Getting Closer to My Goal

With these books, I have 22 more books to reach my goal and we are just about finishing week 17 of the year.  Yeah!!!  I took about a week off from reading between the last two books listed, but I am back on track.

The Color of Light.  Another novel by Karen White.  I will be sad when I’ve read all of them.  This is another wonderful story about a family with a sorted past and the daughter who has had to figure it all out.  Of course, there is a cute love story as well.  White never disappoints.

I Am Number Four.  I chose this book because I have never read a book and then soon after seen the movie.  I wanted to see what that was like.  The book…well, it was really easy reading.  The characters were pretty flat, but it is science fiction, can’t say I was expecting more.  It is good though, a true sci-fi through and through - from the aliens blending in on our planet to finally an all out war on Earth between aliens from two other planets!

The movie…well, I was hesitant to go see it.  It got horrible reviews.  I even waited until it came to the $1 theater so I wouldn’t waste too much money if it was horrible.  I would give it 1 out of 4 stars.  I was fascinated though with the liberties they are able to take in not following the book.  Sometimes I just shook my head and thought, “Really, you think that was a good way to change or interpret that?”

Learning to Breathe.  Yet, another Karen White novel.  Again, very good as were all her others.  This one is about a woman in her 30’s who is trying to learn to live outside of her past.  More strong characters and great history of the town the book was set against.

The Council of Dads.  Perhaps it is my current state of mind, or that I’m a self-proclaimed “daddy’s girl,” but I cried through a lot of this book.  I loved it though.  It has a lot of good life lessons and I plan on buying the book so I can mark it up.  It was really easy reading, but very inspiring as well.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.  My sister-in-law, Jennie, recommended and loaned this book to me and I am grateful she did.  It was so funny, sad really, but in a funny way!  The characters are just as charming and extreme as can be.  My favorite part - I smiled the entire time I was reading it.

The Hunger Games.  Sometimes I feel like such a dork for waiting so long to enjoy reading for pleasure.  Clearly, there are so many good books out there and this this stands among them.  I can’t wait to read the other two in the trilogy!  Honestly, if you think too long on hard about what the book is about, it is really horrible, but it is such good reading.

For the Love of a Daughter

Nathan just smiled and played along as I took pictures of him doing his self-proclaimed “daddy duty.”  He spent about 10 minutes last night, after the kids got out of the bath, brushing Rapunzel’s hair so it would be nice and smooth when Avery went to sleep with her.  I thought it was so cute he did that for Avery.

He is also Avery’s appointed hair brusher.  She won’t let mommy do it!  I get her “crooked face” when we suggest I brush her hair.

An Easter Egg Hunting We Will Go…

…and go they did.  We had an Easter egg hunt at our house and then at Grandma and Grandpa’s too.  What fun!  At one point they even turned their eggs into musical instruments and danced around with them.

HAPPY EASTER!!!

I am thankful for my Savior who suffered, was crucified and rose again the third day, for me.  I hope you all have a glorious Easter!

IT IS OFFICIAL!!!

We now have a one-year food supply!!  We recently purchased a 100 gallon water storage tank as well from WaterLater.  They have fantastic products and wonderful customer service.  Check them out at http://www.waterlater.com.  I am close to having a year of toiletries, paper products and such as well.  I am so excited by all of this I can hardly stand it!

How long has it been?

Well, I’m glad you asked.  The last time we cut Dylan’s hair was June 15, 2010.

This is how he looked BEFORE his haircut yesterday.

This is how he looks NOW.  Personally, I think the curls fit his personality better.

Here are a few of the actual haircut.

Odds & Ends

The weather is finally beginning to warm up, the skies are less wet, and I think spring may have actually arrived.  The kids have enjoyed jumping on the trampoline and I have enjoyed being outside watching.  Dylan shows less and less fears in the tricks and flips he attempts.  It makes me hold my breath a lot! 

We bought a storm door that has a screen in it so I can have a breeze through the house, which is soooo nice.  Oh, we also got the dresser we’ve wanted for the master bedroom! 

When the Smith Family Visits

My younger brother and his family and my older sister came to visit this past week.  Dusty was here for over a week from Indiana and Shannon came up for five days from California.  It was fun to have all of my siblings together. 

Friday night everyone came to our house for dinner.  I was a little concerned as to how I was going to feed 20 people at my house, but we managed.

After dinner we played the ‘Minute to  Win It’ Oreo game that I was introduced to in Indiana.  Jennie proved to be the queen of the game, managing to get the Oreo into her mouth both times, under a minute!  Everyone had lots of fun trying though!

After the game we attempted to take a family picture… well, there was pinching and other shenanigans, but we tried our very best.

Saturday we went to Jumping Jacks and the kids and Dusty ran around crazy and had tons of fun.  I went down the big slide once, just to prove I could do it (sorry, no picture).

Elle wasn’t feeling so well, so she stayed close to her mom and dad and ate grapes.

After Jumping Jacks we went to my parents’ for a family dinner and Family Home Evening.  We also celebrated Lauren, Stephanie, Kate and Avery’s birthdays!

We loved having family in town and Dylan and Avery especially loved playing with their cousins.  We also went rabbit hunting on Thursday and bowling on Friday, but I am waiting to get those pictures from my sister.