnation is great fun and full of suspense (not to mention a few, um, racy scenes--wow!). It reminds me a bit of the book Juliet by Anne Fortier with its story within a story. But this one is so much better. It is what Juliet should have been.

The characters and plot are so satisfying. I am ready to move on to book two. Now.

**Audio Review: Kate Reading very capably narrates. She gets a definite thumbs up from me.

View all my reviews

Matched

2011-02-22T22:26:00.000-08:00

Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been looking forward to reading this book since it came out and I finally had the chance. I am glad I did. As recent YA books go, this isn't completely original. It is part Hunger Games, part Brave New World, part The Giver, and part 1984. But the characters, while not completely fresh, are worth getting to know.

The Society in which Cassia lives appears to be very simple. And the writing in the early chapters seems very minimalistic, which fits well with Cassia's narrow view of things. But as the book progresses and Cassia's life becomes more complicated, the writing seems to evolve.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series and hope that it is more original than the first.

View all my reviews

The Major

2011-02-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an excellent book. I love (and love to hate) most of the characters. They are so well-rounded and believable. I find it interesting that one or two chapters into the book I was sure what the Major's "last stand" would be. And I was wrong. So many different topics are explored in this book, yet it is completely cohesive.

I love the Major, even though he upset me several times. He has a very dry sense of humor that makes him adorable. Now that the book is over, I miss the people and their little piece of the English countryside. The book has actually changed the way I view some things. This is Simonson's first novel, but I hope to see many more.

View all my reviews

Mary Barton

2011-02-11T17:49:00.000-08:00

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first experience reading Elizabeth Gaskell, and I am not disappointed. I am familiar with her works through PBS Masterpiece Theatre (I LOVE Wives and Daughters and North and South--Cranford is good too). After listening to an interview about Gaskell, I was persuaded to begin by reading Mary Barton first. I am glad that I did. It was excellent.

It begins on a moderately high note (in the context of a mostly depressing book) and goes downhill from there. It reminded me a bit of Thomas Hardy in that there is doom lurking around every corner. I am not one to shy away from a depressing story, especially when it is based on an pretty accurate portrayal of the time period, but I got a little bogged down by this one. About half-way through I actually considered quitting. I'm relieved that I didn't.

The first half thoroughly explored the plight of the factory workers in Manchester, England in the early 1800's. It was slightly exhausting but necessary, I now believe, for the remainder of the narrative. The second half flew by as Mary's life became front and center. I could not see how there could be a happy ending (and I won't give away whether it is or not), but these downtrodden characters are worth rooting for.

**Audio Review - I love Juliet Stevenson as a narrator. She is always so reliable and enjoyable.

View all my reviews

The Queen's Dollmaker

2011-02-01T23:31:00.000-08:00

The Queen's Dollmaker by Christine Trent

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had zero expectations for this book going in. I hadn't heard of it or the author and chose it simply because it was available for free on my kindle. I was more than pleasantly surprised. I enjoy most historical fiction and this is no exception. I don't think I have ever read a book set in London and France during The Terror leading up to and during the French Revolution. Viewing it through lead character Claudette and Marie Antoinette proved informative and very interesting. I enjoyed the whole book but must admit that the final third is the most thrilling. There are unforeseeable events (by me, at least) as well as some easily predictable parts. But really, it is the characters that drive a book for me and this book is full of great ones. I hope to find that author Christine Trent has more books available or will in the future.

View all my reviews

Christmas Card 2010

2010-12-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Red Glee Christmas

Create unique Christmas cards with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Don't Worry, Be Thankful

2010-11-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

It is almost Thanksgiving, but I am preoccupied with thoughts of Savannah leaving for New York today. I have one million things to do, yet I am sitting here in my pajamas updating my neglected blog. I am so excited for Savannah. What an amazing opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall--not to mention just experiencing New York City. My battle for the day is to try to focus on the excitement and not my nervousness. She will be fine, right!? Right. Of course she will. Savannah is a good and cautious girl and I know she will keep herself safe. I think that Eric better take her to the airport, though, so she isn't embarrassed when I turn into a blubbering mess.

I just want to publicly thank all those who have helped Savannah in so many ways--you know who you are!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I don't know if it's great that we have to actually designate a holiday to being grateful or if' it's a little sad. Either way it's easier to focus on being grateful after eating pie!

Another Good One

2010-10-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Something Missing by Matthew Dicks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Martin is a professional thief. But he only takes things from his "clients" that they will never miss: some laundry detergent here, a can of tomato soup there, and the occasional diamond earring. The first third of the book is on its way to tedious as Martin's meticulously thorough thievery is explained in detail. He covers every track and keeps records of his every move (even if they are recorded on a computer hard drive that is hidden where no one would ever find it). It is almost exhausting to what lengths he goes to in order to avoid detection. Several times I wanted to shout, "Get a job! It would be easier than this!" But as the plot finally begins to take shape, Martin, against every rule in his detailed rule-book, becomes involved in more than one "client's" life and his own life changes forever.

Martin is very likable, if aggravating. I was rooting for him. I loved the ending.

**Audio Review: The narrator was excellent and I enjoyed listening to him.

View all my reviews

Read this Series

2010-09-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**SPOILER ALERT**

I bought this book the day it came out and just barely finished it last night--very unlike me. What with school starting and a million birthdays, I couldn't find the time. Before last night I had finished about half of the book. I had a good hour to dedicate to it last night and then couldn't stop.

I was so conflicted while reading. I love a book that can make me uncomfortable and unsure about what I really want from it. Did I want all those people to die? Of course not! But it was more realistic that they did. I felt true anguish for Katniss and her mother when Prim died. And I literally felt sick to my stomach when Coin proposed another Hunger Games. But I was happy with the way things turned out.

I have to address the Gale versus Peeta subject. Going into this book I was torn. They are both great choices. But I think, in the end, she made the right one. Gale is right--she always would have wondered if he inadvertently caused Prim's death. And Katniss is right--she needs someone who can calm her. Peeta hadn't even been rescued before I knew I would pick him for her. And I am so glad it turned out that way. I do sometimes wish that Katniss could see herself in a better light, and I think it is Peeta that helps her do that.

This is not a cheery series. But it is very realistic and complex. And it is hopeful. Though it is set in an imagined future, it is not all that far-fetched. I love the way Collins writes. All her characters come to life in such a complete way. I am sad the series is over, but I think the ending was perfect.

View all my reviews

A Little Randomness

2010-05-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Most of the following pictures were taken at random times for no special reason. I am including them because they are cute/funny/strange or just because.

Ryder couldn't wait to wear his new "handsome clothes"

He didn't mind that the hat and jeans don't necessarily complete the outfit

Some Hayley cuteness back in January

Sage and Ryder

Ryder won't eat his dinner but he will eat a nasty football

Which reminds me of a little conversation I had with Ryder recently:

Jenn: Ryder, when are you to start eating the dinners that I cook for you?
Ryder: Ummm. You mean the gross food?

Haven with her friend Bella at their school's Princess Day

Hayley asleep with Savannah

Hayley asleep with Sage

Hail!! In April! Unbelievable!

Sage's picture of Haven

Another Sage photo

I don't know--eating cereal

Savannah tuning at her most recent concert

Sage--we never got a picture of the front of her

The Catch-Up Begins

2010-05-11T09:18:00.001-07:00

Are you missing Christmas? (Don't worry, it is right around the corner. Seriously. It is practically here. You should start shopping now. Or crying.) Since I am so far behind in my postings of family events, I am going back to do a quick overview of Christmas. At this point I really don't remember much about it. I think there were some presents involved and a trip to Utah. At least I do have pictures (mostly thanks to my mom's new camera).

Christmas morning. Haven finds the pickle.

Ryder and his loot.

Haven can't believe she got just what she wanted.

Savannah and Sage seem pretty happy.

Eric gave me this most amazing present. It is a collage he put together of all the pictures of doors I took while we were in Europe. I can't tell you how much I love it!

Family AND snow in Utah?! What more can you ask for?

New Year's Eve festivities.

More Utah fun.

Happy Mom's Day

2010-05-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in my life. Especially my very own mother. She is THE BEST and I love her more than I can say. She has always been there for me and I can never thank her enough for that.

There are also lots of other moms in my life who I appreciate: Eric's mom Barbara, my grandma Kopp, my sister Natalie and all of my sisters-in-law, cousins and friends who are such amazing examples to me.

I am also thankful to be a mom. My kids definitely got the raw end of the deal, but they are the major source of happiness in my life. (They also make me the most crazy--but that is a post for another day.)

I recently asked Ryder and Haven the following question: "If I were not your mom, who would you want to be your mom instead?" Ryder seriously considered the question and after many contemplative seconds answered, "No one." He got lots of hugs and kisses for that answer. Later when I asked Haven she answered--with zero hesitation--almost as if she had thought of this many times, "Bella's mom." (That is you, Angie.) Hmmmm. I am not dumb enough to ask the big girls. My ego can only take so many hits.

EJW

2010-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

We still love and miss you...

Erik James Wilson
November 15, 1979 - March 2, 2007

My Favorite Kind of Walk

2010-02-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

I realize that I've been very bookcentric in my posts lately, but I've been wanting to post about a certain book for quite a while. When I was a little girl I had a favorite picture book. How can you not love a book that has your own name in the title? The book is called "Jennifer's Walk." It is about a little girl named Jennifer who--you guessed it--goes for a walk. There is a map of her walk in the front and back of the book which I always loved. In one of our moves as a kid, I lost it. That fact has always made me very sad. Occasionally I look for it online (it is out of print) and lament the fact that the existing copies are just too expensive.

Imagine my surprise when I got a package in the mail a few months ago. It was "Jennifer's Walk!" And it was from my mom. How sweet is that? I started bawling when I saw it. I am so happy to have it and so grateful to my mom for such a thoughtful gift. I keep it in a special spot--not on the kids' bookshelf. But Haven loves to read it and we enjoy it together often. Thank you so much mom! Now, if I can only find one of those Mandy dolls...

No Wonder it's a Classic

2010-02-02T10:07:00.001-08:00

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I never envisioned myself reading this book. I knew it was on several top 100 books of all time lists, and that many people I personally know love it. It just didn't seem to be for me. I was so wrong. There is so much to be said about this book that affected me, but I will stick to just a few points.

I now consider myself to have been fully schooled--from the Confederate side--in Civil War history. Never has a history lesson been so enjoyable and heartbreaking. I believe I have always viewed the Civil War and the South's part in it in a very one-sided way. I guess that I mainly learned that when there is war, individual people are affected, not just collective sides.

I am completely amazed at Mitchell's conception of Scarlett. What complexity in an almost simple minded character! I don't think I have ever loved a character that I've hated so much. It was astonishing to root for such a mean-hearted, selfish and foolish woman. And each time I vowed that I was "done" with Scarlett, she won me back. I was entirely impressed with her personal resolve and determination, but for the people she had to step on to attain her goals. How is it possible to root for someone who is a terrible mother, who mistreats friends and family and employees, and who has no qualms whatsoever about these actions? Yet I did root for her--even to the point where I was heartbroken for her in the end (even though I realize I garner her contempt with my pity).

Melanie was another incredibly complex character for me. I almost wish there could be a counterpart to GWTW written from Melanie's perspective.

The relationship between slaves and the slave owners was so interesting. For instance, Scarlett would talk about her family's slaves as if they were children, yet there were few people who Scarlett would listen to or did not want to disappoint as she did Mammy.

There really is so much more to say about this book. And I will always be glad that I read it.

**Audio Review**Expertly read by Linda Stephens. Her voices were subtle yet distinct. I didn't tire of her through all 50 hours!

View all my reviews >>

Is it Too Late?

2010-01-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

I am going to assume, mainly because I don't know or care to know the hard and fast rules of New Year's Resolutions, that it is acceptable to publicly announce a few of my own resolutions on January 30th. It is a fact that there are a few that I haven't begun yet and that there may be one or two that I've already blown. But I do take them seriously as a chance to better myself and allow myself to blog at this late date about one or two in the spirit of tradition (this is, I think, year three).

1. My original idea for this resolution was to read at least 50 quality books this year--not including fluff. But what is fluff, really? And it is a fact that I need some less demanding books between the more cerebral. So I have modified my resolution to include basically any 50 books. I feel that this resolution is ambitious enough while still being something I can reasonably accomplish. To date I have completed seven books (not including the one I quit half way through). I am trying to get as far ahead as I can to allow for those books that may take longer or for when Glee starts up again.

2. I am going to run a five mile race. (Run, walk, crawl...whatever.) Eric is running in the Canyonlands half-marathon in Moab this March and agreed to run the five miler. Despite my secret wishes that our names would not be chosen in the race lottery, we were selected. I guess we'll see how it goes.

3. I am going to start blogging a little more. ("A little more than never," you say?) I have recently realized how often I refer to it for information--recipes, dates, events. So I am going to try harder. I obviously haven't been committed to this one yet.

Good luck to those of you out there who are setting goals. Does it really matter what day of the year it is?

That's Right, I Know the Author

2010-01-13T13:49:00.000-08:00

Flowering in the Desert by Angie Welsh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It isn't because I know the author that I give this book a glowing review. From the beginning I felt transported back to my own childhood and marveled at the authenticity of main character Mandy's experiences and teenage feelings. I especially appreciated the truthful depictions of growing up as a Mormon in a Utah town. And before you assume that this novel is for Mormon readers only, it definitely is not. While Mandy's faith does play a significant roll in her life and her decisions as a teenager, she is a typical young woman trying to make her way through life via high school. And don't let the cover fool you, the time frame is actually the past couple of decades.

Well done, Angie! I look forward to more from you.

View all my reviews >>

Happy Birthday to Us

2009-11-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

Since all of the kids' birthdays are so close together, we decided to keep the presents to a minimum and take a trip to Disneyland. We have a friend who has a condo in Santa Ana and has offered to let us stay there (thanks, Dave!), and we knew that would help with the cost as well. So we headed South on October 15. We have gone to Disneyland several times in the month of October and have always had pretty good luck with crowds (or lack of crowds) and weather. This year was the exception. Unknown to us when we planned the trip, that week was Fall Break for Arizona and parts of Utah. Thursday wasn't too bad, but Friday and Saturday were crazy! And it was so hot! Especially for October.

On Thursday we started off in Tomorrow Land. We were so excited for Ryder to see the Jedi Training. He isn't old enough to participate, but he was mesmerized and even quite frightened by Darth Maul and Darth Vader. We then met up with our friends the Dastrups. It was so great to see them!

Ryder gripped Eric a little tighter when Darth Maul arrived

Fun on the rockets and teacups

On Thursday night the Clarks arrived, so we were able to spend Friday and Saturday at Disneyland and California Adventure (my favorite!) with them. We are so glad that they came. We always have such a great time with them--although Friday's attempt at eating lunch was nobodys favorite. (Hunger+heat+two closed restaurants+winy kids=a lot of unhappy people.)

Haven and Ryder were pretty patient while waiting for the big kids to go on big rides

Haven begged and begged to go to Toon Town this trip. Tina and I took the four little people there while the big kids did their thing. They had such a blast is Mickey's house.

But I think they loved Minnie's house even more

We had some more fun in Bug's Land where Jacob was obviously embarrassed to be seen on the bumper cars

More Bug's Land--we had a good time cooling off there

Savannah can't hide her excitement at being on Heimlich's ride

Tina and I watched the Pixar Parade with Calvin, Ryder and Haven--it was super cute

The carousel in California Adventure

I'm hoping these pictures aren't too small--I love watching Savannah's face change

Tina and I are again hanging with the little people--this time on Dumbo

On Sunday we stopped off at the beach before leaving town. It was a little chilly and we had no intention of getting in the water. Of course Haven headed straight for the water and was a little surprised to see a wave coming right at her. She turned around to head away from it when it hit her from behind and flattened her in the sand. I walked back to the car to try to scrounge some clean clothes for her, and by the time I returned Ryder was soaked! I was so done with the beach for that trip.

Before

After

We really had such a great time even amidst some frustrating situations. Here are a few more tidbits:

- On Friday night we ate at Chick-Fil-A near the condo. When the lady gave me my receipt, she said that if I came back before the end of October I could get everything on the receipt for free! Guess where we ate Saturday night?

- It's not a good idea to try and leave Disneyland during one of their parades. We wanted to meet the Clarks on Thursday night in Downtown Disney. We tried to leave while the parade was going on and I ended up having unkind feelings towards everyone who stood watching in a walking zone. And it was a dumb parade to boot.

- The corndog place in California Adventure is closed right now! They are building some sort of Ariel attraction. You can still get a smaller version in the Farmer's Market near Bug's Land or on Main Street in Disneyland.

- Haven went on Soaring over California and Grizzly Rapids for the first time and loved them both! We couldn't get her to go on any other big rides, although Julia bravely went on Space Mountain and Tower of Terror.

- Ryder wanted to go on all the roller coasters but had to settle for only the Matterhorn. The Dastrups and Eric and the girls went with Ryder on the Matterhorn while I stayed out with Haven. While they waited in line, Ryder fell asleep and had to wake up before they would let him ride. He would not wake up! They tried everything but he wouldn't wake. Finally one of the workers yelled at him to wake up and it worked. I'm glad he awoke, because he had a great time on that ride.

- Our GPS was so helpful! It got us to Disneyland and wherever else we needed to go. It also helped us find a yummy pizza place on the way out of town. How did we ever travel without it?

- It was nice that Savannah and Sage could still use their annual passes. Sadly, though, we had to pay for Ryder because he is now three.

- I had to literally drag a kicking and screaming Ryder from one of the stores where he found a gun that he wanted.

- Rides we wanted to go on but didn't: Haunted Mansion, Toy Story, Nemo (Haven wanted to go on this one), Star Tours, and the Go Coaster (it was closed). But using the combination of stroller passes and fast passes, the kids all got to ride the best rides multiple times.

We had such a fun time. I can't wait to go back again even though I know it won't be for a long time. It was great to see the Dastrups and we always love spending time with the Clarks. And of course it was fun to be together as a family.

Sweet is Debatable, But Savannah is 16!

2009-11-17T12:28:00.000-08:00

I know this is long overdue, I am a blogging failure lately. In an effort to catch up I am going back to Savannah's 16th birthday in October. This was supposed to be a non-birthday party year due to our Disneyland trip, but it was hard to let this significant day go by without doing something special. The weekend before her birthday we actually invited a few friends and surprised Savannah with dinner at Red Robin followed by a movie projected on a screen in our backyard (thanks Ryan and Brooke!). It was a lot of fun and I think she had a good time.

Before we stuffed our faces

That's my girl

Apparently we weren't exciting enough for Hayley

16 balloons

Everything you need for a movie (check out the cute popcorn cones that Brooke made)

We also had some frosted mugs for root beer floats--Savannah LOVES frosted mugs

Jessica and Megan made this cute cake--what great friends!

Ryder and Haven think they can join in

Sage is ready for the movie to start

Savannah and Megan watching Princess Bride

Jessica and Sarah

On Savannah's actual birthday we had a little party at home.

Savannah wanted a French vanilla cake with whipped cream frosting

Singing Happy Birthday

In all fairness to Tanner, he did ask me several times for more ice cream before taking matters into his own hands

Savannah and Megan

The Help

2009-10-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Help is definitely at the top of my list of favorite books. Set in the early 1960's, it is the story of three women in Jackson, Mississippi--one white (Skeeter) and two black (Aibileen and Minny). Each woman takes turns narrating from her own perspective and each character is so richly developed that their voices are distinct and genuine.

It is hard to describe the gamut of emotions I felt while reading this book: shame, disgust, delight, sorrow, disbelief, love, regret and the list goes on. And it really was nail-bitingly suspenseful.

In the years directly preceding the death of Martin Luther King Jr., I was still surprised to read of the conditions and hate and ignorance that existed. And although this is a work of fiction, Kathryn Stockett is speaking from life experience.

One thing I love about this book is that it doesn't focus only on the imperfections of the white people, but also speaks to the fact that there was a wide spectrum of people at different points of goodness or evil.

I cried when this book ended for the sheer fact that I would miss all three of those women. It was as if good friends were moving away and I wouldn't see them again.

Audio Review: Aside from the excellence of the novel itself, this is a superb audio recording. Each of the three narrators were, in a word, perfect! In fact, there was one chapter in the book that was narrated by a fourth and objective narrator. At that point I sorely missed the other three. I also had the strange impulse to speak with a southern drawl whenever I listened to it for a while.

View all my reviews >>

A Delightful Read

2009-09-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a delightful book. It is funny and sweet and very serious without being cheesy. Besides being informative about the occupation of Guernsey during World War II, the depictions of Guernsey's inhabitants rings true. I loved the letter format. I have found this format annoying in some books, but not so with this one. This is really a book that anyone can read and learn from, as well as enjoy. The characters are marvelous and well-rounded. The ending is predictable, but the journey is lovely.

View all my reviews >>

Darth Ryder Turns Three

2009-09-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

September 8 was Ryder's third birthday. He enjoyed celebrating turning three, even though he continues to insist that he is 2 1/2. ("I don't want to be three! I'm tuna half!) You may notice that this kid is obsessed with Star Wars (Chtar Wers). He wants to watch Star Wars movies all the time, his favorites being Episode 1 (the Darth Maul one); Return of the Jedi (the green one); and Episode IV (the blue one). He also loves Clone Wars (Clo Yours).

Over the past year he has switched from his obsession with Word World to Knock Knock jokes to Star Wars. With Word World he noticed letters everywhere; he then tormented us with Knock Knock jokes that NEVER made sense; and now we get knocked around pretty consistently with a plastic lightsaber.

It has been a lot of fun to watch him change as his vocabulary increases and his sense of humor develops. He can be a stinker, but he is quick to follow up his trouble-making with a kiss and an "I love you."

Opening gifts--do you notice a theme?

"Luke. I am your father."

"I will destroy you."

Ready to blow out the candles

It's hard to blow out candles through a Darth Vader mask

That's better

Ryder's new Darth Vader ship

Looking fancy with those shoes

He didn't want to sleep without his new lightsaber

Haven Turns 5

2009-09-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

On Monday, September 7, Haven turned 5 years old. The big girls convinced her how awesome it was that she didn't have to go to school on her birthday and it was kind of fun. She was also very glad that her dad didn't have to go to work and that grandma Easley was in town. For breakfast she wanted waffles AND pancakes with syrup and strawberries on top.

Ryder benefited from breakfast as well--without the strawberries

Opening presents

Her new helmet with knee and elbow pads

Haven finally scored a bike

Happy day!

Last year Savannah and Sage made Haven and Ryder's joint birthday cake. Haven did not forget! This year she requested specifically that Savannah and Sage make her cake. They took the challenge. Haven wanted a Tinkerbell cake, so the big girls were trying to figure out what to do. My mom suggested that they look on my step-dad's niece's blog and cake website for some ideas. (Janell has amazing talent, by the way!) They decided to try fondant. Let me first say that the baking of the cake itself was initally a catastrophe. I really had little hope that it would work out. And I must say that there was a little weeping and wailing on Savannah's part as well. But it turned out great! They used a fondant recipe from Janell's blog that uses marshmallows and tastes so yummy. Well done, girls!

We had a fun day. We actually had everyone over for barbeque ribs and other yummy stuff for lunch and then celebrated Haven's birthday. Haven said it was her best birthday ever (she says that every year, but I like to think that she feels it's true). She is such a beautiful and amazing little girl. She has a great sense of humor and loves her family. And we love her too!

Catching Fire

2009-09-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this series. How am I going to wait for the next one? My admiration for Katniss grew in this novel. She is very complex and her character rings true. I couldn't put this book down.

At one sad point in the book I began crying. Ryder (my 3-year old) said, "Mom, why you cryning?" I replied, "This book is sad." He looked at me for a moment and appeared to be thinking and then said, "Then read a different book." He sounds just like his dad.

View all my reviews >>

Sage's 14th

2009-09-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

I am trying to catch up on a few notable things. I wanted to start with the three birthdays we have had recently: Sage, Haven and Ryder. I initially decided that I would post the three birthdays together, but changed my mind when I realized how many pictures I had taken of those special days. At least, Haven and Ryder have many pictures. Sage only has these three! I am a bad bad momma. Sage was already feeling a little gypped because her birthday was on a Sunday, and then I sort of blew it in the picture department. I think she had a pretty good day. She wanted clothes and money, and that is what she got. She also had her favorite dessert (Better Than....). I can't believe she is 14 already. Crazy! I love Sage so much. She is an amazing girl. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

European Tour 2009 - Day 7

2009-09-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

This was another of those crazy busy days. We started our day with breakfast at the chateau. Our hostess was very hospitable, but while chatting with her during breakfast we found out the true extent of how inconvenienced they were by our late arrival the previous night. The chateau offers dinner to those guests who request it. Through some internal miscommunication she thought we had requested dinner the previous night and had prepared it for us. Now, I still have the e-mail to prove that we did not request dinner and had instead prearranged to arrive late. I did explain our side, but I still think she was a little irritated with us. Despite that fact, it was a lovely place to stay. Given another opportunity, I would stay there and take the train into Paris.

The front of the chateau

The dining room

A view from the top of the stairs

A view of the incoming road from our room

Another view of the front with our rental car on the left

A cool place to hang the cool keys

Back view

A little path off the side of the chateau

A view of the road as we were leaving

And once again as we were leaving

There were wooded areas surrounding the chateau and the road leaving the grounds

Before we left, our hostess recommended that we stop off at Chateau de Maintenon on our way to Chartres. It was purchased by Louis XIV for his mistress. It was a worthwhile stop.

Dan on the walkway to the chateau

There was a canal that ran alongside the chateau towards an aqueduct

Some creepy house on the grounds of Maintenon

How about some doors?

The aqueduct

Rear view

The entrance we took

After Maintenon we went to the city of Chartres. We headed straight for the cathedral. There was a tour that we were hoping to take that is famously given by Malcom Miller, but it turned out that the tour would not take place that day because of a funeral. Our self-guided tour was probably just as effective.

One of the cathedral spires

The buildings surrounding the cathedral

The front of Chartres Cathedral

Kind of blurry, but the architecture is amazing

Chartres Cathedral is famous for its stained glass--I only wish the pictures could do it justice

Stained glass windows

There were a lot of beautiful wooden doors

I think this is the nave

More of the famous stained glass windows

Doors leading to...I don't know

Eric, Tina and Dan inside the cathedral

Inside the cathedral--there were so many of these

Chartres Cathedral

The front/side of Chartres Cathedral

Of course we were getting hungry by this time and began to look for a place to eat. There were several cute little cafes around the cathedral, but once again we were looking for something we could eat in a hurry. We stopped at a little bakery on our way back to the car for a sandwich. I must say that I was less than excited thinking that I didn't want to eat a sandwich that had been sitting in a display window. I was really hoping to finally get some delicious French food and here we were picking up a sandwich. Eric convinced me that it would be fresh and was ordering a favorite from his mission: ham, cheese and butter. I decided to share with him. I also ordered an eclair to help console myself. But guess what? It was one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten in my life. I was left wishing that Eric and I hadn't shared and that I had gotten my own. It was so good. It was so simple but I haven't been able to duplicate its goodness. The eclair was equally delicious. We got one for Dan and Tina as well and that is when Dan's love affair with the eclair began. From here on out I will try to document each time Dan buys an eclair--and I will fail. He nearly cleaned out the city of Paris of eclairs while we were there. Next stop--Versailles.

Tina and Dan

The gate in front of Versailles

Versailles

Dan and Tina in front of Versailles

Eric

The Royal Chapel

We walked through room after room of paintings and other items--I took this picture in part to show how many rooms are behind Eric, Dan and Tina

A statue in one of the ball type rooms--there were similar statues in abundance

One of the many beautiful ceilings

Dan and Eric earnestly trying to figure out if the bust was carved from one piece of marble or if it was pieced together

The Hall of Mirrors

The Queen's Bedchamber

A side view

Versailles gardens

A view of Versailles from behind (I actually liked the back better)

A statue near the fountains

Looking out towards the Versailles gardens

Versailles from behind

Versailles was amazing. It was also overwhelming. We didn't see all there was to see, and the gardens were being changed and therefore not in bloom. But it was quite a sight. That is where we bought our Museum Pass. It got us into Versailles and almost everywhere else we went in Paris. On the way back to the car we were practically accosted by men trying to sell us postcards and replicas of the Eiffel Tower. One guy was really giving Eric a hard time and didn't want to let Eric pass him.

It should come as no surprise that by the time we left Versailles we were running late. The hotel where we were headed had a 7:00 check-in time and we needed to call them to tell them we would be a little late. By this time we had figured out how to use the phone and I gave Eric the job of calling the hotel. Imagine my surprise when I heard Eric say that they did not have our reservation. I hoped that he wasn't translating correctly, but it was true. They had canceled our reservation. I was sick! The back story is that I ended up booking our Paris hotel stay through a complany called Planigo (take note of this company and DO NOT use them). They booked our hotel we and had already pre-paid for our stay. I had all the information with me in the car, so I got on the phone to try to sort it out. I spoke with a lady at Planigo who claimed that the hotel had canceled the reservation and that they no longer had the two rooms. She also told me that she had e-mailed me and tried to call my home phone several times (this turned out to be true but I'm not sure how that was helpful given that I was on vacation). She assured me that she would find us a place to stay and call me back.

At this point we pulled off the road into a lot so that we could work things out. Let me just say that I had put a lot of thought into where we would stay. I chose the neighborhood near the Eiffel Tower and a few other places of note that we could just walk to. So when the Planigo lady called back to say she found us a place in that same neighborhood, I was very happy and relieved. We started driving again when the phone rang. It was Planigo saying that the reservation fell through, but she would still continue to look. At this point I was starting to panic. We were driving into Paris with no where to stay. She finally called back to say that she found a place. We redirected the GPS only to have her call back AGAIN to say that the previous reservation wouldn't work. I had been writing down confirmation numbers and then crossing them out only to write down a new one. I was nearly in tears. She called back a final time to say that she had a place that would work out for sure. Really? Positively? Yes, she assured me. As we continuted to the new hotel, we had to drive on the Champs Elysees right by the Arc de Triomphe on the Place de l'Etoile. It was as crazy as I pictured it!

We located La Regence Hotel and decided, because of the parking situation, that Eric and Dan would drop me and Tina off and then take the rental car back. They would then take the subway back to our hotel. Tina and I dragged all of the luggage into the hotel lobby and waved Eric and Dan off. Once at the lobby desk, I proceeded to tell the clerk who we were, assuming that he would have very recently been in touch with our friend at Planigo. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. He hadn't heard of us and had no idea what was going on. I asked him if he would be willing to call the Planigo lady and talk to her about it. He grudgingly did so. After a lengthy conversation of which I could only understand bits and pieces, he told me that he had two rooms and that we could stay there, but that we would have to pay for it (this particular hotel had severed its relationship with Planigo for obvious reasons and wouldn't take payment from them). I, once again, got on the phone with the Planigo lady who told me that they would just refund our credit card. I was beyond irritated, but glad that we had a place to stay for the next two nights.

Tina and I took the closet sized elevator to our floor and got settled in. It took me a while to finally settle down. (If I were a drinker, I probably would have headed to the nearest bar.) Tina and I then began to worry about Eric and Dan. It was taking them a long time to get back and we were starting to panic. We only had one cell phone between us and Tina and I had kept it in case we had any more hotel trouble. It was nearly 10:00 when we finally spotted them. They didn't have any trouble finding the station where the rental car place was, but they circled blocks and parking garages trying to find the correct place to park the car. They eventually encountered a man who did some running around for them and found the correct place. Whew!

Can you guess how we were feeling at this point? We were relieved and thankful because we had a roof over our heads and exhausted from a big day. But we were also, you guessed it, starving! It was getting late, and because we had ended up in a neighborhood we were completely unfamiliar with, we didn't know where to go. We walked up the street and saw an Italian restaurant that was still open. If you know me then you know that in an Italian restaurant I first look for gnocchi on the menu. It was there and I felt like I deserved it. Dan, Tina and Eric each ordered pizza. The gnocchi was some of the best I've ever tasted and everyone else loved their pizza. It was seriously good food. We had a good time talking about our continued misfortunes and hoped that they were over!

Things I learned today: NEVER use Planigo; things always take longer than you think; NEVER use Planigo; driving in Paris is insane; NEVER use Planigo.

Things we ate today: bread, jam, yogurt, granola, sandwiches, eclairs, gnocchi and pizza.

Finally!

2009-08-31T22:19:00.000-07:00

Hayley Reese Kennedy

The stats!

What a fun day! Natalie went to the doctor this morning and her blood pressure was still high. So she sent Natalie and MRK home for their bags and then to the hospital. Bentley and Tanner came over here and we had a fun day waiting for Hayley's arrival. We went to the hospital around seven. The boys were a little stand-offish at first, but they warmed up in no time (I think it had to do with the Transformer walkie talkies that "Hayley" gave them.) Bentley even said to Savannah, "I just barely bet Hayley and I already love her."

The initial meeting

Maybe she's not so bad if she gives us toys

Bentley gives in and then doesn't want to give her up

Tanner is loving her too

I think they want to keep her

Sage and Hayley

Haven was seriously devastated when she found out that only siblings could go in the room (literally sobbing!)

It's hard to decide which one is more beautiful

Hayley with mommy

Hayley with Savannah

They are already amazing big brothers!

Hayley with daddy

Sage, Eliza and Ryan holding Hayley

Brooke and the Spuhlers holding Hayley

What can I say?

Have You Heard of These?

2009-08-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

When I heard that these babies were coming out, I was very excited. Who doesn't want to simplify the laundry process? They are actually pretty affordable when you get them on sale, and I was impressed with the different scents. (I chose Tahitian--kind of a coconut smell.) They are great because you just toss one in the and it acts as detergent and fabric softener in the washer, and then the sheet transfers to the dryer as an anti-static sheet. So the ease is there, but I wasn't overly pleased with the outcome. I'm sure my clothes were clean, but they did not have that super clean smell. I have now used the entire box and just took my first post 3-in-1 load out of the dryer. As soon as I began to lift that load out I was instantly hit with that clean laundry smell. I really missed that. I'll have to give these a thumbs down. I'll now be on the look-out for a product that will put my folded clothes away as well as hang things in my closet.

Haven Conquers Kindergarten

2009-08-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Haven started kindergarten yesterday. I can hardly believe it. She was beyond excited to start. She woke up early and felt like it took forever before it was time to go. She wasn't at all nervous and I barely got a peck on the cheek before she took off to play with the other kids before class began. When we picked her up, she eagerly told us about her fun day and asked when she got to go back.

What a big girl!

Haven showing off her new backpack

Ryder with Haven--he insisted on taking his backpack to the school

Haven wasted no time heading for the playground

Haven with Maya and Bella

Bella, Maya and Haven

Ryder was sad that Haven was at school, but had no problem occupying himself

As a side note, Savannah and Sage also started school yesterday. They are both in high school now! Unbelievable. They, however, refused first day of school photos. What can I say? I probably would have too.

Post #200!!

2009-08-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? This is my 200th post. And for your reading pleasure, I am going to list 200 things that you probably don't know about me!

1. If you don't already know this, I will now inform you that I would never subject you or me to 200 things about me. I probably wouldn't even tell you two. Mainly because that would be terribly boring (I'm getting sleepy just thinking about it).

Actually, in honor of the fact that I can think of 200 things I would rather do than go camping, I am going to post about our most recent family camping trip to Mt. Charleston.

We arrived as it was getting dark and pulled into the last available camping spot!

We quickly set up and got the fire going (and by "we" I mean Eric)

We roasted hot dogs (except our resident hot dog hater, Sage, who made a grilled cheese) followed by the traditional s'mores

Ryder enjoys his breakfast the next morning

Ryder drove us bonkers taking sweatshirts and jackets off and on

Ryder and Haven enjoying cereal and Sunny D (thanks, Jess)

I was giving Savannah a hard time because she was scowling in every picture I took, so she finally gave me a "smile"

Ryder, of course, was obsessed with the tent and kept going in and out and zipping and unzipping

The camp hosts did not agree that air powered bb guns are not considered fire-arms and put an end to the target practice

Ryder takes off after Haven and Eric, afraid he is gong to miss something fun

Truth be told, I actually left for home around 10:00 that morning. I was invited to celebrate Natalie's birthday with a massage/pedicure and dinner that night and felt obligated to go. (Hmmm...more camping or a pedicure? Pedicure!)

It was fun to have Jessica with us, and everyone admitted that the fun even increased when MRK, Bentley and Tanner arrived

Can you tell by Haven's hair that I wasn't there?

Sage

Bentley is so cute playing frisbee with Ryder

Haven gets in on the fun

This is actually a posed picture. Haven asked Eric to take a picture of her as if she had to use the bathroom. I think she pulled if off.

Haven, Ryder, Tanner and Bentley

By all accounts, everyone had a good time. I even had more fun than I expected. My kids are lucky to have at least one parent willing to sleep on the ground surrounded by dirt and bugs.

European Tour 2009 - Day 6

2009-08-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

Mont St. Michel

We had another early start today. We had to book it to the train station where we caught the Eurostar at around 6:00a.m. More than one of us was nervous about traveling through the chunnel, but it ended up being okay. As a plus, I ate the best yogurt I've ever had in my life on the train that morning. Thank you Eric for picking it out for me. I wish I had paid more attention to what it was. It was in a baby food type jar. And, we also had the first of many bottles of Orangina. Yum.

Eurostar trains

Can you tell how excited Tina is for the chunnel?

Our first item of business after getting off the train in Paris was to get our rental car. I was a little nervous about our first transaction, especially since we were now beginning the portion of the trip that Eric and I mostly planned. It actally went just fine, although we couldn't--at first--locate the car's GPS. And let me tell you, that was certainly worth the 30 extra Euros. We seriously would still be in France to this day wandering around without it.

It was kind of odd to get on the highway in Paris and to pass right through it on our way to Normandy. It seemed almost as if we should have stopped for a minute to soak up the fact that we were really in Paris. I mentioned the life saving GPS, but it initially mislead us. Sort of. For some reason it was automatically set to avoid all toll roads, which we didn't realize at first. It just started veering us off into little small towns. It was in one of these small towns where we got stuck in some serious traffic that we decided to give the GPS new instructions. It was more expensive to get back on the bigger roads, but a lot less time consuming. Our first stop was for lunch in the town of Bayeux. By the time we arrived, rain had begun pouring down. Really hard. We ate in a cute little crepe shop where we had to try out our communication skills. I think we were all happy with our lunch except Tina. (What was it again that you ordered?)

A street in Bayeux--the little village we stopped at for lunch before heading to the American Cemetery

A cute little shop front in Bayeux

Another Bayeux street

We continued on to the American Cemetery in Normandy. It was very sobering, to say the least. My feelings consisted of sadness and gratitude and an overwhelming appreciation for the freedoms I take for granted every day. Just to look at all those graves....it was an incredible experience.

I was unprepared for how touching it was to be here

Some French servicemen we saw

Beautiful view of the ocean

The graves seemed to go on forever--quite a humbling sight

A close-up of one of the graves

After leaving the American Cemetery, we headed for Mont St. Michel. What a sight! It is really beautiful and amazing. It looks almost unreal. The rain followed us and we continued to get soaked as we walked through the spiraling streets towards the Abbey. We were about five minutes late for the tour of the Abbey, but that was okay. There was still a lot to see. It's amazing how the Abbey is built right into the rock of the island.

The causeway to the island

How amazing is this?

The drawbridge that leads into the little town.

The main street

There are cute little shops and restaurants that line the street.

Another Mont St. Michel street view

Seriously? More stairs?

I don't know who that dude is, but we are winning

A courtyard near the Abbey

Abbey walls

View of the Abbey

Another view of the Abbey

A statue of St. Michel

View from the island

A neat stone bench

Another view of the Abbey

There were a lot of cool doors

An interesting door on the Abbey grounds

A gate leading to who knows where

A moss covered side of the Abbey

View from the top

This is a cool picture because you can see where the rock itself meets the actual stone of the abbey

A view of the rooftops

This is some sort of mechanism that was used to move items to the top

Mont St. Michel from a distance as were drove away

We were on a tight schedule on this day (my fault) and so here is where we began our little comedy of errors. By the time we drove away from Mont St. Michel, we were starving. We were going to get something to eat there, but everything was really pricey! In retrospect we should have just eaten when we had ten places to choose from right in front of us. Next we stopped at two different places in the town near Mont St. Michel. The menu for the first place was posted out front and we decided, once again, that it was quite expensive for stuff that didn't sound very good. At the second place we tried, we just decided to go in and sit down. It had been raining so hard that, despite our rain gear, we were seriously soaked. So it was slightly embarrassing to walk into such a nice place. We actually sat down and began looking at the menu. I couldn't find anything on the menu that I wanted to pay a fortune to put in my mouth. And I am not very picky. We were all a little uncomfortable because none of us wanted to eat there, yet--there we were. We were trying to come up with an excuse to leave and I told Eric to tell the waiter that we were too wet an uncomfortable (all true), but he wanted to tell the waiter that I wasn't feeling well (not true). We went with my idea. Unfortnately, my excuse didn't translate very well--even for my French speaking husband. We basically ended up slinking out of there feeling like idiots.

We set the GPS for the bed and breakfast Chateau that we would be staying in that night. It was still hours away and I began feeling a little panicky. Mainly because I told the owners that we would be there by 10:00p.m. and it was starting to look like we wouldn't. We tried to call them several times but couldn't get our calls to go through. It had to do with the fact that we were using a cell phone from England and trying to place a call to a French number. (For the record, we finally figured it out--too late.) Aside from the anxiousness related to our accomodations for the night, we were still hungry bordering on starving. We were out on the French countryside surrounded by nothing but the occasional small town or village. What we did see signs for, however, were McDonalds. The first time it came up I made it clear that there was no way I would eat my first night in France at McDonalds. And hour or so later it was clear that we had no other choice.

Coming up on another small town we saw another advertisement for McDonalds. Fine. As we maneuvered towards the "restaurant" we were trying to decide whether or not to go in or go through the drive-thru. Are you seeing the humor here? We didn't. Not yet, anyway. We decided on the drive-thru. We were, after all, in a hurry. Let's just say that Dan's "double quarter pounder with cheese" doesn't exist in French McDonalds, and they don't have value menues. I was sort of envisioning us saying "duex" or "trois" into the speaker. It didn't work that way. We ended up driving directly to the window after not being able to communicate through the speaker. The employee there even fetched the one employee who could speak English and we still could not communicate our order. I think I thought that McDonalds is a sort of universal language, but it isn't. We gave up completely and parked and went inside where we could point and grunt and I could discover that diet coke is actually coca light in France.

While we were eating, I was really hit with the hilarity of it all. Who did we think we were? We thought that we could actually go through the drive-thru in a foreign country? I can barely make myself understood through those speakers in my home-land.

Back in the car I began to worry again about our late arrival at the chateau. It is run by a family who obviously doesn't have someone sitting at the front desk all night long. In fact, they like to have you check in by 8:00p.m., but I had made special arrangements to get there by 10:00. Chateau de Jonvilliers is located near Chartres, France. It is in the tiny village of Jonvilliers and isn't easy to find--even with a GPS. They can't advertise it from the road, so we just had to look for the lane that they described in their e-mail. After circling around Jonvilliers for a while, we decided to take a chance on a little side road. That was it! We finally made it even though it was midnight. The place was completely dark as we approached save for the porch light. What a humiliating experience it was to continue banging as quitely as possible on the front door. As we were contemplating the lawn chairs as possible beds, the door opened. Our hostess was less than pleased to see us at that hour and gave us a slight tounge lashing. Luckily it was in French and only Eric knew the extent of it. She did show us to our rooms and we finally settled down for the night. It was a beautiful place and I wish we'd been able to spend more time there.

Thankfully Tina and Dan took a picture of their room in the chateau

And the bathroom

And the desk--check out the cool key

Things I learned today: going trough the chunnel isn't so bad; Europe makes some good yogurt; sometimes the opening and closing times in Rick Steve's guide book are incorrect; McDonald's menu--aside from the Big Mac and Filet-o-Fish--is unrecognizeable in France; and how NOT to make a phone call in France.

Things we ate today: the BEST yogurt ever; oringina; some really good crepes (sorry, Tina, about the pasta/ham thing); some nougat candy; Big Mac, Filet-o-Fish, and a Prince Burger or something. We sort of starved today! Sort of.

Despite all of the problems and hiccups, this was one of my favorite days!

European Tour 2009 - Day 5

2009-07-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

Buckingham Palace

This particular day was a whirlwind. We had one day for London. I know it sounds crazy, and I don't necessarily recommend it. But we did it! We didn't see everything, but we were pretty efficient and tried to maximize our time even if it didn't always work out. Knowing that we needed to get as early a start as possible, our train from Manchester left around 5:50 a.m.

Eric and I waiting at the train station--and yes, it is 5:30 a.m. Our schedule was such that we needed every minute of the day.

We caught the train at Warrington Bank Quay

Dan and Tina on the train to London--I think they look quite chipper for such an early hour

We arrived at London's Euston Station around 8:00 a.m. We headed to our hotel. Even though we couldn't check in yet, they held our baggage for us. We were also able to enlist the help of the hotel's concierge in getting us tickets to see Wicked that night. He was also kind enough to inform us that we should plan to arrive at the theatre before 7:00 p.m., as the tube (subway) was striking that night at 7:00. Wow. A scheduled strike. That was news to us. He also told us how to find a bus back to the hotel. We found a nearby cafe and ate some breakfast. We had a bit of time to kill because our friendly concierge also informed us that the tube day pass is considerably cheaper if you buy it after 9:00. We made an attempt to walk to some sort of Dicken's Museum that didn't pan out before we needed to make our way to the King's Cross Station. We (and by "we" I mean mostly Eric) became quickly proficient in the reading of the subway map. We actually had to take a detour right off the bat because the Circle line was down. No problem. Our first stop was The Tower of London.

Our hotel is up on the left--the entrance is under the awning

This was a little "alley-way" near our hotel where we ate breakfast

King's Cross Station

The Tower Bridge

The Tower of London was pretty amazing. It was incredible to be surrounded by that much history. It's unfortunate that there is so much we couldn't take pictures of.

Tower of London

Another angle of the outer wall

Dan, Tina and Eric crossing the bridge to go within the walls

Inside the walls

Tina and I trying to figure out the audio tour--not terribly user friendly at this venue

The White Tower--the Henry VIII armor exhibit was housed here

This exhibit was amazing--a lot of armor and weaponry

A cannon

The White Tower

We saw signs like this a lot

This guard was outside The Waterloo Barracks where the Crown Jewels are housed

The memorial on the scaffold site

Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula

Queen's House--built by Henry VIII (well, not personally) for Anne Boleyn

Traitors Gate-those accused of treason would enter here

This was actually Sir Walter Raleigh's room in the Bloody Tower (the same tower in which the bones of the "two princes" were later found)

After leaving The Tower of London we headed towards Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. We were starving and I was dealing with a low blood sugar when we arrived. We had to walk around for an alarming amount of time before we found somewhere to eat! We finally found a little sandwich shop and we had a little picnic. We then walked to Westminster Abbey. The guys weren't sure they wanted to pay to see inside, but Tina and I were going with or without them. It turned out to be an amazing experience. We actually took the audio tour which was very informative. I think that Eric and Dan were both happy that we went inside--it ended up being one of Eric's favorite things we did in London.

The London Eye

Houses of Parliament

Eric and me at Houses of Parliament

A view of the Thames

Big Ben

Another view of Houses of Parliament

A front view of Houses of Parliament--there was a lot of security

Westminster Abbey

Entrance to Westminster Abbey

Another view of Westminster

After Westminster, we went to The British Museum. I really wanted to go there (partly because of Amelia Peabody--if you don't know who I'm referring to, you should find out). It was very interesting and there was a lot of cool stuff. It was very different from the art museums we later saw in Paris.

Outside The British Museum

In the Egyptian Section

Tina looking at a very interesting stone box

Egyptian hieroglyphics

Dan's head meeting a gigantic ancient fist (he was probably asking for it)

The Rosetta Stone--how cool is that?

A statue in the Greek section

We saw a lot of partial statues--heads and arms missing

After leaving The British Museum we went back to our hotel to clean up and get ready for Wicked. We had been going non-stop all day long and were already exhausted. We had a brief rest before we left again. We got on the tube and headed for Victoria Station. When we got on, the tube was pretty crowded. As we progressed through the various stops it became apparent that many people were getting on and no one was getting off. We were up close and personal with many people. It was a little unnerving. Okay, A LOT unnerving. It was a huge relief to finally get off. Most likely everyone was trying to get wherever they needed to go in anticipation of the strike. In retrospect it might have been worth a cab fare to avoid that mess.

Victoria Station is right across the street from the Wicked theatre. We still hadn't seen Buckingham Palace and it was nearby, so we ran over there and snapped a few photos. Before going in the theatre, we were once again on the hunt for something to eat. We just wanted a little something to tide us over while we watched the show. This is one of those times when I made a bad decision. Have you ever had a pasty? Don't.

Eric and me in front of Buckingham Palace

The Palace Gates

More Palace Gates

If you know me at all you know how much I HATE having my picture taken and I HATE HATE having it displayed anywhere. I have been a little braver with the vacation photos, but I still HATE HATE HATE posting a really bad photo of me. I am posting the above picture to warn any reader about the aforementioned pasties. I am what a person looks like after eating only part of one.

Dan and Tina's pasty was Italian style and slightly better than ours, thus the smiles

Eric, Tina and me in the theatre

The show was great, of course! I have seen it before (see here), but it was fun to see it again. Eric, Tina and Dan loved it too. After an extremely uncomfortable and crowded bus ride back to the hotel, we ended the night in search for a decent meal. No such luck. Everything was closed! Our final option was room service which would have cost us $5,000. Sadly I had to go to bed with a pasty sitting like a lump in my stomach! Overall, though, this was a fun-filled day. We saw and did so much.

Things I learned: LOTS of British history that has slowly seeped back out of my brain; I can hold my breath for a very long time while riding the tube with a million other people; some British food is really terrible; a strike can be scheduled and have a beginning and and ending time set; if you ask Dan to start cracking jokes, he will (this is sort of a warning); tennis shoes worn repeatedly for many day start to smell; I really don't need very much sleep.

Things we ate: various egg dishes for breakfast at a little cafe in London; sandwiches and salad and fruit for lunch; a nasty pasty for dinner; and some chocolate at the theatre.

How About a Water Break?

2009-07-11T16:48:00.001-07:00

Ryder

We have been trying to have a lot of fun in the water this summer. A couple of nights ago we went to Mission Hills Park for a picnic and some fun on the water pad. The downside was that Haven was stung by a bee while we were eating. We quickly took out the stinger and she was better in no time with only a small welt. She was very brave! After eating the kids put on their swimming suits and had a great time. After drying off they headed to the playground and to the field to play some more.

Haven

Tanner

Bentley

Ryder ran around like a wild man.

Ryder

Ryder taking a break

Faith

Brighton, Haven and Bentley

Macey

Bentley

My cute pregnant sister helping Tanner dry off

Ryder drying off

Natalie and MRK

Haven and her daddy

Ryder

Haven pausing for a little smile

I think Ryder is pretending to be a rocket ship

Faith

Bentley in mid-jump

Macey

Brighton

Our little Ladies Man

The Kennedys are cutting out a little early

Brighton and Macey

Dog-pile on Ryan

European Tour 2009 - Day 4

2009-07-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

We had a somewhat difficult time deciding what to do on Monday. There were several choices--none of them bad. We had already been to Chatsworth House, so the question was whether or not Lyme Park would be redundant. There were also some other pretty neat yet similar choices. I was good with whatever, but was sort of excited to see the estate where the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice filmed the outdoor scenes of Pemberly. (I'm a slight fan.) So I was excited when we decided to go to Lyme Park.

The question, then, was what to do with the extra two or so hours we had before Lyme Park. Dan had been really anxious to see either Costco or Asda (Walmart in Britain) or both. We decided on Asda. I wish I had taken some pictures inside. I would have looked a little freakish as I don't think Asda is on any tourist route. But it was interesting how completely different a store can be. It wasn't as large as our typical Super Walmarts (although I suppose there are some larger), but it was fairly large and the majority of it was groceries. They did have clothes and music and other stuff like that. Interestingly enough, their toy aisle was really only about one half of one side of an aisle. I wouldn't mind that change at all. We picked up some Humbug, some Golden Syrup and a few other things. Very educational on a sociological level.

We continued on to Lyme Park. It was beautiful. The house was pretty amazing, but the grounds were incomperable. We had a great time going on a tour of the house (NO pictures allowed!), ate lunch in the restaurant, walked all around the grounds and patronized the gift shop.

A building outside the estate walls

I think this was the stable

A view of the entrance--I was a little irritated with the guy walking by and the delivery truck. Couldn't these people see I was trying to take a picture?

The backside of the entrance

These are THE steps that Mr. Darcy runs down with wet hair while buttoning his jacket and looking frantically for Elizabeth

Another view of the courtyard

This is a terrible picture, but I had to include it because I got in a little trouble for taking it. Also, because that picture actually is an opening for the room behind it. From the room above it looks into the entry way. The owners could look to see who was at the door and if they wanted to admit them.

This is some sort of venison pot pie

My warm bacon (i.e. ham) and potato salad--it was excellent

Tina and Dan enjoying their lunch in the Lyme Park Restaurant

Dan and Tina on THE steps

Eric and me on THE steps

View from the house across the grounds

Pretty view of something

Side view

Lyme Park's greenhouse

Tina inside the greenhouse

The fountain inside the greenhouse

Inside the greenhouse

Front/side view

I'm really not sure where at Lyme Park this was taken--but I like it

Kind of a funky side view

A fountain on the grounds near the greenhouse

Dan and Tina

Walking through Lyme Park

Yes--another bench (I'm actually holding some back)

Along our walk

Dan and Eric next to a bizarre species of pine tree (I'm guessing)

Flowering trees

A bridge we passed during our stroll about the grounds

Another view of the bridge--it's cool but probably doesn't warrant two shots, but I had to wait a really long time for people to move out of my way so I'm posting two

Brother and Sister Hafen

A really tall tree in the deer park

Back View of Lyme

Eric sitting on a stump (wow--did I really need to explain that?)

A small footbridge

A shed that we encountered on our walk

Back view of Lyme

The flower garden at Lyme--unfortunately between plantings, but still beautiful

A cool looking door at Lyme Park

Front View of Lyme Park--we took this as we were leaving and the delivery truck had moved

After a great day at Lyme Park we headed back to the flat. Brother and Sister Hafen redied themselves for Family Home Evening and the rest of us packed for London and France. Tina and Dan went with the Hafens to FHE, Eric and I stayed behind to finish packing and shower. We had a very early start the next morning.

Things we ate: French Toast (with Golden Syrup and creme fraiche for me); the warm bacon salad pictured above for Tina, Ann and me; Dan and Doug had the venison; Eric wasn't feeling well and didn't eat; I'm pretty sure Dan got a hold of a flapjack that day; and I have no clue what we ate for dinner (help me with that someone).

Things I learned: Walmart isn't the same wherever you go (this is a good thing); a recylable bad from England's Walmart is somehow cool (and great for carrying library books); the British don't refrigerate their eggs, you find them on a shelf; A&E/BBC's Pride and Prejudice uses Lyme Park for the outside of Pemberly, but because of renovations, used another location for the indoor scenes; the Long Gallery was once turned into (or nearly) an ice skating rink by the children one winter; I would gladly live in either the stable, greenhouse or even the shed on those grounds.

European Tour 2009 - Day 3

2009-07-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday began typically--getting ready for church. On the plus side, I only had to get myself ready. And, as an added bonus, we were on time--even early. It happened to be their Stake Conference, so we went to their stake center and watched a broadcast from London.

It was raining as we left the church and we headed back to the flat to eat lunch and change our clothes. Our first stop was the Preston Temple. It was beautifully situated. It shares property with the MTC, distribution center and a church. Unfortunately the gates were locked and we were unable to walk the grounds. We still took a few pictures from outside the gates.

From the temple we went to Preston (the temple, although called the Preston temple, isn't actually in the city of Preston). We went to the city center and walked around a bit. We then continued to walk to a beautiful park that is next to the Ribble River. These places are all significant church history sites. As far as Preston goes as a city, it impressed me as the first really dirty place we visited. Everything else had seemed quite pristine up until then. Of course, as soon as we left the central parts of the city for the park, that all changed.

Preston's town square--a place from which the Mormon missionaries would preach and the Preston is also the English town in which the church first took root

Talented Preston citizen trying to make a buck--or a pound

A Japanese Garden within the park

Within the Japanese Garden there is this small monument documenting Preston as the place where the first Latter-Day Saints in Great Britain were baptized

A view from the bridge in the Japanese Garden

A view of the Ribble River where the first Latter-Day Saints in Preston were baptized

The path along the river

Another view of the Ribble River from the bridge

Okay. After we left Preston we drove to what became one of my favorite sites in England and even the whole trip. We went to a town called Downham. I can't really describe Downham and do it justice. Even the pictures are not good enough. It was like stepping back in time. If I could have erased the cars from the village, it would have felt even more authentic. It feels so removed from everything and so still. There is more than one route into the village, but we took a small sheep road in, which, I think, added to the experience. They have a small visitor center there (more like a shed with a few pictures on the wall) where we were able to get a little information. After leaving the visitor center, a man approached Brother and Sister Hafen who were wearing their missionary badges. He was a member of the church who was also visiting. He told us that there was a point in time when nearly every citizen in Downham converted to the LDS church and left England to cross the plains. It is now owned by a Lord Clitheroe who is extremely strict about its current inhabitants. The guidelines which must be followed in order to live there help it retain its authenticity (I am prepared to make any sacrifice necessary so that I can live there). Apparently it is used on occasion as a film location (I swear I recognized it the other night in the most recent episode of Poirot!). Pendle Hill is also nearby.

Sheep grazing in a field enclosed by a beautiful stone wall

I took A LOT of pictures of benches--this one in Downham being one of my favorites

One view of Pendle Hill

Some of the buildings in Downham

St. Leonard's Church--the tower dates to the 15th century but other parts of the church date back even further

A door on the church grounds

Inside St. Leonard's

One of the stained glass windows

The church's organ, which sat above the congregation in an alcove

View from the church

Downham Post Office

Yet another view

A house in Downham

The road and another example of the stone walls

Downham

Another house in Downham

We had a great and relaxing day. It was, once again, more than enjoyable to see things that are off the beaten track.

Things we ate today: crumpets; sandwiches; fruit; lamb; Yourshire Pudding; potatoes and peas; red pepper sauce with cream cheese and crackers (this stuff is seriously so good that I wish I could eat it this instant. I have since obtained the recipe and served it to my family on the 4th of July where it was a big hit.).

I learned a lot about church history today. And I think I know where we will retire.

We Interrupt this Fascinating Travel Log...

2009-06-25T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
May I begin by telling my good friend Jenifer "thank you" for suggesting this book--especially in its audio form (a second plug by Grammar Girl was also appreciated).

I loved The Graveyard Book's originality, especially because it is geared towards younger readers. This book is exciting and charming. The main character, Bod (short for Nobody) is endearing, as are many of the other characters. After being untimely orphaned, Bod is taken in by the inhabitants of a graveyard. He grows up there and is taught a variety of lessons by those who are buried there. He often refers to the inhabitants by their name, birth and death dates and epitaph. He struggles with his desire to be among those who are breathing and his need to have the graveyard's protection from those who want him dead.

I can't pretend that I didn't wonder about certain things: where does he bathe?, who washes his clothing?, and, is there a restroom in the graveyard? But all of these questions seem unimportant in the end.

As an adult I was actually nervous bordering on down-right scared at times. It is a suspenseful and sometimes touching tale.

Audio review: I almost feel like you would be missing out more than a little bit by only reading this book. It is read by the author who does a very impressive job. The variations in language and accent are spot on. Excellent!

View all my reviews.

European Tour 2009 - Day 2

2009-06-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

Conwy Castle

We set off on Saturday morning for North Wales and Conwy Castle. I think it was a pretty lengthy drive, but I was still struggling with the whole "stay awake in the car" thing. I hear that there was a lot of beautiful countryside and I'm sorry I missed it. Conwy Castle is amazing. It was rainy, windy and freezing, but that didn't dampen the experience. It's hard to believe that places like this still exist--especially being so used to the American "tear it down and build something new" mentality. This castle dates back to 1200 a.d. and was commissioned by King Edward I. It is almost maze-like and the views from the tops of the towers are incredible.

View of the countryside from Conwy Castle

These openings are called "murder holes." The archers could defend the castle here.

Looking down into what would have been several floors of a tower

View from a tower into the castle

Amazingly beautiful architechture in the castle chapel

Sister Hafen, me, Brother Hafen, Tina and Dan in the chapel area of the castle

Another view across Conwy Castle

Eric and Dan at the top of a tower

View of the bridge

Outside Conwy Castle

View from Conwy Castle of Conwy. You can still see the castle walls that once surrounded the city.

We then traveled to another castle in North Wales called Caernarfon. We travelled though the castle's walls and through a little town that surrounds the castle. We ate at a little cafe called Cally's. Caernarfon was also built by King Edward I. It is also significant because that is where King Edward's first son was born and where the tradition of making the eldest son of the king or queen the Prince of Wales. In fact, Prince Charles' coronation actually took place at Caernarfon Castle (do they call it a coronation if it is a prince?). I expected these two castles to be similar, as they were built around the same time. But Caernarfon had a French architect and a very different feel to it. Many of the basics were the same, but it was very different from Conwy.

Caernarfon Castle

I sort of wish I had counted all the stairs we climbed

Inside Caernarfon's walls

View from Caernarfon

View from the back of the van

The Hafen's flat in Lymm

It was a great day! After returning from the castles we walked over to the co-op for our first non-gift shop shopping experience. Things are so dissimilar! It was surprising to me--I'm not sure why it should be.

This was the worst night for me, as far as lack of sleep goes. I just couldn't fall asleep, so I watched Pride and Prejudice on my iPod. I nearly saw all six hours. That gives you an idea how much I slept.

What we ate today: Sister Hafen made pancakes and we ate them with some really yummy syrup called Golden Syrup--I put a little creme fraiche on mine as well--mmmmm; for lunch we all had sandwiches and a couple of us had baked potatoes; hot chocolate (still freezing); flapjacks (and thus began Dan's incessent search for more flapjacks); and for dinner, chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies--including my first experience with leeks (they were good, by the way).

Today I learned that most of the information regarding the Kings and Queens of England that I memorized in high school did not stay with me.

Day One - European Tour 2009

2009-06-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Chatsworth House

As author of this little European travel log, I reserve the right to post or neglect to post photos as I choose (we took about 800 photos--so be happy about that). This fact will be demonstrated immediately, as I will not post the first picture that was taken on our vacation. Eric took a picture of me being frisked by a security officer at McCarren Airport. (Needless to say, I removed my insulin pump for every subsequent security check.) I would have posted this very flattering picture, but the security officer made it very clear that taking pictures of a security check are unacceptable.

We arrived in Manchester and were greeted by Tina's parents. They are serving a mission there and were our amazing hosts, cooks, tour guides and chauffeurs. After dropping off our luggage at their flat in Lymm, we immediately left for Chatsworth House, which is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Amazing! Eric was more than a little jet-lagged and didn't love it as much as I did, but it was unlike anything I had seen before.

The front steps just inside Chatsworth.

The library--my favorite room

More library shots, and that violin--it's a painting

Various indoor shots including Eric's attempt at looking fascinated with period costumes

The staircase, dining room and a few of the many statues

Eric, Sister Hafen, Dan and Tina outside Chatsworth House

Dan and Tina

Gardens at Chatsworth

A few more outdoor shots

Chatsworth House is near a little town called Bakewell. I loved Bakewell! We actually went there in search of Bakewell's famous tarts, and found a very enchanting little town. It also had one of those great creepy churches complete with a graveyard (parts of the church were built in 1100).

Bakewell

A street in Bakewell

The creepy yet very cool church

Side-view of the church

I blame any bad karma for the rest of the trip on Dan and Eric

We also went on a little walking tour in the rain around the town of Lymm. The canal that runs through town is filled with barge-type houseboats. We picked up some authentic fish and chips and mushy peas on the way back to the flat.

Things we ate today: a couple of pretty good sandwiches in the Las Vegas and Philidelphia airports (Eric: sorry about your poor choice of McDonlads in the Philly airport!); some surprisingly good chicken and pasta on the airplane; french toast and honey--compliments of Sister Ann Hafen; ice cream in Bakewell; fish and chips and mushy peas; Bakewell tarts and some other kind of yummy coconut tart; and Galaxy Mintrels (a yummy English version of M&Ms--but WAY better).

Things I discovered: England can be freezing, even in the summer; I'm more than glad that I invested in my raincoat; I can't keep my eyes open during long car rides in any country; I was so glad we weren't driving with the whole "driver on the right hand side" thing.

I Think My Girls are Funny

2009-06-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

I know I threatened to begin posting our vacations pictures, but, at the request of the big girls in the family, I am advertising their new video blog. Apparently they are planning to document--on video--this summer's road trips. View if you dare. I think they are kind of funny. The name of their blog is sandsvideoblog.blogspot.com. (That is "s and s," not "sands.") Or you can click here to go directly to the video.

Just a Little Warning

2009-06-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

For those few of you who may attempt to keep up with my sadly neglected blog, I feel obligated to tell you that there are several updates coming at you. The warning part comes from the fact that Eric and I just returned from ten days in England and France and that said updates are mostly a travel log. Boring to most, but necessary for me to do while details are still fresh in my sieve of a brain.

Let the 2009 Elison Family Birthdays Begin

2009-05-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Eric's 41st birthday last Thursday. It was a fun little celebration. Because Sage also had her orchestra concert that night (more to come on that subject), we had the Kennedys and the Reeves over for dessert afterward. Eric requested Better Than..., which was delicious--if I do say so myself. And I made that extremely ugly green cake for the kids to eat. We all had fun and Eric got some good loot. Happy Birthday, honey!

Hungry?

2009-04-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is definitely a page-turner (maybe not a completely accurate description considering I listened to the audio book). And as young adult fare goes, it is a bit more sophisticated. The main characters may be children, but they are living adult lives and making (or being forced to make) decisions beyond their years.

Most of my favorite books hinge on my love of the main characters. I'm not sure I love Katniss as much as I've loved some others, but I appreciate her complexity. So much about her is admirable, yet she doesn't (mostly) make decisions based on what will make her lovable. She does what she has to do to guarantee her survival and the survival of those she loves. I'm looking forward to the next book.

**Audio Review: Very adequate. Not amazing, but not distracting. Overall I rather enjoyed listening to this book. I don't typically choose shorter books to listen to, but this was a good one.

View all my reviews.

How I Met Eric: November 1, 1990

2009-04-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

**Note: Some names have been modified to protect the innocent. Also, some information has been left out so that I don't seem like such an idiot.**

Once upon a time, back in 1990, I attended a Young Adult Ward that was in my stake in Orem. I had pretty much gotten over a previous engagement that did not--thankfully--end in marriage. At the time I had a pretty hefty crush on a guy in my ward. We were really good friends but he had never asked me out and I didn't have the nerve to ask him. Finally he asked me out on a date! But I, unfortunately, wasn't able to make it. It did give me the courage to ask him out on a group date that all my friends were planning. A few days before this much anticipated and looked forward to date, I went visiting teaching. The girl I visit taught was in the Relief Society presidency and they just happened to be having a presidency meeting when I got there with my companion (who was also my step-sister, Shannon). We all got talking and the Relief Society president, Diana, said to me, "You should go out with a friend of mine. He is in our ward. Do you know Eric Elison?" I did not know Eric at all by sight. I only knew his name and that he was very good friends with the guy I was crushing on (another Eric--Eric R.). She went on to say, "Eric Elison is the brother of the guy I am waiting for on his mission (Kip). But I could double with you guys. I could go with our other friend Eric R.--he knows my whole situation with Kip."

I then proceeded to tell her that the timing was very off because I had a date scheduled for that Saturday night with Eric R. But I jokingly told her that if things didn't work out with Eric R. (which, of course, they would) then she could set me up with Eric Elison. Saturday night finally arrived and I was anticipating a heavenly night (there is a bit more to the "why" I was so sure this date would work out--a story for another time if you are interested). In a word the date was a disaster. Complete disaster. It might have been fine--just your typical first date with a fun guy, had I not been expecting to be swept off my feet.

The next day at church, I immediately asked Diana (who was sitting in front of me) to point out this Eric Elison guy. She did and I told her that if he was interested to have him give me a call. He called two days later (Halloween) to ask me out for the following night. We went to the Vienna Boys Choir concert in Salt Lake. It was so much fun (which was a little easier this time since my expectations were at a more normal level). I even gathered the courage to ask him out for the next night--I already planned to go see the play The Elephant Man at UVCC with Wendy but she had canceled. Things escalated from there and we were married 9 months later.

Whew! Are you still reading? If you are I will reward you with another little tidbit of information: Diana, the Relief Society president who set me up with Eric is my sister-in-law. She and Kip were married a little over one month after we were. I'm still indebted to her.

It's a Fruit Thing

2009-03-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

I don't know what has come over me, but I'm in a recipe sharing mood lately. Natalie had a little shin-dig at her house yesterday and it gave me the perfect excuse to make one of my favorite party foods. Fruit Thing is a slushy concoction that is super yummy. And it's healthy, right? You know--it's fruit. (Never mind the four cups of sugar.) And for your recipe viewing pleasure, I've included pictured steps this time!

Fruit Thing

In a large pan combine 4 cups water and 4 cups sugar. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes.

Pour into a large bowl or container. Add 3/4 cup lemon juice, 4 cups cold water and 1 large can of crushed pineapple.

Put the container in the freezer. Freeze until slushy--stiring once every hour or so. (This should take around 6-7 hours.)

Add the following to the slushy mixture: 2 16 oz. packages of frozen whole strawberries, thawed slightly and cut in half; 1 16 oz. package of frozen blueberries; 2 16 oz. packages of frozen raspberries; 1/2 cup seedless red grapes (cut in half, if desired). (OR you can use an equivalent amount of any frozen berries--Costco has a good mix.) Return to freezer.

Before serving, thaw to slushy stage (approximately 1/2-1 hour).

Yummy!

Two Reasons I am a Blogging Slacker

2009-03-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that several people guessed one of my slacker reasons: Facebook. I am a facebook addict. I fully admit it. It has been so fun to reconnect with so many people I have lost touch with. And it is so great to keep up with family and friends that we live far away from. I initially joined facebook in order to share photos with my mom. But my blog pretty much replaced that need. In the meantime I discovered the most addicting aspect of facebook: Word Twist. When I consider the amount of time I've spent playing that game, I realize that I should be able to ace it every time I play. But I don't. I have a terrible memory these days. But I do love playing. I often use Word Twist as an incentive to get other stuff done. For instance, if I fold a load of laundry I reward myself with a game of Word Twist (in fact, I'm rewarding myself with a game as soon as I finish this post!). I used to spend a lot more time on facebook doing things like taking care of my Green Patch (and all my friends' Green Patches) and taking care of my virtual dog Mandy (and everyone else's dogs). It was actually a little psycho, in a way, because I couldn't sleep at night until I had fed, watered and played with several dogs. Thank goodness I got over that! I still occasionally take care of my Green Patch (I'm helping save the rain forest, you know), but I don't feel responsible for taking care of my friends' patches.

Nobody guessed the second reason! No--I am not pregnant. I won't ever be pregnant again. Reason number two is the Nintendo Wii. More specifically: Wii Fit. I have actually become a pretty avid exerciser. I actually use the Wii Fit, a "game" on the Wii called Fitness Coach and a few other things like walking and stepping. But it takes a chunk out of my day.

It seems like I'm always sharing conversations I have with Haven, so how about one I had a few days ago with Ryder?

Ryder came into my bedroom as I was putting my exercise clothes on:
Ryder: Mom, you doing Wii Fit?
Me: Yes! I am going to do Wii Fit.
Ryder: That awesome.

I love doing the Wii Fit with Ryder in the room. After every activity he cheers for me and tells me I'm doing a good job. He says, "Yea, mom!" He also tells me what he wants me to do. He often chooses hula hoop or the "lope" (this is actually the tight rope) or the penguin game. I actually prefer the boxing game (expert version) or the step games. I don't really appreciate being told that I am not the ideal weight on a daily basis, but that fact does give me some incentive for wanting to change that.

Fitness Coach is pretty good. I like it a lot because the workouts vary in focus every time between upper or lower body, core, flexibility and cardio. I can also choose the duration and track activities I do elsewhere. Maya (my virtual coach) kicks my butt all the time.

So there you have it. Two reasons I stink at blogging lately. I am going to try and do better. You know, for journaling purposes.

Sometimes it's all About the Food

2009-03-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first night of our ward's book club since it was assigned to me. It was a good time. And what is a book club meeting--or any meeting, for that matter--without food?! Well, last night we didn't have to find out. My plan was to have cucumber sandwiches, a simple salad, and a little dessert of some kind. But then Natalie and Brooke got involved and things took a more yummy turn. Brooke lost complete control and made the gorgeous cupcakes you see pictured above. Yes, they each have their own individual flower and bow; and yes, they were delicious. She also made her secret recipe chocolate chip cookies. I would have taken a picture, but they had been devoured by the time I thought to take out my camera. And Natalie dipped strawberries in both white and milk chocolate--yum! (You can see last one or two on the plate behind the cupcakes. Seriously delicious.) Thank you so much, ladies, for your help and attendance.

Cucumber Sandwiches have been a favorite of mine since I worked at my good friend Wendy's reception center way back when. And then, when they catered my wedding, these babies were served at the reception. It was years later, but I just had to get the recipe from Wendy. I've actually had dreams of eating them. And last night, I sure did.

Cucumber Sandwiches

white bread (preferably a hardier white bread like Great Harvest or Granny's)
cucumbers (I like to use English cucumbers best)
4 Tbsp. softened butter
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
seasoning salt (like Lawry's)

Combine butter and cream cheese to make a spread, set aside. Combine sour cream and mayonnaise, set aside. Peel desired amount of cucumbers and slice. Using a round cookie cutter or top of a glass, cut circles out of the center of the slices of bread. (Bread can be cut to any desired size, depending on how many servings you want or the size of the cucumbers.)
Spread each circle of bread with the cream cheese mixture. Place 1-2 cucumbers on bread. Place a dollop of sour cream/mayo mixture on top of each cucumber. Sprinkle a small amount of seasoning salt on top.

I got this recipe for Corn Salsa from my friend Michelle several years ago. I changed it up a bit for last night, but it is always good. I like it best served with Tostitos Lime Tortilla chips, as Michelle suggests!

Corn Salsa

Mix together in a medium sized bowl:
2 cans Green Giant Shoepeg corn
1 bunch of green onions sliced very thin
4 Roma tomatoes cut up into chunks
1 small can of chopped olives (I left these out last night)
(I also add) 2 avacados cut into chunks
1/2 large bottle of Kraft Zest Italian salad dressing (I use fat free)

We also had water flavored with orange and lemon slices. This fact led to a funny Haven conversation:

Haven: Mom? I just had some of that drink. Did you make it?
Me: Well, yes. Natalie helped me. Did you like it?
Haven: Ummm. It just tasted like water.
Me: That is what it is. Water flavored with fruit slices.
Haven: Well, did you forget to add the sugar? I learned on Calliou that you are supposed to add sugar when you make lemonade.
Me: You are supposed to do that. But I wasn't making lemonade.
Haven: Next time you should remember to add the sugar.

Incidentally, the book we talked about was Persuasion by Jane Austen. It wasn't loved by everyone as much as I love it, but I like to think that we had some good conversation.

Upcoming Blog Posts: a flashback to about 18 1/2 years ago and a post about the reason I am a lousy blogger these days (there are actually two reasons--any guesses?--no fair guessing if you already know!).

Brooke Made me do It - A Giveaway

2009-03-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

If I don't respost and play along, Brooke won't send me my cool suprise!! So here we go:

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may sew or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!

Boo!

2009-03-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

Savannah is working on a persuasive essay for her English class. Her topic is "ghosts." (No big surprise that she is pro-ghost, if you know her at all.) Please take a minute to take the poll on the side-bar. Thanks a bunch!

Erik James Wilson

2009-03-02T01:54:00.000-08:00

It's difficult to know what to write after two years. Very difficult. I don't want to relive that day. Not in my mind. And not in words. But I do want to say that I will never forget Erik. I think of him every day. His life and his death have impacted my life in ways that I don't always think are necessary. But despite the pain, I am so grateful for the privilege of having been--and still being--his sister. I still don't understand. And it continues to be bewildering, in a way, to have life go on.

Let me just say, Erik, that we all love you and we always have. Thank you for being a part of our family and our lives. We'll see you again.

The Dictionary According to Ryder

2009-02-20T11:26:00.000-08:00

Ryder is growing up so quickly. He speaks more clearly and more abundantly every day. But we don't want to forget all of his funny vocabulary! I know I have forgotten some already and may have to add to this post as people remind me. And even a list of the words he uses doesn't do him justice. His inflections are great too. Like the way he says, "I love YOU, mommy."

The Ryder Dictionary (in no particular order)

Yawyee = Savannah
Yawyo = Sage
Buduh = Haven
Ry der = Ryder (Yes, he's got that one down.)
Nanner = Tanner
Bentee = Bentley (He used to say "tbah")
papes = grapes
nana = banana
wer wor = World World
bid a wor = build a word (said while jumping in a circle)
Eeffa = Eve (from Wall-E)
ink show = Monsters, Inc.
baff = bath
cool = school
shahshoo = sucker
shahshoo = yellow (That is right--sucker and yellow sound the same. Anyone for a yellow sucker?)
blap = black
ree = red
ree = green (not "ree," ree!)
roo = room
gog = dog
wahwee = water
gook = book
cacker = cracker
muck = milk
dipt muck = I would like to dip graham crackers in milk.
yoga mapt = yoga mat
mahmahyo = marshmallow
beeball = baseball
foood = food

He says most everything else pretty clearly--to us, anyway. And there are a few things I can't put on the list because they sound a little (or a lot) like swear words (sorry, Faith!). But we pretty much get a kick out of almost everything that comes out of his cute little mouth.

Let Me Persuade You

2009-02-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

Persuasion by Jane Austen

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Because I love Pride and Prejudice so much, I almost feel like I am betraying it a little each time I admit that I think I like Persuasion more. During this most recent reading of Persuasion I decided to pay a bit of attention to the differences between the two, and maybe figure out why I like Persuasion more. The result is that, really, they are nearly neck and neck. I love Elizabeth Bennett, and Pride and Prejudice has an extra dose of humor in it. But Anne Elliot is someone I would like to be--in a more modern version. She is sensible, but recognizes the need for love and romance in life. She is loyal--almost to a fault, but she is a true friend and supportive sister and daughter, even when the support is not reciprocated. I especially enjoy the journey she takes in Persuasion. I think that in the eight years proceeding the action in this novel she had already began to change, but the months that this novel depicts truly realize Anne's growing into herself. She is not about to repeat past mistakes (as I often do!) and is determined to make decisions based on her own experience and knowledge rather than being persuaded by others.

It may well be that one scene in this novel gives Persuasion the slightest edge over Pride and Prejudice for me. I will only refer to this scene as "the letter." I can read this scene over and over and never tire of it. I do not consider myself a hopeless romantic by any means. In fact, if a certain line is crossed then I must smirk at the cheesiness. But these few paragraphs in Persuasion are perfection to me.

**Audio Review** There are many audio versions of Persuasion (watch out and avoid those unabridged versions!). As I noted the various narrators I was immediately drawn to Grete Scacchi. I think she has a lovely voice. I did, however, proceed to listen to snippets of all of the narrators (I was surprised to find one male narrator). In the end, I went back to Grete Scacchi. She did not disappoint.

View all my reviews.

Resolutions

2009-02-06T15:09:00.000-08:00

Faced with piles of laundry to fold (affectionately referred to as Mt. Linen at our house), I'm choosing to blog instead. I mean, that laundry isn't going anywhere and I really need to post something. Right?

I've been meaning to address those pesky New Year's Day resolutions for over a month now. I think it is valuable to have a point once a year where we can all look at how badly we botched last years resolutions and optimistically make some for the present year. I wonder how I did last year? It can't be a good sign if I can only recall a couple (and of those I remember I followed through with exactly zero).

Last year I chose to keep most of my resolutions to myself to avoid publicizing my failures. Of the two goals I listed for all the world to read, as well as a few others I didn't list, here are the results:

lose weight: Nice try, Jenn. Better luck this year.

birthday cards: January - check!; February - check!; March - oops (it just goes downhill from here, folks)

be on time: I did make some major strides in this area. But you know what? One year of improving does not undo the previous years. So far I have not changed anyone's impression of me.

exercise: ummm. I started walking more quickly through the mall.

So what about this year?

lose weight (sound familiar) - so far so good
exercise - I'm breaking records!
no eating candy - can you believe that it is February and I'm still doing well on this one?
go to Europe - still in the planning stages but it's gonna happen

...and a few others that I'll keep private. As far as birthday cards go, I'm admitting defeat. I really wish I could be successful. Especially living far from most of our family, I would like them to know I'm thinking of them on their birthdays. I will continue to try to be on time, but I'll try not to beat myself up when I'm not.

I suppose you can tune in next year if you care to see how I do. You can just assume I will fail (a natural response) and then maybe I'll surprise you. And myself.